IOWA CITY FRIENDS MEETING NEWSLETTER
Twelfth Month — December 2002

SPECIAL EVENTS

First Day School Christmas Pageant – 15 December at the conclusion of Meeting for Worship.  Friends are encouraged to bring cookies to share.

Regular Events

Worship - We gather for worship on Sundays at 10:00 a.m.

First Day School meets 15 minutes after the start of worship in an upstairs room of the meeting house.  

Ministry and Oversight normally meets on the fourth Sunday of the month at 9:00 a.m.

Potluck is held the first Sunday of the month following meeting for worship. 

Business Meeting is the second Sunday of the month following worship and snacks.

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ICFM is scheduled to volunteer for Free Lunch Program - 4th Wed. of the month at Wesley House kitchen (335-6283). Let Jean Cadoret (644-2746) know when you can help prep, serve, clean up. Contact Rebecca Rosenbaum (337-5187) if you can help with clean-up for Free Lunch, or drop in between 12:00 & 1:30.

We are aware that some who attend meeting are allergic to perfume, so we are asking folks not to wear it to meeting.

Meeting for Business

Twelfth Month 2002 (8 December)

In attendance: Kate Cowles, Tim Shipe, Perry Howell, Elsie Kuhn, Ruth Dawson, Judith Pascoe, Lori Nelson, Ann Macmillan, Susannah Middaugh, Monica Sandschafer

1)  Gabriel Middaugh has submitted a request to become a member of the meeting.  A clearness committee has been set up.  It consists of Ruth Dawson, Elsie Kuhn, and Kate Cowles.

2)  The treasurer's report was submitted by Perry Howell and approved.

3)  The Ministry and Oversight report was read and approved.

4)  First Day School is organizing a Christmas pageant which will be presented on Sunday, December 15th, during the last 15 minutes of meeting for worship.  The after meeting snack will be Christmas cookies--all are encouraged to bring some to share.

5)  The Buildings and Grounds committee is waiting for the tree trimmer to carry out his work.

6)  The Peace and Social Concerns committee is going to draft a letter in response to the article in the Des Moines Register focusing on a small pro-war protest at William Penn College.  The coverage of this pro-war group seems to have been much more extensive than the coverage of much larger anti-war activities.

The benefit concert at the Mill brought in over $1600 dollars.  Half of this sum will go to Micah Keller Shriste, who will be visiting Iraq.  The rest of the money will be divided between the School of the Americas Watch and the Emergency Housing Project.

7)  The Meeting will be sending a letter to the Minister of the First Mennonite Church in order to voice our support of a letter he wrote to the Press-Citizen inviting all to join with the First Mennonite Church in supporting peace.

8)     Ruth reported on the success of the annual Gifts for Parents event that was held on Dec. 7th at St. Mark's Church.  This event was sponsored by the Consultation of Religious Communities.

Judith Pascoe recording

Ministry and Oversight Report for 11/24/02

(Present:  Ruth Dawson, Judith Pascoe, Susan Murty, Elsie Kuhn)

Ruth reported on taking part in the “Voices of the Wilderness” candlelight walk to St. Thomas Moore Church last week.  She reminded us that there are many demonstrations going on against the U.S. carrying the war into Iraq.

Worship-Sharing –The recent worship-sharing session, where we talked about our individual journeys to Quakerism, had excellent participation. We are planning to have another worship-sharing session on “centering” following meeting for worship on February 16.

We prepared a response to Query #8 on Personal Responsibility for Iowa Yearly Meeting.

Response to Query #8 on Personal Responsibility for Iowa Yearly Meeting, 11/24/02

We ask ourselves, how do we balance being responsible to ourselves and to society while facing the demands placed upon us. Taking time from our busy lives to rest, think, meditate, and become centered is preparatory to taking effective action in the world. Busyness and distractions can keep us from being centered. 

Distractions in our lives—television, computers, cell phones, e-mails, telephones, some forms of entertainment, can keep us from setting right priorities.  Learning how to simplify our lives is important as we set an example for our children. We need to remember that different people are suited to different tasks.  One person is not required to do it all.  Thomas Kelly reminds us “The Cosmic Patience becomes, in part, our patience, for after all God is at work in the world.  It is not we alone who are at work in the world, frantically finishing a work to be offered to God….We need not get frantic for He is at the helm.”

Treasurer’s Summary for November 2002

Income

            General contributions                                   590.00

Expenses

            Transfer to building fund                               450.00

            Utilities & fees                                               215.96

            Newsletter                                                        29.32

            House insurance (one year)             580.00

            Outreach (Flossie Cox conference             100.00

                        support)

Ending balance, 11.30.02

            Monthly Meeting general fund                      2259.45

            Building fund                                                  5170.62

Query 12

Peace and Nonviolence

"[We] seek to live in the virtue of that life and power that takes away the occasion for all wars."   --George Fox

                                                                        Advice

     We seek peace within our own lives.  Sometimes there are barriers to peace within families and meetings, and among individuals.  Anger and frustration may result in hurtfulness which leaves physical, sexual or emotional wounds.  Healing and forgiveness are possible when our hearts are opened to the transforming love that comes from the Spirit Within.  The violence we oppose is not only war, but all unloving acts.

     Friends seek peaceful resolution to conflicts between nations and peoples.  As long as nations depend upon armed forces as an option for defense and order, wars can easily erupt.  To oppose war is not enough if we fail to deal with the injustices and inequalities that so often lead to violence.  We need to address the causes of war, such as aggression, revenge, overpopulation, greed, and religious and ethnic differences.

                                                                         Query

     What are we doing to educate ourselves and others about the causes of conflict in our own lives, our families and our meetings?  Do we provide refuge and assistance, including advocacy, for spouses, children, or elderly persons who are victims of violence or neglect?

     Do we recognize that we can be perpetrators as well as victims of violence?  How do we deal with this?  How can we support one another so that healing may take place?

     What are we doing to understand the causes of war and violence and to work toward peaceful settlement of differences locally, nationally, and internationally?  How do we support institutions and organizations that promote peace? Do we faithfully maintain our testimony against preparation for and participation in war?

Iowa City Friends Meeting Committees

Clerks: Judith Pascoe, Kate Cowles

Recording Clerk: Tim Shipe

Ministry & Oversight: Ruth Dawson, Susan Murty, Kara Hartzler, Elsie Kuhn

Building & Grounds: Jeff Cox (convener), Ann MacMillan, Steve Tatum

Treasurer:   Perry Howell

Peace & Social Concerns: Monica Sandschafer  (convener), Jeff Cox, Lori Nelson, Kate Cowles

Representative to Emergency Housing Project: (open)

Librarian: Quinn Dilkes

Religious Education: Tim Barrett, Jodie Plumert, Perry Howell

Representative to Consultation of Religious Communities (CRC) of Iowa City:. Ruth Dawson

Newsletter: Editor:  Tim Shipe  (Please send news to Tim at moonship@ia.net with a subject line of "Friends' newsletter."). If you're currently receiving this newsletter in print form (via U.S. mail or by picking it up at meeting), but would prefer to receive it electronically, please forward your e-mail address to Tim.