Book Discussion Group — Sunday, May 21st 11:30
The group will discuss chapters 7 and 8 of Thich Nhat Hanh's Living Buddha, Living Christ.
Ministry and Oversight Committee meeting — Sunday, May 28th, following Meeting and snacks.
Pacifism and the
West Bank: Daily Life in Israel — Sunday, June 4th,
following potluck.
Lea
Haravon Collins will discuss her experiences/impressions from her spring, 1999
trip to Israel, concerning what it would mean to be a pacifist as a citizen
of that country.
Surveys regarding a proposed
Spiritual Formation Program, under the direction of Iowa Yearly
Meeting, were handed out Sunday, May 14th. (Additional copies are
available at the meetinghouse.) Friends
are asked to complete these by Sunday, June 4th, so that the
Yearly Meeting's Ministry and Oversight Committee can assess
the level of interest among Friends throughout the Yearly Meeting and make
a decision regarding whether to proceed with the program next year. Completed surveys may be returned to Tim Shipe or
Liz Moon, or they can be sent directly to Martha Hampton, convenor
of the Yearly Meeting M & O committee, at the address listed on the survey form
Present: Tim Shipe (Clerk), Quinn Dilkes, Ruth Dawson, Susan Murty, Geraldine Zuercher
Treasurer’s Report: The Treasurer’s Report was presented and approved.
Ministry and Oversight: Ruth presented a report of the last query discussion.
Building and Grounds: The carpentry work on the front porch has been completed and paid for. The painting will begin this week, depending on weather.
Religious Education: Volunteers are still needed to sign up for First Day School.
Nominating Committee: Ruth and Tim will serve on the Nominating Committee. Tim will seek two more volunteers, and we approve their membership on the committee in advance.
Respectfully submitted
Timothy Shipe
Congratulations
to Richard and Marilyn KeslerWest
Who tell us —
We’ve expanded our house by two feet!
Richard and Marilyn KeslerWest joyfully announce the gift of a son, Lee Riad KeslerWest, born at eight forty-five pm on Friday the seventh of April, two thousand. 7 pounds, 12.8 ounces, 19 inches long.
With love,
Marilyn and Richard
PS—We’d love to hear from you, hear your news. But no gifts please.
And to Susan Murty
Who has received tenure and has been promoted to Associate Professor at the School of
Social Work!
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 meets on the fourth Sunday
of the month following Meeting for Worship.
Potluck is held
the first Sunday of the month following meeting for worship.
Business Meeting is on the second Sunday of the month following worship and snacks.
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.
Clerk: Tim Shipe
Recording Clerk: Tim Shipe
Ministry & Oversight: Kate Cowles, Tim Shipe, Quinn Dilkes, Elsie Kuhn,
Ruth Dawson (convener)
Building & Grounds: Jeff Cox, Lea Haravon Collins, Quinn Dilkes, Marcia
Shaffer (convener)
Treasurer: Susan Murty
Peace & Social Concerns: Jeff Cox, Kate Cowles, Holly Hart, Erika Lehmann,
Liz Moon (convener)
Representative to Emergency Housing Project: Holly Hart
Librarian: Marcia Shaffer
Religious Education: Tim Barrett, Perry Howe, Judith Pascoe, Jodie
Plumert
Representative
to Yearly Meeting Discipline Revision Committee: Steve Tatum
Representative
to Yearly Meeting 2000 Planning Group: Maggie Tompkins
Representative
to Consultation of Religious Communities (CRC) of Iowa City:. Ruth Dawson
Newsletter: Brendan Holly
edits the newsletter. Liz Moon maintains the mailing list and takes care of
distribution. Please send news to Brendan at writeon1@Home.com
with a subject line of "Friends' newsletter." The newsletter is sent
via email to those who provide email addresses. Others receive it via snail
mail or may pick up a copy at meeting. If
you're currently receiving this newsletter in print form, but would prefer to
receive it electronically, please forward your e-mail address to Liz Moon at moonship@ia.net
.
We try to make the business meeting a meeting for worship to conduct the necessary business. Our clerk is mindful of the many involvements of most of our members and attenders and enables the smooth-flowing of the business of the Meeting by providing an agenda (often ordered on the day of the meeting to accommodate the schedules of those reporting). There is an effort made to encourage written reports as well so that both the minutes and the Newsletter can be more readily completed. On matters requiring lengthy discussion or where questions require further exploration before answers are evident, there is an attempt to present information at a first meeting and pursue further details for continued discussion or consensus at a succeeding meeting. Occasionally a specially called meeting is necessary to deal with matters of some urgency regarding the building or someone in the meeting.
Responsibility for various aspects of the Meeting are shared, usually without grumbling, and volunteers seem to be forthcoming for most areas of work-related jobs. Actual leadership roles are rotated amongst the members and a number of attenders. An effort is made to include student attenders as often as possible.
Although the Iowa City Monthly Meeting is somewhat transient, there is a stability of programs and leadership. Friendship and caring relationships evolve over even short period of time as we share experiences and concerns. Once a month there is a potluck following Meeting for Worship and sometimes it is simply a social time with no planned topic for discussion. Other times we invite someone to share recent experiences, or a designated topic will be discussed. The monthly Newsletter provides an updating of events and reminders of responsibilities as well as news of members and attenders that is sought or volunteered.
Whenever there is a dissenting point of view on a matter of business and an action seems necessary, the person not in agreement may simply “stand aside,” though there will be a minute to that effect. In general, there is a feeling of unanimity and kindness in the Meeting. Honesty is never doubted and gender is not an issue in the sharing of responsibilities. When there is a problem with decision-making, we are aware that calling in objective Friends from other Meetings is an option, and we gladly offer to participate in kind.
Friends consider the meeting to be a family in which the welfare of each individual is of utmost concern. For some, the meeting may be the only family in the community. In mutual caring, we seek greater wisdom than our own. We listen to the silence within ourselves and to one another with openness of heart. Sharing our pain as well as our joy can bring us closer together, making it easier to ask for help when we need it. Each of us is both giver and receiver, ready to help and to accept help.
Friends try to be aware of those who require special attention within the meeting community. We believe interaction to be of mutual benefit to both adults and children. It is the responsibility of adults to recognize and give voice to the needs of children in the meeting. Inactive and absent members require the care of the meeting; those who do not currently attend meeting may be contacted by mail or by personal visit. We need also to minister with sensitivity to those in transition and to support caregivers and those requiring care within the meeting community. It is important to be responsive to the needs and gifts of newcomers and to seekers who may attend our meetings for a short time.
We endeavor to be conscious of how differing gender role expectations may affect the quality of our relationships and influence how we empower ourselves in the home, meeting, community, school, workplace and government. We envision a society that provides opportunities for all people to reach their potentials, share similar expectations, reap comparable rewards and contribute equally to society.
How do we respond to each others' personal needs and difficulties in sensitive and useful ways?
Do we encourage both men and women to share in caregiving?
What are we doing to welcome and draw members and attenders of all ages into the fellowship of the meeting?
How do we help our children feel the loving care of the meeting? What do the children contribute to the meeting?
How do we keep in touch with inactive and distant members and attenders?