IOWA CITY FRIENDS MEETING NEWSLETTER
Tenth Month — October 2002

SPECIAL EVENTS

Worship-Sharing, “What It Means to Be a  Friend” – 17 November 2002 following Meeting for Worship

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

Tenth Month 2002 (13 October)

Present: Kate Cowles (Clerk), Perry Howell, Ruth Dawson, Tim Shipe, Ann MacMillan, Kara Hartzler, Kirstin Gast, Quinn Dilkes, Susan Murty, Kirk Graham

Clearness Committee:  The Clearness Committee for Kristin Gast’s membership was presented.  We approve the report, and welcome Kristin as a member.

Ministry and Oversight:  Ruth reported for Ministry and Oversight.  The Committee is proposing to begin a Worship Sharing series on various topics as a way of introducing newer attenders and members to Quakerism.  The first session will be on the third Sunday in November following Meeting for Worship.  We approve this idea, and encourage the Committee to pursue the details, and to choose specific topics.

Peace and Social Concerns:  Kate reported for Peace and Social Concerns.  Monica Sandschafer has agreed to be convener.

Building and Grounds:  Ann reported for Building and Grounds.  The ceiling light fixture needs repair.  Kirk has offered to look at it.  The estimate for tree trimming was nearly $1,000, and we would like a second estimate. 

Budget:  Perry presented a draft budget for Fiscal year 2002/2003.  We approve the budget as it stands, with the addition of $100 line for a miscellaneous contingency outreach line.  In order to make Friends more aware of the financial state of the Meeting, Perry will prepare a brief monthly report for the newsletter.  He will also post the full Treasurer’s Report behind the contribution box.

Respectfully submitted

Timothy Shipe

Ministry and Oversight Report for 9/29/02

(Present:  Judith Pascoe, Ruth Dawson, Kara Hartzler,

Susan Murty, Kate Cowles, Elsie Kuhn)

Eastern Iowa Gathering of Friends:  Ruth reported on the Eastern Iowa Gathering in Whittier last week-end.  There was a discussion with the newly formed and active Cedar Rapids Women for Peace group.

Worship Sharing:  We plan to have a worship-sharing session on “What it Means to be a Friend” on Sunday, November 17 following meeting for worship and treats. We welcome newcomers to this worship sharing, and urge all attenders to come and participate.

Query #6 on Education Response for the Yearly Meeting:  We feel the need to nurture within our children a wholesome balance of trust and common sense in this sometimes unsafe world. One of our members mentioned seeing a T-shirt that read “children need to be seen, heard and listened to.”  We support programs in the school that teach conflict resolution and mediation skills. A law student in our group raised a concern that higher education, as it exists today, often promotes hierarchical rather than democratic values. Children need to have a healthy balance in their lives of activities that nurture their bodies, minds, and spirits. In order for children to gain self-esteem, they need to experience success, We feel that public education frequently places too much emphasis on competitive athletics, causing children who aren’t skilled in athletics to experience rejection. We were reminded that meeting First Day School needs is the responsibility of everyone in the meeting. A suggested learning experience would be to have children interview adults in the meeting in order to learn what adults do in the world.

Kara agreed to be greeter for October.

Iowa City Monthly Meeting of Friends

Budget, October, 2002-September, 2003

Projected Income

Caretaker contributions (12x $400)                                    $4800

Non-caretaker contributions                                                $3500

Total projected income                                                                     $8300

Projected Expenses

House

            Gas & Electric                                                           $1500

            Water                                                              $400

            Phone                                                             $300

            Insurance                                                        $550

            Building Fund

              (repairs, maintenance, improvements)

              (12x $150)                                                   ($1800)

            House total, including Building Fund                                               $4550

General Expenses

            Newsletter                                                      $400

            Bank fees                                                         $36

            Safe Deposit Box                                           $15

            Copying & Supplies                                      ($25)

            Religious Ed. supplies                                             ($50)

            Library                                                                        ($50)

            Friends Journal                                               $30

            Friendly Woman                                              $15

            Pendle Hill                                                        $15

            General Expenses total                                                        $636

Outreach

            Iowa Yearly Meeting                                      $3000

            Local Advertising                                            $150

            Friends Journal listing                                                  $30

            American Friends Service Comm.                 $50

            Friends Comm. for National Legislation        $50

            Iowa Peace Network                                                    $25

            Campus Ministries                                            $25

            Criminal Justice Ministry                                  $25

            Consultation of Religious Communities         $50

            Emerg. Housing Project                                   $25

            Domestic Violence Intervention Proj.                          $25

            To-Be-Determined Outreach                                     $100

            Total Outreach                                                                       $3555

Totals:

Projected income:                         $8300

Projected expenses:                     $8741

Projected deficit:                $441                                                              

Peace Monument at Faith United Church of Christ

The congregation of Faith United Church of Christ in Iowa City is starting a peace monument in the form of a pile of rocks to be placed there by anyone who is so moved.  This is in response to a nationwide call to symbolic “rock resistance” to war by Terry Tempest Williams, a Mormon peace activist in Utah, in emulation of a similar peace monument started at the Nevada Test Site in 1991.  Anyone is invited to bring a stone of any size to add to the monument.

Query 10

Environmental Responsibility

                                                                        Advice

     All of creation is divine and interdependent:  air, water, soil, and all that lives and grows.  Since human beings are part of this fragile and mysterious web, whenever we pollute or neglect the earth we pollute and neglect our own wellsprings.  Developing a keener awareness of our role in the universe is essential if we are to live peacefully within creation.

     The way we choose to live each day--as we manufacture, package, purchase and recycle goods, use resources, dispose of wastes, design homes, plan families and travel--affects the present and future life of the planet.  The thought and effort we give to replenishment of what we receive from the earth, to keeping informed and promoting beneficial legislation on issues which affect the earth, to a vision of community with an environmental conscience are ways in which we contribute to the ongoing health of the planet we inhabit.

     Preserving the earth calls forth all of our spiritual resources.  Listening to, and heeding, the leadings of the Holy Spirit can help us to develop these qualities and enable us to become more sensitive to all life.

                                                                         Query

     What are we doing about our disproportionate use of the world's resources?

     Do we see violence in our relationship with the rest of creation?  How can we nurture reverence and respect for life?  How can we become more fully aware of our interdependent relationship with the rest of creation?

     To what extent are we aware of all life and the role we play?  What can we do in our own lives and community to address environmental concerns?

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.