IOWA CITY FRIENDS MEETING NEWSLETTER
First Month — January 2003

Special Events

Worship Sharing on the topic of Centering – 16 February 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.

In Memoriam

Our thoughts and prayers are with Lea and Steve Haravon Collins as they cope with the loss of their son Jacob on Christmas Day.  On the morning of 25 December, Leah gave birth to a healthy child, Jeremiah.  Shortly thereafter, Jeremiah’s twin Jacob was stillborn.  The loss was completely unexpected, as Lea had not known that she was bearing twins.  Friends are asked to hold Leah, Steve, Serena, Jacob and Jeremiah in the Light. 

Please hold Jeff Cox and his family in the Light as they grieve the loss of Jeff’s father.

Births

In the midst of sorrow, we acknowledge with joy the healthy birth of Jeremiah Haravon Collins on Christmas Day 2002, as well as the birth of Sonya Grace Liebig to Carolyn Turvey and Chris Liebig on 20 December.

Meeting for Business

First Month 2003 (12 January)

Present: Tim Shipe, Judith Pascoe, Perry Howell, Kate Cowles, Monica Sand-Schaefer, Elsie Kuhn, Ann McMillan, Lori Nelson

Judith Pascoe opened meeting for business with a moment of silence.  Perry Howell presented the treasurer's report, which was approved.  Elsie Kuhn reported for Ministry and Oversight.  Another worship sharing session will be held on Feb. 16 after meeting, on the topic of centering.  Elsie read the committee's response to Query 9.

Perry reported that the First Day School children are making a poster on peace, which they would like to hang in the front window of the meetinghouse if there is consensus in the Meeting to do so.

A draft letter opposing war with Iraq was presented by Monica Sandschafer for the Peace and Social Concerns committee.  After some discussion, the meeting agreed on a few revisions.  The letter will be signed by the clerks on behalf of the Meeting and will be sent to the Iowa City Press Citizen, the Des Moines Register, and the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

The clerks had received a proposal to oppose the war on Iraq by having a "gasoline-free day" on the first of February and the first of each month thereafter as needed.  The mailing is attached.

Iowa Yearly Meeting has asked ICFM to prepare the printed program for the Yearly Meeting to be held in West Branch this summer.  We need approximately 3 volunteers to take on this task.

Myra Emerson’s Proposal for “Gasoline-Free Day”

To protest the war on Iraq, we support a "Gasoline-Free Day" on the first day of the month--Saturday, February 1, 2003--and on the first day of each following month as necessary.  We plan to participate in this protest by not buying gasoline, not driving our cars and trucks except in emergencies, taking public transportation if available, and using vehicles not powered by gasoline. If we have to drive, we will share rides as much as possible and drive at a safe, slower speed in order to conserve gasoline.  We will spend some time during "Gasoline-Free Day" considering our relationship with gasoline and educating ourselves about such issues as the effects of gasoline use on foreign policy and war, on our air, on global warming, and on our land and resources.  We encourage people everywhere to join us in this effort.  Even though war may seem to be a terrible force that is impossible to stop, we will participate in this non-violent effort with the hope that, with enough people working together, we can create a safer, less-polluted world where no wars are fought over oil.

Ministry and Oversight Report for 12/22/02

Present:  Kara Hartzler, Ruth Dawson, Kate Cowles, Susan Murty, Elsie Kuhn

It was suggested that committee members might contact Friends whom we have seen infrequently during the past year by telephone, to bring them up-to-date on our activities and to maintain closer contact with them.

Response to Query # 9 on Civic Responsibility, for Iowa Yearly Meeting

Civic responsibility approaches social justice and peace concerns from a grassroots perspective, calling for individual or group action at a local level. Ruth Dawson brought up the concern of the Council for Religious Community that their common fund, which is supported by churches in Iowa City, has not received enough funding this past year and that the poverty need in our area is more profound than ever. One suggestion was that when we give individual contributions to our meeting, we sometimes designate them to go to the CRC’s common fund. Another concern is about how we go about alleviating poverty.  How do we use the Quaker process in this area of concern? One of the attenders of our meeting has been a striking example of introducing the Quaker process at the local level to the Iowans for Peace group.

We all need to become more educated on how federal legislation affects us at the local level.  An example is: how does the Patriot Act affect individual civil liberties?  

Query 1

Meeting for Worship

Advice

Meeting for Worship is the heart of the Meeting.  In the silence, we seek direct communion with  God the Spirit, conscious of the seeking of others.  From the depths of living silence may come an awareness of the presence of the Spirit.

     Sometimes, the silence is unbroken.  At other times a message may come to any one of us which seems intended not simply for the worshiper, but for the gathering as a whole.  If the message is not expressed, one may feel a sense of not having been faithful to the leading of the Spirit; but if it is spoken, a sense of peace may follow.  We are most effective if we speak clearly, simply and from our own experience.  Because we are unique individuals who come from varied backgrounds and life experiences, our messages reflect diversity.  Part of our worship together is listening with an open spirit, holding the speaker in love, remembering that silence after the message is part of the message.

     Our daily lives are linked with Meeting for Worship.  In the search for truth, Friends are encouraged to spend time in individual study, meditation or prayer and to be open to other sources of inspiration around us.  The life of the meeting may be strengthened by a deep level of sharing, discussion or worship at times other than regularly scheduled meetings.

     Friends should make an effort to arrive at Meeting for Worship prepared in mind and spirit to support one another in a worshipful atmosphere.  As we give and receive, in speech or in silence, we are drawn together in the life of the Spirit.

                                                                         Query

      Are our Meetings for Worship held in a spirit of expectant waiting and community with the Holy Spirit?  How do we prepare our hearts and minds for worship?

      How do we refer to that which is divine?  How does ascribing gender to the Holy Spirit affect our worship?

      How do we integrate our daily lives with Meeting for Worship?  Do we seek opportunities for worship outside of meeting?

      How does the vocal ministry of the meeting contribute to its spiritual life?  In what ways do we recognize and encourage vocal ministry and other spiritual gifts?

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.