Dear Friends:
As I suspect you've heard, tomorrow is the beginning of Daylight Savings Time.
It's also the beginning of Adelphi's first regularly scheduled outdoor worship
at 9:00 a.m. (that's DST -- spring forward! Quaker Earthcare Witness members
will be at the Memorial Garden, and those present will decide, based on weather,
whether to sit in silence, do a walking mediation, or something else entirely.
Dress for the weather.
Here is the agenda for tomorrow's Meeting for Business. It is not small, and
there are some complex items to consider, so a larger, deeper meeting would be
welcome -- and I hope you will consider joining us. We generally continue no
later then 1:30 p.m, and there are snacks.
Agenda: Adelphi Friends Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business Third
Month 11, 2007
Third Month's Query, Baltimore Yearly Meeting's Faith and Practice: The Meeting
Community/Fostering Community within the Meeting
(Since BYM is in the process of rewriting the Queries, I will include both the
traditional and the newer versions.)
Traditional Queries: Are love and harmony within the Meeting community
fostered by a spirit of open sharing? Do you endeavor to widen your circle of
friendships within the Meeting, seeking to know persons of all ages and at all
stages of the spiritual journey? Does the Meeting provide for the spiritual
refreshment of all members and attenders? Do Friends provide spiritual and
practical care for the elderly, the lonely, and others with special needs?
Proposed Advices and Queries:
Advices: It is well for Meetings to consciously cultivate fellowship and
community. The Meeting is enriched when all members and attenders participate
actively. The working of the Holy Spirit in our lives is expressed through
prophetic ministry, pastoral caring for each other, and the example provided by
lives lived in the Light. As we worship, work, and laugh together, we forge
bonds of trust, understanding and communication. When need arises to address
contentious issues, they then may be addressed openly and honestly. When
resolution is not immediate, the Meeting should make room for different
expressions of continuing revelation, while persisting in earnest search for
unity. Paradoxically, conflict thus experienced can also build trust and
intimacy. Convictions which might divide or disrupt a Meeting can, through God's
grace, help to make it creative and strong.
Queries: What helps our Meeting build trust of one another? How do we get to
know one another in community? How do we make time in our lives for our faith
community? What role does conflict play in the life of our community?
· Reading of the Queries, followed by open worship
·Agenda review
·Informational items - not for extended discussion:
o Consideration of Minutes from previous month
o Relevant clerk's mail
o BYM Announcements:
·Interim Meeting March 24
·Recommendation of BYM Search Committee for new Presiding Clerk
o Finance committee monthly giving report
o House and Grounds update
o Clerk's Update on Business Meeting Dates
·Items for deeper discussion and/or action:
o Nominating Committee second readings; also Concerns re: Process
o Ministry and Worship
· Second Reading - Spiritual State of the Meeting Report
· Proposal to match committee terms to fiscal year
· Report on the job of serving Meeting as Recorder, past and future
o House and Grounds proposal re: concerns about uninvited guests on property
o Finance Committee: Second consideration for Reserve for Aid proposal,
Camping and other scholarship concerns
o Peace and Social Concerns: Revisit a proposal to change the way the committee
allocates outreach budget
o Request by FCNL for Adelphi mailing list
o Other business
· Reading of minutes for items that resulted in action
· Announcements
· Open worship