July August 2010 Newsletter

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FRIENDS MEETING OF WASHINGTON

MONTHLY MEETING FOR WORSHIP WITH A CONCERN FOR BUSINESS

June 13, 2010

Minutes

06/10-1  Opening  The Meeting opened at noon with a period of silent worship. 

David Etheridge served as Presiding Clerk, Susan Lepper, Alternate Clerk, and Merry Pearlstein, Recording Clerk.  The clerks read Advices, Queries and Voices related to caring for one another in the Meeting as proposed by the Faith and Practice Revision Committee of Baltimore Yearly Meeting.

Advices

Friends are concerned about the welfare of every member of the Meeting community. While we need to guard against prying or invasion of privacy, it is nevertheless essential that Meetings be aware of the spiritual and material needs of members of the community and express caring concern in appropriate ways. To this end, we are to live affectionately as friends, entering with sympathy into the joys and sorrows of one another’s lives.

As we are willing to offer help, so should we be willing to make our needs known and to accept help. In bereavement, give yourself time to grieve. When others mourn, let your love embrace them with the simple things of life: praying together, talking, planning meals, caring for children, and otherwise being of comfort. In offering pastoral care, it is not necessary to find the right words; it is important to be present.

     Just as we do not leave pastoral care to a pastor, so we may not leave this most essential  

function to a committee alone. It is also important to recognize when it may be       appropriate to reach within or beyond the community to involve persons with special expertise.

Queries

In what ways do I show respect for that of God in every person?

Do I reach out to those in distress? If I find this difficult, what holds me back?

Am I comfortable making my own needs known to my meeting?

How do we share in the diverse joys and transitions in each other’s lives?

Voices

When the members of a fellowship know one another, care for one another, visit

one another in their homes, consult one another, hold one another up in the silence

and feel responsibility before God for one another, then when they meet together

for worship  they are truly open as a corporate group for the deepest working of the

Spirit.                                                                                                   Douglas Steere, 1940

 

Let us seek to live in compassion and patience with one another. Grace and latitude should mark our relationships. All too often we can injure each other unduly in our zeal for justice and truth and righteousness. The spirit of condemnation can creep into our relationships so subtly. We can begin to look at each other’s possessions with a mental calculator. But there is a more excellent way: we simply need to be with one another, loving, supporting, caring. Of course, we live and speak the truth as it has been given to us, but the business of straightening each other out belongs to God, not us.

                                                                                                         Richard J. Foster, 1981

In a true community we will not choose our companions, for our choices are so often  limited by self-serving motives. Instead, our companions will be given to us by grace. Often they will be persons who will upset our settled view of self and world. In fact, we might define true community as the place where the person you least want to live with always lives!                                                                                       Parker J. Palmer, 1977

 

Forgiveness does not mean “forgive and forget.” It stares the beast in the eye, names the hurt, and refuses to return it, seeking not to punish but to heal.                                                        Desmond Tutu, 2007

Careful listening is fundamental to helping each other; it goes beyond finding out about needs and becomes part of meeting them. Some would say that it is the single most useful thing that we can do. Those churches that have formal confession understand its value, but confession does not have to be formal to bring benefits. Speaking the unspeakable, admitting the shameful, to someone who can be trusted and who will accept you in love as you are, is enormously helpful.                                                                Britain Yearly Meeting, 12.01

 

Our labor is to bring all men to their own teacher in themselves.                George Fox, Journal

 

In addition to its many religious forms, Healing also includes many arts and sciences. There is the art of listening, the art of smiling, the art of empathy, of knowing just what people need, and not rushing in to offer help that is not suitable. Then there is the healing that comes through prayer in its various forms, through the laying on of hands, through music and dance, painting and colour, through communion with and understanding of the world of nature, and through friendship.                                                                                   Jim Pym, 1990

 

The resources of the Meeting can be important for families undergoing crises. Friends should be particularly mindful of the needs of children who are experiencing pain or loss. A Meeting can provide care and understanding, acting as an extended family. Not only are we brothers and sisters in the spirit, but we may be beloved aunts and uncles of all the children in the Meeting. The resilience of the Meeting as a nurturing community encompassing many generations supports each of us throughout the many stages of our lives.                                                   

                                                                                Baltimore Yearly Meeting Advices, 1988

06/10-2 Attendance  Approximately 28 Friends were present.  Presiding Clerk David Etheridge welcomed visitors Lauren McAlee and Mike Weber, both of Washington, DC.

06/10-3  Clerk’s Report  Presiding Clerk David Etheridge announced the following four activities scheduled for next Saturday, June 19:

 ● Interim Meeting of Baltimore Yearly Meeting at Friends Meeting School in Ijamsville, Maryland beginning at 9:30 a.m.

 ● Memorial service for former attender Kie Sebastian at 4:30 p.m. in the Parlor. 
   Kiewas the mother of former member Lucy Fullerton. 

 ● “Saying Their Names,” a ceremony in Walter Pierce Park to remember African Americans
   and early Friends interrested in cemeteries in the park, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.

  ● Work day at Friends Meeting of Washington, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

David announced that there would be a special reception in honor of Clem Swisher for his extensive service 
to the Meeting at the rise of meeting on Sunday, June 20 in the Assembly Room.

 David reported the recent death of former member -- and former Clerk of Baltimore Yearly Meeting --
Virginia Sutton whose memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 26 at 11:00 a.m. at the Gunpowder Meetinghouse, 14934 Priceville Road, Sparks, Maryland.  Friends interested in carpooling to the memorial service may contact the Meeting office.

 He also noted that member Michael Jack is receiving hospice care at his home in Alexandria.  
Friends are encouraged to contact Michael via email at the address noted in the directory.

Friends were reminded of schedule changes for the summer.  The July Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business 
will be held on the third Sunday, July 18, rather than the second.  

 Finally, David reminded Friends that they were participating in a meeting for worship, and that, to the 
 extent possible, procedures would be like those of any other worship meeting with periods of silence being 
 observed between messages.

Another Friend noted that Larry and Carolyn Jordan are celebrating 50 years of marriage.

06/10-4  Fiscal Year 2011 Budget(Second Presentation)  Loie Clark, Clerk of the Finance and Stewardship Committee, made the second presentation of the attached proposed Friends Meeting of Washington budget for fiscal year 2011.  She began by noting her expectation that the current fiscal year will end with net revenue of about $9,800 and expressed gratitude to those Friends who had responded to the year-end appeal for funds.  Loie also expressed appreciation for members of the Finance and Stewardship Committee and Meeting staff who had worked so diligently to craft the 2011 budget.

As requested at the first presentation of the budget in May, a separate version of the budget was presented excluding the pass-through items such as the Shoebox Project and the Mary Jane Simpson Scholarship fund, which appeared to inflate the budget.  This “Version B” was for illustration only; these funds remain in the budget in accordance with accounting requirements. 

Several Friends raised questions regarding the budget.  The first concerned the necessity for a more than $9,000 consulting fee for building management since the Meeting has two full time staff members.  Steve Coleman, speaking for the Property Committee, responded that this was a contingency item related to the anticipated rental of space in Quaker House and Carriage House once proposed repairs and improvements are complete.  Members of the Property Committee have determined it would be desirable to have a professional manager handle risk management issues, oversee maintenance work, and interface with vendors and expected future tenants.  He also noted that the cost would be offset by income from such tenants.  Loie Clark added that such responsibilities are beyond the job descriptions and work hours of current staff.  The Property Committee will provide periodic updates as its work proceeds.

A Friend noted the budgeted increase in Other Investment Income over the amount realized in fiscal year 2009 and projected for fiscal year 2010.  Laurie Wilner, FMW Bookkeeper, responded that this was really the result of moving cash from the Meeting’s local bank to Friends Fiduciary, holder of the Meeting’s investments, where it will have a greater rate of return.  Loie noted that there had actually been a drop in investment income overall due to market conditions.  Although the stock market is showing improvement, the Meeting may not expect to see great increases in investment income immediately because our payout is set at 5.5% of assets averaged over the preceding three years.

 

The income item for Office Literature prompted a Friend to ask who determines what books and pamphlets the Meeting stocks and sells in the office.  Administrative Secretary Tom Cooke said he orders those materials upon Friends’ requests.  A Friend expressed interest in having George Watson’s autobiography available for purchase.

In response to a Friend’s question as to whether the cost of the auto-donor program was a reasonable expenditure, Loie said that the predictable monthly income realized through this mechanism was well worth the very reasonable expense, as were other bank fees incurred.

Another Friend expressed regret over the budgeted decrease in charitable contributions, particularly to the American Friends Service Committee, DC., and asked whether there might be any flexibility in that line item.  Other Friends noted that the Meeting’s charitable giving was formerly funded by the bazaar and book sale, which have been laid down because there were not enough volunteers to run those very labor intensive activities.  Another noted that each of the charitable organizations to which the Meeting contributes has the means to contact Meeting members directly for fundraising. 

Friends APPROVED the proposed 2011 budget and expressed appreciation for the diligent and thoughtful work of the Finance and Stewardship Committee in its development. 

06/10-5  Deferred Maintenance and Upgrade Budget  Loie Clark noted that the attached first presentation of the capital budget for Deferred Maintenance and Upgrades had been developed by the Property Committee and reviewed by the Finance and Stewardship Committee, which was recommending it to the Meeting.  She also stated that funds for the expenditures proposed in this budget had already been set aside in recent years’ transfers to reserves.  Property Committee member Steve Coleman and co-Clerk Martha Solt responded to Friends’ questions regarding the budget. 

A Friend questioned the proposed opening in the wall between the Quaker House and Carriage House gardens and wondered whether there might be an opportunity for further information and possible input.  Friends were invited to review and comment on proposed work.  Members of the Property Committee indicated their willingness to conduct a tour of the property for Friends interested in discussing the maintenance and upgrade plans; they will also prepare and make available a drawing with notations of the work proposed. 

Another Friend asked what was included in Wayfinding and Welcome Signage.  Steve Coleman noted the information cards at the gates which welcome visitors and provide information concerning the Meeting and days and hours of Meetings for Worship, the improvements to the Decatur Place streetscape through the removal of the privet hedge and its replacement with trees planted in honor of Clem Swisher, and other items designed to make the property more welcoming.

Steve also assured Friends that nothing in the Property Committee’s plans would conflict with the proposed installation of an elevator or other renovations being considered for the main building. This item will be held over for one month.

06/10-6  Recommendation for Membership  Presiding Clerk David Etheridge made the second presentation for membership for Stephen William Coleman.  Friends APPROVED this recommendation. 

06/10-7  Report from the Membership Committee   Jean Capps, member of the Membership Committee reported the receipt of the request for transfer of the memberships of Keith Hughes, Sean Patrick Healy Hughes and Conor Keller Hughes to Scarsdale (NY) Friends Meeting.  Friends APPROVED this request.

06/10-8  Recommendation from the Marriage and Family RelationsCommittee

Jane Edgerton, member of the Marriage and Family Relations Committee, made the first presentation of the committee’s recommendation of the marriage of Basil Kiwan and Mike Weber under the care of the Meeting.  She noted that Basil and Mike had been interviewed for clearness by Susan Griffin, Erica Hurvitz, and Martha Solt.  Basil spoke movingly of his recognition of the value of having the support of the Meeting community as they prepare for their marriage, planned for Saturday, September 18, 2010.  Another Friend spoke of how he had been sustained by the Meeting during difficult times in his life. This recommendation will be held over for one month, as is our custom.

06/10-9  Proposal to Lay Down Friendship Preparative Meeting  Gray Handley, member of the Ministry and Worship Committee, made the first presentation of its proposal to lay down Friendship Preparative Meeting.   Begun in 1989, Friendship came under the sole care of Friends Meeting of Washington in 1992.  The Ministry and Worship Committee has been informed that persons who had been attending Friendship no longer wish to meet there.  This recommendation will be held over for one month.

06/10-10  Report from the Nominating Committee  Kimberly Crichton, member of the Nominating Committee, reported the resignations of Brooke Johnson and Ann Dudte Johnson from the Religious Education Committee, and the resignation of Andrea Cheney as Clerk of the Library Committee.  Friends accepted these resignations.

Kimberly also reported that Justin Connor had been nominated to the Religious Education Committee for a term ending December 31, 2012.  Friends APPROVED this nomination.  Finally, Kimberly reported the nomination of Michael North as Clerk of the Library Committee for a term ending December 31, 2010.  Friends APPROVED this nomination, along with the waiver required since Michael is not a member.  A Friend suggested that any non-member who exercises leadership in the Meeting give serious consideration to becoming a member.

06/10/-11  Annual Report of the Property Committee  Martha Solt, co-Clerk of the Property Committee, presented the committee’s attached annual report.  She noted that her co-Clerk, Steve Brooks, is away for six months teaching in Zimbabwe.  Martha announced the special reception in honor of Clem Swisher, which will be held on Sunday, June 20, at the rise of Meeting in the Assembly Room.  She recognized and thanked members of the committee for their service, and expressed gratitude for the cooperation the committee has received from the Finance and Stewardship and Planning Committees.  Friends expressed their appreciation for the work of the Property Committee for its report and the extensive work it is undertaking to improve the property.

06/10-12  Update from the PlanningCommittee  Susan Lepper, Clerk of the Planning Committee, noted that the committee had received approximately 45 comments and suggestions since the last version of the plans was made available, and considerable time had been spent considering those ideas.  She reported that the committee will be meeting with the architects on Monday, June 14.  The objectives of that meeting are to review the placement of the proposed elevator in the west garden to ensure that it can be adapted in the future to provide access to the Carriage House; to explore possible ways to expand the Assembly Room without sacrificing classroom space for First Day School; and to identify ways to reduce costs.  (The current cost estimate for the installation of the elevator and renovations to the main building is $3,800,000; the financial consultant estimates the Meeting can raise $2,000,000.)  Susan said the Planning Committee intends to bring a proposal for the renovation work, along with plans for financing (including a possible construction loan), to the July Meeting for Business. 

Friends noted the urgency of moving forward before construction costs rise as the economy recovers.  Others requested that updates from the Planning Committee be made major items in future business meetings.

06/10-13  Reporters for Baltimore Yearly Meeting annual sessions  Presiding Clerk David Etheridge asked whether Friends who expected to attend Baltimore Yearly Meeting Annual Sessions the first week in August would be willing to report back their experiences.   Clem Swisher and Jim Bell volunteered to do so.

06/10-14  Minutes  The Minutes were read and APPROVED.

06/10-15  Adjournment  With approximately 20 Friends present, the Meeting closed with a period of silent worship at 2:00 p.m., to reconvene as way opens on Sunday, July 18, 2010, at 11:45 a.m.

Attachments:

Fiscal Year 2011 Budget (Second Presentation), with and without pass-through items                      

Questions and Answers on Fiscal Year 2011 Budget

Deferred Maintenance and Upgrade Budget (First Presentation)

Annual Report of the Property Committee

 

FMW

Property Committee

Annual Report

June 2010

Overview

Thanks to the generosity of earlier members, the Friends Meeting of Washington has inherited three historic buildings,^[1] with beautiful gardens in the heart of Washington, of which we are all stewards.  The purpose of our property is to enhance and revitalize our collective spiritual life.  The responsibilities of the Property Committee for the campus include the condition, repair, and maintenance of building structures, exteriors, systems, furnishings, equipment, and major appliances.  In addition, the Property Committee is to:

• plan for and maintain the safety, security, comfort and attractiveness of the buildings and grounds of the Meeting;
• arrange for and may participate in regular maintenance inspections of the property;
• anticipate future needs and prioritize projects while addressing the issues that arise more suddenly; and
• maintain a mid-to-long term plan for the maintenance of the Meeting’s property.

For facilities of the size, age, and current condition of FMW’s, the responsibilities are vast. We have backlogs that need to be addressed: backlogs on critical system maintenance/replacement, backlogs related to space planning, backlogs of inspections; backlogs on fire detection and suppression systems, and backlogs on occupancy permits. Addressing these needs will place demands on FMW resources and fund.

The Committee believes that the property of the Meeting should t support the Meeting’s activities and mission.  Meetings for Worship, First Day School, adult religious education, committee meetings, service programs, fellowship and community events are just some of the uses of the property.  At this time, we do not have a property plan that addresses the uses and needs of the entire FMW campus. 

Transitions   

Even though there has been a significant transition in committee membership from last year to this year, the Committee has been fortunate to have the service of long-time and committed Members and Attenders, as well as the ongoing counsel of former members and Clerks of the Committee.  We are grateful for the leadership of former Property Clerk Ken Forsberg.  Steve Brooks will be taking a six-month leave of absence from the Meeting in the second half of 2010 to volunteer at Hlekweni Friends Rural Service in Zimbabwe. 

     

Transition is occurring among space users at the Meeting as well. Long-time member and former Clerk Jackie DeCarlo moved out of the apartment on the second floor of Carriage House. This space has been converted for office use. The intent is to share the space with a non-profit organization that is consistent with our mission and that can share the costs of the building. Our long-time partner, School for Friends, will be moving to consolidate space at Church of the Pilgrims before the beginning of the next school year. There are other regular space users, such as Weight Watchers, and occasional users. These users have provided funds to help offset some costs of maintaining the buildings.

Activities and Accomplishments

The Property Committee, in an effort to maximize use of the buildings and support the Meeting’s financial needs, is now upgrading parts of Quaker House and Carriage House.  The Committee will provide regular reports to the full Meeting.

The Property Committee meets twice per month, and we invite all who are interested to attend Committee  meetings,  participate in events, and enjoy the facilities.   Property Committee meetings are announced on the website.  More importantly, the Property Committee also holds regular "work days" open to all, where we join together as a community to undertake repair and renovation projects around the FMW campus.

During the year, we have completed the following::

• Outreach to members and attenders:
• Organized volunteer workdays attracting over 50 helpers
• Led tours of the property
• Opened gardens to the public during weekdays
• Made improvements to the physical welcome of the campus
• Increased building usage
• Advertised availability of Meeting House for weddings
• Worked with Office Staff and others to facilitate increased paid use of space for weddings, memorial services, meetings, and other programs
• Helped office staff track and respond to use requests
• Revised draft sliding scale event fee structure for use of buildings and campus
• Drafted property rules and agreements
• Repair and maintenance
• Produced five volunteer workdays of painting, cleaning, repairs, and upgrades
• Sealed exterior leak at Decatur Place Room, repaired water damage, and painted
• Painted and repaired Meeting House men’s bathroom
• Cleaned and painted trim in Meeting Office
• Painted risers on Main Stairs to the Meeting Room
• Refinished Quaker House stairs
• Cleaned many areas, including windows, entries, and less used spaces
• Upgraded Carriage House apartment for office use
• Posted property maintenance form on-line
• Increased property management and monitoring
• Upgraded the Assembly Room and Children’s Library
• Gardens
• Planted two trees planted, with School for Friends and in honor of Clem Swisher;
• Opened sight lines in West Gardens to help unify the property.
• Green initiatives
• Installed programmable thermostats, resulting in major energy and cost savings
• Identified water leaks, the repair of which should result in cost savings
• Conducted energy audits of Quaker House and Carriage House, thanks to the pro bono services of  Pascale Maslin of Energy Efficiency Experts
• Researched heating system upgrades, with decision pending
• Fixed some light timers and added efficient lighting
• Safety and Liability Hazards
• Secured or removed loose entry stair coverings as needed
• Removed moss and algae from QH brick steps and terrace
• Secured loose railings
• Repaired electrical problems
• Removed overgrown shrub creating hiding place on Decatur
• Explored safety and security monitoring
• Property research and improvement planning
• Worked with Meeting Historian Hayden Wetzel to learn from Property archives
• Interviewed long-time Friends to garner lessons from past property management
• Sought the counsel of experts in building code and systems
• Received pro bono preservation counsel of historic architect, George Siekkinen
• Partial work on drainage in the north (Phelps Pl) garden
• Post-snow storm roof and gutter repairs for Carriage House and Meeting House

Committee Plans for Coming Year

The Committee has ambitious, multi-year plans.  First, the Committee intends to develop a space plan to identify the needs and uses of existing space and to develop a vision for the campus.  This, coupled with evaluation of backlogs identified above, will serve as the basis for prioritizing work.  Second, the Committee will develop a ‘State of the Property’ to document the condition of the facilities, supported by inspection plans and maintenance records.   Some or all of these objectives may be a multi-year effort.  Sustainability, safety, and accessibility will be goals underpinning our efforts.   We hope the FMW community will view our property as an asset rather than a burden.

Special Challenges 

• Gravity, weather, old systems
• Condition of sidewalk
• Key and lock management
• Determining what needs to be done; making optimum decisions on major systems when professionals have differing opinions
• scope of the tasks

Work with Others

Property Committee looks forward to continuing to work with the Office Staff and the entire Meeting to improve the maintenance and cleanliness of the buildings and to increase space usage.  The Committee is grateful for the efforts of Tom Cooke, Laura Yeomans, the cleaning contractors Bill and Alice Kelly, and the often used Handyman Jon DeWitt.    The Committee appreciates the work and support of the Hospitality Committee, as well as the collaboration with the new Welcoming and Fellowship Task Force, and the guidance and counsel that we have received from many other committees, including Garden, Marriage and Family, Membership, Ministry and Worship, Peace and Social Concerns, Records and Handbook, Religious Education,

and Trustees. The Committee appreciates the hard work, patience, and perseverance of the Planning Committee.  Property Committee members have attended Planning Committee briefings and have submitted numerous questions and suggestions.  Ken Forsberg serves as a member of both committees and is a liaison between the two committees.  The Property Committee is open to ongoing collaboration with the Planning Committee.    

We have worked together with the Finance and Stewardship Committee to explore ways to more fully support the carrying costs and needed upgrades of the Meeting’s campus.  In view of the financial implications of bringing FMW buildings closer to current safety codes, restoring and modifying space, and creating overall accessibility, the Committee wishes to explore additional sources of funding.  This would include funding available for renovating historical structures. 

Ways Friends Can Help the FMW Campus

• Participate in workdays
• Donate funds to the Meeting
• If you ‘see something’ that needs upgrade or repair, ‘say something’ to a Property Committee member
• Tell other people about our wonderful space

 

Property Committee members:  Steve Brooks and Martha Solt, Co-Clerks, Geoff Bannister, Loie Clark (ex officio), Steve Coleman, Tom Cooke (ex officio), Janet Dinsmore, Ken Forsberg, Neil Froemming, John Gale, Danny Hollinger, Bruce Kellogg, Basil Kiwan, and Bill Palmer.

Volunteers:  FT Clark, Debby Churchman, Andrej  Coleman, Farrah Darbouze, Kait Decker, Becca Dozier, Dan Dozier, Mike Duvall, Nathan Gale, Robinne Gray, Susan Griffin, Brian Greenberg, Julian Greenberg, Meg Greene, Tracy Hart, John Hurwitz,  Joe Izzo, John Lawrence, Tom Libbert, Pascale Maslin, J. E. McNeil, Ruthie Morrison, Patty Murphy, Carol Phelps, Arc Riley, Byron Sandford, Clem Swisher, Sue Swisher, Susan Thompson, Molly Tully, Chris Warren, Hayden Wetzel, Gerri Williams, and the students of School for Friends at Quaker House.

Staff Support:  Laura Yeomans, Tom Cooke

SUMMER EVENTS 

Living Our Queries

   Discover how the monthly queries, advices and voices connect with our daily spiritual expediencies. This Adult Education program will continue on Sunday, June 27 at 9:15 a.m. Every month Friends will share how the query for the month can help us live our faith. We convene in the Quaker House Living Room. (Please check the office calendar as the location may change). Friends with a special passion or commitment to a query are needed to facilitate the discussions. The calendar is:

June 27   Caring for one another  

July          no meeting scheduled

Aug. 29     Outreach

Sept. 26     Equality

Oct. 24      Social Concerns

Nov. 21     Peace

       For more information contact Tracy Hart, Clerk of the Religious Education Committee, or Justin Connors. To read our current queries, as well as to read proposed new queries, visit the BYM website.

Yoga Class Offered at FMW

   Young Adult Friends of FMW are sponsoring a free eight week beginner Vinyasa yoga class that will continue on Thursday, July 1, July 8 and July 15, at 6:30 p.m. in the Assembly Room. Friends are still welcome to join the class in July. The class will last approximately an hour and all levels of practitioners are welcome to attend. The class will focus on gentle stretches (movements) that are twined with breathing and lead to active meditation. If there is interest, the class will continue with an additional 15 minutes of meditation. For Friends planning on attending, they are encouraged to wear relaxed clothing that will allow for stretching and movement. Also, it is suggested that Friends attending the class not eat a heavy meal before the class, drink a lot of water earlier in the day, and come to class a few minutes before the scheduled start time. For further information contact the FMW Office or Kait Decker.

William Penn House

   On Wednesday, July 7, at 6:30 p.m., The William Penn House will host a potluck dinner followed by speakers and discussion. (Please note that due to scheduling parameters and the holiday weekend this program is being held on Wednesday). The discussion this Fourth Day is presented by LiNK (Liberty in North Korea). This is the only organization in North America devoted to the North Korean humanitarian and refugee crisis. LiNK provides protection and aid to North Korean refugees hiding in China. Utilizing a modern day “underground railroad” through Southeast Asia LiNK rescues refugees and helps them to reach freedom. LiNK is a global grassroots movement that also seeks to raise awareness about this crisis and provides a way for the international community to participate in bringing about effective change. LiNK provides protection, food and education to orphaned North Korean and stateless children in China. In LiNK’s Southeast Asia shelter they assist refugees for resettlement to South Korea and the U.S. Once re-settled the “Liberty House” program provides educational and financial assistance. Lastly, LiNK hosts nationwide tours to bring awareness of the North Korean human rights and refugee crisis. All are invited to this potluck and dialogue. William Penn House is a smoke free and tobacco free facility located on Capitol Hill. The address is 515 East Capitol St. SE, Washington, DC. For further information visit their webpage.

FMW’s Senior Center

   Programs of slides or talks are held on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 2 p.m. in the Decatur Place Room. The program for the month is:

                           July 14   Carol Coffeewill presentChina III

                           July 28   Maurice Boydwill presentmusic by Dave Frishberg

                                           (please note the Senior Center will not meet in August)

Property Committee Workday

   ''Put your hands to work, and your hearts to God.''  (Mother Ann, founder of the Shaker movement, c. 1774)

   "Work is love made visible" (Gibran Khalil Gibran) 

   Come join us on Saturday, July 24, from 9 a.m until 3 p.m. as we work together to repair and renovate the Quaker Meeting House, which is our spiritual home.  Because of the volunteer "work days", we have made enormous progress on a backlog of repair projects to maintain and improve our Meeting campus.  We work together to repair our historic buildings and to build friendships and fellowship. It is a chance to use plaster, spackle, dry wall, paint and nails to make our love visible and build our shared community.  

   Come join us for a few extra hours, and let your hands speak what is in your heart. All levels of experience are needed, and Friends can work for part of the day. A “clean up” crew is a special need.  Lunch will be provided. For more information, or if you have questions talk with members of the Property Committee.

BYM Annual Session

   Baltimore Yearly Meeting Annual Session will be held from Monday, August 2 through Sunday, August 8, 2010 with the theme, Leadings for Today: Lessons from History. Annual session is held at Frostburg State University College in Frostburg, Maryland. To sign up to attend Annual Session, or for more information go to the BYM website.

A brief description of the BYM Annual Session:

   Since 1672, Baltimore Yearly Meeting Friends have come together every year to worship, to seek clarity, to support each other, and to act positively on the world around us. These opportunities are available to you at every turn at our Annual Session, from morning til night.

   Although Friends’ silent way of worship can seem rather solitary, we have always desired to take on the joys and responsibilities of being together for our own growth and enjoyment, but also to strengthen our witness. For adults, our day begins with a refreshing worship sharing or Bible study time in small groups after breakfast. Next comes Meeting for Worship with Concern for Business, where we gather to tend to the administration of Friends’ affairs, while renewing and deepening our individual and corporate spiritual lives. Afternoon activities include a range of workshops and interest groups that offer many choices for learning and sharing Quaker approaches to important issues. You might also visit the Quaker book and crafts store, or attend a Quaker organizational presentation. Engaging evening speakers and recreational activities full of music and fun fill out an active schedule.

   Childcare is available for infants and toddlers. For our young children there are morning classes full of exploration. Afternoon activities, from swimming to arts and crafts, ensure that children will be supervised and entertained. Other programs range from an all-age celebration to movies to outdoor games. Parents are responsible for taking children to class, picking them up before lunch, and ensuring that their children are enrolled in a program or are with the parent. Children may not be on campus unsupervised.

   Children in rising sixth through rising eighth grades are part of the Junior Yearly Meeting (JYM) and have classes and activities of their own.

   High school-aged teenagers (Young Friends) gather from Tuesday to Sunday in their own dorm. Young Friends (YF), Friendly Adult Presences, and the BYM Youth Secretary cooperate in a community based on caring, trust, and love. Young Friends hold their own Meetings for Business and workshops, and invite everyone to their nighttime Produce Department sessions and to the Saturday evening Coffee House. Young Friends should sign and submit the “Letter of Understanding” in the registration portion of this Interchange, if they will be on campus anytime during the week.

   Are you thinking of trying us out for the first time? Each Monthly Meeting can offer three certificates for attendance at Annual Session for two free nights. If you have never attended Annual Session and would like to take advantage of this, please contact your Monthly Meeting Clerk or Ministry and Counsel Committee. Do not contact the BYM office, please.

   After our week together, Friends will find they have a deeper relationship with Quaker values, a stronger skill set of Friends’ practices, and new ways of being a meaningful part of their Monthly Meeting community.

Adult Religious Education

   The Adult Religious Education study group that meets before Meeting for Worship will not be meeting during July and August. The first planned meeting this fall is on Sept. 19. For more information or questions, please contact John Scales.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Summer Schedule

   During the summer many regularly scheduled activities are not held. Please note that committees do not meet in August unless the committee schedules them. If meeting space is needed, please call the FMW Office and schedule space. Often, committees meet at a committee members home and “socialize.” On Sunday, July 4, the evening Meeting for Worship will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Decatur Place Room.  The FMW Office will be closed on Monday,

July 5in observance of Independence Day.

Busboys and Poets, Teaching for Change, and the Friends Meeting of Washington Working Group on Racism are co hosting

damali ayo

reading, discussing and signing her new book

Obamistan! Land Without Racism: Your Guide to the New Americaon Monday, July 12 from 6:30 to 8 PM

at Busboys & Poets, 2021 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC.

 Author (and Sidwell Friends lifer), damali ayo, brings playful humor and piercing honesty to the conversation about human relationships. She uses art, wit and satire to generate dialogue to draw us together as a global community. damali's newest book (2010) Obamistan! Land without Racism has been described as "laying bare the fact that we are not in a post racial world just yet with great warmth, sincerity, sophistication about the experiences of different groups and a sense of hope and optimism -- something that sometimes feels completely missing among progressives these days."

damali's passion for smart comedy takes center stage in her presentations. Influenced by comedy greats such as Dick Gregory, Mort Sahl, Lenny Bruce, and even a little Eddie Murphy, damali makes the hard issues easier through her signature style that leaves audiences with their attention heightened, hearts open, and minds awake.

In response to a request from her audience, damali created a free practical guide of ten steps to improving race relations titled I Can Fix It!. This guide gives ten simple solutions to address our current "third grade level of race relations." The guide has been used in communities across the United States and across the world. damali brings the I Can Fix It! guide to life in her stage shows where she uses humor, stories, and slides to inspire people. Presented simply and directly, ayo’s approach to race relations is unforgettable. She makes people pay attention to what is going on inside and around them and to take responsibility for changing it. And damali has plenty of first-hand experience doing just that. She started at a young age by integrating the Sidwell Friends' doll collection with Black Raggedy Ann and Andy.

Introducing An Exciting New Way to Live Our Values At Catoctin

   “Quakers hope to hold up worthy ideals and spiritual practices that can lead the way to those ideals. With grace, may we continue to be open to conversation with all…”

Michael L. Birkel in Silence and Witness

  For many of us, camp is a place where we learned to live out many worthy Quaker ideals including community and equality.  In a homogeneous community, the concept of equality can become too simplistic.  True equity becomes meaningful in an environment where people are different, but their inner light is still valued. Thus, diversity is (and has always been) an important part of advancing camp’s mission to live out its principles. BYM camping program staff and other interested individuals have taken important steps to further diversity at camp.  This spring we are launching a new project to support these efforts and build on our Quaker fundamentals by creating more diversity in our community.  Best of all, there are many exciting ways for you to be a part of it.

1.  Fundraising for scholarships to support Campers of Color

2.  Starting an ongoing Working Group on Diversity at Camp

3.  Checking out the Alumni Minute on Diversity

Building on a Camp Legacy 

In addition to a host of “hard skills”, young people at camp discover how to take and share leadership, how to live communally and solve conflict, and how to stay connected even while making space for all members to be uniquely themselves.  We want this opportunity to be available to as many children as possible.

We also recognize that camp has long thrived on a mixture of tradition and innovation as new staff and campers shared games, activities, and songs from their own experiences.  By expanding the pool of experiences we have access to, we make our community that much richer!

In a world that’s becoming increasingly diverse and interconnected, it is more and more important for young people to learn how to sustain community in a multicultural environment.  Furthermore BYM’s camping programs have long served as a way to keep our meetings vibrant by sustaining young people’s engagement.   Diversifying the camping program can have a ripple effect on BYM as a whole and expand awareness of Quakerism in other communities as well.

Fundraising: 

This summer represents a unique opportunity to bring new members into our camping program as we have an uncharacteristically high number of open spaces to fill.   Through personal friendships and a partnership with a neighborhood recreational center in West Philadelphia we have 6 young people of color who are excited to come try out living in the woods in an intentional community.   We all know that financing a camp stay, equipment, and transportation for 6 young people is no small feat.  All told it would take about $7500.  However, by all pitching in we can make it happen.   

Contribute: By clicking on "contribute" on the BYM Catoctin web page. MAKE SURE TO WRITE “Catoctin Diversity Project” IN THE COMMENTS SECTION to earmark funds for these campers.  Any amount is welcome, but please consider a $100 contribution today!  

Amplify Your Effect: Are you part of a Quaker meeting or other group?  Amplify your effect by getting them involved. Ask if this is something your organization might be willing to contribute to or at least pass on to members.  Hold a fundraiser or contribute funds from an ongoing fundraiser to address your meeting or group. For more information, questions or assistance contact Alison Duncan at the BYM Office.  

Working Group on Diversity at Catoctin

  We all know that building community is no simple task and that creating diversity means more than just having a variety of faces in a crowd.   To be done well, this will take conscious thought and many hands and voices.  We would love to hear your thoughts about how to move forward with creating diversity (racial/ethnic diversity and other kinds). Join us by MAY 25th to be part of the start up conversation!

Give your thoughts: If you have suggestions, would like more information, and/or are interested in becoming part of an ongoing working group on diversity issues at Catoctin send an email to Dyresha Harris in care of Alison Duncan, the Youth Coordinator at BYM .

Check Out The Alumni Minute on Diversity

   Showing that the BYM camping program community has strong support for this important work can help us sustain our dedication to continued action, and strengthen our requests to others for  resources.  Thus we have written up an Alumni Minute on Diversity to be discussed and approved at the alumni gathering this September. However, since we know that not everyone can attend we have also created a link for people to view it and add comments.

 

The Working Group on Diversity at Catoctin  

Dyresha Harris, Alison Duncan, Jared Wood, and David Kosbob

AFSC-DC Update

Recently, the Peace and Social Concerns Committee sponsored a fundraising event for the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Washington D.C. office.

Founded in 1917, the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is a Quaker organization comprised of people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace and humanitarian service. Co-recipient of the 1947 Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of Quakers worldwide, AFSC today carries out programs of service, development, justice, and peace throughout the United States, Europe, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Africa,

and Asia.

The American Friends Service Committee has a rich tradition of supporting communities and people in the pursuit of peace and social justice in the Middle Atlantic Region.  The mission of the Middle Atlantic Region of the AFSC is to offer local opportunities for Quakers and those sharing Quaker values to engage in peace and justice work that is spiritually grounded in order to build on community strengths and address community needs.  The vision is for love to overcome violence and injustice.  AFSC believes that ultimately, goodness can prevail over evil, and oppression in all its many forms can give way. 

In July 2008, Washington D.C. was declared a Human Rights City, and the AFSC-DC office was tasked with implementing the Human Rights Learning Project.  A Human rights City is where the Human Rights enumerated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations, are learned, known and respected, consistently guiding positive actions for change in the community. The project is tasked with teaching in schools to help young people learn and discuss the meaning of human rights to their lives and the life of their community. The program seeks to promote a vision of human rights learning through dialogue and learning, as a practical way for communities to learn and chart the future of humanity with a common, holistic vision of human rights, peace and democracy.

Since the program was launched two years ago, under the leadership of AFSC - DC instructor Jean Louis Peta Ikambana, over 500 students in seven high schools, public, charter, and private have participated in the program. This spring students in the Friendship Collegiate Academy enthusiastically described how they apply human rights principles in their community service projects and how it has affected the way they see their world and their effectiveness in it.  In a recent survey of D.C. high school students 87/89 students had never heard of the articles of the Universal Declaration but were interested in learning more about human rights.

In order to ensure that this project continues, AFSC-DC is in need of continued financial support from voluntary contributions from those who believe in the need to continue this action component of Quakerism. Each year, AFSC-DC is required to raise a portion of its funding to maintain its programs, currently, $5,000 is needed to be raised by September 30, 2010; the end of the fiscal year. Our hope is that as the need for financial support is made known, both individuals and groups will come forward to support this important and inspiring work

.

   At our fundraiser on May 30, 2010, Friends responded with generous contributions to

Jean Louis' program describing his activities in Human Rights education. However, in order to continue Human Rights Education in D.C. schools, $5000 must be raised by September 30, 2010. We hope that as the need for financial support is made known, members, attendees and those dedicated to peace and social justice in our community will send contributions to AFSC - DC, 1822 R St. NW, Washington DC 20009.  Jean-Louis would also welcome volunteer help in serving the needs of youth in diverse local high schools. Contact him at (202)544-0324.

                                                                                       By Beverly Reader, FMW-AFSC Liaison

 

Our History and a Generous Offer

  The Records and Handbook Committee has stocked their two publications- Seeking the Sense of the Meeting, A History of Friends Meeting of Washington, 1972-1992, and Anniversary Essays, Celebrating 75 Years at Friends Meeting of Washington in the FMW Office Bookstore. The cost of the books is $10 and $5 respectively. Maurice Boyd has generously offered to purchase these books for any FMW member or attender who can not afford them. His only request is that once a F/friend has finished reading the books they “pass them on” to another F/friend who would like to read them.

NEWS of FRIENDS

   Claire Morisset Mickelson, a frequent FMW attender, and her husband Adam Mickelson announce the birth of their son, Leo Herman Mickelson on May 19, 2010 at 3:47 p.m. Leo weighed 7 lbs. and 9 oz. at birth.