First Query:
Do you attend meetings for worship in a spirit of willing service and of prayerful desire to make them profitable to each individual and to the assembled group? Are you prepared for worship expecting that your worship will be a source of strength and guidance? Are you careful not to disturb the spirit of the meeting by late arrival? Do you practice a waiting spiritual worship and a free and open ministry under Divine guidance?
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Whitewater Quarterly Meeting announced
Bloomington Friends Meeting will host the next session of Whitewater Quarterly Meeting on 7th Day, First Month 17, 2009, at Bloomington Friends Meetinghouse, 3820 E. Moores Pike (just west of S. Smith Road), Bloomington, IN 47402. (From I-465 on the south side of Indianapolis, take IN-37 S; exit onto IN-46 E toward Bloomington; turn left onto IN-45 E (E. 10th St.); turn right onto N. Smith Rd.; turn right onto E. Moores Pike; Meetinghouse is on the left side of the road.) This gathering will offer Friends an opportunity for worship, worship sharing, and fellowship with a wider body of Friends in the region.
Please contact Rex S. (812-272-3332; rsprouse@indiana.edu), if you have any last-minute concerns.
Please contact Rex S. (812-272-3332; rsprouse@indiana.edu), if you have any last-minute concerns.
Congratulations
Sonia Vandenbark, who is currently a senior at Indiana Academy and is the daughter of Marie and Todd Vandenbark of our meeting, has just received a full scholarship to attend Haverford College for four years. Congratulations Sonia!
Special greetings to distant friends
Clear Creek ministry and oversight committee extends greetings on behalf of the meeting to our distant members and attenders. At this time of year we are reminded of the many wonderful people who have been part of our meeting community and are still held close in our thoughts and prayers. We hope that we may share worship and fellowship with some of you if you travel to Richmond during this season. We would also be happy to receive news of those who will be unable to be with us in person.
December Business Meeting highlights
1. The meeting opened with a period of silent worship. Sixteen Friends were present. The clerk read the Queries for the twelfth month and Friends reflected on our relationship to work and possessions.
2. Treasurer’s report: income for the eleventh month was $1525 and expenses were $1979.
3. Nominating committee report: Names brought last month were approved by the Meeting. Our current assistant clerk (David G.) was approved as interim clerk while Nominating committee continues to work on finding a new clerk. In addition, 2 new nominations to Budget committee, Joel R. and Marie V, were brought and will be held over for final approval next month. Meeting expressed its thanks to Erica for her years of service as clerk.
4. Ministry and Oversight: M&O recommended accepting a member's request for transfer of membership from Creek Monthly Meeting to Oxford Monthly Meeting. This was approved by the Meeting. M&O discussed the issue of having a student member on the committee. Although the committee hears the concern to find ways to get students more involved and provide pastoral care to students, they are not clear that this is the best way to accomplish this. M&O will continue to consider other ways to achieve these goals. M&O also discussed the Christmas morning worship time. Use of the fireplace will depend on the chimney being cleaned by a chimney sweep before then. If this does not happen in time, we will still meet in the Wymondham room but will use candles rather than a fire.
5. Jennie I. reported for Adult religious education: She will schedule an after Meeting worship sharing session in January.
6. Gwen H. reported for Children’s religious education: The new child care person starting in January will be Stephanie S. We collected $112 last week at the simple meal which will be divided between the Food pantry and Unicef.
7. Jane S. reported for Peace and Social Concerns: She brought an update on the “US Campaign to end the Israeli Occupation” and relationships of FCNL and AFSC to this group. An after Meeting discussion will be scheduled in February to discuss the Meeting’s involvement in this and other political and social activities.
8. Jennie I. brought a concern that we consider the question brought from Quarterly Meeting about membership of pastoral Meetings in OVYM. She also suggested that Friends consider becoming more involved with Quarterly Meeting to make sure that our views are properly represented.
9. Jana S. reported from AFSC: They are looking for people to sign on to a “Roadmap to Peace” proposal to be presented to the new Obama administration.
10. Clerk read a letter from Indiana FCL concerning their annual meeting at First Friends Church in Indianapolis on January 10th at 10 am.
11. The minutes were read and approved.
12. Meeting closed with a brief period of waiting worship.
2. Treasurer’s report: income for the eleventh month was $1525 and expenses were $1979.
3. Nominating committee report: Names brought last month were approved by the Meeting. Our current assistant clerk (David G.) was approved as interim clerk while Nominating committee continues to work on finding a new clerk. In addition, 2 new nominations to Budget committee, Joel R. and Marie V, were brought and will be held over for final approval next month. Meeting expressed its thanks to Erica for her years of service as clerk.
4. Ministry and Oversight: M&O recommended accepting a member's request for transfer of membership from Creek Monthly Meeting to Oxford Monthly Meeting. This was approved by the Meeting. M&O discussed the issue of having a student member on the committee. Although the committee hears the concern to find ways to get students more involved and provide pastoral care to students, they are not clear that this is the best way to accomplish this. M&O will continue to consider other ways to achieve these goals. M&O also discussed the Christmas morning worship time. Use of the fireplace will depend on the chimney being cleaned by a chimney sweep before then. If this does not happen in time, we will still meet in the Wymondham room but will use candles rather than a fire.
5. Jennie I. reported for Adult religious education: She will schedule an after Meeting worship sharing session in January.
6. Gwen H. reported for Children’s religious education: The new child care person starting in January will be Stephanie S. We collected $112 last week at the simple meal which will be divided between the Food pantry and Unicef.
7. Jane S. reported for Peace and Social Concerns: She brought an update on the “US Campaign to end the Israeli Occupation” and relationships of FCNL and AFSC to this group. An after Meeting discussion will be scheduled in February to discuss the Meeting’s involvement in this and other political and social activities.
8. Jennie I. brought a concern that we consider the question brought from Quarterly Meeting about membership of pastoral Meetings in OVYM. She also suggested that Friends consider becoming more involved with Quarterly Meeting to make sure that our views are properly represented.
9. Jana S. reported from AFSC: They are looking for people to sign on to a “Roadmap to Peace” proposal to be presented to the new Obama administration.
10. Clerk read a letter from Indiana FCL concerning their annual meeting at First Friends Church in Indianapolis on January 10th at 10 am.
11. The minutes were read and approved.
12. Meeting closed with a brief period of waiting worship.
Query for December
Twelfth Query
Do you regard your possessions as given you in trust and do you part with them freely for the needs of others? Are your means of livelihood in keeping with your ideals as Friends? Are you concerned that your business be primarily a service to people? What are you doing to foster upright practices in business relations? Do you maintain strict integrity in all business transactions? Do you bear a faithful testimony against all forms of gambling?
Stewardship; Business Relationships:
Friends should consider how our ways of spending money affect others. We should endeavor to share our advantages and should guard against pursuing modes of life that minister only to our comforts. When we live in the Life which is attuned to nature and which finds joy and satisfaction in human relationships and personal growth, we will be less dependent on material possessions and more protective of our environment.
Do you regard your possessions as given you in trust and do you part with them freely for the needs of others? Are your means of livelihood in keeping with your ideals as Friends? Are you concerned that your business be primarily a service to people? What are you doing to foster upright practices in business relations? Do you maintain strict integrity in all business transactions? Do you bear a faithful testimony against all forms of gambling?
Stewardship; Business Relationships:
Friends should consider how our ways of spending money affect others. We should endeavor to share our advantages and should guard against pursuing modes of life that minister only to our comforts. When we live in the Life which is attuned to nature and which finds joy and satisfaction in human relationships and personal growth, we will be less dependent on material possessions and more protective of our environment.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Spiritual Nurture opportunities at Clear Creek
If you are interested in participating in any of the activities a - g listed below, please call Erica P. with your contact information or where specified contact the contact person specified for the group:
a) Spiritual Friendships: groups of 2 or 3 people meeting once every 2 – 3 weeks to share about what is going on in their lives, from a spiritual perspective.
b) Poetry and other writing as a spiritual practice: – meeting monthly, sharing briefly from our recent writing and reflecting on its impact in our spiritual journeys
c) Friendly Bible Study: meeting 2 – 3 times per month, reading 4-6 verses together, responding meditatively in writing to 5 questions, then speaking to them in a worship-sharing format. The questions addressed are:
• the author’s main point,
• new light we receive from the passage,
• the relationship of the passage to the truth of our experience,
• the passage’s implications for our lives, and
• questions or problems we have with the passage.
We will be beginning with the Letter of James. First meeting will be on
Sunday, Sept. 21, 12:30 p.m., Stout Meetinghouse
d) Mysticism, Practice, Etc. Group- In the process of being formed and defining its practice:
e) Women’s Spirituality Group- Meets monthly in participants’ homes. There is usually a brief check-in (how are we doing) followed by a discussion or experiential activity on topics such as play, poetry, childhood spiritual experiences, and personal heroines. These are suggested the month before by those attending.
f) Book Discussion Group – Meets monthly, usually on Sunday evening of Monthly Meeting, at Friends Fellowship Community Solarium Room. (Rides available from College Avenue). Participants pick the books for the next few months. Books have been non-fiction (Three Cups of Tea), poetry (Thirst by Mary Oliver), and fiction and science fiction (Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury). Contact Dan or Jan S.
g) Singing after Meeting – Friends gather around the piano in the Meeting Room and sing Friendly hymns from the hymnals stored in the hallway. Those participating suggest favorites they would like to sing that week. Contact Gwen H.
a) Spiritual Friendships: groups of 2 or 3 people meeting once every 2 – 3 weeks to share about what is going on in their lives, from a spiritual perspective.
b) Poetry and other writing as a spiritual practice: – meeting monthly, sharing briefly from our recent writing and reflecting on its impact in our spiritual journeys
c) Friendly Bible Study: meeting 2 – 3 times per month, reading 4-6 verses together, responding meditatively in writing to 5 questions, then speaking to them in a worship-sharing format. The questions addressed are:
• the author’s main point,
• new light we receive from the passage,
• the relationship of the passage to the truth of our experience,
• the passage’s implications for our lives, and
• questions or problems we have with the passage.
We will be beginning with the Letter of James. First meeting will be on
Sunday, Sept. 21, 12:30 p.m., Stout Meetinghouse
d) Mysticism, Practice, Etc. Group- In the process of being formed and defining its practice:
e) Women’s Spirituality Group- Meets monthly in participants’ homes. There is usually a brief check-in (how are we doing) followed by a discussion or experiential activity on topics such as play, poetry, childhood spiritual experiences, and personal heroines. These are suggested the month before by those attending.
f) Book Discussion Group – Meets monthly, usually on Sunday evening of Monthly Meeting, at Friends Fellowship Community Solarium Room. (Rides available from College Avenue). Participants pick the books for the next few months. Books have been non-fiction (Three Cups of Tea), poetry (Thirst by Mary Oliver), and fiction and science fiction (Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury). Contact Dan or Jan S.
g) Singing after Meeting – Friends gather around the piano in the Meeting Room and sing Friendly hymns from the hymnals stored in the hallway. Those participating suggest favorites they would like to sing that week. Contact Gwen H.
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