Announcements

September 25, 2005

Food for Thought

*TODAY, QUAKER WORSHIP AND VOCAL MINISTRY: Attention all newcomers, long and short-time attenders and Friends! Please join Ministry and Counsel today, at 9:00 a.m., in the dining room, for a Forum in which we will corporately seek and explore answers to these questions: How can I deepen my spiritual experience in Meeting for Worship? What is centering and how do I do it? Why corporate worship? How is Quaker corporate worship different from individual worship? What is vocal ministry and how do I know when/if I am called by the Spirit to give vocal ministry? How do I listen for that of God spoken in Worship? What do I do with the ministry given in Worship? A packet of suggested readings in preparation for this Forum are available on the hall table. All are welcome.

WE SHARE THEIR JOY: "Seth Webb and Marisa Howe share their joy in announcing the arrival of their daughter, Aven Jean Grindbergs Webb on September 12. Mom, Dad and Edison (now nearly 3 years old!) are doing well and enjoying the early spring, gracing the North Island [New Zealand]. Love and blessings! Seth and Marisa"

EYES WIDE OPEN THANKS: Peace and Social Order Committee adds its thanks to all in the Meeting whose many levels of support (time, energy, prayers, money) helped to make EWO and Peace Path happen. We are especially grateful to those who shouldered the additional responsibilities of planning - Dave Robson, Nancy Moore and Karie Firoozmand for EWO and Diane Proctor for Peace Path. And we continue to be thankful to all in the Meeting who have served as "patterns and examples" over the years - down to the weekend where Sam Legg was seen helping to set up boots one morning at 6:00 a.m. and vigiling through the night another morning at 4:00 a.m.! Without the support of all of you, a huge event like EWO could never have happened. Thank you.

SEEKERS AND SPEAKERS SERIES: Want to know more about Quakerism? Have your questions answered at the upcoming "Seekers and Speakers" series. The dates and topics to note are October 2 (Frequently Asked Questions), October 9 (Worship), October 16 (After worship discussion for newcomers only), October 23 (Lifestyles), October 30 (Quaker Process), and November 6 (Follow-up). All sessions are 9:00-10:40 a.m., Sunday morning in the Dining Room at Stony Run Meeting; bagels and beverages will be available. Further questions may be directed to Karie Firoozmand or Anne Griffith of the Spiritual and Intellectual Nurture Committee. Flyers are on the hall table. Full participation is encouraged!

CHECK OUT THE BARGAIN BASKET on the book sales table. It's loaded with books about Friends and Quakers faith and practice literature. Please put your checks or cash in the literature box located on the table.

NEW STONY RUN MEETING DIRECTORY IS COMING: Check your listing. A New Meeting Directory is being prepared for publication in October 2005. Check the copy in the Library for accuracy of your listing and don't forget to add your e-mail address. Please write changes on the draft directory with red pen provided.

RELAXING IN THE MOUNTAINS: Please sign up for the very non-rugged Camping Weekend at Camp Catoctin September 30 to October 2. The drive to Catoctin is just over an hour from Baltimore and the scenery will be gorgeous. If you don't have a tent, there are plenty of screened-in shelters for sleeping. Traditional group activities include playing, lounging, canoeing, and hiking. Community is further enhanced through sharing responsibility for meal preparation and clean-up. If you've been there before, we hope you will come back. If you've never been, we hope will you try it. Sign-up forms are on the hallway table and in the September Newsletter.

TUESDAY WORSHIP: Beginning in September, Meeting for Worship will be held every Tuesday, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Meetinghouse on the campus of Sheppard Pratt Hospital. The small brick meetinghouse is located at the top of the Charles Street entrance drive and is adjacent to the parking garage. The fireplace is usually burning and there are opportunities for fellowship after Worship.

LITTLE MEETING RESUMES: Religious Education is offering "Little Meeting" which is designed for any child who is still learning to center into prayer or who may be new to the Meeting and the practices of Meeting for Worship. The purpose of the class is to ease the process of our children's acclimation to the 'Big' Meeting for Worship by providing tools to assist in settling down and centering in. The children will be given a basic sense of silence as a pleasant state and a sense of community while working with other children to discover ways of being calm and peaceful together. Little Meeting does not meet every week. This allows the children to sit with their parents and practice their new skills in the first 20 minutes of 'Big' Meeting. The Little Meeting takes place from 11:00 -11:20 a.m. in Room 214 (to the right of the office) and will be held October 9 and 23, November 6 and 20, and December 4 and 18. At 11:20 the students attend their regular First Day School classes. See the flyer on the hallway table for further details.

BALTIMORE CROP WALK, Saturday, October 8, 1:00 p.m. starting at Govans Presbyterian Church, 5836 York Road (just south of the Senator Theater). CROP WALK is a community-based fund-raising event to raise money for local hunger-fighting agencies as well as the international relief and development efforts of Church World Service (who is very active in relief work down in the Gulf). The donations are split with 75% going to Church World Service and 25% staying in Baltimore. This year's Baltimore share will be given to the GEDCO's CARES program which helps those in need along the York Road corridor. They operate a food pantry as well as give financial assistance to those who are facing eviction, utility cut-offs, or need help purchasing medications. The WALK is only 1 1/2 miles long so all ages can join in. It will meander through the neighborhood with a "water" stop at the CARES facility. This is an excellent opportunity for both youth and adults to actively help combat hunger. Walkers are asked to get pledges from friends, families and co-workers as sponsors. Sponsor sheets are available on the hall table.

NEW SERIES ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES: On October 20, the Megaphone Project will be presenting "Deadline," the first of a series of four films on criminal justice issues. "With astounding access to clemency hearings, death row prisoners, exonerated men and Governor George Ryan, this documentary brings us behind the scenes in the emotional and legal storm surrounding Ryan's decision granting clemency to all 167 people on death row in Illinois." There will be a panel discussion after the film with filmmaker Katy Chevigny, Jane Henderson of Maryland Citizens against State Executions, exonerated Maryland death row inmate Kirk Bloodsworth, Shari Silberstein of Equal Justice USA, and moderator Paul Santomenna of Megaphone Project. The screening takes place at 8:00 p.m. (doors open at 7:00) at The Creative Alliance at the Patterson, 3134 Eastern Avenue. Tickets are $8. Stony Run has taken a public stand in opposition to the death penalty and our Peace and Social Order Committee is a co-sponsor.

THE PEACE VIGILS CONTINUE: Join Friends and others on Tuesdays from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. in front of the AFSC office at 4806 York Road, and on Fridays, also from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., in front of Homewood Meetinghouse. This is a silent witness under the banners: "No More Victims" "War is NOT the Answer" and "Take the Risks of Peace." For details call Gary (AFSC) at 410.323.7200.

SUFI-QUAKER ARTIST Michael Green has published a new book, ONE SONG: A New Illuminated Rumi, with an innovative CD of blues/newgrass music. He and his son, Kabir, will be in Baltimore to debut the book. Michael met a Sufi teacher 30 years ago who opened the path of Sufism to him, which except for the outer differences of language and culture, is the vivified teaching of George Fox. In the vast silence of the purified heart, the resonance of God, or the Light of Pure Being, can be apprehended. Kabir, educated at Friends Central, is a recent graduate of Haverford College (religion major), and is an eloquent member of the "20-something" generation who speaks to the issues of spirituality, faith and navigating modern culture. Michael and Kabir will be playing with The Illumination Band at the opening of the new exhibit at the American Visionary Art Museum, Friday, September 30 at 7:00 p.m. Michael will do a reading with guitar accompaniment by Kabir at Breathe Books, Saturday, October 1, at 2:00 p.m., 810 W 36th Street, "The Avenue" in Hampden, Baltimore. Admission is $10. You can see some pages from the book at http://www.rumibook.info/.

GEDCO ANNUAL FUNDRAISER: The beloved Senator classic event returns October 6, featuring special guest, Ruby Dee! This year's Feature Film will be A Raisin in the Sun starring Ruby Dee, who has been a star of stage and screen since her 1946 Broadway debut in Anna Lucasta. She has appeared hundreds of times in plays, movies and television shows. Ruby and husband, Ossie Davis, were well known for their off-screen activism and work on behalf of African-Americans in the performing arts. Tickets for A Raisin in the Sun are on sale for $45 and $50.

YOUNG ADULT FRIENDS, open to all between the ages of 18 and 35-ish, meet for socializing, eating and worship on the first Tuesday evening of each month. The next gathering will be October 4. Bring food to share if possible, but come anyway; there's always enough. Potluck is at 7:00 p.m., Meeting for Worship starts at 8:00 p.m.

BYM FALL 2005 SILENT RETREAT takes place at Dayspring Retreat Center in Germantown, Maryland, October 7 through 10. The fee is $225 and covers 9 vegetarian meals, bed linens, blankets, towels and washcloth. Registration deadline: September 23. Questions? Contact Jean Christianson, facilitator.

CROP WALK 2005, a nationwide event, will take place on Saturday, October 8 and, for the third year, CARES, the food pantry operating under the auspices of the Govans Ecumenical Development Corporation (GEDCO), will benefit from this program. More information is available on the hall table.

QUAKER READERS' GROUP will begin meeting Tuesday, October 11 (second Tuesday of each month) at Stony Run. The evening will begin with a light supper at 6:30 p.m. followed by discussion of a selected reading. This season's readings will center around matters of conscience and their effects on the individual, the family and the community. Copies of the readings will be available in the library. For this first meeting, we will view and discuss a portion of the movie Friendly Persuasion in lieu of reading. All are welcome to participate in this Friendly way of increasing our understanding of Quaker faith.

LOTS TO BE DONE AT THE QUAKER CAMPS: A work weekend was held at Shiloh last weekend and David Hunter said, "We accomplished a ton of stuff!" The next weekend will be at Opequon on September 30 - October 2. There is a lot planned and there is need for many hands. The Catoctin dates are October14 - 16, October 28 - 30 and November 4 - 6th. It is hoped that the work can be started on the Catoctin Pond Water Quality Improvement Project and Friends are definitely going to build another fabulous Peter Bugler post and beam cabin, so make sure you are able to visit CQC this fall. Please visit http://www.bym-rsf.org/camping/WorkWeekends/work.html for more information or contact David Hunter, Camp Property Manager, at www.bym-rsf.org, 301.774.7663 (office).

HUMANITARIAN HEROES: As his bar mitzvah project, Elliot Chen of Bolton Street Synagogue has created a deck of playing cards featuring humanitarian heroes from the world. Elliot, a friend of the Causey family, will be donating all of his profits to the Maryland Food Bank. To purchase this wonderful, unique deck of playing cards, or for more information, please contact Elliot and his mom.

PLEASE WEAR YOUR NAME TAG WHEN IN THE MEETINGHOUSE. THANKS!