Announcements

October 2, 2005

Food for Thought

IF YOU ARE MISSING SOMEONE TODAY, CHANCES ARE THEY ARE RELAXING IN THE MOUNTAINS, enjoying the Stony Run Camping Weekend at Catoctin. If you weren't able to attend this year, mark your calendar way in advance and save the weekend for fun, food and relaxation at next year's Camping Weekend.

THE FRIENDSHIP FUND FOR THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ will receive October Social Order Box contributions. The contributed funds will be earmarked for Iraq Reconstruction projects, to support the community groups that AFSC is working with, and to help rehabilitate health care facilities.

A WIDE OPEN THANKS: Peace and Social Order Committee thanks everyone in the Meeting whose many levels of support (time, energy, prayers, money) helped to make EWO and Peace Path happen. We are grateful to Dave Diorio, Phil Fratesi, Amy Rakusin, Elaine Yamada, Suzy Filbert, Kelley Causey, Bob Goren, Dave Robson, Nancy Moore, Sam Legg, Karie Firoozmand, Diane Proctor, and the many others who helped set up, vigil and take down the boots exhibit, organize the film showings, organize and participate in the Peace Path and gave of themselves in many ways, at all hours of the days, to make the Eyes Wide Open weekend activities and Peace Path successful witnesses to our desire for a peaceful world. Stony Run Friends are indeed "patterns and examples." Without the support of all of you, this huge event could never have happened. Thank you.

SEEKERS AND SPEAKERS SERIES: Want to know more about Quakerism? Have your questions answered at the "Seekers and Speakers" series. Full participation is encouraged on 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!

PEACE MAKING DAY IN THE PLANNING! Peace and Social Order Committee is looking for all in the Meeting Community who would like to help plan a day of trainings, workshops and classes in 2006 focused on positive ideas for how to create peace. The theme we are working around is "War Prevention Works" which looks at the idea of preventing violence at the personal, to local, to international levels. In order to reach a broader audience, we will be focusing on the educational community and are especially hopeful that educators in the Meeting will help us with developing the day. Currently, we are considering Sunday school teachers, day care workers, and public and private school teachers. Please see the handout on the hall table that will update you with what we are currently thinking, then talk to a member of Peace and Social Order Committee, and consider being a co-creator of this project! Our next brainstorming session will be on Sunday, October 23, 8:30-10:30 a.m. in the lower classrooms.

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.

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION What is it? Does it apply to you? If you are a young person who has begun to wonder whether or not you will be able, for reasons of conscience, to participate in war, this program will help you start to clarify your thinking. On Sunday, November 13, attorney J.E. McNeil of the Center on Conscience and War will talk with the general audience from 9:15 to 10:30 a.m. From 10:30-12:00 noon, J.E. will speak with young people only, in the FS Lower School Assembly Room. This program is open to the General Public. Parents and any interested young people are invited. The program begins with bagels and beverage in the Dining Room at 9:00 a.m.

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. 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.

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 Tuesday, 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.

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 international relief and development efforts. This year's Baltimore share (25%) will be given to GEDCO's CARES program that operates a food pantry and gives 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.

CELEBRATING WOMEN'S JOURNEY, Nurturing - Renewing - Empowering: Marilyn Clark (Stony Run) and Judith Waldman, Co-Directors of Celebrating Women's Journey Workshops & Community Empowerment Workshops, are offering a workshop, Saturday, October 15, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (9:30 a.m.- Registration & coffee). Celebrate your journey as a woman at a country workshop with woods, streams, and waterfalls! Feel renewed with deep relaxation and with light movement and play. Empower yourself as you move through the transitions of your life. Feel the joy and freedom of expressing your creative spirit. Registration is limited so enroll early. There is a sliding scale fee ($65 to $90 for the day) to participate. Directions will be sent to registrants in advance of the workshop.

NEW SERIES ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES: On Thursday, October 20, the Megaphone Project will be presenting "Deadline," the first of a series of four films on criminal justice issues. 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, 8:00 p.m. (doors open at 7:00), 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 Stony Run Peace and Social Order Committee is a co-sponsoring the series.

MUCH APPRECIATION AND THANKS: The Religious Education Committee thanks everyone who helped create the summer assemblies for our kids. Thanks to Russell and Laura Gray, Diane Proctor, Seana Coffin, Blaine Keener, Jolanda Ferguson, Peggy Steele, Nancy Moore, Carla Spawn-van Berkum, Ann Kehinde, Frosty Davis, Karie Firoozmand, Dotti and David Drumm, Lamar Mathew, Brian Gamble, Bob and Gail Breyer. We are also grateful to the many other adults and kids who lent a hand over the summer. A good time was had by all!

STILL SEATS AVAILABLE FOR GEDCO'S ANNUAL FUNDRAISER: The beloved Senator classic event returns Thursday, 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. 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 are $45 and $50.

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 Ffriendly way of increasing our understanding of Quaker faith.

DON'T MISS QUAKER LUNCH: The next Quaker Lunch, at Holly House on the Broadmead campus, will be held October 20, at 12:00 noon. If you would like to be part of this nourishing and Ffriendly event, call Marjorie Scott by Tuesday, October 18, to reserve a place at the table.

LEND A HAND AT OUR QUAKER CAMPS: There is a lot planned and there is need for many hands at the upcoming work weekends at Catoctin: October14 - 16, October 28 - 30 and November 4 - 6. It is hoped that the work can be started on the Catoctin Pond Water Quality Improvement Project which Stony Run Young Friends have helped to fund. Another post and beam cabin will definitely be built at Catoctin. Please consider giving time and energy to these projects. Contact David Hunter at www.bym-rsf.org, 301.774.7663.

BECKY COPELAND WILL BE COMPETING in the Sweet Adelines International contest next week in Detroit (it was originally scheduled to be in New Orleans). Becky sings with the Pride of Baltimore chorus. They will sing in the semifinals on Thursday, October 6, around 5:30 - 6:00 p.m. The competition will be web cast (access information is on the website) at www.sweetadelineintl.org/webcast.cfm. p.s. Try this on Wednesday to see if it works.

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.

VEGETARIAN COOKING CLUB: Unity with Nature Committee invites Friends to Vegetarian Cooking Club dinners on Saturday, October 22, and Saturday, November 19, from 4:30 to 7:30 pm in the Stony Run kitchen. We will cook together and then enjoy the fruits of our labors, as well as good company. RSVP to Lynn Huntley if you plan to attend. UNITY WITH NATURE COMMITTEE MEETING: The next Unity with Nature meeting will be on Sunday, October 16 at 9:00 a.m. at Homewood Meeting. Everyone is welcome

OF INTEREST TO PARENTS: Dr. Brad Sachs will speak at Ruxton Country School, 11202 Garrison Forest Road, Owings Mills, MD, Thursday, Oct. 20th, 7:00 p.m. Dr Sachs, nationally renowned clinician and author will talk about "The Good Enough Child:" How to have an imperfect family and be perfectly satisfied and "The Good Enough Teen:" Raising kids with love and acceptance (despite how impossible they can be). "Dr. Sachs' message is one that all mothers and fathers need to hear." Free admission. Please contact RCS with questions 443.544.3000.

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

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