Weekly Announcements as of 01.14.2024

Weekly Announcements

Reminder:

If you know of an event or a joy that you would like to see in the Weekly Announcements, please send the information to: communications@annapolisfriends.org

Coming Up:

The list of events below can also be viewed on the AFM website’s homepage or on the AFM Calendar.

Note: Titles link to the information down below for  greater detail and the word “Zoom” in the Coming Up section contains the link to the online meeting. 

Additional Topics:

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What’s News, Joys and Life Happenings

Friends are invited to share their News, Joys and Life Happenings with each other during Meeting for Worship, through the Weekly Announcements email, and on the AFM-Discuss. If you have joys to share, please contact Ellen M. at communications@annapolisfriends.org and the sharings will be added to our news, joys and life happenings section. It should be noted that inaccuracies may exist in the information given due to sound quality or receiving is not always precise. The recent joys and happenings we’ve learned of include:

  • There was an expression of joy in feeling the presence of Light, Love and Truth!
  • Great Joy that Margaret and Will are finally together in their new apartment at Friends House!
  • It was a joy to participate in the Meeting for Learning on What is Ours to Do and to hear others’ viewpoints. There was much to think about. Gratitude to Phil and Nathan for organizing this event.

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Welcome Light Wednesday

Starting at 7 pm every Wednesday, the Welcome Light Wednesday group will meet via Zoom with 20 minutes of silence to start followed by spiritual readings and then listening to our spiritual journeys. Time will be given to hold friends in healing Light. In the past, this group was called the Wednesday Meditation Group.

Contact Patty R. at info@annapolisfriends.org for more information.

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5th Night Light – Every Thursday evening

From 7:00 pm until 8:00 pm every Thursday, the AFM community engages in a spiritual practice that acknowledges the Light of God within each person and that to be in community is to actively care for one another. During that time, Friends hold people and situations who need additional spiritual support in the Light. Friends will pause wherever they may be, read the list of names, and hold each person or situation in our hearts and in the Light. On Wednesday, the list of names or situations are sent out to the AFM-Announce list.

Friends are invited to share their request for a person or situations to be held in the Light by contacting the Ministry & Pastoral Care Committee.

Emails can be sent to ministry-pastoralcare@annapolisfriends.org for more information.

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Green Group

On January 15 (Monday) at 7 pm, the Green Group will be meeting via Zoom to discuss invasive species, work with the Interfaith Partners of the Chesapeake (IPC), and other environmental concerns. All are invited.

Contact Marjorie K. at green-group@annapolisfriends.org for more information.

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Trustees Meeting

On January 15 (Monday) at 7 pm, the Annapolis Friends Meeting Trustees will meet via Zoom.

Contact Patty R. at trustees@annapolisfriends.org for more information.

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Communications Committee

The Communications Committee will hold their monthly meeting on January 16 (Tuesday) at 6 pm via Zoom.

Contact Ellen M. at communications@annapolisfriends.org for more information.

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Ministry & Pastoral Care Committee

On January 16 (Tuesday) at 7 pm via Zoom, the Ministry & Pastoral Care Committee will meet.

Contact Martha B. or Barb T. at ministry-pastoralcare@annapolisfriends.org for more information.

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The Friendlies (a.k.a., Friendly 8s Group)

On January 19 (Friday) at 6 pm, The Friendlies will be meeting on Zoom. Quakers get together for a variety of reasons and getting to know each other a little better is the purpose of Friendly 8s Groups. Typically, there are 8 people who share a meal, stories and have a relaxed, informal opportunity to socialize. It is great fun and there have been stimulating conversations. The Friendlies are a larger group of more than 10 and we meet on Zoom. If you are interested, we are an open group and invite you to join us.

Contact Ellen M. at info@annapolisfriends.org for more information.

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Deconstructing Racism

On January 20 (Saturday) at 3 pm, we hope you can join us for centering silence followed by our continued spiritual work as we seek to deconstruct racism in our personal and public lives.

  • 3 pm – 3:30 pm, Deconstructing Racism personal updates
  • 3:30 pm – 5 pm, Reflection on Deconstructing Racism – worship sharing format

Contact Jean C. at info@annapolisfriends.org for the Zoom link and additional information.

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Committee Meetings

On January 21 (Sunday) at 9:15 am, most AFM committees meet. Some meet via Zoom and others at the meetinghouse with still others holding blended (online and in-person) meetings. Check with the clerk of the committee to find out the options for participation. 

Committee meetings are important places where most of our Meeting work is done.  Committees form at the beginning of the calendar year. There are Committee Clerks and volunteer committee members and some committees have co-Clerks and Assistant Clerks.  Committees typically meet each month. 

To learn more, contact info@annapolisfriends.org.

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Children’s Religious Education Committee

The Children’s Religious Education Committee (CREC) will be meeting on January 21 (Sunday) at 12:30 pm in person in the classroom. 

Contact Nancy Jo. at children@annapolisfriends.org for more information.

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Library Committee Meeting

On January 23 (Tuesday) at 9 am, the Library Committee will be meeting in person. 

For more information, contact Martha L. at library@annapolisfriends.org.

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Friendly Bible Studies

Register Now! First eight (8) people who sign up will be able to join the Friendly Bible Studies. 

There are two online Bible Studies being offered, both will start on January 23 (Tuesday) and will continue for six (6) weeks, ending on February 27 (Tuesday).

  • From 10 am to noon, “Proper Effort” led by Francis W. 
  • From 7 pm to 9 pm, Paul’s letter to the Romans led by Nancy Jo S. 

Details:

“Proper Effort” (Tuesdays at 9 am with Francis W.) is an outline of Scripture from Thirty-Three Ways Seven Faiths Agree with Meher Baba, written by our own Tom Wolfe & Companions.

  1. Do not shirk your responsibility: 2 Corinthians 9: 6-8
  2. Attend to your duties but do not be attached to results: Matthew 6: 20-21
  3. Accept happiness and suffering with equal poise: 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
  4. Accept what comes to you without resentment: Romans 8:26
  5. Help and serve others: Luke 14: 13-14
  6. Remember God with your dying breath: Psalms 5: 11-12

The focus of Paul’s Letters to the Romans (Tuesdays at 7 pm with Nancy Jo S.) will be on Chapters 1 and 2. 

To learn more about the Friendly Bible Study approach please, check out Friendly Bible Study at https://www.read-the-bible.org/friendlybiblestudy.htm.  While most people have greatly enjoyed this approach to reading the Bible, some people may not like it.

To register, contact Pat S. at info@annapolisfriends.org.

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Quaker Market Committee

On January 23 (Tuesday) at 7:30 pm, the Quaker Market Committee will meet via Zoom.

Contact Cairn K. at market@annapolisfriends.org for more information.

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Meeting for Learning: Prayer (Part 1 of 2)

On January 28 (Sunday) at 9:15 am, the Ministry & Pastoral Care (M&PC) Committee will be providing a Meeting for Learning related to Prayer. Prayer Part 1: An opportunity for Friends to reflect together on prayer life. Using a worship sharing process, we will share our personal prayers, talk about our experiences of prayer, and express questions we might have about prayer.  Facilitated by Jean C. and will be held in person and via Zoom.

Part 2 will be held on February 11 (Sunday) at 9:15 am in person and via Zoom and will include reflections on prayer from a Quaker theological perspective. Facilitated by Ann R. and Jean C.

Contact Martha B. at ministry-pastoralcare@annapolisfriends.org for more information. 

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Friends Writing Together

On January 28 (Sunday) at 12:30 pm, the Friends Writing Together group will meet via Zoom. Friends write from prompts for 8-minutes and then share (or not). Comments include encouragement and impressions. Only if a writer asks for critique is that offered. This is fresh new writing and is treated as gently as a delicate flower. Everyone is a writer and has a deep well of experiences to dip into. Come join us for the fun and exhilaration of expression and enjoyable conversations. All are invited. 

Contact Mary B. at info@annapolisfriends.org for more information.

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Uphold Ukraine Daily Meeting for Worship

  • Daily Meeting for Worship: EVERY DAY, Friends House Moscow supporters in the U.S.A. host a daily international online Meeting for Worship while joining other Friends who are holding in the Light all the people affected by the current crisis in Ukraine. For Eastern Standard Time, the meeting starts at 12:00 pm. Click on this Zoom link, which is the Friends House Moscow Cloud Meeting. Or use Meeting ID: 416 500 5614; Passcode: 182805
  • Sunday MfW: The Quakers in Kyiv meet on Sundays at 1:00 pm EDT in silence. For Zoom information, go to their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/QuakersKyivUkraine/.  On Zoom: Meeting ID: 852 8396 7313; Passcode: 2022.

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AFM Meetings for Worship

There are two options for Sunday worship with Annapolis Friends Meeting:

8:00 am weekly: This Meeting for Worship is in person (no technology) and, in good weather, is held outdoors, but will be indoors when the weather is not as kind. Masks and social distancing are optional inside the meetinghouse. Also at 8:00 am, Friends can worship in communion with the friends at the Meetinghouse from wherever they are and without technology. This option to gather in spirit only while being physically apart was created to link Friends in worship in the early days of the pandemic, and often Friends are at their own homes.

11:00 am weekly: This Meeting for Worship can be attended in person at the meetinghouse, or remotely on Zoom (Phone: 301-715-8592, Meeting ID: 650 269 455, Passcode: 241727). Nursery care is available; please email us at children@annapolisfriends.org if you would like to bring your child/children to our nursery. First Day School (a.k.a., Sunday School) is available for school age children in person during the school year (September through May). In the summer (June through August), AFM offers supervision and reading/drawing supplies for school age children.

There is an opportunity to worship on the First Tuesday each month at 7 pm in person on a Friend’s porch in northern Anne Arundel County (Glen Burnie). Please see North County worship on the calendar. 

Contact info@annapolisfriends.org for more information.

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Care of Meeting 

The AFM meetinghouse is a precious place and the AFM Community cares for the building and property in many ways, including weekly care of the meeting that includes accomplishing certain tasks. There is a Committee Schedule for Care of Meeting indicating when the committee takes a turn to be responsible for cleaning up the meetinghouse and they may ask for help from others, as needed. The Care of Meeting Checklist helps to ensure that everyone knows what needs to be done. For the month of January, the Ministry & Pastoral Care Committee has responsibility for the care of the meetinghouse. All are welcome to help out at any time!

  • There is a new committee that combines two committees: Ministry and Worship and Pastoral Care. It is called Ministry & Pastoral Care (M&PC). The purpose of the Ministry & Pastoral Care committee is to promote the spiritual and social well-being of Annapolis Friends Meeting and its members. The areas of concern are Adult Religious Education, Ministry Oversight, Fellowship & Community Building, Care for Friends in Need, Clearness Committees, and some administrative tasks (e.g., recording committee meeting minutes, oversight of funds), as well as supporting the Welcome Light Wednesday group and facilitating a close relationship with Quaker organizations that are external to AFM. See the full details on the Ministry & Pastoral Care web pages: M&PC. 

For additional information about Annapolis Friends Meeting go to the homepage or for events click here for the calendar. 

African sculpture donated by Carol Brantley