Weekly Announcements as of 08.13.2023

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 contains the link to the online meeting. 

 

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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 that sound quality or receiving is not always precise. On August 6, we heard or found out:

  • Gratitude for the Meeting for Learning (MfL) that Marcia Ormsby facilitated today was expressed by several Friends saying that it was a helpful and enlightening experience about how we (Quakers) make decisions. One friend shared that she found it extremely good, extremely informative, and very meaningful. Thanks were expressed for everyone involved with the MfL, especially Marcia. 
  • More gratitude was shared for the opportunity to participate in the Baltimore Yearly Meeting (BYM) Annual Session. AFM was well represented with about ten Friends in attendance.
  • How amazing it was to worship with more than 200 Friends at BYM Annual Session.
  • Joy at being part of the circle during worship at AFM this morning.
  • After being away for three weeks, it felt like a homecoming this morning.
  • Newcomers expressed their enjoyment of worshiping at AFM.
  • Seeing Francis W. on screen after missing him these past few weeks.
  • Joy at seeing Ria H. in the meetinghouse worshiping with us.
  • Gratitude for the Friends who gave Ria a ride to AFM and worshiped with us.
  • Ria expressed how much she missed sitting with us at AFM and was very happy to be back. Seeing head and shoulders was not good enough for Ria.
  • Joy in finding out that Collington now has 22 Friends living there and an invitation to go to MfW at Collington on Tuesdays at 4 pm.
  • Grateful that the plenaries from BYM Annual Session were recorded and we can review them.
  • Front page of the Capital newspaper there is an article about the vigil that AFM co-sponsored at the City Dock on the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. Wes J. is the cover photo focusing on his discernment as a former military officer coming to support the peace movement and disarmament. 
  • Francis W. expressed joy that his move to his new apartment is complete and he is getting to know people in his new surroundings. 
  • Joy to see Jim K. on Zoom and he said that he was glad that he finally figured out how to get Zoom to work on his new computer.
  • Joy that Kalan B. is a wonderful spokesperson for the Quaker Testimonies. 
  • Margaret H. is very happy and excited that her son and his family will be moving to Maryland soon.
  • It was finalized during BYM Annual Session that Opequon Quaker Camp will move to Rolling Ridge, a section of the same property where Friends Wilderness Center is located. This is exciting news for the Benson family who live at Friends Wilderness Center and will be more involved with the Rolling Ridge Camp.
  • That it is a joy to walk in Joy and especially because this Friend could not walk last year.

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Communications Committee

The Communications Committee will hold their monthly meeting on August 15 (Tuesday) at 5:30 pm on Zoom. 

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

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Reparations Video – AFM Viewing

On August 16 (Wednesday) at 3 pm, we will join together in person and via Zoom to view a video together. Baltimore Yearly Meeting (BYM) held a video conference about reparations and we are going to view the recorded conference together.

BYM Growing Diverse Leadership Committee sponsored a lecture by Lucy Duncan and Rob Peagler entitled “Reparations: Alchemical Agent for Healing and Repair.” This is one video that we all can learn from and we hope that by watching it together we’ll all have a better understanding.

 For more information, contact Karen C.  clerk@annapolisfriends.org.

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Welcome Light Wednesday

Starting at 7 pm every Wednesday, the Welcome Light Wednesday group will meet on 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 Pastoral Care Committee.

Contact Pastoral Care at pastoral-care@annapolisfriends.org for more information.

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Summer Break for First Day School

AFM First Day School is on Summer Break through the summer; however, nursery care is offered. Advance notice if possible is much appreciated for nursery care. For school age children, AFM is offering supervision and reading/drawing supplies during the summer. First Day School will resume on September 10.

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

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

On August 18 (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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The Adult Religious Education Committee

On August 18 (Friday) at 7:30 pm, the Adult Religious Education (ARE) Committee will be meeting via Zoom. The ARE is a sub-committee of Ministry and Worship and they focus on planning Meetings for Learning (MfL) and other spiritual enrichment events for AFM.

Contact Ann R. at ministry@annapolisfriends.org for more information.

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Committee Meetings

On August 20 (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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Nominating Committee Meeting

On August 24 (Thursday) at 2 pm, the Nominating Committee will hold a meeting via Zoom to talk about preparing the 2024 Slate and other topics. 

To learn more, contact nominating@annapolisfriends.org.

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Friends Writing Together

On August 27 (Sunday) at 12:30 pm, the Friends Writing Together group will meet. 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 that is held 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 the Meetinghouse 

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 August, the Pastoral Care Committee has responsibility for the care of the meetinghouse. All are welcome to help out at any time!

  • The Pastoral Care Committee seeks to nurture the spiritual well being of the Meeting Community by:
    • encouraging visiting and fellowship within the Meeting;
    • organizing Friendly 8s dinners;
    • facilitating spiritual formation and friendship;
    • providing assistance to those who are ill, absent, troubled or in material need;
    • organizing and facilitating Memorial Meetings;
    • recommending Memorial Garden policies and arranging Memorial Garden stones/plaques/plants with families;
    • establishing clearness committees for marriage and personal decisions re life transitions;
    • facilitating child welcoming ceremonies;
    • guiding applications for AFM’s Emergency Fund for Suffering;
    • checking in with Friends and notifying the Directory Coordinator of changes; and
    • contacting familial members about membership when they sunset at 26 years old.

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

 

Photo credit: Ellen M.