Weekly Announcements from 07.02.2023

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. 

*********************

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 July 2, we heard:

  • Pat S’ birthday was celebrated after worship as we sang “Happy Birthday” to her. It was a joy to share in the celebration.
  • The Magnolia Tree behind the meetinghouse is starting to show some blossoms and has large white blooms to enjoy.
  • First time visitors graced our 8 am and 11 am Meetings for Worship. It was a joy to meet and greet some folks that were new-to-us.
  • A Friend voiced his excitement that the cork floor looked great!
  • Joy that Nancy Jo Steetle will be the AFM delegate to the National Braver Angels Convention that will be held in Gettysburg, PA from July 5 through 9.
  • Joy and travel mercies for Ann R., Sheila M. and Francis W. who are participating in the Friends United Meeting Annual Leadership Conference in Kenya (Africa).

↪Scroll Down for More ↩

Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business, 7th Month (July)

AFM held the 7th month Meeting for Worship (MfW) with attention to Business (wAtB) on July 2 with more than 25 in attendance. The decisions and reports included:

  • Friends were in joyful unity to warmly welcome Joan M. as a member of Annapolis Friends Meeting. We plan to celebrate Joan’s membership in person in the near future.
  • Report that Joan M. has stepped down as clerk of the Outreach Committee.
  • The Nominating Committee announced that we are in need of volunteers for two positions, Clerk of Outreach and one of the Treasurer positions.
  • Karen C. announced that Baltimore Yearly Meeting (BYM) is also seeking volunteers.
  • Meetinghouse & Land announced that the new roof will be installed after supplies are obtained, which could be as soon as the end of July.
  • Peace & Social Concerns (P&SC) updated us on the recent race-based vandalism (hate crime) that resulted in extensive damage (greater than $100,000) for Fowler United Methodist Church (816 Bestgate Rd, Annapolis, MD 21401). The committee will be sending a check to demonstrate solidarity against such crimes.
  • P&SC announced Nancy Jo Steetle will be attending the National Braver Angels Convention (July 5 – 9) and will share what she learns with us upon her return.
  • P&SC also announced that they are planning a vigil at the Annapolis City Dock for August 6, the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima in unity with our Peace Testimony and position against nuclear weapons. More information will be posted on the AFM-Announce@googlegroups.com.
  • Friends were in unity to skip the August MfW wAtB and resume on September 3.
  • It was announced that the Committee Clerks’ Meeting will be held on July 23 at 9:30 pm. Each committee is requested to send a representative, but all are invited.
  • Friends were encouraged to watch the whole video that BYM provided about reparations (see below). Conversations about reparations and restorative justice are continuing on the AFM-Discuss@googlegroups.com email lists.

Contact Arielle J. at recording-clerk@annapolisfriends.org for more information about the MfW wAtB.

↪Scroll Down for More ↩

Friendly Bible Studies

The Adult Religious Education Committee is providing another series of Bible studies using the Friendly Bible Study model (https://www.read-the-bible.org/friendlybiblestudy.htm).  The morning group meets on Tuesdays at 11 am and is led by Francis W. (evening in Kenya where he lives). The study is focused on the Old Testament stories and relating the stories to present time realities. The evening group meets on Wednesday at 7:30 pm and is led by Nancy Jo S. and starts at 7:30 pm on Wednesdays. Each group will continue for six sessions and will be finished by the end of July.

Contact Pat S. at info@annapolisfriends.org for more information.

↪Scroll Down for More ↩

CANCELED: North County Meeting for Worship

Usually, we will meet outside wearing masks at 7 pm on the 1st Tuesday of each month at a friend’s porch in Glen Burnie, but will not be meeting in July and will resume on August 1.

For more information, contact Diane E. at info@annapolisfriends.org.

↪Scroll Down for More ↩

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.

↪Scroll Down for More ↩

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.

↪Scroll Down for More ↩

Library Committee Meeting

On July 6 (Thursday) at 9 am, the Library Committee will be meeting in person. 

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

↪Scroll Down for More ↩

Meetinghouse & Land – Work Day

On July 8 (Saturday) starting at 9 am, the Meetinghouse and Land Committee will be hosting a work day at the meetinghouse. Please join us for our monthly workday to complete some indoor and outdoor maintenance and beautification chores.

For more information, contact Kim F. or Jeanne W. at meetinghouse@annapolisfriends.org.

↪Scroll Down for More ↩

Meeting For Learning on Meeting for Worship: Entering the Eternal Stream

On Sunday, July 9, at 9:30 am, the Adult Education Subcommittee of the Ministry and Worship (M&W) committee will provide a Meeting for Learning on Meeting for Worship with reflections on William Taber’s Pendle Hill pamphlet “Four Doors to Meeting for Worship” and sharing of Friends’ experiences of meeting for worship. Jean C. will be the convener.

  1. The Door Before – moments we find ourselves in a worshipful state of mind, practicing the presence
  2. The Door Inward – focus on the meeting for worship to come
  3. The Door Within – experience of settled or gathered meeting
  4. The Door Beyond – potential for transforming the grace of gathered communion into the grace of transformed life.

Materials will be available in the AFM Library in advance of the session.

For more information, contact Jean C. at info@annapolisfriends.org.

↪Scroll Down for More ↩

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.

↪Scroll Down for More ↩

BYM and AFM Presentations about Reparations 

Friends are encouraged to watch the Baltimore Yearly Meeting (BYM) video celebrating Juneteenth and explaining reparations where Lucy Duncan and Rob Peagler presented  “Reparations: Alchemical Agent for Healing and Repair“.  Click on the title and use passcode: R.q9Lki!

On June 25, AFM held a Meeting for Learning (MfL) based on the BYM session. Learning about why reparations and restorative justice matters and what we can do about it was enlightening for many of the participants. 

Contact info@annapolisfriends.org for more information.

↪Scroll Down for More ↩

Spiritual Friends Group

On July 13 (Thursday) at 4 pm, the Spiritual Friends Group will meet on Zoom. The group meets online on the 2nd Thurs. of each month to nurture our spiritual lives and, if requested, to ask the group to hold us accountable to our individual intentions. Everyone is welcome. Quakers and non-Quakers!

Contact Barb T. at info@annapolisfriends.org for more information.

↪Scroll Down for More ↩

Ministry & Worship Committee Meeting

On July 14 (Friday) at 7:30 pm, the Ministry & Worship Committee will be meeting via Zoom.

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

↪Scroll Down for More ↩

Deconstructing Racism

On July 15 (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.

↪Scroll Down for More ↩

Worship Sharing on “Living Your Truth – Part Two”

On July 30 (Sunday) at 9:30 am, there will be a Worship Sharing on “Living Your Truth – Part Two” presented by Fran P. via Zoom and in person. The focus will be on defining our mission. Everyone is invited. It is not necessary to have participated in Part One. 

For more information, contact Fran P. at info@annapolisfriends.org.

↪Scroll Down for More ↩

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.

↪Scroll Down for More ↩

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.

Another in-person Meeting for Worship is held on a Friend’s porch in North County (Glen Burnie) at 7 pm on the First Tuesday of each month. Please see North County Meeting for Worship on the calendar. 

Contact info@annapolisfriends.org for more information.

↪Scroll Down for More ↩

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 July, the Ministry & Worship Committee has responsibility for the care of the meeting. All are welcome to help out at any time!

  • The Ministry & Worship Committee (M&W) oversees Meeting for Worship (MfW) by counseling and supporting those who are led to speak from the silence, giving encouragement and advice to inexperienced speakers and eldering individuals in a positive manner. It organizes members to greet worshipers, break Meeting for Worship, and welcome new attenders. It also arranges worship opportunities for mid-week and shut-ins. In addition, M&W coordinates Adult Religious Education activities and provides orientation for members, attenders, and interested persons to Quaker faith and practice. It provides clearness committees for attenders considering membership, considers requests for travel minutes, prepares an annual Spiritual State of the Meeting Report, and appoints a correspondent to submit information on Meeting activities, new members, transfers, and deaths to the Baltimore Yearly Meeting office for publication in the Interchange.

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

 

Photo credit: Ellen M.