NEWSLETTER February 2004

Hamilton Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

7 Butty Place
Hamilton, Ontario L8S 2R5
www.quaker.ca/hamilton
quakers@hwcn.org
Telephone: 905.523.8383

Point to Ponder

Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10).

Dates to Remember

 

Coffee List

Ed. note: last month's list had incorrect dates. Please be sure to double check your date.

8 February Susan
15 February Rick
22 February Helen B
29 February Carol Leigh
7 March Kathy
14 March Mona
21 March Ray
28 March Ian
4 April Betty F
11 April Tamara
18 April Darlene
25 April Jean
2 May Ruth
9 May Richard D-C
16 May Dick
23 May Janis
30 May John
6 June Don
13 June Robbie
20 June Helen P
27 June Christina
4 July Betty
11 July Louise
18 July Andy

Directory Update

Blair and Nicky Greer
2152 Pauline Ct.
Burlington, ON L7P 3L8

Diana Shepard
1103-270 Cardigan St.
Guelph, ON N1H 7B6

Help Wanted: Camp NeeKauNis

Bev Shepard

The Camp NeeKauNis programme for the summer of 2004 has some crucial gaps which need filling, or we will have to cancel one or two programmes.

At present we have no directors for either Teen Education and Work Camp (teens 15 and up) or Intermediate Camp (teens 13 and 14). We have a possibility for Teen Education and Work Camp, but it's by no means a sure thing. These are both challenging camps, but rewarding ones as well, and there are experienced support staff available to assist whoever takes on the directing.

There is a search committee, composed of Paul Sheardown , Ravi Joshi , and me (Bev Shepard: bev.shepard (at) hwcn.org), but we have already been down a few dead-ends in our search. We need your help.

We are looking for mature, firm, compassionate Friends who work well with young people. They would need interim director training which I can provide at Committee Meeting time (May 29th weekend) or per arrangement. Please put your minds to this need; think of people in our or any other Meeting in Ontario who might be able to take this on. Consider it yourself! Send any ideas or names to any of the above-mentioned Friends and we will make the contacts.

WE DO NEED WHATEVER HELP WE CAN GET. Please don't disregard this message assuming someone else will come up with the ideas. Give it some thought. It won't be the end of the world if we have to cancel a programme at NeeKauNis, but it would be pretty unpopular!  

Better Than the Headlines Tell You: Prospects for the U.S. Peace Movement

Most Canadians only hear bad news about the United States. Come hear some of the much lacking good news about citizens seeking to take back their country.

Better Than the Headlines Tell You: Prospects for the U.S. Peace Movement

A presentation and discussion with Mary Ellen McNish,
General Secretary
American Friends Service Committee
Saturday February 28th
7:30 pm
Toronto Friends House
60 Lowther Avenue (2 blk. N. of Bedford exit of St. George subway)

Mary Ellen McNish will discuss strategies of, challenges to, and successes from the U.S. peace movement since September 11, including the critical role played by Quakers and other people of faith and the continuing importance of the international community in holding the United States accountable for its actions.

Founded by Quakers in 1917, the American Friends Service Committee carries out service, development, social justice, and peace programs throughout the world. AFSC's work is based on the Quaker belief in the worth of every person and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice. In 1947, AFSC, and the British Friends Service Council, accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of all Quakers.

This event is hosted by the Canadian Friends Service Committee, the peace and justice organization of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Canada. For more information, contact CFSC at 416-920-5213.

Meeting for Worship for Business - Sunday, February 1, 2004

Minutes can be found
here or from the Newsletters page.

A SECOND Message from Nominating Committee

Submitted by Andy Muller, Robbie McGregor and Harriet Woodside

In the December, 2003 newsletter, we provided brief descriptions of HMM committees to encourage each of you to think about committees in which you may have an interest. In this newsletter, we highlight Canadian Yearly Meeting (CYM) committees and related bodies. As you will see, HMM is well-represented on these national groups. We hope you will also consider whether you might be interested in being nominated to one of these.

Nominating Committee is asked to ascertain the interests, abilities and willingness of attenders and members to serve in the work of the Meeting. The information that has appeared in the newsletter is now posted in the Meeting House along with an interest profile which you may wish to fill out. Nominating Committee will be contacting you early in the next weeks to discuss committees in which you may have a leaning. From this information, Nominating Committee will compile a list of nominations to present to M4W4B.

The Standing Committees of Canadian Yearly Meeting (CYM)

Representative Meeting

Submitted by Beverly Shepherd, Clerk

Hamilton Monthly Meeting's Rep is Dick Preston

What's involved in Representative Meeting? Well, here's one way to look at it... how would you like to travel twice a year to a welcoming Ontario Meeting where you will be housed graciously and fed abundantly, get to meet Friends from across the country - Saanich Peninsula to Wolfville -, experience the joy of Canada-wide spiritual connections, keep up-to-date and informed on Quaker issues beyond our local Meeting, give Hamilton Meeting its national voice, and make an important contribution to the functioning of Yearly Meeting?

These are the rewards of serving both Hamilton Monthly Meeting and Canadian Yearly Meeting as a Representative to Representative Meeting (RM). RM is not a standing committee of Canadian Yearly Meeting (CYM); unlike those, it is made up of representatives from every Monthly Meeting across the country, as well as the clerks of the standing committees, CYM, and RM. It meets twice a year, in November and May, and acts as "Yearly Meeting out of session", conducting business of three main types: business of an urgent nature that arises between sessions, business referred to it explicitly by CYM in session, and financial business.

Travel to RM is funded by CYM, although if you can afford to pay your own way then you are encouraged to donate back the cost of your travel and obtain a charitable donation receipt for income tax.

Representatives should be members of the Religious Society of Friends, but other than that there are no special qualifications. A Rep should be prepared to carry the Meeting's responses to YM/RM issues to the meetings and to report back to the Monthly Meeting, so a familiarity with the concerns and feelings of Hamilton Friends is important.

Term is five years and is once-renewable. I have found the RM experience to be a thoroughly delightful one. Yes, the meetings themselves are often long and demanding, but they are full of humour and very Quakerly in process and frequently include moments of great spiritual satisfaction and friendship. I treasure the friends I've made from other Meetings; I value my increased awareness of Quakers in the wider world and better understanding of CYM's work; I love the chance to worship in other Meetings and to stay in the homes of Friends elsewhere.

Camp NeeKauNis Committee

Submitted by Beverly Shepard

Clerk: Georgette Kreher (Toronto MM).

HMM's representatives are John Milton, Betty and Dick Preston, Kris Wilson-Yang and Beverly Shepard.

What is involved in Camp NeeKauNis Committee? This standing committee of Canadian Yearly Meeting (CYM) may have the most fun of all who serve the CYM. We meet three times a year, twice of those occasions at Camp NeeKauNis itself. (Those two meetings, in the fall and late spring, are weekend occasions. The other is on a January Saturday.) NeeKauNis is a beautiful, spirit-filled place on the shore of Sturgeon Bay, part of Georgian Bay, between Midland and Orillia. It is the only established Quaker Camp in Canada. The Committee is responsible for all aspects of running Camp, from finding directors for the various programmes to raising funds to get the dining hall foundation repaired to putting in a new floor or new roof ourselves. As a result, we welcome visitors to the committee meetings that take place at Camp, since there is much to be done in the way of joyful physical labour, as well as much prayerful consideration of issues and needs.

As for other CYM committees, the term is three years and is once-renewable. (And then after a year you can go back on again. Most people keep coming as visitors during their year off and you can't even tell when they're not members!) All members are drawn from an area within reasonable driving distance of Camp, because we need a large committee and we need everyone to come, so we keep expenses down. At NKN Committee meeting you will grow to know and love Friends from all over Ontario and experience with them the joy of building a beloved place together.

Canadian Friends Service Committee (CFSC)

Submitted by Jane Orion Smith, General Secretary

Tamara Fleming is HMM's representative to CFSC.

Founded in 1931, Canadian Friends Service Committee (CFSC) is the peace, social justice and international development committee of CYM. Its mandate is to unify and expand the peace, social, and international service concerns of Friends in Canada.

Members of CFSC are from across Canada and are appointed by CYM. In addition to work of common concern to all of CFSC, members also serve on one of four standing committees: Peace and National Concerns Committee (PNCC), International Committee (IC), Quaker Aboriginal Affairs Committee (QAAC), and Quaker Committee for Jails and Justice (QCJJ). PNCC addresses refugee, peace, ecology, economics and human rights issues through the lens of the Peace Testimony. QAAC works in solidarity with Indigenous peoples to secure their rights regionally, nationally, and internationally. IC supports development projects that enable people to help themselves, are appropriate to local conditions, and respect the environment. QCJJ works through education, political action, and direct service activities toward the abolition of prisons and their replacement by Restorative Justice models. CFSC has one full-time and four part-time employees.

Tamara Fleming of HMM serves on CFSC and is Clerk of PNCC. Mona Callin is just completing many years of service on CFSC as Personnel Clerk (previously Clerk of CFSC). Jenn Howe is staff for Aboriginal Affairs. Pete Cross is on Finance Committee (and past Treasurer). Rick McCutcheon is a former Coordinator of CFSC. You might want to have a discussion with one of these Friends about CFSC and whether membership is right for you.

You can also contact the CFSC office and ask the Clerk if you can attend the next Meeting as a guest. We welcome your inquiry! CFSC, 60 Lowther Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 1C7, CANADA. Tel: 416-920-5213

Home Mission and Advancement Committee

Submitted by Bert Horwood, Clerk

Home Mission and Advancement Committee (HMAC) has four main functions:

We are greatly helped by Monthly Meetings which take on some of these functions for us (e.g. Ottawa MM houses the Book Service, Thousand Islands MM supports the Pamphlet Editorial Board).

HMAC has two scheduled meetings per year, although we are working toward replacing one meeting with telecommunications. Ideally, we should have ten regular members, each able to give 2-3 hours per week on average to challenging work.

Canadian Friends Foreign Missionary Board

Submitted by Ian Graham

Clerk: Jean Dean, Kingston

We review grant requests for the interest income from the Fund set up since 1955 and welcome new contributions. We confine our support to projects under the care of wider Friends bodies overseas that are:

The members review requests selected by the Clerk from those coming directly overseas or via CYM office. Members are also encouraged to suggest projects to the Clerk. Documentation is circulated ahead of annual meeting in Feb/March. Travel expenses are paid for members.

Discipline Review Committee

Submitted by Ian Graham

Clerk: Marilyn Thomas (Coldstream MM)

Our work consists of writing and revising sections of Organization and Procedure as directed by Canadian Yearly Meeting and of generally reviewing CYM Discipline to ensure that it is correct and reflects current practice.

Much of our work is done by correspondence except for two meetings each year - a full day meeting in the spring, and a shorter meeting at the beginning of the week of CYM in August.

A member of Discipline Review Committee should be a Friend with a good understanding of Quaker process, sensitive to current practices and changes in them, and with the interest and skills to cooperate in the writing and editing required. Preferably the Friend attends Yearly Meeting since this is where the proposed changes are discussed.

Ecumenical Committee

Submitted by Ian Graham

Clerk: Ellen Pye (Vancouver MM)

This committee has the responsibility of supporting our Quaker representatives to other religious organizations such as Canadian Council of Churches and inter-church coalitions. It seeks to assist Yearly Meeting to respond to interfaith and ecumenical concerns.

The 9 members are selected in three sections: western, central and eastern Canada; these sections arrange their own meetings and meet once a year with a representative from each section.

The main areas of activity described in Organization and Procedure are:

Nominating Committee

Submitted by Ian Graham

Clerk: Susan Stevenson (Vernon MM, Prince George WG)

We are 5 people, giving regional representation across Canada. It is our job to know what gifts and availability are needed in the committees and who is available to serve, balancing many interests and priorities as best we can. We meet once, in the spring. Attendance at YM is very important.

The clerk compiles and sends a nominations package to all the Monthly Meetings in December or January, and collects the responses. Committee members are in touch with the Meetings in their region in early in the year when nominations are being considered by the Monthly Meetings. We meet over a weekend, usually in late March, to compile a list of names and review vacancies. We do much conferring over the telephone to try to fill all the spots. Our nominations are finalized at YM and presented to the Delegates Meeting.

We consult by phone at other times regarding vacancies that come up during the year. One member, usually the clerk, reports to Representative Meeting spring and fall.

Records Committee

Submitted by Ian Graham

Clerk: Beverly Brown Jackson (Pelham Ex M, St Catharines)

Records Committee is responsible for the care of the Archives of Canadian Yearly Meeting, its predecessors, and the records of local meetings deposited in the Archives, and to make them accessible to researchers. The Arthur Garret Dorland Friends Historical Research Collection forms an integral part of the Archives.

Records Committee has four members, mainly from Ontario, and two corresponding members, preferably from Atlantic and Western Canada. The Yearly Meeting Archivist is an ex-officio member. Committee meetings are usually held in April and October at Pickering College, Newmarket, where the CYM Archives are located. Assistance from Committee members to work with the Archivist on specific projects at any time during the year is welcome, but not mandatory. Both regular and corresponding members are encouraged to see that records of their home meetings are well kept and either originals or copies are deposited in the Archives from time to time. The Committee works closely with the Canadian Friends Historical Association.

Religious Education Committee

Submitted by Ian Graham

Clerk: Catharine Schulmann (Vernon MM, Lilloet BC)

RE committee meets once a year in person, usually in October at Friends House, Toronto. Twice a year, in April and June, we use conference calls to conduct our business. Our committee consists of 6 people, who should come from different regions of the country.

RE's vision is to care for the religious education needs of all members and attenders of CYM. To this end, we maintain a Children's and an Adults' travelling library, and we send resources across the country, to those who ask to borrow them. We write two columns for The Canadian Friend, "Growing" and "Meeting for Learning". Members of the committee take turns with this.

Each RE member takes on a number of Meetings to contact, and with whom to communicate, sending help and support where needed.

Although we are very interested in Adult Education, most of our work focuses on children, and First Day Schools across the country. Our largest task is the organization and implementation of the Youth Programme at Yearly Meeting. Committee members usually coordinate the programme, and others take on the job of Group Leader for the different age groups.

Readiness to work with and learn from children of all ages is an asset. Planning children's, and adults' programmes needs organizational skills, curiosity, and communication skills. This committee is a good place to learn about what is available in terms of curricula and resources for First Day School teaching and Discussion Group leading, and also a good place to use these resources in order to become a resource yourself.

Yearly Meeting Program Committee

Submitted by Ian Graham

Clerk: Jay Cowsill (Prairie MM)

Programme Committee serves as a planning and oversight committee for the annual sessions of Canadian Yearly Meeting. Responsibilities/tasks include

Programme Committee also acts as a coordinating body for the different groups who have responsibility for the various components of the Yearly Meeting sessions.

The Committee meets twice yearly, once at Yearly Meeting in August and once in December at or near the site of the next year's gathering. Representative Meeting and Finance Committee have recently approved financial support (travel and accommodation) for Programme Committee members to attend both meetings.

Other Groups within Canadian Yearly Meeting

Continuing Meeting of Ministry and Counsel

Hamilton Monthly Meeting's representative is Carol Leigh Wehking.

Continuing Meeting of Ministry and counsel is charged with spiritual nurture of meetings and pastoral care of members. It has also tackled contemporary ethical problems with which Meetings and individuals are faced. In recent years, Continuing Meeting has helped guide yearly meeting in its deliberations on appointment of ministers and chaplains, has visited the topic of marriage (in particular, the still unresolved question of same sex unions) and recently has put a great deal of energy into development of guidelines addressing the issues of sexual harassment and protection of children.

Yonge Street Half-Yearly Meeting Coordinating Committee

Twice a year, several nearby meetings get together for a program, worship, and sociability. Hamilton Monthly Meeting's representative to Yonge Street Half-Yearly Meeting Coordinating Committee helps to plan these F/friendly gatherings.

Canadian Young Friends Yearly Meeting

Submitted by Ian Graham

Clerks: Nori Sinclair and Katie Vaux (Wolfville NB MM)

We have our own YM structure, with Treasurer, Nominating Committee and editors of an occasional newsletter, the Sporadical. See www.quaker.ca for more information.

Epistle Summarizing Committee

Submitted by Ian Graham

Clerk: Harry Roper (New Brunswick MM)

The Epistle summarizing committee "annually summarizes the Epistles received by Canadian Yearly Meeting from other Yearly Meetings around the world and presents the summary to the Yearly Meeting session.

CYM nominates representatives to other bodies:

Friends Committee in Unity with Nature

Friends General Conference

Friends United Meeting

Friends World Committee for Consultation

Canadian Council of Churches

9 Inter-church coalitions/ecumenical groups

Liaison with Doukhobours

World Council of Churches

Project Ploughshares.

Hanna Newcombe of HMM is a delegate.

Quaker Personals

From Don Woodside (woodside (at) mcmaster.ca)

Meeting received two requests recently from individuals looking for accommodation or work.

  1. Philip and Margaret Baker from Hertford and Hitchin Meeting in England are planning to visit Canada in the summer of 2004 to see a relative, and also to visit with Canadian Quakers. They ask if there are Quaker guest houses or other residential accommodation, or conferences or gatherings.

    They are in their early 70s and expect to pay their own way. I expect others will invite them to Neekaunis and to Yearly Meeting. If anyone in Hamilton MM wishes to host them, I can give you contact info.

  2. Jo Vellacott received a phone call from Rhiana Levy, who wants to immigrate to Canada from the US. She is in her early 50s and looking for a position with a family that would involve caring either for children or elders. It would he ideal if it were combined with gardening. She is not a Quaker, but has had extensive involvement with Friends through her peace work, which includes organizing five tours for survivors of Nagasaki and Hiroshima between '88 and '93. She also performed a theatre piece "Creating a World beyond War' in front of 30 000+, mostly students in England , up to 1999. She has experience caring for children and adults, and landscape gardening.
 

Suggested Acquisitions for Hamilton Quaker Library

Dec-03

Newman, Daisy. THE AUTUMN'S BRIGHTNESS
Friends United Press, 1991 [c1954], Fiction

Cronk, Sondra. PEACE BE WITH YOU; A STUDY OF THE SPIRITUAL BASIS OF THE FRIENDS PEACE TESTIMONY
Tract Association, 198?, Testimonies

Morse, David. THE IRON BRIDGE
Harcourt, Brace, 1998, 436p, Fiction

FRIENDS IN CIVILIAN PUBLIC SERVICE: QUAKER CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS IN WORLD WAR II LOOK BACK AND LOOK AHEAD
Pendle Hill, 1998, 347p, History

THE QUAKER WAY
FGC, 1998, 96p, Y non-fiction

Abbott, Margery Post. A CERTAIN KIND OF PERFECTION: AN ANTHOLOGY
PendleHill, 1997, 305p, Spirituality

Bacon M., et al. FOR EMANCIPATION AND EDUCATION Awbury Arboretum Association, 1997, History

Loring, Patricia. LISTENING SPIRITUALITY: VOLUMES 1&2 , PERSONAL SPIRITUAL PRACTICES AMONG FRIENDS
Opening Press, 1997, Spirituality

HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT: QUAKER WOMEN'S WRITINGS 1650-1700
Pendle Hill, 1996, Adult, General

Bryant, J. F. LUCRETIA MOTT: A GUIDING LIGHT
Eerdmans, 1996, Y Biographies

Dale, Jonathan. BEYOND THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE: QUAKER SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Swarthmore lecture, 1996, 133p, Testimonies

Damrosch, Leo. THE SORROWS OF THE QUAKER JESUS: JAMES NAYLER AND THE PURITAN CRACKDOWN ON THE FREE SPIRIT
Harvard University Press, 1996, 322p, Memoires, bios

QUAKERS ON THE MOVE: A STORYBOOK OF QUAKER HISTORY FROM 1652 TO TODAY
Friends General Conference, 1996, Y fiction

Allen, Richard. YOURS IN FRIENDSHIP: AN OPEN LETTER TO ENQUIRERS
Quaker Home Service, 1995, Adult, General

Freiday, Dean. SPEAKING AS A FRIEND Barclay, 1995, Spirituality

Gwyn, Douglas. THE COVENANT CRUCIFIED: QUAKERS AND THE RISE OF CAPITALISM
Pendle Hill, 1995, 403p, History

QUAKERS Cobblestone, 1995, Y non-fiction

Bacon, Margaret Hope ed. WILT THOU GO ON MY ERRAND?
Pendle Hill, 1994, 400p, Adult, General

Snyder, E. F. WITNESS IN WASHINGTON: FIFTY YEARS OF FRIENDLY PERSUASION
Friends United Press, 1994, Testimonies

Cromer, Mary Leonhard. STORIES FOR JASON: TALES OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
Friends United Press, 1993, 108p, Y fiction

Olmstead, Sterling. MOTIONS OF LOVE: WOOLMAN AS MYSTIC AND ACTIVIST
Pendle Hill, 1993, Memoires, bios

Wilson, Lloyd Lee. ESSAYS ON THE QUAKER VISION OF GOSPEL ORDER
The author, 1993, Spirituality

Beatty, Patricia. WHO COMES WITH CANNONS?
Morrow, 1992, Y fiction

Dowers, Jeffrey S. LEVI COFFIN: A FRIEND TO THE SLAVES
Friends United Press, 1992, Y Biographies

Taber, William. FOUR DOORS TO MEETING FOR WORSHIP
Pendle Hill, 1992, Spirituality

Farnham, Susan et al. LISTENING HEARTS: DISCERNING CALL IN COMMUNITY
Morehouse, 1991, Spirituality

Hadley, H. M. QUAKERS WORLDWIDE; A HISTORY OF FRIENDS WORLD COMMITTEE FOR CONSULTATION
Sessions, 1991, 220p, History

Kolp, Alan. FRESH WINDS OF THE SPIRIT
Friends United Press, 1991, Memoires, bios

Sawyer, Kem K. LUCRETIA MOTT: FRIEND OF JUSTICE
Discovery Enterprises, 1991, 48p, Y Biographies

Sharman, Cecil. GEORGE FOX AND THE QUAKERS
Friends United Press, 1991, Memoires, bios

Brock, Peter. THE QUAKER PEACE TESTIMONY, 1660-1914
Sessions, 1990, Testimonies

Newby, James R. ELTON TRUEBLOOD: BELIEVER, TEACHER AND FRIEND
Harper & Row, 1990, Memoires, bios

Punshon, John. TESTIMONY AND TRADITION; SOME ASPECTS OF QUAKER SPIRITUALITY
Quaker Home Service, 1990, Spirituality

Spears, Joanne. FRIENDLY BIBLE STUDY
Friends General Conference, 1990, 16p, Spirituality