2. Bring the whole of your life under the ordering of the spirit of Christ. Are you open to the healing power of God's love? Cherish that of God within you, so that this love may grow in you and guide you. Let your worship and your daily life enrich each other. Treasure your experience of God, however it comes to you. Remember that Christianity is not a notion but a way.

Dates to Remember____________________________________________________________

December 5: Meeting for Worship for Business, 7:00pm.
December 31: New Year's Eve Party
January 17-20: FWCC Conference, "Friends' Peace Witness in a Time ofCrisis"

Coffee List___________________________________________________________________

Dec 1 Richard Douglass-Chin
Dec 22 Don Woodside
Dec 8 Rick McCutcheon
Dec 29 Robbie McGregor
Dec 15 Janis Muller

Meeting as a Whole___________________________________________________________
(submitted by Sian Baker)

Dear Friends,

As you may remember we have experimented with "Meeting as a whole" on two occasions now. These have been times when the children have remained in Meeting for the whole hour. A craft table, appropriate to the season, has been set up in the Meeting room for anyone to come to. It has been suggested to me that perhaps "Meeting as a whole" should be formalized, and scheduled as part of the First Day School plans. Perhaps it could occur each term, on the second Sunday of the month, in September, January and May for example. By scheduling the dates, it would give more notice to those wishing to attend. If Friends are happy with this, it could be tried for a period of time and reviewed. I have had no negative feed back after the Sundays when we have had "Meeting as a whole." However, I am very aware that it is seen as "my baby" and I would not wish that anyone who feels uncomfortable about this suggestion, should feel unable to comment honestly. Therefore, I hope that this item is held over for seasoning, and printed in the newsletter to give Friends time for consideration. Perhaps any comments could be directed either to me or to members of Ministry and Counsel. Or expressed, of course, at the next Meeting for Business. I realize that it was a big step into the unknown the first time that we had a "Meeting as a whole". I know that I was very enthusiastic, but I really didn't know what Friends would make of it all! I thank you all for your willingness to take that step, and for your encouragement along the way.
With love, Sian Baker

Urgent: Lost Photo Album_____________________________________________________
(submitted by numerous concerned individuals)

Bea Fletcher is looking for her photo album. It is black, with black pages. If anyone knows of its whereabouts, please contact Bea immediately. Many thanks.

Campaign for Secure Dwellings________________________________________________
(submitted by Mona Callin)

Toronto Monthly Meeting is a participant in the Campaign for Secure Dwellings. This organization is working to support people such as Abdel Hamed Jabr Asslebi.

Abu Jabr owns farm land, next to which Israelis built an illegal settlement in 1984. In 1999 the settlers moved their fence, effectively confiscating about a quarter of the farm. The courts ordered the fence removed and Abu Jabr continued to work his land. In June 2002, under the protection of the Israeli army, the settlers built a road that cut off Abu Jabr's access to the land. Armed settlers and soldiers guard the road and prevent Palestinians from crossing to the land on the settlement side. Abu Jabr's plum harvest has rotted, and he could not spray his grapes, which are due for harvest now. He hoped to be able to market some grapes, but feared he would be denied access and that the settlers will permanently annex his property. Loss of this land means the loss of his family's livelihood.

Friends and Attenders are invited to send letters to the Canadian government about this issue.

Virtual Peace Conference______________________________________________________
(submitted by Ian Graham)

In conjunction with the Peace Conference at Guilford College, North Carolina January 17-20, 2003: "Peace Witness in a Time of Crisis", Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) is hosting a peace conference on the internet from now through January at http://www.friendspeace.org. Phildelphia YM is making an in-kind donation of a portion of Peace and Concerns Coordinator Laurence Sigmond's time to set up and manage this "Virtual Peace Conference." Both the North Carolina conference and the internet conference will support interaction across the spectrum of our religious society: young and old, east and west, US and Canada, evangelical, programmed, un programmed, independent and conservative. But while the conference at North Carolina is limited to two hundred Friends (some from each Yearly Meeting), the internet conference welcomes every Friend in North America. The way to participate in the internet peace conference is to visit http://www.friendspeace.org. You can look around as a "Guest", but then please click, "Register", entering your name, email, and password, allowing you to post messages for others to read. Every screen has a link for "Neophyte Instructions" for first-time users and those new to the web or other discussion conferences. Please note any areas of confusion or frustration so we can improve both the system and the instructions. The FWCC internet peace conference may just become 'yet another web-site' or alternatively an important new way for Friends to engage deeply with one another about the sources and outward expressions of our Peace Testimony in this rapidly changing world. It depends on whether together we can build a safe and friendly environment that will attract you and others in your meeting. Please visit the site, introduce yourself, and share some of your personal experiences with the Peace Testimony in your family, meeting, community, and world.

Our life is love________________________________________________________________
(submitted by Mona Callin)

"Our life is love, and peace, and tenderness; and bearing one with another, and forgiving one another, and not laying accusations one against another; but praying one for another, and helping one another up with a tender hand."

Isaac Penington, 1667
In Quaker Faith and Practice, Britain Yearly Meeting

Volunteers Needed____________________________________________________________
( submitted by Harriet Woodside)

McMaster Chaplaincy Centre will again offer a drop-in centre for students who are studying for their final exams. The drop-in centre is in Thode Library. Volunteers are needed to "monitor" the centre from 6:30-8:30 p.m. or 8:30-10:30 p.m. each evening from December 3rd through December 16th (excluding Saturdays). Volunteers maintain the supply of beverages and cookies and chat with students who come by. Several of us from Hamilton Monthly meeting have done this as an outreach project. For more information or to schedule a time when YOU can volunteer, please call Donna White at 905-525-9140, ext. 24207.

We remember things we love___________________________________________________
(submitted by Rick McCutcheon)

In the course of doing some reading on the aging process and memory loss, I came across this rather lovely quote in Mary Morrison's recent book called Let Evening Come (Doubleday 1998), pp.54-55. "One old man I have known, who could hardly summon up enough of his short-term memory to remember the names of his grandchildren or understand a simple instruction; could still call upon all his lifelong love of nature to find his way around familiar woods and identify the birds he saw, and hear their characteristic songs. What we have loved will stay with us still, often for a long, long, time, even if other memories and knowledge forsake us."
New Year's Eve Party_________________________________________________________
(submitted by Harriet and Don Woodside)

Come on Tuesday, December 31st, bring friends and family of all ages, and join with others in welcoming in the new year. We're adding a potluck supper. Spend all or any part of the evening with us.

7:30pm: Set-up for supper.
8pm: Potluck supper.
10pm: Time to socialize, sing and/or play party games.
11:00pm: Sharing circle.
Midnight: Noise and hugs all around.

Need a ride? Want to help? Please contact Don or Harriet Woodside at 905-522-8048.

Contact Information___________________________________________________________

Remember that submissions for next month's newsletter can be emailed to me at: <tamara@hwcn.org>. You can also place items in the folder located on the bulletin board by the coat rack at the Meeting House.