To keep low is not to put ourselves above others but to know our own need to be reformed each day. To keep low is to be teachable and open to the workings of the Spirit both in times of retirement, and in the lessons that come in our outward lives. To keep low is to be taught by everyone we meet: children, bus drivers, the folks who disagree with us in meeting for business, government officials.
We know this practice. It is at the core of Quaker business process. Keeping low says that we look for ways to learn together, to integrate our piece of truth with others' pieces of truth. It is more exacting than compromise. It is the practice that can lead to miraculous moments when the Light of disparate bits of truth combines to illuminate a previously unseen path.
-- Patricia McBee, Friends Journal, August 2003, page 9, "Quaker Spiritual Disciplines for Hard Times"
(Submitted by Larry Pogue)
From Psalm 90: Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us and establish Thou the work of our hands upon us: yea, the work of our hands establish Thou it.
(Submitted by Mona Callin)
Let nothing disturb you
Let nothing make you afraid
All things are passing
God alone never changes
Patience gains all things
If you have God you will want for nothing
God alone suffices.
-- the bookmark of Teresa of Jesus
HMM Annual New Year's Party
We'll say hello to 2004 at our annual New Year's Eve party on December 31, 2003. Keep this event in mind as you make your holiday plans. It's a low-key, intergenerational potluck with some planned activities and an opportunity to share hopes and resolutions for the new year. Guests are welcome and there is no need to stay for the whole affair. If you would like to help plan the party (not a difficult task) or have suggestions for the evening, please contact Don or Harriet Woodside.Meeting for Worship for Business - Thursday, November 6, 2003
Minutes can be found here or from the newsletters page.
Through the Christian Interfaith Relations Committee (CIRC), FGC participates in the work of the World Council of Churches (WCC). In 1999, the WCC announced a new program, the Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV), stating, "God's promise of life and peace for all humankind and creation calls us to make our lives consistent with our faith, as individuals and as communities of faith."
The DOV recently agreed to focus its efforts in 2004 on the United States. Tom Paxson, co-clerk of CIRC, is also the co-chair of the Decade to Overcome Violence Coordinating Committee of the U.S. Section of the WCC, which is now taking suggestions for goals. They are planning a major event for October 2004 in Atlanta, Georgia. As Tom puts it, "The Lamb's war needs to be fought in the realm of ideas (how we think about violence and power), in the realm of the heart, and in the realm of personal and institutional practice within the home, the church, the community and the nation." FGC is proud to participate in this important international work for peace.
Since two participants in the current Quakerism 101 course found us through www.beliefnet.org, I decided to take a look at this site. This general interest web site on religion includes, among other things, discussion areas for various religious groups, including Quakers.
There are also two interesting "quizzes," found in a box near he top left corner of the home page (titled "Welcome"). The first quiz, Belief-O-Matic, tells you which religious groups might suit you (my results were a 100% match for Unitarian Universalist, followed closely (96%) by liberal Quaker, and neo-Paganism in the 80% range!). The second quiz, What's your Spiritual Type?, is more general. I found the questions, dealing with how firm you are in your beliefs, quite interesting.
The site proprietors do admit that the quizzes should be taken with a grain of salt, but I thought the questions were good, and that the answers, for me at least, made a lot of sense, and made me think. Other Friends might enjoy it too.
At a recent meeting of CFSC Executive I received from Tony McQuail (Lucknow Worship Group) a copy of "Addicted to War, Why the U.S. Can't Kick Militarism - an Illustrated Exposé" by Joel Andreas. This U.S., quality 69 page paperback is endorsed by Veterans for Peace.
It is a scholarly work with 145 references to support its claims, but it is presented in comic book format. A very interesting and easy read, but alarming too. It was first published in 2002; I have the 2003 edition.
I strongly recommend the book to anyone who is interested in learning where George W. Bush is coming from.
Cooper, Nancy (Maeve, Nina)
37 James St.
Dundas, ON L9H 2J5
ncooper (at) stjosham.on.ca
Good, Colleen
67 King St. W., Apt 1
Dundas, ON L9H 1T5
goodcr (at) mcmaster.ca
Janzen, Glenna
500A - 720 Bathurst St.
Toronto, ON M5S 2R4
Kawerau, Maria
Hampton Terrace
75 Plains Rd. West
Burlington, ON L7T 1E8
McDonald, Jane
20 - 103 Fairways Dr.
Airdrie, AB T4B 2Y5
Shepard, Ben
27 Acadia St.
Hampton, NB E5N 3H3
eupharos (at) sympatico.ca
Shepard, Diana
1103-27 Cardigan St.
Guelph, ON N1H 7V6
dianashepard (at) utoronto.ca
Shepard, Emily
emilenony (at) yahoo.ca
Wehking, Carol Leigh (Anna^, Luc^)
47 Peel St.
Dundas, ON L9H 3F8