Smithfield Friends Newsletter April 2001 Smithfield Monthly Meeting of Friends 108 Smithfield Road Woonsocket, RI 02895 Vol.13________________________________________________________________________ No.128 Parsonage: 762-5726 Internet: http://www.smithfieldfriends.org Clerk: Bruce Kay Recording Clerk Susan Furry Pastor: Marnie Miller-Gutsel Treasurer:RichardFrechette Ministry&Counsel Rhoda Mowry Newsletter: Randy Oftedahl CALENDAR FOR APRIL/MAY EVERY SUNDAY 10:30 am: MEETING FOR WORSHIP First Day School Child care for infants and toddlers LAST SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH: Unprogrammed Worship and Pot Luck Lunch OTHER WORSHIP UNDER THE CARE OF SMITHFIELD MEETING OR RI/SMITHFIELD QTLY. MTG. SECOND SUNDAY OF MONTH 7:00 PM: Unprogrammed Worship at Uxbridge Meetinghouse, Uxbridge, Mass EVERY WEDNESDAY 6:00 PM: Unprogrammed Worship and discussion at ACI(Maximum) Other Events: Mon., Apr. 9 7 PM--Quaker Talk discussion group, various locations. Everyone welcome. Friday, April 13 Annual Good Friday Tenebrae Service, 7 PM at the Meeting House Sunday, April 15 Easter Sunday Monday, April 16 7 PM - Quaker Talk discussion group, location TBA Sunday, April 22 Quarterly Meeting at Westerly Monday, April 23 7 PM - Quaker Talk discussion group, location TBA Sunday, April 29 Pot-Luck lunch following Meeting for Worship Monday, April 30 7 PM - Quaker Talk discussion group Sunday, May 6 Monthly Meeting for Business NEWSLETTER DEADLINE Good Friday Tenebrae Service Good Friday at 7 PM Letter from Marnie Dear Friends, One of the most intriguing post-Easter narratives is the one in Luke 24:13-32. In it, some hours after the women have discovered the empty tomb, Cleopas and another disciple are sadly making their way to Emmaus. They are joined by a mysterious stranger, who is seemingly unaware of all of the goings on in Jerusalem concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people." (v. 19). Cleopas and his friend describe the events, including the women's discovery at the tomb. The stranger then proceeds to "open the Scriptures" to them concerning the Messiah. Yet not until he is actually at their table, in the act of breaking the bread and blessing it, do they recognize who he is. The narrative intrigues me for several reasons. First, it is such a human picture of these disciples. They are grieving for their rabbi and their friend, who has suffered a humiliating death on the cross. But they are also grieving for the loss of a dream. Like many Jews of the time, their vision of the Messiah was a warrior/priest/king who would rescue Israel (v. 21), throw off the hated Roman yoke, and re-establish the empire of the mighty King David. That was "the way it's s'posed to be," and it didn't happen. By that definition, Jesus was a failure. Apparently these two men were among the many who were so fixed on a single definition of "Messiah" that they missed all the clues that Jesus was a different kind of Christ. How often do we, too, get "stuck" in a particular view of the way things are "s 'posed to be," and then are disappointed, even crushed, when they don't turn out that way. Yet behind the story is the message that things may not turn the way we hoped--but they may turn out to be better. We, too, may experience 'resurrections' into new ways of living our lives. An even more intriguing aspect of the narrative is the way Jesus finally becomes known to them. (v. 31) Hospitality was an enormously important value in first century Palestine, especially the shared meal. Such meals were the central organizing social event of that age, and there were strict rules about who could be included at the table and who couldn't--rules which Jesus consistently broke. One-to-one and small group hospitality is still highly valued in some parts of the world, especially Africa and the Middle East. It used to be so in the Western nations as well, but it is fading fast. As for shared meals!! Think about how many people eat on the run, or hastily munch something indigestible sitting alone at their desks or computer terminals. We seem to have fewer and fewer times for getting acquainted face-to-face with "strangers"--co-workers or neighbors--over meals. Yet a meal-the "breaking of bread"--is an ideal moment for discovering "that of God" in someone else. So I don't think it was coincidence that in this story, Jesus "was known to them in the breaking of the bread." (v.35) It reminds us of the truth in that wonderful Irish saying about the importance of hospitality--"Keep food in the eating place, and drink in the drinking place, and music in the singing place, because often, often goes Christ in the garb of the stranger. Love and Easter Blessings to you, Marnie Readers and Musicians Needed Readers and musicians of all ages needed for the Tenebrae Service, Friday, April 13, and for the Intergenerational Worship on Easter Sunday, April 15. We would also like to have singers for the Easter Service. Volunteers please contact Marnie ASAP. The Talking Quakers As was announced last month, Quakerism 101 has now concluded, but attenders found it so interesting to sit around and discuss things from a Quaker perspective that they have formed a discussion group. Our next topic is the 1st Letter of John, and sessions are planned on sharing our images of God and other topics of interest to Friends. All are welcome--you do not need to have attended earlier sessions. Mondays at 7 PM; locations vary--listen for announcements, or ask Marnie or Bruce Kay. Clerking Workshops for All Clerks and Potential Clerks Don't forget NEYM's clerking workshop to nurture, train, and support clerks at all levels. It doesn't matter if you're an experienced clerk, a new clerk, or just someone who wonders what clerking is all about--this workshop is for you. It will be in Burlington VT, Sat., April 28, from 9:30--3:30. Overnight hospitality is available for those coming from a distance. Deadline for registration is April 23. For more details, see the notice on the Bulletin Board. High School Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors Check out the brochure on the Bulletin Board for the two-week Explore-A- College program, July 1-14, 2001, at Earlham College, a Quaker college in Richmond, IN. For a modest cost, you can find out if Earlham might be right for you by exploring actual college level courses and activities. Successful completion of course work not only gives you a head start; you also receive a partial tuition credit if you go on to enroll in Earlham. Application deadline is 15 June. Some need-based financial aid is available: Deadline for financial assistance applications: 18 May. Large Print Edition of the Smithfield Friends Newsletter If anyone is interested in receiving a LARGE print edition of the newsletter, please let Richard Frechette (401-762-4499) know and your copy will be printed in large font. THE FOOT OF THE TABLE By Paul Anderson This Document is on The Quaker Writings Home Page. At http://www.qhpress.org/quakerpages/qwhp/qwhp.htm (This message came to me during an unprogrammed meeting for worship with som eof our Psy.D. students and faculty members a couple of months ago. I thought others might enjoy it. PA) Jesus invites us to join him at the foot of the table. From there the world looks different. You observe people as their attention is elsewhere fixed, and become impressed with sides of their lives not put forward for presentation. You come to see people more as they are. Perhaps, a bit more like God sees them, and in doing so, you become more aware of how they need to be served. From the head of the table, people may even seem less human. They anticipate favor and may even work to attain it. And yet, service which comes from the top often goes unappreciated. It "deserves" to be given, and received, and ironically is only valued as one goes above and beyond expectation in that service. This is why true service is often diminished when coming from the head of the table. It becomes all too easily used by those affording it as coin for insuring status and dependence, and it is too easily mistaken forentitlement by those who are served. But from the foot of the table, service is pure. It is beyond expectation and has no expectation of return. Genuine love can be none other. In that sense, the foot of the table is akin to the foot of the cross. From there (as we have learned from Stan's teaching and example) the world is different. Vested interests? Dead. Ego concerns? Crucified. Aspirations of worth and power? Nailed to the Tree and baptized in the blood of the Lamb. From the foot of the cross we see the paradox of the way God works: that in death comes life, that in releasing comes finding. We also see the world more clearly: the object of the Father's love, for whom Jesus died. And we see ourselves in new light: not as those who earned favor, but as ones receiving it even before we saw our need. And at the foot of the cross, we see the passion of our Lord, calling us to join him in his work. Such an invitation may indeed lead to a cross for each of us... but it begins with the Lord pulling out a chair for us... at the foot of the table. And the end of words is to bring men to the knowledge of things beyond what words can utter. So, learn of the Lord to make a right use of scriptures: which is by esteeming them in their right place, and prizing that above them which is above them. -Isaac Penington, Letters, 1681 Smithfield Monthly Meeting of Friends 108 Smithfield Road Woonsocket, RI 02895