Smithfield Friends Newsletter December 2000 Smithfield Monthly Meeting of Friends 108 Smithfield Road Woonsocket, RI 02895 Vol.13________________________________________________________________________ No.124 Parsonage: 762-5726 Internet: http://www.oftedahl.com/SmithfieldFriends Clerk: Bruce Kay Recording Clerk Susan Furry Pastor: Marnie Miller-Gutsel Treasurer:RichardFrechette Ministry&Counsel Rhoda Mowry Newsletter: Randy Oftedahl CALENDAR FOR DECEMBER/JANUARY 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) Friday, Dec. 15: 5:30 PM: Christmas Party and Pageant at the Meetinghouse Sunday, Dec. 24: 5:00 PM: Annual Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Thursday, Jan. 7: Meeting for Business at the Rise of Worship Mon., Jan. 8: 8PM: Organizational meeting for Quakerism 101 at the Meetinghouse Letter from Marnie Dear Friends, This year has gone so fast. At least this January 1, no one can argue that we are still in the old century and the old millennium. Will it all be radically different? Probably not. We never really leave the past behind. And why should we? There is much in it that is beautiful and true. We'll have a chance to reflect on that in connection with our Advent theme, Songs in the Night. Each week we'll consider some of the beloved carols that we sing as we go into the darkest time of the year, and ask how they speak--or rather sing--to our condition. I - The old carols have been a much loved part of my Christmas celebrations since was a very small child. I was fortunate that my father and his sister came from a very musical family, so there was always playing and singing in the house. And at Christmas, close friends would join us for carols around the piano on Christmas afternoon. In my mind's eye, I can still see vividly the thin and now rather battered book of carols that we sang from; its place in my affections is second only to the equally thin and battered version of The Night Before Christmas from which my mother read aloud each Christmas Eve. Many other childhood memories also cluster around Christmas carols. I can recall--believe it or not--when records (remember them?) held only a single song, and they were played with steel needles. Cactus thorn needles caused less damage to the records, but they had to be sharpened all the time. Then came diamond styluses and long playing records. It was wonderful, because you could pile a relatively small stack of records on your changer (remember them?) and have several hours of Christmas carols playing in the background while you went about your other holiday preparations. I was especially fond of two LP's: one was a recording of the Vienna Choir Boys that included a particularly beautiful version of 0 Holy Night, a carol I had not known before; the other was a record of Russian Christmas music, with a choir that included those unbelievable Russian basses that sound like voices from a very deep, dark cave. Carols gathered not only our family and friends, but also our small Virginia town. When I entered seventh grade, I joined an ecumenical Youth Fellowship, sponsored by all the local churches, and every year, shortly before Christmas, we gathered to go caroling in the neighborhoods around the college. By that time I had enough musical experience to sing the alto parts by memory, a feat I was rather proud of. We sang late into those cold December afternoons, and then gratefully returned to the host church, where we warmed stiff fingers around mugs of cocoa. The town sang, too, every year in the December dusk when the town Christmas tree was lighted on the village square (which was actually a triangle). Not long after the high school was very peacefully integrated, the mayor warmly welcomed a choir from one of the black churches to lead the town in the carols. It was a warm and kindly town, and a warm and kindly time--a time when it was a bit easier to believe in the real possibility of "Peace on earth, Good will to men." If the Spirit of Christ is Light, may it not also be Music? May Divine Music fill your Christmas and all the coming Year. Love, Marnie Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Our annual Christmas Eve Candlelight Service of lessons and carols will begin at 5 PM, Sunday, Dec. 24. If you would like to be part of the service but haven't yet let Marnie know, please do so ASAP. We would particularly like to have additional singers and musicians. Mitten Tree Once again it's time to bring mittens, scarves, and warm hats to decorate our mitten tree. They can be brought to the Meeting House through Sunday, December 17. Later that week they will be taken, as in the past, to the Haven of Grace, a Woonsocket shelter and training center for battered women and their children. Christmas Party! All are invited to the annual Pre-Christmas gathering on Friday, December 15 We will begin at 5:30 PM with pizzas (all attenders are asked to pitch in financially for the pizzas, and any excess of money will be given to Haven of Grace. The children of our Meeting will perform a Christmas play We will all sing Christmas caroles. Mmusicians/singers: you're encouraged to perform your "special" Christmas hymn. Ron Bellilveau will bring the keyboard for those who would like accompaniment - see or call him ahead (769-1755). We will decorate up the mitten tree. All are encouraged to bring hand- or store-made mittens, gloves, scarves, etc. These items will be given to a local charity for distribution to needy families. More Christmas Eve Delights Following the Candlelight Service, Marnie again invites you to join her at the parsonage for the delicious tradition of the Fifth Annual Christmas Eve Reception, with 'pot luck' treats. Bring your favorite Christmas goodies to share--Marnie will provide tea, coffee, and mulled cider, and the annual rendition (in German!) of 0 Tannenbaum. Ministry and Counsel January Meeting change Ministry and Counsel normally meets the first Wednesday of the month, but for January only, the meeting will be on Thursday, January 4, 7 PM, at the parsonage. Friends having concerns they would like to have brought to M&C should speak to Rhoda Mowry, Clerk, to Marnie, or to any other member of M&C. Quakerism 101 Begins in January Plans are now well underway for Quakerism 101. This series of six classes is set to begin Monday, January 8, 2001. It's ideal for newcomers (or relative newcomers), but it's really intended for anyone, old or new, member or attender, who would like to deepen their understanding of our faith and traditions. Sessions will be held every other Monday from 7-9 PM. The January 8 meeting will be an organizational session. Teaching will be shared by members of M&C and other local experts. Look for the sign up sheet, or speak to Rhoda Mowry, Clerk of M&C. If you are interested but Monday is an inconvenient night for you, please inform Rhoda or another member of M&C. "The Idea of a Quaker College" Copies of Earlham College President Doug Bennet's August 30, 2000 convocation address entitled, "The Idea of a Quaker College" is available by calling (765) 983-1211 or on the web at www.earlham.edu (listed under "speeches"). Child Care During Worship At our December meeting for business, Friends confirmed our corporate commitment to families through provision of child care for smaller children during worship. However, we also recognized the financial constraints that we are facing in our budget. Hence, we agreed to a process of coordination of volunteer child care providers. Please consider signing up for occasional child care services. The sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board, or you can call Richard Frechette (769-4433). Specific instructions will be provided, and it is our goal to post the child care workers for the next month in each edition of the newsletter (beginning with the January newsletter). From the Finance Committee: At the December Meeting for Business, the Finance Committee committee presented a current level budget for 2001 that carried a deficit of $9,000. The deficit is in part a carrying forward of an anticipated current year deficit, a current year drop in contributions, and the assumption that we will lose revenues that had previously come from the use of our Meetinghouse by the APC of RI. The Meeting has enough liquid reserves so that we are not in an immediate crisis. We presented this budget to give Friends early warning that collective actions will need to be taken to either reduce expenditures, raise revenues, or both. Certainly we need to remind Friends that the Meeting depends mostly on contributions. We would appreciate all attenders' and members' self-reviewing of their current level of giving to determine if the current level is appropriate. There are a variety of ways in which you can contribute funds to the Meeting: Some Friends prefer the old standby of placing money in the contributions box upon arrival at the meetinghouse (remember to make out a check or place the money in an envelope with a name if you wish to have the contributions receipted at year end for tax purposes); Other Friends prefer to contribute by monthly check made out to Smithfield Friends Meeting, and dropped in the contributions box by the outside door or given/sent to the Treasurer (Richard Frechette, 46 Cherry Brook Ave. N. Smithfield RI 02896; Some Friends with on-line billpaying capacity have arranged for an automatic monthly check to be sent to the Meeting (Smithfield Friends Meeting c/o above address). Thank you very much for your consideration of this matter. Finance Committee Bruce Buteau, Clerk Help provide a welcome Christmas meal to a Woonsocket family Smithfield Friends Meeting has decided to participate again in the holiday meals program administered for Family Resources in Woonsocket. Family Resources will provide information on the families that are assigned to us, including numbers of adults and children in the family. Meeting families who participated in this program last year found it to be a meaningful experience. In light of the interest that has been shown, we have decided to commit to providing 10 meals to families through this program. We hope that everyone in the Smithfield Meeting community will be moved to participate in this effort in some way. People are therefore encouraged to bring non-perishable food items and/or money toward a gift certificate for perishable items to the meeting Christmas Party on December 15th. Families preparing meals are encouraged to bring what they have collected at that point. Together, we will sort items and determine what still needs to be provided. Any items that still need to be included can be purchased by meeting families preparing food packages or by a "meeting for shopping" after meeting on December 17th. People who are not able to attend the Christmas party can put food items in the basket in the entryway or give money for gift certificates for perishable items to Connie. SUGGESTIONS: Including staples: In addition to items for a Christmas meal, Family Resources recommends that staples be included with holiday meals if participants wish to include additional items. Family Resources points out that a holiday meal usually lasts a few days, but these kids of staples can last much longer. Some suggestions for staples include: flour peanut butter sugar jelly pasta powdered milk spaghetti sauce and other canned goods tomato products cereal paper products (toilet paper, paper towels, napkins) Perishable items (including meat): Family Resources also recommends purchasing a gift certificate for perishable items like meat at either Stop 'N Shop or Shaws, rather than attempting to include perishables in the meal. They say this also makes it easier for them to deliver the food package to an alternate family if the chosen family is unable to receive the package for any reason. Semi-perishable items like onions and potatoes are also easy things to include. A simple meal: This really doesn't have to be complicated. One suggestion for a simple meal might be: 2 cans of green beans 2 cans of carrots 2 cans of cranberry sauce 2 cans of fruit 1-2 boxes of stuffing onions potatoes fresh carrots gift certificate for meat and other perishables ($10 min.) pie(s) DELIVERY OPTIONS: There are two options for delivering holiday meal packages. Family Resources indicates that about half of holiday food packages are provided anonymously and half are delivered personally. Anonymous Donation: On December 20 at 3:15 PM (subject to change), folks can deliver their food packages to the meetinghouse. Connie (and others - hopefully) will be available to collect them and drive them to Family Resources at that time. Connie can assist in making it possible for people to deliver their packages to Family Resources on December 18, 19 or 20 if this time is not convenient for them. Personal (non-anonymous) donation: Through Connie, Family Resources will provide information on a family that would like a food package to each meeting family that is preparing a package. Family Resources will indicate when the family is available to receive the package and will provide their address. Remember that all families are in Woonsocket. The meeting family will personally deliver the food package they prepared to the receiving family. As you can see, there are many ways to contribute to this effort. You can decide to "sponsor" a food package. Begin by signing up on the sign-up sheet in the entry-way or by speaking to Connie in meeting or by telephone (508-278-2355). You can drop an item or two in the basket in the meetinghouse entryway on Sunday December 10th or December 17th. You can bring your food package, "staple" items, other food items or money for a gift certificate for perishables to the meeting Christmas Party on December 15th. You can help load and deliver food packages to Family Resources on December 20th. Let your heart be your guide in this endeavor. If we all work together, we will help ten Woonsocket families have a better Christmas and New Year. -Connie Bair-Thompson Block Island Stillness Retreat I had met Charlotte Fardelman at the Emerging Ministries Retreat last year and the seed was planted. We talked about what happens at a stillness retreat and I asked if she would help me put one together. The weekend of October 14th was a full moon and the weather was ideal. Nine Friends ferried out to a beautiful Block Island and shared a laughter-filled Friday night meal. Words were spoken about the formation and schedule for the next two days. When dishes were cleaned we gathered for worship and with this entered the "stillness". Worship then moved out of the house and we took a silent walk to the sea under the brightness of a full moon! For the next two days we remained in the "stillness". Throughout each meal tehre was a holiness about eating so mindfully. We worshipped together several times a day and some of us spoke there. I would like to share what I received from the Spirit that weekend. There was this gentle but frequent message, "Are You Prepared?" And also: I did not make this world perfect I made this world to be beautiful. I did not make you perfect I made you to be beautiful. The beginning of beautiful is BE. -Karin Sprague Is the Global Economy a Quaker Concern? A year has passed since the historic demonstrations that shut down the Ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Seattle. Marcel St. Germain, who attended the demonstrations, has spoken many times to Smithfield Friends about the issues raised there. But most of the American public, as well as our government and the media, were taken completely by surprise by opposition to the expansion of the WTO's authority. Despite the media's obsession with small pockets of property-destroying anarchists, many people were exposed for the first time to the existence of a tremendously powerful and secret global organization with the potential to impact on nearly every human life. How did this happen so quickly? How were we caught so much in the dark, not only about the movement against globalization, but about the extent and intent of global trade organizations themselves? More to the point, what does it mean to us as Americans, as Friends, and as Christians? As New England Friend David Morse states in his pamphlet, "John Woolman and the Global Economy," silence by governments and media, both politically and financially complicit the global 'race to the bottom,' is nothing new. "What is new," writes Morse, "is the extent to which civil society has been overpowered by corporate values and our lifestyles commodified." Friends are often (though perhaps not often enough) cautioned about the social and spiritual costs of consumerist society. But how often do we consider how our collective role in the global economy impacts on the world's poor, who still make up the majority of the human race? The WTO, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and the newest incarnation, the Trans-Atlantic Business Dialogue (TABD), are only the marketing and regulatory (or perhaps more accurately, "anti-regulatory") organizations of the much larger international drift toward global laissar-faire capitalism. And it has clearly not been without its benefits. Besides cheaper consumer goods (for those countries and citizens that can afford to buy them), it has rapidly dissolved much of the aggressive Nationalism that brought us the World Wars, cold wars, and ethnic conflicts of the 20th century. It has brought many of the world's least developed nations an exposure to and at least a hope of standards of living that never seemed possible before (though the verdict is still out whether most people will be better off as a result). Despite these potential advantages, the international movement that challenges globalization has made some alarming claims. For example: * rules implemented under the WTO allow corporations to secure exclusive marketing rights over medicinal remedies that have been used by indigenous groups for centuries * American automobile companies have used WTO threats to undermine a Japanese clean air law adopted under the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change. * the threat of WTO action was used to pressure Guatemala to drop its infant health law enacting the WHO/UNICEF Code on Marketing Breastmilk Substitutes. * WTO rules can threaten millions with starvation by allowing agribusiness companies to patent seeds created over generations in villages around the world and then charge annual fees for the subsistence farmers who developed the seeds to have the right to plant them again. * WTO trade rules are used to pressure poor countries to abandon their efforts to make desperately needed medications more affordable through generic drugs and other policies. These and many other charges raise important social, political and moral issues for those of us in the 'comfortable' - but hopefully compassionate - First World. As Denny Braun writes in his book The Rich Get Richer, "In a shop-till-you-drop mentality, little thought is given to where consumer goods come from, who produced them, and at what price in human suffering such products have been bought from the Third World." Isn't it incumbent upon people of faith to examine the impact that our individual and collective lives have on "the least of these" - the poor and the oppressed -wherever they are? Can we spiritually "afford" to celebrate "prosperity at home" if we don't make an effort to take a hard look at how that prosperity has come to us? Friends are very familiar with Woolman's admonition to "look upon our treasures, and the furniture of our houses, and the garments in which we array ourselves, and try whether the seeds of war have nourishment in these our possessions." These words, written in the Eighteenth century to the Quaker community in the midst of a slave-based economy, challenged Friends and made many uncomfortable and defensive. To its credit, the Society of Friends responded to the challenge and took a collective stand against the slave system a century before the nation as a whole could. Globalization's challenges to labor, political, environmental and human rights around the world seems much more complex, their effects less brutal and blatant and immediate. We need to remember that the "seeds of war" that Woolman found in Friends' silent acquiescence to slavery did not have the impact it did because he was stating the obvious. We forget that the oppression of slavery that seems so obvious to us today seemed to be the "natural order" of things - even to Friends - right up to Woolman's time. Friends throughout the centuries have learned to be cautious when begin to feel too "comfortable" with the way things are. We have found that our comfort is often not based on how far our world has come in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless and eliminating oppression and suffering. It often comes from our inability - so easy in our busy lives and encouraged by the modern mindset - to see beyond our immediate and personal situations. Perhaps Christmastime in an appropriate time to remind ourselves that we still live in a world of hurting people. Maybe this is a good time to re-read Woolman's Plea for the Poor and see if it still speaks - across the ages - to our modern condition. -Randy Oftedahl "The Growing Divide: Income Inequality and the Roots of Economic Insecurity," a workshop created by United for a Fair Economy, looks at the impact of the "new economy" on the growing gap between the rich and the poor. Randy Oftedahl has presented this 2 hour interactive workshop to college classes and social service agencies under the sponsorship of the Poverty Institute at Rhode Island College. He is available to bring this workshop to schools, churches, labor or civic groups. See Randy for details. Photocopies of David Morse's pamphlet, "John Woolman and the Global Economy" are available in the foyer of the Meetinghouse. In human, political terms, Herod won. He killed the babies and lived out his long reign without ever hearing of any threat from that Bethlehem child. In human political terms, Pilate and Caiaphas won when they crucified Jesus. They got rid of the potential troublemaker, and there was no revolt in Jerusalem. So what are we singing carols for? Because we know that there is an Ocean of Light which transcends the darkness. The Gospel invites us to trust in the foolishness of God which is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God which is stronger than human strength, and to preach Christ Crucified (I*Corinthians 1:23-25). This is the Crux of the Gospel, the central meaning of Jesus for me. -Susan Furry, "The Meaning and the Message" Smithfield Friends Newsletter, December 1995. Smithfield Monthly Meeting of Friends 108 Smithfield Road Woonsocket, RI 02895