Smithfield Friends Newsletter March 2001 Smithfield Monthly Meeting of Friends 108 Smithfield Road Woonsocket, RI 02895 Vol.13________________________________________________________________________ No.127 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 MARCH/APRIL 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: Sunday, March 18 Noon: Saylesville Sing at Sayleville Meetinghouse Monday, March 19 7 PM: "Quakerism 101" discussion group (see Marnie for location) Mon., March 26 7 PM: "Quakerism 101" discussion group (see Marnie for location) Mon., April 2 7 PM: "Quakerism 101" discussion group (see Marnie for location) Sunday, April 1 Monthly Meeting for Business Young Friends Meeting (during business) NEWSLETTER DEADLINE Monday, April 2 7 PM: "Quakerism 101" discussion group (see Marnie for location) Ecumenical Lenten Services Weds., March 21 7:30 PM St. James Episcopal Church, Woonsocket Weds., March 28 7:30 PM Smithfield Friends Meeting, Woonsocket Weds., April 4 7:30 PM St. James Baptist Church, Woonsocket Letter from Marnie Dear Friends, In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I want to share with you a lovely poem by the Irish priest and writer, John O'Donohue. It's a prayer of blessing in hard times. (A "curach" [v. 3] is a small, round fisherman's boat with a wicker frame covered in tarred canvas.) Beannacht On the day when the weight deadens on your shoulders and you stumble, may the clay dance to balance you. And when your eyes freeze behind the gray window and the ghost of loss gets in to you, may a flock of colors, indigo, red, green and azure blue come to awaken in you a meadow of delight. When the canvas frays in the curach of thought and a stain of ocean blackens beneath you, may there come across the waters a path of yellow moonlight to bring you safely home. May the nourishment of the earth be yours, may the clarity of light be yours, may the fluency of ocean be yours, may the protection of the ancestors be yours. And so may a slow wind work these words of love around you, an invisible cloak to mind your life. Love and blessings, Marnie Quakerism 101 Transformed! Open Invitation! Quakerism 101 sessions have grown into a discussion group on a variety of topics. We are currently discussing the Gospel 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. Smithfield Young Friends The Smithfield Young Friends (high school age) will begin meeting once a month on an experimental basis. For the time being the meetings will follow Meeting for Worship on the first Sunday of each month while business meeting takes place upstairs. Next meeting: April 1. All are welcome. Clothes for MOWA-Choctaws The upstairs loft room is slowly filling with clothes to be transported to the MOWA-Choctaw Friends School and Center in Alabama, but there is plenty of room left. The Frechette's van that will be transporting the clothes can hold 40 9.5"x12"x18" boxes. We are looking for new or good-quality used clothing that will be used in an ongoing rummage program sponsored by the School. Clothing can be brought to the MeetingHouse and left in the designated basket in the front hallway. Departure date is April 12 or 13, so the deadline for contributions is the prior Sunday, April 8. Thank you, The MOWA-Choctaw Clothing Committee (Richard Frechette, Suzanne Frechette, Cindy Keene, Eunice Strobel) RI Legislation of Interest H-5253 and S-0073. Death Penalty These twin bills would calls for a referendum on a change to the RI Constitutional to allow for imposition of the death Penalty. "No provision of this constitution shall be construed as prohibiting the imposition of the punishment of death, so long as said punishment is imposed in conformity with the United States constitution, as interpreted by the United States supreme court." At the March Meeting for Business, Friends reaffirmed its opposition to any form of death penalty, and asked Randy Oftedahl and Bruce Buteau to represent Smithfield Friends at any public hearings on such. H-5580 Gun Legislation. This bill would in various ways tighten controls on the obtaining of weapons and increase sanctions against misuse of weapons. Friends are encouraged to write to and meet with their legislators about these bills. For those who are internet-connected, these bills as well as RI legislators' contact information can be found at www.rilin.state.ri.us Emerging Ministries Retreat at Woolman Hill--Reminder Friends who have planned to attend the Emerging Ministries retreat at Woolman Hill, May 4-6 are reminded that the application deadline is April 4. Remember that each application must be accompanied by a short biographical sketch describing the emerging ministry, and the letter of support you have obtained from M&C. Contact Rhoda Mowry, Clerk of M&C, if you have questions. Attention All Clerks and Potential Clerks NEYM is once again offering a workshop to nurture, train, and support clerks at all levels. Whether you are new to clerking, or an old hand, or even if you've been asked to clerk and refused because you felt inadequate to the job, 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 Saylesville Sing Sunday, MARCH 18, 2000 Potluck: 12 p.m. Singing: 1-3:30 p.m. Saylesville Friends Meeting House Great Road, Saylesville, RI YOU CAN BRING FOOD, JUICE, INSTRUMENTS OR "RISE UP SINGING" SONGBOOKS (THIS IS NOT A SACRED HARP SING) - OR JUST BRING YOURSELF. LISTENERS & KIDS WELCOME! DIRECTIONS FROM THE SOUTH: TAKE RTE. 95 TO EXIT 25, NORTH MAIN ST./SMITHFIELD AVE.. AFTER EXITING, IGNORE N. MAIN ST. OPTION ON RIGHT, TAKE THE SECOND RIGHT EXIT RAMP THAT CURVES AROUND TO CROSS OVER RTE. 95 AND THE RAIL YARD. TAKE AN IMMEDIATE RIGHT AT THE LIGHT ONTO RI-126/SMITHFIELD AVE. BEAR RIGHT AT THE FORK AT THE NEXT LIGHT. (A CEMETERY WILL BE ON YOUR RIGHT). GO 3.1 MILES, THROUGH SEVERAL TRAFFIC LIGHTS. WATCH FOR LANDMARKS: A DAM ON YOUR LEFT 1/2 MILE BEFORE THE MEETINGHOUSE, A TINY SQUARE STORE ON THE RIGHT JUST BEFORE THE GATE. THE MEETINGHOUSE IS ON THE LEFT --A LARGE SQUARE WOOD BUILDING WITH A LARGE YARD BEHIND A 3 FOOT CHAIN LINK FENCE. DRIVE THROUGH THE GATE, PARK ON THE LAWN. (IF YOU REACH A "T", YOU'RE JUST PAST IT). DIRECTIONS FROM THE NORTH: 95 SOUTHBOUND: TAKE EXIT 25 AND TURN RIGHT, THEN RIGHT AT THE LIGHT ONTO SMITHFIELD AVE. FOLLOW PREVIOUS DIRECTIONS. OR: TAKE RTE 146 SOUTH TO THE RI-123/BREAKNECK HILL RD. EXIT. TURN LEFT ONTO BREAKNECK HILL RD/RI-123. GO ONE MILE TO NEXT LIGHT. TURN RIGHT ONTO GREAT RD. THE MEETINGHOUSE IS ABOUT 1000 FEET ON THE RIGHT. CALL LIBERTY OR PAUL AT (401) 351-9193 FOR FURTHER INFO Smithfield Monthly Meeting of Friends Minutes of Meeting for Business, March 4, 2001 2001-19 Opening Minute Smithfield Monthly Meeting met in a regularly scheduled meeting for worship with attention to business at noon on February 4th, 2001. Bruce Kay was presiding clerk, Ronald Belliveau was recording clerk, and 12 Friends were present. We began with a period of waiting worship. 2001-20 Previous Minutes The clerk read the minutes of January and February's meetings, which were approved by Friends with minor revision. Friends will consider this meeting's minutes at the next business meeting. 2001-21 Sound system for the Hearing Impaired For Ministry & Counsel, Ron Belliveau presented a sound system for us to consider for helping our hearing impaired. Its basic cost, for the transmitter and four receiver units, is $259. Ron reported that we can use the system for two weeks on a trial basis. After some discussion, Friends approved purchasing the system and trying it out. 2001-22 Impending Death Penalty Legislation in Rhode Island Richard Frechette reported that, once again, reinstatement of the death penalty is being proposed in the Rhode Island legislature this year. Having affirmed in the past our testimony against the death penalty, Friends felt it would be wise to have official representatives to the legislature to voice our opinion at hearings that are held on this issue. Friends appointed Richard Frechette, Karin Sprague, and Randy Oftedahl (pending his approval) as our official representatives. Friends also encouraged other Friends to attend these hearings to witness against the death penalty. 2001-23 Worship sharing No other business being presented, the clerk reminded Friends of a workshop on clerking that Jan Hoffman held at our meetinghouse in the past. Jan encouraged us to not have an agenda on occasion, and to sit in waiting worship to see what concerns arose from the Spirit. There being about an hour of time left to our regularly scheduled time, the clerk asked Friends if they would like to participate in a time of worship sharing to do just what Jan proposed. Friends approved. The ensuing hour was devoted to Friends sharing their joys and concerns about Smithfield Meeting, with all present being able to share one time. The presiding and recording clerks took brief notes during this time of what was shared. At the conclusion of worship, Friends commented that this was a valuable experience, and approved that the notes be passed along to Ministry & Counsel. 2001-24 Closing Minute No further business arising, Friends planned to meet next for business on April 1, 2001, God willing. Respectfully submitted, Ronald Belliveau, Recording Clerk Notes from First Day School Teachers: March 18: Intergenerational Worship led by Jr. High and High School youth March 25: Richard Frechette April 1 and 8: Karin Sprague April 15: Easter Sunday - worship together with adults April 22: Kathy Malin April 29: Kathy Malin May 6: Martha Smith (post-elementary youth); Karin Sprague (elementary age) May 13: Martha Smith (post-elementary); Kathy Malin (elementary age) Just beginning!: Teen Youth Group (for those in the 7th to 12th grades) to meet monthly. For more information, contact Jeanne Kinney or Diane O'Hara First Day School Committee Meeting: Thursday, May 3 at 7 pm at the home of Martha Smith All Welcome!! Feel free to share ideas or concerns with any member of the Committee (Karin Sprague, Susan Kay, co-clerks) Upcoming NEYM Youth Retreats: Young Friends (High School) Jr. High Retreats JYM (elementary age) March 16 - 18 Westport, MA April 27 - 29 Hartford, CT May 11-13 Seniors Retreat (place TBA) For more info call Chris Jorgenson 617-625-4494 March 30 - April 1 Wellesley, MA May 18 - 20 China Camp, Maine For more info contact Cynthia Rankin 508-540-6570 or Nort Salz 508-263-0862 April 6 - 8 (6th grade only) Storrs, CT May 11 - 13 Woolman Hill, MA Contact Kevin Lee 508-994-1638 It has always struck me as remarkable that when the writers of the four Gospels come to the most important part of the story they have to tell, they tell it in whispers....The way the Gospel writers tell it, in other words, Jesus came back from death not in a blaze of glory but more like a candle flame in the dark, flickering first in this place, then in that place, then in no place at all. If they had been making the whole thing up for the purpose of converting the world, presumably they would have described it more the way the book of Revelation describes how he will come back again at the end of time with "the armies of heaven arrayed in fine linen, white an pure" as Revelation puts it, and his eyes "like a flame of fire, and on his head many diadems" (19: 14, 12). But that is not the way the Gospels tell it. They are not trying to describe it as convincingly as they can. They are trying to describe it as truthfully as they can. It was the most extraordinary thing they believed had ever happened, and yet they tell it so quietly that you have to lean close to be sure what they are telling. They tell it as softly as a secret, as something so precious, and holy, and fragile, and unbelievable, and true, that to tell it any other way would be somehow to dishonor it. To proclaim the resurrection the way they do, you would have to say it in whispers: "Christ has risen." Like that. -From The Longing for Home by Frederick Buechner Smithfield Monthly Meeting of Friends 108 Smithfield Road Woonsocket, RI 02895