From Worship and Ministry

The Beatitudes

Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 5:1

The opening verses of the Sermon on the Mount indicate that this message deals with the inner state of mind and heart which is the indispensable absolute of true Christian discipleship. It delineates the outward manifestations of character and conduct of the true believer and genuine disciple. G. Lawlor writes: "We do not find basic, fundamental Law here, for law cannot produce the state of blessedness set forth herein" (cf. G. Lawlor, The Beatitudes Are for Today).

Rather, the quality of life herein described is the necessary product of grace alone. As Jesus states the outward legal requirements of the law and then carries His listener beyond the letter of the law to the true spirit and intent of the law, He describes a life-style which no human being could live in his own power. Thus, the life of the believer, described by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, is a life of grace and glory, which comes from God alone.

And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
    For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
    For they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    For they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
    For they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
    For they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
    For they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
    For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Source: Liberty University Bible Commentary

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Upcoming Events

Jan. 31 – Forgiveness Workshop, similar to one offered last year, will be presented again at 7:30 p.m. at Haddonfield Monthly Meeting. Three members of the Meeting will present a five-step program to guide participants toward learning skills of forgiveness.  The goal of the exercise is to release old resentments and anger, and rekindle spiritual growth.  As we lead increasingly busy lives, we don't always have the time or inclination to stop and release the anger and hurts we accumulate.  We don't always understand why we do what we do when we act out of anger.  And while we may agree that we need to forgive, we don't always have the skills we need to do so. During this evening program, we will discuss the physiological aspects of anger, learn to tell forgiveness from acceptance, and participate in a powerful exercise leading each participant in steps toward releasing and forgiving.  Program presenters include Gary Smith, past clerk of the Worship and Ministry Committee, Judy Owens, a licensed marriage and family therapist and Francie Pagell, a professor at Rowan University.

Feb. 6 – Winter Friendly Yoga classes begin The six-week course will provide an overall mind, body and spirit opportunity for both beginning and experienced students. While moving through the postures of Hatha yoga, students will be able to work out the kinks and stresses in their bodies and develop the ability to become still and aware of the peace within. Modifications will be made to accommodate many levels of practice, and students must be at least 18 years old.

Students will need to wear comfortable clothes and bring a yoga mat and firm small pillow for meditation and/ or firm cotton blanket to the first session. Yoga blocks are also very helpful for modifying the postures. The class will accommodate 15 students.

The classes will meet Wednesdays from 7 to 8:15 p.m., except for the first class, which will start at 6:45 p.m., subsequent classes on the next five Wednesdays will meet from 7 to 8:15 p.m. All will meet at Haddonfield Friends Meetinghouse. The $60 fee is payable to Dale Longstreth. Registration is encouraged by Feb. 1. For more information, contact Dale at (856) 354-1345 or dlongstreth1@verizon.net

Feb. 8-10 -- "Building and Holding Safe Spaces for Quaker Youth" weekend workshop at Pendle Hill. The Youth Ministries and
Religious Education Committees of Friends General Conference are cosponsoring this workshop on safety issues for overnight events for middle and high school-aged Friends. Presenters include PYM youth workers Elizabeth Walmsley and Cookie Caldwell. For information and registration call 800-742-3150 extension 3 or
http://pendlehill.org/programs/courses_workshops_retreats.php

Feb. 10 – Friends Committee on National Legislation Workshop for young adult Friends
will be held at 1 p.m. at Friends Center, 1515 Cherry St, Philadelphia. Heather Brutz will tell how young adults can witness to their beliefs and engage in public policy and the work of FCNL. Come early if you can, and join Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting for worship at 11 a.m. Grab lunch at a nearby deli with
other Young Adult Friends before the FCNL event. Questions? Contact Sadie Forsythe, PYM YAF Coordinator: (215) 241-7075 or sadief@pym.org

Feb. 19 -- PYM seeks Phone-a-thon volunteers to remind Friends to support the PYM Annual Fund. This is a finite service of great importance to our Yearly Meeting. Additional dates are Feb. 21, March 10 and March 26. Friends gather at Friends Center at 6 pm for dinner (on PYM). Training at 6:30, calls made from 7 until 9. Reimbursement for parking (after 5), carfare, bridge tolls. Please RSVP: (215) 241-7115 or elizabeth@pym.org

Feb. 23 – Workshop on War Tax Resistance
The informational workshop will take place at Green Street Meeting in Philadelphia from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Contact Joan Broadfield, (215) 241-7240.

Feb. 24 – Quarterly Meeting at Haddonfield Monthly Meeting – Members and attenders of HMM are encouraged to bring food to share for a special covered-dish luncheon we will provide as hosts, following worship.

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Haddonfield Monthly Meeting

Meeting for Worship for Business

Jan. 13

52 Friends were in attendance.

The meeting began with a period of worship.

Last month, the Clerk forgot to ask for members to visit Francie Pagell to welcome her into members. John Donch, Gary Smith, Maria Shivers volunteered to visit Francie this month to welcome her.

After holding the recommendation over for the customary one month, the Meeting accepted Linda Lotz into membership in Haddonfield Meeting. Friends joyously welcomed Linda, who’s been an active participant of our community for many years. Judy Barnes, John Donch and Connie and Bob Brookes will visit Linda to welcome her on behalf of the Meeting.

Judy Owens and Sally Oppenheimer from Princeton Meeting presented for the Center for Deepening and Strengthening Our Meetings on a proposed follow-up to Haddonfield Meeting’s work last year with the project, “Getting to Know Ourselves as a Meeting”, which is being renamed, “Knowing Our Self as a Meeting”. The proposal is to have 5 or 6 representatives of our Meeting meet several times over this year for weekend retreats with Friends from 2 to 3 other Meetings to discuss our Meetings’ experiences and to report back to our membership. The Meetings take turns hosting the group. We would then each have “homework” to do, based on the results of the group discussions. The goal would be for Haddonfield Meeting to continue its work from last year to more fully realize its vision of deepening our Meeting and community experience. The new component of the program is called “Strengthening Our Meeting Community.”

Sally felt that this program was of great benefit to Princeton Meeting. She described several areas of improvement in the life of the Meeting. Most significant was the change in the quality of Sunday Worship; there is a greater feeling of the presence of the Spirit in the messages. It’s not to say that the process is finished, but things are better. “This is an ongoing effort,” Sally said.

Friends approved going forward with this program.

The Clerk received a request for membership in Haddonfield Meeting from Patience Dodgson. This will be passed on to Care Committee.

Katie Buchheit, Clerk of Youth Committee gave a report on the committee’s activities to date, including the Crop Walk for Hunger, Springdale Farms Maze Trip, and the Christmas Play. Katie feels that these activities were a success and hopes that the committee will schedule them again next fall. The committee has spent only $25 of its budget. The committee has chosen to rotate the positions of Clerk and Secretary “so that everyone will have the opportunity to lead the committee”. Katie and the present Secretary, Catherine Senopolous, will be stepping aside soon for two other members of the committee. Katie’s report was accepted with thanks.

The Meeting approved a Minute of Appreciation to Helene and Ty Drago for their work with the children of the Meeting and the new Youth Committee.

Friends approved Bill Mason’s request for financial assistance in the amount of $305 for a two-part workshop at Pendle Hill.

Scott Buchheit presented the Recorder’s report. Our total membership has grown by one – from 255 to 256. That’s 196 adults and 60 children. Scott’s report was accepted with thanks.

Gary Smith presented the annual Worship & Ministry report. He began by introducing the members present at Meeting for Business, pointing out the diversity of the group.

Gary then reminded us of the First Day School programs developed and/or presented by Worship and Ministry during the past year.

As part of its ministry, Worship and Ministry continues to visit with Friends who, for one reason or another, are unable to participate in the life of the Meeting at the Meeting House.

Among the many activities and leadings supported by Worship and Ministry in 2007 were a yoga class (which will return in February) and several sessions of PYM’s Deepening and Strengthening program for Monthly Meetings. Work has begun on Part two of this program and on many other Spirit led programs to be developed by members of Worship and Ministry for the coming year.

At the recent meeting with Care Committee – the first since 2004 – it became clear that there was a need for a closer association between the two committees. It was agreed to meet every six months or so to discuss how better to provide nurture for members and attenders.

The final item in Gary’s report is a notification that, when his term expires in June, he will be stepping down as Clerk. He thanks all committee members, past and present, for their time, insights and contributions to the work of the committee. Gary’s report was accepted with thanks.

John Donch presented the Quarterly Treasurer’s report. If you would like a copy, please contact John. The report was accepted with thanks.

Lou Tomasetti, Clerk of Property Committee, distributed to those Friends present, a report on multiple problems with the Meeting’s heating system, with a badly cluttered garage and with the water delivery system from the street to the Meeting House. There will most likely be discussion over a period of several months, beginning with the February Meeting for Business. For a copy of the report, you may contact Joanne Heizer for an email attachment or pick up a copy in the office at the Meeting House. Lou’s report was accepted with thanks for calling our attention to these serious problems.

Friends approved a Minute of Appreciation to Gary Smith for his fine work as Clerk of Worship and Ministry for the past four years.

The Friends School budget presentation will be held over until 2^nd month ‘08.

The meeting concluded with a period of silent worship.

Respectfully submitted,

Joanne R. Heizer, Recording Clerk

Friends and regular attenders may request copies of the complete minutes from the Recording Clerk at Joanne@synchcorp.com or (856) 429-9186.

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Religious Education

The Religious Education Committee has announced the following upcoming classes:

Feb. 3:  Dr. Amanda Kemp, of Lancaster Monthly Meeting, will produce and direct for folks of all ages her Performance/ Lecture entitled Show me the Franklins:  African Americans, Slavery and Benjamin Franklin.

Feb. 10:  Meeting for Worship for Business

Feb. 17:  Haddonfield Monthly Meeting's response to issues of racial justice and equality through its history: Part II. Focus on the Civil Rights era.

Feb. 24:  Quarterly Meeting, hosted by Haddonfield Monthly Meeting

March 2: Learn about “Strengthening Our Meeting Community,” a two-year project that HMM will complete with PYM. The project follows a self-assessment HMM members and attenders conducted last year of the ways in which we want to support and transform our meeting. Meet our PYM facilitator, and our “delegates” to the four weekend retreats.  Be part of our transformation!

March 9:  Meeting for Worship for Business

March 16:  Haddonfield Monthly Meeting's  response to issues of racial justice and equality through its history. Part III: Focus on what we are doing today. .

March 23:  Program planned by Worship and Ministry

March 28-29:  Annual Sessions of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting at the meeting house at 4th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia.

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A Poem and the Story Behind It

I was asked to have the following passage, which I recited in Meeting for Worship on December 23, put in the newsletter. It was one of a number of poems and Bible verses which Mona Darnell, my eighth grade teacher at Moorestown Friends School, had us memorize.  She was a pillar of this Meeting for many years. Mrs. Darnell would have been sorry to know that when I shared it, I could not remember who wrote it, or that it was only a small part of a longer poem. I think she did teach us how to look things up though, so I learned that it is from the Quaker abolitionist poet John Greenleaf Whittier's "Snowbound", which fills nine printed pages. To put this passage in context, the poem was written in 1866 when Whittier was 59 years old, and describes the poet's memory of being snowed in on his family's New England farm when he was a boy. In it he fondly remembers family and friends who were there, who have since passed away.
    I'm also sure that Mrs. Darnell must have told us why cypress trees are associated with death, but I cannot remember that either. Some Friends shared during and after Meeting for Worship that day that they are the only evergreen tree that sheds its needles, and seems to die, and then regenerates them in the spring, and that they are often planted around cemeteries because they have shallow roots, and do not therefore disturb the graves. I heard that visitors to our Meeting from Lebanon that day said they know of a similar poem in Lebanese. The cypress tree is a symbol of Lebanon, and is on the Lebanese flag.
 
       Alas for him who never sees
       The stars shine through his cypress trees!
       Who, hopeless, lays his dead away,
        Nor looks to see the breaking day
       Across the mournful marbles play!
       Who hath not learned in hours of faith,
        The truth to flesh and sense unknown,
        That Life is ever lord of Death;
        And Love can never lose its own!

-- Kitty Mizuno

Volunteers Sought for In-Home Worship

Worship and Ministry Committee is looking for volunteers.  The commitment is light but the reward is great.  Meeting members who cannot attend our First Day worship will be visited in their homes by teams of these volunteers.  Sign the list on the easel at the Meeting house or call Judy Barnes at (856) 287-9472 to volunteer.  To suggest names for visitation, please check with the individuals involved, then notify any member of Worship and Ministry.

Book Note

Cathy Fastiggi has donated a vivid history of human rights campaigns and campaigners to the HMM library. The book is entitled Fierce Legions of Friends, by Linda Rabben (2002). It describes ordinary American citizens throughout the last 200 years who were moved to action. The layout of the text and illustrations make the book inviting, and the prose is graceful.  

-- Judy Kruger

Newsletter Distribution

The newsletter production volunteers have proposed two ways to conserve resources while distributing this august publication. Copies of the monthly newsletter will be available for pick-up at the Meeting House before or after worship for those interested in helping to reduce postage costs. Distributing the newsletter electronically, via email, has the potential both to save the Meeting even more money and conserve resources that would be used to print and mail paper copies. If you are willing to receive your monthly newsletter electronically, please let Deedy Roberts know.

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