by WebPost | Aug 15, 2023 | Adult Spiritual Education, Current
Spiritual Formation Program, Sept. 2023-May 2024
The Baltimore Yearly Meeting(BYM) Spiritual Formation Program invites its participants into a deeper spiritual experience through retreats, a virtual large group, spiritual community in the local meeting, and individual spiritual practices. This year there are some drop-in small groups for those unable to commit to be present for all the meetings.
• Richmond Friends will carpool to BYM’s opening Fall Spiritual Formation Retreat Sept. 22-24, 2023 at the Claggett Conference and Retreat Center, Adamstown, MD. (Carpool coordinator is Mary Fran Hughes-McIntyre).
• The Spiritual Formation Program is founded on a daily spiritual practice of each person’s choice.
• All participants gather in person for RFM large group meetings at the Program’s Sunday evening opening (October 1), and closing (May 5) from 5 to 7pm, including a potluck at 6:30 at RFM. In January, program team will check with participants to see how things are going and address any issues.
• BYM offers a virtual large group (with a worship-sharing format) for those needing to meet online, Tuesdays once a month 7:00pm to 8:30pm. (Contact co-facilitator Rita Willett for information or registration).
• From October 2023 through May 2024, Spiritual Formation participants build community through committing to monthly virtual or in person small groups, a drop-in group,or to a spiritual friendship pair. Small groups, usually around 6 members, meet once a month to share spiritual journeys and support one another in a daily spiritual practice. Options are:
• Listening for Spirit in Contemplation will use a worship sharing format in response to sacred readings or poetry from many traditions. Each participant can identify a word that “shimmers” for them, consider how it relates to our world at this time, and how it relates to their personal life. Alternate Thursdays online 9 to 10am. (Contact facilitator Sylvia Shurcliff).
• Spiritual Companions Group will be in person and offers worship sharing in response to a query. (Contact Mary Fran Hughes-McIntyre, facilitator) .
• Young Adult and Newcomers Spiritual Journey Group focuses on learning about Quaker worship through brief readings, QuakerSpeak videos, and queries. An in-person drop-in group. Probably after Meeting for Worship at RFM. (Contact Mason Mairead, facilitator).
• “Parenting As a Spiritual Journey” Support Group with child care through Religious Education program , meeting 4th Sundays 11:15 to 12:05. An in person drop-in group. (Contact facilitator Susan Singer, seasoned Quaker parent ).
• Spiritual Friendships (group of 2) are for sharing spiritual journeys with format and time chosen by the pair, such as sharing joys and concerns, reading a book together or formats suggested by handouts about spiritual friendships. Virtual or in person. (For information, contact coordinator Mary Fran Hughes-McIntyre ).
Our first large group meeting will be held on Sunday, October 1 from 5-7 PM as an introduction to the process, for organizing small groups, for sharing spiritual journey resources, and opening feast.
REGISTRATION FOR RFM SPIRITUAL FORMATION 2023-24
https://testsite.richmondfriends.org/spiritual-formation-registration
by WebPost | Aug 15, 2023 | Adult Spiritual Education, Current
The Adult Spiritual Education Committee will host a meeting of the Historical Jesus Study Group on the book, The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus, written by Jewish author Amy-Jill Levine. The book will be discussed at the meeting, which will be on Sunday, October 1, 1:00 pm to 2:30pm, in the community room and on Zoom.
You don’t have to become a member of the study group — you can come for just the one meeting. For more information, contact Allen Lee.
In the past, the Historical Jesus Study Group has discussed the following books:
Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, by Reza Aslan
God's Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question--Why We Suffer, by Bart Ehrman
Liberating the Gospels: Reading the Bible with Jewish Eyes, by John Shelby Spong.
How Jesus Became God, by Bart Ehrman
Jesus Before the Gospels: How the Earliest Christians Remembered, Changed, and Invented Their Stories of the Savior, by Bart Ehrman
by WebPost | Aug 4, 2023 | Clerk’s Business, Current
SAVE THE DATE: Thursday, September 14, 7-8:15 p.m.
Zoom presentation by the C. Wayne Taylor Bequest Ad Hoc Committee
". . .to be used for the direct benefit of needy people residing in the Richmond metropolitan area." This was the only guidance provided in the last will and testament of the late C. Wayne Taylor on the use of his estate after his death in July 2020. Mr. Taylor entrusted to Richmond Friends Meeting that estate and decisions about its distribution to the wider community. Since June 2021, the Ad Hoc committee charged with researching and making recommendations of possible uses of Mr. Taylor's bequest has been hard at work.
In this Zoom presentation, you will learn about the arc of Mr. Taylor's life; what the Ad Hoc committee has discovered from close friends about the values that guided his life; and the research we have conducted over the past two years, with guidance and assistance from community organizations. A Zoom link will be provided the week of September 11.
Randee Humphrey, Denna Joy, Scott Morrison, Barb Pedrotty
C. Wayne Taylor Ad Hoc Committee
by WebPost | Aug 2, 2023 | Clerk’s Business, Current
The Race and Racism Ad Hoc Committee will host 4 listening circles, continuing our charge of engaging the Meeting in an inclusive and open discernment process to learn what our meeting is led to do around race and racism. The listening circles are open to all attenders- whether or not you submitted a written response to the query. Two listening circles will be held in person, and two will be held on zoom. You are invited to attend as many as you would like. Members and attenders who are people of color are invited to contact committee co-clerk Allen Lee who will be organizing and scheduling a listening circle for people of color.
The scheduled listening circles to date, open to all attenders:
August 20th at 12:30 p.m. in the Community Room
August 24th at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom
August 27th at 1:00 p.m. in the Worship Room
We are looking forward to your participation.
Thank you,
Allen Lee, co-clerk, Kathleen Morgan, co-clerk, Margaret Edds, Ruth Morrison, Lynda Perry, Michael Pierce, Monica Shaw, Rita Willet
by WebPost | Jul 30, 2023 | Care and Counsel, Current
DO YOU NEED HELP WITH TRANSPORTATION TO MEETING FOR WORSHIP? Care & Counsel is offering a trial program to reimburse you for the cost of one Uber or Lyft ride to or from Meeting for Worship once a month. You simply forward the receipt from your Uber/Lyft ride to Denna Joy (dennajoy51@gmail.com) and you will be reimbursed within 30 days.
Eligibility requirements:
● You’re a member or attender of RFM.
● You live in Richmond, Henrico or Chesterfield.
● You need help with transportation on a permanent basis or a temporary basis due to health concerns
● You are able to use an Uber or Lyft app on your cell phone (or computer)
● You are able to use your own credit card to pay and then forward the receipt to dennajoy51@gmail.com for reimbursement
*Need additional help?
C&C can assist with downloading the Uber or Lyft app and showing you how to forward the receipt.
But this is only one way!
Yes. This is a trial program and we don’t know how many people will need to avail themselves. For now, you need to plan the other part of your trip.
You can:
● Ask another Friend for a ride.
● Pay for your own one-way ride on Uber or Lyft.
● Register for the UZURV Care on Demand service of GRTC. Once registered you can call for a low-cost ride to/from Meeting and schedule it in advance.
http://ridegrtc.com/services/specialized-transportation/care-on-demand
Please call Denna Joy for more information.
by WebPost | Jul 29, 2023 | Care and Counsel, Current
To the Richmond Friends Meeting community,
Brooke Davis, Nick Martina, and Andrew Kossan are deeply grieving after the heartbreaking sudden death by overdose of Andrew's older brother, Alex, on July 21. The Care + Counsel committee of Richmond Friends Meeting has organized this Meal Train service so that the family won't have to worry about dinner meals twice a week for the next three months. Andrew has a big appetite, so preparing for 3-4 adults is a good strategy. Along with the sustenance these meals provide, please send Brooke, Nick, and Andrew lots of love and Light during this tragic and difficult time for their family.
If you have difficulty using the link below to access the Meal Train schedule or need help signing up, contact Randee Humphrey.
