The New Garden Friend Newsletter of New Garden Friends Meeting February 11, 2015 Seekers Group Continues: Next Listening Session It isn’t too late to join the Seekers Group! This Sunday, February 15, we will focus on the ways Quakers live out our testimonies, including peace, equality, and integrity. Bring your questions and an open spirit. 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. in the Parlor. Please call the office if you need child care. February 15 9:45 a.m. Sessions in the Adult Forum 5:30 p.m. Gathering in the parlor Our conversations will center around several queries: - - What does past experience suggest is essential to the character of New Garden Friends Meeting? What have been watershed events, high and low, in the life of the meeting? - - How might we characterize New Garden's theology, denominational commitments and involvement among Friends in the wider community? - - What is the role of the pastoral minister in leadership? - - Where is the Spirit at work among us, and how can we encourage this? Where would the Holy Spirit want to make adjustments or corrections in the life of the meeting? - - What will be our leadership needs for the future? What skills and traits do we seek in a new pastoral minister? - - Where is the Divine Spirit leading New Garden as we move into the future? - - We hope you Friends will reflect on these queries and plan to attend at least one of these sessionso give us your feedback and to listen to others as we discern a way forward in this important part of our journey together. .. A note from the TransitionTeam-- “We welcome written feedback. You may place any communication related to our Pastoral Minister search in the TRANSITION TEAM box (located on the info table) in the Worship Room foyer.“ The Team: Bill Eagles, Karen Garraputa, Donna Allred, Max Carter, Scott Gibson, Charlie White, Mary Louise Smith, Bill Hamilton, Lizzie Biddle and Judy Haughee-Bartlett Sunday February 22 9:45 a.m. Forum NGFM Parlor: RJP led by Barbara Leland Restorative Justice Practices, "peace building" instead of "peacemaking": Safer Schools/Safer Communities Restorative Justice Practices (RJP) is a philosophy/a program implemented in many cultures and school systems across the world. RJP gives a voice to both the responsible person and the affected person...RJP focuses on "repairing the harm, restoring individuals, restoring relationships". PROACTIVE Restorative Justice teaches students that their needs and voices are valued, teaches students to address and "repair the harm" at a beginning stage to avoid escalation to violence, and assists parents, faculty, and staff to better interpret signals from our children. Restorative Justice Mediation uses the terms responsible person" and "affected person" and focuses on "Who has been hurt? What are their needs? Who has the obligation to address the needs, to put right the harms, to restore relationships?" (Howard Zehr) Local supporters of Restorative Justice Practices include the NC Center for Safer Schools Team, Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes, Assistant District Attorneys Howard Neumann and Chris Parrish, Defense Attorneys Bill Davis, Marcus Shields, Julie Wall, ... Barbara Leland, Career Educator, serves on two steering committees (Mental Health of our Children: age 3+; Classroom Climate) with the NC Center for Safer Schools Team. ([email protected]) Next YoungFriends F fundraiser - Cafe Ami Saturday February 21 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Cost is $10.00 Save the date and be sure to join us for our second annual Cafe Ami (Friend Cafe) event. It will be a night of arts, entertainment, and dessert that will showcase the many talents of our HSYF! We are also seeking donations to the silent auction and the dessert table! For more information contact Alyzza ([email protected]) Saturday, March 21 and 28: The Flea Market It's that time of the year again, and the spring sale is upon us! We're now seeking donations that are in good quality to be sorted and sold by the High School Young Friends to fundraise for their spring trip. We've begun setting up Norvell Hall, with some slight changes to the layout as a result of the recent leak that was in the carpeted area. We can't wait for the sale, so help us make it happen! For more information contact Alyzza at ([email protected]). Coming soon .... March 13-15 PFF Spring Retreat Piedmnt Friends Fellowship’s Spring Retreat and Annual Meeting will be held at New Garden, Friday March 13 Sunday March 15. Mary Kay Glazer will present adult programming entitled "Who are You, Who am I: Telling Our Spiritual Stories". Meals, Fellowship, programming for youth and childcare provided; registration fee is $40.00 for adults, youth under 18 are free. See the PFF website for details, (piedmontfriendsfellowship.org), or contact Karen Garraputa, ([email protected]), 706-1715. 1 FCP Annual Joint Worship Scheduled Friends to Friends There is a new location for our Annual Joint Worship Service by the Friendship Community Partnership – • Collins Grove Methodist • New Garden Friends • Persimmon Grove African Methodist Episcopal • Raleigh’s Cross Roads Methodist • Saint Barnabas Episcopal This year’s service during Black History Month will be at: RALEIGH’S CROSS ROADS UMC 715 GUILFORD COLLEGE ROAD 27410 Sunday, February 22 at 3:00 p.m. Each of the five churches will take a part in the service. Bring finger food to share after worship. We want to thank our good friends at New Garden for the outpouring of supportive cards, emails, and calls after the recent loss of my father Meriadath Humphrey. Also greatly appreciated were the afghan and offer of assistance. Your friendship and support has meant a great deal to us over the years - there is something very special about our community. Fred Humphrey & Susan Ikenberry We want to thank you at Nw Garden for the outpouring of calls and supportive cards after the recent loss of my mother, Kathleen L. Morgan. Also for the offer of assistance during this time. Mary Kate and Sam Talbert Additional note: On February 22, Persminnon Grove AME Church, will feature a Black History presentation at the 11:00 a.m. worship service. All are welcome. Contact Cathie Holcombe if you would like to help. 288-7555, ([email protected]). Recycling in Greensboro, the Future of Styrofoam and the Planet Needed for Kicks for Kids (children) & for Downtown Friends (individuals without housing): clean, gently used gym or walking shoes; hats, scarves, gloves/mittens; socks for shoe sizes 9 & up; backpacks; LED flashlights. Please leave items in "Kicks for Kids" bin in NGFM Connector. Thank you, Barbara Leland ([email protected]) New Gardeners recycle a lot, including plenty of Styrofoam. Where is all this stuff going? What more could we do? Environmental Stewardship Greensboro (ESG) is hosting a discussion with Alex Arnett, the City’s recycling coordinator and representative from Dart and Recycling Management Resources, two companies in our region that handle polystyrene (Styrofoam). Come learn what is happening to all that we recycle, what impact it has on the environment and what you can do to help save Planet Earth. Birthdays 11 Rosemary Stadler 12Owen Honeycutt 12Chris Johnston 14 Jerry Anthony 14 Ruby Edwards 15 Jasper Vincent Perry 16 Cynthia Blue 16 Tamela Tickle WHERE? WHEN? Kathleen Clay Edwards Family Branch Library 1420 Price Park Drive, Greensboro, NC 27410 February 15, 2015, 2:15 p.m. For more information contact: Bill McNeil, ESG convener, at [email protected]. Weekly scheduled meeting calendar Wednesday February 11 6:00 p.m. Choir Rehearsal / Choir Room 6:00 p.m. HSYF “Whine & Cheese” / Qave 6:30 p.m. Mindfulness Meditation / Worship Room The New Garden Friend is published each Wednesday. Items for consideration for the newsletter should be submitted no later than noon on the preceding Tuesday. Send submissions via e-mail to Sharon Burton, office@ngfm. org. Submissions on paper may be delivered to the Meeting office. Questions? Call Sharon at the office. New Garden Friends Meeting 336-292-5487 801 New Garden Road (E): [email protected] Greensboro, N.C. 27410 (W): www.ngfm.org Monday February 16 12:15 p.m. Poetry Group / Parlor 7:30 p.m. Meditation / Parlor 2