Category Archives: Meetings for Listening

From our “Life” page: Meetings for Listening (also called “threshing sessions”) may be called when we have particularly deep or difficult issues to address. Our experience has shown that the deep and respectful listening we do in these meetings helps us find a basis for unity and moving forward. To help facilitate that listening, no decisions are made at these meetings, but the listening we do helps inform discussions in our business meetings.

Adult Discussion and Study, Meetings for Listening

Spiritual Formation at Patapsco

This year, Patapsco will be having a spiritual formation program to invite us, individually and together, into a deeper experience of God’s presence through devotional readings, spiritual community and individual spiritual practices.  “Spiritual formation” can be understood as forming ourselves more fully into the persons, and the Meeting, God created us to be.

In spiritual formation programs, participants typically attend two meetings per month:

  1. a “large group” meeting of all participants in the Meeting to share reflections on a spiritual reading that all have chosen; and
  2. a “small group” spiritual friendship group—usually three to five people—who meet to share spiritual journeys and to support one another in spiritual practices, while others meet their friends at http://chatempanada.com/chat-de-terrachat-sala-de-chat-gratis-de-terrachat/.

In addition, each participant is expected to devote at least 15 minutes per day to a spiritual practice. Those who make this commitment are rewarded with a closer relationship with God and an opportunity to form deep spiritual friendships.  More information on spiritual formation programs, including suggestions for readings and daily spiritual disciplines, can be found in the Baltimore Yearly Meeting pamphlet, or at http://quakerspiritualformation.org/. Continue reading Spiritual Formation at Patapsco →

Finances, Meetings for Listening, Notable Minutes, Process and Policies

Minute on Financial Contributions to Outside Organizations – 6/3/2012

At our meeting for worship with a concern for business held on 6/3/2012, our minutes include an item relating to financial contributions to outside organizations.  This question has come up repeatedly in our meeting and was the subject of several meetings for listening over the years, including:

The relevant minute from 6/3/2012 was:

Bethanne reported that the Peace and Social Concerns (P&SC) committee met and reviewed the outcome of the threshing session on Meeting contributions to outside organizations.  The proposal from the P&SC Committee was read: Continue reading Minute on Financial Contributions to Outside Organizations – 6/3/2012 →

Meetings for Listening, Peace and Social Concerns

Threshing Session on Financial Support of Other Organizations, 2012

Notes taken at Threshing Session on
Financial Support of Other Organizations

April 15, 2012

Attended by: Ramona, Ken, Jim, Jean, Rosemary, Stuart, Terry, Bethanne, Tom, Bill.  Facilitated by the Peace and Social Concerns Committee, which provided these notes.

How can our Meeting support other Quaker and non-Quaker organizations which are in alignment with our values and beliefs? Continue reading Threshing Session on Financial Support of Other Organizations, 2012 →