Category Archives: Interchange

Newsletter of Baltimore Yearly Meeting

Interchange – Winter 2011

For our Meeting’s annual retreat, this year we will be doing the full day Quaker Quest workshop at Hebron House on Saturday, April 9, from 9am – 5pm. Trainers from Friends General Conference (FGC) will facilitate. In accordance with Quaker Quest guidelines, we’d be happy to welcome up to two participants each from other Meetings who may want to learn more about Quaker Quest.

Quaker Quest is a dynamic and transformative inreach and outreach process based on the experience that the Quaker way is a spiritual path for our time that is simple, radical, and contemporary. That process often leads to holding a series of public sessions to share the Quaker way with the broader community. Still, Quaker Quest is much more than the public sessions: it is an experience that the whole meeting shares over many months. While the workshop focuses on Quaker Quest, it explores outreach more broadly and deepens the community in the process. For more information, see https://patapscofriends.com///?p=226.

This past fall, we undertook two activities for the benefit of the Elkridge Food Pantry. On October 31, we had another “Cooking- for-Peace” workshop, which was publicized in the community and included a presentation about the Food Pantry and a class on how to prepare raw vegan foods. Donations collected were given to the pantry. Then, in December, we prepared a home-cooked vegetar- ian meal for 50 that was served by the pantry. The various dishes were prepared in various Friends’ homes and then delivered to the pantry to be served. It was a joint effort that provided a warm sense of unity, purpose and Friendship.

Interchange – Fall 2010

These last months have been busy! Hosting Interim Meeting in March tested our stamina and organizational skills. Under the expert guidance of our “detail-oriented” event coordinator, Douglas Perkins, rooms for committees were arranged, Business Meeting went off without a hitch, and we served lunch to 100 Friends! A baked potato bar, chili and apples were the main event for our healthy lunch, and abundant cakes and brownies made for decadent desserts.

We hosted Chesapeake Quarterly Meeting on September 12, again putting our organizational skills to the test. Our events planner Doug Perkins again came in handy. The afternoon interest session, designed by our Mental Health Ministry, focused on Quakerism and mental health. Historically, Friends have been in the forefront of reforming prisons and mental health hospitals. The need is still great. Where do we stand now?

Continue reading Interchange – Fall 2010

Interchange – Winter 2010

Exploring Quakerism sessions happily occupied us at PFM from September through December. We gathered on 2nd and 4th Sundays to read and reflect on topics ranging from simplicity and integrity to Meeting for Worship and the spiritual work of a Business Meeting. Our sessions culminated with a lively “alphabet soup” simple lunch where Friends reviewed Quaker organizations and lingo.

Adult Religious Education continues on with Third Sunday Spiritual Enrichment Sessions. We have plans for a session on clearness committees and the re-scheduling of our “snowed out” session on the writings of John Woolman. Sunday January 17 the film Minds on the Edge will be shown by the recently created Mental Health Ministry. Continue reading Interchange – Winter 2010