Friends planted Patapsco Friends Meeting seven years ago in the spirit of George Fox’s early and persistent advice to meet together everywhere. We were led to provide for ourselves and for others whom we did not yet know an opportunity to experience the preemptive love of God, which speaks to us out of the silence. In meeting together we are practicing something old, walking a path well-worn, yet the mystery is that each meeting is new, surprising. We are in unity that the work of our meeting is to create a safe space where any who meet with us can stand in the Light, to see and share what God wills for each one of us in our measure.

Early in 2003, in First Day discussions and worship-sharing, we explored the Inward Light through the writing of George Fox and Rex Ambler’s Light To Live By. These meetings raised the question: How does a faith that began in the 17^th century with “Christ Jesus has come to teach the people himself,” formed by a profound but surely heretical reading of the Christian scriptures, speak of Christ Jesus in the 21^st century? Is there a place in our meeting for the Christ-centered Friend among Quaker Buddhists, Quaker Jews, Quaker agnostics. And what does “Christ Jesus” mean to the refugees in our meeting from Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, and other “Christian” churches? To begin to address this question our First Day explorations continued with worship-sharing centered by Thich Nhat Hanh’s Living Buddha, Living Christ. Since that time a group has been meeting on First Day evenings to study the Gospels using Records of the Life of Jesus. In the Fall, our explorations continued with a series of Pendle Hill pamphlets chosen to explore topics relating to Quaker spirituality and our personal spiritual journeys.

For some of us to sink permanently into these tender and spirit-led conversations would be our heart’s desire. Our fellowship asks more of us. Through grounding us deeply in the Spirit it prepares us to meet the demands of our life together and of the wider world.

We are called to be tender to those in our meeting who are struggling with the diminishments of aging, who are being tested by the needs of children, aging parents and friends, who themselves suffer with physical or mental illness or care for afflicted loved ones. As we support Friends in these difficult times we ask, “How can we better prepare ourselves to meet these challenges in our own lives and to support others who face these challenges?”

We have an on-going concern for our children. First Day School was held year round and the children enjoyed a number of extracurricular activities. On Easter Sunday, they helped assemble personal hygiene kits for citizens in Iraq and they collected gifts for a needy family at Christmas time. A holiday sleepover was held for the middle school aged kids at the Mt. Hebron house in December. The Meeting has included in the annual budget funds for assistance with camp fees with the goal of encouraging every child in the Meeting (4th grade and older) to attend camp. We are thankful for our Religious Education Committee and First Day teachers. As our children grow we are concerned with how to best nurture their spiritual development.

We have witnessed to the wider world our concern for peace and social justice. A silent vigil to remember the victims of September 11, 2001 as well as those of the subsequent wars continued each Saturday for most of the year. It was difficult to sustain the vigil in the months that followed the onset of the Iraq war and it was formally laid down in October after two years. Our Meeting was among the founders of the Howard County Coalition For Peace and Justice and through this group, the Howard County Council was petitioned to pass a resolution against the war in Iraq. The resolution was not passed but we felt God’s spirit at work in our community by so many silent and vocal testimonies to peace. In response to the despair that many feel during this frustrating and tragic period, a meeting for worship was called on March 21^st at the onset of the bombing of Iraq and a Spring Retreat was held with the theme “Finding Inner Peace in Times of Turmoil.” The day included quiet reflection and worship sharing along with chanting and Dances of Universal Peace. The following day after Meeting for Worship, a walk was held at the Bon Secours Spiritual Center Labyrinth.

Patapsco Friends continue to prepare a meal once a month for twelve men living in a shelter for the homeless. Many Friends in our Meeting work with other organizations that need support. These organizations were introduced through a series of short talks during our monthly potlucks. One presentation described the Mediation and Conflict Resolution Center at Howard County Community College that mediates neighborhood, victim/offender, landlord/tenant, and similar community conflicts. A representative from Cease Fire Maryland was heard. We also learned about the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) that is trying to organize a new political/social advocacy group in Howard County comprised of a broad spectrum of religious and neighborhood groups. The final presentation was made by BRIDGE, another social advocacy organization similar to IAF.

From our small beginning we now have 30 to 35 regular attenders and 12 to 16 children in our First Day program. A Patapsco Friends Email Group was established through Yahoo to keep us connected and current. We are aware that not everyone has the Internet and that there is the need to communicate in other ways as well. Personal testimonies and spiritual understanding are shared through periodic publication of The Quaker Heron, the Journal of Patapsco Friends Meeting. Committee meetings, simple meals, monthly potlucks, Friendly Bunches, and picnics help build the interpersonal relationships so important in nurturing and strengthening our community. Patapsco Friends Meeting’s members and attenders are rich in gifts of the Spirit. We know no better way to be welcoming than to share our gifts with those who are seeking and those who have found a home in our meeting.

The year that is passing has brought much growth and new spiritual directions. The new directions and responsibilities are apparent, as our Meeting has risen to several challenges and events. These have brought us closer and deeper into our spiritual community. With each step, we find we are functioning more as a whole Meeting, independent, self-guiding, and growing.

Meetings for worship are held with the Inner Light guiding the gathered through the spirit. The spoken messages are met with the silence in a balanced response. We have time for thought and time to face and try to understand the voices of the world. As the members gather, many find peace in the light and have responded as they have felt the need. Even the children are finding the Meeting a settling place and are growing with the silence.

This year has seen an average of 30 people in Meeting for Worship on any given Sunday. We hosted the quarterly meeting in June and provided the attenders our newsletter, the Quaker Heron, full of insightful articles. The meeting was well attended from around the quarter. And with it we saw some new faces that continued meeting with us for the summer.

We are constantly finding new faces in Meeting, and as the year progressed, we have seen three attenders join the Society of Friends. We have welcomed Jim Rose, Nicole Manzanera and Robert Rhudy as members of the Society of Friends. A spiritual baby shower was held for Phyllis Keenan and Scott Wilhelm to welcome their son, Henry Wilhelm, into the world. We look forward to welcoming more of our attenders into the Meeting.

Friends began the process to find clearness to become a Monthly Meeting. It was suggested that Patapsco could be a Monthly Meeting in one month if we could agree that fast. But alas we are Quakers and have much soul searching to do before we can come to such a sense of the meeting in that time frame. The members are looking at what being a Monthly Meeting means, determining if we should take this step and considering if we may already be, in effect, a Monthly Meeting. There are threshing sessions being planned and adult classes to happen in the New Year. As we are finding our way to guide and grow as a meeting, we have a Personal Assistance Committee to be available to help members, attenders, and those who may need financial and other support.

The summer brought a wider exchange of members interacting with our children, as different teachers shared their talents with them in First Day School. Many new attenders and some we had not seen for a while came to Meeting over the summer. But with the summer, we said goodbye to the Wilhelm/Keenans and wished them good luck in their move to New England.

The summer R.E. picnic was held at the home of the D. family and was enjoyed by all who came. A fresh blackberry ice from our clerk’s gardens was the highlight of the meal. The community of children put on a play, William Penn and the Indians, and participated in classes in the study of Quaker ideals and Old Testament. There is a deeper journey that the older kids have started. A Bible study group was formed at the home of Sophie Reynolds where members of the older children’s class have been gathering once a month to read and discuss the Bible. This class was started by Sophie and has been welcomed by the other classmates. An ongoing plan is being developed to plan activities for the children to keep them interested in Quakerism. Balancing the care of the children and the need of the Meeting for silence is an ongoing concern.

The fall has brought us to the realization that we need to express our testimonies and understand our history. A workshop was presented on James Naylor: A Skeleton in Our Closet, with Ria Hawkins leading our retreat. Even in the face of the attacks of September 11th those who gathered learned more about our Quaker heritage. After September 11th our lives were shaken by the tragedy that occurred and the actions of our country through the end of the year. The Meeting responded with letters and a weekly silent peace vigil to show our support for the victims of the attacks in the U.S. and Afghanistan. The vigil has continued as a weekly meeting with signs and growing numbers of people joining us at the corner of Little Patuxent and Broken Land Parkways. In rain, wind and even after a pellet gun incident, the clerk and others are there to stand in silent remembrance of the many victims of the war and to show protest to the actions of our government in this matter. The Peace and Social Justice Committee has held letter writing days for those who wished to express their views to Congress and the President in this and other matters of conscience. The committee provided wording, addresses, letter paper, stamps, etc. Cooking a monthly meal for 12 homeless men and the Bread of Life Food Pantry are ongoing concerns and the children are included in these activities to acquaint them with the value of giving. We have also held a threshing session on whether the Meeting should make financial contributions to peace and social justice organizations. This committee is planning a threshing session on the Peace Testimony in the coming year.

The Meeting has moved into the electronic age and renamed its web site, www.patapscofriends.com, to make it easier to remember. This has been kept up to date with the current happenings of the Meeting and contains current links to a special Peace Testimony page and responses to September 11. We give special thanks to Elizabeth Saria for her enhancements.

The Advancement and Outreach Committee has been working to keep us together and Friendly. The Friendly Bunches were a big hit again as we met in small family groups for fun and social times away from the Meeting. A Quaker 101 class was also given by old and new members to help explain our faith. The Meeting has its own listing in the phone book and advertising is being placed in the local papers. We have a newcomer packet to help first time attenders feel welcome, and displays of literature hang on the doors and stairs. There is a “Quaker in the corner” to answer questions about the Quaker faith and we also send cards to the new attenders to let them know we appreciate their presence. There are guidelines for greeters to help any visitor feel welcome. In the coming year we will continue these activities and are considering other outreach activities for the 12-24 age group, the greater Quaker community, and the non-Quaker community who may be interested in Friendly topics.

As we begin a New Year, there is much to grow and much to do: giving our members a better understanding of our spiritual roots and testimonies; holding classes and threshing sessions; looking toward becoming independent; acting as part of the community of Howard County in our actions, peace vigils, and presence; and providing intergenerational and fun activities for our young people to grow into our community. We will continue the constant search for truth and guidance in our lives and with regard to the actions of our government. We shall go forward in the light.

Respectfully submitted
Joe Morrissey
Clerk of Ministry and Oversight
Patapsco Preparative Friends Meeting