Kirkridge Basic Peacemaker Training Institute
Yoga As Body Prayer for Heart and Soul: A Path to Radical Healing
Host Families Desperately Needed for Peace Reconciliation Program in Northern Ireland.
Lehigh Valley Christmas Peace Pilgrimage: 43rd Annual Nazareth to Bethlehem Walk
A Colonial Christmas: A Family Celebration of Christmas Past
Info regarding The School of the Americas
Pool Redediction at Chandler Hall
Snippets of News from the Quarter and Other Places
Thanks go to Quakertown Meeting
Friends World Committee for Consultation
Quaker Christian Peacemaker Team
Looking for an Alternative to Violence?
Chandler Hall Worship Services Organizers
Snippets of News from the Quarter and Other Places
Thanks go to Quakertown Meeting
Friends World Committee for Consultation
Quaker Christian Peacemaker Team
December 2002 |
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1 |
Sun |
10:30 |
Buckingham Meeting will host Frank Corcoranre: The School of the Americas. |
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11 |
Wed |
7:30 |
BQM Outreach Committee meets at Pennswood Village. |
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14 |
Sat |
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Christmas Peace Pilgrimage: 43rd Annual Nazareth to Bethlehem. |
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14-15 |
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A Colonial Christmas - A Family Celebration of Christmas Past. |
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17 |
Tues |
7:30 |
BQM Singing Group meets at Friends Village. |
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21 |
Sat |
7-9 pm |
BQM Peace Pals meet at Wrightstown Meeting. |
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20 |
Fri |
7:30 |
Candle Light Worship at Buckingham Meeting. Refreshments. |
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21 |
Sat |
2 pm |
Buckingham Meeting Young Friends sleepover, an overnight event |
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22 |
Sun |
9 am |
Falls Meeting covered dish breakfast, Christmas play and carol-singing. |
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22 |
Sun |
9 am |
Christmas breakfast at Buckingham, followed by singing, Worship, Children’s program. |
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22 |
Sun |
11 am |
Middletown Meeting with harpist Joanna Mell during Meeting for Worship. |
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22 |
Sun |
11 am |
Newtown Meeting for Worship with Children’s Program. followed by lunch. Bring cookies. |
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22 |
Sun |
7:15 |
Candlelight service at Southampton Meeting. |
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24 |
Tues |
4-5 pm |
Silent vigil for peace at Doylestown courthouse (two hours earlier than usual) |
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24 |
Tues |
7-7:30 pm |
Tues Candlelight Meeting for Worship at Newtown Meeting |
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25 |
Wed |
7:30 |
Christmas Eve Carol Sing and Worship at Plumstead. Bring flashlights! |
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25 & Jan 1 |
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Christmas Eve Meeting and New Year’s Eve Meeting for Worship at Middletown Mtg |
Looking Ahead |
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January 1, 2003 |
New Year’s Day Ice Skating Party in Hamilton, NJ. |
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January 4-11 |
Kirkridge Basic Peacemaker Training Institute. |
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January 11 |
Second Annual Gathering of Quaker Public Educators. Call 215-241-7223. |
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Jan 17-20 |
North American Quaker Peace Gathering for Friends World Committee for Consultation. |
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Feb 28-Mar 2 |
Yoga As Body Prayer for Heart and Soul: A Path to Radical Healing.
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The basic PTI introduces young people ages 17-25 to nonviolence as a way of life and as a tool for radical change. There will be young peacemakers from around the country. Interactive workshop topics include theoretical and practical nonviolence, make links between US racism, militarism, and economic injustice and international political issues in the Midde East and Latin America. Cost is $375-450. Application deadline, Dec 1, 2002. Info:http://www.forusa.org/ or 1-845-358-4601 ext. 33.
The Young Friends program is in great need of adults who will volunteer to be a Friendly Presence to help at gatherings. Young Friends might have to be turned away unless more people volunteer. If you can help, call Cookie Caldwell at 215-241-7222 or mailto:mcookiec@pym.org
We will have another Chinese Pollyanna! This is your chance to bring something really-really silly. Here’s how it goes: one person picks something. The next person can keep the first person’s gift if they like it - OR - that person can pick from other gifts. Bring canned goods to be taken to Peace Pals so that the local food cupboard can be restocked. Many people need extra food in December.
The date is Sat, December 21st, 2002. Peace Pals begins at 7pm. Parent pick-up is 9:00 pm. You won’t need a permission form if you were there previously. If you’re coming for the first time, don’t forget to have your parent fill out the permission form. Bring a friend!
Yoga has been a form of body prayer for over 5000 years. In this weekend of gentle Kundalini yoga and mindfulness meditation we engage the whole body in prayer as we celebrate mindful attention to the presence of the Divine Spirit within us. Led by Valerie Brown, a certified teacher of Kundalini yoga and meditation and a founding member of Old Path Sangha, a Buddhist meditation community in New Hope, PA Valerie has led retreats at Kirkridge and is trained in holistic spirituality. The program will be from 7pm Friday dinner through Sunday lunch. This program will be at the Kirkridge Retreat and Study Center, at 2495 Fox Gap Road, Bangor, PA 18013. Cost is $225 ($125 registration deposit). Commuter Rate is $145. Info: 1-610-588-1793.
Please consider hosting a pair of Northern Ireland teens, one Roman Catholic and one Protestant, for four weeks this summer, in July, as part of the Children’s Friendship Project for Northern Ireland (CFPNI). CFPNI is a national, all-volunteer, grassroots, peace program aimed at the leaders in Northern Ireland. To be eligible, hosts need to provide a neutral setting for the teens to develop their friendship, a single room for them to share, daylong adult supervision and the willingness to help raise the cost of their teens airfare (about $1500 for both teens) by soliciting funds from churches, civic groups and assisting in fundraising events. If anyone can afford to make a tax-deductible gift to CFPNI, that would be appreciated as well. If these things are done, CFPNI will assist prospective hosts within the confines of its limited resources in paying the airfares of their teens. Info: Beverly Cassel, 215-493-8511 or http://www.cfpni.org/.
For over 40 years, during the Christmas season, people who believe in the importance of peace have been gathering in Nazareth to walk the ten miles to Bethlehem, PA. Also, there is a traditional hymn singing in the heart of Historic Bethlehem at the Zinzendorf Platz, Main & Church Sts. Following the singing, we will walk to the Christ United Church of Christ at Market & Center Streets for a simple supper and hear the guest speaker, Liz MacAllister, on “Walking, Believing, Hoping”. Buses will transport pilgrims to Nazareth Moravian Church on Center Square. You may join at any point along the way, but keep in Church St. Dress appropriately for the weather. Info: 1-610-258-7313 or website: http://www.peacewalk.org/
Visit one of Newtown’s most historic properties and see how Christmas was celebrated 225 years ago. There will be tours of the 18th Century plantation house and grounds, sample Colonial fireplace and smokehouse cooking, colonial craft demonstration, one act play at the Millhouse, meet General George Washington, strolling carolers and live instrumental music, games and crafts for children, and live Nativity. Admission is free. Dress warmly, bring your camera, no pets. Refreshments for purchase. Convenient parking. Shuttle bus service to and from nearby off-site parking areas. All free! Dates are Sat, Dec 14th from 10am to 7pm. Sun, Dec 15 from 11am to 7pm. Info: http://www.crossing.org/ or 215-968-0276
Allen Reeder, PYM Editor, announces that the 2002-2003 Directory of PYM has arrived from the printer. It will be mailed to those involved in PYM work and to Meetings. Watch for it at your Meeting. Copies are available for a short time. Call him at 800-22-00796, ext. 7215 or 215-241-7215.
On December 1st, Frank Corcoran (who was at the Buckingham Peace Fair) will speak about the School of the Americas, which is located at Ft. Benning, Georgia. Approximately 60,000 Latin American troops have been trained there in terrorist techniques at the cost of $10-$20 million U.S. tax dollars for the purpose of protecting the interests of U.S. corporations and to maintain an economy that benefits powerful people in the U.S. and their allies in Latin America. Call John Bailey 1-609-397-2150 for info.
On June 11, 2002, a Pool Rededication Ceremony was held on the deck of the renovated pool. Anthony Manzo, CEO; George Martin, Board President and Greg Brisco, YMCA Director each spoke giving their welcome and history of the pool. Chandler Hall is pleased to announce that the YMCA of Lower Bucks County will conduct the management of the pool. Programs such as Arthritis Aquatic Programs, aqua therapy, and children’s swim lessons are offered. Call 215-364-1200 for more information.
A Doylestown Area Affinity Group is organizing to support the International NonViolent PeaceForce whose mission is to facilitate the creation of a trained, international civilian nonviolent peace force. The PeaceForce will be sent to conflict areas to prevent death and destruction and protect human rights, thus creating the space for local groups to struggle nonviolently, enter into dialogue and seek peaceful resolution. For more information, call Carol Miller (215-345-1714) or mailto:mcamil888@aol.com. or http://www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org/
The event will be on Monday, Dec 2 at 2pm for visitation, refreshments, general good cheer and cookies. The Auxiliary will visit with the residents. Ice cream and punch will also be served. Please bring homemade cookies.
December - Wrightstown January -Yardley February - Buckingham
Thanks go to Quakertown Meeting for a wonderful day. Harriet Heath spoke about The Quaker Parenting Project. Lunch was wonderful. Business Meeting went well. Child care and craft projects were terrific.
Friends World Committee for Consultation, Section of the Americas: Peace Witness in a Time of Crisis: A Friends Consultation in Greensboro, North Carolina. This program will be on January 17-19, 2003, in North Carolina. Info: http://www.quaker.org/fwcc/Americas/index.html - or - http://www.friendspeace.org/
Middletown Friends Meeting now has midweek Worship from 7-8 pm every Wednesday. The third Wednesday is Worship Sharing at 7pm.
The Franklin Institute has renovated the Fels Planetarium and the new astronomy exhibit “Space Command.” A new mural decorating the walls underneath the world time clocks greets visitors at the entrance. You might want to check it out.
Sharon Mullally & Linda Hanna were part of the Quaker Christian Peacemaker Team that went to Israel and Palestine this summer. They learned how the conflict affects the populations and to “get in the way” of violence between the two parties in conflict. Sharon and Linda would be pleased to come to your Meeting to talk about this. Info: 215-438-2501.
Doylestown Meeting Friends continue their Silent Vigil for Peace at the corner of Court & Main Streets, and invite members from other Meetings to participate as well. The Meeting has added the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons to the Peace Vigil Message. The Vigil is from 6pm-7pm every Tuesday (Christmas Eve at 4-5 pm instead of the usual 6-7 PM).
Interesting new books from PYM: “In the Shadow of William Penn: Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting of Friends,” ($12) “Grounded in God: Care and Nurture in Friends Meeting,” ($17.50) 1-800-966-4556, “Notes from Ramallah, 1939” ($18.00) call 800-537-8839. “We Felt Their Kindliness: An American Family’s Afghan Odyssey, 1949-1951 (quaker.org/afghanistan).
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