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November 2003 QuakerShaker
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Editor, QuakerShaker
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Nov 23, 2003 12:20 PST
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QUAKERSHAKER, November, 2003
Newsletter of the Yellow Springs Religious Society of Friends
[Jesus] said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager,
and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. And
he called him in and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn
in your account of your conduct of my affairs, for you can no longer be
my manager.’ And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my
master is taking my position away from me? I am not strong enough to
dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that people
may receive me into their homes when I am put out of the position.’ So,
summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How
much do you owe my master?’ He said, ‘Eight hundred gallons of oil.’ And
he said to him, ‘Here is your bill; sit right down and write four
hundred.’
Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘Fifteen
hundred bushels of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your bill; write
twelve hundred.’ The master praised the dishonest manager because he had
acted shrewdly; for the children of this world are cleverer in their own
age than the children of light.” Luke 16: 1 - 8
1. Calendar
2. Agenda for November 2 Business Meeting, and eleventh query
3. Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting, July 30 - August 2, 2003
4. A biographical note about Cheryl Keen
5. Israeli Airmen refuse to commit assassinations
6. Buy fresh pecans from Jane Morgan
7. Minutes, Monthly Meeting for Business October 5, 2003
Quakershaker deadline for December is November 23. Give information to
Bill Houston (email: htul-@antioch-college.edu) or Irwin Abrams, or
email to Quake-@aol.com
1. Calendar
Always: Sundays: 8:30 a.m., Meeting for Worship, at Rockford
10:00 a.m. First Day School (Sept-May), at Rockford
10-10:30 a.m. Meeting (in library of Rockford) to pray for the
spiritual enrichment of the Meeting for Worship. Everyone welcome.
11:00 a.m. Meeting for Worship, at Rockford
Wednesdays: 7:00 a.m. Meeting for Worship, at Rockford
Saturdays: noon - 1 pm Peace Vigil, SW corner of Limestone St. &
Xenia Ave.
Friday, October 31 - Sunday, November 2: Our meeting’s annual retreat,
at the Glen Helen Outdoor Education Center. This will include meetings
for worship and business at the OEC on Sunday
Sunday, November 9: Following Meeting for Worship, brown bag discussion
about our meeting’s committee structure
Sunday, November 16: Following Meeting for Worship, brown bag discussion
with guests from Havurah regarding the Torah.
2. Agenda for November 2 Business Meeting (and eleventh query):
Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business
To be held at the Outdoor Education Center Following Retreat
1) Consideration of the Eleventh Query on Peace.
2) Review of minutes of October 5 meeting.
3) Report from delegates to Quarterly Meeting.
4) Committee Reports:
Membership and Pastoral Care: Makeup of newly constituted Nominating
Committee--David Hyde.
Ministry and Advancement: Hearing assistance device for Rockford--Bruce
Heckman.
Meetinghouse Committee: Revised Agreement with University--Paul Wagner.
Archives Committee -- Tee Forshaw.
Letter from Olney -- Peg Champney
5) New Business.
6) Next Meeting planned for December 7.
Eleventh Query: Do you live in the life and power which takes away the
occasion for all wars? Do you, on Christian principles, refuse to
participate in or cooperate with all military effort? Do you work
actively for peace and the removal of the causes of wars? Do you
endeavor to cultivate good will, mutual understanding and equal
opportunities for allraces, creeds and nations? Have you examined your
life style and possessions to make sure that the seeds of war are not
found within them?
**** **** ****
3. Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting, July 30 - August 2, 2003: [Actually
this report was supposed to have been in last month’s QuakerShaker, but
wasn’t because of the editor’s oversight -- my apologies, from Bill]
OVYM Friends met for the annual session from July 30 through August 3,
2003 at Earlham College. 178 Friends attended, including 39 children,
to conduct business and consider the theme "Be Patterns: Living in the
Life and Power that Takes Away Occasion for All Wars."
Visitors. Visitors were welcomed from FWCC, FGC, FCNL, FCUN, and FCIA.
The FCNL rep reported that renovations have begun on the FCNL building
in Washington, D.C. The "War is NOT the Answer" project has distributed
22,000 yard signs. Bumper stickers and pins are also available. The
AFSC rep reported that the Dayton office is co-sponsoring the Journey of
Hope 17 day tour of Ohio to call attention to the need to abolish the
death penalty and encourage reconciliation.
The FCUN rep reported that the Ecological Footprint quiz will be
available at the sessions, and that recycling bins will be in use
throughout the campus. Pendle Hill will sponsor a conference on
economics and ecology. The Greenfire Ecovillage, a 72 acre community,
is in operation near Athens, Ohio. Dick Hogan of
Athens Monthly Meeting in Lake Erie Yearly Meeting has been instrumental
in the establishment of Greenfire Ecovillage. The Wilmington Westheimer
Peace Symposium on Oct. 29, 2003 will feature Robert Kennedy, Jr. The
FWCC rep reported that tapes are available from the Sri Lanka project,
and that the group has reaffirmed the centrality and strength of the
Peace Testimony. A report on the FGC Racism Conference described both
the historic discussions and future work to be done. Friends were
reminded that racism has both visible and invisible manifestations.
Minute Approved on Iraq and Afghanistan.
OVYM Friends approved a minute to address the conflicts in Iraq and
Afghanistan. It reads: "Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting of the Religious
Society of Friends calls for the end of the U.S. occupation of Iraq and
Afghanistan. We call on our government to turn over the short-term
administration and policing of the nations to the United Nations with
the mandate to restore self-government rapidly to these peoples, and to
pay our fair share of the cost of the UN administration. We are
concerned that escalating guerrilla warfare will not only needlessly
wound and kill Americans, but also will inevitably
increase the brutality of an already brutal occupation. We call on our
fellow Americans to question our nation's motivation for the occupation
of these nations, and, particularly to question the extent to which its
motivation is the establishment of military bases and extraction of
natural resources. We ask our fellow citizens to search their hearts
and to ask how these occupations could be consistent with democratic
principles, let alone the spirit of love and compassion that so many of
us feel."
OVYM Internal News. OVYM Friends were introduced to Krystin Schmidt,
the OVYM Clerical Support person. Krystin can be E mailed at
ovym-@insightbb.com. Friends were advised that procedures have been
put in place for the regular performance reviews of contracted employees
with the yearly meeting. This process had been neglected in the past,
and the new procedure will correct the situation.
The OVYM Peace and Social Concerns committee was established at the 2002
session, and has had an extremely busy year. The Advancement and
Nurture Committee has also had a busy year. Friends were encouraged to
consider involvement on Yearly Meeting Committees to maintain good
connection between Monthly and Yearly Meeting. Executive Committee
shared that several meetings have not been represented at their
meetings. Two meetings within OVYM no longer meet for worship of
business, but do not feel called to be laid down. Fall Creek Monthly
Meeting has experienced deep conflict. Care of Fall Creek has been
shifted from Advancement and
Nurture to Whitewater Quarter.
Yearly Meeting Assessments.
Friends considered the matter of Yearly Meeting Assessments in a
Threshing Session. Concern centered around the definition of
membership, and formulas for calculating assessments. The
Threshing Session did not yield any specific change to the assessment
process at this time. The assessment for monthly meetings is currently
$ 74.00.
Workshops. Workshops covered topics of parenting, racism, peace and
social concerns, simplicity and sustainability, and scripture.
Wednesday, July 30 evening featured an intergenerational "Get
Acquainted" activity.
Thursday evening featured a concert by Susan Stark, David Duvall, and
Mary Lou. The plenary speaker of Friday evening, August 31, was Bob
Schmitt of Northern Yearly Meeting. James Dunn presented the Living
Witness.
Teen Committee. The Teen Committee has begun the search process for a
new Teen Secretary, as Dorothy Day completes her contract with OVYM in
January, 2004. OVYM Teens have been invited to consider participation
in a service project in Russia in June, 2004. The project is being
co-ordinated by Kri Anderson of LEYM. Friends were challenged to
seriously consider Middle Youth programming.
Discipline Revision. The Discipline Revision Committee reported that
the section on Close Relationships is near completion. Monthly Meetings
were reminded of the importance of participating in the process.
Monthly Meetings will be asked to contribute ideas about the structure
of the new Book of Discipline (or Faith and Practice). In January,
2004, meetings will be sent a draft section on the Environment, with
responses due by the end of March, 2004.
Friends Music Camp. J.P. Lund reported that enrollment was full for
2003 and that the camp is thriving. Friends approved the addition of a
nominated representative on the Friends Music Camp Board from Olney
Friends School. The 2003 Friends Music Camp session featured a workshop
on Conscientious Objection led by Dana Putney from Florida. 39 campers
participated. Friends affirmed the importance and value of this
workshop for both men and women, as a reinstated draft could include
women.
Friends were reminded that those seeking C.O. status must have
documented records of participation in events. In the case of Friends,
the monthly meetings can maintain these records.
Braddock Trust. Byron Branson reported that trustees are active in the
work of administering the trust. The trust had lost money on
investments, and was unable to award grants to prisoners. However, the
trustees are working to restore the grants in the current operating
year.
Upcoming Events:
Sept. 20 - FWCC Midwest Regional Gathering at the Miami Meeting House
Oct. 19 - Miami Quarterly Meeting in Waynesville. (Oct. 18 is
Waynesville Bicentennial Celebration)
Oct. 29 0 Westheimer Peace Symposium at Wilmington College. 9AM address
bv Robert Kennedy, Jr.
July 28 through August 1, 2004 - OVYM at Wilmington College
Report prepared by Deb Kociszewski
**** **** ****
4. Biographical Notes on Cheryl Keen: We have run earlier bios of
members and attenders in the Quaker Shaker and hope to continue. Cheryl
Keen is beginning a new position at Antioch College as Dean of
Community Learning in the Dean of Students Office, where she will serve
along with Jimmy Williams, the new Dean of Student Life.
Cheryl and Jim Keen came to Antioch College in 1995 as co-deans of the
Faculty. She has since been college professor and has served in other
roles. They have both been active in our Friends Meeting. Jim is a
birthright Friend, and they were both members of the meeting in New
Jersey, where they lived for eight years. Their son Justin is a third
year student at Antioch where he is majoring in theatre. He will be
directing an act from Waiting for Godot this term.
Cheryl recently wrote a long letter in the Antioch Record ntroducing
herself to the Antioch community in her new position, and she has
graciously permitted me to edit the autobiographical sections as follows
below. I also asked how she had learned to play hymns so well for our
singing before meeting.
She said “I learned to play hymns so well by having been the sidekick
to my father, who was the head of our Lutheran Sunday Schools in two
different towns. He gave little sermons to the kids and I led them in
songs. So I got really good at 3-flat Bach type pieces, which
predominate in Lutheran hymns.”
Following are the parts of her letter to the Record telling more about
her own life:
I’ve had several experiences before coming to Antioch that have helped
prepare me for this role. I didn’t grow up in a family that understood
liberal arts education, but I’ve always been oriented towards community
building. I am the only person in my extended family to get a liberal
arts degree.
My grandfather was a school janitor and in his own way contributed to a
school’s sense of community. My father turned his technical training
into skills in management, and valued his opportunity to counsel the
people he worked with. When I was in high school he used to kid me,
saying I would grow up to be a gatekeeper, listening to people’s
concerns and helping direct them to the proper door. That’s still my
role as a facilitator of people’s learning.
I went to Bethany College [B.A.1973] in the panhandle of West Virginia
where I was a hall advisor and ran peace conferences. I studied math and
psychology and got a teaching certificate. I had a passion to teach
peace, and headed for a master’s at Harvard Graduate School of Education
.
I met Jim Keen that first semester [married 1975] and together we
started a peace and justice major at Harvard College while studying
community, learning environments and social change. Those were powerful
years for me. … I’ve always been a people person, gaining energy from
people. My Ed.D. [Harvard, 1981] training in developmental psychology,
counseling, curriculum development and learning environments design
gives me insight into possibilities for Antioch.
Later Jim and I got a chance to design and run a summer school for
gifted students - “The Governor’s School on Public Issues and the
Future of New Jersey.” For 13 years I was the dean of faculty and dean
of students wrapped into one. A hundred students would arrive each
summer for a month of intense living and learning in a diverse
community. I lived in the dorm and ate with the students. It was great.
At the same time we were doing the research for our book, Common Fire:
Leading Lives of Commitment in a Complex World. We concluded that the
path to a life of commitment required deeply engaging relationships with
people who our interviewees had initially thought were different from
themselves, only to learn through sustained dialogue that they were more
like each other than not.
We set out to find a college that provided such learning opportunities.
Antioch fit the bill with co-op, shared governance, narrative
evaluations, interdisciplinary majors, and its small size. We’d been
seduced by the legacy of Horace Mann and love it more every year. Since
then I’ve had a chance to learn from working in the Center for Community
Learning as Bonner Scholar Director, and in Admissions to find
innovative high schools from which to recruit students, in the classroom
as a teacher, in the Dean of Faculty’s office, in the Writing Center as
coordinator (the precursor to the Academic Support Center), and in a
project collaborating with Admissions and Co-op to reach out to
co-op-like high schools in a
federal grant project. The research I’ve done on the effectiveness of
Antioch’s educational program leaves me inspired.
**** **** ****
5. Israeli Airmen refuse to commit assassinations:
"We, Air Force pilots who were raised on the values of Zionism,
sacrifice, and contributing to the state of Israel, have always served
on the front lines, willing to carry out any mission, whether small or
large, todefend and strengthen the state of Israel.
"We, veteran and active pilots alike, who served and still serve the
state of Israel for long weeks every year, are opposed to carrying out
attack orders that are illegal and immoral, of the type the state of
Israel has been conducting in the territories.
"We, who were raised to love the state of Israel and contribute to the
Zionist enterprise, refuse to take part in Air Force attacks on
civilian population centers. We, for whom the Israel Defense Forces and
the Air Force are an inalienable part of ourselves, refuse to continue
to harm innocent civilians.
"These actions are illegal and immoral, and are a direct result of the
ongoing occupation which is corrupting all of Israeli society.
Perpetuation of the occupation is fatally harming the security of the
state of Israel and its moral strength.
"We who serve as active pilots - fighters, leaders, and instructors of
the next generation of pilots -- hereby declare that we shall continue
to serve in the Israel Defense Forces and the Air Force for every
mission in defense of the state of Israel."
Signed: Brigadier General Yiftah Spector, Colonel Yigal Shohat, Colonel
Ran, Lieutenant Colonel Yoel Piterberg, Lieutenant Colonel David
Yisraeli, Lieutenant Colonel Adam Netzer, Lieutenant Colonel Avner
Ra'anan, Lieutenant Colonel Gideon Shaham, Major Haggai Tamir, Major
Amir Massad, Major Gideon Dror, Major David Marcus, Major Professor
Motti Peri, Major Yotam, Major Zeev Reshef, Major Reuven, Captain
Assaf, Captain Tomer, Captain Ron, Captain Yonatan, Captain Allon,
Captain Amnon"
An article in the weekend magazine of Yediot Aharonot reports that the
most outstanding name among those who signed is that of Yiftah Spector,
a Brigadier General in the reserves. Spector is a pilot of mythic
reputation in the Air Force, who commanded squadrons and bases,
participated in the bombing of the nuclear reactor in Iraq, and was a
candidate for corps commander. Young pilots are raised on battle stories
about Spector and on books that he himself wrote. He still flies in the
Air Force as a trainer in the reserves for the flight school.
In a response to a TV reporter, the Commander of the Air Force said,
"This is not an earthquake in the Air Force, and it's important to keep
this in proportion. This is the first I hear of a letter like this. We
have the most humane and moral army there is. This is political
refusal. I don't understand how one can refuse in advance to carry out
an order that was not yet given. Political refusal is the mother of all
dangers to this nation. Refusal should not be a part of our language."
**** **** ****
6. Buy fresh pecans from Jane Morgan: If you want pecan halves or
pieces, please call Jane Morgan, 767-1461, for prices in bulk or singly.
There are 24 one-pound bags in a case, and you may order any amount you
wish. They make fine gifts and will arrive early in November if Jane
gets your order before October 28. The pecans will be from this year’s
new crop, and prices are similar to those last year. The proceeds from
the sale to Friends will be given to the meeting for whatever charity
the meeting chooses to support.
**** **** ****
7. Monthly Meeting for Business October 5, 2003
Yellow Springs Friends met for business at the meetinghouse October 5,
2003. Present were Luanne Ebert, David Hyde, Cindy Butler-Jones, Kathy
Hale, Hazel Tulecke, Harold Putnam, Mary Letson, Peg Champney, Dale
Blanchard, Joan Brucker, Lorena Hyde, Eva Paige, Bill Houston, Irwin
Abrams, Jean Putnam, Fran Goodman, Carl Hyde, Deb Kociszewski, Jane
Morgan, Ken Champney, Carol Simmons, Paul Wagner and Don Hollister.
The meeting opened in silent worship, which included prayerful
consideration of the tenth query on stewardship.
1. Minutes. The recording clerk read the minutes from the September 7
Meeting for Business. The minutes were accepted.
2. Miami Quarterly Meeting. Dale Blanchard, Billie
Eastman and Dick Eastman will serve as Yellow Springs Friends
representatives to Miami Quarterly Meeting on October 19, 2003 in
Waynesville.
3. Membership and Pastoral Care. David Hyde read a letter from Deb
Kociszewski requesting membership in the Yellow Springs Friends Meeting.
Irwin Abrams reported for the clearness committee that met with Deb
regarding membership. The clearness committee, consisting of Irwin
Abrams, Bruce Heckman and Dale Blanchard, recommends the acceptance of
Deb as a member in the Yellow Springs Friends Meeting. As is our
custom, final approval of the membership will be taken up at the
November 2 Meeting for Business.
4. Ministry and Advancement. Dale Blanchard reported that the hearing
device system will be installed when a technician is found. The meeting
retreat will be held Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, 2003. Registration forms have
been distributed, and Friends are encouraged to invite friends and those
who have not been attending meeting.
5. Archives. The clerk has not heard from Tee Forshaw, our archivist,
and will contact her regarding the role of archivist. Friends expressed
concern.
6. Meetinghouse Committee. Paul Wagner reported that Yellow Springs
Havurah intends to insure the Torah that will be housed in the Rockford
Meeting House. Regarding the matter of Rockford scheduling, Paul
reviewed the current lease relative to scheduling. Paul met with Joanne
Prinze of Antioch University, and expressed confidence in the scheduling
system established by her.
Paul presented a summary of the current agreement and a proposed
agreement that would have Antioch University responsible for scheduling
of Rockford. Paul distributed a new "rental policy sheet" that includes
contact information for scheduling. A copy of these documents is
attached to the archive copy of these minutes. New keys will be
distributed when the locks are changed. Groups currently meeting at
Rockford will be advised of the changes in procedure. Friends expressed
gratitude to Carol Simmons for her work in scheduling and to Paul Wagner
for his work with the revised policy.
7. 2003-04 Budget. Ken Champney distributed copies of the proposed
budget. Friends approved the budget as submitted.
8. Visioning. Deb Kociszsewski shared a concern about the structure of
Yellow Springs Friends Meeting and the comments that have been
contributed by Friends to the Nominating Committee. Deb proposed a
Threshing Session to be held Sunday, Nov. 9 after meeting for worship
with a brown bag lunch. Additional discussion may be scheduled during
the meeting retreat Oct. 31 to Nov. 2.
9. FWCC Midwest Regional gathering. Mary Letson reported that
approximately 40 Friends attended the Midwest Regional Gathering on
Sept. 20 in Waynesville. FWCC considered "What Friends are Doing for
Peace" as a follow up to the conference at Guilford College in January,
2003.
10. OVYM Executive Committee. Peg Champney reported that the minutes
of the 2003 OVYM sessions have arrived and are available for all
households in the meeting.
The next meeting for business will be held on November 2, 2003 at the
Glen Helen Outdoor Education Center following lunch at the meeting
retreat.
The meeting closed in silent worship.
Deb Kociszewski, Recording Clerk
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