Westport Friends Meeting

March 2006 Newsletter

i thank You God for most this amazing
day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday; this is the birth
day of life and love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

(now the ears of my ears awake and
how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any-lifted from the no
of all nothing-human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?


now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

by e.e cummings

• 3-5 NEYM Youth Worker’s Training at Woolman Hill


• 5 Worship Sharing/Discussion for State of Society at 11:45 AM


• 8 Finance Committee, 8:30 AM


• 11 NEYM Ministry and Counsel,


• 12 Ministry and Counsel Committee, 11:45


• 19 Monthly Meeting for Business, 11:45


• 17-19 JHYM Retreat at Wellesley Mtg


• 17-19 Young Friends Retreat at Hanover Mtg


• 26 Religious Ed Committee, 11:45


• Peace and Social Concerns, 11:45

• 13 Katey Baker-Smith


• 13 Blair Tatman


• 16 Alexandria Josephine Miley


• 16 Deana Chase


• 26 Buddy Baker-Smith


• 30 Nick Bauer

Monthly Meeting for Business: Buddy Baker-Smith, Clerk of Meeting read aloud a letter from Stewart Kirkaldy. Stewart’s trademark wit juxtaposed with his keen memory of all things Westport were evident throughout the letter as he offered glimpses of what life is like now for he and Frankie compared to all their years living in Westport. Friends were touched by this correspondence, reminding us anew just how much they are missed, still.

Recently our meeting community was saddened by the news of Eva Kelly’s death. In cooperation with Eva’s family, a memorial service in the manner of Friends will be held at the meetinghouse, June 3, 2006, from 2:30-4:00 PM. Ministry and Counsel Committee will oversee the arrangements.

Ministry and Counsel: Steven Correia, Clerk, reported that the committee has selected the queries which will guide our meeting as we reflect on our annual state of society within our meeting community. Friends are encouraged to gather on Sunday, March 5, at 11:45 AM for worship sharing and discussion which will serve as the foundation of annual state of society. Please see the queries attached to this newsletter.

Property Committee: Buddy Baker-Smith, reporting for the committee, said that the crumbling front steps of the residence will be replaced soon. The committee is also still shopping the best price for a new equipment shed and hopes to make a selection soon.

Mindful that our current Friends In Residence, Mark and Eliza Miley, will be leaving by June of this year, Property Committee presented a two-page “Draft Contingency Plan” which covers the basic daily, monthly and seasonal duties of the FIR position. This document helped Friends to understand what we as a meeting community would be responsible for should a new FIR not be in place by the end of June. Friends discussed and approved the need to begin our search process in earnest now and not wait until summer or early fall.

A discussion was held concerning the ongoing subcommittee that is reviewing the pros and cons of continuing to own and maintain a separate residence, historically referred to as the “parsonage.” The work of this committee is ongoing and has not made a recommendation to monthly meeting yet. Friends agreed that the search process for new Friends In Residence should proceed simultaneously even as the Residence subcommittee does its work.

Related to the Residence Subcommittee’s work, Friends expressed a desire to research the history and use of the Residence/Parsonage since it was built over a hundred years ago. Deana Chase and Ruth Howland agreed to begin this task. Other Friends and local residents who have information about this building are encouraged to be in touch with either Ruth or Deana.

Book Fair Committee: Friends are reminded that book sorting continues weekly on Thursdays between 1:00-3:00 PM. Help is always needed and appreciated. Please speak with Mark Bauer, Deana Chase or Barbara Wicks for info. Our annual Book Fair is only four months away, folks!

Religious Ed Committee: Betty Ann Lee, clerk, expressed the committee’s appreciation to Beth Bauer, outgoing clerk, for all her work over the past few years. The committee also welcomes Lee MacGregor as its newest member. Lee is an elementary school teacher and parent of Emmett and Avery MacGregor.

Religious Ed also encourages Friends to celebrate the new babies coming to meeting for worship and who are taking part in our First Day School infant-toddler program! This program will run each Sunday during meeting for worship and will consist of one parent, (at least) one meeting member volunteer and one first day school teacher who will receive a stipend for their weekly curriculum planning, setup and cleanup following each first day school session. A signup sheet for meeting member-volunteers is posted in the Community House. Please consider signing up to help out!

Parents of older children are reminded that First Day School continues to be held weekly at 10:20 AM, except on the second Sunday of each month when they remain in meeting for worship with adults. The Junior/Senior high group also meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month between 6-9 PM, under the leadership of Gretchen Baker-Smith. (See additional info)

Peace and Social Concerns Committee: Deana Chase, clerk reported that Natalie Baker-Merrill, campaign manager for the Rhode Island Campaign for Conscience, visited with Westport Friends in January on the proposed National Peace Tax Fund. For additional information, visit their site at http://www.peacetaxfund.org/

The committee also approved sending $100 to support Friends working to construct new drywalls in the hurricane ravaged Gulf Coast. Local efforts, which are part of a larger national collaborative of Friends Meetings and other churches, is being coordinated locally by Smith Neck Friends Meeting.

Sandwich Quarterly Meeting: On January 28 our meeting hosted Quarterly Meeting. A program of music and movement entitled “Joy in a January Day” was enjoyed by all who attended. A new Quarterly Meeting Directory is in progress under the care of Deana Chase.

Congratulations to Katey Baker-Smith for receiving the coveted “Scholastic Art Award’s “Silver Key” recently. Students from 391 public, private, parochial, and home schools across the state vied for a coveted position on the exhibit's walls at the Massachusetts State Transportation Building in Boston. This year, 3,451 students entered the contest, which is open to students in grades 7 through 12. Katey’s winning artwork, a set of beautifully created earrings, will be on display closer to home at the Dartmouth High School’s Advanced Placement Art show beginning March 7 at 6:30 PM. The show will be hosted by the Dartmouth Gallery, (Town Hall) 400 Slocum Road, Dartmouth, MA. Congratulations Katey!

From Gretchen: The next Wednesday night meeting will be on March 15 from 6-9pm in the Community House. We will make a final decision on the focus of our next evening meeting during our 2nd Sunday class on March 12. All young people in grades 6-12 are invited to join us. If you want pizza, though, you have to let Gretchen Baker-Smith know you're coming ahead of time (otherwise you won't be in the "count"!). Call Gretchen at 508-997-0940. Email: gretchen@jymretreats.org

Are meetings for worship held in expectant waiting for divine guidance? Do you come in a spirit of openness with heart and mind prepared for communion with God? Do both silent and vocal ministry arise in response to the leading of the Holy Spirit? Do all other activities of your meeting find their inspiration in worship, and do they, in turn, help to uphold the worshipping group?

Query 2, NEYM Faith and Practice 1986, p. 211

Please send items for Newsletter to Kevin Lee. kevin@jymretreats.org. 508-994-1638

Posted by Greg Stone at May 3, 2006 04:01 PM