Please sign up for RFM Spiritual Foundation
From Joe Ball for the Spiritual Foundation planning group:
“The heart of Spiritual Formation is the intimate sharing that takes place in small group.”
Juan Whittington
“Our Spiritual Formation Program offers practical ways for seekers to deepen their personal spiritual experience while building community. No matter where you are on your journey, the Spiritual Formation Program meets you there.”
From “Sacred Intersections: Spiritual Formation Program,” Baltimore Yearly Meeting
The focus for RFM Spiritual Formation this year will be Practical Quaker Mysticism. Readings will include but not be limited to two Pendle Hill pamphlets: John Yungblut, “Speaking as One Friend to Another: On the Mystical Way Forward” and Rex Ambler, “Mind the Oneness: The Mystic Way of the Quakers.” [Pamphlets will be provided by Adult Spiritual Education]
As in the past, each small group of 5-7 people will meet once a month, and all participants will meet in a large group once a month.
Because of the topic and the richness of the ASE program on “Mysticism: Living From the Inside Out” which will take place from September 12th to November 21st, we will start Spiritual Formation in early September this year to coordinate with and build on the ASE program.
If you have any questions about Spiritual Formation, please contact Joe Ball at jball@newarka.edu.
In the meantime, we encourage you to sign up by sending me the following information:
· Name
· Preferences for Small Group meetings:
· Morning, afternoon, or evening?
· Weekday or weekend?
· Zoom or in-person (with appropriate social distancing as needed)
· Willing to serve as a small group leader: Yes/No
· Willing to serve as a Zoom host: Yes/No
Meetinghouse use during the pandemic
Friends, this is a reminder that the meetinghouse is still closed due to the pandemic.
The building should only be used for specific committee-related activities that require a physical presence inside. Maintenance and upkeep projects are in process. We want the space to be as safe as possible for those who are caring for the building, including members of our community and contractors.
The same door code had been in use for a long time and had been distributed widely. Since building use is now limited, it is a good time to update the code. If you need to access the building for a meeting-related purpose, please contact your committee clerk.
Outdoor spaces, such as the garden and picnic table, ARE available for use. Enjoy! Please maintain suitable distances and consider wearing a mask if others are present.
Thank you,, Rita Willet, Clerk, Richmond Friends Meeting
Mindfulness Meditation: Is it a Spiritual Practice?
N ADULT SPIRITUAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY
This Saturday, July 11, 2020
Beginning promptly at 9:30 am on Zoom
Log-in will be open at 9:15
Led by Howard Garner and Barbara Hulburt
In this time of stressful isolation, we participated in a 40-day mindfulness meditation course online. The sessions were only ten to twelve minutes long and provided an opportunity to practice relaxing, breathing, and being present. We valued these experiences and have continued to practice almost daily.
Our experiences with mindfulness meditation led us into meaningful discussions that explored two big questions that we invite you to consider on Saturday:
Is mindfulness meditation a spiritual practice?
And if it is, how does it differ from Quaker worship?
During this session, we will provide an opportunity for you to experience a short mindfulness meditation led by Tara Brach (who was one of the teachers in the course we took). You can learn more about mindfulness practice and Tara by going to her website tarabrach.org. This is not required reading.
Following the mindfulness meditation you will be given an opportunity to discuss your experience with others. We will also share our answers to the questions.
The link to the Zoom session will be sent to you on Friday. We are waiting until then so it won’t get buried in your email. We hope you will join us.
Threshing session on re-opening
All are invited to a threshing session on First Day, July 12 from 7 to 8:30 PM.
We will gather online to consider our meeting's "re-opening" - how we might envision and plan for an eventual return to in-person gatherings and the use of buildings & grounds at both the Meetinghouse and the Clearing.
This is a time to share perspectives, concerns, and hopes. We will have time to share individually and we will hear brief reports from committees.This is a time for listening and sharing - no decisions will be made. Please join this community session on Sunday evening if you are able to attend.
Zoom link will be emailed.