by Diane Bowden | Jun 19, 2018 | Announcement, Peace and Social Concerns
1. Transportation needs have increased significantly. In addition to transporting to Northern VA for ICE court hearings, transportation to Midlothian ICE office is needed biweekly for people recently out of detention who wear ankle bracelets. If anyone is interested/able to join the Transportation Circle (of Central VA Sanctuary Network), please contact Sally Gudas at seatide1@gmail.com, and see below for additional information.
2. Being present in a supportive, visible way in the Latinex community is an important part of offering solidarity and assistance. Likewise, speaking Spanish is important in making all the other assistance “user friendly” Sacred Heart Center, among their many excellent services, offers Spanish classes for English speakers. By taking classes at the Center we can both learn Spanish and be present in the community
3. The Thrifty Quaker, a thrifty store run by Midlothian Friends, designated Central VA Sanctuary Network as recipient of their proceeds during the month of May: $4095.55 This took the Sanctuary Fund from $0 to enough money to pay for legal fees, lawyers’ fees, etc. We are really glad that Central Virginia Sanctuary Network’s time and work in building relationships, establishing trust and a finding a good referral pathway, has resulted our being able to help the community more. This translates into significant increase in requests for transportations. Over the last month or two, we have had many requests to transport people to their local bi-weekly ICE check-ins in Midlothian, to lawyer appointment, in addition to the usual transportation to court hearings in Northern VA. If you would like to join this effort, please email Sally Gudas, chair of the Transportation Circle.
TRANSPORTATION TRAINING
What: Training for Volunteers wishing to help with Transportation to legal appointments of Undocumented
Immigrants
When: Training to be held Sunday, July 1st, at 12:30 PM
Where: First Unitarian Universalist Church of Richmond, 1000 Blanton Avenue.
Sally Gudas, Transportation Circle Chair for the Central Virginia Sanctuary Network is facilitating the workshop. Spanish speakers are greatly needed, but we need non-Spanish-speakers as well. Several Friends from our Meeting have been involved in this work and have found it rewarding and helpful to the immigrant clients. Please email or call Sally if you plan to attend: seatide1@gmail.com, (804)399-8342.
by Diane Bowden | Jun 19, 2018 | Aging, Announcement, Topics
Our mission statement is: It is our goal to be a source of practical, emotional, and spiritual support to help each other as we age in community. Membership: Membership is open to retirement age members and attenders of Richmond Friends Meeting and to non-Quaker spouses. Currently we have 39 members.
Requirements of membership: A membership survey must be filled out annually. It is due by the end of January. (A willingness to support other group members.) Annual dues ($25) have been suspended for 2018.
2018 Slate of officers:
Clerk- Janett Forte
Recording Clerk- Mary Fran Hughes-McIntyre
Treasurer- Donna Knicely
Asst. Treasurer-Carolyn Moul
Program Coordinators- Cas Overton, Emily Kimball
Resource Coordinator- Ellen Argenteanu
Care Coordinators- Ada Hammer (lead), Phoebe Antrim, Bob Alexander, and Jean Washburn.
Backups – Wendy Wadsworth, Chris Olson-Vickers
It is the Coordinator’s job to find volunteers as needed to provide practical, emotional and spiritual support for our membership. If you have a need/request please try to contact the care coordinator directly. Requests for support = Since Feb., we have had about 35 volunteer requests performed so far. This year our activity schedule includes six meetings. Generally the time is 5:00 to 6:30 pm on Monday’s. We meet at Richmond Friends Meeting.
Business meetings:
o January 16, 2018 (Tuesday)
o July 10, 2018
Education programs:
o March 5, 2018
o September 12, 2018 from 5:30 to 7:00
Social programs:
o May 7. 2018 – Donna Knicely’s home
o November 5, 2018 – TBD
The current balance in our account is: $3,838.25 with one expenditure in amount of $300. If you are interested in membership please contact me – or join the business meeting on July 10. We’ll be discussing program and meeting times, the group’s connection to RFM/Care and Counsel, reviewing the nature of
member requests, use of our funds, and ideas for future social and educational activities.
Presented by: Janett Forte – Clerk of Aging in Community Support Group
by Diane Bowden | Jun 19, 2018 | Announcement, Uncategorized
Spring retreat this year was full of friends rooting deeply into old traditions and branching into new experiences. We sat on the big front porch and enjoyed each other’s stories and laughter. Friday night’s movie “Intelligent Trees” was foundational to Joe Murray’s talk on Saturday. We listened to Joe Murray speak about trees, a subject many of us thought we knew about, but were in lightened with new insights. We did a grounding yoga practice in the morning, and a laughing yoga in the afternoon. Barbara Myers led us in a flower arranging workshop, which by many reports was great fun. Flowers adorned all of the tables at dinner time, which brought great joy. When there was work to be done, folks just pitched in. We gathered at the pavilion and told cheesy jokes and
stories around the fire, cozy and dry, out of the rain. We celebrated Oakie and Atticus Hebner’s birthdays with cake and steak. The steaks came from a cow named Daisy, who lived on the Hebner’s farm. We saw a family of three foxes in the field. The twin flowers were in bloom. We witnessed a rite of passage, as Atticus removed his training wheels and rode his bicycle unassisted. The committee learned some lessons along the way, such as dinner is much simpler without sweet potatoes. We had a lower attendance this year, and we had a financial deficit for the first time in many years. However, the weekend was a tremendous success. It was full, but unhurried. Many thanks to all who attended, and all who planned this special weekend.
by Diane Bowden | Jun 19, 2018 | Announcement, Committees, Peace and Social Concerns, Uncategorized
The Workcamp committee installed plantings for new homeowner, Sandra, at her home in southside Richmond, on June 2. The mission of this committee is:
The Workcamp Committee at Richmond Friends Meeting seeks to act on the Quaker belief that there is that of God in every person. We believe that working cooperatively can put us in touch with that deeper spirit. We seek to do physical work in the spirit of love. Working with a homeowner, we will devise a plan for the yard. With the homeowner, we will plant shrubs and flowers. We
have found that working together enhances relationships, which is our deeper mission. We believe that working with others in our community has tremendous potential to build relationships and reduce misunderstanding.
Sandra is a new homeowner recommended by HOME (Housing Opportunities Made Equal). Meeting with two committee members, Anne Gray and
Barbara Myers, a week in advance, we planned a small vegetable garden (tomatoes and okra) for Sandra’s sunny back yard and hydrangeas, azalea, and small hollies for the front of her brick house. It was a warm sunny day, and committee members Wendy Wadsworth (co-clerk), Barbara Myers (co-clerk), Anne Gray, Anna Best, Anne Atkins, Carolyn Moul, Mark Perry, Paul Kvam, and Al Best dug up the grass and installed the new plantings. A flat of begonias and a deep covering of mulch provided the finishing touch to the new garden. We had a picnic lunch in the shade and celebrated the new look of Sandra’s yard. Sandra later wrote to us, “I love my lawn. My family, friends, and neighbors have all expressed how beautiful my lawn looks. Thanks sooo much for your hard work and kindness. May God bless you all for being thoughtful and loving neighbors.”
by Diane Bowden | Jun 19, 2018 | Announcement, Newsletters
For at least the past eight years, the RFM newsletter editors, Diane Bowden and Don Miller, have used the 2013 draft of Baltimore Yearly Meeting (BYM) Faith and Practice as the source for queries and voices at the top of each newsletter. These queries and voices are then often used in our meetings for business. The 2013 draft of Faith and Practice was laid down, or not approved, at BYM Yearly Session in 2013. This means that the current, accepted BYM Faith and Practice was approved in 1988, with revisions approved in 2001. The 2013 draft of Faith and Practice is now out of print, but still available on the BYM website. A new BYM Faith and Practice Committee will be nominated to make revisions to the 1988 version as needed and requested. Because of the unapproved status of the 2013 draft, he newsletter editors will be using queries from both the
approved 1988 Faith and Practice and the 2013 draft, along with quotes (voices) from the 2013 draft. This is simply an explanation for the change and the reasoning behind it. Should you wish to comment on this change,
please contact the editors at RFMnewsletter@gmail.com.