by WebPost | Jun 19, 2016 | Uncategorized
Richmond Friends Meeting (RFM) uses a monthly newsletter, email messages and a website to communicate with the Meeting community and beyond. The list below describes the ways we communicate, how to receive communications, and how to submit information.
RFM Newsletter – The monthly RFM Newsletter is published as paper copies and PDF files.
Paper copies are made available at the meetinghouse for visitors and newcomers and also mailed to a limited number of friends on a postal mailing list. To reduce costs and paper use, friends with computer access are asked to receive PDF file copies by email.
PDF file copies are 1. sent by email to the e-Newsletter list (see below) and 2. posted on the RFM website on the Life of the Meeting page. (Note: Personal contact information for everyone, and specifics about children, are redacted from the website PDF version.)
e-Newsletter List – A list of email addresses is used to send out PDF copies of the newsletter. Note: the e-Newsletter list is different from the Newslist aka listserv. The e-Newsletter list is used only to distribute the electronic newsletters. This allows newcomers, visitors and far-away friends to receive our newsletter by email without receiving all the emails from the Newslist.
To receive the newsletter by email, subscribe to the e-Newsletter list by sending an email to [email protected].
Newslist aka listserv – A list of email addresses used to email all announcements, news and documents such as the agenda for a meeting), except for the newsletter.
To receive RFM communications (not including the newsletter) by email, subscribe to the email distribution list by sending an email to [email protected].
RFM Website – The website at richmondfriendsmeeting.org has public pages devoted to basic information about RFM, a calendar and list of events, postings with news, articles, documents (including the newsletter), and information about The Clearing (the retreat facility operated under the care of RFM). It also provides access to a password-protected section with meeting and committee documents.
How to Submit News and Information
For the newsletter: Send email to the Newsletter editors at [email protected].
For the Newslist aka listserv: Send email to [email protected]. Note: content must be pre-formatted and ready to send as email.
For the RFM website: Send email to [email protected].
by WebPost | Jun 14, 2016 | Peace and Social Concerns
From the New England Yearly Meeting of Friends:
June 14, 2016
“How deeply we are connected.”
A Prayer in response to the shootings at Pulse in Orlando.
Friends believe there is that of God in all people. To intentionally harm another—with our actions, our words, or our policies—is to separate ourselves from God. We are here to love one another and to be loved as God loves us, and as Jesus teaches. We are not whole without each other.
To those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex, asexual and queer, whose place of safety has again been targeted and attacked, we stand with you in love. We pray for love big enough to hold us all.
We seek to create a world in which all people are unconditionally loved and cared for, as God unconditionally loves and cares for each of us.
We call on people of all faiths, and no faith, to recommit to the work of ending homophobia and transphobia within our faith communities, our neighborhoods, and our nation. The rhetoric of exclusion, of separateness, and of hate creates a culture that gives rise to acts of terror. We know the power of God’s love is great and that we are called to make manifest that love in the face of hate. We believe that God never calls any person, communion or community to hate or to engage in violence.
We know God’s love extends fully and unconditionally to all who are GLBTIAQ, to all who are Latinx, to all who are Muslim, to all who some in our culture would denigrate or deny full humanity.
We stand with all those who call for this moment in our nation to be a catalyst for greater love, stronger community, and a justice that heals and unites. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that (Martin Luther King).
Fritz Weiss, Presiding Clerk
Sarah Gant, Clerk of Permanent Board
by WebPost | Jun 8, 2016 | Adult Spiritual Education
The session on Friends General Conference to be led by Michelle Bellows will NOT be held June 26th. It will be rescheduled sometime in the fall.
by WebPost | May 31, 2016 | Adult Spiritual Education
From Lina Blount, Communications and Outreach Coordinator, Pendle Hill:
Please help me spread the word about Pendle Hill’s online learning offering “Exploring the Quaker Way” which starts in mid June 2016 and runs until late August. Registration for the 8 week course is open until June 5.
We believe this new initiative meets a real need within the Religious Society of Friends. Many local meetings increasingly see the importance of robust religious education and deeper spiritual dialog within the wider Quaker community. Yet, several of these meetings do not have the resources necessary to provide engaging, focused study with experienced educators and classmates from a wide variety of Quaker meetings. Our Quaker Studies Online courses are designed for spiritual seekers who want to engage in personal reflection, focused study, and deep dialog within lively communities of learners guided by seasoned Quaker educators.
The goals of this course are to help seekers, attenders, and interested members of Friends meetings: 1) deepen their understanding of the Quaker movement; 2) better understand the spiritual journey common among early and current Quakers; 3) reflect on their own spiritual journeys within this spiritual tradition; and 4) become more familiar with several key elements of building vibrant and caring Quaker meetings. It is designed for people who want to explore these themes through personal reflection, focused study, and deep dialog within a lively learning community gently guided by seasoned Quaker educators.
The course will be co-taught by Steve Chase and Marcelle Martin, along with a few special guest webinar presenters.
For more information about the course and registration, please follow up here.
by WebPost | May 23, 2016 | Peace and Social Concerns
A workshop named “Living the Richmond Pledge to End Racism” is being held at the Unitarian Church, 1000 Blanton Ave. on Sat., July 9, 2016 from 9 to 4 and Sat., July 23, 2016 from 1 to 4. The organizers of this event are Annette Marquis and Anita Lee; they are also the organizers of “Living the Pledge to End Racism”. The event is free, donations accepted.
The goals of this workshop are to:
- Integrate the Richmond Pledge into our daily lives
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Recognize and challenge systemic racism
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Confront racism and bias in our everyday lives, and
- Take leadership in ending racism in our community, our culture and our lives.
As part of the workshop participants develop a community of support and an understanding of how to use support in deepening our goal in building a just and equitable, multi-cultural world.
If you are interested in attending this workshop, please email Marcia Dickinson for information on how to apply.