Simply Speaking Jamestown Friends Meeting – 509 Guilford Rd – PO Box 2163 – Jamestown NC 27282

March 2018

The weather is a little crazy. I don’t recall it ever being this warm at the end of February. However, I do love the warm (hot) weather with crocuses and daffodils shining forth their brilliant colors. Even the trees, espe-cially the redbuds, are sending forth buds, flowers, and new growth. This early? Really?

I know there may be more cold weather in the next month, but this is nice. It certainly says that we nev-er know when spring will come. For me, it is a sign that we never know when, or where, God’s kingdom of Love and Light will appear. It is a sign that we need to be “woke” and paying attention to the signs of the in-breaking of Love and Light. We can’t always pre-dict. We can’t always determine where and when, nor can we say that “it will look like this and not like that.” Yes, God’s presence may very well surprise us, appearing in unusual places and times. So be on the look-out.

Yes, there may be a setback to this early awaken-ing of spring with a cold snap or two. Even this early spring gives us hope, hope that warm spring rains are coming, with the warmer months of summer to fol-low. Yes, this movement toward warmer weather may be interrupted by cold snaps, and even the trees and flowers may be knocked back a bit, we know that the progression of the year is toward warmer weather, new growth, with trees and vegetable gardens putting forth their produce.

Spring is about rebirth, renewal, and resurrec-tion. Certainly, Easter is about Resurrection. I’ll be so bold as to say that we never are sure when the Resurrec-tion will take place in our lives. Though we have the “date” of Easter designated on our calendars, Easter (Resurrection) happens not only when we are ready, it often catches us unawares, surprising us. There may be some hesitations, some starts and stops, little setbacks to our Resurrection, but we know that it is coming. We just know that Resurrection comes, and we need to be, must be, ready to respond and welcome the “newness” and re-birth.

Light Workers

I see the Resurrection, or at least hope and antici-pation of Resurrection, at Meeting as we prepare to move forward in our ministries. Not only is the grass turning green, and the trees are sending forth new growth, but we are also witnessing new people joining us for worship and in ministry. As we are exploring new opportunities of ministry, we are witnessing to Resurrection. New life, hope and faith, are bursting forth all around we as we seek to continue to witness to God’s Love and Light in our communities.

Do you feel the energy?

In the Light, Frank Massey pastoral minister 336.454.3813

I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. (John 11:25-26)

Only after disaster can we be resurrected. ~ Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club

Treasurer’s Report

(As of January)

Compiled by Ronnie Hicks, Treasurer

Contributions (actual) $35,085

Contributions (budget) $6,191

Total Expenses (actual) $7,116

Total Expenses (budget) $7,608

March Message Schedule

March 4 Frank Massey

March 11 Frank Massey

March 18 Kathy Coe

March 25 Frank Massey

According to Susan...Bulla, that is

Irish Pledge

May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve

been,

The foresight to know where you are going,

And the insight to know when you have gone too

far.

Did You Know?

By Martha Mattocks

It’s crunch time—ACC basketball is at its

peak and the NCAA tournament is just around the

corner! I hope all you basketball fans will enjoy the

slew of upcoming games, and have fun—no matter

where your loyalties lie! .And remember...there’s al-

ways ‘next year’!

Jamestown’s United Society of Friends

Women (USFW) is currently composed of seven

women (Peggie Baxter, Jewell Farlow, Agnes Frye,

Martha Mattocks, Robbie Patterson, Rosemary

Hatzler, and Mary Butt), but all women of the meet-

ing are encouraged to to become members. While we

do not meet regularly, we are still involved in mis-

sionary wor. Did you know that the North Carolina

USFW is a major contributor to USFW-International

budgeted items? The March project sends funds to

the “Four Funds”—Love (Belize), Faith (Kenya),

Hope (Ramallah), and Joy (USA-Native American

workers). Everyone is welcome to contribute to these

projects. If you would like to assist, please give your

check, made payable to NC-USFW, to Martha Mat-

tocks. Or if you prefer, you may make your check

payable to JFM and indicate that it is for NC-USFW.

Reminders for us all:

• The food box in the foyer needs restocking for

our local food pantry.

• Flowers for the Meeting room and foyer are al-

ways welcomed. Contact Martha Mattocks or

Linda Willard if you have any to share.

• Contact Martha Farlow if you are interested in

assisting with Fellowship Meals.

• See Rita Roberts if you can help clean the Meet-

ing house.

• Start saving and pricing your yard sale items for

the Spring Yard Sale.

And now you know!

Music Notes By Beth Massey

Our new Hailun piano was delivered on Mon-day, January 29, and immediately began filling the worship room with rounded tones of rich reso-nance. Our worship room has always been a space that makes the most of sounds and silences, and it proves to be so for our newest instrument as well. I must also say that I enjoy having our Yama-ha in the fellowship room as I play through music from our choral library to make selections for the coming seasons. As we look forward to resuming Wednesday choir rehearsals, we all look forward to having a better sound to accompany our rehearsal singing there. So continuing thanks to Lew & Cindy Hudson for the Yamaha piano that has served our meetings for worship for nearly 10 years and will continue to serve us in the fellowship room. And to Jamestown Meeting for being willing to give part of Louise Richardson’s bequest to make possible the purchase of our new Hailun piano for the worship room. Also from Business Meeting, the Music Com-mittee has received approval to go ahead with a Piano Dedication Event to be held on Sunday afternoon, June 24. We look forward to a variety of music in a program that will follow an ice cream social on the front lawn. Stay tuned for more details as we move closer to the day. If you know of someone you would like for us to invite to sing with us, or perhaps to play a different instrument that day in ensemble with our piano, let us know. The choir will help our Jamestown Meeting contemplate and celebrate Easter this year by leading meeting for worship on Easter Sunday -- April 1, 2018. We’ve altered our rehearsal schedule to try to accommodate as many choir members’ schedules as possible, but alas we will still be missing some key singers that day. If you would like to try out choir just temporarily, or if you might be interested in sing-ing regularly with us, please consider joining us now to sing through this season of tragedy and triumph and hope. See the March calendar for our new re-hearsal schedule, and COME SING WITH US!

USFW Funds

In the “Did You Know” column, Martha re-

minded Friends that the missionary circle would be pleased to accept funds to support USFW projects. Ron Hicks has set up a special fund in the Jamestown Friends bookkeeping program to accept these dona-tions. As Martha stated, checks my be made to NC-USFW or to JFM with NC-USFW on the memo line.

USFW supports various projects including:

• Kenyan missions • Ramallah Friends School • Belize missions • Friends Church Peace Teams in East Africa • Native American programs • Jamaica missions If you would like to know more, see Jewell Farlow or Martha Mattocks or check out the USFW-I web site at http://usfwi.net/.

Name That Quaker

By Linda Willard

I invented something that accelerated the develop-ment of American agriculture in the antebellum peri-od. Who was I and what did I invent?

(Answer on a different page.)

Monthly Meeting Summary Second Month, Fourth Day, 2018

Submitted by Mark Farlow

We have not received a transfer of membership from

Archdale for Carla Padron. Enough time has passed to

assume that such a communication will not be forth-

coming and we should proceed with consideration of

Carla’s request for membership. Contact will also be

made with Rudy Padron, her husband, who has also

expressed some interest in membership.

A request was made of Ministry and Counsel that they

consider a more formal way to mentor new members.

A request was made of Ministry and Counsel that they

organize a long-range visioning committee and process,

similar to a strategic plan. The committee will be a

cross functional group with representatives of fall as-

pects of the meeting’s interests.

Minister’s Report – Frank Massey

Darlene Stanley, who has requested use of the meeting

house in June, toured the facility and did not express

any reservations. Frank will follow up to see if they

have made a final decision.

House and Grounds

The tree near the picnic shelter has been removed.

Music Committee

The new piano has been purchased and the old piano

moved to the fellowship room.

All of the funds that were allocated were not spent. The

music committee will recommend an action for the ex-

cess funds.

There is a dinner and celebration planned for June 24th.

This event will be a recognition and appreciation of the

donors that enabled the purchase of the piano.

Next meeting: March 4, 2018

Nominating Committee

The final 2018 Officiary was approved

Treasurer’s report from Ron Hicks

We received a large contribution in late December, but

the deposit was not made until January. The dona-

tion will appear on the 2018 statements to maintain

continuity with the bank statements.

There may be a need to clarify our instructions to

NCYM, Inc regarding how our askings are allocated

between NCFF and the Quaker Lake Endowment.

Stewardship and Finance

Mark Farlow will convene the committee, requesting action

on the following items:

Select a Committee Chair

Recommend action for the balance of the bequest of

Louise Richardson’s estate

Recommend to accept/decline 25% share of property in

Louise’s estate

25% was left to High Point University, but they are pre-

cluded from co-owning property and have asked if

we would accept their share

Recommend a way to recharacterize the Chicken Dinner

as a fund raiser for a specific project or cause

Recommend action on “excess” cash

Introduce Friends Fiduciary Trust Corporation as a po-

tential alternative to Vanguard

Trustees

There was a request for the trustees to research whether

we have Directors and Officers liability insurance. Ministry and Counsel

A subcommittee met to discuss a proposal from Carla

Padron for the use of the meeting house. The pro-

posal included classes for yoga, reiki, immigrant

counselling, tutoring and sales of some items. The

group has some concerns. Long term or open-ended

commitments may leave the meeting house unavail-

able for meeting activities. The groups on the list

normally charge a fee for the classes. We are unfa-

miliar with some of the classes and need to know

more. Is the meeting seen as endorsing these activi-

ties and do we have liability if injury occurs? The

group proposed that we schedule a series of educa-

tional sessions, open to the public, whereby each of

the instructors may present their activities. The for-

mat would be similar to the nutrition forums held by

Larry Webster last summer.

March Birthdays

March 5 Peggie Baxter

March 7 Bonnie Beggs

March 11 Martha Farlow

March 12 Charles Coates

March 17 Rita Roberts

March 25 Laura Altizer

March 27 Lora Hampton Girdwood

Simply Speaking is published monthly for

Jamestown Friends Meeting

509 Guilford Road, PO Box 2163

Jamestown NC 27282

Phone: (336) 454 3813

E-mail: JamestownFriends@aol.com

Editor: Kathy Adams; Managing Editor: Wallace Sills

Columnists: Frank Massey, pastor; Beth Massey;

Martha Mattocks

Answer to “Name That Quaker”

I was Jethro Wood. I invented a cast-iron mold-board plow with replaceable parts. This was the first commercially successful iron moldboard plow.

The Poetry Corner

Living Today

Fret not tomorrow’s loss today’s joy to lose,

Live this day, love this day and choose

Steerage from Eternal voices.

Fret not some future pain in lieu of present calm,

Lift up the Spirit, as needed now,

Not in some distant time and place.

Fret not some future death,

Know now the vibrancy of our present being.

Faith gives rise to hope in future times,

But it is this day which we are living.

~Binford Farlow, June 1996