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
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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
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/.