MCGM will meet on February 4, 2012, at Evanston Friends Meeting meetinghouse, 1010 Greenleaf.

We will begin gathering for coffee and fellowship 8:30-9:15. Our program will be in the morning, and will be a consideration of ways forward for MCGM. There have been two explicit proposals received, attached to this post. (Click the link to download.)

After lunch, we will have meeting for business. We should be done by 3 PM. Something important could be decided–don’t miss out!

First, I want to remind you (again) that there will be no MCGM meeting this November.

MCGM will meet as usual on the first Saturday of February, February 4th, 2012, at Evanston Friends meetinghouse. (Schedule still to be determined.) We will be considering possible CHANGES to MCGM, please attend.

Standing Committee will meet January 7th, 2012, also at Evanston Friends meetinghouse, 10AM -noon. Standing Committee is our single, all-purpose committee (apart from ad hoc committees). It helps plan the program and prepare the business for meeting for business. The appointed representatives of meetings, their alternates (formal or informal–if you are are rep and can’t make it, ask someone else from your meeting to attend), and ALL OTHER INTERESTED FRIENDS are welcome at Standing Committee.

Here is the report on MCGM’s Gather & Grow meeting at Lake Forest Friends meetinghouse, Aug. 6, 2011

Facilitated by Ken Jacobsen, Held in the Light by Katharine Jacobsen

Report prepared by Judy Erickson with help from the other members of the Ad Hoc Planning Committee (Bonni McKeown, Janet Means, Earl Smith)

Twenty-three people attended* who are or have been affiliated with the following monthly meetings:

From Illinois Yearly Meeting (ILYM): Downers Grove, Duneland, Evanston, 57th St., Lake Forest, Oak Park, Upper Fox Valley. There were no attenders from Northside, Oshkosh, Rock Valley, nor South Bend; nor any current attender from 57th Street.

From Western Yearly Meeting (WYM): Chicago Monthly Meeting, Downers Grove, 57th St. As mentioned above, there was no current attender from 57th St.

As the Presiding Clerk of ILYM (until mid-June 2011), David Finke had reviewed the State of Society reports of all MCGM Monthly Meetings, most of them not yet published. He shared his reflections about the life and condition of these meetings. (See attachment.) He informed us of the presence of a Central American Quaker evangelical group on the south side of Chicago. David also summarized the history and main roles of MCGM over the years. We are grateful for his thoughtful contributions, which helped set a context for our work.

Participants journaled individually about the first three queries, and discussed Queries 4 and 5 in small worship sharing groups. Here is a summary of thoughts that were shared, emphasizing ideas shared by several people. For more comments please see the attached notes by Ken Jacobsen and Judy Erickson.

Query 1. What are the signs of life and growth among us and in our meetings?

Children and young people lend an invigorating and hopeful presence.
New attenders lead to new ways to grow spiritually and organizationally, to expand work of committees and discussion groups, and to deepen relationships.
Building or gardening projects increase feelings of support, stewardship, and rootedness in the community.
Caring more about the burdens of Friends is a sign of spiritual growth, and also an acceptance of our limitations. We are reminded of the biblical metaphor “lilies of the field.”

Query 2. What are our greatest challenges as meetings?

The pressures of time and energy experienced by many people in today’s world can hinder commitment, both individually and within the meeting community.
We need to be mindful of the needs of our children, our aging Friends, and those with financial needs.
We struggle with how to be with God together faithfully, deeply, articulately, and openly in all our diversity.
We are sometimes challenged to balance the spiritual and the social justice aspects of our faith.
We need to better recognize and support our leaders.
We need to grow more aware of how monthly meetings are part of and can participate in wider Quaker bodies.

Query 3. What new work are we being called to? Is it a collective call?

Friends called the group to awareness of the dangerous condition (wars and environmental degradation) of our planet.
There was a call for more Quaker community building events like the Corn Roast.
There was a call to do outreach in Chicagoland, to let people know of Quakers in their midst and to welcome seekers to come and explore our faith communities.
There was a call to recognize and explore the challenges of attracting and integrating diverse newcomers into our meetings.

Query 4. Are we hearing a clear and vital need among Chicago Friends that MCGM might serve at this time? If so, what is it?

While attracting or dealing with diverse people, we need to be flexible and open to new relationships.
We perceive a need for a Friends organization that knits us together, that provides social service work with fellowship events.
We need to get our young people together more often.
We want to grow and share Quakerism in the Chicago area.
If we want to speak out as Quakers on social issues, we need some regional Quaker body to season statements developed by monthly meetings.

Query 5. If there is no clear and vital need for MCGM in its present form, is it time to lay it down?

Some Friends expressed a need for a regional organization to build multilevel Quaker relationships, address the business of both yearly meetings, and provide a forum to season social issues. They suggested we lay down MCGM to create a new Quaker organization to address these needs.
Some Friends suggested that MCGM should continue but be transformed.
Some suggested MCGM would benefit from a new name and organizational structure.
In all actions, we need to be mindful of a sense of accountability.

SUMMARY

We need to grow together spiritually. We need to build and sustain relationships across, and possibly beyond, the Quaker spectrum. Through inreach we can grow organically, from the ground up. Through outreach and interfaith work we can increase the visibility and vitality of Quakerism in the Chicago area. All these relationships can strengthen us spiritually, intellectually, socially, and in our service and witness work.

Can MCGM provide an organizational structure for doing this work, or do we need to look beyond MCGM for something different? With the guidance of the Inward Teacher, we will further explore this question at a follow-up meeting Nov. 12, 2011, at Evanston Monthly Meeting.

We are very grateful to Ken and Katharine Jacobsen for helping us discern our work, for keeping us rooted in the Spirit and for holding us in its Light. We hope they will feel led to help us again in November. Special thanks to Lake Forest Friends Meeting for their warm and generous hospitality, and to Amanda Sneed for her child care service. Many thanks to all who gave their time and insights; participants are listed here:

*Mark Berg, Helen Dickinson, Judy Erickson, David Hadley Finke, Nancy Finke, Daniel Freire, Fernando Freire, Priscila Freire, Bill Howenstine, Pam Kuhn, Jinny Laughlin, Roger Laughlin, Bonni McKeown, Janet Means, Elizabeth Mertic, Angie Reeks, Phyllis Reynolds, Laurie Rippe, Diane Saper, David Shiner, Earl Smith, Pam Timme, Pam Wolfe

The Sixth Annual Old-Fashioned Corn Roast and Pot Luck Picnic

Metropolitan Chicago General Meeting —hosted by Upper Fox Valley Quaker Meeting­

When: Saturday, September 3, 2011 – 3:00 p.m. till dark

Where: Alice and Bill Howenstine’s
Pioneer Tree Farm
4614 Pioneer Road (3 miles north of McHenry, half mile off Rt. 31)
McHenry, IL 60051 Tel: 815-385-8512
(a map can be printed from the farm’s web site: www.pioneertreefarm.com)

What’s happening:

3:00-5:00 — volleyball, hiking, hayrides, horseshoes, croquet, feeding the chickens,
frisbee, or your own favorite game…and good conversation!

5:00 — pot luck supper – roast corn, lemonade, ice tea, and coffee
will be provided by Upper Fox Valley

Evening — campfire, singing, stories

Camping overnight is okay. Breakfast can be a co-op affair – and you are welcome to join Upper Fox Valley Meeting Sunday: discussion group, 9 am; worship, 10 am (held at Crystal Lake Montessori School), followed by a simple pot-luck

What to bring:
— some food to share (and cooler, if needed); soft drinks (if desired);
— your own non-disposable plates, cups, utensils;
— folding chairs or blankets to sit on (there are four picnic tables and benches);
— mosquito repellent; sun-tan lotion;
— musical instrument;
— (camping equipment, of course, it you want to camp overnight)

DRESS FOR THE WEATHER WITH OUTDOOR CLOTHING!


RSVP:
It would help in ordering corn to have an idea of how many will be coming!
815-385-8512 or abhow AT oawl DOT net

The Sixth Annual Old-Fashioned Corn Roast and Pot Luck Picnic

Metropolitan Chicago General Meeting —hosted by Upper Fox Valley Quaker Meeting­

When: Saturday, September 3, 2011 – 3:00 p.m. till dark

Where: Alice and Bill Howenstine’s
Pioneer Tree Farm
4614 Pioneer Road (3 miles north of McHenry, half mile off Rt. 31)
McHenry, IL 60051 Tel: 815-385-8512
(a map can be printed from the farm’s web site: www.pioneertreefarm.com)

What’s happening:

3:00-5:00 — volleyball, hiking, hayrides, horseshoes, croquet, feeding the chickens,
frisbee, or your own favorite game…and good conversation!

5:00 — pot luck supper – roast corn, lemonade, ice tea, and coffee
will be provided by Upper Fox Valley

Evening — campfire, singing, stories

Camping overnight is okay. Breakfast can be a co-op affair – and you are welcome to join Upper Fox Valley Meeting Sunday: discussion group, 9 am; worship, 10 am (held at Crystal Lake Montessori School), followed by a simple pot-luck

What to bring:
— some food to share (and cooler, if needed); soft drinks (if desired);
— your own non-disposable plates, cups, utensils;
— folding chairs or blankets to sit on (there are four picnic tables and benches);
— mosquito repellent; sun-tan lotion;
— musical instrument;
— (camping equipment, of course, it you want to camp overnight)

DRESS FOR THE WEATHER WITH OUTDOOR CLOTHING!


RSVP:
It would help in ordering corn to have an idea of how many will be coming!
815-385-8512 or abhow@oawl.net

For years, the Metropolitan Chicago General Meeting of Friends has been a welcome place for area Quakers to gather three or four times a year. MCGM does not fit easily into standard Quaker structure, but it’s been a place to cross-fertilize diverse friendships and religious ideas. Over the years MCGM has offered informative programs and pitched in on solid service projects. But what is MCGM’s purpose now?

Beginning Saturday Aug. 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Lake Forest Friends Meeting, we invite you to help seek our regional vision. We’re looking for the old guard, the middle guard and especially young Friends who are the future. Our planning committee agreed to a process that throws open the doors to new MCGM purposes, functions, and scheduling. Bring your queries and ideas as Ken Jacobsen, who facilitated several Quaker institutions in re-visioning themselves, leads us through inspired discussions and fun activities. We’ll explore new possibilities of being together, enhancing our spiritual growth, and expanding our Quaker presence around metro Chicago. Join with us; Gather and Grow!

On the MCGM Visioning committee are Judy Erickson, Bonni McKeown, Janet Means Underhill, Earl Smith. More members welcome.

Our May meeting will be at Downers Grove meetinghouse on Saturday, May 7th, 2011.

Approximate schedule:

9:00 AM: arrivals, name tags, coffee & fellowship, possibly singing
>if you or your meeting have favorite hymns/songs embodying Quaker values, consider coming early and sharing/teaching/leading those songs!

9:30 AM to 12 noon: worship, worship with attention to business
>note that we will be forming a nominating process & committee

12 noon to about 1:15 PM: lunch & cleanup
>please lend a hand so Downers Grove Friends can enjoy the program

following cleanup, about 1:15 to about 3:15 PM: program

Program:

Bonni Mckeown and Earl Smith of Chicago Friends Meeting will talk about the need for Friends to address criminal justice issues raised in civil rights lawyer Michelle Alexander in her powerful, readable book The New Jim Crow. Fueled largely by the War on Drugs, a backlash against the civil rights movement, growing unemployment, the prison-industrial complex, and the unsavory ambitions of some politicians, we have now seen 30 years of mass incarceration focused mainly on poor black men. The prison system is now gobbling up Latinos, women and poor white people as well. The legal system is full of injustices. We are putting millions of dollars into prisons instead of schools.

With our history of campaigning for justice and humane prison conditions, Friends have an important role to play. This two-hour workshop will start the discussion and help us each discern for ourselves what we should do.

Bonni and Earl have each attended workshops on racism and diversity. Both have lived as minority whites in Chicago’s African American communities in Cabrini Green and the West Side. Earl has also lived as a volunteer in Su Casa domestic violence shelter for Latino women and families. Bonni has written the story of bluesman Larry Hill Taylor, who served five years in Menard Prison.

To prepare for the workshop, please consider reading Michelle Alexander’s book The New Jim Crow. www.newjimcrow.com

Also, Ruth Marquez has found Peggy McIntosh’s book White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack very helpful. It’s discussed in a blog here, complete with a few contentious comments:
http://blog.burkescarbrough.com/2007/01/white-privilege-unpacking-invisible.html

Please come with open hearts and minds. We’ll sing a few blues tunes at the end!