7/21/2006

Prayers for Pacific Yearly Meeting

Dear Friends,

I'm going to send this to adults who have registered for Pacific Yearly Meeting. How lame is this, I'm posting to the blog before I actually email out this request! [Lord, have mercy on me, a fool.]

We’re looking forward to a great time with our program this year, "It Takes a Meeting to Raise a Quaker II: The Sequel." Once again we will use the loose framework of "SPICES" (simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, sustainability) to explore Quaker values -- and the Source of those values.

I’m writing now to ask for your help in one of two possible ways:

» Teaching: We are still a few slots short of a full teaching team. Please consider if this may be your year to share your gifts with our youngest Friends! Inquire with me or Susan Nickerson. If you think you could teach only part of the week, let us know that, too, and if we can match you with someone who has the opposite scheduling needs, we will consider it. [Lord, Peggy prayed for a real Quaker and got a descendant of Isaac Penington; Lord, send us some teachers, whether professional or inspired amateurs!]

» Volunteering: Here is a great and refreshing opportunity to get to know our youngest Friends through a few hours of painting, playing, singing, even napping! Please do sign up for a slot or two or three to help lighten your spirit and remind you that life is good and the world is a beautiful place! There’s just something about the new eyes of children that wakes us up to the wonder of our own lives. [Lord, we were so blessed with volunteers last year, may we be so again this year.]

If you’re a committee clerk, please consider whether there’s something of your committee work you could share. [Lord, help us to bring our own light and love to these our children. May we also keep in mind all children, not just our own, and especially those who need some extra comfort. I'll just remind you about what Aj said over here, but you knew that already.]

May boundless grace and showers of blessings be upon you! Journey safely.*

Chris M., for the
Pacific Yearly Meeting Children's Program Committee

* Okay, so I'm probably not going to add the references to other blogs in my email. And I'm not going to write out the prayers either. That's just what I'll be muttering under my breath as I hit "send."

5 comments:

Liz in the Mist said...

This is someone from Great Plains Yearly Meeting keeping this as a prayer request :) Having dealt a lot with childrens ministry/programming I feel you!

Linda said...

Hi Chris,
"May boundless grace and showers of blessings be upon you!...
* Okay, so I'm probably not going to add the references to other blogs in my email."
I'm still flattered by the reference. Sing enough Sacred Harp and you, too, can catch all the sly allusions in our posts!
While I'm here... you don't ever have to apologize for length of comments on my blog-- and I do hope you turn your story into your own post. I loved it!

Anonymous said...

Thanks, both of you! Liz, I hadn't seen your blog before, sounds like you are super involved with the children. Thanks for your service!

Tonight I typed out a schedule for the week and sent it to the committee. That helped. And I sent the volunteer recruitment flyer to the assistant clerk, so hopefully that can go in everyone's packet.

-- Chris M.

PS The "word verification" I'm typing for this comment is "wahme" which is a lot like, "Wah, me! Poor me!" ;)

Lisa H said...

Hey, Chris! I'd love to see your schedule for the kids' program. Again, if there's some way to come in for brief periods to sing with the kids, I'd love to do that.

Chris M. said...

Lisa,

Check your email, I sent you the schedule.

Lisa's comment inspired me to think about how you could help the children prepare for Memorial Meeting for Worship through song... that's part of what I emailed to her.

-- Chris M.