News

Colorful SpicesBy Carol December is a festive month full of color. Even as the orange and yellow leaves of autumn are falling to the ground, we begin to think of Christmas reds and greens as we decorate our houses inside and out. The other day in worship I began to wonder about pairing our six testimonies with the six colors of the rainbow.If each one had its own color, what color would it be? Colors do have a kind of emotional quality; we think of them as warm or...

Greetings, FriendsWe collected 21 Thanksgiving  baskets for the New Tyler AME Food Pantry this year.  This surpassed our goal of 20 baskets.  Thanks to all who participated.   The baskets were delivered to the Food Pantry yesterday  morning.  Aiding me in the delivery were Schleppers Extraordinaire Kali and Shahin. Each basket included a Thanksgiving card signed by many of our Meeting, and a $10 grocery card to either Aldi or Kroger.   The church was expecting 100 hams and turkeys from another source to accompany these baskets.  Unfortunately,...

On My OwnBy David C.Since my illness last fall, I have relied on others to watch over me and make sure I don’t fall, but when Quaker Earthcare Witness scheduled their fall meetings at the Quaker retreat center at Pendle Hill, I felt ready to strike out on my own. All went well. I had a direct flight to Philadelphia and a taxi to Pendle Hill. The biggest challenge for me was walking up hill and down to the main...

A local friend known to many Memphis Friends, George Grider Jr., has a new book out, Voyage of the Merry Ark. The memoir tells the remarkable story of five crewmen caught in an ocean storm that nearly took their lives. The story of the at-sea rescue of the dog Sam, the ship’s mascot, was published nationwide, sparking a revolution in American animal rights, one that continues sixty years later.Such an extraordinary ending–nautical and political–required extraordinary players, including Memphis civil-rights lawyers Lucius Burch, Mike Cody,...

Ted's Meeting for Learning on 10/15 was grounded in several queries: How can dwelling in “unsettling places” create conditions for the still small voice to surface?What are the things that haunt us? What forms do these hauntings take?What do our ghosts want from us?Who are the ghosts present in our midst who can support our journeys? In responding to these queries, Ted drew from his own experiences living in his family's home built by enslaved people in the 1830s. He and Ellie...

Registration for FCNL's annual meeting and Quaker Public Policy Institute (November 15-19) is now open online. You may register for one or both events, and you may attend virtually or in person. It's going to be an inspiring, hopeful and significant event. I hope you'll join us for all or part of the meeting! Jane Hiles and Susan Penn (SAYMA Reps to FCNL) Virtual attendance is $150 (with assistance available from the MFM Spiritual Development Fund). A free FCNL tote if you...

At the August business meeting, the Justice Working Group shared information about the American Friends Service Committee’s ThinkTwice campaign (https://afsc.org/thinktwice). AFSC’s four ThinkTwice webinars, available as recordings on the web site, explore the impact of calling the police within our diverse communities and offer practical suggestions and de-escalation skills. The campaign also invites people to sign the following pledge:Before calling the police, I'll ASK myself whether the police would help the problem or create more harm. Is the situation an inconvenience,...

The query offered at business meeting and meeting for worship on 9/10 was how we nourish our friendships so that they deepen over time.At business meeting, plans were shared for Thanksgiving baskets this year. New Tyler AME has arranged to receive turkeys and hams for the 100 or so friends who frequent the church's food pantry. On behalf of the meeting, Robin has committed for our meeting to gathering food basket items for 20 food baskets to complement the meat...

The Memphis Theological Seminary's Center for Faith and Imagination is sponsoring a no-cost retreat October 30-31 at St. Columba Retreat Center outside Memphis: "A Spiritual Walk with Howard Thurman" with Dr. Lerita Coleman Brown. Registration is required, with an October 15 deadline. Registrants will receive a free copy of Dr. Brown's recently published book about Howard Thurman and his mysticism. Participants are asked to read the book prior to the retreat. Among the many sources of Howard Thurman's mysticism was his time in Quaker worship and Quaker...

Ethel “Doris” Connor, 68, died at home Thursday, June 22, 2023. The last few days of her life were mostly spent sleeping and listening to friends who came to say goodbye. She died a few minutes after some of her deepest friends spoke to her about her beloved children, grandchildren, and her part of the Quaker community that cared so much for her. She made us better people. At the recent SAYMA Meeting for Remembrance, this message was shared, and a...