BROOKLYN MEETING NEWS A publication of the Brooklyn Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends

brooklynmeeting.org April 2016

Meet the Meeting: work together; it also teaches that we But silence in the classroom is not get to a greater truth when there are limited to the weekly meeting. Quakers in the Classroom more voices contributing. Jonathan points out how important it is to walk the line between making an This is the first installment of our new Similarly, silence is a Quaker observation or connection for a “Meet the Meeting” feature, in which principle that also has a pedagogical student versus simply being in the we get to know Brooklyn Meeting purpose. At BFS, lower school moment and letting students make members and attenders while students have meeting time once per those leaps themselves. highlighting the myriad ways in which week in their classrooms. As a they apply their Quaker values to the teacher, Jonathan uses silence to mark “Silence is key to getting them to a outside world. Would you – or the transition from the busy activity of deeper spot,” he said. “Knowledge is someone you know -- like to be the classroom to the more not just quick recall. They need space featured in an upcoming article? Then contemplative time in meeting, in to grapple with what they’re thinking get in touch! (Talk to one of the which children can begin to get a about.” communications committee members, sense of themselves as part of a or email community as well as an individual. Jonathan notes that he is interested [email protected]) As the meeting goes on, silence also and active in the Quaker identity of sits in the gentle pauses between the school, as a member of the Quaker What makes for a Quaker education? speakers, as children take the time to Life Committee and Quaker Spiritual Is it the use of silence in the absorb what friends have said. Life Communities. classroom? An ingrained respect for diverse perspectives? A “It is essential that the school recognition of the Light within understands and reevaluates all the each child? For Jonathan time: ‘What does it mean to be a Edmonds, math specialist in the Quaker school, in the classroom, in lower school at Brooklyn Friends student interactions, and with School, it is all of these things parents?’” and more. Jonathan specifically sought a In his 14 years at BFS, Jonathan teaching position at a Quaker has given a great deal of thought school when he began his career. to the ways in which he brings Raised Lutheran, he learned about Quaker values to the classroom. Quakers when he studied 19th In part, he explains, it is the way century social movements in he approaches the material. For college, and began attending instance, in mathematics, there meeting in Nashville after he are a number of solutions to any graduated. He started as a teacher’s given problem. If we want to assistant at BFS while still in understand how 6 + 7 = 13, we graduate school, and began can simply put six objects and attending Brooklyn Meeting at the seven objects together and count same time. His wife, Rachel, them. Or we can note that 6 + 6 = teaches English in the middle 12, with an additional one making school at BFS. His son Eli is in the 13; or that 7 + 7 = 14, and taking second grade, while daughter one away makes 13. Naomi is enrolled at the Family Understanding the different ways Center. that people might approach Giancarlo Young adding 6 + 7 does not just give Jonathan is quick to note that he children a better idea of how numbers does not have all the answers about Quaker values in the classroom, but that it is important to explore the questions. In doing so, he is taking an approach similar to the ones that he instills in students – to contribute their truths confidently but also humbly, knowing that it is important to learn from other perspectives. -- Melissa Cavanaugh

March Meeting for Concerns Committee, announced death, or hearing the preferences of plans for a Quaker Party. The party, others is fraught with discomfort. I Business: New Members; sponsored by the New York Quarterly might not have gone to the workshop Committee Report; Meeting, will bring together young if I hadn’t committed to writing about adults from four Yearly Meetings. It it for the newsletter, but I left Young Adult Event will be held at 15th Street Meeting afterwards feeling like the from June 17 through the 19th. He asks conversation was one that more of us Two Letters Applying for that Brooklyn Meeting be responsible should have more regularly. Membership for a potluck dinner on Saturday evening. Friends agree and ask Anna The group was led by Yana Landowne Adrienne Almeida read her first letter Staab to coordinate the potluck. and Electra Cummings, and the of application for membership for her meeting started by asking people to family (including her husband, Communications Committee describe a good death. People Howard Oliver, and daughter, Neva). Reports on the Meeting Newsletter described being close to nature, Amy Hundley read her first letter of having time to say goodbye, being application. Both letters will be read a The Communications Committee comfortable, listening to music, going second time at the April Meeting for reports that the Newsletter was quickly, and disintegrating naturally. Business. published every month but August. Although I’d never asked myself Many Friends from the Meeting specifically about my own death, I May Meeting for Business contributed articles during the year. realized that very distinct images Rescheduled The committee has been short one came to mind. There was a joyful Due to a conflict with the Meeting member for two years. This member quality in the details that people Retreat at Powell House, Meeting for is needed to provide the Calendar of shared—they were descriptions of Business will be held on May 8. Events for the Meeting website and relationships and favorite places, would need to attend Meeting for beauty and art, and in sharing them Recorders Report on Membership Worship twice a month to hear the idea of planning for death didn’t announcements of events. feel like an invitation to disaster, but Iris Lee Stoler reported on the present The Nominating Committee re- also a moment of celebration. membership of the Meeting. Over the nominated three members for the past year the Meeting has added eight Communications Committee. They The opportunity to hear useful adult members and four children. Four are approved. information, and learn from the members died. The Meeting has 207 -- Molly Rusnak experiences of others was extremely members locally, as well as 273 reassuring. I had assumed that the role Attenders. 61 members live outside of of a health care proxy was (stressful, the area, bringing the total of 541. Quaker Values and End- but) straight forward, but there were The Meeting Directory of Members of-Life Decision Making several questions that made me aware and Attenders is emailed four times a of the need for more specific year. Several printed copies are Workshop conversations. A sense of anxiety, that available in the Meeting Library. I hadn’t even admitted, was relieved Iris and Lucy Sikes are nominated as Dear Friends, just by knowing more about what to recorders for their 12th terms ask, and where to find resources for I feel compelled to write personally the information. It was also wonderful New York Yearly Meeting Young about the ARCH workshop that took to share this conversation with people th Adults Plan Large Event place on February 28 , on End-of-Life who were older and younger than Decision making. The process of myself; I felt like speaking about it Glenn Josey, speaking for the New choosing a healthcare proxy, or more regularly within a broader York Yearly Meeting Young Adult describing one’s preferences around community, with less emotional tension, might actually make it easier future. Dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m. to talk about more intimately as well. Bring some food to share or just come Most Friends know that Cadbury’s and share. The event is free. Chocolates was owned by Quakers So much of the conversation about Donations welcome. (until 1969) and that Quaker Oats death seems medicalized usually— never was (although the “Quaker seems to come in moments of crisis, On the morning of April 5th, we are Man” on the box supposedly around the need to make complicated invited to join the Walk into the city represents the product’s integrity). decisions on short notice. A lot of over the George Washington Bridge things are worse for being put off, but from New Jersey beginning at 9 a.m. Quakernomics: An Ethical death is a subject, I’m realizing, that or on the New York side at 9:40 a.m. Capitalism, released in 2014, has a has so many rewards for being This will be a beautiful way to honor title reminiscent of the runaway discussed. The discussion can be the them and a powerful opportunity to bestseller Freakanomics. But the two basis for community, and part of a help bring peace to our city. The are not to be confused. The book’s practice of prioritizing one’s values. walkers will be holding a vigil at 4 author, Mike King, is an English non- The initial discomfort of broaching p.mm at the United Nations’ Ralph Friend with an admiration for the the conversation is so small in Bunche Park which people are contributions Quakers made to the comparison to the benefits of having welcome to join. Also, there is an Industrial Revolution in Britain. These it. I hope others will consider open invitation for anyone to join the contributions were not just in attending these workshops as well. walkers on their continued journey manufacturing, but also in the humane -Catherine Despont from NYC to DC, leaving on the ways that they treated their workers. morning of April 8th. King documents the depth and breadth Happening Soon! Walk Endorsers of the 2016 "Walk for a of Quaker enterprises to such an New Spring": extent that the disappearance of and Talk with the Monks American Friends Service Committee, Friends from the field of business of the New England Peace Action, Global Network begins to resemble the extinction of a against Weapons and Nuclear Power once-dominant species. Peace Pagoda in Space, Mass Peace Action, Merrimack Valley People for Peace, Perhaps it is just as well that we NorthShore Coalition for Peace and Quakers no longer feed our sweet An evening with the walkers from Justice, The House of Peace, Salem tooth. But, for much of the 19th and "Walk for a New Spring" and talk Peace Committee, United for Justice 20th centuriesm Cadbury, Rowntree, on "Shared Security, Re-Imagining and Peace, Veterans for Peace, Arise and Fry were three Quaker firms that, US Foreign Policy." Tuesday, April for Social Justice, Traprock Center together, controlled the market for 5th, 6:30 -- 9 p.m. at New York for Peace and Justice. confectionaries. Society for Ethical Culture, 2 W. 64th Street - Ceremonial Hall King provides a litany of Quaker Starting a New “Work innovations in iron, steel, railways, The Monks of the New England Peace canals, textiles, chemicals, Pagoda initiated their 15th annual Exchange” pharmaceuticals, trade, finance and “Walk for a New Spring,” a 56-day banking (such as Barclays, the firm peace walk from Leverett, This is an invitation from Patricia for which Massachusetts to Washington, DC. Glynn to join me in cleaning up Brooklyn’s This year they are carrying the Quaker and planting my small back eponymous paper "Shared Security, Re-Imagining garden at 278 Sterling Place on rd arena is US Foreign Policy", and sharing it Saturday, April 23 . Call me if named). with communities along their way. you have a few hours that day (718-638-5739). The rewards: However, after several Join us for an interfaith potluck dinner Getting to know some new generations, to welcome the walkers to NYC when friends; coffee, tea, bagels, etc. the founding they arrive on April 5th. Sister Clare throughout the day. Bring families Carter and Towbee Shonin will give a work/gardening gloves if you relinquished talk on "Shared Security: To End have them. their War, Poverty, Racism, and Address companies the Climate Crisis!" followed by a as capitalism discussion with the other walkers. Quakernomics: It’s became Hear about their experiences so far, Not the Book You more of a some of the history of their annual dog-eat-dog peace walks and their visions for the Think world. (Initially, Meetings moderated start with a query, and then messages which George School parent and the business excesses of their will flow out of the silence. trustee Rebecca Boucher opened her members.) home for a small gathering. After Meeting there will be a tour of --Melissa Cavanaugh King adroitly brings to life the men -- the school and a chance to meet some Quaker women were equal in all of the elementary school students. things, except business -- and their TED Talk on Radical operations during this seemingly far- The school is located at 20 Bergen Empathy off period. His facility with economics Street, between Court and Smith and the clarity of his prose is a Streets. You will recognize the I would like to recommend Radical welcome departure from the usual building, as the façade is a copy of the Empathy, a TED Talk by Brooklyn jargon of the “the dismal sciences.” entrance to our Meetinghouse. Meeting member Peter Laughter. This Please RSVP to MMFS if you plan to talk, to me, is deeply connected to the King compares the booms and busts come, at 718-625-3939 Quaker Testimony of Peace. It also of the time with our 2008 meltdown, -- Mary Doty, for the Care relates to our belief that there is “that instead of tracing how the ethical Relationship Committee of God in all people.” I wonder capitalism of Quakers became the whether his ideas are an outcome of corporate social responsibility of Brooklyn Meeting his years as a Quaker, or if he was today. But he does devote the book’s attracted to the Meeting because our second half to analyzing the relevance Welcomes George School values were in harmony with his long- of Quakernomics to the theories of a standing belief system. slew of economists, from Adam Smith On February 28, the Meeting to Paul Krugman. (The importance he welcomed more than two dozen He speaks from experience in grants Ayn Rand as a right-wing alumni, parents and friends from handling difficult people and darling is his one, albeit brilliant, George School, a Quaker boarding situations. In this intense talk, he sets departure into pop culture.) and day school in Newtown, forth a philosophy and mindset for Pennsylvania. During announcements, coping with loved one and others us King identifies as a liberal in the the visitors introduced themselves and who present us with emotional British tradition, but that relevance is Karen Suplee Hallowell, George challenges. While it may be counter- zilch for free-marketers and erratic for School’s director of alumni relations, intuitive, his concept of Radical left-wingers. His take-down of Karl shared some background information Empathy illuminates a way of Marx in five pages is worth the price about the school. Founded in 1893, disarming hurtful situations. You can of the book (which I got from the George School was co-ed from its view the talk at http://bit.ly/1pN2Dqy Brooklyn Library). In other words, inception. “Which, like many things -- Lucy Sikes Quaker entrepreneurs with their Quaker, was radical at the time,” paternalism and philanthropy charted Hallowell observed. a mid-course long before Capital and Quaker Witness and Labor battled over the ship of state. Today, students from 20 states and 52 -- Carl Blumenthal countries learn about Quaker values at Service, Here and Around George School. Hallowell notes that the World Worship with Elementary meeting for worship is central to the life of the school, as is the notion of On Tuesday evening, March 15, School Students at Mary service. Students are required to Brooklyn Peace and Social Action McDowell Friends School complete service learning projects and Committee and Brooklyn Friends have the opportunity to take service School sponsored a combined trips during school breaks to Meeting to hear Friends’ experiences Have you ever worshipped with a destinations such as China, Cuba, of living Quaker testimonies through group of young children, ages 5 to 11? France, Haiti, Nicaragua and South service. These included American It can be a profound experience, as Africa. Friends Service Committee Legal young wisdom is enlightening. Services for Immigrants, The Halawai Hallowell concluded with the hope Voyaging Society in the Pacific Mary McDowell Friends School is that, as the school’s Brooklyn-based Islands, Planned Parenthood of New offering such an experience on Friday, community becomes aware of York City, The Two Row Wampum April 8th, 2016. Brooklyn Meeting, there will be more movement representing indigenous cross-fertilization between the two people in the Eastern United States, Coffee will be served from 8:45 to groups. The visitors stayed and the campaign for African-American 9:15. Meeting for worship will be mingled during social hour, after equality and reparations, “The Power from 9:15 to 9:45. The Meeting will of Goodness” bringing peace some materials used by Friends in this -- Molly Rusnak education to children in Russian, work. Chechnya and the Near East and, finally, Kisangura Friends School for Halawai Voyaging Society Bridge Film Festival children orphaned by AIDs in Tanzania, Africa. The Halawai Voyaging Society works announces “Judges’ with indigenous peoples of the Pacific Choice Awards” American Friends Service Islands, encouraging them preserve Committee Legal Services for their sea-going wisdom and native The Bridge Film Festival is proud to Immigrants culture. Theirs is a tradition of announce that the 2016 Judges' harmony with the natural world and of Choice Awards ceremony will be part Amy Gottlieb described the Service communities living and interacting of the Friends Council on Education's Committee’s legal work in with kindness and compassion. Amy Annual Conference. The event takes representing and helping immigrants Hundley shared her experiences with place on Thursday, April 28. We will incarcerated or at risk of detention. this culture, though she stopped short reveal the results of the festival, She described the conditions in of demonstrating her skills with hula present trophies and screen the award- commercially-operated detention dancing and described its meaning winning films of our student centers, the violations of human rights instead. filmmakers for the first time at involved in individual cases and the Friends Center in Philadelphia! lack of legal representation for those Kisangura Friends School Festival films are available on-line caught up in the system. and the BFF encourages all Friends’ The Kisangura Friends School was educational institutions to make full Planned Parenthood of New York founded by New York City Friends use of them. Let your film speak! City and is represented by the Africa Education Committee of New York Joan Malin, long-time member of Quarterly Meeting. It has a “sister” Brooklyn Meeting, reported on the relationship with Brooklyn Friends work of Planned Parenthood in New School, thanks to the dedication of York City and around the United Marna Herrity, a member of Brooklyn States in providing reproductive Meeting and a teacher at Brooklyn services for women. The recipients of Friends School. Art and technology these services include many poor have been shared. Tony Shitemi of women, and are under political and 15th Street Meeting described the rural governmental attack in many parts of area where Kisangura School is the country as well as in the United located, as well as a major school States Congress. This persecution, project in water collection and a sometimes illegal, has deprived school garden. women of access to services in many states and created an atmosphere of Equality for African-Americans fear. The struggle to protect women’s reproductive rights is ongoing and has Naceo Giles, a long-time member of been supported by Brooklyn Meeting. Brooklyn Meeting with first-hand experience in the struggle for Civil The Power of Goodness Rights, brought Friends up to date on the present concerns and agenda of The Power of Goodness is a mission the African-American community. He bringing peace education to children emphasized the creative power of in Near East, Russia and Chechnya current political action and writing, through stories, art and interactive particularly proposals for reparations experience. Nadine Hoover led for the economic losses from slavery interactive activities with the group and discrimination that could bring and shared her experiences traveling about more economic equality for and working with children, as well as African-Americans today. Submission Guidelines

The Communications Committee The newsletter is published on the • generally be brief, between welcomes Brooklyn Meeting News first Sunday of each month, and we 150-450 words in length. contributions from all Meeting request that submissions for the next Please send your newsletter st • members and attenders. Our newsletter issue be submitted by April 21 . submission as an attached includes a variety of content which may General Guidelines: Word document. be of interest to our community, • Please send an email to including but not limited to: • Keep in mind that [email protected] contributions will be copy Recaps of recent Meeting • rg so that we may briefly edited, and may not appear in events discuss your contribution, as the newsletter in exactly the • Previews of upcoming events regards its timeliness, same form as how they were appropriateness, and length. • Issues pertaining to our submitted. Quaker faith and history • Contributions should Thank you for your interest - we look forward to your input! Regularly Scheduled Activities

Meetings for Worship Social Hour Worship Sharing 9:00–9:50 AM and 12:00 PM Sundays, 10:00 AM, third Sundays, on the third 11:00 AM–NOON on Sundays, Ground-level dining room floor in the meeting room 6:30 PM Tuesdays, Meeting for Worship with a Community Dinner in the meeting room Concern for Business 1:00 PM-3:00 PM SET-UP 1:00 PM, first Sundays, in the meeting 3:00 PM-4:00 PM MEAL/SERVING Childcare room 4:00 PM- 5:00 PM CLEAN-UP, COME FOR Sundays during 11:00 AM worship, for SOME OR ALL! children of 3 months to 3 years, in the care Hymn Singing around the Piano Last Sunday of every month, ground-level of an early childhood teacher and dedicated 10:00 AM, first Sundays, in the meeting dining room; volunteers appreciated for volunteers room this monthly dinner for anyone who wishes Readings of Spiritual Texts a free hot meal. Children encouraged to First Day School volunteer. 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM, Sundays, September to 10:00 AM, second Sundays, in the meeting room Contact: Andres Colapinto, June. Three classes, roughly related to age: [email protected] Bodies (4-6), Minds (7-9) and Spirits (10-12).

Upcoming Events

Ongoing additions to upcoming Meeting events are regularly added to the Meeting website at http://www.brooklynmeeting.org/calendar. To submit an event, email [email protected]. April Friday, April 8th 8:45 to 9:45 AM Mary Thursday, April 28 Friends Center Tuesday, April 5t 6:30 – 9PM New York Society Macdowell Elementary School: Philadelphia: for Ethical Culture, 2 W. 64th Street - Worship with th students, tour to follow. Please The Bridge Film Festival is proud to announce Ceremonial Hall: RSVP to MMFS if you plan to come, at 718-625- that the 2016 Judges' Choice Awards ceremony An evening with the walkers from "Walk for a 3939. New Spring" and talk on "Shared Security, Re- will be part of the Friends Council on Education's Annual Conference. Imagining US Foreign Policy." Saturday, April 23rd: Join Patricia Glynn in cleaning up and planting April 29th- May 1st: small back garden at 278 Sterling Place. Contact Brooklyn Retreat her at 718-638-5739 Save the date!

Send additions to Regularly Scheduled Activities or Upcoming Events to [email protected]. Send inquiries or suggestions about the newsletter to [email protected]. The Monthly Meeting Newsletter is published by the Communications Committee of Brooklyn Monthly Meeting. Current members: Melissa Cavanaugh, Catherine Despont, Ben Hill, Molly Rusnak, Lucy Sikes, and Anna White.