The Farmington Friend Trish Eckert, Pastor VOLUME 75 NUMBER 1 FARMINGTON, NY 14425 JANUARY 2020 Happy New Year We gaily shout, “Happy New Year”, to friends, neighbors and relatives. Then with a fleeting smile the whole atmosphere settles back to the old year. But let’s stop short and see what the expression “Happy New Year” really means. Webster’s dictionary explains happy as “enjoying pleasure or good”. With this in mind I like to associate this meaning with the work and fellowship of our church. This scripture found in Proverbs 15:20 gives us the working foundation--”He who gives heed to the word will prosper and happy is he who trusts in the Lord. “ The word “new” has many meanings which we can twist to fit our own preferences. I like to connect that word new with people working at new jobs, committees, and duties in our church. As we start the year we need to rededicate ourselves with renewed communion with our Lord and dependability on our fellow workers. The word “year” denotes a period of time which stretches in to the future, but as we progress through that year, it is broken up into months, weeks, and days. There is a verse found in Psalms which relates to each. “This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it”. Last Sunday afternoon I watched a professional football game on television. (I really enjoy this armchair sport!) On the interview following the game, I listened to humble and proud professional men answer the questions of an interviewer. Over and over they emphasized cooperation as a team, a willingess to help each other, a respect for the other man’s abilities, dedication of one’s self toward a goal, and –maybe surprising to some of us—LOVE of their fellow teammates. I feel we, as a church, have all of these potentialities and if we use them wisely we will reach our goals. With God’s guidance may we each have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Nathan Aldrich ( This is the front page from January 14, 1970. It still rings true today. ) Pastor’s Corner Happy Birthday! In entering this new year, we’ve moved past the teens of this century and into 2020; inspiring many of us to review the past decade. I have been listening to people (those I know personally and others via social media) reviewing their past in an attempt to gain perspective and achieve clear answers as they seek meaning in their lives. FEBRUARY One of the things I most appreciate about Quaker practice is the tendency to ask questions, to frame queries and to remain open to what unfolds as a result of inquiry 3 Julia Koberlein rather than arriving at a concrete decision or firm answer. 3 Susan Pettig An approach of openness, flexibility, intentionality, and seeking appears to be life-giving for many of us. Questions 3 John Walton enable us to move more deeply into the truth rather than 5 Brian Koberlein stopping at a particular conclusion and not delving further 6 Douglas Koberlein into our experiences, our perceptions, and actions. By 6 Jason Kipp entertaining questions, we are more likely to move beyond 7 Donna Herendeen our intellect and ego. Rather than settling into something 8 Kristin A. Baker comfortable and known, we remain open to new possibilities. 14 Jason Walton In “Letters to a Young Poet,” Ranier Maria Rilke 14 John Zabliski wrote beautifully about questions and pointed out that the 17 Ted Perry answers are revealed through living: “Be patient toward all 18 Ellie Ellingham that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions 20 Harry Lloyd themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now 23 Claire Baker Dakin written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not 28 Sabra Goveia be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.” One of the places where we are exploring questions at Farmington Friends is in our Adult Sunday School Class. FARMINGTON FRIENDS STAFF This past fall we began a Quakerism 101 class, which is Editor Anne Gilson continuing through the winter and through the end of our Co Editor Annie Bontrager Sunday school season. We have been learning some Quaker Front page Anne Gilson history, which has led us to consider Quaker practices. Address labels Anne Gilson Mailing staff Anne Gilson, clerk Now our focus is on our individual stories as we consider Evelyn Sadler and Linda Doyen what we believe and how we live into (or practice) those Copying Pat ford, Anne Gilson beliefs. In preparation for this phase of the class, I Leave articles in the Meetinghouse folder or mail to editor mentioned that we would begin group discussions about by 2nd Sunday of the month: : 2238 Rt. 350, Macedon, NY our individual “theologies”. This might sound super 14502 OR email [email protected] intellectual, but it is actually pretty down-to-earth, as illustrated through this definition by the writer and public theologian, Serene Jones (who is also the first woman president of Union Theological Seminary in New York City). (continued on page 4) 3 Family Promise of Ontario County (FPOC) Quakerism 101 . We are not scheduled to host again until April but we continue to be involved with On the first and 3rd Sundays of the month at the program in many ways. 9:30 there will be an Adult Sunday School Class that There are ways you can support Family will consist of the topic of Quakerism 101. You are Promise of Ontario County in the meantime: welcome to join any Sunday. You do not need to go remember to pray for the families and to all of the classes nor feel that you cannot go to a administration and volunteers, perhaps make a class if you have not been coming on a regular basis. monetary contribution (if you feel so lead), and All are welcome. perhaps think about being trained (if you are not already) . Trainings are listed on the Family Promise of Ontario County website….or you can check with me. The address to send a monetary contribution to is: FPOC PO Box 416 Canandaigua, NY 14424 Many blessings, Anne Gilson 315 871 8172 [email protected] (Dianne Aldrich) [email protected] (Anne Gilson) 3rd Annual Comfort Food Cook Off FPOC (Family Promise of Ontario County) Saturday, March 7, 2020 Upcoming Training 3-5 pm If you have not been trained and would This is a fundraiser for Family Promise of like to be, there is a training coming up: Ontario County. People volunteer to cook their favorite comfort food dishes. There are 3 Tuesday, January 21, 2020 locations people can go to to sample the offered 6-8 p.m. foods. There is a charge and that money will be Aloquin Flint United Methodist Church going to support Family Promise of Ontario 2772 Rt. 5 & 20 (halfway between Canandaigua County. I have been the last 2 years and the and Geneva) choices you have to sample are delicious. There are even some young people in junior high who have signed up to cook their dishes. Bottle & Can Fundraiser Locations are: To help with expenses at the Willowbrook Christian Church-Victor Meetinghouse the Finance Committee has Methodist Church of Clifton Springs been discussing various options for Presbyterian Church of Geneva fundraisers. Therefore, we have come up You could go to one location or try to with the idea of collecting the money or make it to more than one. receipts from bottles or cans returned for If you would like to be a cook or deposit. Just bring your receipt or money volunteer to bake something, contact Brenda and put it in the collection plate on Sunday. Calabria at [email protected] We will take the receipt to collect the cash. There is also a container outside the back door downstairs for you to drop off your bottles and cans. Thank you in advance. 4 From the clerk: In Christian theology a charism is a divinely inspired gift, grace, or talent. [New World Dictionary of the American Language] We all know people in whom we recognize a charism or a divinely inspired gift—for preaching or teaching, for healing or compassionate listening, for visiting or letter writing, for singing or playing the piano or organ, for working with youth or the elderly. I believe our Meeting has a charism, a divinely inspired gift: the gift of service. Our Meeting does service in so many different ways. For example, we have a long, long history of members visiting members. Sometimes that visiting occurs in times of illness or crisis; oftentimes, though, the visiting is checking in with a F/friend. Sometimes those visits are in person; other times they are in the form of notes or cards or letters. Still other visits occur by phone or text or e-mail. Sometimes the visits are to provide a meal or two. Our choir and our bell choir serve the community through their gifts of music—inspiring and uplifting us in worship. Through our Missions Committee we offer service to many locally, nationally, and internationally. Family Promise and making comforters are more recent endeavors of service to the wider community. I invite you to think of still other forms and times of service.