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Friends United Meeting |
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July 1997
News from Friends United Meeting
- Hadden to Direct Schools
- FUM Adds Seven Associate Member Yearly Meetings
- Vehicle Provided for Samburu Mission
- Youth Materials Endorsed
- Steinke To Address Church Systems Conference
- Shrapnel Victim Aided
- FUM Pension Committee Reports Growth
Hadden to Direct Schools
Laurie and Marilyn Hadden of Toronto, Canada, have accepted the position of FUM Representative to the Ramallah Friends Schools in Palestine, replacing Retha McCutchen. Laurie, a retired school administrator, will serve as director of the Schools. Laurie's first view of the campuses were, in his words, "quite a surprise."
The size of the property, number and quality of buildings and beauty of gardens and trees verified the visions for what these schools can do to support Palestinian education. The next two weeks spent with faculty, staff, administration and board confirmed for him that the Friends Schools in Ramallah also have the people resources to continue building a state-of-the-art school on the West Bank.
Laurie has a strong background in educational leadership. His teaching experiences range from elementary to secondary levels; for twenty-two years he was a school principal and for six years a superintendent of schools. He has also been active in the Brethren in Christ Church, an Anabaptist denomination with strong ties to the Mennonite tradition. His involvements include song leader (he was for many years part of a gospel music group), Sunday School teacher, deacon as well as denominational consultant on congregational life and growth. Laurie says his goal in life is to be of service, to "walk the talk." Laurie grew up in South Porcupine, a small town in Northern Ontario. He attended Teacher's College in London, Ontario, and began his teaching career in an elementary school in Stoney Creek, Ontario. During this time, he earned a Doctorate in Education.
FUM Adds Seven Associate Member Yearly Meetings
FUM's General Board met June 20-22 at William Penn College, Oskaloosa, Iowa, as guests of Iowa Yearly Meeting. Friends took a significant step in the ongoing reorganization of the General Board with the approval of a new committee, the Program Coordination and Priorities Committee.
This committee is located between the numerous staff/Board task groups which come and go as needed, and the full General Board. Its mission will include reviewing the whole sweep of FUM ministries, and their relationships to each other and to the FUM purpose statement, and advising the General Board on how these ministries should be prioritized.
The General Board approved guidelines for FUM membership, to be used by several East African yearly meetings which have applied for membership. The guidelines include an associate member status available on request for any yearly meeting which is created in good order from an existing FUM yearly meeting. They also include queries to help applicant yearly meetings assess their readiness to become full members of FUM. A brief curriculum piece on the meaning of membership in FUM was approved at the Board meetings to accompany the guidelines.
Upon approval of the guidelines for FUM membership, the following East African yearly meetings were recognized as associate members of FUM and participants in the program to prepare for full membership: Elgon East Branch, Central, Malava, Lugari, Kakamega, Nandi and Tanzania.
The final session of this Board meeting began with a memorial meeting for Bill Wood of New York Yearly Meeting, whose concern for FUM's financial integrity and for its clarity of purpose will be greatly missed.
Vehicle Provided for Samburu Mission
Wabash (Indiana) Friends Church raised $12,000 to help purchase a 4-wheel drive vehicle for the evangelistic work of Isaiah Bakokwa to the Samburu tribes in Kenya. Knowing this was not enough to fully finance such a used vehicle, the money was transferred to the Samburu Friends Mission account.
The FUM representatives to the Friends Pastors' Conference in Nairobi were housed at the Menno Guest House, owned and operated by Mobile Ministries. Mobile Ministries provides used Japanese vehicles for African religious organizations. During the stay, Richard Phillips and Isaiah Bikokwa were able to order exactly the vehicle needed for this work. The vehicle was delivered to Nairobi while Wabash pastor, David Phillips, and Richard and Sandy Davis were still in the country and could take delivery on behalf of the mission work at a cost of $8,000. God is in the miracle-working business! Contact Missions@xc.org
Youth Materials Endorsed
The FUM Christian Education Task Group has endorsed two youth curricula options: Generation Why? published by Faith & Life Press (Mennonite and Brethren) has perspectives particularly compatible with Quakers. It is an integrated, reality-focused resource for youth.
In its five and six session lessons, it raises tough questions and grapples with faith issues in a context that values peace, service, Biblical study and Christian discipleship. It has reproducible student leaflets.
Core Belief Bible Study Series is a new curriculum being produced by Group Publishing Inc. It addresses a different relevant topic each month. Biblically based, this study utilizes an active-learning format that drives home a foundational truth that helps teenagers make good decisions now and grow in their faith for a lifetime. It has reproducible student leaflets as well.
Friends United Meeting continues to endorse Jubilee: God's Good News for age two through grade eight. Prepared by a consortium of peace churches composed of Mennonites, Brethren and Friends, this material is planned on a three-year, graded cycle. This fall will start the beginning of the second three-year cycle.
Biblically based, it reflects our Quaker testimonies of peace, simplicity, environmental concerns, honesty and women's role in the church. It provides for flexibility so that guidance is given for addressing your specific age grouping with each of the four levels: early childhood (ages 2-4), primary (K-grade 2), middler (grades 3-5) and junior youth (grades 6-8). For adults, we recommend The Adult Friend published by George Fox Press and based on the international lessons. Friends United Meeting supplies editorial input.
The user friendly approach plus more intentional Quaker content is making this a choice for many meetings. All of these materials can be obtained through Quaker Hill Bookstore Books@xc.org.
Steinke To Address Church Systems Conference
Peter Steinke, author of How Your Church Family Works and Healthy Congregations, will provide leadership to a conference scheduled for September 24, 1997, at Quaker Hill Conference Center in, Richmond, Indiana. Steinke brings an understanding of our life together from a systems approach and the conference theme is All in the Family, Understanding Our Congregational Life Together.
This is the first of a series of regional conferences called Ministering to a New Generation, sponsored by Friends United Meeting. These will take the place of the Empowering Ministries Conferences. These new conferences will nurture, encourage and challenge pastors and leaders of meetings.
Instead of meeting at a central place, the Ministering to a New Generation conferences are going on the road and will be held in different regions. For more information, contact Mary Glenn Hadley resources@xc.org.
Shrapnel Victim Aided
FUM received a request for assistance from Moscow Monthly Meeting on behalf of eleven-year-old Madina Baisaeva, wounded in both eyes by shrapnel during the fighting in Chechnya.
he cost of needed operations is low by Western standards, but completely out of the range of her parents, who were also wounded in the attack on their village of Samashki. Madina underwent surgery on her left eye, which had lost sight completely, in May.
FUM assisted with $300 from our Russian ministries account. Friends are invited to "replenish" this account and assist with future operations for Madina by donating to FUM (earmarked for Moscow Meeting: Madina Baisaeva) or to Friends House Moscow, c/o East West Relations Committee, 1163 Auburn Dr., Davis CA 95616 (same earmarking). Madina is being assisted by the Centre for Psychological Support, which was established with the support of Friends House Moscow.
FUM Pension Committee Reports Growth
The FUM Retirement Plan "is as strong as it has ever been in my experience," commented one FUM Pension Committee member at its annual meeting on June 13. The Retirement Program consists of two parts: The Thrift Plan, administered by CIGNA, had reached over $5.2 million in assets, with a large number of new enrollments in 1996. (This is the traditional plan which includes a 5% employer match.)
The new Tax Deferred Annuity Plan, administered by Hartford, is still in its first half-year, and nine enrollments had been processed as of June 12. For information on both parts of the FUM Retirement Program, contact Joe Faris or Corinne Shudick at Faris & Company, 9795 Crosspoint Blvd, Suite 180, Indianapolis IN 46256, or phone 317-598-0176. Copyright 1997, Friends United Meeting
Copyright (c) Friends United Meeting 1997
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