Goose Creek Friends
Newsletter October 2019
Goose Creek Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), Lincoln, Virginia
Queries for Tenth Month: Aging
• Do we welcome the approach of old age,
both for ourselves and for others, as an
opportunity for wisdom, for detachment
from turmoil and for greater attachment to
the Light?
• How might I attend to what love requires
of me in each new stage of my life?
• Have I arranged the practical matters
regarding possessions, location of
documents, burial, etc., that will arise when
I die or am unable to communicate so my
family is not unduly burdened?
• Am I comfortable with the relationships Committee’s annual report with thanks.
I will leave behind?
• How can we support that of God in one
another in the face of cognitive, emotional,
and behavioral challenges?
• How do we support caregivers who may be
overwhelmed by the chronic needs of the
one receiving care?
Monthly Meeting for Worship with a
Concern for Business: Tenth Month
The First Day School’s bake and crafts sale,
held on October 5, raised $1,432.00. The First
Day School students had decided to donate
this sum to the Meeting’s general fund.
A Bible meditation program will be held on
December 8 at the rise of Meeting, marking
the beginning of Advent.
Friends approved holding the annual
Christmas potluck dinner and carol sing on
December 22.
Friends approved the Unity with Nature
Committee activities during the past year
included a presentation by Mimi Westervelt
on her work with the Masaai women of
Kenya’s Loita region, as well as the well-
attended showing of the environmental
film Paris to Pittsburgh. The Committee’s
long-term goal is to make the Meeting
carbon neutral. The Committee continues
to nurture its connections to related outside
organizations, including the Friends
Wilderness Center and the BYM Unity with
Nature Committee, as well as to teach about
its Quaker leadings in First Day School.
A session about what Quakers believe will be
held at the rise of Meeting on November 17.
Martha Mason Semmes and Debbi Sudduth
will facilitate the discussion, and a soup
lunch will be provided.
Continued on next page g
Goose Creek Friends Newsletter | October 2019 | Page 2
Baltimore Yearly Meeting
Notices
Eleventh Month Interim Meeting –
November 2, Baltimore Monthly Meeting,
Stony Run (Baltimore, MD)
Get to know Yearly Meeting Committees and
Friends from other Meetings, and become
a part of decision making. Join Friends
for morning committee meetings and the
afternoon’s Interim Business Meeting. Stony
Run Monthly Meeting will host the Eleventh
Month Interim Meeting. Friends will begin
gathering at 10:00am. Committee meetings
will begin at 10:30. Please register here if
you plan to attend: https://www.bym-rsf.org/
events/interim/eleventh19.html
November 9 – Retreat for Meeting Clerks,
Annapolis Friends Meeting (Annapolis, MD)
Save the date! More information will be
announced as the planning proceeds. If
you need information now, contact Ken
Stockbridge (ymclerk@bym-rsf.org).
Friends at the Fall Handmade Crafts and Bake Sale on Saturday, October 5, 2019.
Goose Creek News
Congratulations to Nadia and Sal Mendolia
on the birth of their grandson, Ethan Lucas,
to Stephanie and Andrew Mendolia on
September 4.
AND: Congratulations to Lee and Rachael
Semmes on the September 17 birth of
Stratton Lee. Stratton’s grandmother is
Martha Mason Semmes.
Best wishes to Elia Hoag and Trevor Holmes
on their marriage, October 5! We are told that
Ely might visit soon, so we look forward to
congratulating her in person.
The Toward Right Relationship Project
workshop tentatively scheduled for
November 10 will not be held that day.
Congratulations to Hannah Devinney who
just received her Master of Science with
Distinction!
Continued on next page g
Photo by Sean Lloyd

Fall Handmade Crafts &
Bake Sale a Success
The First Day School students and the
Religious Education (RE) committee are
delighted to report that the fundraiser on
Saturday, October 5th, 2019 raised $1,432.00,
exceeding their goal. The First Day School
Student Quilt raffle generated over 20% of
that total. It was a beautiful fall day and the
turnout was good for the first sale like this
in a while. There were many beautiful items
that really shone a light on the talent within
the Meeting community. The Religious
Education committee extends their deepest
gratitude for all who made and contributed
items, supported the sale, and shared their
time to volunteer before during and after
the sale. We’re looking forward to planning
next year’s fundraiser. Please contact the
RE committee clerks with feedback and
suggestions. Thank you!
Goose Creek Friends Newsletter | October 2019 | Page 3
FALL CALENDAR
Sunday, October 13
Mimi Westervelt’s
work in Kenya
Stay after Meeting for Worship to hear an
update from Mimi about her work with
the people of the Loita region in Kenya.
Saturday, October 19
Fall Retreat – Nurturing
Compassion
Join Friends at Goose Creek for a
daylong retreat around the theme of
nurturing compassion. The retreat
will be led by Leah Rampy, retreat
leader, spiritual mentor, and the former
executive director of the Shalem
Institute for Spiritual Formation. All are
welcome. $10 freewill donation, if you
are able.
Sunday, November 17
What Do Quakers Believe?
A discussion of what Quakers believe
will be held after the rise of Meeting for
Worship on November 17. Stay also for
a soup lunch!
Page 4 | October 2019 | Goose Creek Friends Newsletter

Sundays Facing Bench

Meeting for worship at 9:45 a.m. October
First Day School at 10:00 a.m. Debbi Sudduth
Fellowship at 10:45 a.m. NOVEMBEr
Wednesdays Carolyn Unger
Discussion Group at 7:00 p.m. First Day
Calendar School
OCTOBER 10/06/19
Activities Ideas (teens)
10.13 Sun. 11am Mimi Westervelt’s work in Kenya
Trees & The Lorax (elem.)
10.19 Sat. Daylong Fall Retreat: Nurturing Compassion
10.22 Tue. 2pm Spiritual formation group 10/13/19
10.27 Sun. 11am Ministry & Oversight Committee meeting Does Equality Mean
NOVEMBER The Same (teens & elem.)
11.3 Sun. 11am Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business 10/20/19
11.17 Sun. 11 am Discussion: “What do Quakers believe?” John Woolman & The Natural
and a soup lunch World (teens & elem.)
11.24 Sun. 11am Ministry & Oversight Committee meeting 10/27/19
Marriage Elia Hoag and Trevor Holmes, October 5, 2019. Equality &
8716 Greycliff Road, Henrico, VA 23294 Community (teens)
Birth Stratton Lee Semmes, born on September 17, 2019, Dr. Seuss & SPICES (elem.)
to Rachael and Lee Semmes *elem. = elementary age group

Changes of address Carolee and David Chamberlin, 101 Rebel Ridge

Road, Lexington, VA 24450 NEWSLETTER
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Wendy and Greg Dotson, 7602 Parkline Drive is published monthly by the
Richmond, VA 23229 Goose Creek Friends Meeting,
18204 Lincoln Road, P.O. Box 105,
Lincoln, VA 20160.
“We may grieve as we resign ourselves to giving up the desires and
CLERK
ambitions of our youth, but as we give up those desires, we become Rich Weidner, 540.554.2747
more open to accept God’s will, including accepting the service that richard_weidner@hotmail.com
God would have us do. Then God may call us to a ministry that we ASSISTANT CLERK
never thought possible for ourselves.” – Elizabeth F. Meyer, 2004 Allen Cochran, 540.338.6485
Cochransstone@aol.com
TREASURER
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goose.creek.treasurer@gmail.com
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–both members and attenders–are potential ministers, led by and open to the Catherine Cox, 301-471-5330
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