Alexandria

• Spiritual State of Our Meeting - 2006
• Interchange, Spring 2007
   
• Interchange, Fall 2006
• Spiritual State of Our Meeting - 2005
• Minute of Support
   
• Spiritual State of Our Meeting - 2004
• FUM Policy Concern
• Spiritual State of Our Meeting - 2003

The year 2004 saw Alexandria Monthly Meeting continue to thrive and to grow in many ways. Despite being surrounded symbolically as well as literally by Ft. Belvoir, and despite having to pass near armed guards and tank traps to get to our meeting house, Friends continue to come and to gather in silence to find a spirit of love and peace that transcends what so much of the world thinks of as strength.

Our shared spiritual life has deepened over the past year. We have been challenged and knitted together by rich, loving vocal ministry. We have felt differences and divisions dissolve and heal in the depths of gathered worship. We have experienced an outpouring of love for each other, expressed in our work together, and in caring for those among us struggling with injury, illness, and loss. The struggles have brought both sorrows and joys. Our meeting faced all of these; most importantly, we faced them together.

We suffered a great loss this past year, with the death of our eldest member, Christine Buckman. Christine had attended Alexandria Monthly Meeting nearly all her 98 years. She enriched the lives of all of us fortunate enough to have known her. On a Saturday morning in November, family and friends of Christine gathered in our meeting house to share our sorrow over her passing and to celebrate a truly remarkable life.

On a more joyful note, our meeting was blessed with four new Friends joining us as members, each bringing unique gifts to our spiritual community. We also continue to see the arrival of newcomers who are seeking a spiritual home and who now regularly join us in meeting for worship.

So much of the life of our meeting flows through the many committees that carry on our work. Our committees have been very active this past year. Ministry and Oversight, in seeking to watch over the spiritual life of our meeting, once again sought to find our spiritual grounding through a day retreat at our meeting house. This year we struggled with the topic, "Tradition versus Ongoing Revelation." M&O is also blessed with the responsibility of overseeing scholarships and grants, which are supported by our meeting through trustees. With this support, many adult and young Friends were able to help pay for their tuition or to attend camps and conferences.

Trustees continue to watch over our finances and to handle our ongoing commitments (scholarships, apportionment, grants approved by the meeting), always aware of the importance of their stewardship of the meeting's monies. In particular, the investment subcommittee reviewed and realigned investments for more effective earnings. The rotation of positions on trustees means five new members will be serving as trustees as 2005 begins.

One very pressing concern centers around the Army's plans to build a museum very close to our property. The museum and other major new construction projects on Fort Belvoir could have a major impact on the future of our meeting. The Community Developments Committee continued its efforts to influence the museum site selection through correspondence and lobbying. Some members researched the history of the meeting and its property, for use in these efforts. The Friendly lawyer retained by the meeting conducted a Freedom of Information inquiry of the site selection process. In addition, members met with representatives of Fort Belvoir to resolve the placement and function of the security gate on Woodlawn Road; we seek to have the gate moved to restore unrestricted access to our property. While this ongoing discussion takes place, Belvoir officials have been cooperative in designing a process that gives us such access on Sundays. To help bring attention to our concerns and to help raise money to cover expected costs, a concert was held at the meeting house on a November, Saturday evening. The evening began with the Renaissance Revelers which includes two of our members. In period costume, the group entertained all with a wonderful array of Renaissance period songs. Then, following a pot-luck dinner, the meeting house really got rockin' as the Onion Patch Boys, a bluegrass group which also includes two members of our meeting, had us all clapping and stomping to some great bluegrass music, including one performed for the first time publicly written by one of our Friends.

Our Peace and Social Concerns Committee continues to grow in members and projects. The P&SC clerk writes:

Over the last two years I have observed a deepening of the universal, integrated way our committee spiritually considers possible projects for the committee and the meeting. With 10 - 13 Friends attending our committee meetings, this is a wonderful affirmation of conducting committee business as a continuation of our meeting for worship. Committee members are grounded, seeking the spiritual truth underlying a considered project. Along with this is an acute awareness of the time requirements involved in successfully implementing a project on behalf of the meeting. To share a project's concept, settle down in spiritual connectedness, as we seek guidance on the "rightness" of the project for us, and feel the "truth" of our decision is very quieting. This Quaker process of grounded, spiritual engagement in the business of the meeting is happening in increasing instances throughout the meeting.

Besides providing a speaker each third First Day for Adult Religious Education, projects have included sponsoring a Help Increase the Peace Program (HIPP) workshop attended by 13 members (9 adults and 4 young Friends; a simple meal for Right Sharing; in conjunction with CRE, collecting toys and donations for Christmas gifts for an orphanage in Bangladesh that is a special concern of a young Friend now living in Bangladesh; resumed death penalty vigils on the eve of executions to hold the inmate and family, victim and family, guards, execution team and governor in the Light; support for spreading the good work of the Simple Gifts Foundation; and an unsuccessful and disappointing contact with Ft. Belvoir concerning our participation in the CO process. Led by the tireless efforts of one Friend, we have especially focused on the death penalty, in particular, the 21 Day Rule here in Virginia, and the issue of the death penalty for juvenile offenders. Once again this fall, members of Alexandria Meeting made appointments with their state legislators before the annual legislative session in Richmond. Meeting members used educational materials supplied by the Friends Committee on Commonwealth Legislation to first educate themselves and then enlighten their legislators about issues surrounding the death penalty in Virginia. Alexandria Friends started this process last year knowing that it will take time to develop relationships with these legislators and that they are just beginning to labor and witness on this topic.

The Gender and Sexual Diversity Concerns Committee began in July as an ad hoc committee under the care of Peace and Social Concerns. Due to the vast amount of attention required for this work, it became a standing committee in its own right. The committee met regularly in worship to hold in the light concerns within our own meeting, within the yearly meeting, and within the larger community, especially Virginia. With their guidance, the meeting approved the following minute on marriage, including same-sex marriage:

We are convinced that faithful, loving, committed relationships, whether same-sex or heterosexual, give evidence of divine guidance and support. Quakers hold that marriage is the Lord's work, and we are but witnesses. We in Alexandria Monthly Meeting affirm our willingness to hold under the care of our meeting same-sex as well as heterosexual marriages among our members and attenders.

We communicated our concerns to yearly meeting on the disagreements between BYM and FUM through phone calls, emails, letters and participation in yearly meeting and interim meetings, wanting to stress commonality and bridging between the communities. The committee also sponsored a letter writing campaign to our state legislators stressing our spiritual concerns about their actions of discrimination against loving same sex relationships, and in particular, HB 751.

One Friend continued her calling as traveling minister, aided by the loving concern of a group of Friends who have been her support committee. The clerk of the committee writes:

We continue to sit with her on a once a month basis usually. This is very enriching for us all. We witness to her struggle for clarity. We also are more in touch with the individual strengths and difference we all bring into a common place. We have added 2 new members to the committee late in this year. Our member in Maine still participates long distance. His quote: "for me it seems like a confirmation of faith in the power of holding loved ones in the Light."

We have many participants in our spiritual formation groups this year. In September, they met together in a large group to share experiences from the past and expectations for the year. Several people talked about how important they feel the spiritual formation groups are for promoting a sense of community in our meeting. After a shared lunch, they organized into small groups. These groups meet once or more per month. In all, we have 6 groups with approximately 28 participants. Many groups are reading Claudia Horowitz's The Spiritual Activist: Practices to Transform Your Life, Your Work, and Your World. Some are reading chapters from Patrica Loring's Listening Spirituality books. One group spins wool while they meet. Most groups share a meal after which they worship share. They plan another large group meeting in February when they will have a chance to share their experiences.

Also so important to our growth are our Adult and Children's Religious Education committees. The Adult Religious Ed program has been blessed by the generous contributions of many talented and dedicated members of our meeting as well as visitors from other meetings and from other organizations. We gather on First Days at the ten o'clock hour, before our meeting for worship. Many have expressed their appreciation for the enrichment they receive through this program. The committee rejoices in the abundance of offerings that come forward to fill our calendar with a rich array of opportunities for the growth of our spiritual community. Among the presentations we have enjoyed this year: "Science and Spiritual Reality", a six part series presented by a scientist/physician Friend of our meeting; "Quakerism 101", a four part series exploring basics of Quakerism; "The Life of Mary Dyer"; "The Meaning of the Light :The Reality of Continuing Revelation." Each third First Day, the Peace and Social Concerns Committee provides a presentation on a topic of concern. We have had visitors from many different organizations to address such issues as the environment, gay and lesbian concerns, community ministry. We occasionally use the ARE hour to worship share around a particular topic and often find that the Spirit moves among us very powerfully in these gatherings. Over the summer months our formal religious education programs take a break. This past summer, a number of Friends gathered on several occasions to study and reflect upon the noncanonical scriptures that have come to light.

Children's Religious Education has had a wonderful year with many meeting Friends working with four different age groups of our young and younger Friends. Once a month we make sandwiches for Mondloch House, a shelter for women and children, and all of the age groups participate, working together with a truly wonderful sense of unity. We continue to support a child in Bolivia through Christian Children's Fund that we have supported for many years. At the end of the last school year, we had a picnic to raise money for a cause important to the children. When the tsunami did such incredible damage, the young Friends were able to donate over $500 to disaster relief through AFSC. Most important, however, is the time we spend together each First Day, sharing a part of our lives with one another. The importance of this time cannot be better expressed than in the words of two of our young friends who left for college this past year. From one young Friend who is now at Virginia Tech: "Attending meeting the past 12 years has changed my life. I have met so many wonderful people that I know I will never forget and that I will carry close in my heart for the rest of my life. I have learned the true meaning of family outside your own bloodline and the true meaning of caring for others." Another young Friend wrote: "My deepest thanks to the meeting for being such a wonderful influence in my life. I have met some of the kindest people, possibly on earth, at Alexandria Friends Meeting. I am so appreciative to everyone who helped me recognize and develop the person that I am now....I love to watch the newcomers visit and see the warmth of our meeting change their lives."

Our meeting received a special recognition this year from the United Christian Ministries, which serves the poor of our neighborhoods. It is the first time a religious group was singled out and honored for their contributions. A representative of UCM joined us one First Day and presented a plaque which reads:

The heart of our meeting continues to be our coming together each First Day. As we struggle individually with our own spiritual journeys, we find strength and inspiration in our meeting for worship. And we continue to carry this worship with us as we afterwards share a common meal. Within this time of fellowship, our community has truly grown into something special. We have grown into a family of love and caring for one another in a way that seems so rarely found in the world today. We are still far from a perfect family, and we make many mistakes. But our fellowship challenges us to continue to search, to continue to grow, to continue to seek in our silent worship for that Light that makes us all One.

Our understanding is that BYM made a commitment at its annual sessions in 2003 to contribute $17,400 to FUM in FY 2004, and that FUM took that commitment into account in planning its budget for the current year. If this is indeed the case, we feel BYM should honor the obligation it has made, and send FUM the final payment on its FY 2004 commitment.

Alexandria Monthly Meeting - First First Day, Twelfth Month (December 5), 2004.

Alexandria Friends Monthly Meeting at Woodlawn
Religious Society of Friends (Quaker)
6th Month, 16th Day 2004

Our experience has been that spiritual gifts are not distributed with regard to sexual orientation or gender identity.

Our experience has been that Alexandria Monthly Meeting has been immeasurably enriched over the years by the full participation and Spirit-guided leadership of Friends of all sexual orientations and gender identities. We will continue to listen to and honor those voices and gifts.

We believe it is inconsistent with God's Truth to silence the voices of Friends based on whom and how they love.

Our experience confirms that we are all equal before God, as God made us, and feel blessed to be engaged in the work of Alexandria Monthly Meeting together.

SPIRITUAL STATE OF THE MEETING REPORT - 2003

Our community has been blessed. Each First Day our meeting house is filled with over fifty Friends and newcomers gathered in worship. We rejoice in the presence and power of love which is present in our life together. We feel the love among us in ordinary meeting house tasks: working on old benches, refinishing the floor, painting walls, washing down mold on the building exterior, maintaining the heating units, patrolling for raccoons and woodchucks, raking leaves, fixing coffee, sweeping the floors, and so much more. Each First Day our Meeting for Worship is extended and filled with fellowship in the Spirit by a shared meal. We joyfully joined together for a Celebration of Commitment and a Wedding under the Care of the Meeting. We are growing and have been blessed with fifteen new members who are already contributing their gifts in ways that enrich our life together.

Our educational programs are thriving. Attendance rises and falls but spontaneity and joy are evident in our Children's Religious Education. The teachers show enthusiasm as they work together in presenting the children with an innovative and challenging program. Adult Education has a weekly session with a well-balanced agenda. Attendance is such that we feel confident enough to invite speakers from outside organizations. We also enjoy many gifted individuals from our own Meeting in presentations of interesting and important topics, including a Quakerism 101 series based on Pendle Hill pamphlets. The Spiritual Formation Program, including retreats, has been conducted at our own meeting for several years; it continues to provide an important opportunity for members and attenders.

The addition of a Nominating Committee has proved to be helpful. Our standing committees all have clerks and sufficient members. The Peace and Social Concerns Committee has challenged us to move into social justice issues in our neighborhood and organized lobbying at the state and federal levels. All committees, including several ad hoc committees, are functioning in a helpful manner, frequently decreasing or refining work needed in the Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business.

We have had several notable special events and activities. One delightful, event was an evening concert held in our meeting house by two of the meeting's professional musicians. Many of our members and guests enjoyed Ericka Ovette's beautiful voice and Jerry Allen's talents at the piano. The proceeds from the donations and matching funds contributed over $5,000 to the FCNL. We were also pleased that one of our young Friends, Nick Nations, chose to do his Eagle Scout project at our Meeting. His work on the Memorial Mound and surrounding wooded area is a tribute to his good planning and hard work. Another activity of note is the Traveling Ministry of Deborah Haines. Deborah asked the meeting to approve her ministry among other meetings with an emphasis upon "rediscovering the power of early Quakerism." In addition, she asked the meeting to provide spiritual support by means of a Care Committee that meets with her monthly. One or more members of the committee frequently serve as traveling companions.

In the new year, we have recognized two important challenges. The first is to follow the guidance of the Baltimore Yearly Meeting's Faith and Practice about stewardship responsibilities concerning the care for members who are no longer active in our meeting-those who have moved out of the area or those who are no longer involved by necessity or choice. We acknowledge a lack of diligence in the past that has left us with over forty members on the inactive list. We have learned that inquiries can be sensitive or hurtful for inactive members. We are struggling to find a way with grace and love to make contacts that will be more caring.

The second challenge is that the size of our meeting has increased in recent years. Although we have many Friends who actively work to address pastoral needs in our community, we have been made aware of occasions when needs have not been recognized and gifts have not been embraced by the community. We are examining the manner in which we care for our community and are seeking ways that will help to nurture individuals and guide us all as we grow together in the Spirit.

Our Fort Belvoir address is a reminder that the location of our Quaker Meeting in the midst of a large military installation has with it responsibilities and challenges. We have grappled over the years with what our role to our neighbors should be. This year several of us were led to be trained in counseling military conscientious objectors and we are now seeking discernment on how that training should be used. This has also been a year when it has become clear that our proximity to Fort Belvoir may have a direct impact upon the worship of our Meeting. The U.S. Army Museum has decided to build a 200-million dollar, 55-acre "National Museum of the U.S. Army" close to our Meeting boundaries. Because of publicized intentions to conduct combat demonstrations-utilizing helicopter landings, artillery and tanks-we have grave concerns about our ability to sustain an atmosphere of silent waiting on the Spirit. We are in the process of confronting elected and military officials seeking resolution to this challenge of our religious rights and the preservation of our historic property. However, as we challenge the decision on the location of the Army Museum, we are mindful of the need to keep our eyes open to the Light, and to accept with humility and grace what the future may hold.

Approved by Alexandria Monthly Meeting at the Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business on March 7, 2004.

In the Light, Linda Spencer, Clerk