Warrington

The Spirit continues to grow in Warrington, assisted by our humble and imperfect efforts.

We held our first, of many hopefully, meeting picnics in September. Attendance was good, and food, fellowship, and music by “Harmony of Hearts” were enjoyed by all.

We continued our tradition of opening the meeting to the community for school field trips, Wellsville Historical Days, and our annual Christmas Candlelight service.

Additionally our members and attenders continued to spread the spirit throughout the community, as volunteers, parents, educators, health care professionals, and involved members of the community.

2006 was a transition year for Warrington Monthly Meeting.

Transitions occurred at Clerk, Recording Clerk, and Treasurer. We have new people in these positions for the first time in over twenty years. Our long serving folks are getting a well deserved break.

A transition of another type occurred at the Meeting House when Diane Staz, daughter of a member, and herself a former member until she transferred her membership to Harrisburg Monthly Meeting, married Brad DiPaolo on Fifth Month 13th.

In the midst of these transitions some things remained constant. We opened again for local school children to visit in the Fall and for Wellsville Historical Day. We continued to meet periodically for our discussion groups. Our Christmas Candlelight Program went on again. And we continue to meet each Sunday and wait upon the Lord.

With apologies to Samuel Beckett, sometimes you can sit in our Meetinghouse and feel like you're sitting in the light looking out at the dark vast.

But then you stop and think about the birth of Colton Swope to member Dee Swope and her husband; member Miyo Moriuchi going to Thailand to teach English; the interest of the community in the open house during Wellsville Days; the attendance at the Christmas Candlelight service; working with Harrisburg Meeting on the marriage of Diane Staz and Brad diPaolo; the continued support of older members of the Meeting; our Quaker studies sessions; the reemergence of the spring bulbs at the Meetinghouse; and the faith of our members, attenders, and visitors.

As Helen Keller once said, "[T]he world is moved not only by the mighty shoves of the heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker". And we continue our "tiny pushes".

Warrington Meeting continued the mixing of the old and new that has helped us grow as people and as a Meeting over the years.

The old was continued in our annual Christmas Candlelight Service, which again was well attended by Members, Attenders, and members of our community. Snowfall added to the beauty and did not dampen the warmth generated in the Meetinghouse. We also continued the more recent tradition of hosting visitors to our historic Meetinghouse during Wellsville Days.

Warrington Monthly Meeting also hosted Quarterly Meeting in the 5th month. Those present enjoyed a joint Jewish/Musliin presentation by The South Central Pennsylvania Arab-Jewish Dialogue Group on Middle Eastern issues.

The new was represented by the birth of Hope Null, granddaughter of Clerk Faith Basehore; and our discussion groups. Discussing issues is on the rise at Warrington. We continued our First Day discussion group on Quaker topics. Topics this year included Quakers and Peace, Friends and the Sacraments, Forgiveness, and Why We are Quakers. Additionally, one of our Attenders, Molly Smith, initiated an Evening discussion group, which had its' first meeting in the Second Month, 2005, to discuss "How to Center Oneself for Meeting".

In talking about Meeting, one member called Meeting "my cathedral where I listen for the clear voice of God". Another stated that Meeting has provided a sense of belonging not found elsewhere, and that "though we may each be at a different place along our spiritual journey there is a feeling of love and sharing and caring among the Friends of Warrington". It was also mentioned that our pot lucks and discussion groups have brought us closer together.

Just as our Members and Attenders look forward to the re-emergence of the flowers from the bulbs we planted last year, we look forward to our continued spiritual growth. We also look forward to continuing our discussion groups and the growth of our Meeting Community.