Page 4
A Meeting
with Friends
by Mandv O'Briant
I went to a Quaker Meeting
this morning and I'm really
glad that I did.
Admittedly I went out of
curiosity, but there's nothing
wrong with that.
The morning was quite
chilly and decidely windy. I
shivered in the thin clothes 1
had brought from Charlotte.
Oh the day was already
beautiful and the sun was
shining on everything! Over
head was a very blue sky w ith a
few wisps of circus clouds. It
was quite a contrast to Friday!
My friends and I walked
to Dana Auditorium to the
Moon Room where the
Meetings are held each
Sunday at 9:00 a.m. and at
11:00 a.m. We went at 11. The
three of us didn't quite know
what to do. It was a new
experience for all.
A woman showed us the
room to go in. I was surprised
at the smallness of it. Rows of
white pews faced the front. On
either side were more pews.
Up front were two deacon's
benches and a single chair.
The light fixtures were simple
and the room was relatively
dim.
I suppose the service
formally began at 11:00, but I
felt compelled to be silent
from the moment 1 walked in.
The room filled up. '
Outside the wind actually
howled. It sounded cool, like
wolves surrounding a castle.
I was aware of many sounds;
a bird's song in the distance,
growling stomachs, a watch
ticking,cars outsided.a plane
or two passing overhead.
Silently I poured myself out
to God. It was a very personal
experience for me.
The atmosphere wasn't as
relaxed as I am used to
because it was so quiet.
I didn't feel as if I could blow
my nose even though I was
dying to.
At first I wasn't comfortable
closing my eyes when I
prayed, but that soon passed.
I lost myself in my thoughts as
everyone else seemed to have
done.
It was not my intent to write
about the meeting, but
halfway through the service 1
felt as if I had to tell others
about my experience. Three
people shared their thoughts
with the congregation during
the hour. Anyone can speak on
whatever they feel is of God or
what they feel God is directing
them to say during that time.
Garden
Finzi-Continis
Wpj NOW IN ENGLISH is
At twelve, the silence
broke. People who were new
to the meeting introduced
themselves Announcements
were made. We were told that
there would be refreshments
served in another room; a time
for fellowship.
My friends and Ididn't stay
for refreshments, but I know
that when I left I felt quite
good inside. I felt calm and
happy.
We walked outside into the
sunshine. The day looked even
more beautiful than before.
God's Corner
as viewed by Rob Mitchell
0 Lord, our Lord, How
majestic is Thy name in all the
earth. Who hast displayed Thy
splendor above the heavens!
From the mouth of infants and
nursing babes Thou hast
established strength...
(Psalms 8:l-2a)
When I consider Thy
heavens, the work of Thy
fingers. The moon and the
stars, which Thou hast
ordained. What is man that
Thou dost take thought of
him?
And the son of man, that
Thou dost care for him? (Ps
8:3,4)
1 know some people who do
not believe in the existence of
God or any form of a being
greater than mankind. Some
people have trouble with the
word "God". It is too
confining and not specific
enough nor does it capture the
totality and the many aspects
of what "God" is suppose to
be. Other people do not give
that much support to the
concept of a supreme being by
worrying over the wording of
"it", but go their way,
following the desires of their
hearts and the influences of
their peers.
The Guilfbrdlaa
I am not overly concerned
about the usage of the word
"God", but it is the word I
have come to equate with the
Supreme Being and it has
meaning for me. If it does not
have meaning for you and you
have a word that does, fine.
The important thing is not
having a word that represents
an idea, but having the idea,
the belief.
The Psalmist talks about the
Lord's (God's) majesty as it is
exhibited in the heavens and
the earth. Many, if not most,
of us have dampened in our
lifetimes - on the beaches, in
the mountains, desert, fo
rests, in our backyard, in the
jungle. There is a certain
feeling that most people I have
talked with have had. It is the
feeling you get after eating
something warm on a cool
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night and laying by the fire
with a friend or alone and
sitting in on the greatest
sound and light show in the
world - the stars and moon and
the sounds of the night.
Starring at the stars and
hearing the night noises
brings on a feeling (if only
momentarily) of peace, of a
harmony that you have just
discovered (or re-discovered)
and you are now a part of. This
harmony has always been
there and you know it and
now, for a moment, you are a
part of it. This harmony (what
we often call Nature) is but a
part of God. God is harmony
and peace, and as the Psalmist
says, God cares for us, for
you.
What do you care about
God?
This Week's
Films
Tuesday, September 16
Set in 1938 Italy when
Mussolini's edicts against the
Jews had isolated them from
other communities, "The
Garden of the Finzi-Contini's"
is the story of an aristocratic
Jewish family forced to
recognize the world for the
first time beyond its fenced
garden. Director Vittorio De
Sica portrays an interesting
social elite.
Friday, September 19
A Film about privacy, "The
Conversation" uses the theme
of eavesdropping and wire
tapping. It focuses on the
personal life of an "electronic
surveillance technician" in
stead of his victims. Seldom
has a professional been so
pitilessly examined on Film
and brought to such total
exposure.
Director Francis Ford Cop
pola offers a sheer thriller, a
psychological study, a social
analysis and a political
comment.
Cast includes Gene Hack
man, Allen Garfield, Frederic
Forrest, Cindy Williams and
John Cazale.
"The Conversation" was
Grand Prix Winner at the
Cannes Film Festival.
Craft Center
by Jeanne Ye
On Friday there was a
meeting of about a dozen
people on the future activities
of the Craft Center. Yes, it
exists. It's in the basement of
Founders. We're trying to
keep it open until 10:00 every
night so a schedule is being
set up for people to be there
and supervise the equipment.
If you're interested, contact
Carla McAdams, Dave Mac-
Innes or Adele Groulx.
There are two major areas
in the Crafts Center, pottery
and weaving. The area heads
for weaving are Bonnie
Melton and Mary Hart, and
Marcia Davis and I are in
pottery. Carla McAdams was
elected chairperson. There are
rooms and materials for
pottery and weaving but if
there is interest in other areas
there can be some one day
workshops, so let's have some
ideas! The craft center is
pretty much starting from
scratch but it's growing and
it's for the whole Guilford
community. The more inte
rest, the more it can offer.