Goose Creek Friends
Newsletter September 2019
Goose Creek Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), Lincoln, Virginia
Queries for Ninth Month: Youth
• Do you establish family standards including the mutual
obligations of youth and adults?
• How do we get to know and care for our youth as
individuals? What have we learned from the wisdom
expressed by our youth?
• How do we share our deepest beliefs with our youth,
while leaving them free to develop as the spirit of God
may lead them?
Monthly Meeting for Worship with a
Concern for Business: Eighth Month
The Toward Right Relationship Project is a program that
has come from the Committee on Indigenous Peoples at
Boulder Monthly Meeting. Trained teachers are willing
to visit Goose Creek Meeting to offer a session. Friends
approved inviting them to visit us on November 10. This
program will be for adults, but its leaders plan to return
to teach our children. The whole community will be
welcome to attend.
Friends approved with pleasure a request to use the
Meeting House for a “Coming of 8” gathering for Arthur
Hertzberg on September 1 at 4pm. All Goose Creek
Friends are invited.
Friends approved use of the Meeting House for the
Loudoun Preservation Society’s Dirt Road Tour on
November 3, 2019, noon-5pm, and for the October
12 wedding of David Michael, a member of the local
community.
The Meeting Cares Committee plans a pilot program in
which a few adults would help First Day School students
eight years old and up prepare Meeting’s refreshments for
the next day. This was approved for Saturday, September
14, 2-4pm.
Friends approved Martha Mason Semmes’ becoming a
representative from Meeting to the Friends Wilderness
Center Board of Directors. She will join Caroline Pelton
as a board member.
Friends indicated their desire to hear more about Lincoln
Elementary School’s request to use a likeness of the
Meeting House on a Christmas tree ornament to be sold
as a school fundraiser.
Monthly Meeting for Worship with a
Concern for Business: Ninth Month
Friends approved a request from Gene Scheel to use the
Meeting House on October 1 for a visit from Loudoun
teachers. Goose Creek Friend Lee Lawrence will speak
to them about her two local history books.
Friends approved use of the Meeting House on October 5,
12-4 pm, for the First Day School’s crafts and bake sale.
Friends approved a request from the Unity with Nature
Committee to invite Mimi Westervelt, who has recently
returned from another stay in Kenya, to speak with us
again about her work there.
The Clerk read a letter from all the workers at Abernethy
and Spencer Greenhouses thanking us for our support
of Victor Chavez’s family following the death of his son
and the injuries inflicted upon his wife.
Meeting approved the annual report of the Archive
Committee, which has continued its work conserving
and framing documents and indexing Meeting papers.
The new technology working group is planning for
digital storage of Meeting information. “The Short
History of the Goose Creek Meeting” brochure has been
updated and is available in the office. The committee is
working to provide historical information to the African
American Freedom Center in Waterford.
Friends approved Lincoln Elementary School’s request
to use a photographic image of Oakdale School (rather
than the Meeting House) on a Christmas ornament to be
sold as a school fundraiser in 2020.
Continued on next page g
Goose Creek Friends Newsletter | September 2019 | Page 2
Continued from page 1
Report from Baltimore Yearly
Meeting Annual Sessions 2019
The major themes running through much of the business
of BYM this year had to do with equity, diversity, and
inclusion. These flowed from past Annual Sessions and
the voices of our young people. Some business highlights:
• In the past, the STRIDE (Strengthening Transformative
Relationships in Diverse Environments) working group
was funded by a Shoemaker Grant that has now been
used up. This program works to actively recruit diverse
young people into our camping programs. There was
strong support for finding a way to fund this program
at last year’s Annual Session, and as of this year’s
session, the program has been embraced by BYM. It
is under the care of the Growing Diverse Leadership
Committee and included in the annual BYM budget.
• At the request of the Growing Diverse Leadership
program, BYM has embraced a declaration that we
are an anti-racist* faith community. In addition,
BYM has elected to test its business decisions in the
future according to a series of queries that ask how
our decisions affect others of different races, cultures,
etc. *Being anti-racist involves more than just being
opposed to racism; it also involves actively working to
promote tolerance and equity.
• A balanced budget was approved – albeit with cuts
to committee budgets and donations to outside
organizations. Therefore, fundraising goals have been
set higher. If you have ever thought about donating to
BYM, now is a good time. – from Debbi Sudduth
Save the Date!
NOVEMBER 10
Toward Right Relationship Workshop –
After the rise of Meeting for Worship
This two-hour exercise, led by trained teachers
from the Toward Right Relationship Project,
will help us explore the impact of European
settlement upon indigenous peoples and how
we can begin to take actions toward right
relationship. Childcare will be provided. Please
bring a packed lunch and a $5 donation to
further education about this cause.
Baltimore Yearly Meeting Notices:
Family Quaker Camp Weekends
Come to camp for a day or for the weekend! You are
invited as an individual or as a family. A program
coordinator will plan camp-familiar activities for Saturday
and Sunday mornings, as well as Saturday afternoon
and evening. Perhaps you will explore a creek, create a
crafts project, play a favorite camp game or take a hike
in our precious woods. There will also be plenty of work
projects to do! Work projects offer people with all kinds
of skills the opportunity to enjoy some meaningful and
satisfying service. We will savor meals together, have
time to explore and even spend time around a campfire in
the evening. Give the gift of your time and find yourself
rejuvenated. Participants are asked to donate according
to their ability – $25-50 per person. For additional
information or to register please contact David Hunter,
Camp Property Manager (301-774-7663 or davidhunter@
bym-rsf.org). For more information, see the BYM
Camps website at bymcamps.org/programs/family-camp-
weekends/.
September 20-22: Shiloh Quaker Camp (Hood, VA)
October 4-6: Opequon Quaker Camp (Brucetown, VA)
October 11-13: Catoctin Quaker Camp (Thurmont, MD)
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. Check the Yearly Meeting website for more
information (bym-rsf.org).
Retreat for Meeting Clerks
November 9 – 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).
Continued on next page g

Meeting News
Congratulations and best wishes to Molly Janney and
Simon Buckland on the birth of their son, Kai Matthew,
on August 25! Congratulations also to grandparents John
Janney and Sarah Huntington and Drew Babb.
FunDraiser to Benefit
GOOSE CREEK MEETING
OCTOBER 5, 12-4
Call for Hand-crafted Items
First Day School has come up with a ***
plan for a fundraiser to benefit the September 15
Meeting House (general fund).
We need the help of Friends to create and donate
one-of-a-kind items to be sold at the October
5th sale. A few of the children’s ideas were
any sort of fiber art – including items that are
knitted, crocheted, quilted, woven, cross-stitched,
embroidered, etc – woodcraft, blacksmith
ironworks, pottery, glasswork, soaps, and baked
items (including cakes, cookies, muffins). We are
accepting hand-crafted items through First Day,
September 29; baked goods can be delivered to
the Meeting House Friday, October 4th. Please
label baked goods with ingredients.
At the event, there will be a drawing for the walking.  In addition, the group selects a book to
quilt the children helped to create that is on read and then discuss at our next session together.
display at the Meeting House.
If you are interested in making something for
this fundraiser, volunteering that day, or being
on the planning team, please contact:
Maria Nicklin: marianicklin@gmail.com or
Barbara Lake: barblake09@yahoo.com
Goose Creek Friends Newsletter | September 2019 | Page 3
Autumn Calendar
September 14
Outdoor lunch at Friends
Wilderness Center, 10am-4pm
A potluck gathering for regional Friends Meetings
and members of the public. Food, fellowship, and
new connections for all who come.
Come and see the China Folk House!
Directions at friendswilderness.org
Meditation and the Bible –
after the rise of Meeting for Worship
***
September 25
Spiritual Formation
2pm at the Meeting House
This group meets monthly to share our ups and
downs and act as a small, supportive community
for one another.  Each member commits to at least
15 minutes per day of spiritual practice, such as
meditation, reading of scripture, or meditative
 
If you are interested in joining us, please contact
Caroline Pelton (peltonrc@msn.com).
***
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5
First Day School’s
Fall Handmade Craft & Bake Sale
at the Meeting House 12pm-4pm
***
Saturday, October 19
Fall Retreat – Nurturing Compassion
Join us 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.
Page 4 | September 2019 | Goose Creek Friends Newsletter

Sundays Facing Bench

Meeting for worship at 9:45 a.m. September
First Day School at 10:00 a.m. Martha Mason Semmes
Fellowship at 10:45 a.m. October
Debbi Sudduth
Wednesdays
Discussion Group at 7:00 p.m. First Day
School
Calendar 09/01/19
Kindness
SEPTEMBER (combined group)
9.8 Sunday 8:30am Peace & Social Concerns Committee meeting 09/08/19
9.14 Saturday 10-4 Friends Wilderness Center picnic for Discussion Group (teens)
regional Friends SPICES Superheros (elem.)
9.15 Sunday 11am Meditating with the Bible 09/15/19
John Woolman's Work
9.25 Wednesday 2pm Spiritual Formation group with Native Americans
9.29 Sunday 11am Ministry & Oversight Committee meeting (combined groups)
OCTOBER 09/22/19
Plain Speech
10.5 Saturday 12-4 Fall Handmade Craft & Bake Sale Fundraiser (combined groups)
10.6 Sunday 11am Meeting for Worship with a Concern for 09/29/19
Business Discussion Group (teens)
10.19 Saturday Daylong Fall Retreat: Nurturing Compassion SPICES Superheros (elem.)

Birth NEWSLETTER
The Goose Creek Friends Newsletter
Kai Matthew Buckland to Molly Janney and Simon Buckland, on August 25, 2019. is published monthly by the
Goose Creek Friends Meeting,
18204 Lincoln Road, P.O. Box 105,
Lincoln, VA 20160.
“To watch the spirit of children, to nurture them in Gospel Love, CLERK
and labour to help them against that which would mar the beauty Rich Weidner, 540.554.2747
richard_weidner@hotmail.com
of their minds, is a debt we owe them; and a faithful performance
ASSISTANT CLERK
of our duty not only tends to their lasting benefit and our own Allen Cochran, 540.338.6485
peace, but also to render their company agreeable to us.” Cochransstone@aol.com
– John Woolman, c. 1760 TREASURER
Brian Burgher
goose.creek.treasurer@gmail.com

Quaker Jargon of the Month NEWSLETTER EDITOR

Catherine Cox, 301-471-5330
blycox@comcast.net
“BYM” = Baltimore Yearly Meeting – Baltimore Yearly Meeting is the WEBSITE & FACEBOOK
regional organizing unit for the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) www.goosecreekfriends.org
in the area of central Pennsylvania, Maryland, parts of West Virginia, https://www.facebook.com/
Goose-Creek-Friends-Meeting-
Virginia, and the District of Columbia. It is through membership in a Yearly 150892438287560/?rc=p
Meeting that individual Quakers become connected with the larger Quaker DONATIONS
movement worldwide. Please direct donations for
Goose Creek Friends Meeting to
Brian Burgher, P.O. Box 105
Lincoln, Virginia 20160