September (Ninth Month) 2012 Newsletter

     Meeting for Worship

& First Day School

Sundays at 11:00 a.m.

Midweek Meeting for Worship, Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m.
     

Integrity and Personal Conduct

Advices:

Integrity has always been a goal of Friends. It is essential to trust, to all communication between people and between people and God. Integrity grounds our beliefs, thoughts, and actions in our spiritual center and makes us whole.

Friends believe that we are called to speak the truth. A single standard of truth requires us to conduct ourselves in ways that are honest, direct, and plain, and to make our choices, both large and small, in accord with the urgings of the Spirit. It follows that we object to taking an oath, which presupposes a variable standard of truth. Be true to your word.

… let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay.

James 5:12
King James Version

From early days Friends have opposed gambling and practices based on chance. These activities profit from the inevitable loss of others, promote greed, and conflict with good stewardship. Public lotteries have not furthered their purported benefit to the public good. All addictions are of concern. As the use of alcohol and tobacco all too often entail serious risks to self and others, Friends who serve alcohol at home should be diligent in offering alternatives. Alcohol should not be served at Meeting gatherings.

Find recreation that brings you joy and energy. Be aware of how your choices affect yourself and others.

Queries:

How do I strive to maintain the integrity of my inner and outer lives?

Do I act on my principles even when this entails difficult consequences?

Am I honest and truthful in all that I say and do, even when a compromise might be easier or more popular?

Am I reflective about the ways I gain my wealth and income and sensitive to their impacts on others?

Is my life so filled with the Spirit that I am free from the misuse of alcohol and other drugs, and of excesses of any kind?

Do we, in our Meeting, hold ourselves accountable to one another as do members of a healthy family?

San Francisco Monthly Meeting
Meeting for Business
7/8/2012 (Seventh Month)

Meeting began at 1:12 pm with a period of worship and 31 people present. The clerk opened with a reading from PYM Faith & Practice with a time for reflection. The Advices & Queries for Seventh month are on “Reaching Out.”  We reflected on the queries in silence.

Approval of previous month’s minutes

07-01: Meeting approves the minutes of June 10, 2012, as presented.

Nominating Committee

In the absence of acting Nominating Committee clerk Dan Nakamura, Stephen reported on one new nomination:  Dawn Moore to serve on Hospitality & Community Committee for a two-year term (exp. 4/30/2014) and as clerk for the current year (thru 4/30/2013).

Stephen also noted names of Friends who have moved recently and sought release from their committee service. (Please note that Kate McCarley currently continues her service on the News Committee as clerk and Newsletter Editor.)

07-02 Meeting releases the following individuals from the following committee service:  Demece Garepis-Holland, Children’s Religious Education Committee and Welcoming Committee; Sally Garepis-Holland, Hospitality & Community Committee and Nominating Committee; and Kate McCarley, Children’s Religious Education Committee.

Membership Items

Stephen read a letter from Robert Levering requesting transfer of his membership to Santa Cruz Meeting. This is referred to Ministry & Oversight Committee, which will bring a recommendation.  Stephen offered a second reading of the report from the Membership Clearness Committee on Larry Pettit’s application for membership, recommending acceptance, with which M&O is in unity, as reported last month.

07-03 Meeting approves Larry Pettit’s request for membership.  Markley Morris, Sandra Schwartz & Anne Brodzky Williams will comprise a welcoming committee.

Leadings Fund: Report from Heidi Pidcoke

                  Heidi Pidcoke and her fiancé Anand Madhvani made a presentation and report on the work they have been doing in Kenya organizing Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) and Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities (HROC) workshops and follow-up therapy with the support of a grant Meeting made to Heidi from its Fund for Leadings.  This was the second of  two reports from Heidi on the two halves of the two-year grant, and was accompanied by a written report describing the work in more detail and a full accounting for the money expended.  Heidi described the situation in Kenya and her leading to do this work in anticipation of the coming national election and the widespread fears of a repeat of the violence that followed the election five years ago; the presentation included video clips of interviews with facilitators with whom she and Anand work, and with participants in the programs.  Much of the proceeds from Heidi’s psychotherapy practice go to support the work as well.   They have also received assistance from the Mennonite Central Committee and the American Friends Service Committee, the latter funding work among Somali refugees at a huge camp near the Kenya/Somalia border.  Friends expressed gratitude for this work and the moving presentation.  (Written report attached to archive copy of these minutes.)

Quarterly Meeting Report

                  Quarterly Meeting representative Alice Sowaal reported on the Spring session of College Park Quarterly Meeting held at Ben Lomond Quaker Center in May. The theme for the gathering was “Beyond membership, Growing as Friends,” inspired by Robert Griswold’s article in the March issue of Western Friend.  Friends were encouraged to consider nurturing membership since our State of the Meeting Reports indicate there were more deaths and departures than new members and births last year. A panel considered the following queries: After being accepted as a member, what has helped you to continue growing in your faith as a Quaker? What experience do you have of your spiritual condition interfering with your growth in the Quaker faith? What personal or corporate disciplines do you follow in your life as a Quaker? What helps you to be faithful to these disciplines?  The theme also informed committee reports, worship-sharing and interest groups (which also included groups on earthcare and prison ministry, and a service project pulling invasive plants in the woods).  Alice noted several San Francisco Friends’ involvement on Quarterly Meeting committees and boards.  She further reported that AFSC will be sending an action alert to Meetings regarding the ballot measure to abolish the death penalty in California; and that Western Friend is seeking a new editor: people interested in the position should watch for possible changes in the job description, which will be the focus of an interest group at Yearly Meeting in August.

Priestley Bequest

                  Stephen reported learning that Joseph Priestley on his death left his property at 46-48 Rausch Street in San Francisco to the Meeting, with certain conditions relating to the current tenants, and that both Property & Finance and Ministry & Oversight Committees have begun to consider the implications of the gift and conditions, in order to make a recommendation to Meeting whether to accept it or not.  (The trust document contains alternate provisions should we decline to take title.)  impact/obligations of this gift would be for the meeting. Friends are looking into these issues and will report back to the meeting as more information is available. A joint subcommittee is being formed to meet with the tenants and learn about their hopes and expectations, and to let them know that we have yet to decide what we are going to do.

Property & Finance Committee

                  Stephen and Clerk Philip Gerrie reported on the committee’s discussion of the above topic, and a list of practical considerations and points of information the committee came up with to explore, including such things as current rent on the occupied unit, operating expenses such as utilities and how those are currently being handled, the physical state of the building and nature and extent of needed repairs, the property tax situation and whether a reassessment will occur on transfer, and possible permissible uses of the vacant unit.  The committee noted that no funds were provided with the gift to cover any anticipated expenses, so it will be important to be clear about the state of the structure and any needed repairs as we discern our right path.  The committee also discussed whether Meeting might look to sell the building rather than keeping it, possibly dividing the proceeds with the current tenants, whose approval and cooperation would be required under the conditions of Joseph’s gift.
     Philip also reported that the construction starting on the lot next door to the meetinghouse can be expected to last for the next two years. We anticipate some potential for noise and disruption.

Ministry & Oversight Committee

                  Co-clerk David Matchett shared on M&O’s consideration of Joe Priestley’s bequest. The committee sees its role as helping the Meeting discern what it might do with the gift if it were to accept it, and discussed various scenarios, including using the vacant unit to house Quaker activities such as Quaker Voluntary Service or a “bootcamp” for U.S. and Mexican youth to learn and share knowledge about operating nonprofits.  There was unity on the committee that the most important consideration has to be the gift’s potential Meeting’s spiritual purposes, weighed against our commitment and ability to manage the property.

                  Rolene Walker is helping to organize the SF Meeting Women’s Retreat which is scheduled for October, 2012.  If you are interested please contact her.

                  David shared the committee’s appreciation of Jim Pilliod and Pete Anderson for their devotion and hard work in setting up and staffing Meeting’s LGBT Pride Day booth in June.

Closing

After a period of announcements and sharing of joys and concerns, Meeting closed with worship at 3:05 pm with 24 people in attendance.

Respectfully submitted,

Blake Arnall, Recording Clerk                  Stephen Matchett, Clerk of Meeting

Excerpt of Report from Heidi Pidcoke

Presented to the San Francisco Monthly Meeting

 [This is an excerpt from the concluding report from Heidi Pidcoke on her use of the money that Meeting made available to her over a two-year period from the Fund for Leadings, for her trauma and healing work in Kenya.]

The fund for leadings granted $5,000 for both 2011 and 2012 to conduct HROC (Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities) Basic, Advanced and Training for Facilitators Workshops as well as provide follow up trauma counseling.

In the original proposal we stated that we would use the funds to put on 5 workshops with an average of 20 participants both years. The remaining funds would be used for EMDR counseling for both participants and facilitators.  Below is a copy of what we reported on the initial $2,500.

[Tables omitted: $2,099 for five workshops June-Aug. 2011 (103 participants), and 84 therapy sessions given by eight therapists]

The remaining Balance of $401 was used in the HROC Training for Facilitators Nov 28 –Dec 2, 2011 where we trained a further 11 HROC facilitators.

This is the report submitted for that workshop:

HROC TRAINING FOR TRAINERS 1

The HROC training for trainers 1 (T4F1) took place at the Shalom House in the month of December. The training brought together 11 participants picked from all the various communities where workshops had been held earlier in the year. The objective of the training was to increase the number of the HROC facilitators who will work with the existing HROC facilitators to help spread the workshops all over Nairobi and if possible to the rest of the country. We had aimed to have 15 participants. Only 11 showed up and were able to finish the training.

Usually, T4F takes ten days of training., but is broken up into two parts of 5 days each. After the T4F1 facilitators become apprentices and can conduct workshops with the help of a lead facilitator. They run at least 4 workshops each, then they qualify to do the T4F 2 and thereafter become fully fledged facilitators.

In addition to attending this training, participants were encouraged to go for free counseling with specialized trauma therapists trained in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) offered by HROC. Like any other community workers, HROC facilitators get tired, overwhelmed, and stressed because of the immensity of the work.  Some many carry the sharing of the participants with them. Personal therapy was emphasized as a way to help them deal with all these issues.  They are free to go for counseling as much as they want so they can be in a better position to help others.

During the training, the basic workshop was reviewed. The group cooperation and team building is very important to create. This is because they will be working as a team and they need to connect well, so as to work smoothly. They were also given guidelines on how to identify, and respond to strong emotions. In most cases during a workshop, participants are very vulnerable when they share and they can be in a situation where they find themselves re- experiencing the same incident(s) again. The need to prevent the situation from escalating is essential. Later on they learnt how to prepare and design a workshop and finally they presented to the rest of their fellow trainees who gave constructive feedback.

This group showed great potential during the presentation and given an opportunity, they can help the HROC family grow and spread wide. Theo from Rwanda who helped start the program here in Nairobi came back to help run the T4T1. He had gone back home after being in Kenya for two years doing his studies. He worked with Jackson Githinji & Pauline Oduor and left satisfied that they can competently run a T4F1 by themselves.

Accounting of Leadings Fund Disbursements 2012

This year we have been concentrating on trying to have participants experience an AVP Basic Workshop before attending an HROC Basic. During our time at the International Gathering in Guatemala, we heard from those engaged in both AVP and HROC work in other countries, that HROC workshops may be more effective if participants have already attended and AVP workshop.  As HROC workshops tend to bring up much heavier emotional material, participants who have established some level of trust with the program format, the facilitators and their fellow participants through an AVP workshop, may share more readily and at a deeper level during the HROC workshops.

We also heard from several facilitators during our monthly facilitators meetings, that many were hearing from participants that along with the trauma healing, they also wanted more conflict resolution skills to be better prepared for the upcoming elections. We have also explored which order we should put the two workshops -AVP then HROC or HROC then AVP. The opinions we heard are mixed about what order these should be in. However, all facilitators agreed that very different skills and insights are gained in both workshops and feel that participants need access to both AVP and HROC. Therefore this year, we have allocated some of the funds towards putting on AVP workshops along with HROC workshops.

Another exciting opportunity that we have had is to begin working with university students. Kenyan schools and universities have a long-standing tradition of violent revolt and strikes. Students regularly riot and destroy school or community property when they are unhappy about issues happening on their campus. At Mt. Kenya University, students created a Peace Club to explore ways they could change this destructive pattern of behavior. The students were eager to experience AVP and have had several workshops. Last month 11 new facilitators were trained. The higher level of education and insight has meant we have a new group of highly motivated and capable facilitators who are excited about taking AVP to several other universities. Again, with the general fear of what students will do during this election year, this new development seems extremely timely.

Accounting of Ksh 200,000 or US$2,500 from San Francisco Quakers

[Tables omitted: $2,177 for five workshops Feb- June 2012 (87 participants) ]

The remaining $323 was used for counseling as shown below.

This year we have raised the stipend we are giving to both the facilitators and the counselors in order to adjust to the significant increase in cost of living that Kenyans are experiencing due to the rise in cost of fuel and food. Whereas last year we paid counselors 500 Kenyan shillings per session, this year we are paying them Ksh 700 – about US $9.

We have experienced a decrease in the amount of counseling compared to the previous year. The primary reason for this is that many of our workshops are located in parts of Nairobi that are quite far from the AVP/HROC office. As we don’t pay for transport when participants come for counseling, many have been unable to afford the US $2-3 it takes for them to come to the office. We have explored providing counseling in a venue closer to these slums. One counselor has been given free office space in a slum in the East of Nairobi, and has therefore been able to see more clients.

[Table omitted:  $500 for 57 therapy sessions given by five therapists]

So far in 2012 we have conducted a total of 31 workshops for a total of 580 participants [using funding from different sources].

10 HROC level one workshops with 200 participants

18 AVP level one workshops with 336 participants

2 AVP level 2 workshops with 33 participants

1 AVP T for F workshop with 11 participants

[Table omitted]

We are deeply grateful for the funding and the support given by the San Francisco Friends Meeting. The impact of your generosity is best told through the participants’ stories. Three of the following quotes came from participants in a workshop for those living with HIV.

‘When I learnt that I had HIV, I thought my life was over! I have attended many workshops before and I did not think HROC would be any different. I was wrong. I have not had a chance to share openly like I have during this workshop. I have learnt a lot from Johari’s window and other topics have encouraged me much. I have had a chance to reflect on my life, mourn for my family members and understood that life continues even after traumatic events. ‘                    

Bernard Otieno Onyango

For Lydia, she has now found meaning to life.

‘When I discovered my HIV/AIDS status, everything stopped. I went for counseling but that didn’t help her very much. My husband left me shortly after I told him of my status. I was left with the children alone and I was stigmatized.  People avoided me including those I thought were my friends! I have been living with trauma but now I thank HROC for the great job they have done to me. My journey has begun. I have re discovered myself and I know I will find acceptance. HROC has made a meaning in her life.’  

Lydia Wanjiku Kuria

Maina is a very jovial man who keeps his problems to himself. However during this workshop he had the chance to share some of his difficulties.

‘I lost my property through a family conflict where my ancestral land was sold without my knowledge. That affected me very much. Due to this I started drinking alcohol. In the process, I slept with many people because I did not care. I could not understand what I was doing. All the money I got from my business went into drinking.  My health started to change and in the end I discovered I was HIV/AIDS positive. Someone encouraged me to attend a HROC workshop. I did not know I was living with trauma all this time. HROC has given me a chance to share my life experiences, which I hadn’t shared with anybody before.  Although I am a facilitator in another organization, HROC feels different. It has changed me. Can HROC reach as many people like us? Most of us living with HIV/AIDS are traumatized and need help. We still live in denial.’  

Julius Maina

In other workshops participants shared how they were impacted by HROC.

Florence, shared how traumatized she became after her son was expelled from school.

‘The school administration did not inform me. I had been struggling to pay my son’s school fees and he was sent home without my knowledge. His class teacher did not even notify me or had never called me to say that my son was misbehaving! They went ahead and took this big step without letting me know. I tried to seek for audience with the Principal but they could not give me a chance. I hated him. And his class teacher too.  Out of anger and desperation I stared planning for my revenge.  During the same week, I was invited to attend a workshop that I didn’t think would help me. But to my amazement, it touched me. I began to cross examine myself and felt this workshop was timely because I was planning to have the teacher killed. I hadn’t shared this before but after I did during the workshop, I felt a sigh of relief. HROC has given me a whole new meaning to life because I was saved from causing a lot of harm.’

Florence

Steve, one of the participants, was very quiet during the training. He asked all the hard questions but never shared anything personal.  He said he found it so hard to share his personal issues with anybody including his wife. Throughout the workshop he could not engage freely with anyone and tried to put others down. This showed that he was struggling with so many issues. However, after the personal reflection exercise, he said,

‘This workshop has come at a timely moment. I always took everything for granted and justified my own way of doing things. Now I know what it means to share one’s own burden with other people. It’s a step for healing.  I have realized that I was dying slowly without knowing it, by keeping so much inside. I almost reached the point that I could hold no more. Asante [thank you] HROC’.

Steve

Funding for AVP and HROC workshops in 2011 came from several sources. American Friends Service Committee, the Mennonites and my psychotherapy practice have funded roughly ¾ of the work during this year. San Francisco Friends Meeting contributed $2,500 and two individuals have also contributed over $1000 for workshops. In 2011 funds were also raised through a Benefit Concert and Silent Auction.

The total income for the year was KSh 4,116,615 or US $ 51,458.

(Including carried over funds from 2010 of US $ 7073)

Of the new income

AFSC contributed US $14,150 for work with Somalis at Dadaab refugee camps

The Mennonites contributed US $ 8,383 for work with Somalis in Nairobi

My psychotherapy practice contributed US $ 13,334

A Benefit Concert and Silent Auction brought in US $ 2,525

San Francisco Quakers contributed US $ 2,500

Various individuals contributed US $ 3,493

All expenses are documented with receipts, which are kept on file by Wambui Nguyo, AVP Coordinator for AVP Kenya Trust at the AVP/HROC office in Nairobi.

Announcements from our Meeting

SAVE THE DATE!

The annual Women’s Retreat will take place October 5-7 at Ben Lomond Center.  If you have ideas for the meeting to share, please contact Rolene Walker.

News from Friends

NEWS FROM THE BERKELEY MEETING

FCLCA FunRaiser!

Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Ernest Bicknell's Birth and
Benefit for the 60th Anniversary of Friends Committee on Legislation
of California

Bick was looking forward to the fundraiser for FCL which was to be
held for his 100th  Birthday.  He would not be disappointed to know
that this will happen in his memory.

When:   September 15th, 2012 (Saturday) 2 to 5 PM

Where:  Berkeley Friends Church
1600 Sacramento St.
Berkeley, CA 94702

What: Update on FCLCA Activities by Jim Lindburg, Legislative Director
Shared Reminiscences of Bick from friends and family
Buffet (lots of food and drink)
Entertainment (folksinger Kitty Von Braskat-Crowe)
Birthday Cake, Socializing
Bulgarian Folk Dancing (led by Biliana Stremska)

Giving opportunity: You will be invited to make gifts to FCLCA in units of 100.

Please donate items for the silent auction!  Donations of new, valuable vintage, new or slightly used items, or donations of services (e.g., "I will cook dinner for 6") are needed. Please contact Ingrid Stephan at

ussteping@yahoo.com to donate. We will be publishing lists of items to bid on prior to the auction, so please provide a description (if possible an image) in advance.  The actual items may be brought to the event by 2 PM Sept. 15th.

FCLCA has advocated for an end to California’s death penalty since its founding in 1952 and has since 2011, served on the steering committee
of the SAFE California initiative to end the death penalty (which will appear on the November 2012 ballot as Proposition 34).  FCLCA needs your support and financial help to fight for this and other priorities, such as single payer health care and prison reform for California.  If you can’t make it for the fun, you can still send a centennial contribution in memory of Bick to FCLCA in Sacramento.

NEWS FROM BEN LOMOND QUAKER CENTER

We've had a busy summer with many youth and intergenerational camps and programs.  We are looking forward to having a wider age range at all our programs. San Francisco Friend, Neil Fullagar, has offered his professional childcare services for most Quaker Center programs in the near future, with children joining us for meals and playing with Neil and his assistant during program sessions.

As summer comes to a close we will be offering Clerking Among Friends, co-led by Barbara Babin and Shayne Lightner from August 31 - September 2nd. Delve into the many facets of clerking, including service and leadership as spiritual practices and the role of the clerk in shaping Meetings for Business that are truly meetings for worship.  Find out more about the focus of this program and register online at http://www.quakercenter.org/clerking-among-friends.

Jim Anderson has planned our first ever week-long program, Quakers...in the Life, from Sept. 23-29th with an inspiring line up of Friends, including Eric Moon, Rachel Findley, Stephen Matchett, Diego Navarro, Kathy Hyzy, and Paul Harris. Each will lead a session one day, though most of them will be staying for much of the week. The title phrase is an old Quaker term referring to a sense of being gathered in a powerful unity, a sense of presence directing our lives. We see the traces: in our tradition, the lives of earlier Friends, in writings deeply entered into, in occasions of joint work, study, worship, and service, in strong and deepening friendships. We hope you will join us.  Find out more and register online at http://www.quakercenter.org/quakers-in-the-life/.

Quarterly and Yearly Meeting News

The upcoming College Park Quarterly Meeting session will be at Sierra Friends Center in Nevada City/Grass Valley, October 19-21.

The upcoming Pacific Yearly Meeting session will be at Walker Creek Ranch in Marin County, August 13-18

Google Groups for SF Quakers

This is the group to send your late breaking announcements or share other news with the meeting community. You can sign up via the web: http://groups.google.com/group/sfquakers. You will need to create a free Google user ID and password, if you don’t already have one.

Visit http://groups.google.com/group/sfquakers/about to join or learn more.

A group for young adult Friends in San Francisco is at http://groups.google.com/group/youngsfmeeting

A group for parents in the San Francisco Meeting is at http://groups.google.com/group/sf-crec-parents

A Google Group for Bay Area Quakers is now available at http://groups.google.com/group/bayareaquakers. The group is for Bay Area Quaker meetings, churches, and organizations, as well as individual Friends, to share news of events and activities that would be of interest to Quakers and the general public. Events do not need to be strictly Quaker. For more information, contact Tom Yamaguchi, tomyamaguchi@mac.com

Help on using Google Groups is also available at:

http://groups.google.com/support

Submissions to the newsletter are due by the next-to-last First Day (Sunday) of each month in the News Committee mailbox at the meetinghouse, or by e-mail to news@sfquakers.org. This newsletter is also available for reading or downloading on our website at http://www.sfquakers.org/news.html.

Members of the News Committee are Kate McCarley (clerk, editor), Eli Bishop (web servant), Jim Pilliod (production), and Noel Schwerin (distribution)

Calendar of Events for September 2012

(all events at 65 9th St., unless noted; *see details elsewhere in newsletter)

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
26 11a Meeting for Worship	27	28	29 6p Meeting for Worship	30 12p Peace Vigil‡ 7p Potluck & Quaker Study	31	1 10:30a-1p Food Pantry
2 9:30a Bible Study 11a Meeting for Worship, Community potluck following	3	4 7p Ministry & Oversight Mtg	5 8:30a SFFS Community Mtg for Worship† 6p Meeting for Worship 7p Property & Finance Mtg	6 12p Peace Vigil‡ 7p Potluck & Quaker Study	7	8 10:30a-1p Food Pantry
9 11a Meeting for Worship	10	11	12 6p Meeting for Worship	13 12p Peace Vigil‡ 7p Potluck & Quaker Study	14	15 10:30a-1p Food Pantry
16 9:30a Bible Study 11a Meeting for Worship	17	18	19 6p Meeting for Worship	20 12p Peace Vigil‡ 7p Potluck & Quaker Study	21	22 10:30a-1p Food Pantry
23 11a Meeting for Worship________________ 30 9:30a Extended Meeting for Worship	24	25	26 6p Meeting for Worship	27 12p Peace Vigil‡ 7p Potluck & Quaker Study	28	29 10:30a-1p Food Pantry

‡Federal Building, Golden Gate Ave. and Larkin St. †San Francisco Friends School, 250 Valencia St.