Woodstown Meeting’s spiritual community continued to thrive this year resuming in-person First Day School, Meeting for Worship, activities and events. Zooms are used occasionally for committee meetings. During the summer months we hold meeting outdoors on the meeting house grounds.
Our annual Strawberry Supper continued its take-out format to great success. All proceeds benefit our benevolences.
Our benevolences reflect our social witness – landmine detectors, local social agencies, regional climate projects, immigration, international crises of war and food insecurity, and various Quaker organizations. Our sewing group makes quilts that are shared with newborns at an area hospital and with Ukraine refuge centers.
Outreach to our members and attenders included visits, calls, offers of assistance, birthday cards and Scattergood calendars for all. Easter and Christmas flower deliveries to older members and residents of Friends Village.
Six “Music at Friends” community concerts were held at the meetinghouse. Donations and the proceeds from the sale of Equal Exchange food products support the purchase of mine detectors. We also welcomed the community to our building during Woodstown’s Candlelight Tour in December.
First Day School classes for adults are vibrant with discussion and have a variety of topics that include Wm. Penn, corporate discernment, Inner Light, Clearness Committees, war, peace, Quaker Double Jeopardy, prayer, vocal ministry, the Nativity. Special meetings with music and readings are held on Easter, Closing Meeting (June), Opening Meeting (September), Thanksgiving, and Christmas. A candlelight carol sing is offered on Christmas Eve. We have set aside the second Sunday of each month to discuss FCNL lobbying efforts and activities. The first Sunday is Meeting for Business. A Woodstown Friends Meeting Museum has been arranged by members of our meeting to tell the history of our meeting through interesting displays, photographs, and documents.
Woodstown hosted Salem Quarterly Meeting and Bobby Trice from FCNL presented a workshop on communication with legislators and people with opposing views. Well attended and luncheon featured our soups, breads, and desserts.
Our meetinghouse dates to 1785 and requires careful upkeep inside and out. Our Property and Finance Committee diligently cares for our meeting house and the Friends Cemetery.
Our Pastoral Care Committee meets regularly to be aware of the well being of our members and attenders. Scholarships for tuition students and public school grants were administered by the committee totaling $17,360. Pastoral Care discerns the distribution of benevolences – $20,200 this past year. The committee clerked four memorial services.
The state of Woodstown Monthly Meeting is strong. Credit active committees and engaged members and attenders at FDS and MFW. We continue our commitment to the testimonies and use the queries to guide us.
Sally Crane, Clerk
