| Photo: The Clearing in Autumn by Dave Clark |
Connecting with Others
| Social Time after Worship |
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We meet and connect with each other at our worship times, but we
also find community by connecting with each at other times, and in
other situations. Although we have standing committees that meet and
connect with each other through committee business, we also seek
ways to connect to each other in non-business ways. One of the chief ways we connect with each other is through a social time at the end of each Meeting for Worship. This time starts after the greetings and announcements that come at the end of each worship, when we 'rise' and move to a waiting area outside the worship room for refreshments. This social time usually lasts for about 30-45 minutes. Refreshments are simple, and usually include juice and coffee, and some simple pastries, cookies, or snacks. |
Our children enjoy the chance to gather during social time, even if it's on the stairs!
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Connecting with Others |
Shared Documents |
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Midlothian Friends like to share pictures, stories, recipes and other documents with others. Soup Recipes- Several friends have graciously
shared their soup recipes, which are often served at potlucks held
after Meeting for Worship: Paper Forms - Any copies of paper forms needed can be stored
here: |
 You will need a copy of the Adobe Acrobat Reader to open some of these documents. If you don't have that installed on your PC, click on the link above to get the Adobe Acrobat Reader program free. |
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Connecting with Others |
Annual Retreat |
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A major event for Midlothian Meeting is our annual retreat, called
the 'Gathering for Clearness'. This is a day-long event, usually
held in April, where Midlothian friends gather for a mixture of
meetings, discussion groups, and fun activities. This is usually
held at the 'Clearing' Retreat Center in Amelia County.
Click here to see the pictures from
the last retreat. A major focus of the annual gathering is the preparation and/or review of our annual State of the Meeting Report. This report is prepared by the Spiritual Nurture committee, and is meant to be a summary of the condition of Meeting, and is sent onto our parent organization, Baltimore Yearly Meeting. |
The entrance to the Clearing is at the end of a field, off Genito Road in Amelia County |
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Connecting with Others |
Book Clubs |
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Other ways of connecting with each other are developed as the need
and desire arises. Some Friends have enjoyed meeting with each other
in book clubs, monthly meetings at a local Barnes & Noble bookstore
to discuss books of mutual interest. |
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Connecting with Others |
'Friendly Eights' |
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| Another way of connecting with each other is by creating a group around a particular interest. These groups, which may include a varying number of people, are sometimes called 'Friendly Eights'. (Eight is not a fixed number, but is considered a good working size). These groups often revolve around a related spiritual or personal interest, such as journaling, or healing. | |
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Connecting with Others |
Potlucks |
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Potlucks are an enjoyable and easy way for Midlothian Friends to
connect with each other. We bring a dish, cold or hot, to share;
there always seems to be plenty of food. Dishes are often
vegetarian, but can be prepared or purchased. We always welcome
people to our potlucks, whether they have brought a dish or not. |
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| Midlothian Friends Meeting P.O. Box 1003, Midlothian, VA 23113 (804) 598-1676 |