CARE AND COUNSEL ANNUAL REPORT 2009
In January we welcomed three new members on to Care and Counsel:
Linda Heinemann,
Marjorie Burton, and Carolyn Evans. Their presence has been of significant
importance to the committee. These three join the following to compose the Care
and Counsel Committee: Rosanne
Edenhart-Pepe, Clerk, Odie Lefever, Assist. Clerk, Connie
Clovis, Alan Crosman, Phil Gety,
Pam Grumbach, Hugh Harr, Ginger
Monarch, Dick Skinner.
During the year we provided clearness to and/or welcomed the following families to Newtown Meeting:
Bancroft Family
Myles Family
Hulihan Family
Klaver Family
Mirarchi Family
Dugan Family
Sarah Wolf and Jennifer
Wolf
The Fellows family will be met with during the month of December.
In 2009 Sarah Croft’s membership was transferred to
Our method of welcoming new members on the first First Day of the month and making an announcement of who is
being welcomed as a new member has been successful in the eyes of those who
have been welcomed. Worship and Ministry
and Care and Counsel representatives attend a private Silent Worship and
question answering session with new members on that day. New members continue
to be encouraged to choose a mentor which has been a helpful initiative.
On March 8, 2009 Care and Counsel sponsored the Attender’ s Gathering.
Feedback about the gathering leads us to believe that it was well
received and beneficial to all those who participated.
Esther Hart, who is a co-opted member of Care and Counsel wrote
approximately 50 cards to members through out this year. Her efforts are tender and sincere and are
always received with great appreciation.
Ester was supplied more cards through the donation of an anonymous donor
and through the efforts of Carolyn Evans who located the
In 2008 our committee asked to lay down our responsibilities for
the Blossom Ride and Friendly Eights due to the loss of the vital energies of Almira Sharp and Betsy Applebaum. We are glad to see that those worthy
endeavors have been picked up by the new In-Reach Out-Reach committee and are
being reinitiated.
In May of 2009 Pam Grumbach passed the
Clerkship of Care and Counsel over to Rosanne Edenhart-Pepe. Odie Lefever accepted the position of assistant Clerk from Alan Crosman. Pam’s and
Alan’s efforts during their years of Clerking were a great asset to the meeting. They continue to be valued members of the
committee.
In September Care and Counsel hosted the Opening Brunch. In October Clerk Edenhart-Pepe attended a
Pastoral Care workshop offered by Quarterly meeting in Coordination with Yearly
Meeting. Information from that workshop
has been used in another endeavor of the Care and Counsel Committee.
In
November of this year, based on a leading by Rosanne Edenhart-Pepe, and Elder
Care Support Group was formed for those in our Meeting (and in Quarterly
Meeting) who are struggling under the burden of aging parents and the multiple
cares and concerns that go along with the loving extension of care. So far the group has had several meetings and
hopes to continue into the next year supplying support and information to
Meeting Members.
Earlier in the year, Carolyn Evans wrote a draft of a letter that would be helpful to send to those applying for membership in advance of the visit by a Care and Counsel clearness committee. Ginger Monarch took the next step and redesign the layout. Rosanne and Linda have so far field tested the redesign.
Phil Gety continues to contact Care and Counsel when he learns
about a death in the community and
faithfully serves as the liaison between Building and Grounds and Care and
Counsel on this issue.
Following the
death of our beloved Betsy Applebaum, Linda Heineman took over as ‘Keeper of the Quilts”. She maintains the quilts and arranges for
delivery in order to meet needs of the Meeting Members. During this year, Wendy Kane sewed pockets
into he quilts so that a record could be kept of who has shared in their comfort.
FUTURE
EVENTS:
Rosanne
E-P and Wendy K are preparing to form a quilting circle in order to create a
third Healing Quilt. Since many of the
squares for this quilt were delivered from the batch preserved by Betsy Applebaum, there is consideration of a quilting event in
Betsy's honor.
Rosanne
has asked to initiate a series of talks to the children’s First Day School
concerning the Hold in the Light Book, and, in general, the importance of care
for others and holding people in the Light.
Thank
you for the opportunity to serve.
Respectfully
submitted,
Rosanne
Edenhart-Pepe,
Clerk,
Care and Counsel