MORNING SESSIONS
Hope Free: Embracing the Reality of Death
Description: Can we learn to love the fact of death as integral to life? This workshop will use a worship
sharing format to address three questions: Our experience of mortality; our experience of immortality;
our experience of the death of others.
Presenter: Mary Helen “Mel” Snyder is the author of "No Hole in the Flame" (a memoir in prose and
poetry). She is a psychotherapist, a poet and a life-long Quaker.
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Gardening for Habitat
Description: Our gardens can provide not only a haven of beauty for ourselves but also a vibrant
sanctuary for the rest of the living world. We will talk about the practicalities of adding native plants,
managing storm water, avoiding poisons, and providing shelter for birds, butterflies, and other wildlife,
preferably while minimizing the money and labor involved.
Presenter: Margaret Fisher helps coordinate the Plant NOVA Natives campaign and is the author of
"Take Our Advice: A Handbook for Gardening in Northern Virginia."
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Godly Play
Description: The Godly Play method is a "curriculum of spiritual practice exploring the mystery of God’s
presence in our lives." For over 40 years, this method has been used in religious education to nurture
participants to larger dimensions of faith through wondering and play. In this workshop, participants will
hear Margo Lehman tell a Quaker story, from our Faith & Play series, and respond to the story with
original works of art.
Presenter: In addition to her staff position as Comptroller for Baltimore Yearly Meeting, Margo Lehman
is a long-time member of Sandy Spring Friends Meeting and a Godly Play storyteller in their First Day School.
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Letting Go of Grudges
Description: This workshop will cover what science says about the impact of holding grudges and the
cognitive steps involved in forgiveness, as well as the spiritual growth available through forgiveness.
Experiential exercises and practices will be included.
Presenter: Tasha Walsh is a counselor and coach who has been working with forgiveness personally and
professionally for several decades.
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Early Quaker Worship: Experiment with Light
Description: Many of us have struggled to experience the quality and intensity of early Quaker worship. Rex Ambler, a British Quaker has pondered this experience, studied the writings of George Fox and others, resulting in Experiment with Light (EwL). EwL is guided meditation which allows us to come closer to understanding their worship. We will discuss Ambler’s ideas, participate in Experiment with Light as a group, and consider its implications for our lives today.
Presenters: Susan Russell Walters has been a member of Homewood Friends (Baltimore) for more than 10 years and has led Experiment with Light monthly for the past 5 years. Sarah Bur as been a member of Homewood Friends for 30 years.
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Spirit-Led Fiber Art Crafting
Description: For those of us who enjoy knitting, crochet, quilting, needlework and all fiber arts. Bring
your projects to work on while we share the ways our crafting enhances our spiritual lives.
Presenter: Eveline Marquardt of Herndon Friends Meeting says, “After 60 years of knitting, I am
discovering its spiritual value.”
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Singable Books: for Language, Reading, Music, Movement, and FUN!
Description: Singable books are a genre of picture books intended to be sung rather than read. This workshop explores the genre through a blend of information and interaction, including hands-on time with lots of singable books and discussion on how to use them with children. A singable booklist and lesson plan template are provided. This session addresses our roles as mothers, grandmothers, and/or teachers. But singable books aren’t just for children. These books can be enjoyed from ages 1 - 101!
Presenter: Betty Ansin Smallwood, a Quaker, is a semi-retired ESL teacher and teacher trainer, mother, and now happily an active grandmother. She is preparing to publish her annotated singable booklist within the year.
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I Am Woman (I am Love)
Description: A time to appreciate and celebrate who we are through readings, discussion, and
movement. Topics include getting unstuck, creating an abundance mindset, forgiveness, and loving what
is. We’ll also do some yoga chanting and move to music about Love. Participants should bring a journal
and a water bottle, and wear light-colored clothing if possible.
Presenter: Terry Douglas is a believer who has participated in metaphysical classes and wishes to share
with others.
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Yoga for Slowing Down and Going In
Description: Jessica will lead gentle movements aligned with the breath to allow participants to tune in to the inner light. Appropriate for all levels - beginners as well as those with yoga experience. Mats will be available but feel free to bring your own.
Presenter: Jessica Arends is a certified Vinyasa Flow instructor specializing in teaching teaching those new to yoga.
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Alternatives to a White Supremacy Culture
Description: How do we move from monocultural institutions, where racial, ethnic and gender differences are viewed as defects, to multi-cultural, antiracist institutions, where these differences are seen as assets?
Presenter: Alex Bell is a member of Bethesda Friends Meeting and the BYM Working Group on Racism.
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Reaching out to Muslim Americans
Description: Following the Paris and Bernadino attacks, we have been hearing statements that stoke anti-Muslim sentiments. These attacks have given islamophobes an opportunity to engender hatred-- mosques have been threatened, shot at and vandalized, and in some cases burned down. A number of anti-Muslim incidents against individuals have also been reported. KARAMAH: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights will discuss with members of the Quaker community the effect of this situation on Muslims and how Quakers can support Muslim Americans against the bigotry and hate they are facing.
Presenters: Mary Leonard and Angelyn Flowers are members of Adelphi Friends Meeting. Hind Essayegh is a Communication Associate for KARAMAH —Muslim women lawyers for human rights.
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Breathe, Create, Reflect
Description: Welcome to a time of stillness in the heart of winter. We’ll hear a guided meditation*, then invite creative response through drawing / journaling / poetry, as you wish. Worship sharing then gives us another avenue for discovering, responding to, and expressing the inner rhythms that arise this day.*I’ll read aloud the Seasons of the Breath meditation from The Artist’s Rule by Christine Valters Paintner, a book that is providing warm support for my “inner artist.”
Presenter: Lynn Perlik, attender of Adelphi Friends Meeting, is exploring the interplay of spirit and creativity in a variety of forms, including watercolor painting and haiku and warmly invites you to join in the play.
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Visioning Sustainable Futures
Description: Four queries on the actions we can take personally and collectively to contribute to a
sustainable future.
Presenter: Brenda Carr is the current President and Trustee of the School of Living, an Educational N/P
with Stewardship of the land in 5 Community Land Trust.
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AFTERNOON SESSIONS
The Joy of Writing a Memoir
Description: I would like to share my experience of authoring two books (memoirs) encouraging others
to write about their lives. Detailing how I joined writing groups and slowly got the courage to self-
publish my books. My latest, A Cotton Rat For Breakfast: Adventures In Midlife And Beyond.
Presenter: Emily Kimball is an author, speaker, and aging adventurer.
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Finding Mary Magdalene in the South of France: the 2015 Pilgrimage
Description: Maggie will share highlights of this fall's pilgrimage to the south of France with 9 other
women (5 of us Quakers) to find Mary Magdalene, who lived and taught there. A powerful and rich
spiritual experience full of implications for women today.
Presenter: Maggie Moon O'Neill leads Sacred Circle Dance and workshops as a way of connecting with
the Divine Feminine in each of us.
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When Women Make Music
Description: How do women from differing eras, cultures, and strata express their lives in love, light, and
laughter? Using recordings of women singing, chanting, speaking, or making music in some way, we will
listen and then journal, paint or draw responses and personal connections to what we have heard,
intuited and felt. Come prepared to open to women’s experiences in various cultures around the world
and reflect on our own. Don’t forget to bring your journal if you have one.
Presenter: Nancy Preuss is a retired educator living at Friends House who is an artist, workshop
facilitator, and supporter of connections throughout the planet.
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Forgiveness
Description: When we hear a mother utter, “I forgive you” to the shooter of her child, we might ask
ourselves if we could do the same. The practice of Forgiveness enables us to go on living, for without it,
we face being stuck in baggage claim the rest of our lives. We will discuss how forgiveness was actively
practiced in maintaining peace and community to people living on isolated islands where they could not
just pull up stakes and leave if they were unhappy with each other, and learn the source of the spirit of
Aloha as practiced in Hawaii.
Presenter: Carol Beigel is a member of Adelphi Friends Meeting, and through her travels in Hawaii, has
seen and felt Aloha in action.
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Healing Ourselves and our World
Description: We will explore ways to heal ourselves, recharge our energy and extend compassion to others. Using hand reflexology, movement, meditation and story-telling, we will learn ways to let go of our own traumas while contemplating what is expected of us in this wounded world.
Presenter: Bette Rainbow Hoover is a healer, peace builder, grandmother and crone.
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Suncatchers
Description: Just for fun! Back by popular demand, this workshop will teach you to make crystal sun
catchers to hang in a window or on a Christmas tree. So simple a child can do it. (in fact, you can share
the idea with your First Day School class.) A small material fee of $6 will be requested of participants,
payable to the Workshop Presenter.
Presenter: Mosi is a beader from Adelphi and does, indeed, make sun catchers with her First Day School
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Healing through Humor
Description: Explore ways to incorporate humor into your everyday life to encourage stress relief and healing.
Presenter: Natalie Finegar is a totally stressed mom and Public Defender.
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Writing our Stories
Description: We have all experienced interesting "stories" as part of our lives. In this workshop, I will
share a few stories that my Mother wrote and interesting little incidents in her life and then invite
everyone to take some time to write. Then we will share.
Presenter: Ramona Buck is a member of Patapsco Friends Meeting and has always loved writing.
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Create Your Vision Board
Description: In this workshop, after some simple centering, we will design our own vision boards--a cluster of
words and images placed together with intention to manifest a vision of your very best life.
Presenter: Dana Mitra is a member of State College Friends meeting and passionate about the power of
intention and manifesting ones' best life, especially in relation to listening to the still, small voice inside of us.
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The Power of Presence
Description: Touch is often taboo in our culture. What might it be like to touch another person's hand in
a reverent way? To hold space for another? Or to appreciate the life lived in the wrinkles by touching
them, rather than comparing ourselves to society's ideal? This workshop will use eye contact and safe
touch with permission, to hold a hand, a gaze, a face. We'll get into the felt sense of ourselves and
others, and out of our usual ways of interaction. We'll deepen our experiences through dialog and/or journaling.
Presenter: Janet MacColl Nicholson is a Quaker, teacher, mother, wanderer seeking deeper connections.
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Sustaining the Peace Builder/Justice Builder Within
Description: As we serve and advocate and create and build -- how do we feed our souls? What keeps us going and lively and alive in our work?
Presenter: Ruth Flower has picked up a lot of ideas and learned from many masters of the craft in 40 years as an activist and advocate. Willing to share and learn more.
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Lessons from Afghanistan: Bringing Love and Forgiveness into our Lives
Description: As women, we share much love with others: Partners, families, friends. But we often leave little room to experience self love. In this workshop, based on the Afghan Women's Writing Projects "Lessons from Afghanistan: A Curriculum for Exploring Themes of Love and Forgiveness," participants have the opportunity to examine feelings about the concept of self love, and consider who is the "real" self through poetic meditations, writing, drawing, and sharing.
Presenter: Elisabeth Lehr is an educator and writer who has worked with Afghan women writers for the last six years.
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