Welcome
G
oose Creek is a warm and welcoming community where we support each other in our shared journeys of the Spirit. We believe, in the words of the Quaker writer Thomas Kelly, that “deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy place, a Divine Center, a speaking Voice, to which we may continuously return.” In our worship and in our daily lives we seek to remain always with our hearts turned toward that Divine Center.
Quakerism is not defined by creeds or doctrine. Rather it is a lived spiritual practice where we seek God in our experiences and live out our faith in our shared world. We believe that there is that of God within each and every human being – adults and children – regardless of faith, race, nationality, sexual orientation, or life experiences. We are called to answer that Divine spark, that Light Within, both in ourselves and in others.
We welcome all seekers, find deep kinship in our shared humanity, and value our differences.
Aging
- Do you welcome the approach of old age, both for ourselves and for others, as an opportunity for wisdom, for detachment from turmoil and for greater attachment to the Light?
- How might I attend to what love requires of me in each new stage of life?
- Am I comfortable with the relationships I will leave behind?
- How can we support that of God in one another in the face of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral challenges?
- How do we support caregivers who may be overwhelmed by the chronic needs of the one receiving care?
From Baltimore Yearly Meeting “Advices.”
We need to approach old age with courage and hope, with receiving and giving, and with forgiving and being forgiven. Aging is a natural part of human life. At no time should people be on the periphery of society because of their age…Although growing older may bring increasing disability and loneliness, it can also bring serenity, detachment, and wisdom. Pray that in your final years you may be enabled to find new ways of receiving and reflecting God’s love.
Voices
“I believe eternal life is in each moment of life, here and now; the real tragedy is not how or when we die but if we do not live the life we are given to our full potential.”
— Jenifer Faulkner, 1982
“I am convinced it is a great art to know how to grow old gracefully, and I am determined to practice it….”
— Hannah Whitall Smith, 1903
“Accepting the fact of death, we are freed to live more fully. In bereavement, give yourself time to grieve. When others mourn, let your love embrace them.”
— Australia Yearly Meeting Faith & Practice, 2011
“As I grow older, I seem to need more time for inner stillness…This can happen in the midst of daily chores or when walking in a crowd or riding in a train. It means being still, open, reflective, holding within myself the crucible of joy and pain of all the world, and lifting it up to God. Praise comes into it, and thankfulness for all the love I have known and shared, the realization of how much of the time I am carried, supported, upheld by others and the love of God.”
— Dorothy Steere, 1995
Calendar
Friends and visitors are also invited to join us for our hybrid Meeting for Worship at 9:45 a.m. each Sunday. If you would like to participate online, please use the link below.
Link for Meeting for Worship:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83350737205?pwd=Z0pNM2xZRTBpSDQwa2ZaMmRiRHM0UT09
Meeting ID: 833 5073 7205
Passcode: 061785
For all other online gatherings listed in the calendar, please request link at gcmmlincoln@gmail.com.
Help us extend hospitality to Friends and visitors! Sign up to provide after-meeting refreshments here.
Saturday, November 2
9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Friends Wilderness Center Volunteer Day
Sunday, November 3
9:45 a.m. Meeting for Worship
11:00 a.m. Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business
Saturday, November 9
11:00 a.m. Forest Therapy: Gratitude & Giving in Nature – Friends Wilderness Center
Sunday, November 10
8:30 a.m. Peace & Social Concerns Committee meeting
9:45 a.m. Meeting for Worship
11:00 a.m. Second Hour: Small group worship sharing, soup & bread lunch to follow
Tuesday, November 12
7:30 a.m. Rolling Ridge Bird Walk – Friends Wilderness Center
Thursday, November 14
7:30 p.m. Unity with Nature online monthly guided nature meditation
Sunday, November 17
8:45 a.m. Unity with Nature Committee meeting
9:45 a.m. Meeting for Worship
Sunday, November 24
9:45 a.m. Meeting for Worship
11:00 a.m. Ministry & Worship Committee meeting
Sunday, December 1
9:45 a.m. Meeting for Worship
11:00 a.m. Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business
Sunday, December 8
8:45 a.m. Peace & Social Concerns Committee meeting
9:45 a.m. Meeting for Worship
Tuesday, December 10
7:30 a.m. Rolling Ridge Bird Walk — Friends Wilderness Center
Sunday, December 15
8:45 a.m. Unity with Nature Committee meeting
9:45 a.m. Meeting for Worship
5:30 p.m. Christmas potluck & carol sing
Thursday, December 19
7:30 p.m. Unity with Nature online monthly guided nature meditation
Sunday, December 22
9:45 a.m. Meeting for Worship
Saturday, December 28
11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Annual Reflection Hike — Friends Wilderness Center
Sunday, December 29
9:45 a.m. Meeting for Worship
11:00 a.m. Ministry & Worship Committee meeting
To request an email announcement or addition to the calendar, please contact us at goosecreeknews@gmail.com. Please read our Goose Creek Email Protocol for further guidance.
Street Address:
18204 Lincoln Road
Purcellville, VA 20132
Postal Address:
PO Box 105
Lincoln, VA 20160