Membership numbers are stable-2 new, one transfer, one death. Thanks to the efforts of several members, we were blessed with Eldon Leech's presence at meeting for a few months before he died peacefully in his sleep in November. Some of us experienced for the first time the spiritual depth of a Quaker memorial service, which we were able to share with Eldon's family, for which they expressed gratitude. These two experiences seem to be especially poignant last gifts from a man who single handedly kept the meeting alive through barren times for us to find nurture in today.

        Midweek evening worship was discontinued as attendance waned. A seven session Quakerism 101 based on the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting syllabus began in October with attendance from other meetings in the Quarter and from the community. Many participants have found it to be enriching.

        Following are some ongoing issues around which we labor, hopefully with love and mindfulness that resolution of the issue is not the only goal. Deepening our ability to use Quaker process to open our hearts and minds in understanding as we build trust and dare to be honest to our own truth and receptive to the truths of others is the larger goal.

1. Questions continue about how best to minister to the homeless men who come for food/meal tickets. Concerns include appropriate limit setting on time of giving and number given, the loss of the opportunity to sit with them as they seem to prefer meal tickets to joining us for our simple feast, and potential for abuse of the system.
    
2. Finance committee labored over how best to use our funds to do good in the world while retaining enough for expected and unexpected repairs to the building, resulting in some new monthly and single donations.
    
3. The grounds continues to seek greater harmony with its location and at the same time reach out into the community to encourage others to go native in their landscaping as a way to bring greater harmony with nature to the garden lovers of the city
    
4. Allowing the 9:30 adult worship sharing time to meet the needs of the meeting community-some feel it should not be a forum for assigned subjects, but rather a place to bring the experiences or challenges of the week for consideration. Some desire more religious education but most agree it provides spiritual inspiration. Some have identified its function for them as providing a connection to the larger Quaker community, providing an opportunity to be heard by others and to listen to others, leading to the opportunity to learn to know each other at a deeper level.

        Some have expressed feeling nurtured from just being with others in the meeting who are making a difference in the world and there was mention of the members and attenders who work hard to make our world a better place through their involvement in the community.

        One attender summarized her experience thus: “I have felt, in the past year, a deepening sense of unity in our worship. I've been feeling that just by coming, and for each individual who attends, our intent as a group is somehow strengthened. I have felt that each individual, no matter how strong their needs may be, is contributing to the combined spiritual state of the meeting. It feels like a snowball effect, it's like the more that individuals grow spiritually, the more loving energy is gathered together when we worship and then more love and energy is given back to each of us, allowing us to keep growing spiritually.”

        Two ongoing frustrations are the lack of children and young people and a size too small for effective use of committees.