Allen’s Neck Friends Meeting
State of Society Report
for 2004

Allen’s Neck Friends Meeting finds itself in an excellent place spiritually. 2004 has been another fruitful year for the Meeting.

Sunday Morning Meeting for Worship has been excellent. Attendance is very healthy, with an average of 35 - 40 worshippers regularly in attendance.  In addition, the quality of worship remains strong.  Our pastor offers his gift for vocal ministry, but on regular occasions, he does not lead Meeting for Worship, with the work divided among meeting members and invited guests.

In September, a scheduling change was made to conduct Meeting for Worship and First Day School at the same time, with excellent results. First Day School Membership and Meeting attendance have both swelled as a result.  Also, the children join us for the opening and closing of Meeting.  This has been a popular decision among the members, who are pleased with how much the children offer to the Meeting, as well as how comfortable the children have become in Meeting for Worship.  Indeed, the First Day School children have found a spiritual home here at Allen’s Neck.

The Meeting has been concentrating on increasing awareness of Quaker traditions.  In November, Ministry & Counsel sponsored a two part workshop on Quaker history, business practices, and spiritual life.  New attenders as well as longtime members found the sessions informative and useful.  We plan to sponsor similar events in the future.

While we do an admirable job of fostering community within the Meeting, we would like in the future to improve our outreach and ability to address social issues.   Our witness to the Peace Testimony, for example, is sometimes not as strong as we would hope.

All in all, as we enter another year, the Meeting finds itself in good position to continue to find and foster that of God within each of us.

The State of our Stomachs will be sad indeed if we don’t have anything to munch on while we sip our coffee. There is a sign up sheet at the "Beverage Window" where you can write your name indicating that you will bring goodies for any Sunday and then serve them. This is a good way to ensure that you will have a snack that you enjoy. This is not restricted to women only. Men are just as capable of stopping at Lees or Dunkin Donuts and buying treats as anybody.