Newtown Quaker Meeting to Feature Children's Christmas Program

Newtown PA

13 December, 2021

2:00 PM

Description

Newtown Quaker Meeting to Feature Children's Christmas Program The children of Newtown Quaker Meeting will present their special Christmas program at9:45 a.m. on Sunday, December 19, at the historic Friends Meetinghouse, 219 Court Street(http://www.newtownfriendsmeeting.org). People who are vaccinated and wear masks mayattend in person. Others may attend via Zoom. Meeting for Worship in the manner of Friendswill follow at 11 a.m. In a reversal of the usual procedure in Newtown Quaker Meeting where adults read Querieswritten by other adults to the entire Meeting, the children are writing their own Queries aboutChristmas to present to the Quaker Meeting. The children will present 3-4 Queries about Christmas for the members of the Meeting tomeditate on and discuss in small groups in a form of Worship Sharing.Quakers use the term "Queries" to refer to questions on various topics read aloud to stimulatereflection and meditation during worship in expectant silence.The practice of using Queries reflects Quakers unique theology. Quakers do not have a creed ordoctrine but depend rather on each person's relationship with the Divine and that of others in theMeeting in seeking truth. For 350 years the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) has been based on three radicaltheological assumptions: 1) that all people are equal in the eyes of God and have the lightwithin, the Christ within; 2) that continuing revelation is possible, of understanding more aboutGod and our life on this earth than we now know; and 3) that the perfectibility of man is possible,the promise that people can become better, improve their behavior, their attitudes and theirthoughts regarding other people and the world around us.Newtown Quaker Meeting is currently meeting in a hybrid mode, so those in the Meetinghousefor the children's Christmas Program will cluster in small groups with those nearby, andbreakout groups will be created for those on Zoom. Following the discussion, music will be provided by Debb Watts and her orchestral group ofcellos and violins. Debbie Watts is Director of Music at the Hun School in Princeton, a resident of Newtown andmember of Newtown Quaker Meeting, Newtown Friends Meeting, co-founded by the Quaker artist and minister, Edward Hicks, in1815, holds services every First Day (Sunday) with classes for children and adults at 9:45a.m. and Meeting for Worship at 11:00 a.m. Currently, people attending in person are asked tobe vaccinated and wear masks. Others may attend via Zoom.