Goose Creek Friends
Newsletter January 2019
Goose Creek Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), Lincoln, Virginia
Queries for First Month:
Meeting for Worship
• In what ways do I prepare my heart and mind to
receive the power of God’s presence and love?
• How does worship deepen my relationship with the
Divine? How is this inspiration carried over into my
daily life?
• Are our Meetings for Worship held in expectant
waiting for Divine guidance?
• When direction seems lacking, is this seen as a
challenge to a more prayerful search for truth?
• How does our worship inspire our Meeting’s activities?
Monthly Meeting for Worship with a
Concern for Business: First Month
The Clerk read a holiday note from Joe and Karen
Evans. Joe’s address is available to Friends who might
wish to write to him, as well as the restrictions on what
mail can be received by incarcerated persons rise of Meeting.
in Maryland.
A memorial meeting for Linda Welsh was held in good
order on January 5, 2019. All the Friends who helped
with the memorial were thanked.
A Mosby Heritage Area Association group will make a
brief stop at the Meeting House on Saturday, January 12.
Friends approved in concept an open-invitation poetry
reading to be held at the Meeting House, the date to be
determined.
The Nominating Committee will circulate a 2019
committee list so that Friends can check its accuracy.
Chuck Hedges volunteered to be our representative to
Baltimore Yearly Meeting.
For the Peace and Social Concerns Committee, Sheila
Kryston reported on committee members’ meeting in
November with the Friends Committee on National
Legislation, and the excellent training they received in
how to lobby legislators and their aides. Their lobbying
went well, and Sheila thanked Meeting for its financial
and emotional support.
Virginia State Delegate Wendy Gooditis,
a long-time Member of Goose Creek
Friends Meeting, has invited Friends from
our Meeting to open the Virginia House of
Delegates Regular Session on Wednesday,
January 23, 2019. A brief introduction
will be followed by a silent worship in the
manner of Friends.
On January 22, Peace and Social Concerns will be in
Richmond to participate in the Virginia Interfaith Center
for Public Policy’s annual “Day for All People.” All
Friends are invited to join them in this day of advocacy at
the General Assembly.
Our discussion of the 2018 spiritual state of the Meeting,
preparatory to writing our annual report to Baltimore
Yearly Meeting, has been moved to February 10 at the
Friends discussed support of the Equal Rights
Amendment, which is scheduled to appear for a vote
before the Virginia legislature. In the meantime, both
the ERA itself and the proposed letter will be circulated
by email.
On January 13, 4:00 pm
Goose Creek Meeting has partnered with St. Andrew
Presbyterian Church in Music with a Cause. The next
recital, on January 13, will present internationally
acclaimed artists Brian Ganz, pianist, and Magdalena
Wor, mezzo-soprano, in a program entitled "Chopin:
Spirit of Poland," at St. Andrew (711 W. Main Street,
Purcellville). The recital will benefit the Loudoun Free
Clinic. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the door;
ages 17 and under admitted free. For more information
visit www.standrew-pres.org or call 540-338-4332 during
business hours.
Continued on next page g
Goose Creek Friends Newsletter | January 2019 | Page 2
From Lee Lawrence:
Because of my interest in the Quaker village of Lincoln,
Virginia, and its 19th century history, I've created a
website to tell some of the villagers' stories, experiences,
and history, using original or primary source documents,
such as letters, diaries, newspaper articles, and memoirs.
The website is called "Nest of Abolitionists,” a phrase
used to describe local Quakers in a letter to Samuel M.
Janney from an acquaintance in Baltimore. The address
for the website is: www.lincolnquakers.com/
If you are interested, please look at the website and tell
me if you like it or if you wish that something about it
would be changed. I'm hoping that someone might know
more history they would be willing to share, or have
relevant photographs that could be included on the site.
I want to be respectful; I know that much of the history I
am sharing on the website is of your ancestors.  in one-on-one conversations. For details, or to register:
The website does not focus on spiritual or religious
matters; rather, it tells cultural and social history.
In particular, the emphasis is on abolitionism and
experiences during the Civil War. The website may be
of interest to historians or anyone wanting to learn more
about the 19th century lives of the men and women of this
remarkable little village. Thank you for any time you give
to looking at this little effort to honor our history!
Baltimore Yearly Meeting:
Quaker scholarships: Every year BYM sends us
information about a number of Quaker scholarships.
Most are for undergraduates, some also cover graduate
school or Friends high schools. Recently we received
information on the Jonathan Taylor Scholarship Fund for
students attending Swarthmore College (contact Cynthia
Maier: cynthiamaier13@gmail.com), and the Miles
White Beneficial Society Scholarships for undergraduates
connected to Friends Meetings within BYM (http://www.
bym-rsf.org/events/othernews.html).
January 19 – BYM Change Group Training:
Hold Space for Transformation Frederick Friends
Meeting (Frederick, MD) The ad hoc Growing Diverse
Leadership Committee and the Working Group on
Racism invite you to this free Change Group training to
realize our vision of overcoming racism and becoming
a multicultural religious society. The lead facilitator is
Dr. Amanda Kemp, assisted by Dr. Erika Fitz. Both are
members of a Lancaster Monthly Meeting. Each training
session will be from 10am to 5pm (with an hour lunch
break). The Hold Space for Transformation strategy helps
us facilitate and participate in difficult conversations
about racism without losing our voices or our cool. It’s
a form of mindfulness that can be used in Meetings and
On January 13,
at the rise of Meeting:
After meeting on January 13, Miriam Westervelt will
offer a presentation of the doctoral work she recently
completed on  “Gender dimensions of land change
among indigenous Maasai in southern  Kenya.”
Prolonged drought is having severe gender impacts in
her study area. A local woman will walk 10 miles or
more to find water and carry as much as 45 pounds of
water home on her back.  Mimi will offer local  craft
items for purchase to support efforts to dig wells.
An article Mimi recently published on the topic is
available at  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/
s10745-018-0034-7 /
http://www.bym-rsf.org/events/localcommittee.html
2019 BYM Women’s Retreat – January 25-27
Pearlstone Retreat Center (www.pearlstonecenter.
org), Reisterstown, MD Worship, chanting, workshops,
crafts, worship sharing, eating, napping, and a special
performance by Playback Theater! For more information,
visit http://womensretreat.bym-rsf.net/
Young Friends will meet February 22-24 at Sandy
Spring Friends Meeting.
Meeting News
We were pleased to see Hannah Devinney, back for a
visit. She finished Trinity College Dublin’s program in
Computer Science and Language last May, and formally
graduated (per Trinity’s custom) in December. Last
August Hannah began a Masters program in Speech and
Language Processing at the University of Edinburgh.
We are thinking of Frannie Taylor with love and sympathy
in the wake of the death of her brother, Allen Carney.
Mabel Ann Brown Barefoot, a member of this meeting,
died on December 8. She joined Goose Creek Friends
meeting in 1947 when her family lived in Martinsburg,
WV. During her childhood she spent a lot of time in
the stone Meeting House with her grandparents, Mabel
and Lawrence Taylor, and she continued to feel a
strong connection to Lincoln and Goose Creek Meeting
throughout her life. She enjoyed arranging flowers and
was a talented artist, creating folk-style paintings and
using Toleware. Most recently, Ann shared her Quaker
heritage with her daughter, Diane Wood, her cousin
Karen Taylor Thatcher, and her husband Fred Barefoot
by attending several events at Goose Creek, including our
Bicentennial observance.
 Goose Creek Friends Newsletter | January 2019 | Page 3

Linda Vaughan Welsh

“Some people come into our lives and leave footprints on our hearts
and we are never ever the same.” . . . Flavia Weedn

OnOnDecember
December23 23rd
rd
wewelost
lostour
ourdear
dearFriend,
Friend,Linda
Linda Lindawas
Linda wasthrilled
thrilled when
when Erin
Erin and
and Todd
Todd built
builttheir
their
Welsh. She was born on Valentine's
Welsh. She was born on Valentine's Day, Day, February home right next door and was so happy
home right next door and was so happy to be able to be able
14, 1949,14inth,Newport
February 1949 in News,
Newport Virginia,
News,toVirginia
Betty Joto totowatch
watchCedar
Cedar and
and Eli
Eli grow
grow up.
up. Later,
Later,Logan
Logan
PeckJo
Betty Vaughan and Johnand
Peck Vaughan Marshall Vaughan. Linda
John Marshall and Kelly moved right down the road with their
and Kelly moved right down the road with their
and her younger
Vaughan. Linda and sister,
herBetty (Saunders),
younger and
sister, Betty children,River,
children, River, Mason,
Mason, andand Regan.
Regan. Linda
Lindawaswassoso
younger brother, John (Vaughan), were
(Saunders), and younger brother, John (Vaughan),raised in proudof
proud ofErin
Erinand
and Logan
Logan and
and was
was very
very supportive
supportive
the Sleepy
were raised inLakethecommunity
Sleepy Lake of community
Crittenden, Virginia
of of their career choices, especially encouraging
of their career choices, especially encouraging
(near Suffolk).
Crittenden, Virginia (near Suffolk). theminintheir
them theircreative
creative and
and artistic
artistic endeavors.
endeavors. She
Shethe
was was“Cool
the “Cool
Mom” Mom” and always
and always a friend
a friend as
as well
Linda'scaptivation
Linda's captivationwith
withart
artled
led her
her to
to Radford
Radford well as a parent. Linda was “Mimi”
as a parent. Linda was “Mimi” to her five to her five
University,where
University whereshe
sheearned
earnedaadegree
degreeininArt
Art grandchildrenand
grandchildren and she
she loved
loved them
them allall dearly.
dearly.
Education,not
Education, notnecessarily
necessarilyto
to teach,
teach, but
but to
to dabble
dabble
in the arts forevermore. She owned GooseCreek
in the arts forevermore. She owned Goose Creek Familyand
Family andfriends
friends were
were very
very important
important to to Linda
Linda
Country in downtown Leesburg in the 1980's with
Country in downtown Leesburg in the 1980's with and she cherished every moment
and she cherished every moment shared with shared with
Lyn Roberts, where they sold country
Lyn Roberts, where they sold country crafts. crafts. them. The
them. Thebright
brightsmiles
smilesshe
shebestowed
bestowedalways always
accompaniedfriendly
accompanied friendly hugs.
hugs. InInrecent
recentyears,
years,she
she
Many friends will remember the
Many friends will remember the Christmas cardsChristmas cards greeted old and new friends with equal
greeted old and new friends with equal warmth, warmth,
that Linda made each year from
that Linda made each year from linoleum tile linoleum tile oftensharing
often sharingand and repeating
repeating familiar
familiar stories.
stories.Any Any
carvings. Invariably the cards commemorated
carvings. Invariably the cards commemorated real trip to Leesburg was an opportunity for
trip to Leesburg was an opportunity for adventure adventure
family
real events
family of the
events day.day.
of the For example,
For example,the year
thethat and
andaachance
chanceto to visit
visit with
with her
her pals.
pals. She
She also
also loved
loved
Linda was pregnant with Erin,
year that Linda was pregnant with Erin, thethe carving depicted gardening, traveling, tennis,and trips to
gardening, traveling, tennis,and trips to the beach. the beach.
an antique crib, which is how Linda
carving depicted an antique crib, which is how and Holmes
let everyone
Linda and Holmesknowlet of everyone
the pregnancy.know of the DuringMeeting
During Meeting for for Worship,
Worship, Linda
Linda sometimes
sometimes
pregnancy. rose to share that she had Alzheimer's, but
rose to share that she had Alzheimer's, but she
she
Linda and Holmes met at Radford and married never complained or felt sorry for
never complained or felt sorry for herself. herself. Instead,
in Crittenden in 1971. In 1972, they
Linda and Holmes met at Radford and married in moved back she accepted
Instead, her fate her
she accepted withfate
humor
withand grace,
humor and
to Loudoun County and built their
Crittenden in 1971. In 1972, they moved back to current home always positive and optimistic.
grace, always positive and optimistic.
in 1976, County
Loudoun when Erin andwasbuiltborn,
theirwith Loganhome
current shortlyin
thereafter.
1976, when Linda
Erin wasstayed
born home
and with
Logan theshortly
children Timesbecame
Times became moremore difficult
difficult for
for family,
family, butbutasas
until they were school aged, and then
thereafter.. Linda stayed home with the children went back Linda retreated more and more into
Linda retreated more and more into herself, she herself, she
to work
until they for
weretheschool-aged, and then laterLincoln
Loudoun Times-Mirror, went maintainedher
maintained her dignity
dignity toto the
the very
very end.
end. Linda
Lindamay
Elementary
back to work School, and The Paint
for the Loudoun Times & Mirror,
Paper Place. havehave
may forgotten a fewa things,
forgotten but we
few things, butwill
weremember
will
During this time, she taught her
Lincoln Elementary School, and The Paint & children and many her always and will miss her cheerful
remember her always and will miss her cheerful spirit.
of their friends how to swim.
Paper Place. During this time, she taught her spirit.
children and many of their friends how to swim. – Peggy King
- Peggy King
Page 4 | January 2019 | Goose Creek Friends Newsletter

Sundays Facing Bench

Meeting for worship at 9:45 a.m. JANUARY
First Day School at 10:00 a.m. Carolyn Unger
Fellowship at 10:45 a.m. FEBRUARY
Wednesdays Debbi Sudduth

Discussion Group at 7:00 p.m.

First Day
Calendar School
JANUARY 01/06/19
Africa & Water
1.09 Wed. 6 pm Religious Education Committee Meeting
1.13 Sunday 11 am Mimi Westervelt on women 01/13/19
and water in southern Kenya Right Sharing of
World Resources
1.27 Sunday 11 am Ministry & Oversight Committee Meeting
01/20/19
FEBRUARY BYM Camps
2.3 Sunday 11 am Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business Open House!
2.10 Sunday 11 am Discussion about the spiritual state 01/27/19
of the Meeting 2018 Compassion
2.17 Sunday 11 am Meeting of committee clerks and co-clerks
2.24 Sunday 11 am Ministry & Oversight Committee meeting
Deaths
Mabel Ann Brown Barefoot, December 8, 2018
Linda Vaughan Welsh, December 23, 2018
NEWSLETTER
The Goose Creek Friends Newsletter
is published monthly by the
Goose Creek Friends Meeting,
18204 Lincoln Road, P.O. Box 105,
Lincoln, VA 20160.
CLERK
Debbi Sudduth, 540.338.3363
dfsud@comcast.net
ASSISTANT CLERK
Rich Weidner, 540.554.2747
richard_weidner@hotmail.com
TREASURER
Brian Burgher
goose.creek.treasurer@gmail.com
Our open house about BYM Camps on January 20th at 10 AM is open to children and NEWSLETTER EDITOR
adults interested in learning more about the BYM summer camps. Children are encouraged Catherine Cox, 301-471-5330
blycox@comcast.net
to bring a friend and can go straight to the First Day School room to hear about Camp life.
WEBSITE & FACEBOOK
www.goosecreekfriends.org
https://www.facebook.com/
“In worship we have our neighbors to right and left, before and behind, Goose-Creek-Friends-Meeting-
yet the Eternal Presence is over all and beneath all. Worship does not 150892438287560/?rc=p
consist in achieving a mental state of concentrated isolation from one’s DONATIONS
Please direct donations for
fellows. But in the depth of common worship it is as if we found our Goose Creek Friends Meeting to
separate lives were all one life, within whom we live and move and have Brian Burgher, P.O. Box 105
our being.” – Thomas R. Kelly, 1938 Lincoln, Virginia 20160