Tidings from Friends
The Weekly Newsletter of Guilford College Friends Center
Welcome to Tidings from Friends, the weekly newsletter published by Guilford College’s Friends Center. In this time where we are more disconnected than usual and trying to find ways to connect and support the campus, we offer this as a means of lifting up our campus community with a brief thought and other reflective pieces for you.
Each week this newsletter will contain a list of upcoming events, a selection of local and/or student artwork or poetry, some resources for navigating religious life on campus, and a “mindful moment.” This mindful moment might be a passage of scripture, a written meditation, a link to a video, or something else. If you are interested in submitting artwork, poetry, or a mindful moment, please contact perkinsja1@guilford.edu.
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Artwork
Mindful Moment
Poem of the Atoms
By Jalāl al-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī (1207-1273)
O day, arise! The atoms are dancing.
Thanks to Him the universe is dancing.
The souls are dancing, overcome with ecstasy.
I’ll whisper in your ear where their dance is taking them.
All the atoms in the air and in the desert know well, they seem insane.
Every single atom, happy or miserable,
Becomes enamoured of the sun, of which nothing can be said.
[Composer Armand Amar rendered this poem into music in the film Bab’Aziz – The Prince Who Contemplated His Soul (2005). Sang by Salar Aghili and Haroun Teboul. It is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H272focq0Cw]
This Mindful Moment provided by: Zhihong Chen.
Upcoming Events
| Day | Date | Time | Event | Organization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday | 2.3.2021 | 8:30 AM | Meeting for Centering Silence (staff/faculty focus) | Friends Center |
| Wednesday | 2.3.2021 | 7:24 PM | GCM Weekly Fellowship | Guilford Christian Ministry |
| Friday | 2.5.2021 | 1:00 PM | Meeting for Centering Silence (open to all) | Friends Center |
| Monday | 2.8.2021 | 1:00 PM | Meeting for Centering Silence (student focus) | Friends Center |
| Wednesday | 2.10.2021 | 8:30 AM | Meeting for Centering Silence (staff/faculty focus) | Friends Center |
| Wednesday | 2.10.2021 | 7:24 PM | GCM Weekly Fellowship | Guilford Christian Ministry |
| Wednesday | 2.24.2021 | 1:00 – 2:00 PM | Connecting Conversations: Michelle Ward | Friends Center |
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Opportunity that may interest some students:
New Garden Friends Meeting is searching for a Young Friends leader for the 2020-2021 academic year. This position is for a leader who will work with both Middle School and High School students. The leader will collaborate with another Young Friends leader as well as the New Garden Friends Meeting Religious Education Coordinator. At present, all programming is virtual due to the pandemic but will transition to in-person activities when conditions allow. Applicants should have a background in Quakerism and experience working with pre-teens and teenagers.
To apply, please send a letter of interest and a resume to Sharon Burton at (office@ngfm.org).
Resources
To find information about the Interfaith Leadership Council, faith leaders who work with students on campus, or to see a full calendar of all campus faith-related events, visit our Multifaith page.
The Friends Center Prayer Room is available to students of all faiths and spiritual journeys. Ideal for prayer, meditation, or reflection, we encourage folks to make use of this space. See our flyer for more information.
To contact Friends Center Director, email danielscw@guilford.edu.
For a variety of self-care resources, visit our Self-Care page.
To provide feedback or suggestions, submissions for artwork or Mindful Moments, or questions about this newsletter, contact perkinsja1@guilford.edu.
About Friends Center:
Friends Center is a collaborative project between the Religious Society of Friends and Guilford College. Friends Center is responsible for nurturing Quaker life and renewal on campus, building and sustaining interfaith cooperation on campus, and building relationships with the global Quaker community. To read more about Friends Center, visit the homepage of our website.
