Caring for our community

Middleton Friends Meeting involvement with local charities 

Middleton Friends Meeting donates money to two local charities monthly, the 4C's and the local Way Station. Two meeting members volunteer to help with the 4C's Food Pantry.  The 4C's stands for Crestview Churches Community Concerns. It is managed and supported by churches in the Crestview Local School district. A total of 5 churches are involved. Those include Middleton Friends, East Fairfield Methodist, New Waterford Methodist, New Waterford Zion Lutheran, and Abundant Life Fellowship. Each church appoints two representatives to serve on the board that makes decisions and manage the funds.

    Currently Mary Alice Pino and Rebecca Hawkins represent our Meeting on the board and as volunteers in the pantry. That sometimes includes going up to the Youngstown 2nd Harvest distribution warehouse food bank to pick up pallets of food items. It may involve the stocking of shelves and cleaning the pantry or helping on distribution day, which is the first 4th day(Weds) of each month. People who come for food are not asked to disclose their income, however they need to register. The pantry is required to keep track of how many people come through each month and the ages of all in their household. Usually there are between 100 to 130 people served. Anyone in the school district or attending one of the above churches in the district can pick up food.

     There are two reasons people seem to prefer our pantry. One is because it is a "choice pantry." They can pick out items they specifically want. Other pantries may just give bags or boxes pre-filled with groceries. Some of those items people may not like or use. Consequently those unused items may be thrown away/ wasted. Another reason some people prefer to come to our pantry is that we have a good supply of personal health and cleaning supplies. Soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, body wash, TP, laundry detergent, disinfectant, etc. are available for those who need them.

    We accept monetary donations as well as food donations. Various area individuals and companies have donated as well as area food drives. We have even had a whole beef cow from the fair auction donated.

   

 "If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall you light rise in the darkness, and your gloom be as the noonday."--Isaiah 58:10

Winona Strawberry Festival: 6/22

🍓 It is that time of the year again! The Winona Area Historical Society (WAHS) is hosting the 12th Annual Strawberry Festival on 6/22 from 11:30am-2pm. The proceeds will go towards  Museum and Meeting House projects. 

The Winona Meeting House was part of Ohio Yearly Meeting. When it was "laid down", the Meeting House and grounds were entrusted to WAHS. WAHS diligently remodeled and restored the Meeting House. It now houses a museum and serves as a community gathering spot. 

Join us for worship on Fifth Day (Thursday) at 3pm and/or First Day (Sunday) at 10:30am. 

Spring Reminders

 Thanks be to God who uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.

2 Corinthians 2:14

This was shared with members of Middleton Meeting from our Greek friends--a powerful verse to remind us that we are all connected in our big and beautiful world. Spring is a time of renewing. Take time to "smell the roses" and spend time inwardly with God.

Below are a few pictures of spring flowers shared by Middleton Friends......

 

Please join us on Fifth Day (Thursday) at 3 pm or First Day (Sunday) at 10:30 am. 

Curious to learn more about Conservative Friends (Quakers)?  Visit https://ohioyearlymeeting.org/

Upcoming Wider Fellowship of Conservative Friends Gathering: 6/21-6/22-6/23

 

The Wider Fellowship of Conservative Friends is an outreach effort of Ohio Yearly Meeting, creating a safe space for Friends of like mind, or who are curious about the witness of Conservative Friends.

The Wider Fellowship hosts a General Gathering once every two years, typically during the month of June, in Barnesville, Ohio. Though the Gathering is sponsored by Friends from Ohio Yearly Meeting, we hope that everyone, regardless of their Yearly Meeting affiliation (or lack thereof) will feel welcome to attend. We especially invite our brothers and sisters from Iowa and North Carolina Yearly Meetings (Conservative), with whom we share a long and important history.

For the schedule and general information, please visit this link: 

Wider Fellowship Information

or connect directly with this website: 

https://ohioyearlymeeting.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025-WFCF-Gathering.pdf

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Interested in learning more about Conservative Quakers? Please visit the Ohio Yearly Meeting website: OYM website

As always, please join us on Fifth Day (Thursday) at 3pm for mid-week worship and/or on First Day (Sunday) at 10:30am. All are welcome! 

Abraham Lincoln's Quaker Roots

Abraham Lincoln's Quaker Roots 

A member of Middleton Meeting recently shared a brief history of Abraham Lincoln's connection with Quakers. It is a short and interesting read that I hope everyone will enjoy reading and learning about Quaker history.

**Tip: Try "zooming" in to enlarge the images for easier reading, or download the PDF from OYM Marlborough Meeting site by clicking on this link: Abraham Lincoln PDF 

Please join us for Worship Fifth Day (Thursday) at 3pm and First Day (Sunday) 10:30am. We also have zoom available--please contact bikerider1351@gmail.com for more information. Curious about Conservative Quakers? Information can be found at www.ohioyearlymeeting.org  or click on this link: Ohio Yearly Meeting website. 

The Conservative Friend returns!

✏ Please sign up to receive emails about new articles!📖

Middleton Meeting received this from Wil Brant, a Member of Crossroads Meeting and new Editor of The Conservative Friend:

After a few years hiatus, publication of The Conservative Friend is returning and a new website has been created: theconservativefriend.org. Wil Brant (Crossroads) is serving as editor.

This current rendition will be primarily an electronic publication with articles of an issue being posted on website. These articles/issues posted over the course of year will be compiled and printed in an annual edition of The Conservative Friend.

Individuals can go to the Subscribe page on the website to sign-up to be notified when a new electronic issue has been posted or to express an interest in receiving an annual print copy.

Note: People on the mailing list when it was last used in 2020 will be receiving next week an email or letter regarding this also.

Submissions of articles whose content is in the manner of Conservative Friends can be considered for publication.  

Types of content include:
    • Reflective/inspirational
    • Historical text
    • Bible exploration/reflection
    • Historical text exploration/reflection
    • Conservative Quaker thought exploration/reflection
    • Highlighting an individual's or meeting’s work/ministry/spiritual journey

A regular article runs about 400-650 words (~1 page), and a feature article about 800-1000 words (~2 pages). Shorter one paragraph ministry/reflection excerpts are also excepted for consideration.

Submission information/contact is on the About/Contact TCF page on the website or sent to editor@theconservativefriend.org