Newtown Quakers To Feature Breakfast, “Women of Easter” And Egg Hunt

NEWTOWN BOROUGH, PA — On Easter, April 9 the men of Newtown Quaker Meeting will once again do the honors of providing a Potluck Breakfast beginning at 8:30 a.m., organized by “Chef” Rich Richardson of Newtown and his associates.

At 9:45 a.m. the adult class will reflect on The Women of Easter: Lessons in Faithfulness, prepared by Newtown member, Patricia McBee, and presented by members of the Newtown Quaker Meeting Worship and Ministry Committee.

Meeting for worship based on silent meditation will begin at 11:00, and at 12:15 p.m. an Easter Egg Hunt for “children of all ages” will take place on the Meetinghouse grounds.

The Adult Class at 9:45 a.m. will reflect on the faithfulness of the women in the Gospels, particularly the women who were present at the time of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Those present will be invited to reflect on greater faithfulness, not as a strain of duty, but as an expression of love and peace.

Pat McBee describes the program as follows: “Why focus on the women? We mostly know the basic narrative of the Easter story. On Sunday Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey. On Thursday, he has supper with his disciples: If we take Leonardo’s painting for our cue, there were just the twelve apostles and Jesus present. After supper they went out to the garden of Gethsemane to pray where Jesus was arrested. On Friday he was tried before Pontius Pilate and the chief priest. Peter standing in the crowd at the trial denied that he knew Jesus and went into hiding. Jesus was condemned to die by crucifixion and was executed between two thieves. After he died, Joseph of Arimathea took his body and laid it in a tomb. Through this narrative, we mostly hear about men.

Where were the women? It turns out they were right there, they are mentioned in the Gospel narratives, but most often they get lost in the shuffle. This morning we’ll bring them into the foreground. They provide a model of faithfulness, steadfastness, courage, love, and peace. We’ll also take a look at the role of Mary Magdalene whose prominence tends to be lost in western Christianity. Did she have a special place among Jesus’ disciples? “

Newtown Friends Meeting co-founded by "Peaceable Kingdom" painter and Quaker minister, Edward Hicks, in 1815, is open to all who wish to attend. Regular First Day Education classes (Sunday School) for all ages begin at 9:45 a.m. and Meeting for Worship begins at 11 a.m. Childcare is provided.