Bulletin: January 1, 2012
9:00 AM unprogrammed meeting for worship
10:15 AM Celebrate epiphany! Come talk about your version of the visit of the Magi; share your truths. Facilitated by Jim Lovestar in the meetingroom; journaling in the conference room
11:15 AM semi-programmed meeting for worship: Joanne Esser, speaker; Chester McCoy on the facing bench
TODAY
All are welcome to the monthly potluck today at the rise of semi-programmed worship.
Open discussion group during the pot-luck, in the middler classroom. What do you think about the events we have had since the Winds of Change process: foreclosure prevention? Kenyan programmed worship? Quaker Quest? What else you would like to see? Join a conversation with the core group formed after Winds of Change.
LAST CALL for lost and found items. They are out in the main entryway and will be taken away after today.
White Envelope Gift is a special Christmas-time offering. These funds are collected then given, as a one-time gift, to chosen organization(s). The two organizations chosen as recipients this year are:
Bright Waters Montessori, brightwatermontessori.org . By virtue of its location, Bright Waters, a local 501(C)(3) organization in North Minneapolis, is positioned to serve a diverse population. Together with the Bright Water Elementary charter school, it hopes to lead North Minneapolis students in closing the achievement gap. Children range in age from 16 months to 6 years old in the Montessori school. The elementary school grades are K through 2, with plans to expand to grade 6. The Montessori school, together with its elementary school partner, enhances the welfare of children and furthers racial justice. Minneapolis Meeting attender, Ann Luce, is the principal of this school.
The Organizing Apprenticeship Project, oaproject.org . The Organizing Apprenticeship Project (OAP) advances racial,
cultural, social and economic equity in MN by:
· Providing community organizing and racial justice leadership training for individuals and organizations.
· Creating research and policy tools that help community leaders and organizing groups address issues of equity. Each year OPA releases a Legislative Report Card on Racial Equity highlighting how the MN Legislature voted on bills that either promote or undermine efforts for racial equity.
· Convening multiracial strategy groups that collaborate to develop thoughtful approaches for achieving equity. The Education Equity Organizing Collaborative (EEOC) is a group of multi-racial, multi-cultural organizing partners working together to further education equity in the state of MN. This year OAP released its second Racial Equity Policy Brief on Education Equity and presented it to Commissioner Cassellius with the MN Department of Education.
You may give anytime between now and mid-January. Please make out checks to Minneapolis Friends Meeting with “white envelope gift” noted on the memo line.
HOLD IN THE LIGHT
Friends who are struggling with employment and health issues, grief and loss, or financial hardship.
The family and friends of George Watson. George died at his home on Wed, Dec 21. A memorial service will be held at MFM on a Saturday or Sunday in March, tba.
MEETING MATTERS / CALENDAR
David Woolley and Terry Kayser recorded an interviewed of George Watson last June. The 45-minute interview has been edited down to about 13 minutes in which George talks about how he and Elizabeth discovered Quakerism in Chicago in 1938 and includes some of his thoughts about Quakerism. You may see it at: minneapolisfriends.org/video
There will be story-telling at the meetinghouse on Wednesday, January 11th, 7:00. Watch for more details.
A Café Caberet is coming to MFM – with poetry, jazz, desserts and beverages. Join with Metro Friends Saturday, January 28th from 7-9:30! Come, kick back and enjoy the evening among Friends!
Quake That Rocked the Midwest for senior high schoolers will be in Chicago over the MLK weekend – a service project, a workshop by Vanessa Juyle of FGC and some great out-trips. Quake That Rocked the Midwest Registration: surveymonkey.com/s/GRTSSVT
Looking ahead: there will be a NYM senior high retreat in the Twin Cities the weekend of Feb 24-26. Save the date!
Lolly Lijewski and her guidedog, Brooke, are starting a period of transition. Brooke will be retiring from service after this year. Lolly has started a blog, GuideBrook, comprised of stories, a time-tested method of bringing people together to share a full range of emotions. Stories help embed memories and carry history from one life passage to the next, and from one generation to the next. In the telling of the story, we are bound together through the shared experience. You can sign up to be notified when new entries are posted and leave comments after entries if you wish: guidebrook.wordpress.com
Quaker Books from Friends General Conference are for sale on the library table. Please follow instructions for purchase. Questions to Nancy Peterson.
Offering boxes are located on small tables near the meetingroom doors. Thank you, Friends, for your participation in and support of the Meeting in so many ways.
OUR WIDER COMMUNITY
The American Friends Service Committee (afsc.org), a national Quaker organization, is exploring starting a new program in MN focused on healing justice. They would like to get input from Friends in every meeting in MN. Please complete an online survey to give your input: bit.ly/healingjustice. Once there, find: AFSC’s approach to healing justice; examples of healing justice programs around the country; an invitation to a community meeting to envision furthering healing justice in MN. Other questions / comments, contact Michael Bischoff, 612-234-1122.
The next meeting of Friends for a Non-Violent World’s Syria Solidarity Network is Mon, Jan 9, 7:00-9:00pm at the FNVW office, 1050 Selby Ave, St. Paul.
Friends General Conference’s Couple Enrichment will be offered the weekend of Feb 10-12 at the Bishop O’Connor Center in Madison, WI. There is a pink flyer on the long bulletin board with more. A $100 deposit is required by Jan 14.
Heart to Heart, a couples’ enrichment weekend for all faiths, will be offered Feb 10-12 at Koinonia Retreat Center in South Haven, MN. The weekend is designed to enrich intimacy in your relationship by emphasizing personal reflection and couple dialogue. There is a purple flyer posted on the long bulletin board. For more, ask David Woolley.
SAVE THE DATE, March 20, 8:30-3:30, for the next Joint Religious Legislative Coalition Day on the Hill,
OFFICE HOURS
Pat Jones will be in the office Wednesday from 2:00-5:00 and other times Wed, Thurs, Fri. and Sat.
Carolyn Sherer VandenDolder, the Administrative Assistant, will be in Wed. afternoon and Fri. Bulletin deadline, noon Thur. Bulletin items can be phoned in to the office, emailed or written and put in the bulletin file of the blue box.