9:00 AM    unprogrammed meeting for worship: Judy Sausen on the facing bench
10:15 AM    Vonn New, released Friend, on Accessing the Deep Spiritual Part of Ourselves in Prayer
11:15 AM    semi-programmed meeting for worship: EarthQuakers – speaker and musicians; Mary Leikvold on the facing bench

My life flows on in endless song; above earth’s lamentation // I hear the sweet, tho’ far-off hymn that hails a new creation; // Through’ all the tumult and the strife I hear the music ringing; // It finds an echo in my soul–how can I keep from singing?                                    – Rev. Robert Lowery circa 1864

. . . I was caught up in what I saw: I became a part of it: the berries, the leaves, the raindrops and I, we were all of a piece.
A moment of beauty and harmony and meaning. A moment of understanding.
– Ralph Hetherington (On Creativity), 1975 Britain Quaker Faith and Practice, Second Edition (21.27)

TODAY

Kellie Rae Theiss’s art show concludes today, 2:00-4:00, at Nina Bliese Gallery, 225 South 6th Street, suite 100, Mpls. This body of work features birds and fish of Minnesota. Kellie will be present to answer questions and speak about love of nature.

Friends are invited to stop by and visit the studio of CeCeile Hartleib and Terry Kayser as the St. Paul 2012 Spring Art Crawl concludes today, noon-5 pm. 106 Water St. W. #402, St. Paul. (The ACVR Warehouse is located across from Harriet Island Park.)

MEETING MATTERS / CALENDAR

Next week, all are welcome to the monthly Sunday potluck lunch.  To regulars, please bring plenty of food so there will be ample to accommodate all who come. Also, please label your pot-luck item/s with ingredients or your name so those with allergies, vegetarians, etc can participate.

Ministry and Counsel will meet this Thursday, May 3rd, 7:00 in the conference room.

Next Sunday at 10:15: An informal welcome reception for new members. Journaling will meet in the conference room.
May 13th, monthly  meeting for business starts at 9:45
May 20th at 10:15: Book Sunday. Hear summer reading recommendations and tell what you are reading or recommend! May 20th is the last Sunday of the school year schedule. Starting May 27th, unprogrammed worship will be at 9:30; semi-programmed worship at 11:00. There will be no adult program or first day school until next September.

Volunteers needed for Loaves and Fishes: our next commitment is Mon, April 30th – Holy Rosary Church, 2424 – 18th Ave So. The shifts: 2:30-4:30, cooking; 4:45-6:45, serving;  5:30-7:00, clean-up. Also needed, 20 batches of cookies (4 dozen to a batch), delivered to the meetinghouse today, or brought to Holy Rosary by 5:00 on the 30th.  (Fruit / cookies or bars on the healthier side encouraged!)  We need help in all areas!  Sign up on the sheet by the bulletins.

Phena Shimaka has a dream of cattle and chickens, and a Friends retreat center on a farm near Pine City. You can help by being part of a community weekend, June 2-3,  in the manner of an Amish barn raising. (We’re not raising a barn but doing other tasks.) You can work or you can just enjoy the farm and barbeque; you can camp or stay a few hours. Contact Nancy Peterson before May 9 or after May 14.

Congratulations to Brook – Lolly’s former companion dog. She passed her therapy dog test, scoring all “excellents”. Brook will have a new job and will be able to bring so much joy to so many people!

Offering boxes are located on small tables near the meetingroom doors. Our approved budget for this new fiscal year (April 1 – March 31) is $114,624.00. To meet our budget obligations, we need to average $2,204.00 in donations per week. Thank you to Friends who generously support the Meeting in all manner of ways.

OUR WIDER COMMUNITY

“Quakers for Marriage Equality” t-shirts are now available, $12. Call John Stuart to order, 612 920-1735.

Friends School of Minnesota’s plant sale will be at the MN State Fair Grandstand Fri-Sun, May 11-13. The catalog is available online: FriendsSchoolPlantSale.com . Hard copies can be found around the meetinghouse.

Westminster Presbyterian Church offers The Four Gospels and the Early Church Bible study 6:30 on Weds, (starting last Wed), May 2nd, and 9th as part of their series Ancient Texts for New Times. A panel of four Luther Seminary Professors who will lead a lively exploration of the impact and importance of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John on the growing church in the First and Second Century. Judith James highly recommends the series.  There is a dinner served from 5:15 – 6:15 for $7.00. For more, go to ewestminster.org/adult_education (page 8 of the Education for Faith and Life catalogue.)

Intro to Compassionate Communication Workshop: Saturday, May 5th, 9 – 4 (lunch on your own). Fireside Room  Plymouth Congregational Church, LaSalle and Franklin, Mpls. Free Parking. $75 per person. Facilitated by Yvette Erasmus. Email Doug Freeman to register. Full-day workshop designed for people who are interested in learning the basics of the nonviolent communication model  (NVC) developed by Dr. Marshall Rosenberg.

Every Church a Peace Church will host its next potluck supper meeting Monday, May 14th, at 6:30 p.m. at Pilgrim Lutheran Church, 1935 St. Clair Ave., St. Paul. The program (at about 7 pm) will be: Occupy Wall Street: This Changes Everything! A panel of local Occupy activists will speak about the history and philosophy of the Occupy Movement, their involvement, and why they believe Occupy is important. A discussion will follow about the way faith communities can be involved in creating a world that works for everyone, not just the 1%.

OFFICE HOURS
Pat Jones will be in the office Wednesday from 2:00-5:00 and other times Wed, Thurs, Fri. and Sat. Pat will be away from May 9 to May 15.
Carolyn Sherer VandenDolder, the Administrative Assistant, will be in Mon, and Wed. afternoon.   Bulletin deadline, noon Wed. Bulletin items can be phoned in to the office, emailed or written and put in the bulletin file of the blue box.