9:00 AM unprogrammed meeting for worship: care of meeting, Tom Hoey
10:15 AM Stories of openings and experiences from the Friends World Committee for Consultation Conference in Kenya: Annette Smith and Connie Archbald
11:15 AM semi-programmed meeting for worship: Barbara Coffin, speaker; Kathy Webster, musician; care of meeting, Joanne Esser

TODAY

Nursery care today is downstairs with Susie Kanimitsu.

First Day School starts today. We would like to share with you what is happening downstairs as you worship. Ask our students about their day! Topic: Building Community. Teachers: Betsy Souther, Allen Gibas, and Rae Cornelius

Sue Kearns, photographer extraordinaire, will be in the long hall with her camera and is willing to take portrait pictures for the bulletin board at the rise of each worship this morning.

NOTE! Two properties to the south of MFM are for sale. Should anyone want to have a conversation about the flexibility one or both of these properties might afford us, please call Pat at the meetinghouse. She will be in the office Wednesday and would be happy to arrange a conversation about this.

There will be a memorial service, after the manner of Friends, for Margaret Louise Mead McCutchan, 90, of Northfield, today at 4:00 p.m.; White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church, 328 Maple Street, Mahtomedi. Reception to follow. All who have known and loved Margaret are invited, and are welcome to bring memories to share in celebration of her life.

“Love Is Love: Defeat the Marriage Amendment,” a special event for the Friends School and wider Quaker community, is being hosted by Friends School class of 2012 as part of Faith Action Week for Minnesotans United for All Families this afternoon, 2:00-4:00 pm. The event will be at the school, 1365 Englewood Ave, St. Paul.

HOLD IN THE LIGHT

World leaders, public servants, fundamentalist believers and everyone caught up in or hurt by the storms of our times.

MEETING MATTERS / CALENDAR

First day school begins TODAY. All children 3 – 18 welcome! Please register your child using the FDS registration forms located on table by the elevator. If you would like to lend your talents in any way to support the children’s program, even for a single Sunday, call Rae Cornelius or leave a message at the office.

The Quaker Women’s Group (formerly known as Crones) will meet this Wed, Sept 19th at TCFM. Noon potluck, program at 1:00 pm. Mary Smith, local Catholic priest active with Womenpriest, speaks on the origins of that group, her own spiritual journey, and where the group is in relationship with the mainstream Catholic Church. All are welcome, men, too.

Next week at 10:15: Meeting-wide discussion: How can the whole Meeting come together in Peace and Social Concerns work? What are we currently doing that reflects our peace and social concerns?

Come one, come all, to Fall Camp! Our Meeting has enjoyed nigh on 60 years of this wonderful tradition. We will be gathering at Camp Courage on Oct. 20 and 21 for fellowship and refreshment, staying in beautiful cabins in the Lakeside area. Whether you’ve come many times or never, it will be a new experience! Enjoy Quaker Quest as well as old favorites (swimming, campfire, variety show, nature walk, stargazing, hymn sing . . . ). AND, meals are now prepared (and cleaned up!) by Camp Courage staff. It’s like spa treatment! Everyone is welcome for all or part of camp – just don’t miss this only-once-a year event! Save the Meeting the cost of postage and pick up your brochure and registration form on the table near the elevator. Those that remain will be mailed in Oct. Thank you, Friends, and SEE YOU AT CAMP!

MFM will host special meetings for worship for healing around the marriage amendment on the fourth Thurs of each month between now and Nov 2012 when the amendment comes to the ballot. Worship at 7:00 p.m. followed by worship-sharing. Discussion and social time with refreshments begins at 8:45. The next worship will be Thurs, Sept 27th.

2012 Friends for a Non-Violent World Holiday Fair – Fri, Dec 7th, 1:00 – 9:00 and Sat, Dec 8th, 10:00 – 4:00. Think 100%, not 99%! Start those pots simmering, needles knitting, machines sewing, and ideas percolating. Crafts bring in 100% profit to FNVW. Fall-clean your books, another 100% profit. Plan on attending – 100% fun for a 100% worthy cause – peace!!!

A recording of Noah Baker Merrill’s talk is now on our website: minneapolisfriends.org/2012/09/11/noah-baker-merrill/

The core group on diversity (formed after the Winds of Change workshops) wants to acknowledge and support MFM members and attenders who work or have worked for racial justice or in activities that affect racial justice. We will hear about two people’s experiences at each of the first-Sun-of-the-month adult program times this year, then we will celebrate the work being done at the potluck following semi-programmed worship. The first speakers will be Oct 7. Do you or someone you know in Meeting fit this description? Let core members know and we will contact them (or you): Nettie Smith, Jim Lovestar, Lila Rucker, Nancy Peterson and Phena Shimaka; core(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)diversity.minneapolisfriends.org

Offering boxes are located on small tables near the meetingroom doors. Average contributions of $9,725 per month are needed to meet our budget. First quarter contributions were 6% lower than projected. Thank you, Friends, for your generous support of the Meeting in all manner of ways.

OUR WIDER COMMUNITY

“Quakers for Marriage Equality” t-shirts are still available, now only $10. Call John Stuart to order, 612 920-1735.

Interfaith Voting Rights Event Mon, Sept 24th, 3:00 pm, New Salem Church, 2507 Bryant Ave N, Minneapolis. Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy. Join Congressman Keith Ellison and Barbara Arnwine, President and Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, for a discussion on voting rights ranging from the Jim Crowe Era up to the debates of the present. Please RSVP at 612-522-1212.

Academy for Vital Christianity Classes (New Brighton): Seminary-style classes in shorter-term sessions. Theological inquiry and guided discussions on meaningful questions for anyone who is exploring questions of faith. Classes: Reading the Gospels Today, Creating Significant Worship, Biblical Economics: What is the Fair Share for the Common Good?, How to Talk About What I Believe, Our Neighbors of Other Faiths. Taught by United faculty and subject-matter experts from around the region. Most classes start mid-Oct: unitedseminary.edu/CommunityPrograms/academy.asp or Renee Flesner, rflesner(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)unitedseminary.edu .

OFFICE HOURS

Pat Jones will be in the office Wednesday from 9:30-1:30 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.