9:00 AM open worship
9:45 AM monthly meeting for business: David Woolley, clerk; Terry Hokenson, recording clerk
11:15 AM open worship: Judith James, care of meeting

MEETING MATTERS / CALENDAR

Next Sunday, Dec 16th at 10:15: in the meetingroom, a presentation about Light of Hope Home and School for girls in Kenya, with Joanne Esser and Sheila Ross from Wayzata Community Church. Both traveled to volunteer at the school last summer. There will be a short video that tells the story of one of the Light of Hope School girls who lives there.
Peace and Social Concerns will meet in the conference room. All are welcome.

First day school children continue work on giant puppets and peacemaker signs, (thank you for donating supplies!) The Prophet Puppet Play will take form next Sun, Dec 16th, during first day school. A performance will be offered at the rise of semi-programmed worship also on the 16th. This is an all-ages, all-Meeting event! Please stay an extra 15 minutes!

Journaling will meet in the conference room next Sun, Dec 16th, 12:30, after the Prophet Puppet Play. Bring a bag lunch.

The Quaker Women’s Group (formerly known as Crones) will meet at Becketwood in the Community Room (in the little chapel building,) Wed, Dec 12th, at 12:45. Just coffee, tea and cookies or cake. Refreshments at 12:45; program around 1:00 pm. Bring a poem, favorite Christmas or holiday story or other to share. If someone can play the piano please let Carol Bartoo know and we will plan some singing. Also call Carol if you can bring some cookies or cake.

Bring the smells of Christmas baking to your home! Cookie dough (ginger snap, chocolate chip and peanut butter blossom) available for purchase – delivery/pick up next Sunday (or sooner – we can negotiate). Five dollars per tub (2-3 doz cookies); contact Carolyn VandenDolder. Proceeds benefit FNVW.

Minneapolis Friends Meeting recorded a minute at November’s monthly meeting urging Congress to cut the Pentagon budget by one trillion dollars over the next ten years and to prevent devastating cuts to the peaceful prevention of deadly conflict and domestic programs that could address climate change and human needs. FCNL staff strongly encourages you to schedule a meeting with your local congressional office to deliver the minute in person and reinforce the message that we need to cut $1 trillion from the Pentagon budget over the next ten years. Members of Congress are having conversations every day in Washington, working to make this budget deal happen. The more they hear from their constituents the better! You are also encouraged to write letters to the editor on this same topic. Letters that mention members of Congress by name are read by staff every day. Staff are then required to report to their Congress member. (minneapolisfriends.org/2012/11/12/recorded-minute-to-reduce-pentagon-spending/).

Global unwarming tip of the week: Eat dinner on Tuesdays at the Gandhi Mahal, a good Indian restaurant, at 3009 – 27th Ave. So., Mpls. They will donate 10% of their profits made between 5-10 p.m. each and every Tuesday to MN350.org, a vital, grassroots MN group building a movement to slow climate change.

Congratulations and God bless to Dan who will be attending Pendle Hill this winter.

Mary Logue will read from her new bedtime children’s book, Sleep Like a Tiger, 3 PM on Sat, Dec 15th, Common Good Books, 38 S. Snelling Ave, St. Paul.

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 and second quarter contributions have covered only 30% of our approved budget. If you would like to automate your contributions, please talk to Suzanne, receiving treasurer. A list of short-term volunteer opportunities is by the offering boxes. Thank you, Friends, for your generous support of the Meeting in all manner of ways.

OUR WIDER COMMUNITY

Love Free or Die, the story of the first openly gay Bishop in the Episcopalian Church, will be broadcast on channel 2.1 on Dec 16th, 10:30 PM and Dec 17th , 4:30 AM; and on channel 2.3 on Dec 22nd, 9:00 PM and Dec 23rd, 3:00 AM.

From Becky Flory, AFSC representative, on the situation in the Middle East: As we witness the build-up of violent tension in the Middle East around Gaza, AFSC is offering talking points born from its long experience in the region. AFSC has been in the Middle East since 1947. You can read a current AFSC statement on the Israel / Gaza situation at: afsc.org/story/afsc-calls-immediate-end-violence-gaza-and-israel or go to the AFSC web page (afsc.org).

Friends for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Concerns Midwinter Gathering You are enthusiastically welcome at the gathering at Bryn Mawr Mountain Retreat and Conference Center in the Poconos of PA, Feb 15-18, 2013. Together we will seek spiritual growth and renewal through unprogrammed worship, learning, fellowship, and play. We will be blessed by the ministry of Friend Niyonu Spann, founder of the Beyond Diversity 101 workshops. For more and to register: flgbtqc.quaker.org/ ; click on Midwinter Gathering and/or email, flgbtqcmidwinter(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)gmail.com or phone, 267-713-8694. Please help spread the word!

Clean Energy, Climate, and Health – TONIGHT, 7 PM, Bethel University, The Underground, 3900 Bethel Drive, Arden Hills – FREE. MN is on a clean energy path that is bringing benefits to human health, our air, water, and natural resources. Will Steger presents his vivid, firsthand experience with climate change through stunning photographs from his expeditions. J. Drake Hamilton, Science Policy Director at Fresh Energy, will describe effective clean energy and clean air solutions that benefit our economy. Professor Dale Gentry will speak on the connection between Christianity and environmental stewardship. For more: fresh-energy.org/2012/09/free-forum-clean-energy-climate-and-health-7/

Innové exists to help grow ideas. If you have an idea that could change the world and are under 35 years old and live in the greater Twin Cities metro area, then you are invited to submit a proposal. The project is an initiative of Colonial Church which puts forward $250,000 to fund ideas that reflect Christian values of faith, service, grace, justice, love, redemption and/or reconciliation. More at innoveproject.org

OFFICE HOURS
Pat Jones will be in the office Wednesday from 2:00-5:00 and other times Wed, Thurs, Fri. and Sat.
Carolyn 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..