December 15, 2013

9:00 AM meeting for worship (unprogrammed): care of meeting, Sandy Olson

10:15 AM Celeste Robinson, a Macalester student and coordinator for the Northern Yearly Meeting High School Program, will speak about her work with Occupy Homes MN. This group opposes unjust foreclosure and eviction. She will speak about how her work for housing justice ties into Quaker faith and practice.

11:15 AM meeting for worship (semi-programmed): John Stuart, speaker; Nancy Lichtenstein, musician; care of meeting, Joanne Esser

TODAY

Friends for a Non-Violent World Holiday Fair table and books:
Please look over the craft items on the table and the Value’s Board gift certificates on the wall. These wonderful items are available for your purchase. Also, the loft is full of wonderful books waiting for a good home. Please give what you feel is appropriate. All monies go directly to support the programs of FNVW. This is the last Sunday the table will be up.

Help needed to box up books today
Our survey revealed customers at the FNVW Holiday Fair love the book store! What is not revealed is how much time & effort it takes to set it up & take it down. If you are able, please help box up books in the balcony at the rise of semi-programmed worship. With enough hands, it could be done within 20 minutes. St. Vincent’s de Paul comes tomorrow to pick them up, saving us the pleasure of hauling them down all those stairs. Plus they go to a good place!

Sing-a-long Messiah at Como Park Lutheran Church, 1376 Hoyt Avenue, West St. Paul, is TODAY at 3 PM. Roberta plans to go and is interested in carpooling.

It’s the season of snow and slush! Friends are encourage to remember to jig a little MN winter dance before coming up or going downstairs.

Parking at the meetinghouse: those who are able, please park further away from the building, leaving spaces nearby for those who have mobility challenges. Please be mindful not to park between the No Parking During Church Service signs. Cars and metro mobility need the space to drop off individuals for worship.

MEETING MATTERS / CALENDAR

The White Envelope Gift is a special Christmastime offering that is designated for one-time gifts to different organiza-tion(s) each year. We are celebrating this gift next Sunday the 22nd. (Make checks to MFM, designated White Gift.)
White Envelope Gift recipients this year:
– $120 for a goat for a family somewhere in Africa through ONE and Heifer International,
– $200 for teaching supplies for Joanne Esser to take to Light of Hope School in Kenya
The remaining funds will be divided equally between:
– Project Sweetie Pie (a gardening cooperative in North Minneapolis that involves many young people)
– Reclaim (a Twin Cities program centered on meeting the needs of queer youth of color),
– water wells for Vietnam (see http://www.mqivietnam.org/), and
– a scholarship fund for the Quaker Refugee Fellowship for girls in Kenya.

Upcoming Adult Programs at 10:15:
Dec.22nd: Carol sing and social hour. Bring your favorite, festive breakfast treats and best singing voices!
Dec. 29th: Devin Helfrich will speak on his legislative work related to climate / environmental policy, “How to keep your spirits up while working for the U.S. House of Representatives and other interesting anecdotes from working in DC.”

You are invited to a caroling and Christmas party here, December 22nd, 5:30 (to practice,) 6:00 -7:00 caroling then 7:00 until about 8:00 for games, food and cocoa. Organized for MFM kids (and kids at heart), bring kid-friendly snacks to share and flashlight – or just come! Questions, contact Carolyn.

Green Tip: Wondering how to encourage a systemic change away from fossil fuels? Check out Befriending Creation’s Nov/Dec issue about divestment: quakerearthcare.org/bfc/volume-26-number-6 and consider approaching your bank, mutual funds management and consulting financial counselor about the possibility of divestment. Have a Green Tip to share? Email it to the office: office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org .

Volunteers needed for Loaves and Fishes: our next commitment is fifth Mon, Dec 30th. The meal is prepared and served by area Quakers and offered at Holy Rosary Church, 2424 – 18th Ave So. Help with this concrete expression of support and outreach: 2:30-4:30, cooking (5 needed); 4:45-6:45, serving (10 needed); 5:30-7:00, clean-up (5 needed). 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!) The Loaves and Fishes coordinators count on participation from Minneapolis Friends Meeting people! Sign up on the sheet by the bulletins.

Thanks to Dave and David, the catalog of items in the MFM library is now available on our website. See the new “Library” link in the sidebar, or go there directly: minneapolisfriends.org/library

Volunteers are being sought to wash and iron tablecloths used at the Holiday Fair. Contact Lisa for more.

The Northern Yearly Meeting Newsletter deadline is January 10. Thinking of a workshop you’d like to offer at the annual session? Want to do a preliminary article? Email Richard at richard.osbo.fuller(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)gmail.com

Friends who purchased Prospect Hill Friends Meeting’s Allergy-Friendly Potluck may have an edition lacking the Appendices. Please open and check your copy and if your book is not complete, contact Lyn, (quakerlyn(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)gmail.com) to arrange for a replacement. Thanks for your patience!

Offering boxes are located on small tables near the meetingroom doors. Average contributions of $9,725 per month ($2,431 per week) are needed to meet our budget. In November, $8,164.30 was contributed to the general budget; an average of $2,041.08 per week. The winter quarter contributions historically have covered 40% of the budget. Thank you, Friends, for your generous support of the Meeting in all manner of ways.

OUR WIDER COMMUNITY

Save the Date: The next White Privilege Conference is in Madison, WI from March 26-29, 2014 with the theme of “Building Relationships! Strengthening Communities! Seeking Justice!” Friends General Conference’s Ministry on Racism program encourages all members of mid-western meetings to attend. Like last year, FGC expects to be able to provide a sizable discount for Friends’ participation. Sign up with FGC to receive updates about its pre-registration process, how to request housing, and more. Go to fgcquaker.org/WPC15-Interest .

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.