January 12, 2014

9:00 AM meeting for worship (unprogrammed)
9:45 AM worship with attention to business: Ranae Hanson, clerk; Tom Ward, recording clerk
11:15 AM meeting for worship (semi-programmed): Kyle Johnson, speaker; care of meeting, Clifford Goltz

MEETING MATTERS / CALENDAR

Worship in Bloomington this Tues, Jan 14th, 7:00 at the home of Louise. All are welcome to this informal worship.

Adult Program next Sunday, Jan. 19th at 10:15: Jeanne Stuart, “Growing Into My Values” Since migrating across the river four years ago to attend Macalester, I’ve had ample opportunities to question, articulate and live out the values taught to me by my community, including the Meeting. In this talk, I’ll focus on a few of the recent big adventures of my life, including studying abroad in La Paz, Bolivia, working for the Betsy Hodges mayoral campaign, as well as how I anticipate taking those experiences forward in the coming years.

Adult Program on Jan 26th: Ranae Hanson will speak of her trip to Chicago for a Quaker Earthcare Witness meeting.

Looking ahead: Come to storytelling Thurs evening, Feb 20th here at the meetinghouse. This informal, engaging evening – for newcomers and old-timers alike – is a delightful way to know and be known by each other. Watch for more details.

The Ariel Trio, (Nancy Lichtenstein, piano, Kathryn Christie, violin and Sandra Haines, cello,) will perform the Dvorak Dumky Trio and Claude Bolling’s Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano with flutist Mariah Helgeson on Fri, Jan 17 at 7:00 PM, at the home of Frank and AnnLiv. Friends and friends of Friends are welcome.

Jim, Kyle and Heather are exploring the possibility of doing a Bible study of the Book of Acts. If interested, you are invited to come to a planning session in the middler classroom on Feb. 2nd at 10:15 to figure out details of meeting time and length.

Congratulations to John Stuart!, chosen as a Minnesota Lawyer Attorney of the Year. He will be honored at a banquet on Feb 20th (correction from last week) for “a career’s worth of dedication to the Minnesota legal community.” Rosalie Wahl will be similarly honored.

Warm clothes for St. Stephen’s: this street outreach could use warm winter clothing – boots, hats, mittens, gloves, scarves, coats, etc. There is a box for clean, gently used donations in the entryway.

Offering boxes are located on small tables near the meetingroom doors. December 31 marked the end of our third fiscal quarter. Contributions so far this fiscal year total $63,749.95. Three-quarters of our approved budget is $86,642.25. If you would like to automate your contributions, please talk to Suzanne Ferguson, receiving treasurer. Thank you, Friends, for your generous support of the Meeting in all manner of ways.

OUR WIDER COMMUNITY

A five-session course in Quakerism will be led by Paul Landskroener Thursdays from Feb 6 – March 6 at 7 pm. at Twin Cities Friends Meeting. Quaker doctrines, worship and ministry, witness and testimonies, and history and organization – useful to those new to or exploring Friends as well as for long-time Friends who want to know more about Quaker basics. Enrollment limit is 40.

Every Church a Peace Church will hold its monthly potluck at tomorrow, Jan 13th, at 6:30 at Spirit of St. Stephen’s Catholic Community, 2201 First Ave So, Mpls. Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer will speak on “Maintaining Hope in Hard Times.”

“Lands of Water,” artwork by Iraqi and Minneapolis artists that illustrate the importance of rivers and water to seemingly diverse cultures, is on exhibit in the rotunda at the Minneapolis City Hall until Jan 15th.

Nonviolent Resistance to a Violent Occupation: Two Northfield, MN residents, Soraya Dangor, a graduate student, and Graison Chapman, a freelance reporter, traveled to Beit Sahour, next to Bethlehem, last summer to learn about the lives of Palestinians and the impact of Israel’s military occupation of the West Bank. While traveling, Dangor and Chapman lived with a Palestinian Christian family, volunteered with local children and seniors, and visited with Palestinian, Israeli and international peace activists. “What we saw . . . there is so different from what is presented,” Dangor said. “The situation is really about a powerful army controlling the lives of people who are kept from getting work, from getting medical care, even from visiting their family.” Hear about their experience and perspective on Sat, Jan 18, 9:30 A.M. at the Southdale Library, 7001 York Ave So, Edina. Sponsored by Middle East Peace Now, http://www.mepn.org

Paul Douglas will be the keynote speaker at the Northfield Area Climate Summit, a free community-led information and discussion forum for those in the Northfield area. St. Olaf College, Sat, Jan 18th . More at northfieldclimatesummit.org

Muslim Christian Dialogue, a partnership of the Minnesota Council of Churches and the Islamic Center of Minnesota, presents a conversation considering the texts and traditions about Adam and Eve, lead by two local faith leaders. Sun, Jan. 19th, 2:00-4:00 p.m. at the Islamic Center of Mn, 1401 Gardena Ave NE, Fridley.

Save the Date: The next White Privilege Conference is in Madison, WI from March 26-29, 2014. Friends General Conference’s Ministry on Racism program encourages all members of mid-western meetings to attend. FGC expects to offer a sizable discount for Friends’ participation. Sign up with FGC to receive updates about the pre-registration process, how to request housing, and more: fgcquaker.org/WPC15-Interest . Going or considering? Tell Pat.

Concerned about climate change? Come to the Citizens Climate Lobby Regional Conference, “Local Impacts, National Action”, Jan 24 – 26 at Macalester College. Pre-conference, free, public event at Macalester’s Weyerhaeuser Chapel Fri evening the 24th, will include Paul Douglas speaking on local impacts of climate change and Mark Reynolds, Exec. Director of Citizens Climate Lobby, speaking on “Building the Political Will to Preserve a Safe Climate.” On Sat the 25th, 9 – 6 and Sun the 26th, 9 – noon, there will be sessions on local impacts of climate change plus workshops on the “fee & dividend” proposal and on building effective relationships for action. For more or to register, call 952-920-1547 or see citizensclimatelobby-mn.org . Suggested donation for the Sat/Sun conference is $25 adult, $10 student (no one turned away for lack of funds); register at https://coolplanetmn2.wufoo.com/forms/citizens-climate-lobby-regional-conference/