Bulletin: February 9, 2014
February 9, 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): no planned speaker or musician; care of meeting, Carolyn VandenDolder
TODAY
Nursery care today is downstairs with Betsy Souther.
Tonight, Barton Sutter, of Duluth-Superior Friends Meeting, will speak at the Prospect Hill Friends Meeting program at 5:00 about his spiritual leading and discernment in taking on the issue of copper and nickel mining in northern MN. All are invited to Twin Cities Friends Meeting for the event, 1725 Grand Ave, St. Paul. Friends are welcome to the worship preceding Barton’s talk at 4:00. A potluck follows the program. Bring something to share if staying.
A letter and supporting information from Duluth-Superior Friends Meeting about mining in northern MN as well as an opinion piece by Ranae Hanson, both of which appeared in the Star Tribune, are posted on the MFM website: minneapolisfriends.org/2014/01/31/opinion-piece-by-ranae-hanson-from-the-star-tribune-jan-27-2014/ and minneapolisfriends.org/2014/01/17/bulletin-addendum-copper-and-nickel-mining-in-mn/ . There is a public comment period, open until March 13th. Email comments – NorthMetSDEIS.dnr(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)state.mn.us . (Include full name and legal mailing address.) Letters via US Post (recommended by Duluth Friends): Lisa Fay, EIS Project Manager, MDNR Division of Ecological and Water Resources, Environmental Review Unit, 500 Lafayette Road, Box 25, St. Paul, MN 55155-4025.
MEETING MATTERS / CALENDAR
Worship in Bloomington is this Tues, Feb 11th, 7:00, at the home of Louise, Gideon Pond. All are welcome this small, 45-minute, time of unprogrammed worship.
For anyone and everyone interested in contemporary Quaker thought: come read together Letters to a Fellow Seeker, this Wed, Feb 12th at 7:00. The George and Elizabeth Watson Discussion Group (open to everyone) is making its way through this short book, reading chapters and discussing individual perspectives and understanding in response. Please come!
Next Sunday at 10:15: Ruth Schultz, daughter of Jeannette Raymond and Mark Schultz has returned to Minneapolis after eight years with a degree from Swarthmore and a colorful raft of life experiences to talk about! She’s been a union representative, an organizer in the Latino community in IA, was arrested protesting Wells Fargo’s investments in private prisons, and fell in love in Mexico. And she has photos!
Next Sunday, Feb. 23rd, at 10:15, Carolyn VandenDolder: Northern Yearly Meeting – the benefits, the barriers and exploring the great unknown! Come for some context, input, discussion and snacks!
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. Everyone who is able is encouraged to come!
“Exploring Together” is an event designed to introduce families and staff from Friends School of MN to the Quaker meetings in the Twin Cities and to Quakerism in general. On Sat, March 8th, Friends School participants will gather at Twin Cities Friends meetinghouse (1725 Grand Avenue in St. Paul) for a one-time program similar to our recent Quaker Quest. The program includes Quakers speaking on topics (simplicity, worship and peace), small group discussions and a short worship. Quakers from our meeting are invited to come and help provide hospitality, facilitate small groups, work with children or simply participate in the event. Welcoming and coffee is at 9:30 a.m. The program is from 10:00 to noon. Contact Ed or Joanne for more information or to volunteer.
Tom Ward is giving a presentation on Quakers to a north metro intercultural group, Mon, Feb 24th. He has developed a power point presentation to help introduce Quakerism to these people from diverse backgrounds. Interested in going / carpooling? Tell Pat.
There is a White privilege self-study group that meets every fourth Mon. at Twin Cities Friends Meeting (1725 Grand Ave), 7:00-9:00 pm. Feb 24: systemic racism and the concept of reparations.
Offering boxes are located on small tables near the meetingroom doors. A third quarter report will be given today at monthly meeting (9:45). Thank you, Friends, for your generous support of the Meeting in all manner of ways.
OUR WIDER COMMUNITY
Love Your Planet Comedy Night, a benefit Terry Hokenson has helped organize for MN Interfaith Power and Light, will be held Sat, Feb 15, 7 pm, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 4201 Sheridan Ave S. MnIPL is working to raise a groundswell of positive climate change response through faith communities in MN. The comedy troupe, The Theater of Public Policy, is simply hilarious. For details and tickets, go to mnipl.org or tinyurl.com/jwc86qd, or see Terry.
The next White Privilege Conference is in Madison, WI from March 26-29. Sign up continues for a significant Quaker discount. In the first week alone, more than twenty Friends from nine yearly meetings across the country had pre-registered through Friends General Conference (FGC). At least six meetings and worship groups from Northern Yearly Meeting’s region have Friends who have signed up! This year, Quaker youth are especially invited to attend. TO SIGN UP: fgcquaker.org/WPC15. Then check both your spam folder and your inbox for an email with the necessary discount code(s) to use when registering for the conference itself. FGC DEADLINE for the discount and for local hospitality with Friends is Feb. 20th. Have questions? Email FGC at
Friends for a NonViolent World’s annual meeting will be Sun, Feb. 23, at 1:30 pm at Twin Cities Friends Meeting (1725 Grand Ave, St. Paul). Hear a review of the year’s accomplishments, look forward, and elect new members to the board of directors. Take this opportunity to learn more about what FNVW is doing and to engage in FNVW’s future.
The American Friends Service Committee’s Healing Justice Program will host a mini film series, Thursdays, March 6, April 10, May 8, June 5; 6:30-9:00 pm at Faith Mennonite Church in Mpls. The films are vehicles to engage people with issues of interpersonal and systemic racism and working for justice. After each film, Sharon Goens-Bradley, director of the Healing Justice program and a member of the Quaker community, will facilitate a discussion, encouraging and inspiring attenders to learn more about historical events, and supporting people as they navigate the feelings that can arise when discussing racism – guilt, shame, powerlessness, anger. Free, donations welcome. More: sgoens(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)afsc.org
Continuing Revolution: A Young Adult Friends’ Conference on Community will be offered next summer, June 6-11, at Pendle Hill Retreat and Study Center in PA. Young adults are particularly well-poised to become the inspired and effective change agents that are needed in the world, and at its core, this conference is about providing the foundational skills and training to inspire revelation – or revolution – as we strive to live in Spirit-led relationship with ourselves, our communities, and the earth. See pendlehill.org/yafcon for more. Flyers about the conference are on the elevator table.
OFFICE HOURS
Pat Jones is on vacation until Friday, Feb 14th.
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.