May 31, 2015

MEETING SCHEDULE AND PROGRAM

TODAY

10:00 am    meeting for worship: open worship with queries read; care of meeting, Judith James and Pat Jones

Child care today is in the lower level with Susie Kanemitsu.

Sunday afternoon clean up. Please stay and help. Some of the chores include cleaning chairs and pews, a few lower level windows, some pruning of shrubs and plants. We have all the necessary items available for cleaning. Grab a snack and stay! Many hands keep the workload manageable!

UPCOMING MEETING EVENTS

Unprogrammed and semi-programmed worship use different closing traditions after the handshake at the end of worship during the school year. Worship planning committee and the summer unprogrammed meeting co-ordinators have agreed on a third plan to be used this summer because of needs with the combined worship. Following the closing handshake at worship this summer, Friends will be invited to share joys and concerns, visitors and new people will be invited to introduce themselves, and pre-arranged (before 10 am – with the facing bench, care of meeting, closer) announcements may be made by the closer or the person who has prearranged to make one (preference and general practice, however, is that people submit all announcements to be in the bulletin instead). We would like this closing time to be brief so that Friends can move on to clean-up, poluck, business meeting, coffee/tea and visiting, or other plans for their day.

Zephyra and Roland Shepherd Scholarship applications and eligibility criteria are available on the long table in the east hall and are due tomorrow, June 1st.  This scholarship for post-secondary education was started by the Shepherds in 1977. Applications should be mailed back to the meetinghouse or put in the Shepherd Scholarship file in the blue box.

The George and Elizabeth Watson Memorial Discussion Group will meet this Weds, June 3rd, 7 pm. We will read aloud chp.3 of Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life. The chapter is on compassion for oneself. No prep necessary. Come!

Throughout June there will be an informal group meeting at 9 AM for Quaker education and discussion at the picnic table, or at Turtle Bread in event of rain. QuakerSpeak videos, Quaker Pastoral Care newsletters and other brief starting points will be provided. For next week – Love and Action. See goo.gl/5qmHKq . ???s to Elizabeth.

Robert and Gwen are being married under the care of the Meeting Saturday, June 20, in the late afternoon. Please mark your calendar and plan to come. All in a Friends Meeting are encouraged to take part in the called meeting for worship during which the marriage is solemnized.

Summer Sunday sign-ups to assist with meeting for worship: The sign-ups that were on last week’s volunteer sheet have been transferred to the new unified yellow sign-up sheet on the clipboard, bulletin table.  Lots of microphone carriers needed and quite a few open spots for volunteers from unprogrammed meeting to sit at the head of meeting, with(*), or without speaking responsibilities at the close. (Sheet may answer your questions.)

Offering boxes are located on small tables near the meetingroom doors. Please give as you are able. Copies of the Meeting’s 2015-16 budget are available on the table in the long hall.

OTHER HAPPENINGS AMONG QUAKERS

Phena sends grateful thanks to those who attended Mukosa’s graduation party on May 9th. “I was very pleased with the Minneapolis turn out and support. This gives my family a sense of belonging. Minneapolis Friends Meeting, you do a great job reaching out to the community and others.”

Friends for a Non-Violent World’s Ways of Peace will bring Rabbi Amy Eilberg to MFM to discuss her book, From Enemy to Friend: Jewish Wisdom and the Pursuit of Peace. Eilberg interweaves personal story, sacred text, and theory and demonstrates how relationships can move from estrangement and wounding, entrenched bigotry and fear, to positive, engaged encounter. What emerges is a portrait of peacemaking as a spiritual practice that can guide the lives of faithful people seeking peace in their lives and in the world. The book concludes with practical disciplines to cultivate the qualities of soul essential to the art of pursuing peace. Here at Minneapolis Friends Meeting, Wednesday, June 10, 7 pm.

Friends General Conference (FGC) Gathering, this July 5-July 11, at Western Carolina Univ. in the Smoky Mts. Worship, workshops, kids’ program, speakers, films, art, bookstore, Friends from all over the U.S. and Canada. FGCGathering.org. Financial aid may still be available from FGC. Funds remain through Northern Yearly Meeting. From Sue: Do you know the extraordinary beauty of North Carolina where the conference will take place? I just returned from the mountains there and I can tell you they’re well worth the time and travel to visit.” Majestic, tranquil, glorious.

Fellowship of Friends of African Descent’s conference for Friends of Color and families,  Aug 21 – Aug 23,  Philadelphia. To join the mailing list and receive information: deborahsaunders1(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)aol.com with: last name – first name – phone – street address – city, state – zip code – email address. Info also on FB – Fellowship of Friends of African Descent.

Camp Woodbrooke, in Wisconsin, under Quaker leadership, is an opportunity for young Friends to have a camp experience with Quaker values. For the young camper or for the high school or college student who wants to earn a little money. Some financial aid available through Northern Yearly Meeting. Flyers out. Family camp there, Sept. 4-7. campwoodbrooke.org .

COMMUNITY EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Tar Sands Resistance March next Saturday, June 6th, noon, starts at Lambert Landing (on the Mississippi by Union Depot) and ends at the State Capitol lawn. Help send the clear message to keep toxic tar sands out of America’s Heartland and protect clean water, clean energy and a safe climate. If you would like to travel to it together, have lunch, or otherwise meet up to march together, see Elizabeth.

Again this year, our Mulsim neighbors invite us to join a Ramadan Iftar dinner in your area (free of charge), June 20 – July 10. Taking Heart was started in 2005 and help build bridges of friendship and understanding and erase ignorance between different religions and cultures. Google “Taking Heart registration” for more info and to register.

National Climate Mobilization Day is Sun, June 14th. There will be an event here 4-5:30 pm for those who want to promote a WWII – scale national social and economic mobilization to restore a climate that is safe, stable, and supportive of human civilization. For more, see theclimatemobilization.org or Pat or Ranae. There will also be a Climate Mobilization table at the June 6th Tar Sands March.

OFFICE HOURS
Pat Jones’ work week is Wed-Sun. She will be in the office Wed. 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.