November 29, 2015

MEETING SCHEDULE AND PROGRAM

TODAY

9:00 AM meeting for worship (unprogrammed)

10:15 AM Letter writing to legislators guided by information from Friends Committee on National Legislation, American Friends Service Committee, etc.

11:15 AM meeting for worship (semi-programmed): special music with musicians Nancy Lichtenstein and Sandra Haines; care of meeting, Clifford Goltz

Please help stack the chairs under the balcony at the rise of semi-programmed worship today, in preparation for the Holiday Fair on Friday and Saturday. Thank thee, kindly!

UPCOMING MEETING EVENTS

Adult Program Sun, Dec 6th at 10:15: Early Quakers and Christmas. Some information presented then small group sharing.

Statements of 2015 financial contributions to the Meeting were sent out this week to people who have given money so far this year. This information is meant to help people as they consider end-of-year giving.

Our next turn for preparing and serving Loaves and Fishes with area Quakers is TOMORROW! Mon, Nov. 30th at Holy Rosary Church, 2424 – 18th Ave S, Mpls. Prep starts at 2:00 pm; prep for the serving around 4:00; serving starts at 5:15; clean-up around 6:00, finishing by 7:00. A sign-up sheet is by the bulletins. Spread a little Thanksgiving gratitude by serving others!

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Friends for a NonViolent World Holiday Fair
is THIS COMING FRI, Dec 4, 1-9 PM and SAT, Dec 5, 10 AM – 4 PM.

Many volunteers are needed to make the Fair a success. Café preparations, café food donations, greeting, setting up tables upstairs, cashiers, staffing the children’s store or book loft, helping with clean-up – all these jobs and more are available for the taking! This event is largely supported by Friends. We are without a number of key people this year and hope there will be first-time volunteers. It can’t be done without you! Google “FNVW Holiday Fair” to sign up.

Books, crafts, and food donated to the FNVW Holiday Fair return a 100% profit so consider what you can donate! The building will be open Thursday for people to bring crafts, (non-refrigerated) foods and books.

A special boutique will sell items crafted or collected by Dorothy Ackerman, Quaker artist, teacher and hostess. Dorothy died in March of 2011.

Plan to ATTEND and bring family and friends – enjoy music, lunch, dinner, or a little something in-between, Christmas trees or wreaths, browsing through books, calendars, hand-made items and baked goods from area Quakers and various vendors. You can find a musician schedule, café menu and list of vendors on the fnvw.org Holiday Fair website. The money raised at the Holiday Fair has been a significant portion of FNVW’s funding.

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Young adult Quakers (age 18-40) from around the Twin Cities are planning a camping trip for Jan 22-24 at Camp Lakamaga in Marine on St Croix. We will be in a modern cabin and cook our own food while enjoying each other’s company. Cost for both nights will be $45 including food but all are welcome regardless of ability to pay. Let Elizabeth know by Jan 4th if you would like more information or want to attend.

Kellie Rae Theiss’s art exhibit at the Bell Museum ends next Sunday, Dec 6th.

Offering boxes are located on small tables near the meetingroom doors. If you would like to automate your financial
contributions, please talk to Roland Barrett, clerk of Stewardship.

OTHER HAPPENINGS AMONG QUAKERS

Twin Cities Meeting (1725 Grand in St. Paul) is hosting a racial justice reading group, Tues, Dec 8th, 7:00, in the north conference room. Discuss articles about others’ personal experiences of racism to more deeply understand how racism works both internally and systematically. The articles available online, but there will be some reading time at the beginning of each discussion night. Contact Rachel Kieltyka at radiantsheep(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)gmail.com or 612-272- 2767 with any questions.

Northern Yearly Meeting high school retreats: Jan 22 – 24 in Twin Cities, MN; theme: Understanding Privilege and Identity. March 18 – 20 in Duluth, MN; theme: Quaker Values, Ranking our value priorities and putting them into practice. For more, visit http://www.nymyouth.org/.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

To track what is happening with Black Lives Matter and the Mpls Fourth Precinct, see 4thprecinctshutdown.org

Iraqi Voices will premiere three short films written and directed by Twin Cities-based Iraqi refugees, with discussion with the filmmakers following on Dec 7th, 7:30, Macalester College, Ruth Stricker Dayton Campus Center. Free; donations welcome. Dessert and Iraqi tea reception to follow. Iraqi Voices is an ongoing collaborative video initiative that helps Iraqis in Minnesota transform their stories into short documentaries. To learn more: http://reconciliationproject.org/.

The Anti-War Committee will be holding a rally, march, and poetry slam to mark International Human Rights Day, Thurs, Dec 10th, demanding: an end to US aid to Israel; ending our wars in Iraq and Syria; and spending money for the benefit of people – not for wars. Start at Amy Klobuchar’s office (1200 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis) at 4:30 PM and march to Mayday Books (301 Cedar Avenue, Minneapolis).

Middle East Peace Now offers Her Story with Nour Nabris, a native of Jerusalem, currently doing a Master’s degree at the U of MN. Nour will offer her understanding of origin of the conflict in Palestine/Israel. She will speak of her experiences of the situation today in key Palestinian areas: Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. Her focus will be on current challenges including house demolitions, the wall, settlements, and discrimination. Finally, Nour will share her personal experience as a Palestinian living in Jerusalem. Dec. 12th, 9:30 at the Southdale Library, 7001 York Ave S, Mpls.

Refugees from warm climates do not own winter coats or accessories. Please help give a WARM welcome to new refugees by donating new or gently used warm coats, hats, mittens, and gloves. Especially needed are larger boys’ sizes and small-medium adult coats. Also needed, twin and queen bedding (particularly blankets). Donations can be brought to the MN Council of Churches Church Center at 122 W Franklin Ave, Mpls. Questions? Email rsvolunteers(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)mnchurches.org or call 612-230-3219

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.