April 5, 2017

MEETING SCHEDULE AND PROGRAM

TODAY

9:00 AM meeting for worship (unprogrammed): care of meeting, Doug and Keitha Herron

10:15 AM Spiritual Deepening: Silence and Expectant Waiting. Try out interactive, multi-generational activities from Friends General Conference’s new spiritual deepening program. This session will focus on experiencing the silence and will help us think about how we might use the new program here.

11:15 AM meeting for worship (semi-programmed): Roland Barrett, speaker; Nancy Lichtenstein, musician; care of meeting, Lolly Lijewski

Angelika and Jon, from Northern Yearly Meeting’s Advancement and Outreach Committee and former members of Minneapolis Meeting, will be at a prepared breakfast at 8:00 THIS MORNING. Angelika and Jon will stay and visit during the potluck at 12:15 as well.

You are welcome to the potluck at the rise of semi-programmed worship TODAY! Potlucks are do-it-yourself affairs. Look for ways to help the effort: clear dishes, wash and put away tables and chairs, wash, dry and put away dishes. Many hands allow everyone to have time to relax on a Sunday afternoon!

HOLD IN THE LIGHT

The many Friends who are suffering with injury or grief.

UPCOMING MEETING EVENTS

Worship with attention to business is next Sunday, 9:45-11:15. Peace and Social Concerns Committee will present their proposal for voluntary carbon tax donations, and the newly formed ad hoc Transition Committee will report.

Peace and Social Concerns Committee would like to sponsor someone from MFM to represent our community at the DC People’s Climate March April 29th, covering the $280 cost. Bus transportation organized by MN350.org; (dates vary depending on travel needs.) Let the office or P&SC know if you are interested.

Fall Camp Committee has sent out an email survey to those who attended Fall Camp 2016. The committee is trying to make sure to address any concerns about the facility, and make Fall Camp 2017 as pleasant as possible for all who attend! Watch for the emailed survey, coming from Wina, and please reply promptly. You may call her to take the survey, if needed, or someone from the committee can get a paper copy to you. And everyone, mark your calendars for September 30-October 1, and plan to come to Fall Camp 2017!

Jim invites Friends to join him for Good Friday worship at 6:00 PM on April 14th. Semi-programmed worship – reading of St. Matthew’s passion and planned music of spirituals – with a simple meal to follow. RSVP helpful so Jim can plan, but not necessary for participation.

Finding, Following, and Sharing Your Social Justice Leading: Peace and Social Concerns would like to hear from you about your social justice leadings. A five question worksheet provides an opportunity to think about your leadings more deeply and will help the committee to better support attenders of the meeting and build a directory of social justice issues. You can fill out the worksheet online at tinyurl.com/mfmleadings. Paper copies are on the bulletin table.

Yom Ha’Shoah/Holocaust Remembrance Day observance, here at MFM, Sun, April 23rd, 2:00. Quakers performed deeds of courage, conviction, and compassion during one of the darkest periods in history. Learn more in a talk by Judith Eisner, and listen to Yiddish music for meditation on violins, mandolin, bass, and tsimbl. Donations to Doctors Without Borders. Can’t make it on Sun? Twin Cities Mtg is offering the same program on Fri, Apr 21st, 7 PM at TCFM, 1725 Grand Ave in St. Paul.

OTHER HAPPENINGS AMONG QUAKERS

Northern Yearly Meeting newsletter submission deadline is TODAY. Send submissions to Elizabeth with “NYM Newsletter” in the subject line.

Northern Yearly Meeting’s middle school retreat is HERE NEXT WEEKEND, April 7-9th. Coordinator contact info available from the office: office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org

It’s not too early to plan for the Friends School Plant Sale, May 12-14. Volunteers are signing-up: FriendsSchoolPlantSale.com

NorthernYearly Meeting’s High School Retreat in Eau Claire, WI, Fri, April 21st – Sun, April 23rd. Theme: Living Equality and Equity in a Personal and Global Perspective. Indoor games and activities; profound and compelling programming; a service project; outdoor activities (bring weather-appropriate clothes!); delicious food; laughter and joy! RSVP by Wed. April 19th to Brianna. Ride coordination help and more details also from Bri.

“Advancing Our Justice Journey,” a program presented by Jenn Hamrick, Executive Director of Friends for a Non-Violent World and Liz Oppenheimer, Quaker and participant in Auburn Seminary’s Justice Ministry Education program, THIS Fri, April 7, 6:30-9 pm and Sat, April 8, 9:30am-5 pm at SpringHouse Ministries Center, 610 W 28th Str, Mpls. Come for one or both days. Registration strongly encouraged before noon tomorrow: 651-644-5851 or bit.ly/registrationJusticeJourney ; $10 donation requested. Build partnerships and develop strategies to work without competing for resources; explore, identify, and strengthen connective pathways; gain additional skills, knowledge, and resources for how to collaborate and how to keep going. Open to FNVW members, the Quaker community, and friends of Friends. Bring a bag lunch and beverage.

White Privilege Conference will be held in Kansas City April 27-30. Once again, Friends General Conference (FGC) will offer deeply discounted group rates for interested Quakers to attend, and Friends in Kansas City will provide hosting. Receive information as soon as registration opens through FGC by filling out and information form at: fgcquaker.org/register-2016-white-privilege-conference. More on the conference: whiteprivilegeconference.com/.

Love to sing? Nightingales, mostly Quakers, mostly from WI and MN, gather three weekends a year to sing. Warmly open to newcomers; Beaver Creek Reserve, Fall Creek, WI; Fri, Apr 21–Sun, Apr 23. More details are on the long bulletin board.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Northern Spark 2017 is a free, all-night art event exploring the effects of climate change through participatory projects in neighborhoods along Metro Transit’s Green Line. Friends are invited to join the TransitionNOW artist team for a Community Art Making Party at MN Center for Book Arts, Open Book Building, TODAY, 2-5 pm (1011 Washington Ave, Mpls,) so we can share, at Northern Spark, what we are doing to reduce climate change. Screen-print t-shirts, cut out paper leaves, and print tiny mementos on the letterpress. All ages welcome, no experience necessary. Drop by for a while or stay the whole time!

Middle East Peace Now will host Lubnah Shomali speaking on “A Human-Rights Based Approach to Palestinian Self-determination” this Sat, Apr 8th at Lutheran Church of Christ the Redeemer, 5440 Penn Ave. S, Mpls – 9:30 AM refreshments; 10:00 AM presentation and discussion. Lubnah Shomali, born in Palestine but raised in the US, relocated with her family to her hometown near Bethlehem in the West Bank in 2008. Like other uprooted Palestinians, she and her family have experienced the effects of Israeli occupation. A human rights defender and activist, Lubnah works for Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights, (BADIL) dealing with the impact of forced population transfer, expansion of settlements, and discrimination under Israeli Apartheid. Ms. Shomali will offer an alternative to current mainstream political discourse, promoting a rights-based approach and solution to the conflict, adhering to and respecting international human rights laws.

Create a Weather-Resilient yard. Metro Blooms Workshops are being offered, giving an overview of MN’s changing weather patterns and ways to mitigate the impact on your yard – options for mow-ables, native alternatives, turf, rain garden basics, other resilient yard practices. April 18th at St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church, Mpls, and May 24th at the Edina Public Works Building. See metroblooms.org for full listing or call 651-699-2426.

From the American Civil Liberties Union: Arkansas is about to execute eight prisoners over four days – an unprecedented speed – to use up nearly-expired execution drugs. Sign a petition to Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson to tell him to halt the execution assembly line. action.aclu.org/secure/Arkansas-Executions?ms=web_170328_capitalpunishment_ARexecutions

OFFICE HOURS:
Pat Jones will be in the office Wed. from 2:00-5:00 and other times Wed, Thurs, Fri. and Sat.
Carolyn VandenDolder will be in the office Wed, Thurs, and Fri afternoons.