January 7, 2018

MEETING SCHEDULE AND PROGRAM

TODAY

9:00 – 10:00 meeting for worship (unprogrammed): care of meeting, Mary and Stephen Snyder

10:15 – 11:00 A Friendly study of the teachings of George Fox: What speaks to us today? With time for reflection and discussion in small groups around selected passages from Fox’s writing, this interactive program is suitable for Friends, middle school through adult. Led by Mary Snyder.

11:15 – 12:15 meeting for worship (semi-programmed): Jim Haefemeyer, speaker; Tom Wells, musician; care of meeting, Annamary Herther; Sue Kearns (mic)

~ Dick Magraw, when asked about integrity in a 2002 interview, said, “That’s fundamental to everything else.” ~

You are welcome at the potluck at the rise of semi-programmed worship today. To regulars, look for ways to help with this do-it-ourselves affair: replenish silverware or plates, take away empty serving dishes, clear and clean tables, help wash and dry dishes. Working together, we can create our own Friendly warmth and get clean-up done quickly!

The Winter Envelope Gift is a one-time gift, outside of the general budget, that Minneapolis Meeting makes to chosen organizations. This year’s organizations will be equal beneficiaries of this year’s gift and are:

Tucson Samaritans

Tucson Samaritans provide water, food, and medical aid to migrants crossing the Sonoran Desert in southern AZ. Volunteers travel the desert daily, offering emergency assistance and traveler packs with items needed for survival. Donations purchase food, water, medical supplies, baby care items, vehicle repair.

Fondo de Resiliencia (Puerto Rico Resilience Fund)

The Resilience Fund is a grassroots organization powering local / regional food systems based on sustainable farming practices. Since Hurricane Maria, they are redirecting their efforts toward food and relief for farmers affected by the devastation. This organization was selected over other hurricane relief organizations because they provide support as directly to the people of Puerto Rico as possible.

Line 3 Resistance (Camp Makwa)

Camp Makwa is an Anishinaabeg-led group of water protectors dedicated to stopping the construction of the Line 3 tar sands pipeline using non-violent direct action. The Line 3 camp has received less support and publicity than the Standing Rock camp did so our donation can be especially meaningful.
Makes checks out to Minneapolis Meeting with “Winter Envelope Gift” in the memo line and place in offering boxes.

Directory Update: Contact information forms as well as the current directory and a working draft of a new update are on the elevator table. Note corrections to the directory on a post-it or write correction on the update sheet. If you are not in the directory or listed in the update and wish to be, fill out a contact information form. Thanks, Friends.

UPCOMING MEETING EVENTS

Worship with attention to business is next Sunday, Jan 14th, from 9:45-11:15. On the agenda:
a chance to participate in the on-going evaluation of the Meeting’s transition with the “What’s the Same; What’s Different?” activity from the ad hoc Transition Committee
the Friends for a NonViolent World Holiday Fair report
a request to host a community choir
the question of whether to offer to help host (with area Meetings,) the Quaker Earthcare Witness Steering Committee Gathering in 2019.

The ad hoc Transition Committee wants to hear about your experience of the Meeting during this time of leadership transition. This might include your experience with pastoral care, worship, committee work, community or something else. Currently, there is an interim leadership structure. The committee wants to learn from the community’s experience during this time so that we can offer options for a long-term leadership structure at the March monthly meeting for business. There are a number of ways you can share your experience: during the January and February monthly meetings for business, at a listening input session (late Feb / early March – date TBD), and in conversation with any of the ad hoc Transition Committee members: Tom, Roland, Maddie, Renae, Jeannette and Evelyn. Contact a committee member directly or leave a message on the Meeting office phone and someone will get back to you.

The Nominating Committee is beginning work for the upcoming year. Please help forward the work of the committee by considering where you feel drawn to contribute to the work and life of the Meeting and by responding to phone calls and emails from Nominating Committee members. If you wish to becoming more involved in Minneapolis Meeting, participating on a committee is an excellent way to meet people and learn more about how the Meeting functions. If you would like to know more about committees or the work they do, questions or interests may be directed to Doug, Annamary, Gayle, or Ed. Thank you for your commitment to MFM.

FRIENDLY HOME MEALS are back! To build community and to help us get to know each other, including those relatively new to the Meeting, the Welcoming and Outreach Committee is again sponsoring a series of meals in participant homes during February, March and April, 2018. If you are able to participate fully, you will be a host for one meal in one of the three months. For the other two meals/months, you will be assigned to two different groups. If you want to participate without committing to all three months, you can sign up to be “on call” to fill in for others not able to attend a meal.
~ You may sign up as a couple or as an individual. If desired, two individuals from different households may sign up to participate and host together. A more detailed description is on the elevator table near the sign-up sheets.
~ There are two sign-up sheets: one for 3-month participants, and one for “on call” participants. The sign up period is only two weeks long this year – the deadline to sign up is January 15th.
~ Call or email Keitha or the Meeting office with questions.
Encourage others to sign-up and sign up yourself! Let friendly conversations and good food warm and brighten the winter!

Read Out of the Silence: Quaker Perspectives on Pastoral Care and Counseling at the Watson reading group this Tues, Jan 9th, at 7 PM in the conference room. No need to read ahead – we’ll read together! One-timers and regulars – everyone is welcome!

Join Mary and Stephen at their home for worship sharing on a biblical passage important to early Friends – noon, this Wed, Kenwood Isles, Hennepin and 28th. Light lunch provided. RSVP to Mary.

Mayim Rabim invites Friends to their Game Night next Sat, Jan 13th, 6:30 – 9 PM here at the meetinghouse – an evening of all kinds of games, light refreshments and friendly competition. Brings favorite games, musical instruments or snacks if you like!

Loaves and Fishes: Monday, Jan 29th is the next opportunity for MFM to help prepare and serve dinner to the people of the Phillips neighborhood in south Mpls. Please help if you can between 1:30pm and 7pm that day. Sign-up sheets available soon.

A Northern Yearly Meeting high school retreat is scheduled for the weekend of Jan 26-28 in Duluth. Details posted on the bulletin board in the long hall. Request to have details emailed to you at office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org.

Quaker Voluntary Service is entering the next phase! A Local Support Committee will be nominated to work with the Mpls/St. Paul Quaker House and the first class of Fellows, arriving Sept, 2018. Nurturers will also be selected and matched to each Fellow. If you are interested in exploring either of these roles – serving on the Local Support Committee or being a spiritual nurturer for a Fellow – or learning what other support you could offer QVS, speak with members of the working group – Tom, Carolyn, Judith, Lin, or Ed AND save the weekend of February 10th when Mike Huber, new national QVS Program Director, will be in town, meeting with Friends.

Quaker Earthcare Witness is interested in having its Spring, 2019 gathering here in the Twin Cities. Between area Meetings, we have 33 beds pledged for out-of-town attenders of the gathering. Ranae and Carolyn of Minneapolis Meeting and three from Twin Cities Meeting have agreed to coordinate the hospitality. Even if we get one more MFM coordinator (which was the directive of monthly meeting,) Friends are asked to consider if Minneapolis Meeting has the interest and energy to either sponsor the event (having the QEW gathering meet at the meetinghouse here – with all the support that entails,) or help host the event (offering support to Twin Cities Meeting as QEW meets at the meetinghouse in St. Paul.) A decision will be made at next week’s business meeting.

OTHER HAPPENINGS AMONG QUAKERS

Northern Yearly Meeting (NYM) continues to search for a High School Coordinator to offer three retreats and programming at annual sessions and help NYM High School youth find/participate in new experiences related to spiritual development, service, and leadership. This is a paid, part-time position and could be shared – for instance, one person handling the bulk of the administrative duties and another leading the actual retreats. Details and application information at fgcquaker.org/cloud/northern-yearly-meeting/announcements/job-opening-nym-high-school-coordinator .

American Friends Service Committee is offering free webinars to help communities across the country create Sanctuary Everywhere so that refuge from violence and oppression is not needed anywhere. Skill-building and analysis from learning how to intervene when you witness public instances of racism and other oppressive violence and harassment to working for sanctuary policies in your school or community. Learn how everyday people (including you!) can keep each other safe. Discuss strategies and approaches for communities to protect targeted groups from state violence—including immigrants, people of color, religious groups, or LGBTQ folks. The webinar, Creating Sanctuary Policies in Schools and Cities, will be Thurs, Jan. 18th, 7:30 to 9 pm. Google afsc.org/sanctuaryeverywhere for more information and to register.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

ISAIAH, Faith in Democracy, is co-hosting Seeing All God’s Children: An Interfaith Service Embracing Immigrants and Refugees TODAY at 1 pm, at the Basilica of St Mary, 17th and Hennepin, Mpls. Testimony, prayer and special music will serve to remind us of our common bond and dignity as beloved children of God.

Pay taxes or fund peace? Minnesota War Tax Resisters is hosting a gathering to discuss the various methods and consequences of tax resistance and ways to redirect refused taxes to peaceful endeavors. Sun, Jan 21st, 3:30-5 pm at the Wedge Table, 2412 Nicollet Ave, Mpls FFI: Paying4Peace(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)gmail.com or see Paying4Peace on Facebook.

MN Council of Churches is currently quite low on some household essentials needed for newly arriving refugee families: soap, queen sheets, brooms and dustpans, shampoo, sponges, shower curtain liners (not rings), beverage pitchers, trash cans (bathroom and kitchen), and plug in alarm clocks Please send an email to rsvolunteers@mnchurches for drop-off information.

Save March 13, 2018 for the Joint Religious Legislative Committee’s Day on the Hill at Central Presbyterian Church, 500 Cedar Street and the State Capitol.

OFFICE HOURS

Carolyn VandenDolder, the interim Meeting Coordinator, will be in the office Wednesday through Friday, 10:30-4:00. Phone messages are checked daily. 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.