December 22, 2019

MEETING SCHEDULE AND PROGRAM

TODAY

9:00 – 10:00 meeting for worship (unprogrammed): care of meeting, Carol Bechtel, David Downes (mic)

10:15 – 11:00 Christmas Carol Sing-A-Long and Social Hour. Bring cookies, fruit, or other finger-foods to share, and musical instruments if you wish. Come and join in the festivities!

11:15 – 12:15 meeting for worship (semi-programmed): Heidi Flores, speaker; Dave Bostrom, musician; care of meeting, Carolyn VandenDolder; Sandy Olson (mic)

HOLD IN THE LIGHT

All those who are grieving or who are feeling isolated.

UPCOMING MEETING EVENTS

At November’s monthly meeting for business, a trial schedule change was approved. Starting January 5, 2020, first day school will be at the same time as mid-morning program, 10:15 – 11:00. Families are encouraged to arrive before 10:15 so the meeting’s youth can enjoy programming and each other for the full time. Adults are needed to be with youth who leave the second worship after the speaker. If you are interested and have not been cleared to work with the Meeting’s youth, please contact office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org to be put in touch with the Child Welfare Committee clerk.

Mid-Morning Program next Sunday at 10:15: Experiment with Light: What did Early Friends DO in the Silence? A panel will share their experiences of practicing the Light Meditation, a meditation developed by Rex Ambler based on his deep reading of early Friends’ journals. Four Light groups are currently meeting at MFM, with about thirty-five people participating. Current groups are opening up for new participants for the coming year. This is an opportunity to see what Light groups are all about, and, who knows, it might inspire you to join a group too!

Winter Envelope Gift: Every winter, Minneapolis Meeting designates organization(s) to receive a one-time gift, outside the Meeting’s usual budget. This year’s recipients are in keeping with the Meeting’s peace and social concerns focus on gender justice and well-being:
OutFront Minnesota – working to create a state where lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people are free to be who they are, love who they love, and live without fear of violence, harassment or discrimination; a state where Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer individuals have equal opportunities, protection and rights. outfront.org
Mending the Sacred Hoop – a Native-operated non-profit that addresses violence against Native women and works to end it, organizing on issues surrounding violence against American Native women in Duluth and throughout MN: mshoop.org
To contribute to the Winter Envelope Gift, make checks payable to Minneapolis Meeting with “Winter Envelope Gift” in the memo line and place in an offering box.

Loaves and Fishes: Monday Dec 30th is the next opportunity for MFM, along with other area Friends, the Ismaili Community, (from Edina,) and members from Mayim Rabim, to help prepare and serve dinner to the families and individuals at Holy Rosary Church, 2424 18th Av. S, Mpls. Please help if you have a few hours between 2:00pm and 7pm that day. Volunteers sign up for shifts: meal prep, 2:00 4:30pm; serving food 4:45 6:30pm; clean up 5:30 7pm. Fresh or dried fruit donations for dessert are needed, too. Sign-up sheet is on the bulletin table.

The Nursery Committee, on behalf of the Meeting, seeks the right person to work with the little ones in the nursery. The work hours are Sundays during the school year, 8:45-12:30; and 9:45-11:15 during the summer months. The pay is $15 an hour. For more, contact office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org to be put in touch with someone from the nursery committee.

Friendly Meals, opportunities to help us – newcomers and old-timers alike – get to know each other informally. Friendly Meals, a series of meals in participant homes, will happen in February, March and April 2020. There are two options when signing up:
*All in: you participate in three meals, hosting one of them.
*On call: your name will be placed on a substitute list to fill in for those unable to attend a particular meal.
Sign-up sheets and a more detailed description are available on the elevator table. Coordinated by the Welcoming and Outreach Committee, if you have questions, call, or email office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org / 612-926-6159 to be put in touch with an answer person! Sign-up deadline is January 19, 2020.

Save the date for the Northern Yearly Meeting high school winter retreat, Jan 24-26th, at the Cannon Valley Meeting in Northfield. Theme: Mental Health. More details coming. Kindly Adult Presences eagerly sought. Send inquiries or RSVP to office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org to be put in touch with the coordinator.

OTHER HAPPENINGS AMONG QUAKERS

There will be a Christmas Eve worship at Twin Cities Meeting, 1725 Grand Ave, St. Paul, at 7PM, followed by carol singing and a dessert potluck as well as a New Year’s Eve celebration: 5:30 worship; 6:15 potluck dinner; 7:30 – 10:30 games, singing, conversation, fun. Bring your favorite snacks, games, musical instruments or songbooks.

Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) Basic Community Workshop – Jan 17-18. Interested in learning new skills and attitudes to address, prevent, and transform violence? Consider this two-day workshop offering a holistic, experiential, safe, and lively approach to learning the tools to discover your own power to transform conflict and frustration in your life. Fri, the 17th, 12-9PM and Sat, the 18th, 9AM-9PM at 393 N Dunlap St., St. Paul. Attendance both days is expected. To register (required), contact Miranda at 651-917-0383 or Miranda(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)fnvw.org or visit bit.ly/avpjanuary. Cost: $150; no one turned away for lack of funds. Questions? Contact Miranda.

A new, worship-based, spirit-led Northern Yearly Meeting working group has been created to look at all the work on racism that has been done within our yearly meeting, to consider available resources, and to suggest ways forward to further the ongoing anti-racist work of the Northern Yearly Meeting faith community.. In the next few months it will be exploring its charge and developing a work agenda to be shared at spring Interim Session for further seasoning. If you feel led to participate in this committee or would like to learn more about it, please contact office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org and you will be put in touch with a NYM co-clerk.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Minneapolis Council of Churches: There is a huge need for warm winter jackets, toddlers through adults, in all sizes, for new arrivals to MN. Jackets should be gently used or new, please; also winter hats, mittens, and gloves. We are unable to accept boots or snow pants. Contact rsvolunteers(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)mnchurches.org or 612-230-3219 for more information or to arrange a drop-off.

OFFICE HOURS
Carolyn VandenDolder, Meeting Coordinator, will be in the office Thursday and Friday afternoons. Bulletin deadline, noon Thur. Bulletin items can be phoned in to the office (612-926-6159), emailed (office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org), or written and put in the bulletin file of the blue box.