November 14, 2021

MEETING SCHEDULE AND PROGRAM

TODAY

9:00 – 9:40 meeting for worship (unprogrammed): care of meeting, Mary Boserman; Zoom host, Bill

9:45 – 11:15 monthly meeting for business: John Kraft, clerk; Tom Ward, recording clerk; Zoom host, Bill

11:15 – 12:00 meeting for worship (semi-programmed): there is no planned speaker; care of meeting, Mary Gochnauer; Zoom host, Carolyn

Email office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org for the link to Sunday morning programming in Nov.

HOLD IN THE LIGHT

The family and friends of Barbara Coffin. Barbara, a MFM member since 1950, died November 2nd. A memorial service for Barbara will be on Sat, Dec 11, 2PM via Zoom. Email office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org for the link.

The family and friends of Sue Murray. Sue, a member since 1968, died Wednesday, October 27th. She was 92. A memorial service via zoom is planned for Nov 27th, 2PM. Email office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org for the link.

OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH MINNEAPOLIS MEETING FRIENDS

Mid-Morning Program next Sunday at 10:15: On the Social Utility of Fiction. In an age of ceaseless connectivity and instant gratification, many consider the novel an increasingly obsolete form of entertainment. Given the urgency of today’s most pressing issues, how would a medium that requires hours of inertia and silence not only retain cultural relevance, but also serve any broader social function? Jakob Guanzon, author of the acclaimed novel, Abundance, and step-son of Gib, will discuss these questions and more with us. There are a couple of copies of Abundance in the MFM library.

Northern Yearly Meeting will offer first day school online for children, age 6-11, next Sun, Nov 21, 10–11AM. Registration required –details in next week’s bulletin. This will hopefully be a monthly offering.

Ministry and Counsel Committee is facilitating spiritual nurture groups. Participants commit to adopting a daily practice (anything that nurtures your spirit) and meeting together with your group once a month to worship-share on the question, “How has the Spirit been active in my life?” Contact Carolyn by TODAY with questions or to sign up. “How do I listen to others? As if everyone were my master, speaking to me his cherished last words.” ~ Hafiz

There is mid-week worship every Wed night, 7PM. There will be a brief reading at the beginning of worship on the first and third Weds. Email office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org by noon Wed for the link.

Experiment with Light groups are now open to new members. Groups meet once a month for a meditation based on early Friends’ worship. There are also currently two on-line groups offered by the North American Experiment with Light Network: the first Tues. of the month at 10AM (CT) and the third Tues of the month at 6:30PM (CT) (lightways(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)gmail.com). Additionally, there are 12-Step groups forming which will practice the Light Meditation (Dan Mudd, lightways(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)gmail.com ). For more information regarding EwL at MFM contact Diane.

Join Lectio Divina at 11:25AM on Wednesdays. Hold a short reading from the Bible, Quaker, or other spiritual text to see if and how it might speak to us today. Rather than reading for information, in Lectio, read for insight – open to the Divine and allow the text to speak to our life and times. Followed by a time of worship sharing. Contact Stephen for the link.

Loaves and Fishes, Mon, Nov 29th: Join other metro-area Friends, the Ismaili Community and the Mayim Rabim congregation to provide a meal at Holy Rosary Church in S Mpls, 2424 – 18th Ave S. Prepare dinner (2-4:30); pack up and hand out the meals (4:00-6:30,) or clean up (5:15-7.) Fruit donations needed. Covid-19 has created more need and fewer volunteers (and fruit donations,) so your help is needed now more than ever. Email Sue to sign up for a shift to make sure there is sufficient space or to arrange to drop off fruit. Masks, gloves, and hats required. This remains a COVID risk. Sign up to come if you can on Mon, Nov 29th.

Quaker Voluntary Service Fellows have a program day together every-other Fri. Local Friends are asked to provide (vegan) lunch for seven (with a gluten-free option for one) for Dec 3. Sign up with miranda(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)quakervoluntaryservice.org. Also sought – a small bookshelf / nightstand. Contact Miranda with leads.

THINGS TO KNOW

Every winter, Minneapolis Meeting takes a special collection, outside the regular operating budget, to benefit organizations recommended by the Peace and Social Concerns Committee and approved at monthly meeting. Please send your recipient nominations for this year’s Winter Envelope Gift to P&SC Committee clerk, Deborah by Nov 22nd.

Ministry and Counsel Committee (M&C) asks individuals who feel led to share a prepared message or a reading during semi-programmed worship, to contact Bill or other members of M&C. M&C is also looking for closers for both the 9 and 11:15AM worships. Serving as a closer is a ministry of service to the meeting.

The meeting approved installing a new audio/video system in the meetinghouse to make worship and gatherings accessible to those who cannot attend in person. Thanks to the generosity of Friends, we have earned all the matching funds available for a total of $21,000 contributed so far! You may still contribute to the new system, allowing existing MFM funds to be used elsewhere. Make checks out to MFM Trustees with A/V system in the memo line.

OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT WITH OTHER FRIENDS

Friends for a NonViolent World’s annual Holiday Fair will soon be upon us! This year’s online fair will run Nov 19-28; the in-person event it will be held at the Friends School of MN, Dec 3 – 4. Donate baked goods, soups, crafts, Quaker Treasures, books, and silent auction items. Sign up here to let FNVW know what you’ll be donating and details on how to do it. Want to volunteer? Sign up here. (*Proof of vaccination will not be required for entry to the fair. Masks and social distancing are the safety measures being employed.) For times and to access shopping online (after Nov 18), click here.

Northern Yearly Meeting still seeks a Middle School coordinator. Job description and application here.

Opportunities to worship with the wider family of Friends :
~ Friends General Conference hosts a weekly worship, Sat nights, 8PM: https://www.tfaforms.com/4816591 For other opportunities, see: https://www.fgcquaker.org/resources/online-worship-opportunities
~ Pendle Hill Study and Retreat Center has daily worship, M-F, 7:30-8:10 AM (CT): https://pendlehill.zoom.us/j/432071090?pwd=aU5OOWk4ZGJkcWNUbzI5TXdjdVpSdz09
~ Quaker Voluntary Service has daily worship M–F, 10:30-11AM (CST): https://zoom.us/j/5702463400
~ Quaker Center in California has a Wed worship sharing at noon (CT) with Friends from around the world responding queries based on short readings. JOIN HERE; password, email: BobFisher(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)QuakerCenter.org
~ Global meeting for worship is offered every Wed, 1 PM (CT). Email office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org to be put in touch with the organizer.
~ worship sharing with Quaker Earthcare Witness, Wed, Nov 17th, 7-8:15PM (CT) – brief introduction, review worship sharing guidelines, present the questions on which we’ll be reflecting, break out into small groups, and then gather after about 45 minutes for closing thoughts and sharing. Register here.

OFFICE HOURS

Carolyn VandenDolder, the Meeting Coordinator, will be in the office Wed – Fri afternoons. Phone messages checked daily; email checked W-F. Bulletin deadline, noon Thur. Bulletin items can be phoned in to the office (612-926-6159) or emailed (office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org).