November 12, 2023

MEETING SCHEDULE AND PROGRAM

TODAY

9:00 – 9:40 meeting for worship (unprogrammed): care of meeting, Keitha Herron; Zoom host – Bill H.

9:45 – 11:15 John Kraft, acting clerk; Tom Ward, recording clerk; Zoom host – Sandy O.

11:15 – 12:00 meeting for worship (semi-programmed): Joanne Esser – speaker; care of meeting, Jane Furnas; Zoom host – Sandy O.

Email office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org for the link to Sunday worship and mid-morning program

HOLD IN THE LIGHT

Those living in the midst of violence and the threat of violence, those who have had to flee their homes, those grieving the death of loved ones, those fearful of the safety of friends and family, those devastated by need of electricity, food, water, and/or goods, and those in positions to change many of these conditions.

The White family. Darlene White died Fri, Nov 3rd. Her service will be held Sat, Nov 11th at 11AM at the White Funeral Home, 14560 Pennock Ave, Apple Valley. There will be two visitations at the funeral home: 4-7PM on Fri, Nov 10th and 10-11AM on Sat, Nov 11th. Darlene’s obituary is here.

The family of Carol Watson. Carol’s memorial service will be held Sun, Nov 12th at 3PM at Lake Harriet Spiritual Community, 44th at Upton. Carol’s obituary is here.

NEWS FOR MINNEAPOLIS MEETING FRIENDS

Mid-Morning Program next Sunday at 10:15: Witness for Peace Delegation Travel to Cuba. Linda Coffin traveled to Cuba in December 2022 as a member of a Witness for Peace delegation. She will describe the trip and share photos of what she saw and learned there.

There is mid-week worship every Wed night, 7PM. Email office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org by noon Wed for the link.

The Winter Gift is an annual, special collection Minneapolis Meeting makes in the winter months. The Peace and Social Concerns Committee is tasked with recommending the recipients of the gift. If you have an organization you would like to nominate as a recipient, please send an email, with information about and the address of the organization, to the P&SC Committee clerk Deborah J. by Mon, Nov 27th.

Thanksgiving dinner at the meetinghouse is back! Gather Thurs, Nov 23rd, at 4PM for half an of worship, then everyone will pitch in to get ready for the meal, hoping to eat around 5. Board games and conversation after dinner. A sign up sheet will be on the table by the elevator – put your name and what you would like to bring to contribute to the meal. Or call Jimbo to sign up if you’re not in the building. Questions? Call Jimbo or Jane D.

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 Lolly L. or other members of M&C. M&C is also looking for closers for both worships. Serving as a closer is a ministry of service to the meeting.

Being a Zoom Host or a substitute A/V Tech is a great way to support the Meeting’s worship. Interested in being trained for either of these positions, or just finding out more? Contact Marilyn J.

Need to schedule a meeting or event – via Zoom or at the meetinghouse? Email or phone the office to check the calendar first: office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org / 612-926-6159.

A Lifetime Gift. On Tues, Nov 14th, 6 – 7PM (CT), a number of MFM F(f)riends will hear Shelly Halverson share her experiences, research, and training to help you prepare for the end of life. Learn how to express your wishes, provide your family with a guide, and receive a comprehensive toolkit filled with checklists, resources, and information on life summary, pet care, finances, medical history, and more – all designed to give you comfort and confidence, and to ease the burden on the loved ones you leave behind. UPDATE: You can register for the webinar up till the 14th, however, the toolkit will not arrive before the event. It will be worthwhile to attend even without the kit in hand; you will still receive the toolkit as long as you include your mailing address. Register each participant so you each get a kit: https://bit.ly/3Qc1Ixn

The Care and Counsel Committee facilitates pastoral care for Minneapolis Meeting members and attenders, understanding the Quaker tradition that Friends minister to each other. If you are dealing with illness, grief, a major transition, or a stressful personal problem, we would like to be there for you. Contact committee clerk, Sandy O.
If a confidential discussion would support you as you make a decision, we will set up a clearness committee with you. Email John S. to explore that opportunity.
Other committee members are Connie A, Mary G, and Ellen S.

SMALL GROUP OPPORTUNITIES AT MINNEAPOLIS MEETING

The Getting to Know You Storytelling Group will meet this Tues, Nov 14th, at 1PM. The story prompt: Memories of Thanksgiving and what you are grateful for now. Contact Kate W-J. for more and the link.

Small group line-up: Writing Group, first Monday night; Getting to Know You Storytelling Group, second Tuesday afternoon; Right Relationship with Indigenous People, third Tuesday night; Reading Group, fourth Tuesday night; Spirituality of Dance Group, last Tuesday morning in odd months. Email office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org for more information about any of these.

OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WIDER WORLD OF FRIENDS

The American Friends Service Committee asks people across the United States to visit the district offices of their Senators and Representatives to honor the dead and demand an end to the mass killing of people in Gaza on Mon, Nov. 13th. Bring flowers, photos, candles, teddy bears, and notes to memorialize the hostages who have been taken, all those who have died, and those who will die if a ceasefire and humanitarian access are not put in place. The US government has funded the bombs that have killed more than 9,000 people in Gaza, over 4,000 of them children, in less than a month.

The Friends Committee for National Legislation toolkit for calling for an Israel – Palestine ceasefire can be found here. To watch and share a recording of the powerful conversation hosted in late Oct, “Calling for a Ceasefire: Israel-Palestine Briefing,” click here. The transcript of the chat with additional resources is available here. The American Friends Service Committee, working for a just and lasting peace in the area since 1948, has a Gaza resource page available here.

Vanguard is the world’s largest investor in fossil fuels. For over two years, there have been international efforts to call on Vanguard to change its policies. Today, Earth Quaker Action Team and Quaker Earthcare Witness are urging Vanguard to use its power as a major shareholder to push companies in its portfolio to significantly reduce their climate-harming emissions. They are also asking Vanguard to exit its investments in fossil fuel companies that refuse to transition their businesses to move toward a livable future for all.” To be part of these efforts, join their Nov. 15 action.

SAVE A TIME TO SHOP the Friends for a NonViolent World Holiday Fair: Dec 1st, 1-9PM and Dec 2nd, 10AM – 4PM at the Friends School of Minnesota, 1365 Englewood Ave, St Paul. Purchase unique crafts and other gifts – soaps, used books, desserts, Christmas wreaths, Quaker treasures and more; listen to festive holiday music; hang out with folks from local Meetings, eat at the Friendly Café! (open Friday, 4-9PM and Sat, 10AM-3PM.) Check out the event at https://fnvw.org/holidayfair.
Here’s how you can help this important Quaker community event and FNVW funding source:
~ play an instrument! If you would like to play for the Holiday Fair this year, Dec 1 and 2, please contact Tom W. The Fair would love to have you!!
~ create crafts to be sold or preserve the bounty of your garden! Work on your own or parallel play with a group of friends! Jams, honey and salsa are popular sale items. And of course, it’s always a good time to teach one of your skills to a younger person!
~ Approach your favorite businesses and ask if they would make a contribution to sell at the Fair! Print a few copies of this Holiday Fair Business Letter to share with the businesses you frequent to ask for their support.
~ Clean up those Quaker Treasures to prepare them for their next life. Items with special meaning and value to the Quaker community are most fun to have.
~ Donate books! (We would also love multi-gallon storage tubs, and a few bookcases!) Contact info(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)fnvw.org to learn how to donate.
~plan to VOLUNTEER! Pick up and deliver books, decorate, take a shift cooking or prepping food for the café, bring desserts, help with set-up, be a cashier, be a welcome, accept craft, treasure and food donations. Take your pick here.
Let FNVW know what you’d like to donate to the sale – FNVW Holiday Fair Donation Sign Up

Pendle Hill’s Reading Group will be reading Plain Talk about Dying: The Spiritual Effects of Taking My Father off Life Support (Pendle Hill Pamphlet #479) by Shulamith Clearbridge on Wed, Nov 15, 6-7:30PM(CT) via Zoom. Shulamith recounts the story of having to decide for another person whether they live or die, and the spiritual repercussions and search for healing that followed. Purchase a copy of the publication: printed copy here; Amazon Kindle here; and Barnes and Noble ebook here. Free and open to the public! Register at this link to reserve your spot.

Friends Committee on National Legislation’s (FCNL) Annual Meeting & Quaker Public Policy Institute 2023 will be Nov 15 – 19, in person in D.C. and online. Each year hundreds of Quakers and friends join in fellowship and worship at this event to seek unity around decisions about organizational priorities, bylaws, and budget for the coming year. Through the Quaker Public Policy Institute, hundreds of advocates lobby their federal officials to advance just public policies. Workshops, plenaries, worship sharing, and other events bring the work of FCNL to the wider Friends community and offer an opportunity to meet the dedicated FCNL staff who work every day to lobby for legislation that reflects Quaker values. Go to fcnl.org to learn more.

God Is Everywhere: Vocal Ministry in Everyday Conversations is a recent Thee Quaker podcast. Have a listen here.

Friends General Conference is offering a new resource, God Is Within Her: A Quaker Experience of the Color Purple, for Friends to use to deepen our spirituality while building our capacity for anti-racist practice via an important piece of literature. To read more, see FGC-GodIsWithinHer .

OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY

Every Friday, Women Against Military Madness hosts a rally to end the siege in Gaza, 4-5PM at the corner of Snelling and Summit in St. Paul.

OFFICE HOURS

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).