Bulletin: February 4, 2024
February 4, 2024
MEETING SCHEDULE AND PROGRAM
TODAY
9:00 – 10:00 meeting for worship (unprogrammed): care of meeting, Mary Bosserman; Zoom host – John K
10:15 – 11:00 MFM Hybrid: Your Part! There’s a lot to talk about! How you can use Zoom. How you can use technology in the meetinghouse. Etiquette for Zoom and in the meetinghouse. What’s the difference between the A/V Tech and a Zoom Host? What happens when a request is made of the Technology Committee? Your frustrations about Zoom (technical only). Let’s get a common understanding! Hosted by the Technology Committee. Zoom host – John K
11:15 – 12:15 meeting for worship (semi-programmed): Gib Pellet – speaker; Lavender Jeffries – musician; care of meeting, Nettie Smith; Zoom host – John K.
Email office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org for the link to Sunday worship and mid-morning program.
NEWS FOR MINNEAPOLIS MEETING FRIENDS
Stay after rise of semi-programmed worship and enjoy a potluck lunch among Friends! Potlucks are do-it-ourselves affairs. Look for ways to help the effort – clearing dishes, re-stocking plates, silverware, etc, helping wash and dry dishes. All are welcome, whether or not you brought a dish to share! Come eat, laugh, know, and tidy together!
Monthly meeting for business is next Sunday, 9:45-11:15. On the agenda – a preliminary committee slate; preliminary budget; and more. Friends have a unique way of doing business, rooted in attentiveness and in listening to the promptings of the Spirit. Come be part of the process!
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.
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.
Need to schedule a Zoom meeting for a committee meeting or Minneapolis Meeting activity? Please send a request, including date, time, and purpose to office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org to have it set up.
Northern Yearly Meeting will host a High School and Middle School Winter Retreat at Duluth-Superior Friends Meeting House (1802 E 1st St, Duluth, MN 55812) the weekend of Feb 23-25th. The theme: Self Care and Practicing Hygge. We will cultivate a time to be in comfort, warmth and coziness during this winter season, including such things as crocheting nose warmers, making candles, and baking with possibly an ice skating outing thrown in! Be ready for some amazing charade games as well as board games and puzzles. More details to come…for now, mark your calendars and plan to come! If you are able to provide a ride or are in need of a ride, please contact office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org to be put in touch with the travel coordinator. Also mark your calendars for our potential NYM High School Spring Retreat at Scattergood Friends School, April 19-21.
Buffalo Star People – Friends who wish to donate to Buffalo Star People can find a donate button and the address fro sending checks at their website: https://buffalostarpeople.org/contribute#footer. Buffalo Star People is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Contact Terry H. with any questions. Thank you everyone who attended and assisted Francis Bettelyoun’s presentations on Sunday!
Quaker Voluntary Service, a program supported by Minneapolis and Twin Cities Meetings, needs your help! Progress is being made toward re-launching the Quaker Voluntary Service program in the Twin Cities, but a few more partner non-profit site organizations are required. Please reach out to friends and family for ideas of possible local non-profits which could provide good professional work experience for a skilled young adult while supporting Quaker values. Contact Jane F, Ed S, or Tom W. to share ideas.
SMALL GROUP OPPORTUNITIES AT MINNEAPOLIS MEETING
Established writers as well as dabblers create an informal writing group meeting THIS Mon night, Feb 5th, 7-9PM. This is a chance to connect with one another, writing with prompts and sharing what we write. Serious, whimsical, beautiful and quirky – we’ve enjoyed them all! You are welcome to come laugh, ponder, and create together, whether or not you have participated before! https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81928610224; Meeting ID: 819 2861 0224. Contact Jane D. with questions or interest.
ALL ARE WELCOME at the Conflict “Soiree” group meeting, via Zoom, this coming Wed, Feb 7th, at 2PM. Email Nettie S. for the link to attend . We will be planning some sessions for the meeting to address tensions around issues like: contemplation vs social action. Especially welcome are those that are feeling some tensions in the life of the community.
Small group line-up: Writing Group, first Monday night; Conflict Soiree, first Wednesday afternoon; Getting to Know You Group, second Tuesday afternoon; Deep Inner Work of Racial Justice Group, second Tuesday night; Right Relationship with Indigenous People, third Tuesday night; Reading Group, fourth Tuesday night; Spirituality of Dance Group, last Tuesday morning in odd months.
OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WIDER WORLD OF FRIENDS
Truth and Justice – The Black Quaker Project Challenges Quakerism in the 21st Century, a Pendle Hill first Monday lecture will be given by Dr. Harold D. (Hal) Weaver, Jr. this Mon, Feb 5th, 6:30-8PM (CT) online. More and register here.
Addressing Patterns of Racial Wounding and Racial Justice in Quaker Communities, January’s First Monday lecture, is available here.
Volunteer registration for the 2024 Friends School of MN Plant Sale (May 10-12) will begin on February 1st. You can get a sense of the different tasks to be done here. If you’d like to be part of the energy and life that is the plant sale, plan to volunteer!
Right Sharing of World Resources invites Friends to an online workshop, The Power of Enough, meeting on Wednesdays, Feb 14th through March 13th. What is essential? How is my use of time, energy, and things in right balance to free me to do God’s work and to contribute to right order of our world? Through personal reflection, discussion and worship-sharing, explore queries to discover our power of enough. For more and to register, click here.
Friends for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Concerns, a Quaker organization that has existed for 30 years, focuses on support, radical inclusion, and radical love. FLGBTQC generally meets twice yearly – once at Friends General Conference, and once over President’s weekend. This year, the national midwinter gathering will be virtual with some in-person regional gatherings. Madison Meeting will be one of the regional host sites. Friends can gather in Madison 6PM Fri, Feb 16th through 8AM Sun, Feb 18th. Camping out in the meetinghouse on Fri and Sat nights is available for those coming from a distance. If you are interested in attending, whether virtually, or in person in Madison, or a mix of both, please use the registration link: https://airtable.com/apppmXyb8Dbf2CCIX/pagNZKAYJssIWuFH7/form. For more, email office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org to be put in touch with a local contact. Some travel funds are available to help Friends attend. If you are seeking, if you are questioning, if you are exploring, if you are supporting others, if you are interested, you are invited to come! Questions and sharing about spirituality, gender, identity, about belonging and more, are welcome.
The Friends World Committee for Consultation, Americas Section Meeting, Living Ubuntu: Responding with hope to God’s call to cherish creation and one another, will be online March 16th. You can register to attend here. Go to the section website for the schedule, and advance documents and spiritual preparation materials (posted in coming weeks). After you register, you will receive updates when materials are available. Register today!
Friends World Committee for Consultation seeks a new Executive Director. FWCC brings Friends of varying traditions and cultural experiences together in worship, communication, and consultation. The Section of the Americas spans the Quaker world from the Arctic to the Andes. The next Executive Secretary will lead new and exciting programs, and will promote and maintain the organization in nourishing fellowship among all branches of the Religious Society of Friends. More here.
OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY
The Neighborhood Choir, which meets here at the meetinghouse 7-8:30PM on Thurs nights, is gearing up for the spring season. Rehearsals start Feb 15th; the spring concert will be May 16th. Registration deadline to participate is THIS Tues, Feb 6th. Cost is $120 (or as able) for the season. Register here: https://form.jotform.com/240293923418155
Middle East Peace Now: SAVE THE DATE: Feb 17, 11:30-2:30 potluck and Discussion of the Israeli-Hamas War at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 700 Snelling Ave S, St. Paul. Three panelists, Mariam El-Khatib, Muslim, Ruben Slomianski, Jewish, and Joan Deming, Christian, will lead us through the history and current challenges facing the Palestinians, the Israelis and affecting the entire Middle East.
Rise and Repair, a diverse alliance bringing together Minnesotans from across the state to push for bold proposals to advance climate justice and Indigenous rights, will welcome and encourage legislators to be bold on climate justice and Indigenous rights on Mon, Feb 12th, 10AM-1PM at the Capitol. Gather in conference room 316. More, RSVP, and register here.
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).