August 11, 2024

MEETING SCHEDULE AND PROGRAM

TODAY

10:00 – 11:00 meeting for worship (semi-programmed): Diane Barrett – planned speaker; Dave Bostrom – musician; care of meeting – Lolly Lijweski; Zoom host – Marilyn J.

11:00 – 12:30 monthly meeting for business: Stephen Snyder, presiding clerk; Tom Ward, recording clerk; Zoom host – Marilyn J.

Email office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org for the link to worship this Sunday.

Friends are reminded to silence your cell phone before entering the meetingroom.

“Fox’s extraordinary insight is that if people live their lives in accordance with the truth that has been disclosed to them in the light, their lives will then bear witness to the truth and touch the hearts of other people.” Rex Ambler, Light to Live By, An Exploration in Quaker Spirituality

“One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul.” Clarissa Pinkola Estes, “We Were Made for These Times.”

HOLD IN THE LIGHT

People who are grieving, or suffering from injustice, conflict, racism, colonialism, displacement, loss, and the climate crisis, and all those who are aiding victims and the dispossessed.

The Democratic National Convention, Aug. 19-22, in Chicago.

NEWS FOR MINNEAPOLIS MEETING FRIENDS

Heads up: the school year schedule begins on September 15th – the third Sunday of September: 9AM worship (unprogrammed); 10:15AM mid-morning program; 11:15AM worship (semi-programmed)

There will be a committee clerks’ meeting next Sunday at the rise of worship. Gather in the conference room.

Mid-week worship is suspended in the month of August.

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.

There will be a youth conference, Good Times, for youth, ages 11-18 on Sat, Aug 24th, 10AM-5PM. Needed:
~ two adult volunteers, and
~ lunch food donations of pizza sauce, pizza cheese, pepperoni, and vegetable toppings to be dropped in the kitchen or fridge at MFM by next Sun, Aug 18th.
Contact Cathy N, Children and Families Coordinator, for more.

We need a deeper bench of AV Techs! Being a substitute A/V Tech is a great way to support the Meeting’s worship and commitment to inclusion. Take advantage of the relaxed schedule of summer to get some AV training / refreshers! Running the AV system is not about technology – it’s more like following a recipe. There are step by step ‘recipe cards’ to operate the system. This is a call to a ministry of making connections – helping connect people remotely with the meetinghouse and back again. Willing to help? Contact Marilyn J. or Roger M.

Save the date for a beach day with the Young Adult Quakers next Sat, Aug 17th, at 2PM; location TBD. Contact Elizabeth S. with questions or to RSVP.

Monthly Meeting approved a curtailed 2024-25 budget. In order to meet the curtailed budget, contributions will need to increase 10% over those of last year, and Meeting will still need to use $25,000 of general fund reserves. If we are to make our usual contributions to other organizations and support MFM programming at the usual level this year, contributions will need to increase by about 24% in addition to using the $25,000 reserves. Contributions in the first quarter of the budget year totaled $31,307.39. $101,027.61 in contributions is needed this year to meet our curtailed budget obligations; roughly $12,629 per month. Contributions in July totaled $9,634.00. If you would like to set up automatic contributions to the meeting, contact Mike F. Thank you, Friends, for your generous financial support.

SMALL GROUP OPPORTUNITIES AT MINNEAPOLIS MEETING

The Getting to Know You (GTKY) Storytelling group will meet via zoom on Tues, Aug 13th at 1PM: https://zoom.us/j/96998647924?pwd=OXNLMGEyRERjRWxDUGRycGtUa0RwQT09. The prompt is, “Tell about a musical moment or the role of music in your life.” Contact Kate W-J with questions. Come get better acquainted!

The Deep Inner Work of Racial Justice group meets every second Tues night, 7-8:30 and is exploring and practicing the inner and outer work of direct action using Resmaa Menakem’s book The Quaking of America: An Embodied Guide to Navigating our Nation’s Upheaval and Racial Reckoning. There is a core group; visitors / newcomers are warmly welcome. Contact Nettie S. for more and the link.

The Watson Reading Group will meet next week on the fourth Tues (Aug 20), 7-8:30PM via Zoom. We are starting Becoming Wise, An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living, by Krista Tippett. Most participants have a copy of the book available to them, but it is not mandatory. If you have interest in joining, please let John D. know.

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; Reading Group, fourth Tuesday night.

OPPORTUNITIES AMONG FRIENDS

Northern Yearly Meeting is looking for a new Journal editor! The Journal, started in 2019 to inspire and inform Friends with examples of Quaker faith and practice, has been a vehicle for Friends to witness to, ponder, challenge, and describe their faith journeys, enriching others and deepening our connection across geography. The Journal is changing format to make the editor’s job more manageable and enabling videos and podcasts to be more easily shared. If you are interested in helping maintain this ministry among Friends, please contact: webclerk(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)northernyearlymeeting.org More and the archived Journals can be found at https://northernyearlymeeting.org/publications/nym-journal/.

Toward Right Relationship with Native Peoples – Roots of Injustice, Seeds of Change workshop opportunities: Experience the history of the colonization of Turtle Island, the land that is now known as the United States. The story is told through the words of Indigenous leaders, European/American leaders, and Western historians. Engage with this history through experiential exercises and small group discussion. And participants are invited to consider how we can build relationships with Indigenous peoples based on truth, respect, justice, and our shared humanity. Facilitated by Toward Right Relationship’s Native and non-Native teams. Appropriate for high school students and adults. The same workshop will be presented on each date:
Sat, Aug 10th, 3-5PM(CT), REGISTER at https://friendspeaceteams.org/trr-workshop-aug-2024/;
Sun, Sept 29th, 3-5PM(CT), REGISTER at https://friendspeaceteams.org/trr-workshop-sep-2024/

Friends General Conference hosts a monthly worship for Newcomers and Seekers every second Monday evening, 5:30-6:30PM(CT); next meeting on Aug 12th. It introduces Quaker worship practices as well as allowing for questions and reflection. Register at https://www.fgcquaker.org/event/newcomers-worship/

Plan ahead to join your kids at Camp Woodbrooke’s Family Camp, near Richland Center, WI, for Labor Day Weekend, Aug. 31-Sept. 2, Sat. lunch through Mon. breakfast. Rustic cabins accommodate up to eight family and friends. Start your family camping experiences by embracing quiet nature, bushcraft, and stewardship. Swim, hike, crew, craft, play, garden, eat, rest, and enjoy summer fun and fall reflections. Details and registration at campwoodbrooke.org.

FRIENDS FOR A NONVIOLENT WORLD HAPPENINGS

Friends for Non Violent World (FNVW) is a social justice organization started by Quakers from Twin Cities Meeting, Minneapolis Meeting and Prospect Hill Meeting in the 1970s. FNVW has supported the life-changing Alternatives to Violence Program (AVP) in prisons and jails in Minnesota. It championed the Nuclear Freeze in the 80’s, promoted political engagement in the 90’s and police reform in the 2000’s -2010’s. Today, FNVW is bringing AVP to youth in Hennepin County. FNVW is a voice in the community for Quaker concerns and values.
Currently, the FNVW board needs greater Quaker participation. A new director will be setting a fresh direction for the organization this coming year, so it is a great time to get involved. If you might consider serving on the board, even for a temporary term (board elections are in March), please contact the office (office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org) to be put in touch with the board chair.

FNVW seeks a passionate and motivated individual person to serve as the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) – MN Youth and Adult Program Coordinator. This dynamic role is responsible for the overall coordination of AVP-MN’s workshops and activities, working closely with the Executive Director and AVP-MN Council to expand the capacity and impact of the AVP program. The primary focus will be implementing our AVP youth workshop initiative with Minneapolis Public Schools this fall and continuing to coordinate workshop opportunities for youth in Hennepin County. Full job description at https://www.fnvw.org/vertical/sites/%7B8182BD6D-7C3B-4C35-B7F8-F4FD486C7CBD%7D/uploads/Job_Description_-_AVP-MN_Program_Coordinator_2024.06.pdf. FNVW is dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace. If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles! Submit your cover letter and resume to: info(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)fnvw.org

FNVW is hiring a part-time Administrative Assistant! The position will oversee the day-to-day administrative tasks that move FNVW’s mission forward. The Administrative Assistant provides invaluable support for FNVW’s staff and programs in this moment when community-based violence prevention and conflict transformation work is so critically needed. The cover letter should outline 1) relevant experience 2) unique skills or characteristics you bring to the role and 3) connections (personal or professional) you have to FNVW’s mission. This is a part-time / 20 hours a week position. Full job description at https://www.fnvw.org/jobs . For best consideration, submit your cover letter and resume to info(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)fnvw.org by August 9th.

Join FNVW at the 28th Annual Community Peace Celebration, Aug 16th, 2-9PM at Western Sculpture Park – 387 Marion St, St Paul, MN 55103. Come for a day filled with music, dance, delicious food, and uplifting stories of peace. Save the date! More here.

Palestine
* urge Congress to resume U.S. funding for life-saving Palestinian aid. The situation for Palestinians in Gaza continues to deteriorate though there is hope for a ceasefire. All parties involved need to restore food aid before mass starvation occurs. If starvation reaches an advanced stage, the human body loses the ability to utilize food, and death may occur even with medical treatment. Quakers need to continue to demand a ceasefire. Friends Committee on National Legislation action link: https://fcnl.quorum.us/campaign/51886/?utm_source=fcnlaction
* join AFSC every Friday at 11AM for an Action Hour for a Cease-fire Now.
* worship with attention to peace in Palestine and Israel with Friends across the U.S. every Thurs, online, at 4:30PM. Sign up to get the link at https://afsc.org/events/meeting-worship-attention-peace-palestine-israel.
* Joyce Ajlouny, American Friends Service Committee General Secretary, explains what students mean when they demand divestment – and why we should listen…. Watch AFSC’s recent webinar on Rebuilding Education in Gaza: What Can We Do?
* Jeff Halper’s talk, similar to From Genocide in Gaza to Decolonizing Palestine: Toward A Democratic State for All Between the River and the Sea – the talk he offered at MFM: https://youtu.be/LNBTmXqhmaU
* Aug 10 (Sat) 1PM rally at the MN State Capitol, 75 Rev MLK Blvd, St Paul, to divest from genocide investments. Info at https://antiwarcommittee.org/event/protest-divest-from-genocide/
* Mayim Rabim’s Israel / Palestine Study Group resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t8Lw2sfrCmJXHnlgBvIka-UaoakhX8iUPPLEcLnJZOU/edit?pli=1

The Minnesota primary election is Tuesday, August 13. More at https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/07/30/minnesota-primary-election-2024-how-to-vote

OFFICE HOURS

The Meeting Coordinator will be in the office Wed, Thurs and Fri, afternoons. Phone messages checked daily. Bulletin deadline, noon Thur. Phone items in to the office (612-926-6159), email (office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org), or write and put in the bulletin file of the blue box.