October 13, 2024

MEETING SCHEDULE AND PROGRAM

TODAY

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

9:46-11:15 monthly meeting for business: Stephen Snyder, clerk; Jeannette Raymond, Recording clerk; Zoom host – Rae Beth C.

11:15 – 12:00 meeting for worship (semi-programmed): Jane Furnas – speaker; care of meeting, John Dunham; Zoom host – Rae Beth C.

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

HOLD IN THE LIGHT

The people of Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, and Israel, and the leaders who are unwilling to stop the expanding war.

Those suffering from injustice, conflict, racism, colonialism, displacement, loss, and the climate crisis, including those affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Those aiding victims and the dispossessed.

NEWS FOR MINNEAPOLIS MEETING FRIENDS

Mid-Morning Program next Sunday at 10:15: Developmental Life Stages and Tasks. As the Meeting welcomes more generations, understanding the stages and tasks for each generation will help us care for each other. Large and small group discussion. Facilitated by the Care and Counsel Committee.

Want to see the videos intended for last week’s mid-morning program? Check them out at Quaker Speak: How Many Quakers are there and where do they live and this World Plenary Quaker Day Video: https://fwcc.world/event/world-quaker-day-2024/

Lectio Divina is recommencing. You are invited to thirty minutes of Lectio Divina (Divine Reading) followed by worship sharing on ZOOM on Tuesdays at noon, starting this Tues, Oct 15th. Each Tuesday we will hold a very brief reading from the Bible, Quaker, or other spiritual text to see how it might speak to us today. Contact Mary or Stephen S. for the link. Or email office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org.

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.

Autumn is in the air! Plan to attend Fall Together October 26th! Make time to gather with Friends at beautiful Fish Lake Park to rest, relax, renew, re-connect and RELISH time together in the great outdoors! If you’re planning to come, please invite another Friend to come along! Personal invitations work best. Paper copies of the schedule (orange) are near the main meetingroom doors.

The Peace and Social Concerns Committee reviews and makes recipient recommendations to monthly meeting for the meeting’s Winter Gift in December. If you have a suggestion of an organization that might be considered, please contact Deborah J. The meeting approved a P&SC focus on the Quaker testimony of Peace for this year.

The Children and Families Committee invites Friends of all ages to help pack meals at the Coon Rapids Feed My Starving Children site on Sat, Oct. 19th at 2:30. Carpooling can be coordinated. Questions? Contact Tom W.

Friends are invited to the launch of Joanne Esser’s new book of poems from Fernwood Press, All We Can Do Is Name Them, Sun, Nov 17th, 3PM, here at the meetinghouse. Poets Jane Downes and Mary Logue will be reading along with Joanne. All three have recent poetry books out in the world to share! Reading, refreshments, book signing, and camaraderie. Save the date!

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 co-clerks, John S, or Ellen S.
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 Mary G, and Jimbo L.

OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WIDER WORLD OF FRIENDS

Northern Yearly Meeting (NYM) Fall Interim Session will be Fri, Oct 25 (7-9PM) and Sat, Oct 26 (9AM-3PM) and held at Twin Cities Meeting, 1725 Grand Ave. Consider how you might participate in some of NYM, despite devoting Saturday to Fall Together! Interim sessions will be hybrid. Everyone, please register for the parts you are able to attend at https://forms.gle/yUaPkZGipsmgsnG56

Save the Date for the Northern Yearly Meeting High School Retreat, Explorations and Curiosities…Dark of the Year Celebrations (Halloween; Dia de los Muertos, etc,) in Madison, Fri dinner, Nov 1 – Sun lunch, Nov 3. Come with an open heart and a spirit for spelunking into the dark with your Inner Light to guide you. Some potential activities include: fun at the Madison Circus Space with circus staff time to teach circus skills; carving pumpkins; costume reveal; silent night hike / stargazing; Ofrenda Altar (our own version of honoring our loved ones we have lost) Email office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org to be put in touch with the H.S. Coordinator.

We Are All Related: Unearthing the Roots of our Shared Humanity, a webinar featuring Grandmother Mona Polacca, (Havasupai, Hopi and Tewa,) a member of the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers. Hear the healing wisdom she has learned from her Native traditions and from her experience with the Grandmothers. Offered by Friends Peace Teams’ Toward Right Relationship with Native Peoples, Wed, Oct. 16, 7:30-9PM (CT) Register at https://friendspeaceteams.org/grandmother-mona-2024

Toward Right Relationship with Native Peoples – Roots of Injustice, Seeds of Change workshop: Experience the history of the colonization of Turtle Island, now known as the United States, told through the words of Indigenous leaders, European/American leaders, and Western historians with experiential exercises and small group discussion. And 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. Sun, Oct. 20th, 3-5PM(CT); register at https://friendspeaceteams.org/trr-workshop-oct-2024/, and Sat, Nov. 16th, 3-5PM (CT); register at https://friendspeaceteams.org/trr-workshop-nov-2024/

Friends General Conference Annual Gathering, A Spring Whose Waters Never Fail, will be February 1-9, online only. As of 2024, on-site Gatherings occur in even years while online Gatherings are held in odd years. Smaller, Young Adult & Youth (YAY) events are also held during odd years to offer continuity of programming for younger friends. Everyone – newborns to nonagenarians; life-long Friends to Quaker newcomers – are welcome to attend the Gathering of Friends. In structure, it’s part conference and part family camp. In content, it provides an abundance of opportunities to learn about Quakerism, foster spiritual life, and have fun. More at https://www.fgcquaker.org/fgcprograms/the-gathering/
Plenary speakers from last summer’s FGC Gathering can be heard at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpKBI8d8I26tpwkwRTtTr3vkYIpPwkUhH

The Middle East
* from American Friends Service Committee – urge Congress to demand a ceasefire and prevent the escalation of war in the Middle East. As violence and death invades Lebanon, Quakers need to continue to press for a ceasefire. Friends Committee on National Legislation action link: fcnl.quorum.us/campaign/51886
* action to block arms shipment: Senators Bernie Sanders (VT), Peter Welch (VT), and Jeff Merkley (OR) introduced resolutions to block arms shipments slated to go to Israel. Contact your Senators today and urge their support for these resolutions for de-escalation at https://fcnl.quorum.us/campaign/75157/
* 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
* join AFSC every Friday at 11AM for an Action Hour for a Cease-fire Now.

Friends Committee on National Legislation’s Quaker Public Policy Institute (QPPI), Nov 13-14, will focus on stopping new offensive weapons going to Israel. During the QPPI, you’ll have the chance to lobby members of Congress for peace and make sure no new weapons are sold to Israel. At Annual Meeting, November 15-17, we’ll carry the momentum forward as we prepare for the new Congress and make important governance decisions. See a preliminary schedule for more details on what’s planned for Annual Meeting. See answers to FAQ here. Coming in person? Register by Oct 21 to get a room in FCNL’s hotel block. More and register here!

Resources from Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) for actions to support voting: https://fcnl.actionkit.com/mailings/view/76619?akid=76619.75282.nAkUSH&c0=76619.4_IDBn&rd=1&t=4&utm_campaign=&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ak&utm_term=76619.75282.nAkUSH

Quaker Call To Action offers Priority Actions to Support Democracy. CLICK HERE to download. Friends are invited for a time of worship, reflection, inspiration and preparation two days before this consequential election; Sunday evening, November 3 from 6-7PM (CT). You can register HERE.

OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY

The film, Spaces of Exception, comparing Palestinian refugee camps with the American Indian Reservations, will be shown Oct 23 (Wed), 7PM at Trylon Cinema, 2820 E 33rd St, Mpls. Info at https://mizna.org/

A free film about the horror in Gaza, The Night Won’t End, is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECFpW5zoFXA

OFFICE HOURS

The Meeting Coordinator will be in the office Wed – Fri afternoons. 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).

The Children and Families Coordinator, will be available: Mon and Wed. 2:30-5PM via phone/computer; Thurs 3:00-5PM at the meetinghouse; Sun: 9AM-2PM at the meetinghouse.