December 1, 2024

MEETING SCHEDULE AND PROGRAM

TODAY

9:00 – 10:00 meeting for worship (unprogrammed): care of meeting, Lindy Venustus; Zoom host – Bill H.

10:15 – 11:00 How Prompts and Paint Chips Lead to Spiritual Insights, Laughter, and Community – come spend some time creating with the Writing Group! Current writers include: David and Jane Downes, Joanne Esser, Rob Hall, Marilyn Johnson, Carolyn VandenDolder, and Barb Ziegenhagen; Zoom host – Kate W-J.

11:15 – 12:15 meeting for worship (semi-programmed): Christopher Maddox – speaker; Jacque Wiersma – musician; care of meeting, Mary Bosserman; Zoom host – Marilyn J.

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

TODAY – Come downstairs and enjoy casual conversation and warming potluck food at the rise of semi-programmed worship at 12:30! Potlucks are do-it-ourselves affairs. Look for ways to help the effort: help clear, wash, dry, and put away dishes; wash tables; fill water pitchers . . . To regulars – bring lots so visitors and guests have plenty to eat!

HOLD IN THE LIGHT

Those traveling this weekend.

Those who are lonely, discouraged, or fearful.

NEWS FOR MINNEAPOLIS MEETING FRIENDS

Feeling stressed? Discouraged? Fearful? Come to mid-week worship, Wed nights, 7PM. Email office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org by noon Wed for the link.

Monthly Meeting for business is next Sunday, 9:45-11:15. On the agenda: contributions update, and reports from Loaves and Fishes, Peace and Social Concerns Committee and Ministry and Counsel Committee. For discernment – establishing an ad hoc Long-Range Fund-Raising Committee.

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.

Contributions update: Thank you, Friends, for your generous financial support. Contributions from April 1 to October 31 totaled $67,895.00. Contributions of $12,888 per month, through March, are needed to meet the curtailed budget ($132,335.) Contributions of $15,685 per month, through March, are needed to fund the aspirational budget ($146,320.) Estimated contributions in November total $6,745.00. If you would like to set up automatic contributions to the meeting, contact Mike F. or Carolyn V., co-clerks of Stewardship and Finance Committee.

SMALL GROUP OPPORTUNITIES AT MINNEAPOLIS MEETING

Established writers as well as dabblers will have an informal writing session Mon night, Dec 2, 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/87325724605?pwd=BMdZYlimaFkLeeh3ROZ4LY7iCOuWRH.1; ID: 873 2572 4605
Passcode: 763965. Contact Jane D. with questions or interest.

Come to thirty minutes of Lectio Divina, Divine Reading, followed by worship sharing on ZOOM, Tuesdays at noon. Hold a very brief reading from the Bible, Quaker, or other spiritual text to see how it might speak to us today: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84178190647?pwd=bD2CyakraDGxNudS4QgzEeeNQlYFRx.1; ID: 841 7819 0647; passcode: 657826 .

Small group line-up: Lectio Divina – every Tuesday noon; Writing Group – first Monday night; Deep Inner Work of Racial Justice Group – second Tuesday night; LGBTQIA+ Support Group – third Wednesday night; Reading Group – fourth Tuesday night; Conflict Soiree – last Tuesday afternoon;

OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WIDER WORLD OF FRIENDS

It’s almost here! Friends for a NonViolent World Holiday Fair is the 13th and 14th of December, at Friends School of Minnesota, 1365 Englewood Ave. in St. Paul! Hours are 1 – 9 PM on Friday and 10 AM – 4 PM on Saturday. Be sure to invite friends and relatives to meet you there for shopping and eating! Hot lunch both days and hot supper on Friday evening. This is an important fund-raiser for FNVW and a lovely opportunity for community. Put your holiday dollars to work for peace and justice! Information at https://fnvw.org/holidayfair Volunteers are needed to make this event a success. Recruit some Friends to go with you and get some holiday cheer while helping a great cause: sign up genius.

Spirit-Led Community Building Across Generations, a Pendle Hill first Monday lecture, will be offered by Rachael Carter and Ruth Cutcher of Quaker Voluntary Service tomorrow, Mon, Dec 2. More and register (to get the link) at: https://pendlehill.org/events/spirit-led-community-building-across-generations/

Assimilate or Be Exterminated” by David Raymond (Mi’kmaw descendant.) There are twenty-four Yearly
Meetings of Quakers on Turtle Island. The only thing all of the Yearly Meetings have united to support is “Indian” Boarding Schools. For much of their existence, the Quaker Yearly Meetings of Turtle Island and Britain pursued the eradication of Indigenous Peoples’ culture and matriarchies as a means to save Indigenous Peoples from the supposed necessity of extermination (mass killing.) In this presentation, David Raymond examines Quaker writings and deeds from the late 18th century to the present and offers reflections on the impact of the truth on his faith journey. Watch at https://youtu.be/Hm0XqmsUvLI

Friends Committee on National Legislation awarded peace prize: The 2024 US Peace Prize has been awarded to Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) “for Efforts Over 81 Years to Educate, Build Coalitions and Influence Congress to Stop Funding War and Nuclear Weapons.” More at https://uspeaceprize.org/

OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY

MN Council of Churches Refugee Services will welcome nearly 1,000 newly arrived refugees to the Twin Cities over the next 12 months. Your support is necessary now more than ever to ensure that refugees in Minnesota are welcomed, supported, and given everything they need to thrive in the U. S. Particularly needed: donations of dish soap, shampoo, all-purpose cleaner, deodorant, and toilet paper. Contact Noah at noah.wilkerson(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)mnchurches.org or 651-724-0944, or drop off donations off between 8AM and 6PM weekdays at 122 Franklin Avenue W, Suite 100, Minneapolis MN, 55406.

Despite bipartisan support, House leaders have yet to schedule a vote on The Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act, even though it would likely pass with overwhelming approval. The bill passed unanimously through the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in 2023. Congress reconvenes on Nov 12th. If this bill isn’t passed by the end of the year, we’ll have to start all over again. Call and urge your House and Senate leaders to bring the Truth and Healing bill to the floor for a vote: https://boardingschoolhealing.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a2409f90592cd87d4d9c47cad&id=9829d669dc&e=f15eb9f575.

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 3:30-5PM at the meetinghouse; Sun: 9AM-2PM at the meetinghouse.