February 2, 2025

MEETING SCHEDULE AND PROGRAM

TODAY

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

10:15 – 11:00 Sin and Early Quakers. The 1650s were a turbulent era in England. Many new sects, including Friends, questioned the meaning of sin. Come spend some time exploring! Zoom host – Marilyn J.

11:15 – 12:15 meeting for worship (semi-programmed): Laurel O’Rourke – speaker; – musician; care of meeting, Mary Gochnauer; Zoom host – Marilyn J.

Email office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org for the link to worship and Sunday programming on February 2.

It’s snow and grit season! Do the floors, carpets, and building care-givers a favor and clear your boots and shoes of accumulations before venturing far into the meetinghouse.

HOLD IN THE LIGHT

Those mourning the death of loved ones.

Those who are suffering from injustice, fear, conflict, racism, colonialism, displacement, loss, and the climate crisis, including fire, and all those who are aiding victims and the dispossessed.

Those in positions of power.

NEWS FOR MINNEAPOLIS MEETING FRIENDS

Feeling stressed? Discouraged? Fearful? Come to mid-week worship, Wed nights, 7PM: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84938257185; ID: 849 3825 7185; by phone: +1-651-372-8299.

Monthly meeting for business is next Sunday, 9:45-11:15. On the agenda: a preliminary committee slate; draft budget; a proposed minute on Palestine and more.

Our Experience with Aging: Minneapolis Meeting and Mayim Rabim are hosting a group discussion on Mon, Feb 10, 6:30PM at the meetinghouse and on Zoom. We will introduce ourselves and then, in small groups, talk about how both our faith communities could create support and connection among seniors. All are welcome: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84394868677?pwd=ErzERL9PhKoBOPJrmaLbGnyF8A2nr5.1 (copy and paste in your browser); ID: 843 9486 8677; passcode: 720080.

Nominating Committee is beginning its work in earnest. Take a minute or two to look over the committee list and the scope of the committees’ work: https://minneapolisfriends.org/committees/. If you feel drawn to the work of any of these committees or other, please contact Bill H, clerk of Nominating 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! Quickbooks shows that general funds income, from April 1 to Dec. 31, was $112,300. Contributions of $6,680 per month, through March, are needed to meet the curtailed budget ($132,335). Contributions of $12,680 are needed per month, through March, to fund the aspirational budget ($150,320). If you would like to set up automatic contributions to the meeting, contact Mike F. or Carolyn V, co-clerks, Stewardship and Finance Committee. Winter gift contributions total $3560.00

SMALL GROUP OPPORTUNITIES AT MINNEAPOLIS MEETING

Established writers as well as dabblers will have an informal writing session Mon night, Feb 3, 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! ID: 873 2572 4605; passcode: 763965; https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87325724605?pwd=BMdZYlimaFkLeeh3ROZ4LY7iCOuWRH.1 (copy and paste in your browser).

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/82172920370?pwd=4v3zY9LtA79jzf5tGg24BDXb28Clkd.1 ; ID: 821 7292 0370; passcode: 661188

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

The Exponential Impact of Historical and Ongoing Injustice: A Call to Action for Quakers, a Black History Month Pendle Hill first Monday lecture examining major historical injustices committed by the Western world, the complicity of the Religious Society of Friends in these crimes, and atonement solutions suggested by modern Quakers of color, will be offered Feb 3, 6:30PM. Register for the link: https://pendlehill.org/events/first-monday-lecture-with-dr-harold-d-hal-weaver-jr-and-nozizwe-madlala-routledge/

Seeking the Light Together, a worship-sharing opportunity, will be offered, online, by Northern Yearly Meeting’s Ministry and Nurture Committee on Thurs, Feb 20th, 6 to 8PM. We are living in a period of extraordinary change and challenge in our nation and world. How do we, as individuals and meetings, find the spiritual strength and refreshment to navigate them? Come center ourselves with inspirational poems and music and do worship-sharing about how we seek guidance and nurture from the Light as individuals and in the community. https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82876086357?pwd=j08hbtu5qY2mGSRXnHb98bAZWUqzfi.1; ID: 828 7608 6357; passcode: 004521.

Northern Yearly Meeting will host a high school Winter Retreat, Everything Soup, Feb 21-23, in Eau Claire, WI. Come with an open heart and a spirit for cozying up with soup, stories, games, books and handcrafts. Details available. Email office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org to be put in touch with the coordinator.

Calling Alternatives to Violence Project Facilitators and those who are concerned with the future of AVP in MN – Please come meet with Friends for a NonViolent World Board, FNVW / Quaker Liaison Group, and Joann Perry (AVP) for a community conversation about the FNVW Board’s Proposal to split AVP and FNVW into separate organizations. Sun, Feb. 9, from 2:00 to 5PM at Twin Cities Meeting, 1725 Grand Ave, Saint Paul. The agenda will include a presentation about future plans for FNVW by members of the FNVW/Quaker Liaison Group, information from the Board about their vision for FNVW and AVP, and plenty of time for audience questions, discussion and feedback. This is an in-person, hybrid meeting. In-person participation is strongly encouraged. There is nothing like working on organizational plans face-to-face! If you cannot attend in person:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84930124740?pwd=YAd8XavU6bc5caAMqLLrbSRk2f46zo.1

Find yourself planning your garden? Friends School of MN is thinking of planting time, too! Volunteer sign-ups for the annual FSMN Plant Sale start Feb 1st! Sign up for your favorite volunteer role, starting Feb 1, at https://friendsschoolofminnesota.volunteerlocal.com/volunteer/?id=93187. Volunteers, on top of being part of an incredible community of support, get to shop the pre-sale! For more about the sale, see https://www.friendsschoolplantsale.com/volunteer

Camp Woodbrooke, a small camp in the BIG outdoors, is an overnight camp emphasizing a close relationship with nature. Registration is now open for this immersion in Quaker values experience. Scholarships are available – look for the Financial Assistance Request form on the website: https://www.campwoodbrooke.org

In the deep cold of winter, thoughts turn to . . . summer! Plan now to be part of People Camp next August 10-16! The theme will be How We WIN! Non-violent, direct action campaign planning. Author and activist, George Lakey, will be at camp to share his experiences as we investigate non-violent, direct-action campaigns and how to apply them to the work for today. For more, see https://www.fnvw.org/peoplecamp

OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY

MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee has organized a Stop the Attacks on Immigrants protest Sat, Feb 1, 1-3PM at Lake Street and Bloomington Ave in Minneapolis. More at facebook.com/events/1332648807857035

There will be a Free Palestine Coalition protest, Ceasefire is Not the End, Sun, Feb 2, 1PM at Washington and Hennepin Avenues in Minneapolis. More at antiwarcommittee.org/event/protest-ceasefire-is-not-the-end/

Unidos-MN wil offer a Legal Witness Rapid Response Training to support immigrant communities on Feb 6, 6:30-8:30PM. Learn more and register at https://unidos-mn.org/.

The Joint Religious and Legislative Coalition will have its Day on the Hill Feb. 27, 8AM-3PM. The focus this year is advocating for women, children and families living in poverty. The morning session will be held at Central Presbyterian Church in Saint Paul followed by a rally in the Capitol rotunda. To register and for more, see https://www.jrlc.org/day_on_the_hill_2025 There will be a Majority in the Middle legislative kick-off webinar stressing how to make advocacy bi-partisan for everyone’s benefit, Feb 13, 7PM. Register for the webinar through zoom.

Valerie Kaur, author of See No Stranger, will be featured at a Symposium, Revolutionary Love is the Call of Our Times, Feb 27th, 11AM in Hoversten Chapel, Augsburg College, Mpls. Registration needed.

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).