Sunday, July 13, 2025

TODAY’S WORSHIP AND PROGRAM
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Meeting for Worship – semi-programmed (hybrid)
Speaker: John Cutler, Closer: Jane Furnas, Musician: Dave Bostrom, Zoom host: Marilyn J
Please silence your cellphone before entering the meetingroom.

For the Zoom link to worship this Sunday, email office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org.

Following the closing handshake, we take time for introductions and there are a few moments for worship sharing and joys and concerns, followed by pre-arranged announcements. Preferred practice is to put announcements in the bulletin. After-worship announcements, when needed, should be brief so Friends can be released.

11:00 AM – noon Monthly Meeting for Business (hybrid)
Clerk: Stephen Snyder, Recording clerk: Tom Ward, Zoom host: Marilyn J

MORE WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES at MFM
Sharing the Spirit, held every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning, is a brief centering time that is open to everyone. We gather at approximately 8:57 AM for ten-minute worship (online, cameras off) beginning at 9:02 AM. Click here for zoom link; use ID 859 3925 1575, passcode 251345; or paste the following into your browser: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85939251575?pwd=1aHrNcUclfw3o99kyDnc9nAwzwkYGU.1.

Mid-week worship is on summer break in July and August. Watch the bulletin in September for an announcement of the date it will restart.

HOLD IN THE LIGHT
Greg Stefanski and Quaker Voluntary Service. Greg will transition into the role of Executive Director for QVS at the end of July.
 

MFM ANNOUNCEMENTS
Committee clerks meeting on July 20. There will be a meeting of Minneapolis Friends Committee Clerks in the Conference Room following meeting for worship on Sunday, July 20th. This will be a time for clerks to get acquainted with the office manager and help him understand his role in the work of the committees. The meeting will be available on the same Zoom link in the Bulletin used for Sunday morning worship.

New directories are available. Those listed in the directory may have an electronic directory sent to them. Email office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org to request one. Paper copies are available at the meetinghouse. Ask presiding clerk, Steve, for details.

Summer school for children is offered every Sunday at 10:00 AM worship. Contact Cathy N for details.

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.

Being a Zoom Host or a substitute A/V Tech is a great way to support the Meeting’s worship. Interested in being trained for either of these positions, or just finding out more? Contact Marilyn J.

Remember to schedule committee meetings, events (even interest group events), and visits to the meetinghouse with the office to help avoid conflicts: 612-926-6159; office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org.

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.

Peace and Social Concerns Committee is supporting a volunteer effort: Do you feel called to walk alongside others in a spirit of deep listening and mutual growth? Hennepin Connections is looking for dedicated mentors to accompany Minneapolis College (MCTC) students during the next school year as they grow personally and professionally. Your experience and guidance can have a lasting impact. Learn more and sign up on the website of Hennepin Connections’ partner organization The Basilica of St. Mary (click here). Whether you’re rooted in a particular faith tradition or simply led by a spirit of service, all are welcome. The deadline to apply to be a mentor in this program is August 1. You can also contact Lynda G for more information.

Contributions update: First quarter contributions totaled $26,217, which is about 19% of our budget. Giving is often lighter in the summer months. We are almost on track to meet our annual budget. Thank you, Friends, for your generous financial support of the meeting. There is now a donate tab on MFM’s website (click here). If you would like to set up automatic contributions to the meeting, contact Carolyn VandenDolder, clerk of Stewardship and Finance Committee.

UPCOMING MFM EVENTS
Schedule update – Minneapolis Friends LGBTQ+ group is on summer break. The next get together will be the third Wednesday of the month, August 20th at 7:00 PM. If you are new to Friends Meeting and are LGBTQ+ and want more information, you can contact Bill H. See you next month.

July 18 (in person). Joyful Aging’s coffee hour will take place on Friday, July 18 at 10:00 AM at Turtle Bakery (W 44th Street & Beard Ave S, Minneapolis). Come see all your friends AND people you don’t know yet. Contact John S for more.

July 20 (in person). MFM Young Adult Quakers (YAQs) will gather for a bring-your-own-picnic lunch after worship on July 20 at Linden Hills Park (3100 W 43rd St). There will be snacks for all to enjoy and you can bring your own lunch, grab something at the Farmers Market down the block or just come for snacks and conversation. YAQs are generally 45 and under. Children are very welcome! Call or text Elizabeth with questions.

July 20 (in person). Beat the heat with movie night. Mayim Rabim is having a movie night and hopes that Friends will come! Watch Barbara Streisand’s Yentl (1983) and enjoy a dairy veggie potluck dinner on Saturday, July 20, 5:00 – 7:30 PM at a Mayim Rabim member’s condo in Hopkins. RSVP to Michael (shimonides(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)gmail.com) for location. The Joyful Aging Steering Committee, composed of members of MFM and Mayim Rabim, is trying to create more connections between our communities. All are welcome.

July 22 (online). Watson Reading Group meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month, 7:00 – 8:30 PM 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.

July 27 (hybrid). Peace and Social Concerns Committee invites you to a letter-writing / postcard gathering on Sunday, July 27 at 11:15 AM in the conference room at the meeting house. All are welcome! It will be a hybrid meeting so you can join us from home. We will write letters and postcards to legislators, congress members, and letters to the editor. The Friends Committee on National Legislation has provided some recommendations; you can also write a letter to a recipient of your choosing. Questions? Contact Jim H or Nettie S.

August 4 (online). Writing Group: Established writers and dabblers will have an informal writing session on Monday, August 4, 7:00 – 9:00 PM. This is a chance to connect with one another, writing with prompts and sharing what we write. Serious, whimsical, beautiful and quirky – we enjoy it all! You are welcome to come laugh, ponder, and create together, whether or not you have participated before. Contact Jane D with questions. Click here for zoom link or use ID 882 1594 6063, passcode 573695.

August 12 (online). Deep Inner Work of Racial Justice group meets every second Tuesday night, 7:00 – 8:30 PM 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 the link.

Mark your calendar for other upcoming MFM interest groups / smaller gatherings:
Writing Group meets first Monday night at 7:00 PM. Deep Inner Work of Racial Justice Group meets second Tuesday night at 7:00 PM. LGBTQ Support Group meets third Wednesday night at 7:30 PM. Reading Group meets fourth Tuesday night at 7:00 PM. Conflict Soiree and Lectio Divina are on summer break.

QUAKER RESOURCES
Gen Xer Quaker Discussion Group to explore Quaker spirituality, share personal experiences, and engage in meaningful conversations about faith, community, and social issues in a supportive and open environment is starting through Friends General Conference. The group hopes to meet monthly (virtually). If you are interested in hearing about future get-togethers, click here for the FGC signup form.

July 14 (online). A monthly worship for Newcomers and Seekers, offered by Friends General Conference (FGC), introduces Quaker worship practices as well as allowing for questions and reflection. Every second Monday evening from 5:30 – 6:30 PM; next meeting on July 14. Click here to register on FGC’s website.

July 17 (online). Becoming the Quakers the World Needs is a monthly worship-sharing opportunity offered by Northern Yearly Meeting for Friends seeking community, spiritual guidance, and nurture in this time of social, climate, and political instability. Come every third Thursday, 7:00 – 8:00 PM. To join by zoom, click here or use ID 824 8501 6662, passcode 929041.

July 18-20 (in person). Nightingales will gather from Friday, July 18, afternoon until Sunday, July 20, 11:00 AM at Wisconsin Badger Camp, near Prairie du Chien. Gather with area Quakers for singing and fellowship. There is a flyer on the information table at the meetinghouse (it’s a letter that opens “Dear Nightingales.”) Find out how to register from the flyer, or contact office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org with questions.

July 20 (online). A monthly worship for Friends of Color, offered by Friends General Conference (FGC), is held on third Sundays at 7:00 PM (next July 20). These worships offer a place for Friends of Color to come together in community and worship. Click here to go to FGC’s website for more and to request the link.

July 26 (online). Friends for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Concerns hosts two regular events online (click here for zoom link). There is a monthly worship on first Saturdays at 4:00 PM (CT), and a monthly worship sharing on fourth Saturdays at 4:00 PM (CT) – the next being Saturday, July 26. There is also a Listening Line (listening support to queer Friends), 4:00 – 11:00 PM (PDT) every Saturday. Additionally, Canadian Friends (U.S.ers invited) have a Queer Gender group. Email clerks(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)flgbtqc.org for more.

August 4 (online). 80 Years of Resistance Against Nuclear Weapons, a Pendle Hill First Monday Lecture, will be offered on Monday, August 4, 6:30 – 9:00 PM (CT). You can learn more and register on Pendle Hill’s website: click here.

August 8 – 10 (in person). Are you working with Quaker youth or young adults – or feeling a strong leading to do so? The Midwest Youth & Young Adult Worker Gathering will be held August 8 – 10 at Quaker Hill in Richmond, Indiana. Whether you’re a volunteer, staff member, or simply discerning a call to this ministry, this weekend is for you. Send questions to Tom (tom.s(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)westernyearlymeeting.org).

August 10 – 16 (in person). People Camp is a week-long transformative experience of cooperation, community living, peacemaking, and the exploration of ideas and issues. This year’s camp will be held in Park Rapids, MN on the theme How We WIN! Non-violent, direct action campaign planning. Author and activist George Lakey will share his experiences. You can find more on Friends for a NonViolent World’s website (click here). MFM’s Peace and Social Concerns Committee has funds for nonviolence resistance training. Contact Nettie S about P&SC helping finance your participation.

OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY
July 16 (in person). The documentary film Zurawski vs Texas will be screened by AAUW (think Rae C and Sue K) on Wednesday, July 16 at 3:30 PM and 7:00 PM. Women denied abortions under Texas’ abortion bans come together with a fearless attorney to sue Texas. Directors will be present for a Q&A after both showings. Tickets cost $20 for a donation ticket or $5 for students, and are available on Women Foundation of Minnesota’s Website (click here). All proceeds will go to The Women’s Foundation of Minnesota Reproductive Freedom Fund.

July 19 (in person). Song Circle, which includes a few MFM friends, takes place this month on Saturday, July 19, 5:00 PM. If you’d like, bring a snack or a dish to share. Bring your own eating and serving utensils, and lawn chairs or blankets. Bring a friend, your voices, song books (e.g., “Rise Up Singing” or “Rise Again” or your favorite) and/or song sheets, guitars, ocarinas or basses. The song circle will be at The Wellington Senior apartment building at 2235 Rockwood Ave, St Paul, MN 55116. Singing will be on the patio or the lawn, with an indoor room as backup for bad weather. Contact Marilyn J with questions.

July 19 & 30 (online). Moving Toward Right Relations: The Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery is offering a two-part experiential training to provide a guide to settler-descended volunteers who want to engage in movements for Indigenous Justice. Those who benefit from systems of injustice can cause damage when entering these movements without de-centering their own interests. Each interactive module (2 hours each) covers topics such as the steps of repair, surfacing core assumptions about justice, engaging in power analysis, and enduring discomfort. Click here to register for module 1, which will be held on zoom on Saturday, July 19, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM (CT). Click here to register for the zoom link for module 2, which will be on Wednesday, July 30th, 6:30 – 8:30 PM (CT).

Indigenous solidarity: Black Hills Clean Water Alliance is organizing against the newest threat to the Black Hills: the Ponderosa Exploration Drilling Project. Raise your voice now in opposition to this bill – submit public comments by July 21. You can do that through the Black Hills Clean Water Alliance website (click here). You’ll find more background information at that link.

OFFICE HOURS
The Office Manager will be in the office Thursday and Friday afternoons. Bulletin deadline: noon Thursday. Phone items in to the office (612-926-6159) or email (office(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)minneapolisfriends.org).

Cathy N, Children and Families Coordinator, can be reached: Mondays and Wednesdays 2:30 – 5 PM; Thursdays 3:30 – 5:00 PM; Sundays 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM at the meetinghouse.