COME to the Energy Fair / Solar Panel Celebration Saturday, 10AM-2PM, with food, activities for children, speakers from the nonprofits and for-profits that helped with the solar panel project, Councilperson, Linea Palmisano, State Rep, Jamie Long and more. This is meant to be a celebration as well as an invitation to other churches, non-profits, and neighbors to investigate the support available for their own greening endeavors. Come add to the party!

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May 4, 2025

WORSHIP AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE TODAY

9:00 – 10:00 meeting for worship (unprogrammed): care of meeting, Mary Snyder; Zoom host – Bill Hendricks

10:15 – 11:00 Welcoming New Members! Come celebrate new members Deborah, John, and Jules; Zoom host – Marilyn Johnson

11:15 – 12:15 meeting for worship (semi-programmed): Lin Butler – speaker; Jacque Wiersma – musician; care of meeting, Barbara Ziegenhagen; Zoom host – Marilyn Johnson

1:30 – 2:30 called meeting for worship sharing on corporate witness in time of upheaval: Stephen Snyder, facilitating; Zoom host – Sandy Olson

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

“We are the ones we have been waiting for.” ~ message from the Hopi Elders

TODAY at 1:30, following the potluck downstairs: the Presiding Clerk, with the support of Ministry and Counsel Committee, is calling a special meeting for worship sharing to consider the following queries:
1. How does our faith ground us in these troubled times? How are we making space in our lives and in Meeting for listening and discernment?
2. How do we demonstrate or witness our faith, practices and testimonies nonviolently in today’s world? As individuals? As a Meeting?
3. How should we focus and direct our energy into meaningful next steps and support one another in our witness?
Attend via Zoom using the link for May 4, Sunday programming.

NEWS FOR MINNEAPOLIS MEETING FRIENDS

Stay TODAY after the rise of semi-programmed worship for potluck downstairs! Come for rich coffee, good conversation, and whatever pots we’re lucky enough to have! Visitors and new-comers welcome. To regulars – bring lots so we can be confident inviting newcomers to stay. Remember to label your dish so everyone can participate with confidence. And pitch in to help clean up after so we can all join the worship sharing at 1:30!

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.

At the Peace and Social Concerns Committee meeting, Friends spoke of their engagement in the areas/organizations: Southwest Alliance for Equity (May 22, learning more about police reform – FFI, contact John Stuart); People’s Climate and Equity Plan (Nettie S); Native American issues (Terry H); support for asylum seekers (John D); Immigrant Defense Network (protecting rights of immigrants – Peter B); UNIDOS (trainings on being a non-violent presence at demonstrations – Doug H); public worship (Nettie S / Deborah J); Advocates for Human Rights (arranges for people to attend immigration hearings – Jeff N); counter hate speech at Twin Games (Jeff N). Consider coming to the next P&SC Committee meeting – the fourth Monday night of the month!

The Shepherd Scholarship, created in 1977 by Roland and Zephra Shepherd, offers educational scholarships for members of a Quaker Meeting of at least five years standing, or their children. Interested adults and young adults can apply by filling out an application (available on the long table in the hall or on the website: https://minneapolisfriends.org/shepherd-scholarship-fund/) Application deadline, June 30. Return applications to the Shepherd Scholarship file in the blue box (on the long table) or email to Betsy S.

The Peace and Social Concerns Committee is hosting an International Conscientious Objector Day Remembrance on Thurs, May 15th, 7PM here at the meetinghouse. Gather to hold up the power of stories of objection/resistance to war with story circles where each person will have opportunity to tell a story of their own (five minute or less.) Discussion about what, if anything, to do next, too. It’s OK to just show up, but it’s helpful to know if you can come, just for planning. Questions, or RSVP to: Larry at larryjvfp(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)gmail.com .

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, Jeff N, Mary B, and Jimbo L.

SMALLER GATHERINGS AT MINNEAPOLIS MEETING

Sharing the Spirit, open to everyone, every Mon, Wed, and Fri AM on zoom, cameras off. This brief opportunity for worship is focused on healing, in a broad sense, gathering at approximately 8:57; ten-minute worship beginning at 9:02. Try it out! ID: 859 3925 1575; passcode: 251345;
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85939251575?pwd=1aHrNcUclfw3o99kyDnc9nAwzwkYGU.1.

Established writers as well as dabblers will gather online Mon night, May 5, 7-9PM. Come 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! Contact Jane D. with questions. ID: 873 2572 4605; passcode: 763965; https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87325724605?pwd=BMdZYlimaFkLeeh3ROZ4LY7iCOuWRH.1.

Come to thirty minutes of Lectio Divina, Divine Reading, followed by worship sharing on ZOOM, Tues at noon. Hold a brief reading from the Bible, Quaker, or other text to see how it might speak to us today: ID: 821 7292 0370; https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82172920370?pwd=4v3zY9LtA79jzf5tGg24BDXb28Clkd.1; passcode: 661188

The Joyful Aging Group will have a spring wildflower trip to Eloise Butler. Friendly naturalist, Jim Haefemeyer, will introduce us to the flowers May 7, around 10:30 (you can meet at John S’s house at 10AM). This is a change from a trip to Nerstrand Park is due to accessibility issues.

OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WIDER WORLD OF FRIENDS

Northern Yearly Meeting – you can still register at northernyearlymeeting.org. Pre-Annual Session meetings:
– A change to the Northern Yearly Meeting Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation will be brought to Annual Session this spring. Minneapolis Meeting, as a member of the corporation, should be part of the discernment. Please attend a discussion of the proposed changes on Tues, May 13, 6:30-8PM: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88322914736?pwd=IfaEr6PDiwUwIk5sbZgFPoRqbczKGs.1; ID: 883 2291 4736: passcode: 467494. To receive documentation in advance of the zoom meeting, register at https://forms.gle/wt9HDxtwRiPSfyXn7.
– Detailed budget review – Sun, May 18, 1-3PM. Get the link at https://northernyearlymeeting.org/budget-review-may-18-2025/.
– State of Society reports – Sun, May 18, 6:30-8PM. Take advantage of this rich opportunity to hear from the meeting and worship groups in Northern Yearly Meeting – their accomplishments, challenges, and fears. Get the link at https://northernyearlymeeting.org/state-of-society-reports-2025/.

Friends General Conference’s Young Adult and Youth (YAY) Gathering – an intergenerational Quaker event for children, youth, teens, and young adults (0-35). Come to Michigan July 2-6 for play, connection, laughter, spiritual practice, learning, and rest with family members and event volunteers of all ages. Learn more about the gathering on the FGC website here. Registration, housing, fees, and financial aid info are also on the FGC website here.

SHOP THE Friends School of MN Plant Sale, May 9-11! The catalogue is available online so you can make out your wish list! https://www.friendsschoolplantsale.com/catalog.

Quaker Voluntary Service is hiring a local coordinator! See more at https://quakervoluntaryservice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Copy-of-2024.01-Local-Coordinator-Job-Summary-MSP.

Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) believes that anti-racism, anti-bias, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (AJEDI) are forces for joy, community, and effective policy change. Come to a Zoom discussion on this moment on May 7, (6PM (CT) and June 21 – lively conversation with current and former FCNL general secretaries and Friends from across the U.S. who are impacted by the erosion of DEI initiatives. What can and should our community be doing in response? Register here.

Quaker Coalition for Uprooting Racism – Anti-Racist Power-Mapping Workshop, May 10, noon-4PM (CT), online. An invitation to Friends to worship, build community, and learn tools to strategically resist the rise of fascism in the U.S. Free and open to the public. Registration required: https://lu.ma/QCURPower.

Pendle Hill and Friends Place offer Continuing Revolution, an annual gathering of young adults (ages 18-35) seeking to connect their spiritual, political, and interpersonal lives. This year’s Queer Liberation and Spirit-Rooted Justice will be held in person and online, June 12-14 at Friends Place on Capitol Hill, and will coincide with the World Pride celebration in Washington, DC. Participants will explore where their spiritual practice intersects with the collective pursuit for queer liberation. More at https://www.friendsplacedc.org/event/continuing-revolution-2025-queer-liberation-and-spirit-rooted-justice.

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 share his experiences as we investigate non-violent, direct-action campaigns and how to apply them to the work of today. People Camp is a week-long, community-centered experience of cooperation, peacemaking , and exploring what we contribute to the world around us. This is a summer camp experience for the whole family with warm, supportive community, challenging workshops, and lots of recreation . For more, see https://www.fnvw.org/peoplecamp.

Read this recent North News article (pg 12) by Brynne Crockett, recent Director of American Friends Service Committee’s local Youth Undoing Institutional Racism program. That program has been renamed – it’s now S.A.F.E – Students Accelerating Fiercely Everyday. Working at North High, the program equips youth with tools to organize and strategize around dismantling systemic oppression in Minneapolis public schools, specifically, disrupting the school to prison pipeline. You can read more at https://afsc.org/programs/twin-cities-healing-justice .

WIDER COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES

Enough is Enough! demonstration Tues, May 6, 2PM at the State Capitol. (Notice from UNIDOS)

The Wild Rice Act: The Federal government continues its pursuit of extraction on Indigenous lands in Alaska, Montana, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, and more. Closer to home, the Psíŋ (Dakota) / Manoomin (Ojibwe) / Wild Rice Act is pending in the MN legislature. Though it has successfully gone through a series of committees and modifications, there are still efforts to eliminate it from the environmental omnibus bill. The Wild Rice Act, the first of its kind, recognizes wild rice’s cultural significance, its role in providing habitat and food for dozens of other species, and the economic impact for Indigenous who sell it for income. And it represents an important step toward legally recognizing the importance of environments currently casually destroyed for other economic interests. Let Rick V. know if you are interested in being on call to attend further meetings in defense of this important legislation. To read more about the Wild Rice Act, see https://prismreports.org/2025/04/14/manoomin-wild-rice-act-minnesota/?blm_aid=128384002

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 is available: at home: Mon and Wed, 2:30-5PM; Thurs, 3:30-5PM; at the meetinghouse: Sun, 9AM-2PM.

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Quaker Resources and Opportunities

American Friends Service Committee events: https://afsc.org/events
Friends Committee on National Legislation events: https://www.fcnl.org/events
Friends General Conference events: https://www.fgcquaker.org/events/
Friends for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Queer Concerns events and resources: https://www.flgbtqc.org/
Friends Peace Teams Toward Right Relationship with Native Peoples events and resources: https://friendspeaceteams.org/trr/
Friends World Committee for Consultation events: https://fwcc.world/events/
Pendle Hill events: https://pendlehill.org/learn/workshops-courses-events/
Quaker Earthcare Witness events: https://quakerearthcare.org/events/

Friends for a Non-Violent World – Everyday NonViolence Podcast: https://www.fnvw.org/podcast
Friends Journal – Quakers Today Podcast: https://www.friendsjournal.org/podcast/
Pendle Hill – The Seed Podcast: https://pendlehill.org/learn/podcast/
QuakerSpeak videos: https://quakerspeak.com/video/
Thee Quaker Project:
• podcast – https://theequaker.org/podcast/
• videos – https://theequaker.org/introducing-quaker-meeting-profile-videos/
• Daily Quaker Message – https://theequaker.org/daily-quaker-message/