2021-08-26 Announcements for

New Technology this Sunday.

This Sunday we will experiment with a new panoramic-camera/mic/speaker device [2], the same one presently used by Cambridge Meeting.  We call it Pana for short, and we hope that this change will tie our in-person and Zoom worshipers together in a less gimmicky, less intrusive way.  This will be much like our practice in the old pre-COVID days.  The Pana and our wireless mic will sit on a table in the center of the room.

This Pana has 4 cameras, 4 speakers and 4 microphones which enable it to encompass the full 360 degrees.  It employs artificial intelligence to find, show, and listen to the person speaking.  When someone at home on Zoom speaks, their voice is projected into the meeting room using the 4 speakers in the Pana.  Since our wireless microphone for the hearing system is placed next to that speaker, it picks up the sound very nicely and sends it out over our devices for the hearing impaired.  People Zooming from home will notice that the faces of speakers in the meeting room will appear smaller and their voices may be less clear.

When someone in the meeting room speaks out of worship, they will pick up the mic and take it to an empty space in the inner circle of chairs.  Facing the center from that place, the speaker should speak loudly and clearly.  Friends should know that the microphone must be held pointing to the mouth and within a few inches of it.  The good news is that we will no longer need to walk over to the one place where the mic and camera stand have been and there will be no concern about getting your face to show on the screen.

We will continue to use closed captioning (CC), but everyone (remote and in the meeting room) is asked to speak up loudly and clearly so that everyone can hear you.  Remote participants should remember that they are in control of settings to "pin" a speaker or to set your view to speaker or gallery.  You will see Friends in the worship room better if you pin the room or use speaker view.

During announcements and introductions we will pass the mic as done in pre-COVID times.  Since the COVID virus is generally spread through the air, we have less concern about contact spread by picking up the mic than at the outset of the pandemic when little about the spread was known.  The advice we have heard from JJ, a member of the Pandemic Response Team, is to make hand sanitizer available for those who would like to use it.  A pump bottle of sanitizer will sit on the center table next to the mic.

After worship, please send feedback to the TechnologyCommittee [at] concordfriendsmeeting [dot] org (subject: Feedback) (Technology Committee) (James, Greg, Ruth, Rich).  Please know that we do not believe our work is done.  This change is an important step, but even if everyone loves this new system you will be hearing more from the Tech Committee.  Thank you in advance for your understanding and the open mind we need you to bring to these successive steps towards the best we can do.

News of Friends

Zane Knoy has COVID.  The good news is that his close friend Kathy Urie tested negative.  Zane's symptoms are not too bad, but he is a bit bored, misses time with friends while quarantining, and misses the communal meals at his assisted living facility.  He loves hearing from old friends. He has another few days quarantining in his room.

CROP Walk (to eradicate hunger) October 9

As you may remember, the CROP Walk is an annual fundraiser held nationally to alleviate the challenges of disease, disaster, and displacement that leave people hungry locally and internationally. Local congregations form teams and members make donations to support those teams.  Over the years, CFM has been a strong contributor to this effort.  This year's CROP Walk is currently planned to return to an in-person walk starting from the Jesus Christ Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS) on Clinton St. in Concord.  People will begin gathering at 12:00 with a kick-off rally at 12:30 and the walk beginning at 1:00.

To Join as a Walker and/or Support the Team

1. Click here: https://events.crophungerwalk.org/2021/team/concord-friends-meeting [3]
2. Click Join The Team to sign up as a walker (you will be able to donate if you’d like from this link), or
3. Click Make a Donation to donate via credit or debit card.
4. Note that donations online can be made anonymously if you wish.
5. Alternatively, you can donate by writing a check payable to CWS/CROP Walk and mail to: Sheryl Ingraham, 4 Fogg Street, Concord, NH. 03301

If you would like to support the CFM team financially, donations can be made in two ways:

1. Click here: https://events.crophungerwalk.org/2021/team/concord-friends-meeting [3] to donate via credit or debit card.
2. Write a check payable to CWS/CROP and mail to: Sheryl Ingraham, 4 Fogg Street, Concord, NH. 03301

Note that donations online can be made anonymously if you wish.

Please contact Sheryl Ingraham if you have any questions: (410) 972-1222 or sheryl [dot] ingraham [at] gmail [dot] com (subject: CROP%20Walk)

Quarterly Meeting this Sunday

Hello Friends,

We gather again Sunday, August 29th at 12:30 pm via Zoom. 

I had thought this meeting would be in person but that is not possible. My hope was that we would meet at Dover to see the Familias Separadas banners.  But, Dover Meeting, after a brief time of hybrid worship, is now fully remote again due to the rise in COVID cases.  So the meeting room is not available and meeting outside is noisy at best (the meeting is on a busy main road) and not viable in bad weather.  I assume other meetings are following similar restrictions.

Please let me know if you have any items for the agenda.  I am on vacation with only intermittent connection but will collect your input in time for the meeting.

I look forward to being together.

-- Jeremiah

For Zoom link, email Zoom [at] ConcordFriendsMeeting [dot] org (subject: Dover%20Quarterly%20Meeting%20Zoom%20Link%20Request) .

Federal Appeals Court Agrees: Detained Immigrants Are Entitled to Fair Hearings

The New Hampshire ACLU issued a press release sharing good news.  We seem to get so little of it these days.  Trudy Mott-Smith shared this with us. Please read [4].

The following items are repeated from prior announcements.

Some Inspiration From Other Parts of Quakerdom

Ruth read and recommends this FUM (Friends United Meeting) newsletter

https://mailchi.mp/fum/fum-e-news-march-24-2315600?e=977b0da503 [5].

Perhaps it is because she had the gift and honor of visiting among Friends in Kenya in 2004, but she finds the love and resilience of Meetings worldwide an inspiration. Especially note the new emphasis by FUM on African Meetings become 'mission-sending' churches (meaning they send missionaries to others within their own cultures).  She was also struck by the Adopt A Bed program at Lugulu Hospital in Kenya (Jennifer may have better insight into this, her father having served at the hospital in the 1960's).  And the request for prayer for the new, young director at the Belize School- she has a serious infection (mimicking COVID symptoms) and has gone to Mexico for treatment.  Read it for yourself to find out which items reach into your heart; and subscribe if you want to receive it weekly.

Paddle Down the Merrimack - Aug 29 12:30pm

This annual kayak/canoe ride down the Merrimack is happening Sunday, Aug 29 at 12:30pm.  We'll start at the Boscawen boat launch at Jamie Welch Memorial Field and take out just south of the Hannah Dustin Monument.  This is usually is a 3-4 hour trip, since we stop along the way to swim a couple times and eat lunch.  If you are interested in this fun fellowship event and haven't already contacted Ruth Heath, please do so at ruthmheath [at] comcast [dot] net (subject: Paddle%20Down%20the%20Merrimack) .  Also reach out if you'd like to come but need a boat.

Epsom Lunch - Solidarity Walkers for Immigrant Justice

Hello friends!

Please see the below information and all-call for volunteers to help host the 9/23 lunch in Epsom for the Solidarity Walkers for Immigrant Justice! Reply to this email to request more information or confirm that you are able be part of this fun volunteer team!  Feel free to specify how you'd like to be involved and please forward the email to anyone else who might be interested!  A follow-up email with additional details we will then be sent to the group of volunteers soon!

--with gratitude,

Kim

Solidarity Walk for Immigrant Justice

--HELP is NEEDED with 9/23 Lunch Preparation!

Each year activists for immigrant justice complete a 3-day walk to the ICE detention facility in Dover to bring awareness to the need for greater justice in our state system. The Epsom Democrats are hosting lunch on day-2 of this year’s Solidarity Walk for Immigrant Justice. We'll offer bagged lunches on Thursday, September 23rd for 30-50 Immigrant Solidarity walkers. We hope to set up at the Epsom Library but are waiting for final confirmation of the location.

Volunteers are needed to donate funds to purchase food & paper goods, shop for supplies, and prepare lunch items. The lunches will include a choice of wraps and sandwiches, fruit, chips, cookies and canned/bottled beverages. Help is needed with advanced sandwich/wrap preparation and cookie baking, both of which can be done in your own home. There will also be a group prep event at the home of Kim Gillis in Epsom, on the morning of 9/23. Support for set-up and clean-up at the at the lunch are needed too! Please contact Kim Gillis at kgillis [at] live [dot] com or (603) 892-4271 for more information or to pitch-in on this worthy cause! All aspects of hosting the lunch offer fun opportunities to be of service in community and support immigrant justice, so please join us in whatever way you can!

Exploring Spiritual Practice

[This course is a mini version of the year-long seminar Ruth experienced 2019-2020 and she highly recommends it. Sara has already registered.]

Registration is open for a Fall 2021 online course starting Tuesday Sept. 7th,

Exploring Spiritual Practices [6], led by Marcelle Martin.  During the ten week course, participants will experiment with numerous approaches to meditation, prayer, and presence.  We'll seek to know more fully the nature of consciousness, our true self, and our connection to the Spirit.  We’ll explore how mindfulness, awareness, and communion with the Divine affects not only our inner and outer lives, but radiates beyond us into the world.  We will learn which spiritual practices are most suited to each of us at this time and explore how to make them a more integrated part of our daily lives.  Online class time will include brief presentations, experiencing different spiritual practices, sharing in pairs and groups, and class discussion.  No particular beliefs in God or prayer are required, only a willingness to earnestly try different practices, notice what we experience, and listen respectfully to the experiences and beliefs shared by others.  Using Zoom and a private online platform for communication, we will be forming a vibrant community to go deeper together in our spiritual experience and explore the awesome mystery of our relationship to the divine.

TWO SECTIONS OF THE COURSE ARE OFFERED:

Morning: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Eastern Time).

Evening: 7 - 9 p.m. (Eastern Time).

Intrigued? Go HERE [7] to read details and register for Exploring Spiritual Practices.

Curious but not ready to commit just yet?  Watch this 3-minute introductory video [8].  Or Sign up here [9] for a free introductory webinar where you can sample the course on Sept 7^th.  Co-sponsored by New England Quakers in partnership with the Beacon Hill Friends House, this course is open to people of diverse faiths.

News of Friends.

Anne Saunders Blog Link.  Ruth has been reading her blog and commends it to you!  Find it here [10].