CMM 2018-05-13 Possible Items for Agenda

Here are some possible agenda items for Fifth Month’s Meeting for Worship with attention to Business, which will be on the 13^th of Fifth Month.  Some of the items from Fourth Month may have been carried forward.  Some of the proposed items may need further seasoning. They are in no particular order at the moment.  [See also http://quakerspeak.com/quaker-decision-making-consensus/ [1]]

During worship, please hold in your heart the following from Eden Grace’s paper “An Introduction to Quaker Business Practice” [2].

Quakers profess a theocratic understanding of authority. “The primary authority is that of God, as the God whose will is sought, as Christ who presides, and as the Holy Spirit who inspires and empowers. Thus the task of the meeting is to listen in worship, putting itself under that authority, to discern the right way forward on any piece of business.” ^* All human leadership is subordinated to the authority of Christ, the true shepherd of any gathering of Christians. All participants in the Meeting are equally capable of being used by the Holy Spirit, and those who moderate the Meeting are seen as servants of the gathering discernment process.

* Scott, Janet “Business Meetings”, manuscript submitted for inclusion in the forthcoming Dictionary of the Religious Society of Friends, 1999.

• Minutes of Fourth Month’s Meeting for Worship with attention to Business [3].
• Budget Committee report
  • “How does our Meeting engage its members in the support of the Meeting’s work, its ministry, and the upkeep of its property?” ¹ [4]
• Property Committee report
  • “Does our Meeting serve social and economic justice in its uses of property and money?” ¹ [4]
  • “[Dave Woolpert] talked with AMTP’s creator and former Executive Director Donna San Antonio ... and she has requested there be a commemorative event re: the transfer of the land to honor and acknowledge the role that the Booths played in making this gift possible.  She didn’t think it needed to happen close to the property closing date but we agreed it would be good to have it soon enough to have Lois Booth attend.  Can ... Ruth or Sara ... look into this and come up with some suggested dates?”
• Solar Committee report
  • “We do not own the world, and its riches are not ours to dispose of at will. Show a loving consideration for all creatures, and seek to maintain the beauty and variety of the world. Work to ensure that our increasing power over nature is used responsibly, with reverence for life. Rejoice in the splendour of God’s continuing creation.” ² [5]
• Peace, Social, and Earthcare Concerns Committee report
  • AFSC’s Sanctuary Everywhere [6]
  • FCNL’s #LoveThyNeighbor (No Exceptions) [7]
  • AFSC-NH’s, GSOP’s, and NH Council of Churches’ Immigrant Solidarity Network [8]
  • Discern endorsement of Quaker City Unity Friends Meeting’s Minute 2018-01 of Concern for the Treatment of Inmates in the New Hampshire Department of Corrections [9].
  • Discern endorsement of the Fundamental Principles of the Poor People’s Campaign [10] and support for the Demands of the Poor People’s Campaign [11].
  • Volunteers to be ready to support Manchester Unitarian Universalist Church as a Level 1 physical sanctuary in the New Hampshire Immigrant Solidarity Network.
• Youth Religious Education Committee report
  • Children and young people need love and stability. Are we doing all we can to uphold and sustain parents and others who carry the responsibility for providing this care? ³ [12]
• Outreach Committee report
  • “Are you patterns, examples; do your lives preach among all sorts of people, and to them?  Do you walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in every one?” - https://neym.org/faith-practice/part-3/queries [13]
• Ministry & Counsel Committee report
  • Query 2. “b) Are we aware of the roles we fill as heirs of the meetings of ministers and elders? What do we do to support each other in the use of our gifts for God’s work? Do we actively seek to identify and nurture these gifts in each other?” https://neym.org/sites/default/files/2015-09-15Minute%20of%20Exercise%20... [14]

Announcements & Events:

Apr 14 (Sat)  1:00 - 5:00 p.m. The NH Poor People’s Campaign will hold its first training session for Nonviolent Moral Fusion Direct Action at Brookside Congregational Church UCC, 2013 Elm Street, Manchester, NH 03104.  We have had hundreds say that they are interested in this preparation.  This will be the first of several in New Hampshire.  Please register for the event here: REGISTER HERE [15].  This time and date were chosen as Rev. Dr. William Barber will address the group via video conference!  PLEASE NOTE:  This will be the first of several Nonviolent Moral Fusion Direct Action training events.  Please attend on Saturday if possible, but we will soon have future dates and locations so that you won’t miss out!

Apr 15 (Sun) 10:00 a.m.  Worship followed by pot luck lunch and Meeting for Business; Closing: JJ, Sara; Boiler Cleaning: Sara.

Apr 15 (Sun)  The film “Persona Non Grata [16]” will possibly be shown at St. Paul’s School.  Stay tuned for more info as it becomes available.

Apr 16 (Mon)  5:30 p.m.  Holocaust Remembrance Service at Temple Beth Jacob [17]:  Katrina Swett and her mother, Annette Lantos, will participate with Katrina interviewing her mother. (A podcast of something similar is on the Lantos Foundation [18] web page.)

Apr 17 (Tue)   8:30 – 10:00 a.m.  Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Immigrant Justice [19] [Joshua 6:1-27 [20]] for those reporting to ICE [21] for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester.  [Also, see resources at the website sponsored by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops https://justiceforimmigrants.org/what-we-are-working-on/immigration/daca-resource-page/]

Apr 17 (Tue)   7:00 p.m.  Same Boat Now: An Evening of Immigration Storytelling at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Eastern Slopes (UUFES), 30 Tamworth Road, Tamworth Village.  Five tellers share stories of coming to these shores from Côte d'Ivoire, Greece, the Philippines, Bosnia and elsewhere.  Join us for an unforgettable evening of reflection on experiences that set people apart ... and bring us together.

Apr 19 (Thu)   6:00 – 7:00 p.m.  Quakerism 201, Week 6 [22]: “The Testimony On Earthcare (a.k.a. Unity With Nature)” discussion.  Printed booklets for each session are available in the meetinghouse or from MarkBarker [at] ConcordFriendsMeeting [dot] org.  At the end of each session, we will agree the date and time that is most convenient for the next session.

Apr 21 (Sat)   2:00 p.m.  Memorial Meeting for Worship for Shawn Donovan [23].  Shawn was a member of Hanover Friends Meeting and the Support Committee of AFSC-NH.  He passed away suddenly on February 19^th.  A memorial meeting for worship for Shawn will be held in Rollins Chapel on the Dartmouth College campus [24].  (The chapel is a big, Romanesque building just off the corner of the Dartmouth College green.)

Apr 22 (Sun) 10:00 a.m.  Worship, followed by pot luck lunch and 4^th Sunday Program: The Woman at the Well (“Fourth Sunday this month will be an opportunity for worship sharing around a passage from the Scriptures, specifically in the story of Jesus of Nazareth as told by John. This is Chapter 4, verses 1 to 24 [25]. This version of Jesus’ life has many things that have led some to call it the “Quaker Gospel”. This story in particular resonates for me as leading us into the heart of the gospel (good news) that so inspired early Quakers when it was revealed to them by other seekers and not just used as part of the established church’s lectionary. I’m not a bible scholar but I have read fairly widely In and about the background that makes this story come alive for me. I don’t intend to be didactic when we meet but rather to pose some questions to ponder and maybe provide some information to those who aren’t deeply familiar with these writings.  J.J.”)  Closing: Greg and Ruth; Boiler: Greg.

Apr 22 (Sun) Sandwiches at 11:30 a.m. for Program at 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.  Four Short Films from the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and Discussion with Film Editor Carolyn Moore at Amesbury Friends Meeting [26].  View the event listing on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/197951484268895/ [27]

Apr 26-28 (Thu-Sat)  Undoing Racism Workshop at YWCA-NH, 72 Concord Street, Manchester NH 03101.  Through dialogue, reflection, role-playing, and presentations, this intensive workshop challenges participants to analyze the structures of power and privilege that hinder social equity and prepares them to be effective organizers for justice. “This is a transformative training that gave us a shared analysis on racism for our community organizing work.” – Haymarket Grantee.  Thursday, April 26, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.; Friday, April 27, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Saturday, April 28, 9:00 a.m. - 4 p.m.  Download a flyer here [28].  Download the registration form here [29].

Apr 27-29 (Fri-Sun)  Woolman Hill Retreat, LOVE IS ALL AROUND [30]: A Singing Weekend with Peter & Annie Blood-Patterson.  Celebrate & rejuvenate with song!  A music weekend with Annie & Peter is like no other.  They weave magic into the fabric of their workshops, teaching and leading songs out of their songbooks, Rise Up Singing [31] and Rise Again [32].  This is a time to sing songs that inspire and renew, songs that open up the hearts of those present as well as songs that are just plain fun!  The pace is easy-going with space for relaxing and sharing.  Woolman Hill Quaker Retreat Center, 107 Keets Road, Deerfield, MA 01342 phone: 413-774-3431.

Apr 27-29 (Fri-Sun)  Tending the Flock [33]:  A weekend to encourage Friends called to pastoral ministry, at Powell House Retreat and Conference Center [34], Old Chatham, NY.

Apr 28 (Sat)  11:00 a.m. to Noon  Infusing Racial Justice Into Our Quaker Spiritual Formation & Religious Education  This is a Zoom call to learn about: • the stages of racial identity development; • How to support young people at different stages and of different racial identities; • look at our own identities and journeys, lifting up both gifts we hold and places where we need to do some more work.  There will be two additional Zoom calls at times to be scheduled to explore: • a flexible framework for applying existing curriculum and development of new materials; • actions to grow understanding and practice; • practical skills for creating more racially just and inclusive spaces for learning and worship.  Contact Beth Collea, record [at] neym [dot] org for the Zoom link to the first meeting NB: This replaces the original, in-person workshop planned for this date.

Apr 28 (Sat)  12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.  A Forum Concerning County Jail Incarceration in NH at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Ordway Hall, Concord, NH.  “When was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” Jesus will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me.” Matthew 25:39-40 [35].  How do you volunteer at a house of corrections?  What are the risks in helping prisoners keep their sanity and religious faith?  What do you say to immigrants fighting deportation in a county jail?  Why are people of color far more likely to go to jail than whites?  Five experts will answer these and other questions on April 28 at a workshop on jail volunteering entitled, “Just Visiting.”  Maggie Fogarty of the American Friends Service Committee will describe issues related to immigrant detention and the work of the NH Immigrant Visitation Program at the Strafford County Jail in Dover.  She will also share opportunities to provide support for detained persons, including as volunteer visitors.  Download a flyer to help promote this event (PDF) [36].  Contact: Chris Dornin, 228-9610 or cldornin [at] aol [dot] com.

Apr 29 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.  Closing: Pat, Faith; Boiler Cleaning: Jon.

Apr 29 (Sun)  10:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.  Dover Quarterly Meeting at the Weare/Henniker Quaker Meeting (also known as Weare Monthly Meeting of Friends). Worship: 10:30-11:30, Lunch: 11:30-12:15, Meeting for Business: 12:15-2:00.  The Weare/Henniker Meeting will provide salads, bread, dessert and hot and cold beverages (bring a sandwich if you wish).  The Quarterly Meeting will consist of business items first and then sharing highlights from our State of Society reports and continuing our discussion of meeting outreach efforts and the role of Quarterly Meeting. DIRECTIONS:  The Weare/Henniker Quaker Meetinghouse is located at 529 Quaker St., Henniker, NH 03242.  (If anyone gets lost, 566-2409 is a cell phone number to call).  GPS directions are usually accurate, but these directions also work:  From the center of Henniker, go south on Rt. 114 about .3 miles (past town hall and small green) and turn right onto Flanders Road.  Go partway up the hill and take the first right, Gulf Road.  Go about 1.5 miles to a four-way intersection and turn left onto Quaker Street.  Follow to the top of the hill and start down the other side.  The Meetinghouse is on the left, just after the unpaved road begins.

Apr 29 (Sun)    4:30 p.m.  Interfaith March for Peace and Justice [37] is a positive, non-partisan event meant to “affirm the freedom of religion (guaranteed by the 1^st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution) and to condemn all acts of discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or violence directed at people because of their religion, race, or place of origin.”  We also march for justice fo LQBTQIA folk and condemn ableism.  Where & when: 3:30 p.m. Meet at Concord High School for a welcoming message; 4:30 p.m. Leave Concord High School and March to State House; 5:30 p.m. Rally at Concord State House.  Registration encouraged; contact Doreen [at] NHPeaceAction [dot] org to register.  FaceBook event: facebook.com/events/185219182251516 [38].

Apr 30 (Mon)  ‘Radical Spirituality: the Early History of the Quakers [39]’ begins on 30 April 2018.  The course will take place online and will consist of a variety of elements.  These include videos filmed in and around what is called ‘1652 country’, the area that Quakerism really took off as an organised mass movement.  We visit the key sites of Pendle Hill, Firbank Fell and Swarthmoor Hall.  Other films look at the place of travel for early Quakers and the significance of the movement starting in the north of England.  We learn about the people, the places and the ideas associated with the start of Quakerism.  There is text to reflect on and audio clips to help us ‘hear’ the writing more easily.  In Week 1 of the course we’ll reflect on the civil war context and provide an introduction to Quaker founder George Fox’s life.  There is still time to invite friends and colleagues to enrol on the course and take part alongside you. Having the support of people you know can really enrich the experience of studying online.  There will be plenty of opportunity to interact with other learners within the course, which we strongly encourage.  In the meantime, you can use the hashtag #FLquaker [40] to find and contribute to any discussions on social networks.  We would really appreciate it if you could take some time to fill out this short pre-course survey. [41]  Best wishes, Ben Pink Dandelion, Professor of Quaker Studies, Lancaster University

May   1 (Tue)   8:30 – 10:00 a.m.  (First Tuesday) Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Immigrant Justice [19] [Joshua 6:1-27 [20]] for those reporting to ICE [21] for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester.  This will be followed by the Sanctuary Support Network [42] meeting at Blessed-Sacrament Church, 14 Elm St, Manchester where there will be refreshments.  We have signed the pledge to stand with our immigrant neighbors.  If you have not seen a copy of the revised solidarity statement, it can be found here [43].  [Also, see resources at the website sponsored by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops https://justiceforimmigrants.org/what-we-are-working-on/immigration/daca-resource-page/]

May   2 (Wed)   6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Building a Culture of Peace Forum.  The Forum will host two members of Combatants For Peace [44] at the Concord Unitarian Universalist Church, because we expect this to be a well-attended event, we will meet in the Sanctuary instead of our usual space.  Doors will open at 6:30.  Combatants for Peace is a grassroots organization founded by ex-fighters from opposite sides of the Palestine/Israel conflict.  The Combatants help us all see that peace is possible even between former enemies in the most entrenched conflicts on our planet.  This program offers a rare opportunity to meet people on opposing sides of conflict who have learned to honor both their own and their enemies’ narrative in order to work towards their common goal of a just and lasting peace.  Palestinian Kholud Abu-Raeya and Israeli Netta Hazan will share their personal stories of transformation and will describe their work to bring peace to their respective homelands.  Audience members will have opportunities to ask questions of the presenters and to put themselves in the shoes of the “other” as a first step in understanding the other side’s perspective.  A moderator will ensure that the discussion remains respectful for everyone who wishes to participate.

May   3 (Thu)   All day.  National Day of Prayer [45].

May   3 (Thu)   6:00 – 7:00 p.m.  Quakerism 201, Week 7 [46]: “Continuing Revelation, How New Testimonies Are Born” discussion.  Printed booklets for each session are available in the meetinghouse or from MarkBarker [at] ConcordFriendsMeeting [dot] org.  This will be the final session of Quakerism 201 and we’ll gather at Mark and Gini’s for supper and discussion.

May   6 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.  Closing: Rob Y, Jon; Boiler Cleaning: Rob.

May 13 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship followed by pot luck lunch and Meeting for Business; Closing: Dave, Penny; Boiler Cleaning: Dave.

May 14 (Mon)   2:00 p.m.  Poor People’s Campaign: Somebody’s Hurting Our People:  Children, Women, and People with Disabilities in Poverty.  Rally at the State House in Concord, NH.  Civil Disobedience (CD) direct actions begin at 3 p.m.  Everyone participating in CD must be trained.  If there’s a week you’d like to do CD, you must arrive at 11 a.m. for specific training.  Connect at PoorPeoplesCampaign.org; Twitter.com/NewHampshirePPC; Facebook.com/NewHampshirePPC; Text MORAL to 90975.

May 15 (Tue)   8:30 – 10:00 a.m.  Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Immigrant Justice [19] [Joshua 6:1-27 [20]] for those reporting to ICE [21] for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester.  [Also, see resources at the website sponsored by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops https://justiceforimmigrants.org/what-we-are-working-on/immigration/daca-resource-page/]

May 17 (Thu)   6:00 – 7:00 p.m.  Study group using “Friendly Faith & Practice Study Guide” by Joanne & Larry Spears. [47]   Printed booklets for each session are available in the meetinghouse or from MarkBarker [at] ConcordFriendsMeeting [dot] org.  At the end of each session, we will agree the date and time that is most convenient for the next session.  (Usually, meetings will be on the first and third Thursdays of the month.)

May 19 (Sat)   1:00 – 4:30 p.m.  Open House & Tours to promote Solar Group Net Metering at the Quaker Meetinghouse near Exit 17 of route I-93. Group Net Metering is the concept of electric rate payers banding together so that a solar array on one large building supplies the energy for other buildings that do not have good solar orientations.  The Quakers have developed legal and financial tools that can help interested parties become Net Metering Groups.  Churches and nonprofit organizations may be especially interested due to the funding challenges they face.  The Quaker Meeting is offering free consulting services to interested parties.  The event address is 11 Oxbow Pond Road, Canterbury, NH.  For more information contact SolarCommittee [at] ConcordFriendsMeeting [dot] org

May 20 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.  Closing: Rich, Kathy U; Boiler Cleaning: Rich.

May 20 (Sun)    1:30 – 3:30 p.m.  Medicare for All Now (M4ANow.org).  New England National Strategy Gathering at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Manchester, 669 Union Street, Manchester, NH.

May 23 (Wed)    5:00 – 6:30 p.m.  Ribbon-Cutting for Resource Center and New Winter Shelter, Concord Coalition to End Homelessness (CCEH) 238 North Main Street, Concord, NH:  Remarks and Ribbon-Cutting at 5:45 p.m.  Hot dogs and treats.  Tours of the Resource Center and New Winter Shelter.  Parking available on Franklin Street at First Congregational Church, accessed off Washington Street; St. Peter's Church, 135 N. State Street; and Merrimack County Savings Bank Business Ceter, 190 N. Main Street.

May 23 (Wed)    6:30 p.m.  Prayer Service of Immigrant Solidarity: Beauty Ever Ancient, Beauty Ever New at St. Anne-St. Augustin Church, 382 Beech Street, Manchester, NH:  Affirming the dignity of all refugees and immigrants, particularly those in our state whose lives have been and impacted by current immigration policies and increased enforcement practices.  The prayer servic will feature music in Spanish, Vietnamese, Arabic, and English as well as special prayers for those who are suffering family separation.

May 27 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship, followed by Fourth Sunday program with Marian Baker will speak to us about her ministry and travels in Kenya and specifically about her work to empower women's ministry there.  She will have just returned from a six month sojourn in Kenya.  Marian, a member of Weare Meeting, has built up relationships in Kenya over 40 years.  Closing: Mark, Gini; Boiler Cleaning: Mark.

Jun   5 (Tue)   8:30 – 10:00 a.m.  (First Tuesday) Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Immigrant Justice [19] [Joshua 6:1-27 [20]] for those reporting to ICE [21] for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester.  This will be followed by the Sanctuary Support Network [42] meeting at Blessed-Sacrament Church, 14 Elm St, Manchester where there will be refreshments.  We have signed the pledge to stand with our immigrant neighbors.  If you have not seen a copy of the revised solidarity statement, it can be found here [43].  [Also, see resources at the website sponsored by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops https://justiceforimmigrants.org/what-we-are-working-on/immigration/daca-resource-page/]

Jun   9 (Sat)   Racial Dialogue Capacity Building at Wellesley Friends Meeting.  A workshop to prepare potential racial dialogue leaders and/or monthly meetings to learn from each other about effective and skillful ways to engage in learning about racial identify and how to foster racial healing at all levels.  The goal is to establish pairs of individuals to help initiate and support racial dialogue within their own monthly meetings and potentially to travel to others.

Jun 19 (Tue)   8:30 – 10:00 a.m.  Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Immigrant Justice [19] [Joshua 6:1-27 [20]] for those reporting to ICE [21] for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester.  [Also, see resources at the website sponsored by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops https://justiceforimmigrants.org/what-we-are-working-on/immigration/daca-resource-page/]

Jun 22 (Fri)  12:00 – 5:00 p.m. The Conference of Quaker Historians and Archivists have set up sessions on the afternoon of June 22 which provide a great opportunity to learn more about best practices for both Meeting recordkeeping, a tour of the NEYM Archives at Umass SCUA and preservation of family collections.  With the Conference taking place at the Amherst campus of the University of Massachusetts,  the Archives Committee encourages those who want to get a tour of our records as well as to learn more about best practices for record keeping in you Meeting to try to attend.  To pre-register,  visit http://library.guilford.edu/cqha/home [48] or https://umass.irisregistration.com/Home/Site?code=CQHA [49].

Aug 31 - Sep 3 (Fri-Mon)  Exploring Art as a Practice of Faith Quaker camp for adult artists of all media over Labor Day Weekend at Friends Camp, South China, Maine.  Registration opens June 1^st and closes August 15^th at http://Art-Camp.org [50] or e-mail ArtCampRes [at] gmail [dot] com; follow on @artcampres and #artcamp2018.

Sep (xxx)  Manchester NAACP Annual Meeting:  Debby Irving, author of Waking Up White [51], will be the featured speaker.

First Day School Help:  If you would like to be a helper in the children’s program, and have not yet filled out the Youth Worker Screening Form [52].  Please download and print one out, fill it in, and pass it to Kathy Urie.  You can find it at Youth Worker Screening Form [52].  We need one helper each week.  Look for a sign-up sheet on the left bulletin board this Sunday.  And thank you!  The children thank you too!

In August 2017, we published a statement in response to the tragedy in Charlottesville, Virginia [53].  Please also see “Such a Time as This: A Response to Hate and Violence [54]” as well as the “2017 Epistle of New England Yearly Meeting [55]”, Ruby Sales’ Plenary Message [56] on NEYM’s Youtube channel, and the audio recordings of the 2017 Annual Sessions Bible Half-Hours by Marty Grundy [57] focusing (exegeting [58]) on Romans 12:2 [59].  Draft booklet of Bible Half Hour texts [60].

^1. See http://www.pym.org/faith-and-practice/queries/11-stewardship-of-resources/ [61]

^2. See http://qfp.quaker.org.uk/chapter/1/ [62] № 42

^3. See http://qfp.quaker.org.uk/chapter/1/ [62] № 24