CMM 2019-05-12 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 12^th (the second First Day) 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 the “Advices on Corporate Discernment” in the 2014 Interim Faith & Practice of NEYM [2].  Friends are also asked to consider the “Queries on Corporate Discernment [3]”.

6.  Address the clerk rather than another individual and speak only to the matter under consideration.  Do not attempt to speak for Friends who are absent as they are not present to sense the movement of the Spirit in the gathered group.

• Minutes of Fourth Month’s Meeting for Worship with attention to Business [4].
• 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
• Nominating Committee [5] report
  • “The faithfulness of our Society consists in the faithfulness of each and all of us.  And none of us can expect 'the Society' to be more faithful, more committed, more loving, than we ourselves are prepared to be.”
  • Nominations List for 2019-06-01 to 2020-05-31 [6].
• Property Committee report
  • “Does our Meeting serve social and economic justice in its uses of property and money?” ¹
  • From Ruth:
    
    

    The Energy Committee would like to know if we can put a yard sign about our solarize campaign (encouraging homeowners in Canterbury to go solar during this summer.  May 29 is the Kick Off event and people have to sign up by August 29.  Because of the traffic in summer and the visible solar array, we hope we can put a sign out for any part of the summer the Meeting is comfortable with.  The month of June and July are best. Or any part of those.

  • From Greg:

    This week Bevan approached me about the idea of planting a tree on the Meeting property in memory of his daughter.  Since Sunday is mothers' day he would like to bring the boys to Meeting and show them the spot and essentially make it a done deal. It is something he has been discussing with the boys in general and they don't have another location that has a sense of permanence.  The timing from his point of view did not occur to me until he spoke with Ruth just now.
    
    1.  Landscape Committee heard some time ago my concern about the poor health of the triple trunk oak tree on the little peninsula in the parking lot and the thought that it should be taken down and replaced with a relatively low growing flowering tree such as a crab apple or dogwood.  The oak does shade the collectors during the low sun seasons.
    
    2.  I've checked out the tree and can take it down myself I'm quite sure.  The wood would have value that could offset the cost of stump grinding.
    
    3.  This idea got to Ministry and Counsel this week and they have endorsed the concept.
    
    4.  An alternative location (if anyone wants to advocate for it) would be to replace the apple tree that is not thriving over on the east side of the building in the play yard.  There really is no other appropriate location at present.
    
    I'm hoping there is no objection to this plan and expect to go out on a limb and tell Bevan this evening that the plan is a go. Please let me know if there are concerns about this plan.  Sorry for the short notice.

• Peace, Social, and Earthcare Concerns Committee (PSECC) 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
  • AFSC’s Sanctuary Everywhere [7]
  • FCNL’s #LoveThyNeighbor (No Exceptions) [8]
  • AFSC-NH’s, GSOP’s, and NH Council of Churches’ Immigrant Solidarity Network [9]
• 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
• 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?” - NEYM 1985 Faith and Practice, Queries 5.4 and 5.5 [10].
• 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?”  NEYM Minute of Exercise, 2015-09-15 [11]
  • NEYM is developing a data protection and information security policy.  Concord Monthly Meeting may wish to revisit its policy as stated at https://www.concordfriendsmeeting.org/ContactInformationForm [12], which is based on CMM Minute 2009-05-10#5.4 [13] and CMM Minute 2009-06-14#06.8 [14].  Draft versions of a possible data privacy policy [15] and data consent form [16] are available for perusal and consideration.
  • CMM State of Society, 2018 [17] draft.

Announcements & Events:

Apr 14 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship followed by potluck and Meeting for Business.   Greeting: Kathy U. ;  1^st Day School: JJ, Mark ; Closing: Jonah, Mark ; Boiler Cleaning: Dave (done by Mark).

Apr 16 (Tue)   9:00 – 10:30 a.m.  (3^rd Tuesday) Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Immigrant Justice [18] [Joshua 6:1-27 [19]] for those reporting to ICE [20] for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester.  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 [21].  [Also, see resources at the website [9] of the NH Council of Churches.]

Apr 17 (Wed)   7:00 – 8:00 p.m.  Mid-week worship (3^rd Wednesday) at the Meetinghouse.

Apr 18 (Thu)   6:30 – 7:30 p.m.  Study Group (3^rd Thursday) at Lucy Nichol’s house.

Apr 21 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship    Greeting: Jennifer ;  1^st Day School:  ; Closing: Pat, Faith ; Boiler Cleaning: Mark.

Apr 28 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship followed by potluck and Fourth Sunday Program.   Greeting: Greg? ;  1^st Day School: Greg, Faith ; Closing: Rob Y, Kathy U ; Boiler Cleaning: Rob Y.

May   2 (Thu)   6:30 – 7:30 p.m.  Study Group (1^st Thursday) at the Meetinghouse

May   4 (Sat)   7:00 – 9:00 p.m.  Song Circle: “Sing Your Heart Out” at the Meetinghouse.

May   5 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship followed by Meetinghouse Clean Up.   Greeting: Mark ;  1^st Day School: Greg, Faith ; Closing: JJ, Sara ; Boiler Cleaning (if needed): JJ.

May   7 (Tue)   9:00 – 10:30 a.m.  (1^st Tuesday) Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Immigrant Justice [18] [Joshua 6:1-27 [19]] for those reporting to ICE [20] for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester.  This will be followed by the Sanctuary Support Network [22] meeting at Blessed Sacrament Church, 14 Elm Street, 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 [21].  [Also, see resources at the website [9] of the NH Council of Churches.]

May   8 (Wed)   7:00 – 8:00 p.m.  Mid-week worship (2^nd Wednesday) at the Meetinghouse.

May 10 (Fri)   7:00 – 9:00 p.m.  AFSC Singalong Concert [23] at Unitarian Universalist Church [24], 274 Pleasant Street,Concord, NH. For more information see https://www.riseupandsing.org/events/petes-100th-concord-nh [25]. or https://www.afsc.org/event/pete-seeger-100th-birthday-singalong-concert [26].

May 11 (Sat)  1:00 p.m.  Immigration Forum at the Meetinghouse. Kent St. Coalition is sponsoring a forum to hear a Central American family’s story of their long journey and a NH community’s experience with welcoming this family.

May 12 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship followed by potluck and Meeting for Business.   Greeting: Kathy M ;  1^st Day School: Greg, Faith ; Closing: Pat, Heidi ; Boiler Cleaning (if needed): Greg.

May 12–26   Ramadan Iftar.  You are invited to be a guest at an ifter dinner hosted by Turkish-American Muslim Families in your community.  The Turkish Cultural Center welcomes people from all faiths and backgrounds interested in connecting with the Muslim community and learning about Ramadan and the culture of Turkey.  Share in the blessings, build bonds and explore different cultures this Ramadan.  What is Ramadan?  Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year in Islamic culture.  During Ramadan, Muslims fast, abstain from pleasures, and pray to become closer to God.  It is also a time for families to gather and celebrate.  The fast is intended to bring the faithful closer to God and to remind them of the suffering of those less fortunate.  It’s seen as a way to physically and spiritually purify, refraining from habits such ... RSVP by e-mail at info [at] tccnh [dot] org or call 603-621-0620.

May 18 (Sat)   9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.  Peace and the Primary, at First Congregational Church, 177 North Main Street, Concord, NH 03301.  Peace activists can impact the NH Primary.  Today, the U.S. wages war across the globe. Nuclear weapons threaten humanity.  The Pentagon guzzles trillions of dollars that should be spent on education, the climate crisis, healthcare, and other urgent needs.  This conference is about demanding answers on where the candidates stand.  Please come to update your knowledge on the issues and sharpen your skills for speaking to candidates at NH Primary events.  Register at https://bit.ly/2X0JRfC [27] or mail to AFSC-NH, 4 Park St., Suite 304, Concord NH 03301. Cost is $10 or what you can afford. (Make checks to AFSC-NH.)

• Program:
  
  • Keynote: Dr. Ira Helfand, International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War;
  • MC: Sandra Yarne, Seacoast Peace Response & NH Peace Action Board of Directors.
  ►AM Workshops:
  • The Pentagon Budget vs. the Moral Budget – Deborah Opramolla, NH Poor People’s Campaign Tri-Chair;
  • The Worsening Nuclear Crisis – Will Hopkins, Executive Director, NH Peace Action and Judy Elliott, NH Nuclear Weapons Working Group;
  ►PM Workshops:
  • Birddogging for Beginners – Isaac Grimm, Rights and Democracy;
  • Advanced Birddog Techniques – Olivia Zink, NH Open Democracy and Arnie Alpert, AFSC-NH.

Sponsors: NH Nuclear Weapons Working Group, NH Peace Action Education Fund, American Friends Service Committee-NH, Seacoast Peace Response, Unitarian-Universalist Action of NH, and Women Legislators’ Lobby/Women’s Action for New Directions (WiLL/WAND)

May 19 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.   Greeting: Jennifer ;  1^st Day School: Greg, Faith ; Closing: Dave, Penny ; Boiler Cleaning (if needed): Dave.

Mar 21 (Tue)   9:00 – 10:30 a.m.  (3^rd Tuesday) Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Immigrant Justice [18] [Joshua 6:1-27 [19]] for those reporting to ICE [20] for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester.  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 [21].  [Also, see resources at the website [9] of the NH Council of Churches.]

May 22 (Wed)   7:00 – 8:00 p.m.  Mid-week worship (3^rd Wednesday) at the Meetinghouse.

May 23 (Thu)   6:45 – 9:00 p.m.  Building a Culture of Peace Forum presents Fifty Years of Americ’s Right-Wing Movement (at UU Church, 274 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH), a discussion with Paul Levy, retired anti-poverty lawyer, community organizer, writer, teacher, and advocate and Janet Ward, ethics educator, founding director of The Scientist as Humanist, consultant to NH Humanities.  For fifty years, a widespread and sophisticated right-wing movement has been transforming America.  It has, for example, taken over the Republican Party, secured Citizens United, promoted climate change denial, and popularized school vouchers.  This presentation looks at the history, affluence, ideology, and major strategies of that movement.  This event is co-sponsored by Pace e Bene NE, NH Peace Action, American Friends Service Committee – NH Program.

May 26 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship followed by potluck and Fourth Sunday Program  Greeting: Jennifer ;  1^st Day School: Greg, Faith ; Closing: Dave, Penny ; Boiler Cleaning (if needed): Dave.

Jun   1 (Sat)   7:00 – 9:00 p.m.  Song Circle: “Sing Your Heart Out” at the Meetinghouse.

Jun   2 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship followed by Meetinghouse Clean Up.   Greeting: Mark ;  1^st Day School: Greg, Faith ; Closing: Rich, Kathy U.

Jun   2 (Sun)  ~12:30 p.m. Spring Party after Meeting at the home of Lynda Dyer and Thomas Hedberg in Canterbury Center.

Jun   9 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship followed by potluck and Meeting for Business.   Greeting: Kathy M ;  1^st Day School: Greg, Faith ; Closing: JJ, Sara.

Jun 16 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.   Greeting: Jennifer ;  1^st Day School: Greg, Faith ; Closing: Rob Y, Kathy M.

Jun 23 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship followed by potluck and Fourth Sunday Program.   Greeting: Greg? ;  1^st Day School: Greg, Faith ; Closing: Mark, Faith.

Jun 30 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.   Greeting: Ruth? ;  1^st Day School: Greg, Faith ; Closing: Dave, Penny.

Jun 30 (Sun)  12:30 p.m.  Dover Quarterly Meeting at North Sandwich Friends Meetinghouse [28]; program Dover Friends Meeting.

Jul   2 (Tue)   9:00 – 10:30 a.m.  (First Tuesday) Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Immigrant Justice [18] [Joshua 6:1-27 [19]] for those reporting to ICE [20] for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester.  This will be followed by the Sanctuary Support Network [22] meeting at Blessed Sacrament Church, 14 Elm Street, 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 [21].  [Also, see resources at the website [9] of the NH Council of Churches.]

Jul   7 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.   Greeting: Mark ;  1^st Day School: Greg, Faith ; Closing: Jonah, Kathy U.

Jul 14 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship followed by potluck and Meeting for Business.   Greeting: Kathy M ;  1^st Day School: Greg, Faith ; Closing: Greg, Ruth.

Jul 21 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.   Greeting: Jennifer ;  1^st Day School: Greg, Faith ; Closing: Rich, Jonah.

Jul 28 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship followed by potluck and Fourth Sunday Program.   Greeting: Greg? ;  1^st Day School: Greg, Faith ; Closing: Dave, Penny.

Aug   4 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.   Greeting: Mark ;  1^st Day School: Greg, Faith ; Closing: Heidi, Pat.

Aug 11 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship followed by potluck and Meeting for Business.   Greeting: Kathy M ;  1^st Day School: Greg, Faith ; Closing: Mark, Faith.

Aug 18 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.   Greeting: Jennifer ;  1^st Day School: Greg, Faith ; Closing: JJ, Sara.

Aug 21–24 (Wed–Sat)   Immigrant Solidarity Walk from Concord to Strafford County Jail in Dover.  Details to come.

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 [29].  Please download and print one out, fill it in, and pass it to Kathy Urie.  You can find it at Youth Worker Screening Form [29].  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!

Volunteers to be ready to support Manchester Unitarian Universalist Church as a Level 1 physical sanctuary in the New Hampshire Immigrant Solidarity Network.  Contact MarkBarker [at] ConcordFriendsMeeting [dot] org (subject: Volunteering%20for%20sanctuary%20support%20at%20U-U%20Church%20in%20Manchester) .  Here’s a list of the support roles needed.

• Day Citizen Companions
• Provide Food
• Provide Transportation
• Offer Entertainment (games or movies)
• Provide Emotional Support
• Provide Language Translation
• Provide Legal Support
• Provide Medical Support
• Raise Funds
• Provide a Gift Card
• Organize other Volunteers
• Laundry
• Other support you could offer

In August 2017, we published a statement in response to the tragedy in Charlottesville, Virginia [30].  Please also see “Such a Time as This: A Response to Hate and Violence [31]” as well as the “2017 Epistle of New England Yearly Meeting [32]”, Ruby Sales’ Plenary Message [33] on NEYM’s Youtube channel, and the audio recordings of the 2017 Annual Sessions Bible Half-Hours by Marty Grundy [34] focusing (exegeting [35]) on Romans 12:2 [36].  Draft booklet of Bible Half Hour texts [37].

^1. See https://www.pym.org/faith-and-practice/guidelines-and-procedures/general-queries/nurturing-our-community/ [38]

^2. See http://qfp.quaker.org.uk/chapter/1/ [39] № 42

^3. See http://qfp.quaker.org.uk/chapter/1/ [39] № 24