Westport Meeting Newsletter Sept 24, 2021

September 24, 2021
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Westport Meeting News: 

Highlights from Monthly Meeting for Business held Sept 19,  2021. Note that highlights are adapted from draft copy, to be considered for approval at our next business meeting on Oct 17:

  • PEACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE: Susan Czernicka reported a concern about the BLM banners that have been repeatedly stolen.  We want to reach out to other faith communities to gather stories about what may be happening in other faith communities with regards to racism and prejudice.  We are hoping to contact the media to tell our story as well as the stories of other faith communities in their dealings with racism, prejudice, and hatred. A list has been made of other churches in Westport.  Conversations were had with a resident that gay people are being targeted in Westport and that there is talk of actions from our faith communities pulling together. (Adapted from draft copy)
  • Our Meeting’s Child Care Group will spearhead the Meeting’s efforts toward the nurturing of relationships with our families with an emphasis on young people on planning something for three months while the weather is still mild. Buddy Baker-Smith will coordinate this effort. (Adapted from draft copy)
  • Nominating Committee: Betty Ann for Nominating mentioned that we used to have 3 years in a role. However, with the number of active Friends and how efficiently committees are working, it appears that Friends are mostly where their interests and skills lead them. Nominating Volunteers from their committees should contact their members individually when ascertaining their wishes to serve. The clerk of MMforB is also overseeing Nominating. Therefore, it is important for Nominating volunteers to get feedback as to her continued service or replacement for 2022. She feels her skills serve the meeting, but it is for Friends to decide.Committee is currently consisting of one representative from each committee. Property-Mary Monteiro, Hospitality-Gorman Reilly, M&C-Randy Wirth, PS&J-Barbara Sullivan, Finance and the Book Fair Committee are yet to name their volunteers. (Adapted from draft copy)

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Mark your calendar! A Welcoming into membership celebration for John Wojtowics, will be held following worship, Sunday, Oct 31 at 11:30 AM. John became a member two years ago, but a celebration was postponed due to the pandemic.        

Regarding Black Lives Matter Banner: The 5th BLM banner was set out on display at the front of Meeting property on Thursday, Sept 16 at 11 AM. By early the next morning our latest banner, like those before it, was stolen also.
 
Afghan Refugee Crisis: With an eye on the refugee crisis arising from Afghans being evacuated via the US Military’s airlift from Afghanistan, and in preparation for this newsletter, Kevin reached out to Pamela Terrien, clerk of our Meeting’s Peace and Social Justice Committee, wondering if any Friends within New England Yearly Meeting were involved with resettling Afghan’s within their respective communities around New England. Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker also committed to “Helping as many Afghan refugees resettle in our Commonwealth as possible once they go through the Federal immigration process.”  Below is Pamela’s thoughtful response to Kevin’s inquiry:
    
“I’ve inquired with NEYM and they don’t have any balls rolling yet on the refugee crisis, but I was able to get in touch with Richard Lindo [A member of Framingham Friends Meeting] who shared the following organizations who are doing good things.  I’ll send links below to be added to the newsletter for any WMM Friend who is interested.  I’ve been to each site and got a sense that the greatest need right now is housing, both temporary and permanent.  One site he recommended  (Catholic Charities) seemed to have no specific info other than a “donate here” button so I am leaving that one off.  The most local I believe would be the Dorcas International Institute of RI which has offices in Providence and Cranston.  They were actively looking for volunteers as well as donations if anyone asks.  Of final note, JFS of Metrowest is matching donations  of up to 15,000.”
 

Scheduled Meeting cemetery work: A non-profit group of Westport historians, dedicated to the preservation and care of Westport’s oldest cemeteries, headed by Todd Baptista and Betty Slade, will be working in our Meeting’s cemetery the morning of Oct 2. The group is dedicated to using biodegradable materials to repair and clean old headstones.Oct 2 will be the first day, followed by other days to follow. The biodegradable cleaning material used to clean headstones, which consumes the mold and mildew currently on many of our headstones, will turn a bright orange in in the days following application. The group will return the following week to finish the cleaning process and to continue making repairs as needed.  
 
Midweek worship will continue to be offered each week on Wednesdays at 3:30 PM. Please note that the link for midweek worship is not the same as our regular worship on Sunday. A link for joining Midweek worship (which is the same link each week) will be emailed each week on Wednesday mornings. To insure security, we never post Zoom links on websites or portals visible to the general public. Questions? Contact Kevin Lee.
 
Help with Zoom Connections: Instructions for connecting to worship each Sunday, and Monthly Meeting for Business each month, is HERE.

MEETING CALENDAR: (All meetings held via Zoom, in person, or hybrid (meaning in-person and via Zoom), as noted)

  • Worship each Sunday in meetinghouse and via Zoom at 10  AM (hybrid)
  • Midweek worship, Wed, Set 29, 3:30-4 PM. (link sent day of) (Zoom only)
  • Seekers Group, Monday, Sept 27, at 7 PM, on site in Community House and via Zoom (Gretchen sends link. Hybrid)
  • Meeting cemetery work; headstone repairs, cleaning, Oct 2, 8 AM – 12 PM
  • Ministry and Counsel Committee, Mon, Oct 4, 7 PM (Zoom only)
  • NEYM Meeting Leaders Call, Tuesday, Oct 12 at 7 PM. (ask Kevin for link, if needed. Zoom only)
  • Peace and Social Justice Committee, Mon, Oct 18, at 7:30 PM (hybrid)
  • Monthly Meeting for Business, Sunday, Oct 17, at 8 AM (Zoom only)
  • Welcoming into membership celebration for John Wojtowics, following worship, Sunday, Oct 31 at 11:30 AM. (In person!)
  • Peace and Social Justice Committee, Mon, Oct 18, at 7:30 PM (Hybrid) (Hybrid)
  • SAVE THE DATE: Second Gathering on Spiritual Life and Ministry for Friends in New England, Nov 13, 2021. (info below. Zoom only)

MIDWEEK WORSHIP, via Zoom, WEDNESDAYS, 3:30-4:00 PM!

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Yearly Meeting/Wider Quaker News:

New England Yearly Meeting Newsletter, Sept, 2021 may be read HERE:

Introduction by Holly Baldwin 
Save the date: next gathering on Ministry and Spiritual Life
Midweek Meditations fall series
Support for addressing racial justice among Quakers
Clerking workshop: October 23rd
Young Friends leadership & welcoming workshop series
Lectio divina: a friendly exploration of Quaker writings
International prayer gathering
For Friends ages 35 to 59-ish
2021 Weed Memorial Lecturer: Sarah Gant
News from Annual Sessions
Word from Cuba
Yearly Meeting calls to end the Cuba embargo
Book launch: These Walls Between Us
The stirrings of transformation: a letter
Obadiah Brown trustees announce Special Focus Grants
World Quaker Day
Quakers in the news

Gretchen’s JYM-JHYM latest bi-weekly newsletter, issue of Sept 20, 2021, contains reflections, programming and retreat info for young people, parents and Friends. Read her newsletter  HERE. 

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Quaker organizations, and our Yearly Meeting as a whole, are offering an amazing array of opportunities to expand our knowledge and improve our practice as Friends in a variety of ways. Check out the following links and see what we are being offered! Also, take a few minutes and explore additional programs offered by NEYM by visiting the Events page HERE.

Monthly Check-In for Friends Serving Their Local Meetings

October 12, 7 PM: An online check-in for Friends serving in leadership roles in their local meetings.

Recurring virtual Quaker events:

Events coming soon: 

Connect, Learn, Explore, and Be in Service among Friends Regionally and Globally.

Check out an array of Quaker schools, camps, retreat centers, other yearly meetings and Quaker organizations listed on NEYM’s website.

Closing:

The world is too dangerous for anything but truth
and too small for anything but love.

            – William Sloane Coffin

Thank you, Friends,

Kevin Lee 

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