Westport Meeting Newsletter, August 11, 2023

Westport Meeting News: 

Peace and Social Justice Committee: During one of our hospitality gatherings after worship in June several Friends expressed an interest in helping Hasila to begin cooking to supplement her family’s income. Attached please find information about our first outreach in support of this idea. Please speak with, or contact Pamela D. and Barbara S. for more information. 
 
Hasila Sedaqat will be making three traditional Afghan dishes that will be delivered to Westport Meeting on August 27 during hospitality. 

Several of our meeting members and attenders expressed a desire to have Hasila make and deliver some of her traditional Afghan food. Please see images of meals at the bottom of this email.

The dinner will consist of these three dishes packaged in a to-go container for a suggested donation of $30 per dinner.

Orders need to be taken by August 21 in order for Hasila to purchase the traditional ingredients at a market in Providence. 

Please contact Barbara Sullivan barbarasullivan900@msn.com (774-454-1498) or Pamela Drouin pardrouin@gmail.com (508-979-6838) with the number of dinners that you would like to order by Monday,  August 21. 

Thank you, Friends,

Pamela D. and Barbara S.

Kufta-Afghan Meatballs

Kabuli-Afghan Rice

 

Salat-cucumber and tomato salad

 

Property Committee met on July 20, and among the items expressed was a decision to recommend to Monthly Meeting for Business that the Meeting consider installing security cameras on the exterior of our buildings, due to recent vandalism and property damage over the last several years. A detailed report chronicling the types of damage to Meeting property may be read HERE.

 
NOTICE: Please be aware that our meetinghouse will be rented for a private wedding, with access to the bathrooms, on Saturday, August 12, likely between the hours of 11am for setup, until 3pm for the wedding service and wrap-up. Friends are advised to avoid being on the property during these times. Thank you!
 

MEETING CALENDAR:

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

  • Worship each Sunday in meetinghouse and via Zoom at 10am (hybrid) 
  • Peace and Social Justice Committee, Sunday,8:30-9:45 AM. Hybrid
  • Midweek Meeting for Worship, Wed, Aug 16, 3:30-4pm. Via Zoom
  • Midweek Meeting for Worship, Wed, Aug. 23, 3:30-4pm. Via Zoom
  • Seekers Group, Monday, Aug 28, 7-8:30 PM. HYBRID
  • Midweek Meeting for Worship, Wed, Aug. 30, 3:30-4pm. Via Zoom. 
  • NEYM Meeting Leaders Call, Sept 12, 7-8 PM via Zoom. Details below
  • Monthly Meeting for Business, Sunday, Sept 17, at 8am Via Zoom

 

MIDWEEK WORSHIP, via Zoom, WEDNESDAYS, 3:30-4:00pm. (Kevin sends link day of)

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Yearly Meeting/Wider Quaker News:

 NEYM’s July/Aug 2023 Newsletter introduction, “Listening In Love,” comes from Honor Woodrow from Putney, VT, Friends Meeting, may be read HERE.

Introduction
Monthly drop-in for end-of-life interest
Talking circles among BIPOC Friends
Workshop: financially supporting ministry
Aging resources news
Update on Quaker Indigenous Boarding Schools research
Service opportunity
A last word

Recurring virtual events

 

NEYM Annual Sessions, August 4-9, 2023, at Castleton U., Castleton, Vermont

Additional details Here.

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FWCC in conducting a “soft launch” of their “Find Friends” World Map. Nearly all of the info that they have for our Meeting at this time is incorrect, and I have used their provided Google Form to summit updated contact info for Westport Meeting. You can visit the site, but be aware that it may take some time for them to correct our contact info that they corrently have listed. Visit Find Friends here.

 

Sept 12, at 7 PM: An online check-in for Friends serving in leadership roles in their local meetings. (Ask Kevin or Gretchen for link).
 

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Sandwich Quarterly Meeting (SQM) News:

Smith Neck

Saturday, August 12: New England Clambake with Chowder 1:30 (take out available for pick-up 2:30 -3:00)

Tickets available: Anne Lopoulos 508-971-8008 or Kaylee Howland 508-922-2758 or online at http://Smithneckclambake2023.eventbrite.com. $65 adults, $32  children under 12. A tradition going on for the past 6 decades!

New Bedford

Sunday, August 13

Work party after worship followed by lunch (every second Sunday) 

West Falmouth

Second Sunday Forums

(August: no program due to Sessions.)

September 10:  Quaker Indian Boarding Schools a Facing History, Facing Ourselves program with leaders ZOOMing from 3 states: Paula Palmer (C)), Andrew Grant (VT) and Gail Melix (MA).

Quarter calendar for the rest of the year

Business and M&C meetings start at 10:00.  Possibly in-person, hybrid, or virtual.

October 28 in Allen’s Neck (…and Allen’s Neck was slated for July)

Quarterly Ministry and Counsel:

Sept. 23 in Mattapoisett 

Donation opportunity from our last Quarterly Meeting for Business Presentation:

Donations to Bialystok Friends, a meeting on the Polish border with Ukraine, go completely to buying food, clothing, and necessities for 50-60 families (80 – 100 kids). Ukrainian refugees continue to cross the border into Bialystok and Polish resources are strained. There’s no overhead; the clerk of the meeting (named Zbigniew Kazmierczak) buys the supplies and delivers them to the doors of these families. He reports that he cannot supply all the help that is needed (recently, a mother with a child with cerebral palsy sought $500 in medical equipment to enable her son to walk), spending his monthly budget in 3-4 days buying the food, diapers, medical supplies, and clothing for the families who need it most. Yarmouth Friends have been their biggest supporters (with some occasional contributions from English Quakers) but Yarmouth is a small meeting and its resources too are becoming strained. (They have been sending about $1250/month for over a year.) Please consider these Polish Friends in your donation distribution discussion. Email Jan from Yarmouth with any questions: Frazierjan@aol.com. She is available to come to your meeting or your Peace and Social Justice Committee to talk about the fund and show slides of the families and of the help they are receiving from the Bialystok Meeting.

Quaker Programs, Study, Retreats, and Spiritual Nurture:

Woolman Hill Retreat Center

Beacon Hill Friends House

Powell House

Pendle Hill

QuakerSpeak (Our Quaker faith as shared by those who experience it firsthand, every day, via weekly video interviews)

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Local Happenings of Interest to Friends:

If you have something that could go in this space, let let me know! – editor.

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Closing:

When you pray,
Move your feet.

–  African Proverb

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Thank you, Friends,
Kevin