Westport Meeting Newsletter, Dec 9, 2022

December 10, 2022
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Westport Meeting News: 

ADVENT POTLUCK CELEBRATION
THIS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11
 
As our world opens back up and WMM has safely returned to in-person worship and hospitality, we have heard from many families that are longing to reconnect as a faith community around the holidays. Our Advent Potluck is a perfect way to celebrate this homecoming!
 
At the rise of Meeting for Worship, our Meeting community will be celebrating the arrival of Christmas with our traditional Advent Potluck. At this wonderful occasion, we celebrate
the Advent season with good food, fellowship and singing.  Weather permitting, we’ll have a fire outside to gather around.
 
There will be baked ham and beverages provided. Friends are asked to bring other dishes and/or desserts for sharing. After lunch, there will be singing and general frivolity.
 
Help is needed setting up (8:30 AM), meal prepping at rise of meeting (11:30), and for cleanup at the end.
 
As always, we wish to remain respectful and supportive in accommodating all personal choices regarding in-person gatherings.  In light of this and to welcome all, we will have masks available for those who wish to wear one and an outdoor area with a firepit set up.  Friends are welcome to eat outside.
 
If there are any accommodations that would help you feel more comfortable, please do not hesitate to contact Kevin Lee or Randy Wirth. 
 
Property Committee: Please be aware that the Community House Hall (only) will be closed for use from Dec 26-31, due to annual floor refinishing. Our wood floor contractor comes in that week to lightly sand, buff, vac, and resurface the wood flooring finish, that allows it to be serviceable for the year ahead. It is important and no one walks on the floor, even if it “looks dry” during the time that the fellowship hall is closed. The kitchen, bathrooms, and entire Potter House will remain open for our use during that time. Thank you, Friends!
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Ministry and Counsel Committee at its meeting on Nov 21 after a period of discussion, Friends were clear to recommend to the next Monthly Meeting for Business on Dec 18, that our Meeting’s traditional Christmas Eve Service was ready to also return to sharing vocal hymns, Christmas carols, and spoken readings in our meetinghouse, beginning at 7pm on Christmas Eve, December 24, followed by offerings of finger food sweets and homemade Christmas punch! Friends who feel more comfortable wearing a mask are encouraged to do so.

Christmas Day: Like other years when Christmas day falls on a Sunday, M&C will also recommend to business meeting that the meetinghouse will remain open for regular worship at 10am on Sunday, but no hospitality will follow worship. Zoom worship will be continue to be offered like every Sunday, but it will not be connected to the anticipated number of limited Friends present in the meetinghouse. (This is because we will not have anyone present that day able to run the Zoom electronics necessary in the meetinghouse. We apologize.) 

Reminder: Monthly Meeting for Business will be held, via Zoom only, Sunday, Dec 18, at 8 AM. The Zoom link will arrive in the Meeting’s weekly email before that time.

Approved previous minutes of Monthly Meeting for Business may be read 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 10am (hybrid)
  • Advent Sunday Potluck, and singing! Dec 11 at 11:15 AM
  • NEYM Youth Staff Training, Mon, Dec 12 at 7pm, via Zoom
  • NEYM monthly check-in for Friends serving their local meetings, Tues, Dec 13, 7pm (See below)
  • Midweek Meeting for Worship, Wed, Dec 14, 3:30-4pm. Via Zoom
  • Ministry and Counsel Committee, Wed, Dec 14, at 7pm via Zoom (only)
  • Monthly Meeting for Business, Sunday, Dec 18 at 8am (Zoom only)
  • Midweek Meeting for Worship, Wed, Dec 21, 3:30-4pm. Via Zoom
  • Christmas Eve Service, Dec 24, in Meetinghouse 7pm. Fellowship to follow. (Hybrid)
  • Christmas Day: Sunday, Dec 25, meetinghouse open for worship and Zoom. See above
  • Midweek Meeting for Worship, Wed, Dec 28, 3:30-4pm. Via Zoom
  • NOTICE: Community House Hall closed Dec 26-31 for floor maintenance 
  • Seekers Group, Dec 26 at 7pm. (Hybrid) Potter House and Zoom
  • Peace and Social Justice Committee, Jan 8, 8:30 – 9:45 AM, Hybrid
  • Book discussion, hosted by Peace and Social Justice Comm., Sunday, Jan 22, 11:30 AM

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

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Yearly Meeting/Wider Quaker News:

 NEYM December 2022 Newsletter, “Bring Pie” by Sarah Gant, may be read HERE.

Support for Quaker Parents
The Life Cycle of a Meeting
Embracing Spiritual Gifts
Facing Our History
Faithfulness Groups Workshop
Faith & Practice Revision
New Book on Eldering
Friends Camp Video
Stewardship Resources
Got Photos?
A Last Word

 

Recurring virtual events

Other events coming soon 

 

Monthly Check-In for Friends Serving Their Local Meetings

Dec 13, at 7 PM: An online check-in for Friends serving in leadership roles in their local meetings.

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Sandwich Quarterly Meeting News:

  • Sat, Jan 28, 2023, SQM Business,- hosted by Martha’s Vineyard Friends. Zoom only. 
  • Sat, March 25, SQM Ministry and Counsel, at E. Sandwich Meeting.
  • Quarterly Ministry and Counsel:
    March 25 in East Sandwich
    Sept. 23 in Mattapoise
  • Sat, Sept. 23 SQM Ministry and Counsel, at Mattapoisett

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Quaker Programs, Study, Retreats, and Spiritual Nurture:

Woolman Hill Retreat Center

Beacon Hill Friends House

Powell House

Pendle Hill

The Seed: Conversations for Radical Hope (Quaker Weekly podcast by Pendle Hill)

QuakerSpeak (The Quaker religion told by those who experience it firsthand every day through weekly video interviews)

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Closing:

Breath in the quiet purpose of this place;
Through outward stillness, seek a calm within.
Here we can find forgiveness and forgive;
Here feel the healing miracle begin.

Breathe our busy world, the teeming mind,
the follies, fears and failures of the week;
Breathe out contention, pettiness and pride,
and wait in trust for that of God to speak.

Breathe in communion, friend with quiet friend,
each drawing closer in this timeless hour,
As all our different needs and gifts are drawn
to the one source of comfort, love and power.

Breath out at last, to God, the hearts full thanks
that we have seen this vision, known this grace;
Renewed through love, let us that love extend
through all our daily life beyond this place.

– Geoffrey Weeden

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Thank you, Friends,
Kevin

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