Westport Meeting Newsletter, Jan 20, 2023

Westport Meeting News: 

Discussion of the book, “My Grandmother’s Hands,”  this Sunday, Jan, 22, after the rise of worship at 11:30 AM. The program will take place in the large sitting room in the Potter House. All are welcome to attend, even if you haven’t read the book! (Copies of the book have been available for borrowing in the meetinghouse foyer.)

BLM Sign: Monthly meeting for business, on Dec 18, approved leaving the damaged sign as is for now, and affixing a large diagonal “strip” sign across both sides that read, “HATE HAS NO PLACE HERE.” The matter was reported to the police, and recently, the Shorelines newspaper did an article on the most recent damage. Friends can read a photographed copy of the article HERE.

NEEDED: MEN’S HATS AND WOMEN’S/MEN’S GLOVES AND MITTENS: The Pilgrim Church Home urgently needs men’s hats and women’s/men’s gloves and mittens to make available to patrons at their morning breakfast program. Please bring these items to the Westport Friends meetinghouse and leave in the meetinghouse foyer. Barbara Sullivan will deliver them to the Pilgrim Church Home in downtown New Bedford. Questions? Contact Barbara at 774-454-1498.

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Newsletter Editor: In 1994, Jean Kennison, due to advancing eye health challenges, asked me if I would consider taking over the Westport Meeting Newsletter . I said “yes,” figuring I would do it for a few years and then pass it on to another Meeting Friend. During that time, as the use of computers and digital formats increased exponentially, our Meeting Newsletter moved from printed monthly formats, painstakingly sent via US Mail, to monthly digital formats that arrived via email. Over time, we incorporated the Newsletter into our Meeting’s website, so that every issue was automatically archived and remained accessible by visiting westportfriendsmeeting.org. In recent years I have found it more efficient time-wise to update the Newsletter each week on a rolling basis, instead of monthly. Doing so has kept content fresher and gives us the ability to easily add content from committees and monthly meeting for business as requested.

After twenty nine years, I still enjoy putting the Newsletter together, but I know, too, that the time is nearing for me to pass this service to the Meeting on to another Westport Meeting Friend. If you, or if you know of another Westport Meeting Friend who might be interested, I am happy to answer questions and explain what’s involved. Choosing the next Meeting Newsletter editor is decided by monthly meeting for business.  Ideally, I would like to help the next Newsletter editor transition into the role as needed. That said, I plan to continue until business Meeting names the next editor to continue after me.  – Kevin Lee

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Approved previous minutes of Monthly Meeting for Business may be read HERE.

 

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)
  • Midweek Meeting for Worship, Wed, Jan 25, 3:30-4pm. Via Zoom
  • Sandwich Quarterly Meeting, Jan 28, via ZOOM. Details below
  • Seekers Group, Jan 30, at 7pm. (Hybrid) Potter House and Zoom
  • Midweek Meeting for Worship, Wed, Feb 1, 3:30-4pm. Via Zoom
  • Midweek Meeting for Worship, Wed, Feb 8, 3:30-4pm. Via Zoom
  • Peace and Social Justice Committee, Mon, Feb 13, 7pm via ZOOM
  • NEYM monthly check-in for Friends serving their local meetings, Tues, Feb 14, 7pm (See below)
  • Midweek Meeting for Worship, Wed, Feb 15, 3:30-4pm. Via Zoom
  • Ministry and Counsel Committee, Thurs, Feb 16, 7pm (Zoom only)
  • Monthly Meeting for Business, Sunday, Feb 19, at 8am (Zoom only)
  • NEYM, and at Westport Meeting “Bread Day,” March 4. Details below and HERE

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

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Yearly Meeting/Wider Quaker News:

 NEYM January 2023 Newsletter, “Sharing Stories,” by Ruah Swennerfelt (Middlebury Friends Meeting), 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 

Fortunately for us, Gretchen will be leading Bread Day March 4 in our Community House again this year. Questions? Speak directly with Gretchen or email her at hellogretchen@gmail.com. 

 

Monthly Check-In for Friends Serving Their Local Meetings

Feb 14, 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 News:

  • Sat, Jan 28, 2023, SQM Business,- hosted by Martha’s Vineyard Friends. Zoom only.

SAVE THE DATE for Quarterly Meeting on January 28; the Meeting link will open up before 10:00 AM; we will settle into worship at 10:00 and proceed to the business meeting at around 10:30.  This meeting is being hosted by Martha’s Vineyard: the Zoom link along with advanced documents will be sent out on the Thursday, January 26 or Friday, January 27.

Looking forward to seeing everyone!

With Love and Gratitude,

Lee,
Lee M. Hamilton, Clerk of Sandwich Quarterly Meeting

  • Sat, March 25, SQM Ministry and Counsel, at E. Sandwich Meeting.
  • Quarterly Ministry and Counsel:
    March 25 in East Sandwich
    Sept. 23 in Mattapoiset
  • Sat, Sept. 23 SQM Ministry and Counsel, at Mattapoisett

 

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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Closing:

We make a pause 
amid many voices—
Some innocent and some seductive,
Some violent and some coercive,
Some forgiven and some genuine,
And some not.

Amid this cacophony that pulls us 
In many directions,
We have these old voices of your prophets;   
These voices attest to
your fierce self,
your severe summons,
Your generous promise,
Your abiding presence.

Give us good ears,
Perchance you have a word for us tonight;
Give us grace and courage to listen,
to answer,
to care,
and to rejoice,
That we may be more fully your people. 

From Hearing Better Voices, “Prayers for a Privileged People”
by Walter Brueggemann

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Thank you, Friends,
Kevin