Westport Meeting Newsletter Sept 17, 2021

September 17, 2021
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Westport Meeting News: 

Please Note: Monthly Meeting for Business will be held via Zoom this Sunday, Sept 19 at 8 AM. This will be an important business meeting as standing committees are expected to share reports, and to hear how NEYM Annual Sessions went last month from Meeting Friends who attended. Peace and Social Justice Committee will also presenting their recommendations on “next steps” in response to the theft of our four Black Lives Matter Banners.

Reflection: For the past 18 months due to Covid, our Community House didn’t feel much like a place where community was happening. It was eerily quiet, too still, too unused and ridiculously clean month after month. Our stack of chairs, behind the few that our Meeting members used for fellowship after worship had gathered dust, as one enterprising spider spun its web between two rows of unused chairs.

Yesterday was different. The sounds of robust music and tiny singing voices wafting through open doors and windows, coaxed me back inside to have a peek and listen. There, a dozen socially distanced moms sitting on mats, legs outstretched, a preschooler on every lap, bouncing, clapping, laughing and singing merrily along with pint-sized eyes transfixed  to music teacher Rhonda. At last, our Community House was back in use for what the Macomber Family had envisioned, and what we strive to honor, almost 90 years ago. The joy was all mine to behold, I only wished that other Westport Meeting Friends had had the chance to soak the moment up with me.        

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.”
 
 

FELLOWSHIP AND REFRESHMENTS FOLLOWING WORSHIP CONTINUES! Gorman Reilly, clerk of Hospitality Committee, continues to head up efforts of the Hospitality Committee to bring light goodies, coffee, tea, and related refreshments for Friends to enjoy during fellowship after worship each Sunday. However, providing hospitality also falls to a small circle of Friends and more help is needed. Can you help? If so, email Gorman HERE, or call him at 917-495-9107.

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 via Zoom Unless Noted) 

  • Monthly Meeting for Business, this Sunday, Sept 19 at 8 AM
  • Worship each Sunday in meetinghouse and via Zoom at 10  AM
  • Midweek worship, Wed, Set 22, 3:30-4 PM. (link sent day of)
  • Seekers Group, Monday, Sept 27, at 7 PM, on site in Community House and via Zoom (Gretchen sends link)
  • Ministry and Counsel Committee, Mon, Oct 4, 7 PM
  • Peace and Social Justice Committee, Mon, Oct 18, at 7:30 PM
  • SAVE THE DATE: Second Gathering on Spiritual Life and Ministry for Friends in New England, Nov 13, 2021. (info below)

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 3, 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

September 14: 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:

Lord, make us masters of
ourselves that we may be
the servants of others.
Take our minds and think
through them, our mouths
and speak through them,
and take our hearts, and
set them on fire.

– Theodore P. Ferris

Kevin Lee 

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