Westport Meeting Newsletter Sept 3, 2021

September 4, 2021
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Westport Meeting News: 

Some Tender News: Westport Meeting Friends have long been aware that Meeting member, Steve Correia, has been valiantly coping and struggling with brain tumors for several years, enduring  surgeries, treatments, and regular infusions at Dana Faber Cancer Institute in Boston. It has been a long and challenging journey for Steve, his family and friends, with gains and setbacks throughout. Recently, Steve, along with daughters Larissa and Aliza, have made the difficult decision, having exhausted every realistic treatment, have decided to cease  treatment and begin hospice care. Please hold Steve, Larissa, Aliza, Steve’s parents, and other family members in your thoughts and prayers in the days and weeks ahead. 

Steve welcomes being contacted by Friends via email, texting, US Mail, and phone calls. Steve’s contact info is below:
Steve Correia
26 Farmfield Street
Fairhaven, MA 02719
scorreia@comcast.net
774-644-2197 – cell 

A note from our Clerk of Meeting (on 8-11-21):

Our next Monthly Meeting for the Purpose of Business will be Sunday, September 19, at 8 am, via Zoom. 
 
Reports from Friends attending NEYM Sessions and WMM Committees, along with items needing our attention, will be on the agenda. All Committees should have the opportunity to meet before our MMFB. It will be good to have updates as we journey into a new season. – Betty Ann Lee, clerk of Meeting
 
Black Lives Matter Banner:  Friends are aware that the Meeting’s second Black Lives Matter banner was stolen earlier in August. The banners are purchased directly from the Black Lives Matter organization, so in a sense each time that the banner is stolen and replaced it also supports BLM and their ongoing work. Several Westport Meeting Friends have already offered to donate funds to purchase future flags as needed. Peace and Social Justice Committee plans to continue displaying, and replacing the Black Lives Matter banner if needed at least for the time being. Please contact Pamela Terien, P&SJ committee clerk for more information and to support this effort. The third BLM banner was set out for display on Friday, Sept 3. Fingers are crossed! 
 

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) 

  • Worship each Sunday in meetinghouse and via Zoom at 10  AM
  • Midweek worship, Wed, Set 8, 3:30-4 PM. (link sent day of)
  • Ministry and Counsel Committee, Wed, Sept 8, 7 PM
  • Peace and Social Justice Committee, Sunday, Sept 12, 8:15 – 9:45 AM
  • Seekers Group, Monday, Sept 13, at 7 PM. (Gretchen sends link)
  • Monthly Meeting for Business, Sept 19 at 8 AM
  • 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:

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. 

Exploring Spiritual Practices
Save the Date: Next Gathering on Ministry and Spiritual Life
Proposed chapter for Faith & Practice
Poem: “Trauma Tree”
New QuakerSpeak video
Right Relationship resource group news
Friends coalition for racial justice
Quaker parenting resource
What’s new in the Archives
Roadmap for action on Climate Change
Quakers in the news

NEYM Events Calendar 

Exploring Spiritual Practices, Sept 7 – Nov 16, 2021:

A helpful note from NiaDwynwen  Thomas, NEYM’s Faith and Practice Leadership Coordinator, detailing this upcoming course:

“This fall New England Quakers, in partnership with the Beacon Hill Friends House, are offering a ten-week online course called Exploring Spiritual Practices: Meditation, Prayer, and Presence.  The lead teacher and course designer is Marcelle Martin, a deeply experienced Quaker teacher and author and founder of the Nurturing Faithfulness program.  The course runs from September-November on Tuesday evenings.

​This course would be a great fit for people in your meeting who are newer to Quakerism and are seeking to “dive deeper” into their understanding and spiritual practice. This course would also be a great fit  for more seasoned Friends who are looking for an opportunity to renew and grow in their practice with others. From registrations so far, we have seen a lovely mix of experience.

​The course is designed to be flexible–something you can really dig into if you have more time this fall or something you can just spend 3 or so hours a week on if you are juggling other commitments.  This course is also something that individuals can participate in on their own (connecting with other participants via an online classroom tool), or that partners or self organized small groups in local meetings could participate in together, reflecting on the sessions and practices with each other at a time they choose during the week.”

​Interested Friends can learn more by watching this short video or by reading the detailed description on the registration page here. 

______

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

Sandwich Quarterly Meeting

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:

Song of an Iona Pilgrimage

Listen!
God sings
sausage-sizzle of surf-sifted sand
ah of the sea’s vast sighs
wild goose wings-strokes.

Here!
our sandcastle
society suffers and grows each ferry
love enmeshes and embraces
this many-layered parcel. 

See!
the Trinity
in scented sisterhood: yeast creating
aluminum conveying, cumin uplifting
scrubbing and swearing side-by-side.

Feel!
Laces of faith
firm on my booted feet
I step open-eyed into swamps
theological, metaphorical, literal, littoral. 

Rhiannon Grant, 24
Nottingham and Derby Area Meeting, Britain Yearly Meeting, UK.
Editor’s note: “Iona is and ecumenical Christian community focused on peace and social justice, the rebuilding of community and the renewal of worship.” Visit their site HERE
Source: Spirit Rising – “Young Quaker Voices,” published by Friends General Conference, 2010. p. 19. 

Thank you, Friends,
Kevin Lee 

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