Westport Meeting Newsletter Feb 26, 2021

February 25, 2021
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Hello Friends, 

During monthly meeting for business last week, Friends decided to make previously approved business meeting minutes available for viewing on Google Docs. The folder containing business meeting minutes for the last few years can be viewed HERE and near the bottom of this newsletter.

We received a note from Isabelle Long, (Joe Bossom’s daughter) regarding her work with Renew Rhode Island. Please read her note, and how you can be supportive of their work in the body of this email.

This is the time of year when New England Yearly Meeting (NEYM) encourages monthly meetings to reflect on our spiritual condition as a Meeting. Westport Meeting’s Ministry and Counsel Committee is asking Westport Friends to reflect upon and write brief points on how you feel we are doing spiritually. As lead, please review the NEYM document calling for our collective state of society and their suggested areas of focus HERE.  Please send your responses to Randy Wirth or Kevin Lee, co-clerks of Ministry and Counsel Committee.

Thank you, Friends,

Kevin Lee

———-

Please use the Zoom link that was emailed to you to attend SUNDAY worship at 10 AM. 

Midweek Meeting for Worship, via Zoom, WEDNESDAYS, 3:30-4:00 PM!

Ministry and Counsel is pleased that a number of Westport Meeting Friends and visitors attended our first 30 minute worship via Zoom on Wednesday. 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. 

10:00 AM – Worship via Zoom and in the meetinghouse: (Zoom links were emailed to you!)

Worship within the meetinghouse and worship online via Zoom will take place each week at 10 AM. Video and audio will be in use within the meetinghouse using Zoom, so that Friends worshipping online and in the meetinghouse can remain connected throughout worship. Randy Wirth will provide oversight of setup and care of worship in the meetinghouse this week. 

Continue worshipping online: (Zoom links were emailed to you!)

Please plan to connect by 9:50 AM in order to settle into worship by 10 AM. If you have questions or experience difficulty connecting to Zoom please contact Gretchen Baker-Smith via email or cell phone at 508-287-6441.

​ Meeting Calendar: (All meetings via Zoom)

  • Bi-weekly NEYM’s “Meeting Leaders Call,” Tuesday, March 2, 7 PM (Kevin has link)
  • Midweek Worship, 3:30-4:00 PM, March 3 (Continues weekly) 
  • History of surrounding Quaker Meetings Webinar, Feb 27, 2 PM. (See below)
  • Peace and Social Justice Committee, March 1, 6-7: PM.
  • Seekers Group meeting, Monday, March 1, 7 PM (Gretchen sends link)
  • NEYM/Everence: Financial insights and tips for parents. March 3. Details below.
  • Quaker Family Nights, March 12, 6:30 PM Info HERE
  • Seekers Group Meeting, Monday, March 15, 7 PM 
  • Bi-weekly NEYM’s “Meeting Leaders Call,” Tuesday, March 16, 7 PM (Kevin has link)
  • Monthly Meeting for Business, March 21 at 8 AM
  • Bi-weekly NEYM’s “Meeting Leaders Call,” Tuesday, March 30, 7 PM (Kevin has link)

Regional Quaker History:

Description

Early records of the Dartmouth Monthly Meeting are currently being transcribed and digitized by the Dartmouth Historical and Arts Society. These records provide an unparalleled source of information on the life, values, culture and movement of the community of Friends throughout this region, covering 250 years. Genealogist and local historian, Richard Gifford, will introduce this resource and its Westport connections. Acoaxet/Westport Monthly Meeting started as a “preparative” (subsidiary) meeting to Apponegansett, as did the “Center”/Noquochoke meeting, which was located just north of Westport High School. Moreover, even after Westport was established as a separate meeting, the area east of the East Branch (Pine Hill Road, Horseneck Road) continued to be in the territory covered by the Dartmouth Monthly Meeting. Pre Registration required. Click HERE

NEYM/Everence Webinar Series:

From Sara Hubner, NEYM Office Manager: “We thought this upcoming webinar series, “Balancing financial decisions and kids,” from Everence Financial Services (which partners with Yearly Meeting) might be of interest to Friends in local meetings. Beginning Wednesday, March 3, Everence will host four webinars to support parents in their financial stewardship journey. Everence is a faith-based financial services organization which partners with New England Yearly Meeting and which helps people integrate their values with their decisions about money. The 45- to 60-minute webinars will be offered at 2 and 8 p.m. on the following days:

  • March 3: Financial insights and tips for parents
  • March 10: Navigating education savings for your kids
  • March 17: Planning, providing and protecting with life insurance
  • March 24: Investing and retirement planning for your family”

For additional information, click on More details.

Resources for spiritual growth and education offered by our Yearly Meeting: *

Friends, though we are living in challenging times these days, many individual Friends, monthly meetings, 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.

* Source: NEYM February 2021 Newsletter. “Necessity of Joy” . 

The February 2021 NEYM Newsletter opens with a reflection, “The Necessity of Joy,” written by Westport Meeting’s Gretchen Baker-Smith. Friends can read Gretchen’s reflection on our site HERE.

The February JYM/JHYM Newsletter, edited by Gretchen Baker-Smith is loaded with goodies and activities for young people, and inspiring reflections to read for adults. Take a few moments Friends to enjoy this newsletter, you’ll feel better for doing so! Click HERE! 

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.

Note from Isabelle Long:

A note from Isabelle Long, (Joe Bossom’s daughter) regarding her work with Renew Rhode Island. Isabelle asked me to share this among Westport Friends:
“…. I’ve been volunteering with Renew RI which is part of the larger Renew New England Movement. Renew Rhode Island is a coalition of 21 grassroots organizations – including frontline and Indigenous communities, organized labor, environmental justice advocates, youth groups, and racial justice organizations working together. As a coalition we’ve been working to pass the Rescue Rhode Island Act is a policy that will put thousands of Rhode Islanders to work building affordable, energy-efficient homes, running local farms and community gardens, installing rooftop solar panels for low-income households, cleaning up pollution, and slashing the carbon emissions that are causing the climate crisis. 
 
While I know Friends Meeting is in Massachusetts, I was hoping that you may have some attendees from RI, like my dad, or just have members who are passionate about environmental legislation and climate justice who’d like to get involved. Below I have attached a little excerpt about Renew RI as well as Renew RI’s logo. 
Renew Rhode Island is a coalition of 21 grassroots organizations – including frontline and Indigenous communities, organized labor, environmental justice advocates, youth groups, and racial justice organizations working together to pass the Rescue Rhode Island Act. 
 
The Rescue Rhode Island Act is a policy that will put thousands of Rhode Islanders to work building affordable, energy-efficient homes, running local farms and community gardens, installing rooftop solar panels for low-income households, cleaning up pollution, and slashing the carbon emissions that are causing the climate crisis. 
 
To learn more about Renew RI and the Rescue Rhode Island Act and how to get involved please visit renewri.org
Thank you so much for including this in your newsletter, it really means a lot to me.
 
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Email
– Isabelle Long”
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