2020-03-14 Announcements for

ZOOM Link and Instructions

Please contact Info [at] ConcordFriendsMeeting [dot] org for the ZOOM link to participate in Meeting for Worship.  The meeting will open at 10:00 a.m.  Please join in soon after 10:00 a.m. so that you can check out that all is working well before the start of worship.  Keep the message handy in your inbox and click on the link at 10:00 a.m. or any time thereafter.  This particular link will remain the same for all ZOOMed Meetings for Worship held on Sunday mornings in the future.

Pointers:

• Reach out to Ruth or Greg Heath for help getting online with ZOOM.  Please do not wait until Saturday night or Sunday Morning.  On Saturday night they are having “dinner out” with another family – by ZOOM of course!
• Test your system by going to this test site: https://zoom.us/test.
  • Your screen will show “Launching Zoom”. 
  • If all is working well a dialog box will open that says “Open Zoom Meeting”.  Click on that.
  • There will be a choice there to test your mic and camera.  Try out the test. 
  • Then click on “Join the Meeting”. 
  • Notice that back lighting is not helpful.  Some advance planning about how you position your computer camera and the ambient light will enhance everyone's experience.
• Cursor over the lower left of your screen to see the controls for your mic and camera.  Click to turn each on or off.
• Keep your mic off (muted) except when you are speaking.  During the times after the close of worship (introductions, announcements and Meeting for Business), please wait to be recognized by the Clerk.  Physically raise your hand for the Clerk to see your interest in speaking during announcements and business.  During worship you determine when to speak.
• Cursor over the upper right of your screen to see the choice of Gallery or Speaker view.  This only shows up when there is more than one participant in the meeting.  When you click on Gallery View small video images of all participants are shown in a grid on your screen.  When you click on Speaker View the person who is speaking will be shown in a large image on your own screen and the images of others will be reduced in size.
• Use headphones or earbuds if you can.  You will find the sound improved over little laptop speakers.
• If you have multiple participants in your household, your experience will be enhanced if you are each on a separate device in spaces separated from one another.  If you must share the same space be sure to use earbuds or earphones, or simply share the same device.

A Specially Called Meeting for Business. A message from our presiding Clerk, Rich Kleinschmidt.

Greetings Concord Meeting Friends,

After meeting for worship on 3/15, I acted as Presiding Clerk and called a meeting for business for this Sunday, 3/22.  The Meeting for Business will convene at 12:30 p.m.  Friends who cannot join us in person are welcome to join us over the web.  (I believe that the link will be the same one used for our 10 a.m. worship.)

The reason for a called meeting is to address the rapidly changing situation caused by the pandemic.  Our prayerful deliberations will address two related matters:

1. Looking internally at our procedures for worship and First Day School.  Do we have feedback or helpful suggestions for the ad hoc task group regarding the conduct of our worship together.
2. What wisdom and support have we to offer those who are being detained by our government and to those who are detaining them.

I am looking forward to seeing each of you in-person or digitally on Sunday.

Rich Kleinschmidt, Presiding Clerk

Ministry and Counsel Announcement on Worship during This Health Emergency

Ministry and Counsel invites us all to embrace this time of social distancing, not with fear but with informed caution. Fear keeps us from thinking calmly and rationally. Instead sink down into the seed that is the Spirit and is Love and let that hold you as you make your choices during this time. Be open to change, as there is so much that is new happening. We are learning new ways of being with each other and can live into a hope that this will indeed bring us closer together in spirit, even if we are somewhat distant in the physical sense. We feel this is already happening.

With that in mind, we invite you to join us in one of these two ways: virtually or in person.

In Person:  We have a commitment from our clerk to open the physical building for the typical Meeting for Worship times on Sundays.  We are a small gathering (less than 50), so not required to close …at this time.  Measures have been taken to make this a clean and healthy space.  Extra cleaning of frequently touched surfaces is in place. Hand sanitizer is available.  Cotton gloves are available for individual use for contact with surfaces such as doorknobs.  We will space ourselves six feet apart.  We will greet each other with eye contact, smiles, and hands in peaceful gestures.  One person will dispense coffee and tea. We will use disposable cups.  We will have brown bag lunches instead of potlucks.  If possible bring your own mug.

Virtually:  You will be able to (with one click) join Meeting for Worship remotely via Zoom.  This format will be used for other committee meeting or gatherings.  If you have not used Zoom, coaching and practice in using Zoom is available. Instructions/tips will come with the link sent later this week.  Please let us know if you think you will need help.

At the beginning of worship the clerk will introduce everyone, including those joining remotely, so we are all aware of each other.  People on the call can give messages during the silence by simply beginning to speak.  People in the room will stand in front of the computer camera to be visible and audible.  After the clerk breaks the meeting, we will have our normal introduction time to ask for prayers, share joys or sorrows, and ask for other assistance.  Those attending virtually will be invited by the clerk by name to speak, and then those in the room will stand in front of the computer one by one for introductions.  We know this time will be needed now more than ever.

Announcements will follow in the same manner (the clerk inviting those who raise their hand in person or virtually to speak in turn).  We do suggest that, if people are in the same house, they try to be on separate devices so we can view you individually, and you can be closer to the mike.  If possible, use both audio and video so it is easier to feel your presence.

This Sunday, March 22, you may attend the called Meeting for Business virtually on the same link.  If you come to the Meetinghouse, please bring a “brown bag” lunch.

Note that we have rescheduled our anti-racism workshop with James McKim for Sunday March 29.

Please keep an eye out for further announcements if and when the situation changes.

Holding you in our Hearts – Ministry and Counsel

Concord Meeting Responds to COVID-19

Concord Friends Meeting agreed to creating an ad hoc task group to explore and make recommendations on how the Meeting responds to the threat of the erupting epidemic of COVID-19.  Members of this committee (Sara S, JJ S, Rob Y, Wendy L) met on 3/13 to discuss this.  They met last night via ZOOM and focused on six questions to be answered.  They offer the following recommendations.

Do we continue to hold meeting for worship?

We recommend that meeting for worship should be held as usual for Sunday, March 15.  Because the situation is changing every day, we recommend that the decision about whether to hold meeting for worship should be made on a weekly basis.  Beginning immediately, we recommend the following:

• Symptoms:  We recommend that people who are experiencing flu-like symptoms, or who are coughing, and/or sneezing not attend meeting for worship  (See https://www.nh.gov/covid19/residents/documents/self-observation-covid.pdf)
• Information:  We will provide information about COVID-19 displayed inside the entrance to the meetinghouse  (See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/summary.html) and https://www.nh.gov/covid19/)
• Risk factors:  We recognize that some people may have higher risk factors and may opt not to attend, and we will make every effort to provide virtual accommodations
• Frequently-touched surfaces:  We suggest new protocols for decontaminating frequently-touched surfaces, such as doorknobs, handles, and countertops
• Sanitizers:  We will make hand sanitizer and wipes readily available
• Seating:  We will consider moving the chairs six feet apart or encouraging people to sit with a chair in between them and the next person
• Greetings & Partings:  We will ask those attending meeting to try new options in place of holding hands at the close of meeting, such as touching elbows, pressing hands together and making eye contact (namaste), or using sign language for ‘I love you’ (See ‘ILY sign’)

How do we include people who can’t be there?

We recommend that we make every effort to provide virtual accommodations for those who cannot attend in person.  To implement this, we will use a laptop connected to a monitor (if available), which will access the internet through a Wi-Fi hotspot.  We will connect speakers to improve sound, and we will utilize Zoom video conferencing.  Individuals will be able to call in by phone or log in via computer or device.  (See Zoom’s Support webpage at https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us)

What social distancing strategies should we embrace?

We recommend that we implement social distancing strategies where possible, while recognizing that isolation can also be potentially unhelpful and even harmful.  Some strategies we feel we can implement immediately are moving chairs farther apart, substituting another activity for hand holding, and practicing social distancing during fellowship.

Do we need new/improved protocols for decontamination and cleaning?

We recommend that we implement some new protocols for reducing the spread of infection, including:

• Hand hygiene:  Make hand sanitizer and wipes available at entrance and other points of contact, such as coffee area and bathrooms
• Frequently-touched areas:  Begin a new protocol of wiping down frequently-touched areas such as door handles and countertops at building opening and closing
• ‘Designated pourer’:  Consider having one person assigned to pour coffee and hot water
• Recyclable or personal cups:  Use recyclable paper cups and utensils for coffee and tea during fellowship, or encourage people to bring their own mug and take it home
• Cleaning products:  Recommend that the property committee purchase additional hand sanitizer, wipes and tissues

What is the best way to quickly communicate with everyone?

We recommend that Wendy and Sara have access to the Constant Contact login information, so that messages can quickly and easily be sent to members to alert them to any updates and changes that they should be aware of.

How do we handle children and First Day School?

We recommend that we extend the same expectations to children that we do to the adult members of our meeting to be responsible for reducing the spread of infection.  We will rely on parents to communicate and reinforce these expectations.  Very young children pose unique challenges to keeping areas clean and sanitized, and we recommend erring on the side of caution when deciding to have infants and toddlers attend first day school.

The minute:

03.2  Response to COVID-19:  Friends agreed to creating an ad hoc task group to:

• Make recommendations on how the Meeting responds to the threat of the erupting epidemic of COVID-19 in this country.
• We give the group authority to communicate to the community recommended changes in behavior (e.g., not holding or shaking hands when and if that seemed advisable).
• Having representation in this group from M&C and of people working in the health field was felt to be advisable.
• We agreed to start with naming Wendy L, Rob Y, Sara S and Jennifer S to do this.  If one of the named health professionals is unable to serve, we would ask Rob S.
• If the group felt that expenditures were needed to protect us as this epidemic proceeds, it is authorized to use up to $500 from unrestricted funds.
• The group is asked to report back to Meeting via our regular announcements on its processes and proposals.

Activity and Schedule Changes due to COVID-19

As we receive information regarding cancellations and schedule changes we will pass them on.  We continue to list items here that may be cancelled so please check with event sponsors.  A listing in these announcements does not constitute a recommendation that you attend.  Be safe.

Cancellations:

• March 29:  Dover Quarterly Meeting
• April 24-26:  WORLD CONFERENCE 2020: Abolish Nuclear Weapons | Resist and Reverse Climate Change | For Social and Economic Justice

Moving to Zoom

As committees and meetings move to the Zoom platform, you should know that it is fairly easy to use.  Sara sent along this set of easy-to-follow instructions.  Zoom’s free access allows one to participate in any meeting and to host meetings up to 40 minutes.  The paid subscription offers longer meetings and other options.

The Money and Spirit workshop planned for Saturday, March 21^st “Greening Our Meetings and Our Lives” will not be held in-person at the Mattapoisett meetinghouse.  Instead, an abbreviated program focusing on energy use in meetinghouses will be held via Zoom, starting at 9 a.m., and ending between 11 a.m. and 12 noon.  There will be no afternoon program.  If you wish to join in on this Zoom meeting, either by phone or computer, please contact Robert Murray, finance [at] neym [dot] org, to get the Zoom instructions.

John Reuthe of Vassalboro Meeting will be our resource for the Zoom meeting.  John developed his greening expertise after personally visiting over 565 homes in central Maine.  Funded by Efficiency Maine Trust, he and his volunteer team developed policies and procedures to help homeowners reduce energy use, improve the comfort level in their homes, and reduce their carbon footprint.  They worked with energy auditors, contractors, apartment owners and various oversight agencies to provide efficient and cost-effective solutions.  In 2011, John and his team received the prestigious Efficiency Maine Trust Philip C. Hastings Award for their work.  John later led the Solarize Mid Maine Project (a group buy for the region).  He also played a major role in the greening of the Vassalboro Friends Meeting House.

Sara Hubner, NEYM Office Manager for the Finance Committee, 508-754-6760

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Report and Homework from Sunday Feb 23^rd Program on Racial Reconciliation.

James McKim, our facilitator, has provided us with the PDF that he used as a slide show through the program and it is provided to you through the link that follows.  You can use it for review purposes and to help with the homework, or if you were unable to attend, you can follow the embedded links to short videos he presented.  This can help you catch up with attendees.  Don’t be daunted by it’s length.  The PDF is full of large images rather than text.  (For a copy of the PDF, please send an e-mail to Info [at] ConcordFriendsMeeting [dot] org.) 

Here is our homework for our next session on March 29^th.

1. Write down at least one (1) example of a microaggression for each box on slide 16
2. Notice when you have or see implicit bias and record to share with the group during our next gathering
3. Notice when you see a microaggression and record to share with the group during our next gathering

James plans to do a quick review of the concepts in the first program (see implicit bias [“Peanut Butter, Jelly and Racism” and “An Introduction to Unconscious Bias”] videos and microaggressions video), delve into the homework results attendees bring, and then move into some new territory.  We hope you will be able to attend.  Attendance at session one is not a prerequisite.  Everyone is welcome.

Click here to read James’ biography.  James writes of his program: "The paradox of persistent inequalities [between races and genders] amid improving racial and gender attitudes has led to a search for factors underlying ongoing discrimination and ways to create welcoming communities.  This program explores those factors and ways to minimize the impact of implicit bias in our interactions and decision making toward inner peace and creating a welcoming community.  During this highly interactive program we will discuss the following questions:

• What is The Growth Mindset?
• What are Gracious Spaces?
• What is Unconscious Implicit Bias?  Why do we have it?
• How does it manifest (e.g. Microaggressions, white privilege)?  Why is it a problem to have?
• How can we overcome implicit bias and white privilege to create a more welcoming and beneficial world individually and collectively?"

We recognize this first workshop with James is only a beginning and we expect it to be an ongoing process. We expect to be doing the second workshop in this series March 29^th.  Please save the date.

Ministry and Counsel

Arnie Alpert Action Fund

https://www.afsc.org/aaafund

Quaker Basics meetings

“Quaker Basics” is a series of six informal, one-hour meetings to learn from one another through reading selections from Faith and Practice of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and New England Yearly Meeting.  The selections have been collected into six separate booklets that are available on the “Library” webpage on this website, but the MarkWBarker [at] ConcordFriendsMeeting [dot] org (subject: %E2%80%9CQuaker%20Basics%E2%80%9D%20booklets%20of%20readings) (facilitator) will print copies for participants to mark up, underline, and dog-ear during their preparation for each meeting.  After opening with a brief period of worship, we begin with responses to the question “What spoke to you?”  We will close the meeting with another brief period of worship.  At the end of each meeting, we will agree the time and the venue of the next meeting.

Finance Committee and Budget Preparation

Committees are asked to get their budget requests to the Finance Committee by March 23^rd.  A draft budget should be before the Meeting for consideration at the April Meeting for Business.  All requests should be made by email or in writing.  Verbal requests for budget requests made to some members of Finance Committee will be forgotten.  Alas.  Our email address is FinanceCommittee [at] ConcordFriendsMeeting [dot] org

Lenten Luncheons

LENTEN LUNCHEONS, 61^st Annual Series, Sponsored by Greater Concord Interfaith Council

Location: Concordia Lutheran Church, 211 N. Main Street (across the street from the Kimball Jenkins School of Art)

Price per luncheon: $7 (all proceeds go to local area non-profits)

Thursdays, 12:00pm to 1:00pm

• March 5 - New Tools for Addressing the Opioid Crisis: Speaker - Jeffery Stewart, Concord Fire Dept.
• March 12 - Living with Alzheimer's Disease: Speaker - Marjorie Burke, author of Melting Ice - Shifting Sand
• March 19 - Spiritual Care at Concord Hospital: Speaker - Rev. Dr. Kate Morse, BCC, Chaplain
• March 26 - Creation Justice/Caring for God's Creation: Speaker - Jennifer Oliver, Chair of Creation Justice Green Team
• April 2 - Sharing Our Faith with Our Children and Grandchildren: Panel Discussion with - Rev. Jonathan Hopkins (Concordia Lutheran); Rev. Carlos Jauhola-Straight (South Congregational Church); and Haley Judd, Director of Faith formation and Youth (Christ the King)

Mass Incarceration

There will be a presentation on Mass Incarceration, by Jeanne Hruska of the ACLU on March 28^th, at 1:00 p.m., at the Meetinghouse.  She will talk about the current use of incarceration as a response to every situation, which unfairly punishes those who cannot pay bail.  She will discuss Sentencing Reform, Bail Reform, Restorative Justice, Mental Health Court, and Drug Court, as well as other aspects of the issue.

From the minutes of our last Meeting for Business:  “PSECC would like the meeting to anchor the start of community-wide education and action. Friends approved.”  This program is the beginning of that project.

Minutes from Meeting for Business:  Follow these links for the minutes to our most recent meetings for business.  https://www.concordfriendsmeeting/2020-02-09_CMM_Minutes and https://www.concordfriendsmeeting.org/2020-03-08_CMM_Minutes.

Message about “The Bible as a Door to Spiritual Transformation” workshop from Peter Blood-Patterson:

Dear Friends,

I am leading a retreat March 20-22 at Woolman Hill with Adria Gulizia, a Friend from New York YM - whom some of you may recall as one of the plenary speakers at NEYM annual sessions in 2018.

This weekend will not be Bible study in the sense of talking about the Bible, who wrote a passage, or what at meant when it was written.

Instead we will seek to become a listening community together, where we can open our hearts and allow God speak to us as we read and hear passages in the Bible that were powerful in the lives of early Friends – and have special significance for many Friends today.

We anticipate this to be a rich weekend both for those who have a long journey with the Bible and also for those with little or no experience with it.  I hope you can join us – or pass this along to others who might find it helpful.

http://woolmanhill.org/upcomingprograms/bible-as-door-to-transformation/

In God’s love,

Peter Blood-Patterson

Here are some examples of passages we may spend time with: 

• 1 Kings 19:9-13  The still small voice (or “a sound of sheer silence”)
• John 1:1-13  What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
• John 4:19-24  God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. (The Woman at the Well)
• Romans 12:2  Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.  
• 2 Corinthians 10:3-5  The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.

Early Quakers were very fond of the Letter of James. James ch. 3 talks about “taming the tongue”. James ch. 4 talks about how wars arise from greed (quoted in the 1660 Peace Testimony).

Building Uses of Note

• Most Mondays - Zen group 6 – 9 p.m.
• Third Sundays after Meeting – Dances of Universal Peace
• Saturday, March 21, All day – NEYM Legacy Committee Meeting
• Saturday, March 28, 1:00 p.m., Mass Incarceration
• Saturday, April 18, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., NEYM Clerking Workshop

(1^st Tuesday) Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Immigrant Justice

Jericho Walk [Joshua 6:1-27] 9:00 – 10:15 a.m. for those reporting to ICE for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester. This will be followed by the Sanctuary Support Network meeting at Blessed Sacrament Church, 14 Elm Street, Manchester where there will be refreshments. We have signed the pledge to stand with our immigrant neighbors. If you have not seen a copy of the revised solidarity statement, it can be found here. [Also, see resources at the website of the NH Council of Churches.]

(3^rd Tuesday) Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Immigrant Justice

Jericho Walk [Joshua 6:1-27] 9:00 – 10:15 a.m. for those reporting to ICE for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester. We have signed the pledge to stand with our immigrant neighbors. If you have not seen a copy of the revised solidarity statement, it can be found here. [Also, see resources at the website of the NH Council of Churches.]