CMM 2017-09-10 Possible Items for Agenda

Here are some possible agenda items for Ninth Month’s Meeting for Worship with attention to Business, which will be on the 10th of Ninth Month.  Some of the items from Eighth Month have been carried forward.  Some of the proposed items may need further seasoning. They are in no particular order at the moment.  [See also http://quakerspeak.com/quaker-decision-making-consensus/]

During worship, please hold in your heart the following from Eden Grace’s paper “An Introduction to Quaker Business Practice”.

Quakers profess a theocratic understanding of authority. “The primary authority is that of God, as the God whose will is sought, as Christ who presides, and as the Holy Spirit who inspires and empowers. Thus the task of the meeting is to listen in worship, putting itself under that authority, to discern the right way forward on any piece of business.” * All human leadership is subordinated to the authority of Christ, the true shepherd of any gathering of Christians. All participants in the Meeting are equally capable of being used by the Holy Spirit, and those who moderate the Meeting are seen as servants of the gathering discernment process.

* Scott, Janet “Business Meetings”, manuscript submitted for inclusion in the forthcoming Dictionary of the Religious Society of Friends, 1999.

  • Solar Committee report
    • “We do not own the world, and its riches are not ours to dispose of at will. Show a loving consideration for all creatures, and seek to maintain the beauty and variety of the world. Work to ensure that our increasing power over nature is used responsibly, with reverence for life. Rejoice in the splendour of God’s continuing creation.” 2
  • Youth Religious Education Committee report
    • “Children and young people need love and stability. Are we doing all we can to uphold and sustain parents and others who carry the responsibility for providing this care?” 3
  • Outreach Committee report
  • Ministry & Counsel report
    • Membership:
    • Support for ministry of “Mindful Mortality”:

      The Ministry and Counsel Committee of Concord Friends Meeting has served as a support committee for member, Rob Spencer's ministry of teaching a curriculum entitled "Mindful Mortality: Lessons learned at the end of life teaching us how to live today." He has shared this ministry with Concord Friends Meeting, as a retreat at Woolman Hill, and elsewhere.

      Rob sometimes receives an honorarium or other payment from individuals or organizations when he teaches. Many teaching sessions are given on a volunteer basis with no expectation of payment. Rob proposes to offer recipients of his services the option of making a free will contribution to the Meeting in support of his ministry and that a fund be established for tracking such contributions, a “Mindful Mortality Ministry Fund.” He further proposes that he would be compensated from this fund at the rate of 90% of the amounts donated to it to support his ministry. The Meeting would provide him a Form 1099 if required by the IRS. Costs to the Meeting associated with administering the fund are expected to be minimal (a package of 1099 forms may need to be purchased for approximately $25). If Concord Friends Meeting's administrative costs related to the fund exceed 10% of the contributions made to the fund, those excess costs would be taken from the fund prior to disbursing payments to Rob.

  • Modify the purpose of the PSECC Committee.
  • Responding to NEYM Minute 2016-64 on White Supremacy.  The co-clerks will draft an initial response for the consideration of Friends.
  • NH Immigrant Solidarity Network:  Granite State Organizing Project (GSOP), the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) New Hampshire Program, and faith communities in New Hampshire are asking Friends to support the following statement for creating the ‘New Hampshire Immigrant Solidarity Network’.

    New Hampshire Immigrant Solidarity Network

    Support, Accompaniment, Advocacy, & Sanctuary

    E pluribus unum - Out of many, one.  This is a core statement of our identity as a nation and speaks of one of the fundamental ideals of who we are as a people; that we as a nation of immigrants seeking a better life come together and work together to forge out of our diversity and shared humanity a sense of common purpose to be a beacon of light and hope for the rest of the world.  This treasured principle is anchored in our shared commitment to loving our neighbor and offering hospitality to the stranger.  This is what has made our nation great. This is our strength; this is the very fabric of who we are.

    Rooted in our heritage, grounded in the fundamental precepts of our faith and practice, we come together to place ourselves in reverence before the spirit seeking assistance as we bear witness to stand in solidarity with all immigrants, with people of all color, documented and undocumented.  The urgency of this moment of our nation’s history calls us, compels us to stand against the unconscionable acts of deportation by Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) and the immoral expressions of racism that are currently tearing families apart and seeking to fragment and divide us as a nation.

    Therefore, we the undersigned members of the New Hampshire faith community place ourselves in solidarity with our immigrant neighbors, and join with other people of faith and practice, of all traditions, in opposing the separation of families and the tearing apart of the fabric of our community.

    Therefore, we the undersigned faith community endorse the objectives, strategies, and tactics of the New Hampshire Immigrant Solidarity Network. We hereby pledge our faith, our time, our energy, our prayers, and our resources to the Network.  We will do everything in our power, along with people of conscience and good will throughout our state, to provide support, accompaniment, advocacy, and/or sanctuary in solidarity with our immigrant friends and neighbors.

    Please sign on as a Faith Community OR as a Faith Leader/Community Leader

    Name of Faith Community_____________________________________________

    Location of Community ______________________________________________

    Name & Title_________________________________Date___________________

    Name of Faith/Community Leader______________________________________

    Please return form to: Granite State Organizing Project 383 Beech St Manchester 03103 granitestateop [at] comcast [dot] net

    New Hampshire Immigrant Solidarity Network

    Sanctuary, Support, Accompaniment & Advocacy

    Who are we?

    We are people of faith organized through the Granite State Organizing Project (GSOP) and allied groups to respond to the fear and anxiety in our community as a result of an increase in immigration enforcement, heightened law enforcement and random acts of hate.

    Each faith community determines for itself what role they will play in the Network and what level of support they will offer.

    Accompaniment:

    • If an immigrant has to report to ICE:  Under new rules of the Trump Administration, many immigrants who for years have reported to ICE for scheduled check-ins and been allowed to stay in the U.S. have now been prioritized for deportation.  We will accompany immigrants as they report to ICE and organize the community vigils for support.

    Support & Advocacy:

    • If an immigrant is detained by ICE:  We will offer support to families as they navigate life without their detained loved one and work to get them released.  This could include rides, food, childcare, making appointments, housing, financial assistance, etc.; going with them to court hearings; and engaging elected officials & organizing vigils/public actions around the case.

    Sanctuary:

    • If a person fears deportation:  Some congregations may decide to offer sanctuary to a person who fears deportation and separation from their family.  Sanctuary is a public act of civil disobedience.

    Rapid Response:

    • If there is an ICE raid:  When we get a call that a raid is happening, we will call the teams to the site of the raid to hold a prayer vigil, document what happens, and be a presence for the family.
    • If there is an act of violence or hate (e.g. bomb threats or vandalism at mosques, synagogues, etc.):  Our network will support those targeted and work with them to organize public events, engage with local officials to respond, and find other ways to stand in solidarity.

    “New Hampshire Immigrant Solidarity Network” statement

    “New Hampshire Immigrant Solidarity Network” statement - sponsored by Granite State Organizing Project (GSOP), American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), et al.
  • Sponsoring the travelling banner exhibit, Waging Peace, as part of AFSC's 100th Anniversary.  See also Friends Journal, April 2017 issue.
  • Sponsoring AFSC NH Program’s annual celebration on October 7th.

    Dear friends of the AFSC New Hampshire program,

    I am writing to follow up on a letter you received last week from Denise Ginzler, clerk of our Support Committee for the AFSC NH program, inviting you to be a sponsor for our annual celebration on October 7. Our theme is "Sanctuary Everywhere." The letter of invitation is attached, as well as a "save the date" flyer.

    As we prepare to print the invitations next week, we'd love to include your name as a sponsor for this very special event. Are you able to support our work with a gift of $500 to $1,000 to be a named sponsor?

    We are grateful for your ongoing support and partnership.

    Peace, Maggie Fogarty, Co-Director of the NH Program, American Friends Service Committee

Announcements:

Sep  3 (Sun)  10:00 AM Worship, Closing Dave and Penny

Sep  5 (Tue)     8:30-10:00 AM  Monthly "Stop Separating Families" Vigil during monthly check-in by immigrants at ICE, Norris Cotton Federal Building. 275 Chestnut Street, Manchester, NH  03101 for immigrants reporting to ICE for deportation that day. From Maggie Fogarty, AFSC-NH  "Please help us to ensure a strong, prayerful and powerful presence at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in September, when many people will be checking-in with ICE and many others will be returning with plane tickets to their home countries as they have been ordered to do.  These vigils are sponsored by AFSC, the Granite State Organizing Project (GSOP) and the NH Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees.

Our main vigil for September is the usual first Tuesday of the month, on September 5 at 8:30 am at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester.  Here is the Facebook event page.  Please plan to join us, and please invite your friends and faith communities. 

In addition to this vigil, we are committed to holding smaller vigils on each of the days that people have to return to ICE with their plane tickets.  We want to show each family that we stand heartbroken with them as they comply with this terrible demand.  The dates for these vigils are as follows (all at 8:30 am unless we hear differently):

Tuesday, September 5 (check-in day)

Wednesday, September 6 {for immigrants reporting to ICE for deportation that day}

Friday, September 8 {for immigrants reporting to ICE for deportation that day}

Monday, September 11 {for immigrants reporting to ICE for deportation that day}

Tuesday, September 19 {for immigrants reporting to ICE for deportation that day}

It might be helpful to know when people are planning to attend, so that I can advise others who can only choose one or two days.  So if you are able, please send me an email (MFogarty [at] afsc [dot] org) about your availability and I will coordinate with Sarah Jane Knoy at GSOP to make sure we have good coverage.  For the September 5 event, feel free to simply use the Facebook event page to RSVP."

Sep  6 (Wed)   8:30 - 10:00 AM Prayer vigil for immigrants reporting to ICE for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester.

Sep  7 (Thu)   5:30 - 6:30 PM Thursday, Discussion of Door 3 of the "Four Doors to Worship", the 'Door Within'. All are welcome. Contact Mark Barker

Sep  8 (Fri)   8:30 - 10:00 AM Prayer vigil for immigrants reporting to ICE for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester.  With Senator Shaheen.

Sep 10 (Sun)  10:00 AM Worship followed by potluck and Meeting for Worship for Business, Closing Pat and Faith.

Sep 11 (Mon)   8:30 - 10:00 AM Prayer vigil for immigrants reporting to ICE for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester.

Sep 12 (Tue)  8:00 - 10 AM The “Election Integrity Commission” is holding a public meeting at the Institute of Politics, St. Anselm College.  A demonstration of opposition is being planned for outside the event, from 8 am to 10 am, and a press conference is being organized. Please mark your calendars.

Sep 12 (Tue)  5:20 PM Claremont Vigil:  We received the attached letter from concerned citizens in Claremont NH (including Reb Mackenzie from Unity Meeting) regarding a distressing incident where a 10 yr old biracial child suffered rope burns around his neck after he was bullied and harassed with racial epithets and pushed from a table with a rope around his neck.  Our PSECC committee asked us to send this announcement of the event tomorrow.  These Claremont citizens issued an open invitation to a "Time of Reflection" Tuesday,September 12, 5:20 PM, at Broad Street Park in Claremont.  The purpose of this gathering is a "compassionate public witness to support all in our community who are wounded by racism, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and insular nationalism and to stand up against it.  During the gathering on Tuesday, there will be a time for community and faith leaders to share a reflection or prayer, a time of silent reflection for all attendees, and an opportunity that will deepen our connection in working for justice and equality."  The link to the Valley News article is http://www.vnews.com/Family-of-Boy-Says-Older-Teens-Deliberately-Hung-Hi...

Sep 14 (Thu)   5:30 - 6:30 PM Thursday, Discussion of Door 4 of the "Four Doors to Worship", the 'Door Beyond'. All are welcome. Contact Mark Barker

Sep 16 (Sat)  Dover Friends Meeting Retreat:  Nudged by the Spirit:  The Process of Being Lead by the Spirit of God is the title of this all day retreat to be held Sept. 16 at Mainsspring Center in South Berwick, Maine and facilitated by Allison Randall.  Registration information was not included with their announcement, but their email address is dovermm [at] neym [dot] org.

Sep 16 (Sat)  NEYM Sessions Committee meets at the meetinghouse all day.

Sep 17 (Sun)  10:00 AM Worship, Closing Mark and Gini

Sep 18 (Mon)  7:00 PM Olga Morrill, author of Vagabond Quakers, gives a book talk at Laconia Library.

Sep 19 (Tue)   8:30 - 10:00 AM Prayer vigil for immigrants reporting to ICE for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester.

Sep 19 (Tue)   7:00 PM Canterbury Citizens for Democracy Meeting at meetinghouse.

Sep 22 (Fri)  1:00 PM PSECC Meeting at meetinghouse

Sep 24 (Sun)  10:00 AM Worship, Closing JJ and Kathy U

Oct  7   (Sat)    AFSC Fundraising Dinner. Save the date!  "Sanctuary Everywhere" will be the theme of the NH Program's annual fundraising dinner, October 7, 2017, at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Concord, with special guests Ravi Ragbir and Amy Gottlieb.  Ravi is the Executive Director of the New Sanctuary Coalition in New York City, where he is a well known and highly respected leader of the movement for immigrants' rights.  Amy, a long-time immigration lawyer and community activist, is the Associate Regional Director for AFSC's North East Region.  (Read more here.)    Use this link to sign up now and let us know you are coming.  Stay tuned for how you can help with food or clean-up.

Oct  7   (Sat)    CROP Walk. Noon-3pm  Concord.   Walkers and donors needed.  We are assembling a CFM team. Thank you to Carol Stonemetz, Pat Wallace, Rob Yager, Donna Moore, and Mark Barker who have already volunteered to walk. If you want to join this great group of people please contact Ruth who is the CFM organizer to get your materials.  If you can't walk but want to donate, contact any one of them.  Ruth will also be setting up a website for the team where donations can be made online.

Oct  8  (Sun)  10:00 AM Worship followed by potluck and Meeting for Worship for Business, Closing ....

Oct 22 (Sun)    West Epping Annual Meeting - Will be held on 10-22-2017 at 2:00pm.  There will be no regularly scheduled 10:00 meeting for worship.  Bridget Rogier who lives near the meetinghouse will be hosting the refreshments at her home following the meeting since there is no bathroom or running water at the West Epping Meeting House. She invites folks to stop at her place on the way to the meeting also and encourages carpooling from there to the meeting.  She can be reached at: rogierb [at] comcast [dot] net (rogierb [at] comcast [dot] net )

Nov  4 (Sat)     5:00 pm - 10:00 pm  NH Peace Action Annual Fundraising Dinner at Bektash Temple, 189 Pembroke Rd, Concord, NH.  Join us for an evening of storytelling, entertainment and a fantastic meal!  Doors open at 5 pm. More details available soon.

Nov  9 (Thu)    6:30 pm - 8:30 pm  Compassionate Listening Project at the Meetinghouse.  Come and hear stories of Israelis and Palestinians from the other side of the world, retold precisely as told by those who live them.  Many Israelis and Palestinians opened their hearts and shared their personal stories with us. Now we will share them with you.  After listening to those narratives, you will have the opportunity to explore and discuss your reactions with other participants. We hope tins process will open your hearts to the experiences of both Israelis and Palestinians.

Our program will also introduce you to the principles and practices of Compassionate Listening, a process based on the conviction that truly healing each other's stories - without judgment - opens the possibility of mutual compassion, understanding, and honest human relations laps.  A deeply moving and experiential presentation by Concord’s Compassionate Listening Project and members of Concord Friends Meeting.

Nov 12 (Sun)  10:00 AM Worship followed by potluck and Meeting for Worship for Business, Closing ....

1. See http://www.pym.org/faith-and-practice/queries/11-stewardship-of-resources/

2. See http://qfp.quaker.org.uk/chapter/1/ № 42

3. See http://qfp.quaker.org.uk/chapter/1/ № 24

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