2021-07-14 Announcements for

Concord Friends Meeting

Weeding, Lunch, and Swimming Friday

As an upshot of last Sunday's observation of a weed or two needing removal, a few intrepid weeders have determined to have a go at them this Friday, July 16 at 11 AM.  Some will bring a lunch and a swimsuit so a good time is pretty much guaranteed.  Please join us if you can for merriment and death to weeds, Kathy U, Elaine, Ruth, and Greg.

Dawnland Screening Today, July 14, 7:00 PM

EVENT SCHEDULE & REGISTRATION: tinyurl.com/july14dawn

This documentary film provides important context for the book, The Gatherings: Reimagining Indigenous–Settler Relations.  For folks who don't have a copy, here's a Google Books preview.  This very moving film shows the Tory of Maine's truth and reconciliation process, including Denice Altvater's difficult story in foster care.  The viewing is free of charge.

Singing & Coffee Hour:

Pandemic response committee has determined that singing with masks on is safe enough for now.  We try gathering in the fellowship room with social distancing and masks for the singing. 

We are making a joyful noise together once more!  Singing, wearing masks, windows open, and socially distant in the fellowship room 10:00 – 10:15 every Sunday.  You may check out a hymnal to bring home, if you plan on singing from home.

Our co-clerk, Rich, writes: If anyone wants to sing along from home on zoom, let me know and we can work it out. (Because of zoom problems with latency, you can sing with us, but must remain muted so we can't hear your voice.)  In addition to using the FGC Hymnal (the green book) we will also pull songs from our new supplement.  The supplement is a work in progress.  If you have a favorite song that is not in the green book, let Rich know (klnschmdt [at] gmail [dot] com) and he can add it.  The current version is available here.

We will have coffee and tea fellowship time after worship.  We encourage Friends to bring their own mugs (some paper hot cups will be available, too), pour your beverage, and move outside or into the worship room to maintain social distance.  Enjoy!

Care of the Meetinghouse; An Inside Job

Property Committee is planning resumption of 20 to 30 minute sessions of light cleaning every other month after Meeting for Worship and fellowship on Third First Days.  We will start this Sunday.  We will have a list of tasks that Friends can choose from.  For those who can't be there but would like to help, tasks that have not been done on Sunday can be done at another time.  They will be put in the announcements and Friends can let the property committee clerk know that they have been done.

Draft Minutes, July 11:

Draft minutes of our meeting for worship with attention to church affairs https://www.concordfriendsmeeting.org/2021-07-11_CMM_Minutes  Friends may also access them via https://www.concordfriendsmeeting.org/Minutes_of_ConcordMonthlyMeeting

Please forward this e-mail to whomever you know who might wish to read these minutes.  In love, and peace, and tenderness,  Mark

Financial Contributions to the Meeting

There have been a few inquiries recently about how to make automatic contributions to the Meeting.  In additions to leaving checks or cash in the donations box at Meeting, there, are two ways to give automatically.  One is by direct debit which requires a one time signature at your bank.  The other is to set up an automatic bill pay through your bank's online checking service.

For the direct debit method you need only to know the name of our account, the bank acct number, and the routing number.  They are Name: Concord Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends; Acct. Number: 3200171068; Routing Number: 211470225 at Merrimack County Savings Bank.  Usually a bank's customer service can get this all set up over the phone for a quick signing at the bank or even via mail to sign and mail back.  With this method it is good for the Bookkeeper to be aware the donation is coming because sometimes the source reported on the Meeting's monthly statement does not make it clear who the donor is.  Sometimes it does.

For the auto bill pay:  Most banks offer this as a free service if you are set up for online banking with them and there is a recurring check function that can be edited at any time.  That makes it automatic.  Checks can be made out to Concord Monthly Meeting and mailed to c/o Greg Heath, Bookkeeper, 49 Wyven Rd., Canterbury, NH  03224.

NEYM Sessions:

Sara is encouraging Friends to gather at the Meetinghouse for a few sessions of NEYM.  I hope to start with the opening session and stay through the plenary. AND Sessions registration is open!  Here is a taste of the events — The Saturday Plenary will be a conversation between gkisedtanamoogk (Mashpee Wampanoag) and Shirley Hager (Winthrop Center, ME, Friends Meeting).  Shirley and gkisedtanamoogk met at NEYM Sessions in 1986, and subsequently arranged a series of gatherings to bring together settlers and Indigenous peoples from throughout Wabanaki territory (Maine and Atlantic Canada).  Participants in these gatherings explored how to move past generations of destructive encounters between Indigenous peoples and settlers and into authentic relationship.  In the format of a conversation, gkisedtanamoogk and Shirley will speak to us about the healing this group found, and what that experience has to offer us.  Would you like to join together at the meetinghouse for this event or maybe others?  Sara will be offering this as a way for us to be partly together during sessions.  Saturday Aug. 7 from 10 to 2:30 with this plenary going from 1-2:30.  Check with her for questions and if there is interest in gathering for other sessions.  For more info https://neym.org/sessions

NEYM course for fall: Exploring Spiritual Practices

– 10-week course online. Begins Sept 7.  Led by Marcelle Martin.  This is an incredible opportunity to learn about many different spiritual practices with a wonderful teacher/guide.  Sara signed up and she would love to have a small group to practice these together.  This course can also fulfill the requirement for learning about spiritual practices before taking the 2022 Spiritual Formation course.  It is pay as led but heavily subsidized as well.  https://neym.org/events-calendar/2021/09/exploring-spiritual-practices

Films of Interest.

The film Indian Horse should be of interest and will be an opportunity to meet Denise and Paul Pouliot in person. More info in the link.

JULY 24: Join us for a screening of Indian Horse and welcome our guest speakers, Denise L. Pouliot, Sag8moskwa and artist, and Paul W. Pouliot, Sag8mo and THPO Cowasuck Band of the Pennacock-Abenaki People.

AUGUST 28: Join us for a screening of Urban Roots and stay after the film for discussion with our guest speaker Lila Kohrman-Glaser, Executive Director of 350NH.

This event will take place in the barn at Saltonstall Farm. Chairs will be placed 6ft apart and barn doors will remain open for maximum air flow.  Please no eating during the event to ensure masks remain on.  You are welcome to bring your own beverage.

Donations are encouraged and greatly appreciated.  We will accept donations at the door or visit our website to become a Friend of Robinwood Center.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/racial-and-climate-justice-film-series-tickets-151126285789

Blended Meetings Have Begun

Windows may Remain Closed

We are delighted to welcome Friends back to the meetinghouse for worship in person.  The Pandemic Group reports that we may leave windows closed.  Zooming in continues to be an option.  There are some restrictions noted below so, please read carefully.  Bear with us as we work out the technological kinks and work to minimize their impact on worship space.  Your feedback to Ministry and Counsel about the worship experience and the Tech Committee about how tech solutions are implemented is most welcomed.

Guidelines from the Pandemic Response Group

(expect updates, sometimes without notice)

1. Only people who are fully vaccinated should be in the meetinghouse.  That is to say, everyone who attends in person should be willing to affirm they are vaccinated.  
2. The fellowship room and kitchen will not be used except for access through the space to bathrooms, storage spaces, etc.  No lingering.
3. Masks will be worn at all times indoors and also when outdoors if closer than 6 feet to people not from the same household.
4. Eating was not discussed but JJ believes that means eating needs to be outside.