Quakers and AFSC - A Shared Witness for Peace

Friends, and friends of Friends, were invited to join members of AFSC's Northeast Regional Executive Committee in a silent witness for peace in front of the NH State House last weekend. People associated with our meeting as well as several other NH meetings were amongst those standing with signs in beautiful weather. At the end of the event a circle was formed so that all participants could introduce themselves, followed by a tour of Concord locations where "radical" ideas and actions had been elevated into public view.

Minutes to Help you Prepare for Meeting for Business This Sunday

The draft minutes of the April Meeting for Worship for the Conduct of Business are available at https://www.concordfriendsmeeting.org/2022-04-10_CMM_Minutes. Of note is 1) the proposed budget for fiscal year beginning in June that was presented in detail to be acted on in May, and 2) the Meeting's now-approved land acknowledgment.

Friends and the Ukraine/Russia Conflict: A Letter.

The one-hour daily international worship for peace, coordinated by Friends House Moscow, is followed by 45 minutes of "breakout room space". The breakout rooms are labeled by topic and often a particular attendee will choose the same breakout room each time. A few rooms have become the source of letters with some relationship to exposing why peaceful means did not prevent the conflict and/or encouraging the next right steps to a peaceful resolution. A letter currently in the signing phase is directed to the Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC). Here are 4 of the 8 paragraphs in the letter entitled "Letter to FWCC to review security concerns of Russia and western border states":

(To read the entire letter, see our webpage In Support of Friends Concerned with Suffering Due to Ukraine-Russian Conflict, that also includes specifics about donations and meetings.)

The following items have appeared previously in emailed announcements.

Richard Cornelius - Memorial Service

We have received this letter from Judy Reed, Dick's wife. Though they moved to Keene many years ago, Dick and Judy were active in Concord Friends with their two children Roma and Galya for more than a decade in the 80s and 90s.

Dear Friends and Family,

Our memorial gathering for Dick is coming up soon, on Saturday May 14, at 2:00 PM in the Parish Hall of the Keene Unitarian Church: 69 Washington Street Keene NH 03431.

I know many of you are unable to attend in person, but your support and your affection for Dick has been expressed and is deeply appreciated.

For those who will be present, this will be a gathering of people from Dick’s life, coming together to share thoughts, memories, and feelings through our own words and music. In the manner of Friends (Quakers), there will be no predetermined program and no spiritual leader other than our inner selves. After a short period of silence, members are invited to offer words or music if and when they feel called to do so, leaving a few moments of silence between offerings.

Afterwards, there will be time to mingle and converse informally over an array of tasty vegan refreshments.

Please feel free to get in touch if you have questions.

Love,

Judy (603-357-4905)

Update to Concord Friends Current COVID Status

Effective April 24, 2022 please be aware of the following update to our current COVID status regarding mask requirements in the Meeting House. Following meeting for worship, individuals are asked to please continue to wear masks in the Fellowship Room while participating in fellowship and potluck events. Please only remove masks while actively eating and drinking. Friends are encouraged to eat outside and to physically distance. If you choose to eat inside, please choose a well-ventilated place to sit, such as near an open window.

Doors to the common hallway should remain closed during times when the Fellowship Room is in use. Masks are required during singing in the Fellowship Room.

NEYM Annual Sessions, Save the Date Aug 6-11

Friends, an exciting update on plans for Sessions 2022:

At this writing we are expecting that, after two years' absence, Friends will be able to joyfully gather together, in person, at Castleton University for the Annual Sessions of New England Yearly Meeting of Friends, August 6–11. All of us, especially youth staff, are looking forward to welcoming children, youth, and their families to what will be for many the first time together in two years.

We are aware that not all will be comfortable or able to gather in a large group and are planning some hybrid events so that those who so choose may participate again by Zoom.

Friends responsible for Sessions planning continue to wrestle with balancing a desire for a good number of different events/activities with the awareness that the busyness of Sessions can feel like “too much.” And with how to provide meaningful experiences for both in-person and remote participation. While in-person and remote can in no way be “equal,” our hope is all Sessions participants will find spiritual comfort and meaning, and will come away from the experience a bit richer.

Add to this the exhaustion of staff and volunteers from two years of the extra burden of planning events in an unfamiliar platform, now needing to plan hybrid (in-person and virtual) events, and you will understand that this year’s Sessions will likely be based on a simpler schedule.

While the schedule and details are yet to be resolved we do have news to share:

• We have a new clerk of the Sessions planning process: Phil Veatch of Fresh Pond Meeting has stepped into the role that Rebecca Leuchak was filling until a new clerk had been named. Rebecca is now released to live into her new role of Rising Clerk of the Yearly Meeting. A veteran Sessions attender, Phil is catching up and getting ready for the busy season of Sessions planning.
• Our theme for Sessions 2022 is "This is the hour: How does the Spirit find you?" This grew out of our sense that Friends’ condition, as we gather, will reflect two years of living with the pandemic. We all are carrying myriad conditions, among them: joy, grief, longing, outrage, happiness. “How does the Spirit find you” invites you to acknowledge the many and sometimes seemingly contradictory feelings. But “This is the hour” is a query in the form of a statement. What is this the hour for? Concerns have been brought to Sessions in recent years about the state of our earth, systemic racism, the history of our relationship with Native Americans, and more. “This is the hour” invites us to consider what this is the hour for.
• The Bible Half Hours will be given by Regina Renee Ward. Regina Renee is someone for whom the Bible is not just a foundational document for our faith tradition, but is a living, breathing, guide to daily living. She has given Bible Half Hours at Friends General Conference and Pacific Yearly Meeting, and was a presenter at the Walking with the Bible series offered by Woolman Hill Quaker Center and the Beacon Hill Friends House.

Watch for further news and the official Sessions invitation coming soon, but for the time being, mark your calendars!

Bruce Neumann, Presiding Clerk

clerk [at] neym [dot] org

Phillip Veatch, Clerk of Sessions Planning

sessions [at] neym [dot] org

Are you wanting information from past announcements?

Visit this page on our web site: Past Announcements

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Visit this page on our web site for more information: Donations