September 25: Gathering after worship for the purpose of listening--our COVID response moving forward

There will be a hybrid gathering of members and attenders after Worship on 4th Sunday, September 25th, for the purpose of listening to each other's perspectives with regard to our COVID response moving forward. We will gather in the Worship Room and on Zoom starting about 12:30 PM. The Pandemic Response Team would very much appreciate everyone's participation.

Canceled: October 2 World Quaker Day event in Pittsfield

Kathleen Connors writes: Sadly, the planned World Quaker Day event on October 2 in Pittsfield has been cancelled for several reasons. However, you can participate in this year's international event, whose theme is Becoming the Quakers the World Needs. Meeting intervisitation is encouraged and facilitated by the WQD site. Learn more by watching this 2.5 minute YouTube video entitled Save the Date for World Quaker Day 2022! with presenter Tim Gee, General Secretary of the Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC).

Helpers Needed for First Day School

The YRE Committee is looking for volunteers to serve as helpers at First Day School. This is a helping role, not a teaching role, and it is a wonderful way to assist with First Day School and spend time with our lovely young participants. There is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board nearest the First Day School rooms, or you may email religiouseducation [at] concordfriendsmeeting [dot] org to express your interest. Those who are already on the list as First Day helpers may sign up directly using this Google Doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XAX0pPv1wkzbGu7qR5-CsoAbALnIS_nh_w8hJdP2QWM/edit

Correspondence with Christine Imbiti

The Youth Religious Education (YRE) Committee thanks members of the meeting who signed the letter we are sending to Christine Imbiti in Kenya. We hope she will enjoy reading news about our meeting and its members, and our letter also acknowledges her efforts in school and in sports and communicates our support for her and her family. You can read the letter we are sending here. To read a transcript of the letter Christine sent to us in March, please click here.

Concord, NH CROP Walk (to eradicate hunger) September 24

As you may remember, the CROP Walk is an annual fundraiser held nationally to alleviate the challenges of disease, disaster, and displacement that leave people hungry locally and internationally. The on-going war in Ukraine, on top of the pandemic and other disasters is causing a global food crisis. Millions are on the brink of famine. Local congregations form teams and members make donations to support those teams. Over the years, CFM has been a strong contributor to this effort.

This year's CROP Walk (38th annual) is planned as a normal in-person walk starting from the Jesus Christ Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS) on Clinton St. in Concord. Registration will begin at 12:00 with a kick-off rally at 12:30 and the walk beginning at 1:00. There will be refreshments at the church afterward.

To Join as a Walker and/or Support the Team

1. Click here: https://events.crophungerwalk.org/2022/team/concord-friends-meeting
2. Click Join The Team to sign up as a walker (you will be able to donate if you’d like from this link), or
3. Click Make a Donation to donate via credit or debit card.
4. Note that donations online can be made anonymously if you wish.
5. Alternatively, you can donate by writing a check payable to CWS/CROP Walk and mail to Sheryl Ingraham, 4 Fogg Street, Concord, NH. 03301

Please contact Sheryl Ingraham if you have any questions.

The Keene Host Home Network

Judy Reed, a long time member of Concord Friends Meeting who now lives in Keene, has reached out with this difficult news. Judy can be reached at <jureed [at] keene [dot] edu>.</jureed [at] keene [dot] edu>

A single mother from Mexico with three children ages 16, 10 and 4 is stranded in Denver, currently in very temporary shelter. She literally has to be out by Thursday this week. We are not able to offer even temporary shelter right now, but we’re hoping someone in the wider region might be able to take them in, whether long-term or not. They are relatives of a family we are hosting here in Keene, and we are in the process of finding out more about them. Clearly it would be good if they were settled somewhere in New England.

Since that writing earlier this week we have more news Judy wrote: "We have found a temporary home for them in Norwich VT. They will be arriving in Boston Friday, staying with their relatives in Keene for a couple of days, then going on to Norwich. They are asylum seekers, but I don't know that they have filed a case yet. Ultimately, we may be able to host them in our area, but we aren't able to do that immediately. Regardless, they will need legal representation here in the region where their case will be heard. If no case has been filed yet they need it ASAP, as there is a deadline based on the date of their entry into the U.S. I can put you in touch with the people hosting them in Norwich, if you think CFM might want to help out." I wrote to Judy that at this point we are simply trying to spread the word in hopes some help may arise from it.

Quaker Parent Mutual Support Groups

Co-sponsored by Friends United Meeting, New York Yearly Meeting, and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, Quaker parent mutual support groups provide a supportive forum in which Quaker parents can talk about their parenting and their faith. These groups are open to any Friend currently raising children under the age of nineteen. They are free. The groups will meet for one hour every other week for a total of twelve gatherings between November 2022 and April 2023. They will be conducted in English and on the Zoom platform. More information can be found here and here.

If you’re ready to register, you can find the link here. If you want to know more but don’t want to register at this time, please email coordinator Emily Provance your questions using the form at the bottom of this page. The registration deadline is November 1, 2022.

AFSC Fundraiser

August 18, 2022

Dear friends of AFSC's New Hampshire Program,

Please mark your calendars and plan to join us for our annual fundraising celebration on Saturday, October 22, 2022 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Concord, New Hampshire! This will be an in-person gathering complete with food, fellowship and a marvelous program of talent sharing and fun. There will also be an option to join us remotely.

Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks about how you can register, participate in the program, support us as a sponsor, and more! In the meantime, just get this important date onto your calendar and invite your friends and family. All are welcome!

We look forward to being with you.

Maggie Fogarty and Grace Kindeke

American Friends Service Committee - NH Program

The AFSC is a Quaker organization supported by people of many faiths who care about peace, social justice, humanitarian service, and nonviolent change. Maggie Fogarty and Grace Kindeke staff the New Hampshire Program. Click the DONATE NOW button on our web page to send a secure donation to support the work of the AFSC’s New Hampshire Program. Thank you!

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