4^th Sunday April

Ministry and Counsel is planning a worship sharing on the topic of "Faith in Action" that will be led by Chris.

• How does our faith inform our daily lives?
• Do we feel led to behave in particular ways?
• Are we called to be of service in the community?
• How do we find a balance (between daily life and service) that makes for both a satisfying and a useful life?
• In what ways is the corporate life of the Meeting responsive or not responsive to our leadings?
• How do we test our leadings?

“Love’s Gonna Carry Us” – Singalong Concert

Sunday, April 16, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. — to benefit Asylum Seeker Support Fund

Suggested donation: Adults $25, ADVANCE TICKETS and more info: www.riseupandsing.org/events

NEW INFO From Annie and Peter:

Annie's worked up some terrific new songs she hasn’t performed before and is also including some wonderful songs she hasn’t performed in a long time. Peter made a playlist on our YouTube channel of the songs we’ll be doing so you can get a taste of what’s coming! Or check out this set list with links to song pages in The Music Box on our website.

This concert is sponsored by Concord Friends Meeting as a benefit for the Asylum Seekers Support Fund. If you have questions or want to help in some way, contact Sara Smith.

Featuring Annie Patterson and Peter Blood, creators of Rise Up Singing and Rise Again songbooks which have created a quiet revolution of group singing across North America.  This concert offers the rare opportunity to meet the creators of these popular songbooks and experience their gifts of nurturing community and resilience through song.  Click here for the event poster.  Please share on social media and be in touch with Sara to help with arrangements.

Yard Sale News

Collecting Items for the Sale: Starting Sunday May 7 we will be collecting items for sale, tables offered for loan, and easy-ups offered for loan.  Please leave items in the Fellowship Room.  If you want to bring items during the week, just let us know and we will give you the code for getting into the building. Please have everything at the meetinghouse by 3:00 on Friday the 11^th.  There will be a crew starting to set up then.

Bake Sale:  Don't forget that an important part of this event will be the bake sale.  Start baking anytime and freeze items.

And thank you for thinking about excess items you may find around your quarters and setting them aside for the May 13 sale. Proceeds will go toward building financial stability and food security for a family in Kenya through Kenya Rising.

News of Friends:

Charlie Friou says "Hello to all."  He is doing well and enjoys visits.  Charlie participates in a mindfulness meditation group twice a week.  If you can spend some time with him ask him about the video he has of Maggie Fogarty's interview of him on the topic of his service years in Palestine as a young man and an AFSC volunteer.

Lars writes the he's missed meeting so much because of a big problem he and is family are facing that is detailed below, and also due to lambing.  He hopes everyone is well.

The news is that his employer at Sanborn Mill Farm "has decided not to renew the lease for the house we live in at the farm. Frustrating for a number of reasons. [There was an understanding that] we would be here at least three years.  More frustrating to have to suddenly find housing by June 1. 

"[Their] family of four and a well-behaved English Shepherd are in need of a home to rent or buy in the greater Concord area, that would be great." Contact Lars at lars [dot] prillaman [at] gmail [dot] com

Midweek Worship

We have heard that the time of midweek worship may be moving around a bit. Friends should check with Lucy, Rich, or Matt prior to planning to attend at the announced time.

Child Care

This week marks the end of the signups in our shared document for child care and First Day School teaching.  If you are approved for this service, please visit the Google Doc and add your name where you can.  Many thanks.

Minutes

The draft minutes for the April 2023 meeting for worship with attention to business are available at https://www.ConcordFriendsMeeting.org/2023-04-09_CMM_Minutes or via https://www.ConcordFriendsMeeting.org/Minutes_of_ConcordMonthlyMeeting

For corrections, missing documents, and/or clarifications of the minutes, please reply to Clerk, Concord Friends Meeting clerk [at] concordfriendsmeeting [dot] org (<Clerk [at] ConcordFriendsMeeting [dot] org>).

Book Groups and Life in the Spirit

Becoming Kin: The one book group underway now is at a change point. They are open to having a couple of new participants and are beginning a new book starting April 25, Becoming Kin By Patty Krawec and Nick Estes. Sara writes, we meet on Tuesday mornings at 9 am to 10 am on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month on Zoom. This book is available in a variety of formats and is less than $20. Since we take our time, a library book may run into renewal problems.  Let Sara Smith know if you have questions or would like to join.

Here is part of the blurb: "We find our way forward by going back. The invented history of the Western world is crumbling fast, Anishinaabe writer Patty Krawec says, but we can still honor the bonds between us. Settlers dominated and divided, but Indigenous peoples won't just send them all "home." Weaving her own story with the story of her ancestors and with the broader themes of creation, replacement, and disappearance, Krawec helps readers see settler colonialism through the eyes of an Indigenous writer."

We plan on keeping the book group small so everyone can participate fully, but could add a couple people. If you like to take your time and dive deeply into a book while bringing your life and perspective into the discussion, you might like this group. 

Our life is Love:  Heidi is planning to offer a Sunday, before meeting, discussion group based on Our Life is Love by Marcelle Martin.  She hopes to start it up this summer or no later than September. Check out the reviews and let her know if you are interested. Heidi loves this book and believes it will be a fine study group offering.  She is thinking the group might meet once a month. Let her know of your interest.

Life in the Spirit Groups:  At the start of the pandemic a number of group formed to help us maintain and deepen connections.  Ministry and Counsel has heard from a few people who would like to have such an opportunity again.  Groups could meet over Zoom or in person and be planned to work around the schedules of those interested. The theme is intended to be personal sharing focused on our lives in the spirit.  Greg will help to coordinate so let him know if you have an interest in this sort of group.

Holocaust Memorial Service

A Holocaust Memorial Service will be held at 5:30 on April 17.  Join in person at Temple Beth Jacob 67 Broadway, Concord or via Live Stream (https://www.tbjconcord.org/live- streaming.html). Guest speaker: Prof. Steven Ross, author, Hitler in Los Angeles: How Jews Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America.  This annual service is a presentation of the Greater Concord Interfaith Council in partnership with Temple Beth Jacob.

This Newsletter

Dear Friends,

If you have information to share via this Newsletter please have your information submitted to ConcordFriendsNewsletter [at] gmail [dot] com by 5:00 PM on Thursdays.  Items should begin with a headline followed by text that can be copied and pasted without editing.  Please remove any formatting if you are able.  Also, please keep postings directly related to the Meeting or activities and groups supported by the Meeting, or personal news to share.

Typically the announcements will go out by Friday.  It is our intention to acknowledge receipt of all submissions.  If you don't receive an acknowledgment we probably have not seen your message, and it would be helpful if you followed up with us. 

The Newsletter Gmail account is owned by Wendy, but it is also used by Greg.  Look for the signature to be clear who the actual sender is.  And finally, it's best to keep your Zoom links in a handy place in case the announcements are not sent in a given week.

Greg Heath / Wendy Lapham, Newsletter Editors

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