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“Flexibility is a thin line between compromising and freedom.

May we all walk the line without feeling like we're losing ourselves.”

~ Mitta Xinindlu (1987) (South African lawyer, writer, and researcher who remains passionate about Social Justice and the Human Rights)

The Meeting Calendar

March 2024 Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business

This Sunday at Meeting for Business a proposal for spring landscaping will be brought forward to improve the area disturbed by the geothermal project. The soil has been disturbed so much that poor soil quality is a real problem.  This poor quality earth fills up the entire area to the top of the landscape timbers and that makes improvement difficult.  To install the sort of landscape we had there previously would require the removal of up to six inches of earth before replacing it with good loam.  Another consideration is that we have limited resources for the proper care of plantings and garden beds.

This low maintenance proposal takes these issues into account and would fit within our budget of $1,000 for this year. The plan includes....

• replacing the landscape timbers that were removed from along the stones by the building.
• planting enough rhododendron to essentially fill the space when they are mature.  Few weeds grow in such areas. This would involve digging holes for planting and replacing the removed earth with good loam.
• digging out the southeast and southwest corners and placing good loam for seasonal or annual plantings of flowers as we  have done in the past. 
• Making sure shrubs would not be backed up to the edge by the building leaving an open area there.  This avoids the damage cause by snow sliding from the roof.  Later there could be ferns planted there as the area becomes shady.  Perhaps the creeping sedum we had can go back in there for the time being.
• Heavily mulch over the entire area with bark mulch placed over the top of cardboard.  Less mulch will be required as the shrubs get larger and more dense.
• We have $1000 in our budget for landscaping by the end of May.

Not long after getting more or less settled at the farm at Sanborn, CFM immediately treated me like I belonged. And it was both heart warming and a major catharsis to come and sit.

The arrival of our second child made life a little more complicated and it got harder and harder to make the time to hop in the car and head over. Then we lived without Internet, and could not Zoom. But I wished for the hour of peace and quiet no less and so I began a practice of doing on my own for ten minutes every morning and an hour, at some point in the day, every Sunday.

Sanborn, for a number of reasons, has become untenable as an employer and as a residence, and, after an opportunity to farm together again has presented itself to us in Kentucky, Leslie and I have decided to take it. We will be leaving the area at the end of May.

While my time with y’all was brief, the practice you showed me has become essential for me. And I've heard there is a Meeting near Berea KY, which is just within reach of where we will be. I hope to join them.

Please accept my apology that I was not able to spend more time with everyone and my deepest gratitude for the time we did share. If anyone is ever traveling through Eastern KY, please don't hesitate to visit us.  Convey my appreciation to all in the Meeting.

Also, since y’all are familiar with the author [Wendell Berry] and why we named our son Wendell, I hope you will enjoy these photos of the two meeting for the first time. We will be about two hours from the Berry Center and I’ve been asked to be a guest instructor from time to time.

Very special indeed.

joyfully reports that she has just joined Gonic Meeting, which she has been faithfully attending since last spring.  In unfortunate news, however, she reports that complications from the colon cancer surgery she had last July has left her with serious GI and biliary system issues. More abdominal surgery is considered dangerous and is being avoided by frequent and abrupt dietary changes, with a recent stay in the hospital to resolve a bowel obstruction that could reappear at any time. She remains positive and is continuing her volunteer work as best she can.  Please keep her in your prayers as she adjusts to this fresh awareness of mortality.

Join us for a good time with all sorts of games at the Meetinghouse next

Friday night! Bring games to share and a snack if you can. Mostly bring yourself and a friend!

Anne is on the road again and writing about the adventures of Moominmama in her blog.  Read the blog and see her beautiful pictures of New Mexico and Arizona. at:

https://moominmamasadventures.blogspot.com/  

Hello Friends,

We gather again as a Quarter tomorrow at 1 pm. We will be hybrid, at Dover Meeting (141 Central Avenue, Dover) and on Zoom. The link is below. A primary item for our discernment will be the request of NE Friends Evangelical to become a recognized monthly meeting within the Quarter. We will also hear from the ministers in the Quarter, as they are able to attend, and from our member monthly meetings.

The agenda and minutes for our last gathering in Concord are attached.

I look forward to being together.

    —Jeremiah

By the time you read this, the last, I hope, of a winter storm, will be over and we can really think about spring and notice its signs: flowers sprouting from the ground; buds of trees and shrubs; sun and blue skies; and the smell of warm earth,

It is a good time to explore your own backyard or visit downtown Boston this spring!

Beacon Hill Friends House Director, Jen Newman, visited Concord Friends Meeting in March for both worship with us and a guided fourth Sunday program on Gifts. Jen and her staff have invited Friends from Dover Quarter to visit BHFH.  Hope you will be one of them!

BHFH is an independent Quaker nonprofit organization, located at 6 & 8 Chestnut Street in the downtown area of the city, a short walking distance from the State House and Boston Common. Staff and residents provide Quaker activities both in the building and Zoom. It is also a residential intentional community, which is held up by Quaker principles, providing opportunities for spiritual deepening and personal growth towards collective action.

The building is also home to Beacon Hill Friends Meeting.

Here are three dates offered for our visit to Beacon Hill. One of these dates will be chosen based on how many of you can attend.

• Tuesday, May 21^st starting anytime.
• Wednesday, May 22^nd after 12 noon
• Thursday, May 23^rd before 3 pm

Please email me with your preferences, Date 1, Date 2, Date 3, and your name, and telephone number.  This announcement will be sent out again with the last day to reply.