CMM 2019-01-13 Possible Items for Agenda

Here are some possible agenda items for First Month’s Meeting for Worship with attention to Business, which will be on the 13^th (the second First Day) of First Month.  Some of the items from Twelfth Month may have been carried forward.  Some of the proposed items may need further seasoning.  They are in no particular order at the moment.  [See also http://quakerspeak.com/quaker-decision-making-consensus/ [1]]

During worship, please hold in your heart the following from the “Advices on Corporate Discernment” in the 2014 Interim Faith & Practice of NEYM [2].  Friends are also asked to consider the “Queries on Corporate Discernment [3]”.

Remember that we are only able to act according to our present sense and judgment, in the faith that the light we are given is enough for our needs today.  Let us be humble both with one another, and in anticipating that there may be more and different steps to take tomorrow.

• Minutes of Twelfth Month’s Meeting for Worship with attention to Business [4].
• Budget Committee report
  • “How does our Meeting engage its members in the support of the Meeting’s work, its ministry, and the upkeep of its property?” ¹
• Property Committee report
  • “Does our Meeting serve social and economic justice in its uses of property and money?” ¹
• Peace, Social, and Earthcare Concerns Committee (PSECC) report
  • “We do not own the world, and its riches are not ours to dispose of at will.  Show a loving consideration for all creatures, and seek to maintain the beauty and variety of the world.  Work to ensure that our increasing power over nature is used responsibly, with reverence for life.  Rejoice in the splendour of God’s continuing creation.” ²
  • AFSC’s Sanctuary Everywhere [5]
  • FCNL’s #LoveThyNeighbor (No Exceptions) [6]
  • AFSC-NH’s, GSOP’s, and NH Council of Churches’ Immigrant Solidarity Network [7]
• Youth Religious Education Committee report
  • Children and young people need love and stability.  Are we doing all we can to uphold and sustain parents and others who carry the responsibility for providing this care? ³
• Outreach Committee report
  • “Are you patterns, examples; do your lives preach among all sorts of people, and to them?  Do you walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in every one?” - NEYM 1985 Faith and Practice, Queries 5.4 and 5.5 [8].
• Ministry & Counsel Committee report
  • Query 2. “b) Are we aware of the roles we fill as heirs of the meetings of ministers and elders?  What do we do to support each other in the use of our gifts for God’s work?  Do we actively seek to identify and nurture these gifts in each other?”  NEYM Minute of Exercise, 2015-09-15 [9]
  • Discern ‘Letter of Notification’ to One Spirit Interfaith Seminary [10] for Rob Spencer.
  • NEYM is developing a data protection and information security policy.  Concord Monthly Meeting may wish to revisit its policy as stated at https://www.concordfriendsmeeting.org/ContactInformationForm [11].  Draft versions of a possible data privacy policy [12] and data consent form [13] are available for perusal and consideration.

Announcements & Events:

Dec 11 (Tue)  4:00 - 6:00 p.m.  Voices of Faith invites you to their kickoff session at the NH UCC Conference office, 140 Sheep Davis Road in Pembroke.  This is a chance to go over together the state legislative overview for 2019.  Using faith-rooted discernment around a moral economy, we will decide together how to focus our energy in legislative advocacy.

Dec 12 (Wed)   6:30 – 7:30 p.m.  Mid-week worship at Bevan Tulk’s home.

Dec 15 (Sat)   9:30 – 10:30 a.m.  All are welcome to join us for Quaker Basics, Week 6 at our meetinghouse, Canterbury, NH.  For paper copies of the readings, Readings for Quaker Basics, Week 6 [14], Community, beforehand, please contact MarkBarker@ConcordFriendsMeeting.org [15].  You may also download it from our website at https://www.concordfriendsmeeting.org/Library#QuakerBasics [16].

Dec 15 (Sat)   7:00 p.m.  Christmas Caroling Party at Greg and Ruth Heath’s home.

Dec 16 (Sun)   8:45 for 9:00 a.m. (3^rd 1^st Day) Ministry and Counsel meeting at the Meetinghouse.

Dec 16 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.  1^st Day School: Greg ; Closing: Heidi, Kathy M. ; Boiler Cleaning: Greg.

Dec 18 (Tue)   9:00 – 10:00 a.m.  Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Immigrant Justice [17] [Joshua 6:1-27 [18]] for those reporting to ICE [19] for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester.  We have signed the pledge to stand with our immigrant neighbors.  If you have not seen a copy of the revised solidarity statement, it can be found here [20].  [Also, see resources at the website [7] of the NH Council of Churches.]

Dec 19 (Wed)   6:30 – 7:30 p.m.  Mid-week worship at Bevan Tulk’s home.

Dec 21 (Fri)   4:00 – ~5:00 p.m.  Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day [21], State House Plaza, 107 North Main Street, Concord, commemorating the people who have died in the past year while homeless.  December 21^st is the longest night (~15.03 hrs. in Concord) of the year and in New Hampshire, the severe cold reminds us of the suffering of those living out of doors.  Many churches in New Hampshire support and serve the homeless in their communities and many of our church member-volunteers attend outdoor vigils on this night.  Here, in alphabetical order, are the other vigil events happening around New Hampshire that we are aware of:

• Hampstead, 7pm, Hampstead Congregational Church [22], 61 Main Street. Details on Facebook [23].
• Keene, 5:30pm, United Church of Christ in Keene [24], 23 Central Square. Bell-ringing.
• Laconia: 5:30 pm in Veterans Square.
• Lancaster: 5 pm to 7 pm at the Centennial Green.
• Manchester: Thursday, December 20 at 6 pm in Veterans Park.
• Nashua, 5:30pm, Main Street United Methodist Church [25], 154 Main Street. Details on Facebook [26].
• Newport: 6:00 pm at the Newport Common.
• Peterborough, 4:45pm, Peterborough United Methodist Church [27], 43 Concord Street. Details on this flyer [28] (PDF).
• Portsmouth: 5:30 pm in Market Square, in front of North Church.
• Upper Valley: 4:30 pm in the Listen parking lot, 42 Maple Street, White River Junction, VT.

Dec 23 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.  1^st Day School: Greg ; Closing: Jonah, Mark ; Boiler Cleaning: Mark with Jonah.

Dec 24 (Mon)   4:30 p.m.  Havenwood Nursing Home Caroling.  Meet in the lobby at 149 East Side Dr, Concord, NH.

Dec 24 (Mon)   6:00 p.m.  Short Christmas Eve Programmed Service at the Meetinghouse followed by potluck.

Dec ~24 — ~31   Bevan recuperating (after knee operation) at Villa Crest Nursing Home, 1276 Hanover St, Manchester, NH 03104, Phone: (603) 622-3262 – watch for more!

Dec 30 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.  1^st Day School: Faith ; Closing: Pat, Faith ; Boiler Cleaning: Jonah.

Dec 31 (Mon)   6:00 p.m. ’til ‘Quaker Midnight’ at 10:00 p.m.  New Year’s Eve Game Night for all ages.

2019:

Jan   5 (Sat)    7:00 – 9:00 p.m.  Song Circle meets at the Meetinghouse.

Jan   6 (Sun)   8:30 a.m.  (1^st 1^st Day) Youth Religious Education Meeting at the Meetinghouse.

Jan   6 (Sun) 10:00 a.m.  Worship.  1^st Day School: Mark ; Opening: Mark ; Closing: Rob Y., Kathy M. ; Boiler Cleaning: Rob Y.

Jan   8 (Tue)   9:00 – 10:15 a.m.  (usually the First Tuesday) Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Immigrant Justice [17] [Joshua 6:1-27 [18]] for those reporting to ICE [19] for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester.  This will be followed by the Sanctuary Support Network [29] meeting at Blessed Sacrament Church, 14 Elm Street, Manchester where there will be refreshments.  We have signed the pledge to stand with our immigrant neighbors.  If you have not seen a copy of the revised solidarity statement, it can be found here [20].  [Also, see resources at the website [7] of the NH Council of Churches.]

Jan 13 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship, followed by potluck and Meeting for Worship with attention to Business.  1^st Day School: Dave ; Opening: Kathy M ; Closing: Jennifer, Sara ; Boiler Cleaning: Jennifer.

Jan 15 (Tue)    9:00 – 10:00 a.m.  Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Immigrant Justice [17] [Joshua 6:1-27 [18]] for those reporting to ICE [19] for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester.  We have signed the pledge to stand with our immigrant neighbors.  If you have not seen a copy of the revised solidarity statement, it can be found here [20].  [Also, see resources at the website [7] of the NH Council of Churches.]

Jan 17 (Thu)    12:15 p.m.  Please join NH Voices of Faith for a vigil to show our support for immigrant rights and well-being.  We will gather in the lobby of the Legislative Office Building (LOB) at 12:15 p.m. and move to the doors of Room 301-303 LOB at 12:30 p.m. for the public hearing on HB 232, “relative to enforcement of immigration laws and the prohibition of sanctuary cities.”  This bill requires state and local government entities to comply with federal immigration detainer requests, i.e., jail people that the federal authorities want to capture.  It also prohibits state and local governments from adopting policies that “prohibit, restrict, or discourage the enforcement of federal law,” a broad mandate which would probably apply to policies which simply keep local police from asking people about their immigration status when it has nothing to do with whatever motor vehicle infraction or incident they might be investigating.  The impact of such a policy would be to compel local police to function as junior ICE officers, leading to increased fear and decreased trust in our cities and towns.

Jan 18 (Fri)    9:00 – 10:15 a.m.  Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Immigrant Justice [17] [Joshua 6:1-27 [18]] for those reporting to ICE [19] for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester.  We have signed the pledge to stand with our immigrant neighbors.  If you have not seen a copy of the revised solidarity statement, it can be found here [20].  [Also, see resources at the website [7] of the NH Council of Churches.]

Jan 18 — 25   Week of Prayer for Christian Unity [30]:  The NH Council of Churches [31] will publish a daily reflection during the Week from our various member denominations – watch for more!

Jan 20 (Sun)   8:45 for 9:00 a.m.  (3^rd 1^st Day) Ministry and Counsel meeting at the Meetinghouse.

Jan 20 (Sun) 10:00 a.m.  Worship.  1^st Day School: Pat ; Closing: Mark, Heidi ; Boiler Cleaning: Mark.

Jan 27 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship followed by ‘Fourth First Day Meeting for Learning’ on the NEYM Climate Calculator [32].  1^st Day School: Faith ; Closing: Dave, Penny ; Boiler Cleaning: Dave.

Feb   3 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.  Greeting: Mark ;  1^st Day School: ; Closing: Greg, Ruth ; Boiler Cleaning: Greg.

Feb   5 (Tue)   9:00 – 10:15 a.m.  (First Tuesday) Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Immigrant Justice [17] [Joshua 6:1-27 [18]] for those reporting to ICE [19] for deportation that day at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street in Manchester.  This will be followed by the Sanctuary Support Network [29] meeting at Blessed Sacrament Church, 14 Elm Street, Manchester where there will be refreshments.  We have signed the pledge to stand with our immigrant neighbors.  If you have not seen a copy of the revised solidarity statement, it can be found here [20].  [Also, see resources at the website [7] of the NH Council of Churches.]

Feb 10 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship, followed by potluck and Meeting for Worship with attention to Business.  Greeting: Kathy M. ; 1^st Day School: Dave ; Closing: Rich, Kathy U. ; Boiler Cleaning: Rich.

Feb 17 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.  Greeting: ;  1^st Day School: ; Closing: Pat, Faith ; Boiler Cleaning: Jonah.

Feb 24 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.   Greeting: ; 1^st Day School: ; Closing: Greg, Ruth ; Boiler Cleaning: Greg.

Mar   3 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.   Greeting: Mark ;  1^st Day School: ; Closing: Rob Y., Kathy M. ; Boiler Cleaning: Rob Y.

Mar 10 (Sun)  10:00 a.m. (NB. Daylight Savings Time)  Worship, followed by potluck and Meeting for Worship with attention to Business.   Greeting: Kathy M. ;  1^st Day School:  ; Closing: Dave, Penny ; Boiler Cleaning: Dave.

Mar 17 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.   Greeting: ;  1^st Day School: ; Closing: Jennifer, Sara ; Boiler Cleaning: Jennifer.

Mar 24 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.   Greeting: ;  1^st Day School: ; Closing:  ; Boiler Cleaning: .

Mar 31 (Sun)  10:00 a.m.  Worship.   Greeting: ;  1^st Day School: ; Closing:  ; Boiler Cleaning: .

Mar 31 (Sun)  12:30 p.m.  Dover Quarterly Meeting at Concord Friends Meetinghouse with the Souhegan Friends providing a program.

First Day School Help:  If you would like to be a helper in the children’s program, and have not yet filled out the Youth Worker Screening Form [33].  Please download and print one out, fill it in, and pass it to Kathy Urie.  You can find it at Youth Worker Screening Form [33].  We need one helper each week.  Look for a sign-up sheet on the left bulletin board this Sunday.  And thank you!  The children thank you too!

Volunteers to be ready to support Manchester Unitarian Universalist Church as a Level 1 physical sanctuary in the New Hampshire Immigrant Solidarity Network.  Contact MarkBarker@ConcordFriendsMeeting.org.  Here’s a list of the support roles needed.

• Day Citizen Companions
• Provide Food
• Provide Transportation
• Offer Entertainment (games or movies)
• Provide Emotional Support
• Provide Language Translation
• Provide Legal Support
• Provide Medical Support
• Raise Funds
• Provide a Gift Card
• Organize other Volunteers
• Laundry
• Other support you could offer

In August 2017, we published a statement in response to the tragedy in Charlottesville, Virginia [34].  Please also see “Such a Time as This: A Response to Hate and Violence [35]” as well as the “2017 Epistle of New England Yearly Meeting [36]”, Ruby Sales’ Plenary Message [37] on NEYM’s Youtube channel, and the audio recordings of the 2017 Annual Sessions Bible Half-Hours by Marty Grundy [38] focusing (exegeting [39]) on Romans 12:2 [40].  Draft booklet of Bible Half Hour texts [41].

^1. See https://www.pym.org/faith-and-practice/guidelines-and-procedures/general-queries/nurturing-our-community/ [42]

^2. See http://qfp.quaker.org.uk/chapter/1/ [43] № 42

^3. See http://qfp.quaker.org.uk/chapter/1/ [43] № 24