2021-03-31 Announcements for

Bear Brook Camping Trip (or day trip) for Wed, Jun 2^nd – Sat, Jun 5^th

One of our small groups meeting via Zoom is taking planning for Spring fun seriously.  They came up with the idea of a camping trip and Elaine agreed to take on the organizing.  Come to find out reservations are already going fast in the NH State Parks so this is timely information.  If you are interested, please take action soon.

Where: Bear Brook State Park Camp Ground

When: Arrive Wednesday, June 2^nd - Leave Saturday, June 5^th - the sites of choice have a three night minimum.

Site Reservations: Go online to the Bear Brook State Park site and reserve the site of your choice – 13 through 18. Click here. That will be our cluster. Sites already reserved may have room for folks to double up and there are other nearby sites,. If you try to reserve a site and find they have filled, contact Elaine right away.

Food: Bring whatever you need for food, plan for a potluck dinner on Thursday evening at 6:00.

Clothing: Bring warm clothing as it may be chilly at night. Also bring bug shirts and head nets – there might be black flies but they do not flourish in dry times. Bathing suits could be also useful if it is warm enough.  There is swimming and canoe/kayak rentals just for the campground, very close by.

Facilities: There are very nice bathrooms with showers and laundry also very close to these sites.

Day Use Passes: Due to the pandemic there are restrictions on day use passes. Reserve your visits here: day use reservations.

For More Information: Call Elaine at 617-359-8699.

News of Friends

Mark tells us that he is feeling much better after 5 days in the hospital being treated for pneumonia. His recovery is expected to take a good long time, but his spirits are good ... and he is grateful for the many well wishes!

Michael and Joanna have exciting and wonderful news that, sadly, will take them from our region of the country.  Michael writes, “Joanna and I are in the Omaha airport at the moment, but we wanted to reach out to you right away with some big news. I have been named the next President of Peru State College, in Peru, Nebraska.  I start there July 1.

“We will be very sad to leave the Concord meeting...we want to thank you for your hospitality and friendship over the last few years. You have made the Meeting feel very much like home.

“I know some will reasonably wonder why we moved our membership to Concord, only to depart.  I've been looking into Presidencies for a while now, but they all come with very long odds.  (There were 74 applicants for the Peru State position.)  We didn't want to leave ourselves in limbo, knowing that a Presidency might not materialize for quite some time, so we wanted to steam ahead on the assumption that I would not get one soon.

“We will keep our membership with Concord, probably for some time.  The nearest Meeting to Peru is in Omaha, an hour to the north. We'll attend there when we can.”

QuakerSpeak

Quaker Speak, a project under the Friends Journal umbrella, are prominently displayed on our web site. Please read on to hear of their current circumstances and need.

QuakerSpeak, our popular YouTube video project, is underfunded for the first time ever.  This is a vital outreach tool for our community, and it needs your help [2].

Here’s the situation:

• We currently have a $59,000 shortfall due to adjustments we’ve had to make to budgets because of the COVID pandemic.
• I need your help today to make sure we can keeping the channel’s Quaker video content strong and relevant, and to keep growing our viewership.
• A generous donor has given an emergency matching gift that will DOUBLE whatever you give today - up to $5,000! [2]

I’m asking you to make a generous gift before April 16^th to help erase this budget shortfall.

For many of our subscribers, QuakerSpeak is the only way they are able to experience the Quaker community that you and I enjoy. This is especially important during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Please give now knowing that your gift will also support the constant push to keep ministries like QuakerSpeak and Friends Journal relevant and filled with inspiring content.

Remember – your gift doubles before April 16^th [2]!

Yours in peace,

Gabriel Ehri

Executive Director

Asylum Seekers Support Fund

At Meeting for Business, the Meeting created a fund to be of use to individuals in our area seeking asylum status.  Contributions to this fund may be made to the Meeting making a notation of ASSF in the memo portion of your check.  In addition to Meeting funds that will be appropriated so far $350 has been donated by individuals.

Minutes of our last Meeting for Business can be found at: https://www.concordfriendsmeeting.org/2021-03-14_CMM_Minutes [3]

Walking with the Bible: Spring Series – 1^st Sundays (April through June) at 4 p.m. EDT

From: Peter Blood <inwardlight1 [at] gmail [dot] com>

Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2021 at 20:09

Subject: Walking with the Bible: Spring Series

Hi, Friends,

We are delighted to announce that Woolman Hill & Beacon Hill Friends House are sponsoring a third series of Bible reflection beginning on Easter.

1^st Sundays (April through June) at 4 p.m. EDT / 1 p.m. PDT / 9 p.m. UK

Sun, April 4 - Dr Randy Woodley - Theologian, farmer, activist, wisdom keeper.  Director of Intercultural & Indigenous Studies at George Fox University. eloheh.org

Sun, May 2 - Benigno Sanchez-Eppler - Teaches at the Quaker Peace Institute of Cuba YM.  He is leading Bible half hours at the FGC Gathering this summer.

Sun, June 6 - Lynette Davis - Member of Ujima Friends Center.  Divinity student at Earlham School of Religion. Blogs at lynettedavis.substack.com

Info / registration at bhfh.org/bible-series [4]

Please help us spread the word about this exciting series.

Thank you,

Peter

Anne S Travel Blog

Anne S’s travel blog is at https://moominmamasadventures.blogspot.com/ [5]

Meeting Donations

Friends have been asking how to make financial contributions to the Meeting.  Checks may be sent via a hand written check or via your online banking service to Concord Monthly Meeting, c/o Greg Heath (bookkeeper), 49 Wyven Rd., Canterbury NH  03224.  Direct deposits to the Meeting's bank account may also be made.  For direct deposit, one must request the transfer (or recurring transfers) from their own bank on a form the bank will provide.  During these pandemic times, your bank will gladly send you the form by post and answer any questions you may have.  They will require this information:

• Merrimack County Savings Bank routing number is 211470225,
• The account name is Concord Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.
• The account number is 3200171068.