Westport Friends Meeting

August 2004 Newsletter

(The above is a photo copy of Jean's last message as newsletter editor. Please click any where in image to enlarge - or right click and choose "open in new window.")

Dear Jean, At out most recent Meeting for Business, we received your humble and gracious resignation as the editor of Westport Meeting’s newsletter. We accepted your resignation with a note of sadness and much appreciation for your years of service Many Friends spoke of being touched by your ministry. With simplicity and brevity, you managed to draw our community closer together by sharing personal news and events of members as well as the Meeting’s activities. Your newsletters offered inspiration and tender ministry as you reported on the news of our faith community. I am writing on behalf of all of our members and attenders on your mailing list to express our deep gratitude for your ministry that has nurtured and sustained our community.

In the Light,

Howard “Buddy” Baker-Smith Clerk, Westport Monthly Meeting

1 : Ministry and Counsel Committee meets at rise of worship.

7-12: NEYM Sessions at Bryant College, Smithfield, RI. Visit neym.org for details.

17 Market Ministries (Want to help? Speak with Barbara Wicks at 508-636-2101)

22: Religious Education Committee meets after worship.

22: Conversation Café meets at Allen’s Neck Meeting, 4-5:30 PM. Speak with Greg Stone for more details at 508-636-4290.

Eliza Miley-8/4; Frankie Kirkaldy-8/20; Amy Lee-Vieira-8/30 Our annual Booksale on July 17th was a great success! Thanks to the many Friends, attenders and neighbors who gave both time and energy to make this happen. We especially express our appreciation to the vanload of boys from the DePaul Center who helped first with tent-raising then hauling books out to the tents on Booksale day. Members of the Booksale Committee include Stewart, Drew, Jean, Blair, Mark Bauer, Deana, and Barbara. Their year-round book sorting work and leadership makes this important fundraiser happen. Thank you Friends! Book sorting for next year will begin in the fall. Help is needed. Speak with any of these Friends if you’d like to help out.

• No business meeting in August!
• Nominating Committees slate of committee members for the coming year received final approval. (See attached copy)
• Meetinghouse siding project update: Having been awarded a grant from Westport Town Meeting to cover about half the project cost, we are now in the process of selecting a qualified contractor. Property Committee hopes to finish this project by winter.

• College Bound: Ben Baker-Smith leaves for his first year at Oberlin College on 8/27. Tristan Athearn-Hess leaves for Hampshire College about 9/1. We know our young Friends will be just fine, and hope that their parents recover soon thereafter!
• Jean Kennison is out of the hospital and has returned to stay with Blair and Deana. Visitors are welcome! Drop-in visits are welcome or call 508-636-8980.
• An outbreak of knitting and crocheting has struck several of our Meeting’s teens. We hear it started with Maggie Bauer before spreading outward. Who knew? If you’d like to learn how, ask them for a lesson.

You are most likely an evangelical Quaker if your favorite Quaker phrase is “I see that hand, is there another?” …An orthodox Quaker if your favorite Quaker phrase is “I have a concern.” … And a liberal Quaker if your favorite Quaker phrase is “I have sixteen concerns.”

Posted by Greg Stone at July 30, 2004 06:12 AM