Westport Friends Meeting

Dec 07 Business Meeting

Our Advent Pot Luck will be held on the second Sunday, December 9th, at the rise of meeting. Hospitality Committee has been asked to help coordinate setup and cleanup and Ministry and Counsel will oversee the music selections.
(Editor’s note: Since the Hospitality “Committee” is mainly comprised of two people, Friends are urged to speak with Alice Mercer-Medeiros and Marge Bilodeau about how best to help with setup and clean-up Many more hands will be needed!)

Second Sunday Discussion will gather at 8:30 AM, December 9th in the Community House. Deana Chase will facilitate. Topic: Recording gifts of ministry. Deana also has additional resources if Friends would like to read up on the topic prior to her discussion. Also, see NEYM Faith and Practice, 1985, page 227 and 246-7.

Market Ministries is asking for the support of our Meeting around the coming Christmas season at the New Bedford Shelter for the Homeless. Anyone wishing to lend support is asked to bring in (wrapped or unwrapped) a gift consisting of one pair of tube socks and one large or extra large flannel shirt. (If your gift is wrapped, it would be helpful to indicate the size!) Thank you in advance for your contribution.

Meeting approved exploring with Betsy Cazden, a well known New England Friend and Quaker historian, the possibility of her coming to Westport Meeting to give a talk on the history of Quakerism in New England. We look forward to the possibility of combining her visit/discussion with pot luck. More details as they become available.

Finance Committee: Annual offering appeal letters were mailed recently to Friends in our Directory. Donations will help our Meeting to address long-term capitol expenditures related to maintaining our property and buildings. Your generosity is appreciated. The FY 09 First Draft Budget will be ready to review at the December Business Meeting. Contact Greg Marsello, clerk of Finance with questions, etc, at 401-624-9840 or Marsello@lern.org.

MEETING NEWS

Christmas Eve Service: Ministry and Counsel will organize the Christmas Eve Service to be held on
December 24th at 7:00 PM. Like other years, the service will include readings, Christmas hymns and time for unprogrammed worship. Everyone is encouraged to attend and to bring family members and friends. Children are especially welcome! Light refreshments will be served following the service in the Community House. (The Meeting will supply tea, juices, mulled cider, etc.) Your “goodies” are appreciated, too. For more info contact June Correia at 508-999-3798.

Newsletter Online: Friends are reminded that our newsletters, including previous editions, are also available online at www.WestportQuakers.org. The site also contains a current list of Meeting officers, committee members, property use guidelines, memorial minutes, directions to our meeting and related contact information. Suggestions for additions to the site and how to make it better are always welcome.

The Reason Jesus Was Born

One cold winter night, a farmer heard an unusual thumping against his kitchen storm door. He went to the window and watched as tiny, shivering sparrows, attracted by the apparent warmth inside, beat In vain against the glass.

Touched, the farmer got bundled up and went out into the cold fresh snow to open his barn doors. He turned on the light and tossed some hay in the corner. But the sparrows, which had scattered in all directions when he emerged from the house, hid in the darkness, afraid.

He tried various tactics to get them into the barn. He laid down a trail of saltine crackers to guide them. He tried getting behind them and driving them in the direction of the open barn. Nothing worked. He, a huge alien creature, had terrified them; the birds couldn’t understand that all he wanted to do was help.

The farmer withdrew into his house and watched the doomed sparrows from his window. As he stared, a thought hit him like lightning from a clear blue sky: If only I could become a bird… one of them… just for a moment. Then I wouldn’t frighten them so. Then I could show them the way to warmth and safety.

At that moment he grasped the reason Jesus was born.
- John Calvi