Westport Friends Meeting

Monthly Meeting Highlights 3.09

Marnie Miller-Gutsell, who, in addition to being the Pastor at Smithfield Friends Meeting, is also the Archivist for NEYM. On one of her rare Sundays off, Marnie has offered to visit with our meeting and share her knowledge on our own meeting’s archival and library collections, and which should go to the NEYM Archives, etc. Westport Friends will share a potluck luncheon with Marnie followed by an informal workshop. Everyone is welcome.

Ministry and Counsel proposed to business the format and process they would like to use for our Meeting’s annual State of Society report. Two queries were selected, and all Friends within our worshipping community are asked to reflect and respond to the queries as led. During meeting for worship on March 22nd, a portion of the hour will be set aside for worship sharing as well. In addition, members of M&C hope to communicate with all attenders and members individually throughout the Meeting during March regarding the queries so that a true sense of the community is represented in our annual State of Society report. Monthly Meeting approved this structure, and also requested that Ministry and Counsel include as much input as possible from the worshipping community as the final draft takes shape.

Please See Queries in the March 09 pdf version of this newsletter

Book Fair Committee: As most Friends know, members of the present Book Fair Committee have been working with the Book Fair Clearness Committee (BFCC), which was clerked by Greg Marsello over the past several months. The BFCC charge from Monthly Meeting was to evaluate and suggest ways to improve communication and work-flow involved in executing future Book Fairs. The BFCC has done terrific work and has concluded its primary purpose. The committee presented a detailed report to Monthly Meeting in January. Please see our Web site for copies of this report, or pick one up in the meetinghouse.

At business meeting in February, the BFCC, reported by Stuart MacGregor, presented the committee’s proposal for a new structure, recommending that the Meeting create a new committee called the Book Fair Steering Committee (BFSC). Friends heartily approved this proposal. The newly formed Book Fair Steering Committee will be comprised of representatives from the following standing committees: Property, Finance, Book Fair Committee, to be renamed “Book Committee,” Religious Ed, and (to be formed), a “seasonal” Book Fair Food Committee. Our Friends In Residence are also named to the BFSC. The Meeting also approved that Greg Marsello will clerk the newly created Book Fair Steering Committee for the coming year. Copies of this report are available online and in the meetinghouse.

Monthly Meeting expressed its appreciation to everyone who helped with the many components that made the creation of the Book Fair Steering Committee possible. Monthly Meeting also recognized the work and leadership of Greg Marsello and approved a Minute of Appreciation for Greg’s work.

(Consortium) Peace and Social Concerns Committee,
reported by Emily Sutton: Our shared P&SC meeting (Allen’s Neck, Smith Neck & Apponegansett and Westport) are involved in four major projects:

1. Winter Conversations project includes two film showings: The Dhamma Brothers – East Meets West in the Deep South and Holding Our Own: Reclaiming the End of Life. The director will join for a showing of this film about a prison Buddhist meditation program at 7:00 PM on Friday, March 20th at the Unitarian Church in Fairhaven.

2. Dorchester BOLD Teen Group. This community high school group is currently involved with Andy Pollock of Silverbrook Farm in Dartmouth via a farmer’s market outreach project. P&SC is proposing to have the youth group visit here. They would spend two nights at Macomber Community House, and share a potluck dinner hosted by all three meetings on Saturday night - amongst other activities.

3. Migrant Ministry: We are looking to understand and help service the needs of local migrant workers (vineyards, businesses, farms.) Please share with us your understanding of who is in need and what are their needs (e.g., learn English, learn Spanish, learn to read and write, etc.).

4. Summer Conversations: The topic for the summer of 2009 is “Building Great Communities” and speaker options are being explored. The dates (TBC) are Thursday evenings: June 2, July 9, July 23 and August 6. P&SC meets on the 2nd Monday of the month at 7:00 pm in the Macomber Community House living room.
There is a shared Meeting for Worship every Thursday at 6:30pm at Allen’s Neck Meeting House. All are welcome!

Sandwich Quarterly Meeting held January 24th at Smith Neck Meeting. Highlights provided by Gale Nixdorf.
• Sandwich Quarterly Meeting would appreciate any additional donations from monthly meetings that would be applied to the SQM Helping Fund. Checks should be made out to SQM and sent to Drew Lizak, SQM Treasurer.
• The slate of officers for 2009 was approved. The new Clerk of Sandwich Quarterly Meeting is Robert Ramsbottom.
• Deana Chase’s Letter of Introduction was read and approved. Marion Athearn’s Travel Minute was approved. Both letters will advance to Permanent Board.
• Friends enjoyed an afternoon program called “Earth Care Testimony” led by Andy Pollock of Allen’s Neck Meeting.
• Next SQM will be held at Yarmouth Preparative Meeting, April 25, 2009.

Kevin Lee, editor.