Announcements:
Our Meeting community is pleased to share the news that Susanna and Brandon Syliva are the proud new parents of Charlotte Eloise Sylvia was born on November 11, 2014 at 5:46 AM, weighing 5 lbs and 4 oz! Congratulations mom and dad!
Friends will be pleased to hear that Steve Correia’s recent hip surgery went will and that he is home recuperating. Notes and visits are welcome. Contact Steve via email or at his home at 508-999-3798
Charlotte at Toby Hospital
Two upcoming holiday events to remember: On Sunday, December 14 our Meeting will enjoy our annual Advent Potluck following meeting for worship. An additional announcement will be made about dishes to bring and help needed to set up, etc. But please be sure to join us! Our annual Christmas Eve Service will be held on Wednesday, December 24 at 7 PM in the meetinghouse. Please join us for worship, Christmas carols and readings for all ages, followed by refreshments and goodies in the Community House!
Help is requested to clean and mount the storm windows on the meetinghouse. If you can help us with this annual chore, please contact Kevin Lee. If we have enough people this project can be completed within two hours. Thanks!
Finance Committee reminds Friends that during this season of giving that now is the time to also remember making a year-end donation to Westport Friends Meeting! Please see the Finance Committee report below. Thanks!
DECEMBER CALENDAR
Welcome Home Charlotte
1 Seekers Group, 7 PM in the Community House. Details
4 Westport Ministry and Counsel Meeting at the Lee’s, Dec 4 at 6:30 PM
5-7 JHYM Retreat at Woolman Hill
6 Money, Faith, Spirit, Finances and our Future to be held at Portland Meeting
6 Gathering with a Concern for Gospel Ministry at Hanover Meeting
14 Westport Meeting’s Advent Potluck at rise of worship
21 Monthly Meeting for Business, 8:30 AM in the Meetinghouse
24 Annual Christmas Eve Service, 7 PM in the Meetinghouse
27-30 Young Friends Midwinter Retreat at Friendly Crossways Retreat Center
Future Dates to Save:
Jan 24, 2015, Sandwich Quarterly Meeting at Smith Neck Meeting.
DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS
5 Marge Bilodeau
9 Cooper Tatman
19 Jacquelyne Cox
27 Lucy Ann Lepreau
30 Charlie Bullis
MONTHLY MEETING HIGHLIGHTS –Called Meeting Nov 2, 2014
“Finally” Home!
A called Meeting was held on Nov 2, 2014 to discuss a specific request of the Property Committee:
Charlotte’s First Visit to Meeting!
Background: Property committee met with Greg Marsello, clerk of Finance Committee on October 9th to set priorities for anticipated projects and their related expenses. The Finance Committee prefers to not let the Meeting’s financial assets drop below $300,000. With this as a benchmark, we will have $60,000 to spend on capital improvements in the coming year.
Property Committee has several projects currently under consideration. Bids have been received to remodel the Potter House bathroom. The committee is also receiving bids for interior and exterior painting of the Community House, and to replace just one of the badly worn windows (for this year) in order to determine anticipated hidden costs, etc. Bids are also being reviewed for painting the exterior of the Book Shed and the trim on the meetinghouse.
The final cost of each of these projects will determine how many can be completed. Rather than seek approval for each projects individually, which creates delays in awarding contracts and beginning work, Property Committee has requested to be able to spend up to $50,000 so that they don’t have to come back to Monthly Meeting for approval of each project. This recommendation also has the approval of Finance Committees.
Following a period of discussion Friends approved this request
MONTHLY MEETING HIGHLIGHTS – Regular Business Meeting
Meeting for Business was held on Sunday, November 16 at 8 AM. Highlights follow:
Property Committee: Gretchen Baker-Smith reported verbally, and in writing, that she needs to step down as clerk of Property Committee. Monthly Meeting has directed Nominating Committee to meet soon to recommend a new member to Property Committee. Friends expressed their appreciation to Gretchen that her work as our Property Coordinator would continue.
Charlotte’s First Visit to Meeting!
Property Coordinator Report: Gretchen reported that the smoke detector in the foyer of the meetinghouse stopped working which triggered automatic relays from the alarm company to the fire department. . The Fire Chief met with Gretchen at the meetinghouse to investigate the cause and it was determined that the sensor was malfunctioning. All Security replaced the unit and tested all other sensors on the property as well. Furnace issue: – Brodeur & Sons has had to make several service calls to work on the furnace in the meetinghouse. Friends may recall that we recently had to hold Sunday worship in the Community House due to insufficient heat in the meetinghouse.) The matter was finally resolved on Saturday morning, November 22, in the middle of a JYM Retreat that was taking place. The upshot is that the furnace is now working more efficiently and is noticeably much quieter, too! The well water was retreated and we are awaiting the test results.
Please read Gretchen’s most recent report here, which has been posted to our site.
Ministry and Counsel: The committee has been exploring various methods of outreach to the wider community and has recently met with Beth Collea, the Religious Education Coordinator for NEYM. Beth met with Ministry and Counsel members earlier in November and introduced Westport Friends to the NEYM Quaker Outreach Pilot Program that is beginning in January, 2015. Three monthly meetings will be selected from applications received. The pilot program, by design, involves a substantial commitment of time and a modest financial expense (approx. $1800) by the meeting. Beth Collea will work closely with each of the meetings selected anywhere from 18 to 24 months in an effort to help meetings to identify their strengths, design materials and develop strategies to reach seekers within the wider community who may not know about Friends, etc. If our Meeting is one of the three selected, and if our Meeting approves, it is possible that we could begin in January of 2015. Friends approved this request.
Finance Committee: With December 31, 2014 just around the corner, the Finance Committee would like to remind Westport Monthly Meeting Members and Attenders about end-of-year contributions. We have had a successful Book Fair and a few generous donations, but our Offerings are behind budget. Many people wait until November and December to make contributions and we hope the same happens again this year. With more deferred maintenance planned for 2015, it is important we hit our Offerings budget to support day-to-day operations. Contributions can be sent to Westport Friends Meeting, 938 Main Road, Westport, MA 02790. Many thanks to everyone for everything you do for Westport Monthly Meeting!
Book Fair: Donations of books have been coming in steadily. Please let your friends, neighbors and relatives know that our Meeting appreciates donations of books for all ages. We can also arrange to pick up donated books if that is needed also.
Seekers Group: On Friday, November 7, Attendees of the monthly Seekers Group joined other Friends from Meeting for a potluck followed by a discussion on the topic of simplicity. A lively and spirit-centered sharing time of sharing was enjoyed by all. The Seeker’s Group meets next on Monday, December 1, 2014 at 7pm in the Community House. The topic will be Patience and Happenstance. Details Here
Area and Regional Resources and Opportunities:
Visit our Photo Site! See photos of our recent and past Book Fairs, Meeting sponsored events, meetinghouse, Community House and grounds and archival photos of Meeting history and Friends not longer with us.
New England Yearly Meeting News covers events and news of other meetings around our yearly meeting and beyond.
Clerk of Monthly Meeting: Betty Ann Lee, 508-994-1638
Ministry and Counsel Clerk: Melinda Foley-Marsello, 401-624-9840
Property Coordinator, Gretchen Baker-Smith, 508-636-4963
Newsletter Editor, Kevin Lee | 508-994-1638
Note::Finally Home” image by Jennifer Lee Moura. Other photos by K. Lee