Community
Multnomah Friends is a very active Meeting, with events throughout the week and many ways to get involved. Below are some current events and news about the life of the Meeting. We also publish a weekly bulletin highlighting upcoming programs and announcements, and a monthly newsletter with articles of interest to our community. Sign up with your email address below.
Within our community, we are guided by our testimonies, especially Simplicity, Integrity, and Equality with the goal of being a welcoming space for everyone seeking a spiritual home with us.
Events
Tuesday, March 10, 7-8:30pm, Zoom only
Tuesday, March 17, noon-2:00pm, Room 12
Friendly Readers is an open, drop-in book group, discussing books from a Quaker perspective and getting to know each other more deeply. Everyone is invited. You do not have to commit to regular attendance, or to have read the book. Our discussions are about the topics raised. We discuss one book each month over two meetings, which focus on different issues, so come to either or both. Zoom link: Zoom Meeting: mfmeet.ing/3pgl Meeting ID: 299 858 805 Passcode: 333838.
For March we are discussing the highly acclaimed book, “James”, by Perceval Everett. There is a book review in the March MFM monthly newsletter on page 13 along with our calendar of upcoming books on page 14. March issue
For more information about Friendly Readers, contact Kepper at f
March 8, noon-1:30pm
Children’s Program Committee members will present a training on the Meeting’s Child and Youth Safety Policy on Sunday, March 8th from 12:00-1:30 pm in Room 23. This will be an in-person, hands-on training. All current screened volunteers working with the Meeting’s children and youth who have not completed the online “refresher” version of the training are encouraged to attend, as are all prospective volunteers, whether you’ve begun the screening process or not. For questions, if you need childcare, and/or to RSVP (by March 7th), please contact Lyn Gordon at .
Saturday, March 28, 4:00pm
Meet at Elizabeth Caruthers Park
A group of Quakers, Buddhists, Jews, and other people of faith are again planning a peaceful interfaith protest at the ICE facility on Macadam Avenue on Saturday, March 28. We will gather at Elizabeth Caruthers Park at 4:00pm and walk silently to the facility. We will walk by the facility three times, in silence, dropping flowers as we go to remember the taken and protest injustice. Then we will return to the park for some worship. The estimated end time is 6:00pm. Please bring at least three flowers, if you wish to drop flowers. This is a completely peaceful protest and no items that could be considered weapons should be brought. Contact for further information.
Sunday, February, noon, Meeting Room, Blended
Join the Peace & Justice Committee Sunday, February 22, for our monthly noon meeting in the Worship room. Please email any agenda requests to . If you need childcare to attend, you will be reimbursed for the expense.
Zoom: bit.ly/3fTiOBY
Meeting ID: 878 6800 7345
Join the Peace & Justice Committee Sunday, February 22, for our monthly noon meeting in the Worship room. Please email any agenda requests to . If you need childcare to attend, you will be reimbursed for the expense.
Zoom: bit.ly/3fTiOBY
Meeting ID: 878 6800 7345
Sunday, Feb. 15 and 22, March 1
Social Hour
Joining a committee is a great way to become part of the life of Multnomah Meeting. You get to know other people and become informed about a particular aspect of what makes us who we are. Nominating committee is looking for interested people. On Sundays Feb. 15 and 22, and March 1, there will be representatives from various MMM committees in room 12 during the social hour following 10 o’clock worship. Please stop by to get information on committees you might be interested in. Contact the Nominating Committee: .
Joining a committee is a great way to become part of the life of Multnomah Meeting. You get to know other people and become informed about a particular aspect of what makes us who we are. Nominating committee is looking for interested people. On Sundays Feb. 15 and 22, and March 1, there will be representatives from various MMM committees in room 12 during the social hour following 10 o’clock worship. Please stop by to get information on committees you might be interested in. Contact the Nominating Committee: .
Sunday, February 8, 4:30pm, Social Hall
We host Death Cafes the second Sunday of each month to offer people in the Portland area space for an open, nonjudgmental discussion of our personal experiences with illness, death, grief and loss. The objective is to increase awareness of death with a view to help us make the most of our (finite) lives. For more information contact Ellen Simmons.
We host Death Cafes the second Sunday of each month to offer people in the Portland area space for an open, nonjudgmental discussion of our personal experiences with illness, death, grief and loss. The objective is to increase awareness of death with a view to help us make the most of our (finite) lives. For more information contact Ellen Simmons.
News
Masking in the Meetinghouse and during Meeting for Worship is now optional rather than required—this was decided in business meeting this month. The following message is included in this decision’s minute: “Multnomah Friends, after patient and persistent compliance with our masking requirement during worship, are lovingly released from it. We remain tenderly sensitive to those in our community with compromised immunity related to endemic illness. This will be communicated in our publications for a sufficient amount of time.” Masks will continue to be available in the Meetinghouse this season, and our air filtration system will be used consistently during meeting times. Questions: .
Sunday, December 22, Noon, Meeting Room and Zoom
As you seek discernment about your end-of-year giving, please consider our meeting's Immigrant Support Fund. It provides much-needed help with court filing fees, legal fees, and (when there's enough in the fund) material support for immigrants who are clients of any immigration attorney in our meeting. The need is liable to be even greater during the incoming administration. You can make a donation by giving to the meeting and designating that it is for the Immigrant Support Fund. If you have questions or would like to learn more, please contact any member of the Finance Committee – .
Saturday, December 21st, from 1 to 3pm, we will be hosting a Winter Solstice sit down dinner for our lunch guests complete with a cellist followed by caroling afterwards. We need your help to even come close to the magnificent Thanksgiving celebration led by Cynthia Gilliam. Please take a look here and note that there are two sections, the first being food offerings, followed by time on the floor serving, greeting, cleaning etc. In determining your food choices, it may help to know that Pat will be serving ham and scalloped potatoes. Thank you for your generous time and efforts, and the pleasure of being able to work and serve together on behalf of our beloved lunch guests. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact any one of us below. Thanks so very much.
Winter Solstice Celebration Team. For more information, email .
Winter Solstice Celebration Team. For more information, email .
In the midst of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s recent address asking for more US support for the devastating war in Gaza, there was a flood of actions calling for an immediate ceasefire and release of the hostages:
• As a member of Churches for Middle East Peace, FCNL hosted a vigil before the address to call for and pray for peace and a ceasefire
• Hostage families demonstrated, testified before Congress and met with individual lawmakers calling for an immediate cease fire and release of the hostages;
• Jewish Voices for Peace led a demonstration in the capital with over 400 participants engaged in non-violent resistance and getting arrested;
• At a press briefing, Hassan El-Tayyab, joined Common Defense and Breaking the Silence uplifting a petition signed by more than 5000 Israel and American veterans and military family members calling for a permanent cease fires in Gaza
• Hassan also shared powerful messages form Palestinian children at the Ramallah Friends School in the West Bank.
• At another briefing co-hosted by FCNL for Congressional staff, two former US officials who resigned over the administrations Gaza policy, shared how profoundly destructive the war is and much it is damaging US credibility and security.
• FCNL has facilitated over 680,000 letters to Congress calling for a cease fire and more than 90 members of Congress have to date signed on in support of a permanent cease fire.
• In Oregon delegation, Senator Merkley has a been a key leader in working for a ceasefire, release of the hostages and full funding for organizations aiding Gaza since the very beginning of the war. Recently, it is reported, that Senator Wyden has shifted his position to supporting a cease fire and restored funding to UNRWA, the United Nations Palestinian relief organization that provides critical aide for Gaza.
• As a member of Churches for Middle East Peace, FCNL hosted a vigil before the address to call for and pray for peace and a ceasefire
• Hostage families demonstrated, testified before Congress and met with individual lawmakers calling for an immediate cease fire and release of the hostages;
• Jewish Voices for Peace led a demonstration in the capital with over 400 participants engaged in non-violent resistance and getting arrested;
• At a press briefing, Hassan El-Tayyab, joined Common Defense and Breaking the Silence uplifting a petition signed by more than 5000 Israel and American veterans and military family members calling for a permanent cease fires in Gaza
• Hassan also shared powerful messages form Palestinian children at the Ramallah Friends School in the West Bank.
• At another briefing co-hosted by FCNL for Congressional staff, two former US officials who resigned over the administrations Gaza policy, shared how profoundly destructive the war is and much it is damaging US credibility and security.
• FCNL has facilitated over 680,000 letters to Congress calling for a cease fire and more than 90 members of Congress have to date signed on in support of a permanent cease fire.
• In Oregon delegation, Senator Merkley has a been a key leader in working for a ceasefire, release of the hostages and full funding for organizations aiding Gaza since the very beginning of the war. Recently, it is reported, that Senator Wyden has shifted his position to supporting a cease fire and restored funding to UNRWA, the United Nations Palestinian relief organization that provides critical aide for Gaza.
Action: Contact Senator Wyden and thank him for supporting a ceasefire and restoration of funding to UNRWA. Encourage him to publicize his position.