Omaha Friends Meeting

Meeting for Business

18 November 2007

Present: Curtis, Nancy, Debbie, Carol, Frank, Ed, Marshall, and Lynda

Minutes  from October 21 were approved.

Query:  Queries were read after first asking if the youth would like to be present for the readings.   Each of the following queries was read and approved.

Query 6. Education

Education is not just about intellectual curiosity: George Fox taught people by asking them to be aware of the inward guide.  When we were young, the adults who were eloquent and sure of themselves had tremendous stature. We might have found, as we got older, that they weren’t as all-knowing as they had appeared to us.  Were they “whistling in the dark” or acting more confident than they were?  If so, maybe this is a kind of faith we need to learn from them.  They had faith that turning toward the inward guide and acting according to that measure of Light which they had been given would lead us on the right path.  By having confidence in us they gave us the confidence to try to figure things out, to be aware of the inward guide, and to be obedient.  As teachers ourselves now, we respect the ability of our Youth to find and follow that same Inner Light. 

Query 9: Civic Responsibility. 

         Although we acknowledge the importance of civic engagement for us as Friends, we sometimes find this difficult. One reason is that civic activism often yields few—if any—immediate results. It demands perseverance. Another reason is a habit of withdrawing when feeling powerless.

       However, the example of Mother Theresa of Calcutta demonstrates that committed people of faith can persevere over many years even when faced with increasing human suffering and a sense that God seems far away.

Query 10:  Environmental Responsibility:

There are big and small actions we can take to lessen our carbon footprints.  Some of the bigger actions are not done simply, such as changing the size of our homes, leaving the suburbs, combining families into one household, or purchasing efficient cars.  We can, however, drive our cars more efficiently, use more environmentally friendly lawn care practices, heat and cool our homes more efficiently, and recycle.

While most of us are not directly involved in agriculture and its use of chemicals, we can influence that process by what we purchase in the way of organic food. Genetically modified organisms in agriculture is an area we know less about and watch with interest and concern.

Most of the areas negatively influencing the environment are related to the ever increasing global population numbers.  Many developed countries are approaching zero population growth, but this is not true globally.  Education and legislation could influence this trend.  In the United States modifying the tax deductions allowed for children might encourage maintaining a constant population growth number here.

Query 11:  Social and Economic Justice

         We acknowledge that social and economic systems and not individuals alone shape our world's inequities. Our society lacks a sense of covenant between its members such as the ancient Israelites had with God and each other through the Mosaic law and the prophets. Creating or reviving a covenant—and therefore a greater sense of community—likely would help reduce injustice.

       Perhaps our meeting could foster such a covenant by helping organize for social change, such as advocating for better transit or other efforts to increase the common good.

Query 8: Personal Responsibility (Youth)

          Unhurried peace?  Some people feel peaceful in their rush.  This statement of Thomas Kelly’s applies more to Samaris.  Quakerism is not philosophical.

          Oaths - It is good not to swear on anything.  People should tell the truth all the time so swearing isn’t needed.

          Secret organizations - They are not secret if people know about them.  Sometimes it is bad to exclude people but sometimes it is necessary if there are budget or space problems for instance.

          Gambling - is bad because it is exclusive.  You have to be of “legal’ age to do it.  The money could be used for better purposes but if the situation requires skill and it is done in moderation, it is OK.

          Addictive substances - You can get arrested. They can make you do your job poorly and you might get caught in a drug test.  Performance enhancing drugs are dishonest.

          Gangs and their wars divert resources and distract people from doing good.  They involve a lot of secrets and are secret exclusive organizations.

          Nothing distracts us from the inner light because all experiences help you develop your inner life, although Max (the dog) being noisy in Meeting doesn’t help.

          The peer pressure of people asking you to help them cheat at school creates challenges to maintain integrity.

          Family putting demands on our time and asking us to do things adds emotional strain and is distracting to a spiritual life.

          We try to be consistent and hold everyone to the same standards.

          We try to have the self-control to be simple and honest.  Simplicity is the hardest testimony.  The family helps us be simple when they say “no” to buying stuff.  There is so much stuff to do and there is so much material stuff.  We think that simplicity was easier in the past.

          Picnics, getting out in nature, dreams, and music give us the joy and beauty without the material.

          We free ourselves of distractions by sleeping.

          We provide service to the divine in the volunteer projects we have done and plan to do.

Query 10:  Environmental Responsibility (Youth) 

 SEQ CHAPTER                                                        

          What are we doing about our disproportionate use of world resources?  We all recycle.  Some of us are building a collection system  to use roof rain water.  We try not to waste food or anything.  Some of us don’t eat meat and try to drink less milk because animal food sources use more resources than plant food sources.  Milk uses lots of water.

          Over population is a problem.  If there weren’t so many people our schools would be better.  If there weren’t so many people there would not be a need for Wal-mart.  Wal-mart exists because of poverty and a lot of people need jobs.  Cheap goods are needed in our over populated society.

          On a global scale we can support efforts to find alternative energy sources.  Ethanol production is an inefficient use of energy.  The process needs to be changed.  We don’t want to buy gas guzzling cars.

          God told us in the Bible to take care of the earth so when we mess with the environment we aren’t following God’s plan.  Genesis 2:15.

Query 11: Social and Economic Justice (Youth)

            Taxes are set up unfairly.  The poor pay a larger part of their income than the rich do.  We need to elect a different president.

          People needed to be treated equally according to their ability, education, merit, and accomplishments. 

          There is still prejudice in business.  This was shown in studies where the same resume was submitted to businesses, with the only difference being the name was a man or woman or were of different nationalities.  Some people think that if someone has a Middle Eastern name, they must be a terrorist.

          We need to get rid of affirmative action.  There is discrimination in college scholarships and admissions to create diversity.  This happens in job hiring too.  We see the merit of diversity, but qualifications should be the first consideration..  Among equally qualified applicants, diversity should be the next consideration.

          To encourage diversity and prevent more people from being in correctional facilities we need to encourage people to      read, get an education, have initiative, and help others.  Rap is bad because it encourages people to get money by bad means such as selling drugs.  It also encourages getting power through violence, like beating people up.  Rap does not tell of the time, effort, and study that it takes to be good in music.  People don’t make it big by accident.  It has been proven that TV has no long-term positive effects.  People should learn the value of reading.

          We have experienced ageism.  There have been conversations and activities that we wished to and felt qualified to participate in as equals with older people, yet we experienced them patronizing and talking down to us because of our age.  When we are with young people we are not condescending.

          Mainstreaming is good because it helps people learn how to live together.  It is good to help everyone to develop their potential.  We have seen people with special needs working at jobs.  They do a good job, improve their lives and don’t feel worthless.

          No Child Left Behind is not good.  It lowers the standards of the top end of the curve to those of the low end meaning our brightest students aren’t challenged enough.        

Lynda will thank the youth for their responses to the queries on behalf of Meeting. 

Calendar:

                   First Day:

November 25 -    What do we as individuals in the 

meeting expect to get out of    Quakerism, our Meeting, and how do we get it.

December 2   -    alternate for/or continuation of 25^th

                             Discussion or query 12

December 9   -   reading discussion on Bishop

                             Tutu’s book – Curtis

December 16 -    Business Meeting

December 23 -    Intergenerational Christmas

                             celebration – Religious Education

                             Committee will look into its

                             planning

December 30 -    Query 12 (if not December 2)

                   Other:

                             June 5-8         -    Great Plains YM (formerly NE YM)

                                                           In Central City.  Speakers:  Paul

                                                           Lacey (FCNL), Sylvia Graves

                                                           (FUM), Mary Ellen McNish

                                                           (AFSC), and Margaret Fraser

                                                           (FWCC)

Nominating Committee: 

Carol's name was inadvertantly left off the committee's report last month.  Her nomination for Ministry and Oversight Committee was approved.

Nominating Committee will facilitate a discussion November 25 to discuss what shared identity we have for our Meeting and the roles in it,  and to see to what purpose or actions that leads us. The clerk will send out a reminder about the discussion session. 

Treasurers' Report

Report for the last two months approved.  2006/ 2007 Year End Budget Report was given. There was a miscalculation in the amount of the Total Meeting Disbursements which Lynda will correct.  These are found at the end of the minutes.

          Members and attenders are encouraged to think about whether or not Meeting would like to have a budget for the next fiscal year.  This will be revisited at next Meeting for Business.  This could be given light following our vision discussion later this month.

          Meeting approved sending the past two months contributions to the Dorothy Day House and to PULSE.  These had been suspended because of a budget not being approved.  These contributions will continue to be sent independently of the budget's approval status.

Other:

          Debbie reported that she and Carol visited briefly with the youth regarding their use of Second Hour.  They continue to be aware of the adults’ expectations of appropriate choices of activities and consideration to each other.

          Publishing the treasurer’s report: was discussed and decided that it is not necessary to publish it on the internet and outside Meeting.   It will be sent on the electronically with the minutes.

Meeting closed with a period of silence.