Omaha Friends Meeting
Meeting for Business
17 December 2006
Present: Debbie, Ginny, Curtis, Marshall, Lynda, Frank, Ed, Carol, Vivian.
Minutes from 17 November were read and approved.
Query: Query 12 will be shared at a later time.
Calendar:
First Day:
Dec. 24 - Christmas program – Intergenerational –
both youth and adult components
Dec. 31 - Discipline revision – Carol
Jan. 7 - discussion on the role of youth within
Meeting, including youth
Jan. 14 - Query 1 – Ginny
Jan. 21 - Business Meeting
Jan. 28 - Environment/carbon-audit
Other:
Jan. 12-15-Midwest Annual Youth Quake –
Evanston, Illinois – see Debbie
Jan. 20 - potluck at Debbie's at 6
March 4 - Jan Luchini, director of Scattergood
Friends School
April 14 & 15 - Midyear Meeting at Bear Creek
Meeting, near Earlham, Iowa
April 15 - Peace Expo at UNO
July 26-31- Yearly Meeting at Scattergood Friends School near West Branch, Iowa
Peace and Social Concerns Committee Report:
There was no report from the committee this month.
The committee will report on the rationale of supporting OTOC at a later time.
The environment ad hoc committee met and talked about how we can educate ourselves about the amount of energy our families are using. This could lead to a discussion of how to curtail that use. Second Hour on January 28th will focus on some of their ideas. For that Sunday, Friends are invited to bring their lap top computers if they have wifi, electric and gas bills, the square footage of their residences, estimates of the amount of insulation in attics and walls, the year each residence was built, the number and size of home windows, the number of miles driven by each family in a year, and the number of non-business/required air flights taken within a year. Together we will complete an on-line “carbon audit”. The information regarding the size of a residence and the year it was built can be found at the county assessor web site.
A reminder will be sent out the week before to compile this information.
Ministry and Oversight Committee report:
There was no report from the committee this month.
Lynda reported that the committee has received a membership form from two members, and wishes to remind other members to complete their forms so that the Monthly Meeting’s original records (which were lost) can be reconstructed.
Treasurer's report:
The treasurer’s report was accepted with corrections.
Religious Education:
There was no report from the committee this month.
The adults had a discussion December 10th about our hopes and expectations for the youth. A summary of that discussion was read and is below. It was accepted as written. It was suggested that the youth have a similar discussion, and another discussion time is scheduled for January 7th with adults and youth. Curtis offered to meet with the youth before that meeting to have them collect their thoughts and opinions on the subject.
Role of the youth in Meeting
10 December 06
The following issues regarding the role of our youth in Meeting were addressed: membership and the practical and spiritual practices this entails, their Quaker education, committee work, the use of Second Hour, volunteer activities by Meeting, and their query responses.
Ideas of volunteer activities included those from Habitat for Humanity and Together, Inc.
We want to formally give them guidance and feedback on their query responses.
We want to continue teaching them about Quakerism. Do they even identify themselves as Quakers or with having a religion? Some people have taken a survey at Beliefnet.org to determine where they fit in formal religion. Perhaps our personal stories would illustrate to them our individual search processes that led us to Quakerism.
Some of the practices we want them to be familiar with are Meeting for Business, queries, the concept of consensus, the concept of a leading, and the concept of the sense of the Meeting. Going to Midyear and Yearly Meetings provides some additional exposure to these practices.
When they relate in First Day School or in their homes about their daily lives, do we ask them where is God in those events?
We’d like to provide them opportunities to get together outside of Meeting if they are interested. Some ideas include movies, bowling, concerts.
Building and Grounds:
There was no report from the committee this month.
The bed moving project is pending.
Finance Committee Report:
The committee looked at the numbers and believe the totals accurately reflect the assets we have on hand. They met with the treasurer and came up with some ideas for making the treasurer’s reports more clear and useful. A new type of treasurer’s report is expected next month.
Incorporation Update:
Ginny spoke with Michael O’Bradovich, a lawyer who has been helping us get incorporated. He believes he has found a few things that need to be included. Ginny will send suggested revisions to the newsletter list for comments and will report on progress at the next Business Meeting.
Other:
Nebraska Friends Gathering:
Carol reported that she recommended to Marge Schlitt that she consider something that can be done intergenerationally.
Debbie will send an email out to solicit dates that would be good for most people in our Meeting.
Ginny will send Marge information on the Earlham School of Religion’s traveling speakers program.
9:45 worship –
10:15 read Christmas story from Matthew and/or Luke
10:20ish break to eat frittata (baked during worship), cinnamon rolls, fruit, juice, coffee (cooked ahead)
10:45ish Kids’ performance
10:50ish “Bird Christmas Crafts” - popcorn chains and cranberries, pinecones and peanut butter.
Christmas stories read aloud or songs sung intermittently while crafts are being made.
11:55 Decorations may be hung outdoors or indoors depending on weather
Please complement the following items if so moved:
Musicians are invited to bring instruments and Christmas music
Debbie will bring popcorn, cranberries, needles, Christmas carols
Frank will bring thick thread.
Lynda will bring peanut butter and birdseed
Carol will bring pinecones and green twine.
Please let Debbie know what you intend to bring for the breakfast.