Meeting for Worship With Attention to Business
Ninth month, second day, 2001
The meeting opened with a reflective quotation (to follow) and a period of silence.
To empower individuals, groups must be small enough so that within them we can each have time to speak, to be heard, to know each other personally. The time we give to a person and the depth of the attention we pay to her/his words and feelings are measures of the worth we accord her/him. We enact the theology of immanence, the belief that we are each inherently valuable, by creating groups in which each person is given time and attention - given respect.
-Starhawk, Dreaming the Dark
There were 17 members and attenders present.
TREASURER'S REPORT
[The Treasurer's report was given by Ginger Kenney. It is available on request from the clerk of the Meeting.]
MINUTE
The treasurer, Ginger Kenney, reported on the wonderful improvements made to the Meetinghouse, as well as the expenses thereof. Amy's purchases of back to school supplies for needy children were noted as well. Friends approved the report.
REPORT OF THE FIRST DAY SCHOOL COMMITTEE
First Day School Committee met at 9:00 a.m. on 26 August, 2001. In attendance were Carol Morris, Matthew MacNair, Donnie Morehouse and Virginia Roberts.
The committee discussed options for the title of the position to be created for someone to spend time during Meeting for Worship with the children ages 3 to 10 (approximately). Several options were discussed and the committee chose Upstairs Friend as its suggestion (personally, I like Friend Upstairs - that of God in everyone, right?); we are hereby presenting that option to Meeting for worship with Attention to Business.
We would also like to submit the following description to be added to the list of voluntary Meeting positions:
The Upstairs Friends position is an opportunity for friends to spend time, during Meeting for worship, with young friends between the ages of 3 and 10 years old. There are materials available upstairs (books, arts & crafts materials, etc.) which friends are welcome to use, in the spirit of building relationships with our young friends.
The committee also discussed plans to meet at the Meetinghouse on a Saturday to investigate the materials currently available upstairs (i.e. books, art materials, etc.) and to decide on further purchases.
MINUTE
Friends agreed that the term "Upstairs Friends" was appropriate and that the position will be added to the list of regular volunteer opportunities. We accepted the report with appreciation.
REPORT OF THE PEACE AND SOCIAL CONCERNS COMMITTEE
Summary of a verbal report given by Rachel MacNair, whose letter will
be attached to the minutes:
The committee will meet next First Day at 9:00 a.m. A concern is that a visible,
nonviolent activist was accused of a murder, apparently on very thin evidence. Rachel
MacNair has composed a letter to the FBI concerning this case; she has brought it to Iowa
Yearly Meeting as well, and it was referred to monthly meetings. The concern is that the
new FBI director needs to supervise more conscientiously the treatment of activists in
general; this case was chosen as it is generally more effective to cite one current case
in particular.
MINUTE
Concerning the Peace and Social Concerns proposal, Friends felt that they were lacking too much information to make a decision yet, and felt that the Peace and Social Concerns Committee should work on this issue in more detail and bring it back to the Meeting as a whole in Tenth Month. They acknowledged the work that Rachel and David Rommel have already put into this effort.
REPORT OF THE LIBRARY COMMITTEE
I'd like the library to be on the agenda for 8/2 Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business. The main thing is to discuss whether or not to throw away old books to free up space for Donnie's books, or to buy a new bookshelf to house them. In the former case, we lose books; in the latter, we have to find a place to fit the new shelf - and space is scarce.
Also, the cataloging is only about 10% or 20% done. Until it's done, the chaos will continue. The shelves are in a mess, but they won't be completely straightened out until the cataloging is done and we've decided whether to throw away books (and is so, what criteria to use in choosing the books to toss).
I hope everyone will be patient with me. it's a big job. Maybe it could be mentioned in passing that I could use help from some volunteers.
Marc [Robinson]
Marc amended his report by asked people not to put books away when they bring them back, since cataloging is still in progress.
MINUTE
Friends felt that it was appropriate for Marc (and Terry Matz, who is helping) to cull out outdated items and duplicates that are seldom used. Books will not be thrown out yet but will be made available to Friends who would like to adopt them. Trust was expressed that Marc and Terry will make good decisions. There was strong approval for the Library Committee's work and an agreement that this will be an ongoing process.
REPORT FROM THE MINISTRY AND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
Ministry and Oversight Committee Meeting, 13th Day, Eighth Month, 2001
Attending were Karin McAdams, Jim Kenney, Pat Miller, William Morris, Carol Morris and Cathy Gardner.
Pat Miller will lead the Advice and Query on Eighth Month, 19th Day, and Jim Kenney will take notes.
Jim and Cathy were asked to provide an overview of Iowa Yearly Meeting and/or their thoughts about the experience, for those who had not attended. Their experiences, while different, followed a common theme of enrichment from the week's events, from listening to travelers' stories of social action leadings throughout the world, to involvement in attention to Yearly Meeting concerns, whether weighty or simply attending to hospitality or housekeeping matters for the at tenders. Each found that IYM was an opportunity to feel the spiritual process at work.
The committee discussed ongoing First Day School needs to appropriately serve the spiritual growth of the Meeting's children. This is currently under review by the Ad Hoc Religious Education committee, as apart of education issues as a whole, and the results of Ad Hoc's initial laborings are scheduled to be presented to the Meeting in a program on 26th day, 8th Month. We affirmed the importance of the broadest and deepest possible discussion of the matter, to be sure that all relevant questions are raised, and to help assure that everyone is able to be included in the process, and the resulting decisions, as a community.
Barb Luetke-Stahlman's kind gift of name tags for the meeting was discussed. We are still awaiting enlightenment on the best use and arrangements for them.
The next Meeting for Worship with attention to business will be held on Ninth Month, 2nd Day. Ministry and Oversight will next convene on Ninth Month, 10th Day, at Karin McAdams' home.
Cathy Gardner
For the Ministry and Oversight Committee
MINUTE
The Ministry and Oversight Committee report was well received. A decision on name tags was not considered necessary at this time. Friends may continue to labor lightly on this issue.
PROGRAM COMMITTEE REPORT
September 2: Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business
September 9: Ginger and Jim Kinney share their recent travel experience to the Middle East.
September 16: Query & Potluck
September 23: Ed Chastain is invited to discuss Hatebusters. Please join us to learn more about this watch group on prejudice.
September 30: Missouri Valley Friends Conference is this weekend. Please join us for fellowship if you are not attending the conference.
October 7: Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business
October 14: The First Day School Ad-hoc Committee would like to continue the
discussion concerning Quaker education and our Meeting. Carol Morris will lead the discussion.
October 21: Query & Potluck
October 28: Stay tuned... this program is undecided.
Respectfully Submitted,
Terry Matz and Amy Zeh Rommel Program Committee
MINUTE
Friends gladly approved the report of the Program Committee.
NEW BUSINESS
It was suggested that the Meeting send thanks to Brenda Funk's mother for making the new pew cushions and pillow covers. It is the sense of the Meeting that a plant with a warm letter would be appropriate. Reva Griffith and Sheila Shinn will take steps to accomplish this.
Jim and Ginger Kenney took a traveling minute to Palestine, and they brought it back with warm greetings from the Ramallah Meeting. This letter will be kept with the Meeting minutes. The Kenneys thanked Rich Kaufman for suggesting the letter and Ministry and Oversight for writing it.
Rich Kaufman mentioned an editorial in the Jewish Chronicle regarding Jim and Ginger's talk on their trip; this editorial needs our attention. The matter was referred to the Ministry and Oversight Committee.
The meeting ended with a few moments of silence.
Respectfully submitted,
Karin McAdams
Recording Clerk
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