CMM 2014-12-14

Minutes of Meeting for Worship for Business

Concord (NH) Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends

Twelfth Month 14, 2014

Attending:  11

12.1  The meeting opened with a period of worship.

12.2  Eleventh Month Minutes:  The minutes of Eleventh Month, 9, 2014 were approved.

12.3  Financial Report:  Treasurer David Woolpert presented the Income and Expense Report through November 30^th, 2014.  Our income is $11,271 or 45% of the budgeted amount although 50% of the year has passed.  He is hoping for a bump up in December due to year-end charitable contributions from members as has sometimes occurred in previous years.  Expenses are at 29.2% as the bookkeeper has not yet made budgeted contributions to organizations that the Meeting supports.  Committees are encouraged to see if they need all of their budgeted amounts or if unneeded funds could be applied to any shortfalls that might occur.  Our net income is $3,872. Friends accepted the financial report as presented.

There will be a full reporting on the orphanage fund-raising at the next meeting for business.

12.4  Prison Visitation:  Mark Barker reported that he is no longer a registered visitor at the state prison.  He has nearly filled out the form to renew his visitor status but is pondering how to explain his answer to a question on whether he has donated money to the inmate’s accounts.  Friends expressed interest in either individually or through the meeting contributing to prison phone accounts.  Friends encouraged Mark to consider requesting placement on the individual’s approved visitor list rather than as clergy which would hopefully eliminate this problem.  Friends also charged Ministry & Counsel Committee with looking into the amounts and whether the Meeting should reimburse individual contributions to inmate phone accounts.

12.5  Housing Action NH Letter:  Friends approved the clerk’s signing of the letter from Housing Action NH [1] on behalf of the Meeting.

12.6  NEYM Permanent Board Report:  Sara Smith reported on NEYM sessions.  The session reports [2] are available online or as a downloadable PDF.  There is an ongoing group studying financial sustainability of the YM.  The long-range financial planning group may be changing its name to reflect its actual scope.  The result of the legacy discernment was to direct it toward supporting the ministry of NEYM.  $750,000 will be invested for 10 years and $350,000 will be disbursed in grants and/or loans.  The FUM Withholding Policy was approved for five more years, noting that the board of FUM is no longer in unity with their personnel policy.

12.7  Hospitality Committee:  Jon Hall, Clerk, reported for the Hospitality Committee.  They presented a draft of the responsibilities of that committee.  Friends discussed this and made suggestions.  Hospitality Committee will revise this and bring it back to Meeting for approval.

12.8  Hot Drinks and Socializing:  Concern was expressed about the availability of hot drinks before meeting to those "in the know", as well as there not being enough coffee for both before and after meeting.  Should we be socializing before meeting rather than singing or moving into worship directly at 10:00?  Some people do need to drink water after committee meetings or after a long drive.

Friends agreed that it is OK to have water during meeting for worship.  There will be a pitcher of cold water on the counter under the glasses during arrival times.

Friends agreed that hot drinks will not be available until after meeting for worship.  Hospitality Committee will develop a procedure for managing this and report back to the Meeting.

12.9  All NH Friends Gathering:  Youth Religious Education Committee has been asked to coordinate child care/program during All NH Friends on January 17^th, 2015.  Please let them know if you can help.  The children will be selling baked goods and frozen cookie dough that day and will need adults to be available to help them, especially during lunch when Ruth can't be there.  We also need contributions of baked goods and cookie dough for the sale.

12.10  The meeting closed with a period of worship.

Submitted by

Recording Clerk, Jonie LaBombard

Presiding Clerk, Mark Barker