DQM 2005-05-29
DOVER QUARTERLY MEETING of FRIENDS
Attending at North Sandwich, NH
29th Fifth Month 2005
Presiding Clerk: Brian Drayton
Recording Clerk: Sara Hubner
Q2-01: Opening Worship
The Quarterly Meeting convened at North Sandwich Friends Meeting at approximately 12:45 p.m., with a period of open worship.
Friends gathered from Concord (4), Dover (2), Gonic (3), North Sandwich (8); and Weare (3). This being appointed as the “All New Hampshire Friends Gathering,” we also welcomed Friends from Hanover (2) and Monadnock (1) Meetings, as well as Arnie Alpert from the N.H. AFSC office and Heidi Blocher from West Falmouth Meeting.
The clerk read the following passage by Edward Burrough, quoted in the 1930 NEYM (Wilburite) Discipline, entitled “National Righteousness”:
“We are not for names, nor men, nor titles of government, but we are for justice and mercy and truth and peace and true freedom, that these may be exalted in our nation, and that goodness, righteousness, meekness, temperance, peace and unity with God, and with one another, that these things may abound.”
Q2-02: State of Society Report
The Clerk circulated copies of and read aloud a State of Society Report which he had prepared for the Quarterly Meeting. The minute from our discussion on same-sex marriage is to be appended to that report. Another friend suggested including the average number of Friends attending Quarterly Meeting. The State of Society report was APPROVED as amended.
Q2-03: Future Programs
The Clerk requested help with planning future programs as well as ideas. The next Quarterly Meeting will be July 31 and we agreed to meet then at Pittsfield. Muriel Farrar and Derek Leslie from Gonic Meeting agreed to help plan the program, which will include considering our response to the invitation from our sister meeting in Holguin, Cuba, to attend their centenary celebration in June 2006.
Ideas for future programs included
- continuing to hear the history of each meeting where we hold Quarterly Meeting;
- whether and how to revive the All New Hampshire Friends Gathering;
- discussion of the women’s prison ministry which Judy Brophy and others are carrying forward;
- programs to involve teenagers. It was noted that Concord teens had held a [re]treat on Easter weekend at Weare Meeting that was very successful.
We will try to meet in West Epping for our meeting Tenth Month 31, and if that is not possible we will meet at Weare.
Q2-04: Letter to Holguín
Clerk informed us that there had been a delay in getting our letter of condolence to Holguin Meeting translated. However, Steve Holt (Concord Meeting) is leaving shortly for Cuba and we hope that he will translate the letter and carry it with him.
Q2-05: N.H. AFSC
Arnie Alpert told us about his exploration of changes in the global economy which he has witnessed during his travels to Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Haiti, and Nicaragua. He circulated copies of the following quote from John Woolman’s A Plea for the Poor.
“Wealth is attended by power, by which bargains and proceedings contrary to universal righteousness are supported, and here oppression, carried on with worldly policy and order, clothes itself with the name of justice and becomes like a seed of discord in the soil.”
Arnie described the global economy as characterized by inequality, with the gap between the wealth and poverty growing greater everywhere. He told us about individuals he has met in his travels and their working conditions in factories. There are limited opportunities for work outside of factories in developing nations, and that gives the factory owners the upper hand in negotiating pay and working conditions. Some workers are starting to organize, but usually get fired for such activities.
Arnie asked us to look at the new structures of world order for globalization and ask ourselves whether these structures are just or unjust. Is globalization a “natural” process or change being made by and in the interest of a few? Arnie also described the World Trade Organization, its organization, and purposes, and that a group called the World Social Forum which seeks to counteract the WTO by formulating alternatives.
Arnie challenged us to look at what might be the Quaker response(s) to globalization, particularly the conflict between global economic interests and local interests and welfare. His view is that we can offer both prophetic witness and reconciliation skills. How do we know what is an appropriate response in a given situation? Can we offer both witness and reconciliation at the same time?
We then had small-group discussions for a short period to look at these questions. Among the issues raised were:
- The difference between “power over” [a situation] and “power to” [act]
- The difficulty in agreeing upon the meaning of Woolman’s use of the terms “universal righteousness,” “oppression,” and “justice”
- The value of action as opposed to speech
Arnie then challenged to look at where our power to effect change lies, for example as consumers, as voters in a democracy, as employees and employers. He also noted that AFSC has a position paper on globalization issues which is available for downloading at its web site.
Q2-06: News from Monthly Meetings
In the main, our meetings find that most involvement in issues outside the meeting is through the actions of individuals, although they are often supported by the meeting.
Monadnock Friends reports that their Peace and Social Concerns Committee has agreed to look at the earthcare aspect of all issues it deals with, whenever possible.
Hanover reports that it has been has been holding a peace vigil since the events of 9-11 and addressing various peace issues and, before the invasion of Iraq, influenced passage of a resolution at Town Meeting in opposition to pre-emptive war. They are also examining issues of racism/white privilege and affordable housing.
Weare is seeking a corporate witness and is finding that process of searching to be in itself energizing to the meeting. They continue to reach out for new attenders, not only for additional numbers but for a more diverse worshiping body.
North Sandwich is a small meeting and its members and attenders are scattered over several small towns, but the actions of individuals are supported by the meeting. As a meeting they support the local homeless shelter/food pantry.
Gonic continues to struggle with small (but growing) numbers and is not able to be together as often as desired. Due to illnesses and other problems, they have not been as active in the community as usual.
Concord Meeting is continuing to search for a meeting house to purchase. Individuals in the meeting are involved in a wide range of concerns. The meeting finds access to FCNL and AFSC very helpful and useful.
Several Friends from Dover have been involved with Seacoast Peace Response and the local soup kitchen. The meeting is offering a second series of “Building a More Peaceful World” which consists of videos, readings, and discussions on the topic of the role of limited oil supplies in global relationships. The meeting has also recently taken prison ministry under concern.
The Clerk asked us to consider the value of corporate witness versus supporting individual witness.
Some of the ways we share our concerns and stories might include more intervisitation and possibly a newsletter and/or a web site.
Dover Quarterly Meeting agreed to make sure that another All N.H. Friends Gathering takes place within the next twelve months. We will consider whether to hold it at a different time of year than in January (as has been the tradition), as well as possibly opening it to the general public, and offering something in particular for young people.
We wish to ask all New Hampshire meetings to consider the value of corporate witness, and the Clerk will draft a letter, similar to a minute of exercise, for this purpose, and inviting suggestions of concerns that we might work together on, to be considered, perhaps, at an All New Hampshire gathering.
After a brief period of open worship, Meeting closed at approximately 3:20 p.m., purposing to meet Seventh Month 31 at Pittsfield, God willing.
Prayerfully submitted,
Sara Hubner, recording clerk
[Next] Quarterly Meeting - 5th First Day
— from Brian Drayton (QM clerk):
10:30 a.m. Meeting for worship at Pittsfield,
11:30-12:30 Fellowship and lunch
12:30 p.m. QM session
- history of Pittsfield Friends
- Bible study: Friends reading the Scriptures towards unity (Brian Drayton)
1:30 p.m. Business:
- News from meetings;
- Treasurer's report and QM budget;
- Report from Cuba (Chris Jorgenson);
- QM and corporate witness (continuing from last time);
- looking towards future QM programs.
Lunch is “brown bag”. Often there are some extras provided for all by the host Monthly Meeting; that may or may not occur since this is not at an active Meeting’s location. Draft minutes of the last Quarterly Meeting are below [on the above] and on the next few pages.
