CMM 2009-11-08

Minutes of Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business

Concord (NH) Monthly Meeting of

the Religious Society of Friends

Eleventh Month 8^th, 2009

Minutes of Meeting for Worship for Business Concord (NH) Monthly Meeting Religious Society of Friends 11th Month 8,2009

Concord (NH) Monthly Meeting gathered in Meeting for Worship for Business at the Merrimack Valley Day Care Center in Concord, NH. Friends present were: Mark Barker, Carol Flavin-Veenstra, Grace LeClair, Linda Wilson, Greg Heath, Jay Smith, Linda Peters, Kathy Urie, David Woolpert, Ruth Heath, Penny Petkiewicz, Alisa Barnard (recording clerk), Sara Smith (clerk).

The meeting began with a period of silent worship.

11.1  The meeting reviewed and approved the minutes of the Meeting for Worship for Business of 10^th Month, 2009.

11.2  Care of the Meeting Report.  Those members and attenders who have currently been involved in the Care of the Meeting group believe that it would be in the best interest of the meeting to reinstate a nominated Ministry and Counsel committee.  There is a concern that the charge and structure of the former Ministry and Counsel committee may not be appropriate in light of the energy and availability of those currently involved; there is a need for a discussion about the duties and responsibilities of any new Ministry and Counsel committee before individuals can be tapped by Nominating Committee.  It is possible that the Care of the Meeting group may also remain in place to work in conjunction with and in support of a newly formulated Ministry and Council Committee.  The Nominating Committee has been charged with meeting with the Care of the Meeting group on December 6, 2009. Additionally, Jay Smith will find and share with the meeting the Policies and Procedures of the former Ministry and Counsel Committee.  A report from this meeting, which may include a proposal about how to proceed will be brought back to the full business meeting in the 12^th month.

11.3  Youth Religious Education Committee Report (see attached)

Carol Flavin-Veenstra reported on the work that the Youth Religious Education committee has undertaken over the past four months.  The Youth Religious Education committee will meet at 8:45 a.m. on the first Sunday of each month.  The committee has also planned to meet in a semiannual retreat for curriculum planning which the next meeting scheduled for the end of December.

11.4  Nominating Committee Report:  Nominated to the Youth Religious Education Committee (YRE): Ruth Heath, Jonie LaBombard, Linda Peters, Carol Flavin-Veenstra, Alisa Barnard.  The YRE Committee will determine who will serve as the clerk and will report back at the next business meeting.

11.5  Fundraising Committee (current membership: Kathy Urie, Sara Smith, Alice Veenstra):  The Fundraising Committee recently investigated projects that could serve not only to help the meeting raise money, but may also serve as outreach to the larger Concord community.  The Fundraising Committee plans to set up a table at the Canterbury School fair on Friday, December 4, 2009

The meeting is asked to review the Serrv catalogue (www.serrv.org) and place orders with the Fundraising Committee by November 22, 2009

There is a need to raise $30,000 as soon as possible for interior work that is necessary for us to occupy the Meeting House.

The meeting considered a request to nominate Greg Heath, Ruth Heath, and Grace LeClair to the Fundraising committee; the meeting approved these appointments.

11.6  Meeting House Boiler.  Members of the Housing Committee recently learned of a wood pellet heating system that may be better for the Meeting House.  This system is self-cleaning which would save us in regular labor but is likely more expensive.  Additionally, this system includes a low-temperature alarm, though it is unclear what type of alarm this is.  The sense of the meeting is that we would like to move forward with our original system.

11.7  Meeting House Alarm System:  The approximate cost of the system in $500 up front and $500 per year.  The meeting was asked to consider whether or not we want the Meeting House to have a burglar alarm.  The sense of the meeting is that, while we need to have a system in place to notify us in the event of an electrical or heating failure, we are not called to have a burglar alarm in place.

11.8  Website Update:  Domain name possibilities, in order of preference: www.concordfriendsmeeting.org, www.concordnhquakers.org.

Priorities:

• Home Page
• Calendar
• Religious Ed. Page
• Fundraising goal and link for making donations

For future website consideration:

• Potential use of Constant Contact (email outreach tool)
• opportunities to advertise the Meeting House as a space to rent
• balance between helping those who want to find you, find you v. privacy

Ruth Heath, as the treasurer, will register a PayPal account for the meeting which will allow visitors to the website to make a contribution online.