CMM 2013-02-10

Minutes of Meeting for Worship for Business

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

Second Month 10, 2013

Concord [NH] Monthly Meeting gathered in Meeting for Worship for Business.  Those present were: Brian Paterson, Sara Smith, Jessica Ellis-Hopkins, Kathy Urie, Rob Yager, Paula Werme, Greg Heath, Ruth Heath and Alisa Barnard

2.1  The meeting opened with a period of silent worship.  The Clerk read the query: Are meetings for business held in a spirit of worship and prayerful search for the way of truth?

2.2  Friends Home Legacy Gift:  Friends review and approved a minute from Meeting for Worship for Business in First Month regarding the process of discernment around the Friends Home Legacy Gift.

2.3  Financial report and consideration of changes to the FY 2013 Budget

A review of the up-to-date balance sheet demonstrates that we are currently in a financially healthy position. The meeting was asked to consider the following changes to the budget:

  • changing the “Use of prior year funds” income line from $1,575 to $0
  • changing the “building wood heat upgrade” line from $3,075 to the actual cost of $925
  • changing the “miscellaneous sales” income line from the budgeted $200 to $101, the income that came from calendar sales
  • changing the budget line for “Contributions” from $14,259 to $12,097

2.4  Review of Committee Descriptions

Friends read and considered the committee descriptions of the Youth Religious Education and Ministry and Counsel committees.

A question was raised regarding the YRE membership statement that included the sentiment that “belief that the power of God will work in each person is essential to service on the Committee” and the concern that this position might be offensive to non-theist Friends.  “The power of light” and “the power of love” were suggested as alternatives for the consideration of the YRE committee.  Thanks was expressed for the statement that the committee views itself as a “Ministry and Counsel for children.”

The following questions and concerns were raised regarding the M&C committee description:

  • As pertaining to the committee’s charge to “Encourage and Administer Membership,” what is the committee’s responsibility to remove inactive members from the meeting’s membership?
  • The charge to “encourage [attenders] to apply for membership when appropriate” seems to suggest that one must wait for the M&C committee to initiate membership, which is not the case.
  • The description includes a significant number of “shoulds”. The committee will revisit the document and consider other appropriate words.

Friends feel that the format used by these committees for their descriptions were good and encourage other committees to use the same format.

2.5  Meetinghouse Use:  Rescheduling of the Threshing Session regarding use of the meetinghouse: Sunday, April 28

2.6  NH Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty:  Consideration of the Peace, Social Action and Earthcare Concerns Committee’s recommendation that we become members of the NH Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty

At the encouragement of the Monadnock MM and our Clerk, PSECC was asked to consider this affiliation and, doing so, brought forward a recommendation to affiliate.  Friends were asked to consider what such an affiliation would mean.  Greg Heath offered to attend the Coalition’s meetings both as a representative of CMM and as a member of the Coalition’s board. Recognizing that the possibility of redemption is one of our core beliefs, Friends approved of Concord Friends Meeting’s affiliation with the NH Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.  The PSEC Committee has authorized the donation of $50 to that group.

Business was concluded with a brief period of expectant, grateful worship.

Respectfully submitted,

Recording Clerk, /s/  Alisa Barnard

Clerk, /s/  Ruth Heath

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