DQM 2021-01-31
Dover Quarterly Meeting
held on Zoom
31 January, 2021
Erik Cleven, presiding clerk
Marian Baker, recording clerk
Present: Dover (4), Weare/Henniker (3), Concord (3), North Sandwich (1), Gonic (2), Souhegan (1), West Epping (0)
Visitors: New England Friends Church (Nashua), Jane Wafula, Muchuma Niva, Rosemary Muchuma, Sychellus Wabomba, Fresh Pond MM (Salem Quarter), Kathleen Wooten, Stoney Run MM, Baltimore YM, Gilbert Imbayi.
After some quiet worship, we all introduced ourselves.
01/21 Nominating Committee Report
Jeremiah Dickinson reported that we had a full slate to offer:
- Jeremiah Dickinson – Clerk, from Dover
- Marian Baker – Recording Clerk, from Weare
- LeeAnn Stevens – Treasurer, from N. Sandwich
- Heidi Babb – Asst. Clerk, from Concord
Friends approved and thanks were given to Muriel for her many years of faithful service.
02/21 Authorization for new signatories of our bank account
Dover Quarterly Meeting approves Jeremiah Dickinson as presiding clerk and LeeAnn Stevens as treasurer and gives them authority as signatories on Dover Quarterly Meeting accounts until new officers are named. Approved.
03/21 Roof replacement on Gonic Meeting.
Sara Hubner announced that Gonic Meeting needs their roof replaced and encouraged others to help them.
04/21 Update on Dover Sanctuary
Spreading word of Quakerism, Dover is updating the architectural plan for the repairs required to pass the fire code of the sanctuary apartment. Kathleen Wooten recorded a video about the project that can be viewed at: https://youtube/zOVVYcKD4r8. Beth Collea invited us all to join their celebration of the project to be held on Saturday, March 13 from 7:30-9 p.m. Erik will send out poster and information about it along with the minutes.
05/21 N. Sandwich concern Faith and Practice Revision.
Susan Wiley asked if any other meeting was working on the proposed Faith and Practice revision concerning Religious Education. Weare Meeting shared they occasionally give comments. Faith and Practice is on line. QREC (Quaker Religious Education Collaborative) will have a new website finished tomorrow, that will contain several videos about living our Faith.
Beth Collea will send details to Erik to distribute with the minutes.
06/21 New England Friends Church, Nashua NH – After the newer group of Friends from Nashua sang a moving hymn in Swahili, they shared that their group started in November 2019, and have met every week since, in the home of the Muchuma family. Muchuma Niva described their typical Sunday service that they hold every Sunday from 10–11 a.m. that includes hymns, prayers, and sermon. Some have been in NH for close to 20 years, but were missing the programmed and more evangelical type of Friends Meeting they were used to in Kenya.
Gilbert Imbayi, a pastor from Baltimore YM shared how a number of Kenyan Friends, now living in US and Canada, have begun starting new programmed churches, with some encouragement from FUM. Muchuma attended one of the gatherings in Baltimore, and returned to start the new Friends church in Nashua. They are trying to reach out to attract Friends from Africa, Cuba, and Central America, following George Fox’s method of spreading the Gospel message of Friends.
The Nashua group records videos of each of their worship services, and puts it on ‘WhatsApp’ so that others can take part. They have several families attending, including several from Lawrence, MA just across the border. Their vision is to find a meeting place, where they can meet outside the personal home where they presently meet. They are willing to arrange for any Friends from Dover QM who want to visit one of their services online. Muchuma was asked to send information on how to visit them to our Clerk.
They are eager to learn more about Faith and Practice, to learn more about the Sunday School curriculum resources that QREC can provide, and to work with Dover QM. Kathleen Wooten shared that Lawrence Meeting is closest to them and has members who come from Nashua. Jnana expressed gratitude that now visitors from programmed meetings who come to other meetings in NH can now guide them to the Nashua Meeting. Dover QM has been spiritually enriched by visiting Cuban and Kenyan Friends and we look forward to more such vibrant sharing and enlivening each other’s faith and worship.
Question arose if the Friends in Nashua have a particular goal to affiliate with New England Yearly Meeting. They have started a global Friends ministry – evangelical style, that is not affiliated with any one meeting yet. They are open for adoption and collaborating following the George Fox’s style of evangelism/outreach. As we discussed the difference in styles of worship, the clerk shared a quote from Brian Drayton on unity – “I have come to understand that unity is not a product, but a process, and that 'living in unity' is another way to describe the watchful life that is the heart of Friends response to the presence of the inward Teacher.”
It was suggested we connect Nashua’s pastor with the group of New England Yearly Meeting pastors which meet periodically. Marian will help connect them.
07/21 Next meeting
We adjourned, promising to meet next on May 30th, probably online via Zoom.
Sanctuary Renewal Group—Dover Friends Meeting
