DQM 2024-09-29

Dover Quarterly Meeting

held at Dover MM and hybrid via Zoom

Draft Minutes.

29th September 2024

Present: We began the meeting at 1 p.m. with the following Friends present.

  • Concord - Betsy Meyer, Mark Barker
  • Dover - Jeremiah Dickinson, Beth Collea, Maggie Fogarty, Sandy Hargy, Wendy Berphiaum
  • Gonic - Ginna Schonwald
  • NE Evangelical Friends - Niva Muchuma
  • Weare/Henniker - Marian Baker, Mark Hewitt, David Erikson
  • visiting from Lawrence MM - Kathleen Wooten

2024-13  Previous Minutes.

Previous minutes were approved as received.

2024-14  Ministry Reports.

  1. Marian shared that she expects to return to East Africa on 22 October, and return in time for the Weare Candlelight Carol Service the Friday before Christmas.

        This year she will immediately go to Friends Theological College to deliver Quaker books from the McCandless collection, and help lead a workshop of Friends working on the African Quaker Archives, both those conducting oral interviews, and transcribing, as well as some Kenyans who are writing their versions of the History of Friends in Africa.

        She also will be meeting and supporting a number of Quaker women active in transcultural ministry, as well as meet with a group of QREC (Quaker Religious Education Collaborative) Africa to begin planning for a future training of Sunday School teachers in Godly Play and Faith and Play methods of teaching.

        She will remain open to other needs that arrive.
  2. No report received from Brian Drayton.

2024-15  Travel Minutes.

Travel minutes for three Friends from Dover MM who are going to Cuba Yearly Meeting for ten days in February 2025.  Our clerk read the three minutes for:

  • Maggie Fogarty, Dover MM
  • Elizabeth Keene. Dover MM, but formerly of Monadnock MM,
  • Andrea and Harvin Groft family with 3 kids, Francis, Severiano, and Ananias. sp?

We approved the minutes and asked the clerk to endorse them and send them on the NEYM Permanent Board.

We expect them to report to us when they return.

They will travel with three Friends from Portland and Durham.

Friends in Maine will be holding a fundraiser on Oct. 12 to be held at Durham Meeting.  Money is needed to take to help Cuban Friends.

We decided to donate $250 from our Quarter to send to Cuba (and to Holguin MM there).  Individual donations as well are welcome.  Send donations to Jeremiah and he will then send all our donations to Nancy Marstaller who is treasurer for the NEYM group going to Cuba on Puente de Amigos (Bridge of Friends).  Our clerk will send out a notice to all Friends in our Quarterly Meeting.  Send to Jeremiah at: 1 Hull Ave, Dover, NH 03820

2024-16  Anna Fritz program.

Anna Fritz, the Quaker cellist who gave a performance at NEYM in 2023, has a leading to perform music based on the Iliad local jails paired with a presentation in the local community.  She will be in Maine with a community presentation at Friends School in Portland, Maine October 19th at 7 p.m.  She plays with another person dialogue and music.  Friends wanting to go can use the train to Portland or bus to Freeport (be environmentally friendly).  We agreed to be cosponsors of the event.

2024-17  Quarterly Meeting officers.

Jeremiah asked for a nominating committee to update our present officers.  Jeremiah, as clerk, is interested in stepping down and letting someone else clerk.  Sandy Hargy has been Assistant Clerk, and is willing to be clerk if Jeremiah is willing to be Assistant Clerk during a time of transition, as Sandy has not had a chance to do anything yet.  LeeAnn is willing to remain as Treasurer, as it is easier to keep the same treasurer than to work through the banks to get a new one appointed.  Marian is willing to be recording clerk, but is interested to have an assistant recording clerk.  David Erickson expressed interest in being Assistant Recording Clerk.  These new officers were approved.

2024-18  Reports from Meetings.

  1. Concord - Acoustic tiles in ceiling of meeting room have been[/are being] replaced.  They formed an LLC to purchase solar panels.  Day care in meetinghouse continues.  Geothermal system still works.  Concord has a particular Earthcare concern.  When they built their new Meetinghouse, it was certified eco-Friendly.

    The reason to switch to geothermal, was due to the cost of retrofitting [the utility room where] the pellet furnace [was housed] to fire standards, (It would cost [approximately] $20,000 to do that), in order to get approval to enable the childcare program to use the building during the week.  With solar panels and a geothermal heating system, they are net zero energy use.  The UU church in Laconia were inspired by Concord’s work, so are copying[/have copied] Concord in adding solar panels to their steeplehouse.  Concord Meeting’s discernment was very spiritual, not just based on economics.
  2. Dover - They are a 1760s meetinghouse that is happy to be awarded $183,084 from the National Park Service to help repair their roof trusses and to install a full building sprinkler system. This is a precursor to housing a sanctuary space.  (The only grant awarded for such a federal grant in the state of NH).  Such stories are inspiring and news should be spread about it of what Friends are doing in NH.  A good historical structure analysis is available.  Mark Hewitt offered to help.  Dover MM hopes the work will start in the spring.
  3. Gonic MM - Their historic meetinghouse is struggling to maintaining their building.  They have had several new attenders move up from Philadelphia YM, but only have around 6 attend their weekly worship services.  They replaced the roof and are now dealing with powderpost beetles.  They want to host the QM sometime soon.
  4. NE Evangelical Friends - One member has moved to a job in MA, and another member went to take care of a sick family relative in New jersey.  During soccer season, it is hard for Muchuma to get to church. on a Sunday.  After November he will be freer and they will get together again.

       Sychellus, their pastor, is freer.  Dover Quarterly Meeting is very appreciative of Niva and Sychellus who led the first early morning worship at NEYM sessions this year.  They hope to continue to be a meaningful part of the QM and they appreciate being a part of us.
  5. N. Sandwich - no report received
  6. Weare Henniker MM - David Erickson asked if Weare can be considered be net zero in energy use, (as they use firewood for heat and have no electricity or running water)?

       They vary from half a dozen to a dozen attenders weekly, and have had several new attenders who are younger.  Souhegan preparative meeting is down to a minimum in numbers of attenders.

       A concern was shared that NEYM sessions this year decided it will meet again as a YM at a college campus, but the cost of $1000 per attendee, really limits those who can attend.  We encourage this QM to offer the use of its meetinghouses for some of the NEYM functions.

       Mark Hewitt shared that coming from a large meeting in NJ, to the small but mighty meeting in Henniker has been a rock for him and it has been inspiring.  We need to support each other and strengthen each other in the QM and NEYM.
    • Souhegan Preparative Meeting-  They are down to a minimum in numbers of attenders.
  7. West Epping Preparative Meeting-  West Epping is having their annual open house from 11-1 p.m. on Sunday October 6th (World Quaker Day).  They have recently completed indoor plumbing renovation in their historic meetinghouse and continue to meet every 1st and 3rd Sunday for worship.

2024-19  Memorial minute for Muriel Farrar.

Ginna Schonwald read a memorial minute from Gonic for Muriel Farrar.  Several Friends shared additional important things to be remembered about Muriel's ministry amongst us.  She served as a pastor of the meeting, and was also very active in USFW at yearly meeting level.  She was a quiet force for working out the budget and finance of NEYM.  She carried her ability lightly.  Muriel clarified and encouraged Kathleen Wooten's calling to travel in ministry.  Muriel was the quiet voice of encouragement to all NEYM staff.  Ginna will revise the minute, send it to our clerk for endorsing, who in turn will send it to NEYM.

2024-20  Next Quarterly Meeting.

Next Quarterly Meeting usually would fall on Dec. 29th.  Friends expressed preference to meet one week later on Jan. 5th, 2025.  Our clerk will check with Concord about hosting the next meeting.

2024-21  Minutes to NEYM archives.

Mark Barker reported that all the Minutes of Concord MM and Dover QM have been sent to NEYM Archives.  David Erickson reported that Weare just delivered their original old minutes (from the 1700s) to the Archives.

We ended with a few minutes of gratitude.

Respectfully submitted,

Marian Baker, Recording Clerk

Jeremiah Dickinson, Presiding Clerk

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