DQM 2013-03-31

MINUTES for DOVER QUARTERLY MEETING of FRIENDS

Attending at Concord Friends Meetinghouse in Canterbury, NH

31st of Third Month 2014

Minutes of Dover QM March 31, 2013 (Easter Sunday) held at Concord Meeting

2013-03.1  We had the discernment about the 1 million dollar fund as our program today.  Here are some of the ideas we came up with during our discussion:

  1. Since one of our concerns is how to attract new members, especially the YAF age, have we considered starting a new program for newer attenders/members to come to NEYM sessions that included an anchor group for all of them starting a day early and meeting throughout the sessions.
  2. Small meetings would like to reach out in outreach, but rarely have the kind of money that Quaker Quest requires. Would small matching grants be available to build up local meetings?  Or small seed money to get local meetings to develop the kind of ecological, sustainable communities that are needed?
  3. Since most grant applications require matching funds these days - how about getting all local meetings to start working on whichever issues (such as attracting new people, helping youth, enabling each other to reach out in new areas of ministry etc.) by using their own talents (not just money) until we all match up to l million dollars’ worth of money or in-kind work.  This would get us started, and delay use of the money until we can clearly see the greatest need for energizing and equipping us all.
  4. When the Dixon/Thayer House project was started a hundred years ago, there was no elderly housing easily available, it was an innovative project, we led the way.  In what new innovative way are we Quakers being called to improve this world today?
  5. Are we being called to offer to the world more in terms of reconciliation in prisons/peace/trauma healing/ just as Friends in Burundi/Rwanda have done following their genocide/civil wars or as Friends in Kenya are doing to avoid/cut down on tribal/racial violence and help people avoid homelessness?

Present: Only four members from Concord and two from Weare stayed for business meeting. Regrets received from Gonic.  Two from Dover came for worship, but did not stay for QM program or business.

2013-03.2  We approved sending this to the YM committee dealing with discernment of the million dollar legacy.

2013-03.3  Next Meeting - We decided to meet at N. Sandwich. We would like to offer a fun time for families to come- possibly swimming nearby?  The clerk was asked to check with N. Sandwich about possibilities.

On behalf of Dover QM, Marian Baker, Clerk 31 March, 2013

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