CMM 2025-06-08

Minutes of Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business

Concord (NH) Monthly Meeting of

the Religious Society of Friends

8^th of Sixth Month 2025

06.01  Fifteen Friends gathered in person and online for Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business, Sixth Month 8, 2025.

06.02  Minutes from Fifth Month 2025 were approved as presented on the website.

06.03  Nominating Committee.  Meeting approved the appointment of Susan L to Property Committee and Mark B to Ministry and Counsel Committee.  The Nominating Committee report presented last month inadvertently omitted these names.

06.04  Ministry and Counsel.  Committee Clerk Ruth H reported that the Meeting has received three requests for membership in the Concord Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.  The Committee is organizing the membership clearness committees as well as two other clearness consultations on private matters.  A new session of Quaker Basics with Mark B is planned to begin in July.  The Committee continues its work updating the contact list and reaching out to members and attenders we have not seen in a while.  The June 4^th Sunday program will be sharing of a spiritual journey, and another picnic is being planned for July.  The Committee would welcome an additional member to share in its important work.  The Committee report is attached.

06.05  Finance Committee - Operations.  Treasurer, Chris H, reported on the fiscal year ending May 31, 2025.  Income was $52,194 including the one-time federal geothermal subsidy of $15,032.  Expenses were $31,995 resulting in a net gain of $20,199 that replenishes our long-term savings.

06.06  Finance Committee – Balance Sheet.  Dave W reported on the balance sheet noting various changes from the end of fiscal year 2024 to the present.  The Finance Committee joyfully reported that the Meeting now is out of debt.  We have finished paying off our 15-year, $40,000 mortgage, which financed the building of the meetinghouse.  The federal subsidy enabled us to repay our members who provided bridge-loan financing for the geothermal system.  We are grateful for the contributions of money and effort that have enabled us to worship in this beautiful eco-friendly space.  We have a new building and grounds fund in the equity portion of the balance sheet.  A concern was raised that the Meeting more generously share its resources considering all the needs in the larger world.  We will consider this concern at the 4^th Sunday Program in June. Peter D with Ruth and Greg H will facilitate this program in a spirit of love.  Finance Committee will discern what amount truly is excess to be considered.  The financial statements are attached.

06.07  Jubilee Year Controversy Within the Yearly Meeting.  Clerk, Heidi B, reported on a growing controversy within the Yearly Meeting.  Northeast Kingdom Meeting first, and then Midcoast Meeting later, have announced that they are taking a “Jubilee Year” during which time they will not participate in any NEYM activities and will withdraw their regular financial support.  Instead, they are focusing on healing and discerning their next steps.  Two other meetings, Northampton and Mt. Toby have approved minutes calling NEYM to remain united.  We heard that the staff and presiding clerk of our Yearly Meeting have actively sought to work with NEK Meeting and this issue has come before the Permanent Board.  This information was published in the newsletter.

We prayerfully considered what love requires of us?  Are we led to support the Meetings that feel they are speaking truth to power?  NEYM did not have the ability to quickly change plans for annual session.  How do we support those who work so hard to plan the sessions?  NEYM is taking this issue seriously.  The Meeting appointed Heidi B, Mark B, Kathy U and Betsy M to draft emails of support to these Meetings and to NEYM, expressing support and thanks and urging unity.  The communication also should express that if any feel led to separate from NEYM, we continue our love for them.

Following closing worship Friends adjourned purposing to meet again on Seventh Month 13, 2025 as way opens.

June 2025 Ministry & Counsel Report to Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business

1. We received three requests for Clearness Committees for membership plus another two requests for other clearness meetings or consultations.
2. Mark is organizing a set of Quaker Basics meetings and has 8 new (or new-ish) attenders or members interested in beginning soon (likely July) in a hybrid or zoom format.
3. We continue our work on the Contact List in a slightly different format.  We also are continuing to contact attenders and members who have not been seen for years to clean up our membership list and contact list.
4. The June Fourth Sunday program (June 22) will be sharing of a spiritual journey.  In July we suggest the Meeting plan another outdoor picnic/fellowship event.  We are open to suggestions.  It could be in a public place, or at Friend’s home.
5. We are pleased to have 5 members but are going to work with Nominating to add another person.

* “A budget is a moral document” ~ often attributed to Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929 – 1968)

NB. The Income & Expenses Sheet was created with two decimal points, which were removed for readability, the cents being unimportant to the overall understanding.  This can have the effect of throwing off any given sum by a dollar due to compounded rounding.  —  Prepared by Greg Heath and Chris Haigh.

Balance Sheet Comparison (Concord Monthly Meeting)