CMM 2013-01-13

Minutes of Meeting for Worship for Business

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

First Month 13, 2013

Concord (NH) Monthly Meeting gathered in Meeting for Worship for Business. Those present were: Greg Heath, Jessica Ellis-Hopkins, Will Hopkins, Pat Wallace, Jann Sparks, Richard Sparks, David Woolpert, Mark Barker, Jay Smith, Sara Smith, Ruth Heath, Rob Yager, and Kathy Urie

1.1  The meeting opened with a period of silent worship.  The Clerk read the query:  Do you make an effort to maintain your awareness that God is with us as we work?  A period of worship sharing followed.

1.2  Ministry and Counsel:  The Clerk of the committee reports the clearness committee for membership of Richard Sparks has met.  That committee joyfully recommends him for membership in the Meeting and the Meeting approved.  We began a Deepening Spiritual Practices Seminar this morning.

1.3  Peace Social and Earth Care Concerns Committee.  The committee asks if the minute approved on 12^th Month 16 on the federal budget process and military spending should spur us to further action such as sending the minute on to the Quarterly Meeting and on to our Senators and Congressional Representatives.  The Meeting approved both actions.  We will ask Molly Noyce to convey the minute to her employer, Annie McLane Kuster.

1.4  Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery.  In short, the doctrine is understood to be that western nations have “discovered” lands and therefore own them.  And this doctrine has consequences, both historical and ongoing.  For example there are injustices relative to native rights.  A reversal of these consequences is not possible but deeper understanding is.  The Yearly Meeting is calling on us to explore our relationship with and understanding of these consequences.  The Peace Social and Environmental Concerns Committee will schedule a workshop to help us do this.

1.5  Property Committee. The Clerk of the committee reported on the follow-up to the possible rental of our building to the Living Church of God.  This group suggested they may wish to rent from us in the future.  The Meeting concluded that we should carefully look into how we would respond to rental requests from groups with whom we may have great differences. We will hold a threshing session on this topic on the Fourth Sunday in February.

1.6  Report on pellet stove operation. The stove is now operating properly, burning pellets only as needed. It shuts itself off and starts up without operator intervention.  There is now also and outdoor temperature sensor and a combustion air source.  The committee will continue to monitor the boiler efficiency as there are additional improvements that can be made if experience warrants.

1.7  Volunteer Service Schedule (Rota):  Clerk of the Property Committee reported that our web site now has a volunteer service schedule page that includes a rotation of individuals who pick up an elder member, clean the boiler, greet attendees on Sundays, and are responsible for closing the building after meeting.

1.8  Budget Report:  The Treasurer reported that 55% of our budgeted income has been received to date.  Only 39% of budget has been expended.  We have not yet paid for our heating system upgrade or snow removal.  The final bill for the heating system upgrade will be considerably less than anticipated.

1.9  Friends Home Legacy Gift of $1.1 million to the Yearly Meeting. New England Yearly Meeting requests the advice and counsel of Monthly and Quarterly Meetings and has posed this query: “This money is a gift from the past to the future. How could this money help NE Friends answer God’s call.”  The Finance Committee of NEYM has offered queries to help in discernment about money [1].  The Clerk read us these queries and also parts of a letter from the Young Adult Friends of the yearly Meeting.  They spent four days in retreat considering these questions in a program entitled “Rich in Confusion.”  The Clerk encourages committees to consider these queries.  The Meeting agreed to offer to host Quarterly Meeting on 5^th Sunday in March with the expectation that this issue would be the focus of that meeting.

The meeting ended with a brief period of silent worship.

Respectfully submitted,

Acting Recording Clerk, /s/  Greg Heath

Clerk, /s/  Ruth Heath

Prepared by David Woolpert, Treasurer