Third Haven Friends Meeting
Meeting for Business
Minutes for the 6th Month 14th 2009
1. Call to order: John Schreiner, Clerk of Meeting, called to order the meeting for business at 11:45 AM after a brief period of silent worship.
2. Attending: Jim Bank, Mark Beck, Cynthia Browne, Molly Burgoyne, Lorraine Claggett, Susan Claggett, Tom Corl, Mary Cotton, Joe Davis, Jamie duHoffman, Doreen Getsinger, Tania Harrison, Marsie Hawkinson, Connie Lewis, John Schreiner, Candace Shattuck, Cathy Thompson, Norval Thompson, Sally Vermilye, Rob Wieland, John Winterbottom, Winslow Womack, Ralph Young, Frank Zeigler, Joyce Zeigler
3. Minutes: The minutes from the 5th month were approved.
4. Query: The query “Equality,” which generated many messages during meeting for worship, also caused more thoughts to be shared regarding the meeting’s failure to treat all people equally. There has been a shared discomfort expressed by THFM inability to show tolerance to others particularly those couples who have asked that their same sex union be recognized by the Meeting. Much discussion was generated about reopening this issue and questions were raised about the history of this and the previous minute approved by the Meeting on this subject. A Friend put forth the idea that the issue of same gender union under the care of the meeting has a become a clear “burr under our saddle” and the sense of the meeting was that not moving forward to become more forthright on this issue both is not in accord with the testimony of equality and would stand in the way of any outreach that sought diversity and breadth.
5. Quaker Quest: Please refer to the report and the minute. This report was sent out by Tom Corl ahead of meeting for business. A question was asked regarding how the $1200 requested for the project would be spent. All items are not yet budgeted but some monies will probably go to making signage for the project. The Meeting approved the report and the minute.
6. Treasurer’s Report: Please refer to the sheets titled Balance Sheet and Income and Expenses. Please note that the Scholarship Fund is listed as a liability because those funds are not available for general purposes. Carriage Shed Sale Funds are back in liabilities because there are still items being sold and these monies will be dispersed between Fresh Start and the Scholarship Fund. Equity fund of about $62,000 represents about one year of operating expenses.
7. Annual Budget: Please refer to the enclosed report. There is not much change from the previous month budget report. Property and Grounds will be adding additional expenses once estimates for driveway repair have been submitted and this will represent additional expenditures that are not currently in the budget. If all items budgeted for are utilized, we will anticipate a deficit of about $7,000 this year. (2009-2010? We spent time contemplating where line items could be trimmed but ultimately there was agreement that trimming small items would not make that big a difference. There was unity in regards to keeping the scholarship fund in as a line item this year. Members were reminded that if we approve the budget we make a commitment to try and give what we can to help THFM meet its budgetary requirements. The Meeting approved the budget as written.
8. Interim Report: In the interest of time, Cathy will include her report from Interim Meeting in the newsletter but it was not discussed at Business meeting today.
9. Overseers: Marsie Hawkinson reported that the Clearness committee for Joan Wetmore has met with Joan and wholeheartedly approves RECOMMENDS? her for membership at THFM. The committee consisted of Candace Shattuck, Marsie and Doreen Getsinger. Joan Wetmore’s membership was approved by the Meeting. Her welcoming committee will consist of John Schreiner, Rob Weiland, Frank Zeigler and Susan Claggett. The welcoming committees for Mike and Connie Pullen and for Aiyana Paterson-Zincand met and all are pleased to have these wonderful people in our midst.
10. 325th Anniversary: Mary Cotton gave an update on the upcoming anniversary celebration. She thanked First Day School and Paige Bethke for working so hard for the SQM in May. During the summer there will be training for docents by Orlando Rideout. People who would like to learn more of the history of THFM can take part in this. Oct. 4th is the day we will celebrate the anniversary but we hope to be able to keep something going on until Waterfowl Festival in November and perhaps man a table during the festival. Plans are for THFM to sponsor a film in the upcoming Chesapeake Film Festival in late September. The film will be chosen as a reflection of Quaker values with a discussion group held afterwards. We will be working on a commemorative poster and perhaps a display of gathered art and pictures from individual collections. Material will go out electronically to all during the summer months as plans continue to take shape. We will be looking into appropriate speakers and we hope James Turrell will be able to participate. A commemorative planting of a white oak is being considered as there was once a large white oak grove on the property.
11. First Day School: Please refer to the enclosed report. Susan Claggett has done a spectacular job with the children this year in keeping activities going and interest high. The entire Meeting commends all the work she has done. It was also noted that attendance is down somewhat. Some members asked how to be of help. She responded that teaching, making contact and talking to the children, and keeping in touch with the parents are important interactions for all of us.
12. New Business: A Friend suggested that the importance of addressing the issue of same sex union should not be overlooked, that time during the summer should be allocated to a committee to structure this topic for a called meeting. Friends decided that a special committee should be formed to address this issue and come back to the Meeting with a plan to go forward with new sensibilities. The committee will consist of John Schreiner, Molly Burgoyne, and others to be named. [Note: following the Meeting, Cynthia Browne, Tania Harrison, Tom Corl, and Winslow Womack came forward and asked to be included on the committee.]
Meeting for business was adjourned at 1:30 PM.
Respectfully submitted, Molly Burgoyne