Overseers Annual Report,
Calendar Year 2014

In 2014, these members of Third Haven Friends Meeting served as Overseers: Paige Bethke, Molly Burgoyne, Larny Claggett, Deborah Cox, Marsie Hawkinson, Larissa Kitenko, Connie Lewis, John Schreiner, Norval Thompson, and Adrienne Rudge, clerk. I begin my report with thanks to all of the committee members for their constructive suggestions, their timely actions, their senses of humor and their devotion to pastoral care, which is the mission of the Overseers Committee.

I particularly want to acknowledge Norval Thompson, who after twelve years of active service on the committee, retired in December. In addition, I thank Candace Shattuck for the guidance that she offered to me personally and to the committee.

The Committee met monthly with the exception of June, July and December. We kept in touch with the Third Haven Friends Meeting community through a calling tree by dividing members and attenders alphabetically. We spoke with, wrote to and visited with individuals as the year progressed, with special attention to those facing challenges.

Last spring, at the request of non-resident member A. P.-Z., the Overseers formed a Clearness Committee to consider her request that she and Rick King be married at Third Haven under the care of the Meeting. A committee consisting of Paige Bethke, Gwen Beegle and Marsie Hawkinson met with Aiyana and Rick and enthusiastically recommended that their request be approved. Aiyana and Rick were married on July 19, 2104 at Third Haven Friends Meeting.

The annual new member and attender recognition luncheon was held on March 2nd and was very well attended. As part of the program of welcome, Dona Sorce discussed the path that led her to Quakerism and to Third Haven. With support from the Hospitality Committee, Overseers decided to sponsor an additional community luncheon on October 5th honoring the "elders" of Third Haven. Debbie Cox shared some of her memories of growing up attending this meeting, which inspired other stories from those attending.

Also in March, the Overseers helped with a memorial service for Lila Line, organized primarily by Joe Davis. The Committee maintains a file of Declarations of Memorial Intentions in the Common Room. This form, which in the case of Lila was a big help in planning her memorial service, is available online at the Third Haven Friends Meeting website or by mail from the clerk of the Overseers Committee. The form has been updated; the new version was accepted by Meeting for Business in December 2013.

In 2013, the Overseers Committee was asked to draft a new description of the process of becoming a member of Third Haven, with an emphasis on an expanded definition of the responsibilities of membership. Revising that description stayed on our agenda in 2014, and John Schreiner became the principal author of the piece, with input from both Overseers and the Outreach Committee. The result is a leaflet called Pathway to Membership at Third Haven Friends Meeting.

One issue that we discussed over the course of several months resulted in a minute offered to Meeting for Business in November. Overseers urged members and attenders to practice sharing Joys and Concerns with special consideration for the privacy of those they mention.

All of us have a role in making this a caring community, but Overseers have a special responsibility to nurture and counsel others within Third Haven Friends Meeting. We welcome the chance to be of service.

Respectfully submitted, Adrienne Rudge, Clerk

Third Haven Friends Monthly Meeting is a member of Southern Quarterly Meeting of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends General Conference of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

Meetings for Worship: Sundays 10:00AM, Wednesdays 5:30PM

Childrens' program: 1st and 3rd Sundays 10:00AM

Meetings for Worship with Attention to Business: 2nd Sunday of the Month following Meeting for Worship (except for the months of July and August)

Contact: 405 S. Washington St., Easton, MD 21601; (410) 822-0293; 3rdhaven@gmail.com; Find Us on Facebook

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