Agate Passage Friends Meeting for Business

Minutes,
October 15, 2006

 

Opening:  The Meeting for Business opened with silence at 11:25 a.m. and our Clerk, Judy Brown, read a thoughtful quotation from Page 18 of  Pacific Yearly Meeting, Faith and Practice,

 

Present:   Eric Hoyte, Craig Jacob-Brown, Bob Royce, Millie Royce, Norm Keefel, Jim Rana-Meadows, Dorothy Rana-Meadows, Lisa Down, Diana Sheridan, Ed Sheridan, Diane Carle, Bob Major, Judy Brown, Virginia Hoyte

 

Approval of September Minutes:  The Minutes of  September 17, 2006 were approved as copied for the group with the comment from a member that they were,  “Just perfect.”

 

Treasurer’s Report:   According to our Treasurer’s update for last month, our contributions to date are still behind the agreed budget, but are somewhat catching up.               Michael Moore informed us that he had forwarded $85.00 for the Lt. Watada Defense Fund given by individual members/attenders along with $50.00 from the Meetings’ General Fund for a total of $135.00 from Agate Passage Friends. Other donations from our group will also be forwarded onto the same fund.     Michael also read us a warm letter of appreciation from the Hawaii People’s Fund thanking us for the contribution.

 

Announcement:  A reminder of the authorized Meeting for Worship for Memorial Next Sunday, October 22^nd, ’06, at the usual 10:00 worship time.  This memorial will be focused on the fatal violence in the schools this last month in particular.  It will include the schools at Nickel Mines, PA and Bailey, CO., and others, and will also emphasize forgiveness.  The suggestion had been made that we send an announcement of this memorial gathering to the local papers, inviting anyone who might be interested to attend.   Michael Moore agreed to take the responsibility for this announcement, and Ed Sheridan volunteered to help…… Lisa Down mentioned that a few well chosen Queries could be helpful in pondering these tragedies.  Judy Brown and Michael Moore volunteered to formulate these Queries and send them in advance by email to all members and attenders.

            The group also authorized donations from individuals to be sent through the Meeting to the Amish Nickel Mines School Victims Fund.  And our Treasurer said that he would be glad to forward these, as he had done for the Lt. Watada Defense Fund.   As of that morning, Michael said that well over $1 million had been donated from people and organizations around the world.  In addition, all of the medical centers had announced they would "write off" their expenses for the surviving Amish girls.

 

New Business:  A Proposal for a Spiritual Poetry Program once a month before Meeting for Worship:    Judy Brown passed out a copy of this proposal, reminding the group of the number of poetry lovers and poetry writers in our small Agate Passage Friends Meeting. After a short discussion, the Proposal was approved.  It reads:

 

            “On the first Sunday of the month, those who want to look at and read spiritual poetry, would come at 9:00 a.m. to the Meeting House. 

            Each session would be facilitated by someone who would choose no more than three of their favorite poems with a Spiritual bent, and bring them in writing to be distributed and read by the group.  After reading the poems, one at a time, aloud, those present would talk about their experience of the poems.  Before finishing, each of the poems would be read a second time, so that the sharing and experience of them would make them more meaningful.”

 

(At this point, Judy Brown had to leave to catch a ferry and, as previously planned, Ed Sheridan took over as Clerk for the remainder of the Meeting for Business.)

 

Further Discussion on the Approved Minute in Support of Lt. Watada and Craig Jacobrown’s Article on Quaker Testimony and Conscientious Objectors. 

            After a short discussion on the length and appropriateness of the letter sent to the main newspapers in the area and whether or not it had been printed in other than the Bainbridge Review,  Craig said that he would like to revise and shorten the letter and try again to see if it might be printed.  He plans to bring a re-written copy to the next Meeting for Business.

 

Brief Clarification on the Mid-Week Meeting for Worship being held at Dorothy and Jim Rana-Meadows’ home.   The group made it clear they were in full support of a mid-week Meeting for Worship, and felt that it was up to those hosting and attending to pick the most convenient day and week of the month for them.

 

The Meeting Closed at 12:45 with a few moments of silence.

 

                                                            Virginia Hoyte, Recording Secretary