Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends convened in worship on Sunday, January 21, 2018 with 30 people present. Clerk, Sukie Rice opened the meeting with a reading from the 1985 New England Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice on the meeting for business.
1. Martha Hinshaw Sheldon reported for Ministry and Counsel which met on January 14 with new and returning members present. They agreed to coordinate a meeting prayer circle and will work on how to be mindful of those in need of and requesting prayer. Also, the Pastoral Care Team will now be an integral part of Ministry and Counsel. If F/friends have concerns, questions or pastoral needs, feel free to contact members of Ministry and Counsel: Martha Hinshaw Sheldon, clerk, Sukie Rice, Wendy Schlotterbeck, Joyce Gibson, Doug Bennett, Kristna Evans, and Jim Douglas.
2. Wendy Schlotterbeck reported for the Christian Education Committee and included the Youth Minister’s report. The committee met January 7 and welcomed two new members with enthusiasm and gratitude. They had an energetic discussion of continuing to support families to come together with an inclusionary bent on creating intergenerational activities in the coming year. Most of the discussion centered around meeting the needs of kids and families in the following ways: continuing the richness of Godly Play; family/intergenerational activities; family field trips – with possible connections to people living sustainably including the Maine indigenous communities; a summer week long day program for children and youth, possibly in a “vacation Bible school” format; and developing opportunities for kids and families to participate in activism. Their next family/intergenerational activity will be a potluck and friendly game time on Saturday, February 10 from 4:30 – 6:30. The new members, Amy Kustra and Scott Barksdale, will be a great addition to the work of Christian Education. Their ties to Friends School of Portland will add to the committee’s connection with that community as well. Amy and Scott expressed their appreciation for the Godly Play curriculum and how it has blessed the children.
We expressed our gratitude for the work of the committee and the Youth Minister.
3. Leslie Manning sent a Trustees report, for which we expressed appreciation. The Trustees met and reviewed outstanding work, much of which was put off by weather, and one new project: the freezing of the pipes for the washer at the parsonage. The plumber has offered an estimate, not to exceed $800 to reroute the pipes. It was suggested that the appliances be moved into the house from the room off the 3 of 6
kitchen and place them in the office, tapping into the bathroom pipes. The plumber has not yet responded.
They also affirmed that green burials at the Lunt Cemetery be allowed, since it is at the discretion of the cemetery owner.
The Trustees confirmed that Donna Hutchins has been retained as custodian, since they were going to have a three-month trial to make sure that it worked out for her and for the meeting, and it does.
4. Martha Hinshaw Sheldon has transferred her membership from Wilmington (Ohio) Friends Meeting to Durham Friends Meeting and requests that her recording as a Friends minister also be transferred to Falmouth Quarterly Meeting.
5. The meeting enthusiastically approved this request, and will forward the recommendation to Falmouth Quarterly Meeting.
6. Doug Bennett reported for the Ad Hoc Working Group set up to explore a stipend position for the meeting. An outline of five possible models was read and discussion followed. This first report from the Ad Hoc committee was a basis for discussion among members and attenders of the meeting. The committee intends to bring back a single recommendation for consideration. Attached are their proposals which were sent in advance to meeting members and attenders.
7. The meeting ended with a period of silence.
Dorothy Hinshaw, Recording Clerk
