Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends Minutes of June 17, 2012

The Meeting opened with 11 people present.
Clerk Susan Wood read from the section on Integrity (Consistency in Word and Deed) from the
American Friends Service Committee’s booklet, “An Introduction to Quaker Testimonies.”
l. Clerks’ correspondence and business was brought forth by the Clerks.
a) The travel minute for Leslie Manning, written by the Clerks (as requested at the May Monthly
Meeting) was read and received with appreciation.
b) American Friends Service Committee sent an acknowledgement of a gift made to the AFSC by
Amelia Marstaller in memory of Friend Macy Whitehead..
2. A request from Abigail Fortune for assistance from the Equalization Fund to go to New England Yearly
Meeting this summer was received and approved.
3. The Treasurer submitted the May 31, 2012 report. Income for May was $2,481. Expenses were
$4,205.37. The Meeting deficit at this point for 2012 is $4,010.63.
4. The Clerks received a request for $1,000 (to be taken from the Charity Fund) for the Friends of
Kakamega to put lime and cover crop into a much-depleted soil at the Children’s Farm. The Children’s Farm is
six acres and has grown food for the Orphans’ Care Centre. However, because of fertilizer practice there, the
soil is much depleted and needs rebuilding. This request was approved.
5. Dorothy Hinshaw reported for Christian Education Committee.
a) They thank Erin Martin and Wendy Schlotterbeck for the wonderful Children’s Day breakfast and
the meeting for worship conducted by the youth.
b) Next year, starting in September, they plan to have two Sunday School classes of children and youth
that will meet every 1st and 3rd Sundays. Adult Sunday School will continue as is. Daphne Clement and Wendy
Schlotterbeck will share oversight of the children and youth classes.
c) They are looking into two public concerts this fall to help raise money for a possible trip to England
next year. The first concert would be September 8 with Tom Nielson, a folk singer from Monadnock Friends
Meeting and might include a song-writing workshop for teachers on September 9. The second concert would be
in the late autumn with Tom Whitehead. The Nielson concert was approved and it was suggested that they
explore further the options for the concert and workshop. It was approved that we proceed with the Tom
Whitehead concert.
6. The meeting thanks Betsy Muench and Wendy Schlotterbeck for a terrific camp-out for the youth and
families at Betsy’s home in Georgetown over the weekend of June 8-10.
7. David Reed reported that the meetinghouse large furnace is working very well, just in time for the
summer. The electrician will be coming in to fix the phone when he comes as a part of other work on the
speaker system and other electrical needs.
8. Monthly Meeting requests that Trustees proceed to sell the current large stove in the meetinghouse
kitchen and explore the purchase of two propane stoves to replace it. David Reed agreed he will find out from
the stove company how much they will give us for the stove and will look into advertising it in other places.
9. Susan Rice reported for Peace and Social Concerns. They plan on doing two Saturday evenings this
summer, as a mini “Summer Conversations Series.” The first will be on “Acidification of the Oceans and
Climate Change” with Ray Sirois, who works with a local engineering company. It will be held on Saturday,
July 28. The second evening will be on Saturday, Aug. 25, and the focus will be on Community Gardens. Eric
and Laura Evans, who run the community gardens in Camden, will be the guest speakers.
10. Margaret Wentworth reported that Falmouth Quarterly Meeting will be held on Saturday, July 28, here
at Durham Meetinghouse. It was agreed that we will ask Quarterly Meeting’s Committee on Planning and
Revitalization to hold the gathering in the afternoon with a picnic supper, so that their program can be the
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program presented by Ray Sirois. This will be especially helpful, as Peace and Social Concerns was hoping that
friends from the Quarter might attend the evening. Margaret will check with CPR to make sure that this plan
will work.
11. We agreed on the following as representatives for New England Yearly Meeting: Daphne Clement,
Nancy Marstaller, Theresa Oleksiw and Wendy Schlotterbeck. We approve the person that Ministry and
Counsel chooses to serve on the Yearly Meeting M&C.
12. Ministry and Counsel reported that Daphne Clement will be at Friends General Conference on Sunday,
July 1. Peter Crysdale will bring the message that day.
13. Thank-yous were received from Erik Brooks and Jessica Sheldon for the book gift certificates they
were given from the Meeting for graduation.
The meeting ended at 2:10 p.m. with a period of worship and with upon their acceptance thanks to the
Clerks for a job well done.
Recording clerk,
Susan Rice

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