Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends convened for the conduct of business on Sunday, January 19, 2020 with 11 people in attendance.
1. Nominating Committee: Margaret Wentworth reported for Nominating Committee. They recommend that appointments remain the same as 2019, with the following changes:
Presiding Clerk: Add Martha Hinshaw Sheldon, so she and Susan (Sukie) Rice will be Co-Clerks.
Trustees: Remains the same, keeping Paul Wood on the committee.
Ministry and Counsel: Add Renee Cote.
Finance: No changes.
Christian Education: Katherine (Qat) Langelier is going off the committee.
Communications: Change Newsletter Editor from Qat Langelier to Sukie Rice.
P & SC: Linda Muller is going off. New members are very much needed.
Next month the full list will be attached to the Newsletter.
2. The Nominating Committee report was approved. Martha Sheldon continued to preside over the Meeting for Business as a duly approved co-clerk.
3. The minutes of December 15, 2019 were approved as printed in the Newsletter.
4. Ministry and Counsel: Martha Sheldon reported that Doug
Bennett will draft the State of
Society Report. Upcoming speakers will be Ingrid Chalufour, Joyce Gibson, Tess
Hartford, Heather Augustine, Peter Crysdale, Fritz Weiss, Doug Bennett, and
Leslie Manning.
5. Christian Education: Wendy Schlotterbeck submitted the report.
Dorothy Curtis will be the CE representative for the search
committee for the Meeting Care Coordinator position.
(b) The committee decided to nurture relationships and connections with the
Maine Native American community as their theme for the year, including learning
more about Native American history. They hope to collaborate with Heather
Augustine’s youth group and will encourage Durham Friends to attend Healing
Turtle Island in July.
(c) They will continue family game nights and aim for the next one to be on
March 14.
(d) Faith and Play/Godly Play training has been confirmed for May 8-10 at
Durham Friends. Portland Friends and possibly several other NEYM Friends will
join us. Melinda Wenner Bradley from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting will bring the
training.
(e) They discussed naming a clerk for the committee, but decided at this time
to rotate the role among members. Wendy has agreed to bring the CE/youth
minister report to Monthly Meeting.
Youth Minister Report:
(a) Wendy Schlotterbeck has begun visiting Durham Friends families with
children to get a sense of their needs.
(b) Wendy is participating in “Noticing Patterns of Oppression and
Faithfulness,” an online training sponsored by NEYM and facilitated by Lisa
Graustein, on January 16 and March 12. This training focuses on informing our
work with youth.
(c) Wendy attended an all-day reflection and planning session for the Young
Friends program of NEYM on January 18 and will continue to help staff with
upcoming Young Friends and Junior High Young Friends retreats. The report was
accepted gratefully.
6. Communications Committee: It was reported that Sukie Rice will be the CC representative for the search committee for the Meeting Care Coordinator position.
7. Martha Sheldon reported that the first meeting of the search committee for the Meeting Care Coordinator will occur this coming week. The search committee will now be under the care of Monthly Meeting rather than Ministry and Counsel. It was suggested that there be a deadline for applications. Dorothy Curtis, Ingrid Chalufour, Sukie Rice, and Martha Sheldon will be on that committee. Notice of the job advertisement will be sent out as a Friends Note and include the deadline.
8. Finance Committee: Sarah Sprogell brought the report, which included the 2020 budget. There was discussion about our giving to Quaker organizations, specifically to increase the amounts we give to them in 2020. From this discussion, we raised the original $100 budgeted for each of them to the following: AFSC: $250; Velasco Friends: $250; FCNL: $300; QUNO: $200.
9. The Budget 2020 was approved to include the aforementioned changes, with appreciation to the Finance Committee. Our projected income for 2020 is $60,826 and expenses are $60,690.
10. Meeting Auditor: Sarah Sprogell, the Meeting Auditor, brought her report for the years 2014 and 2015. The Auditor states that the books for both years are in very good order, and noted that we have a gem in our Treasurer, Kitsie Hildebrandt, in her navigation of the funds of the Meeting. These reports are attached.
11. Monthly Meeting accepted the Auditor’s reports with appreciation for the work Sarah has done. It was noted how Sarah and Kitsie’s work on these reports has assisted the Finance Committee in a number of ways to better oversee the finances of the Meeting.
12. Brunswick Friends Meeting continues their process of finding a future place for Meeting for Worship. Martha Sheldon will reach out to them regarding the possible use of the Meeting house.
The meeting ended with a moment of quiet reflection in gratitude for the Spirit being present with us.
Sukie Rice, temporary Recording Clerk
