Durham Monthly Meeting Minutes, November 21, 2021

            Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends met virtually for the conduct of business on Sunday, November 21, 2021, with 18 people present. Clerk, Bob Eaton read a Pawnee song-poem, and after a short period of silence, opened the business meeting.

1.The October minutes were approved as recorded in the Newsletter.

2.Nominating Committee:  Kristna Evans reported for the committee. They brought forward three names of persons to serve with the Clerks Group on an Ad Hoc Committee on Parsonage Funds to consider the long-term use of the funds realized by the sale of the parsonage. They recommend Margaret Wentworth, Dorothy Curtis and Edwin Hinshaw to serve on this committee.

3. Meeting approved their recommendations for members to serve on the Ad Hoc Committee on Parsonage Funds.

4. Clerks Group: Sarah Sprogell reported that they are discussing hybrid worship and that a hybrid meeting will require faster internet speed for the meeting. They recommend shifting internet services to Comcast. An analysis of costs involved is attached.  They feel this change is worth the extra expense. Sarah Sprogell and Bob Eaton will pursue further issues that need to be addressed and consult experts to allow us to proceed with meeting for worship in our meetinghouse. The document, “Arrangements for Hybrid Worship for Durham Friends Meeting” (attached) will serve as a “road map” for this process. This document was published in the November Newsletter.

            The Clerks Group also discussed air filtration for the meetinghouse.  A preliminary research report by Wendy Schlotterbeck is attached to these minutes. Jo-an Jacobus volunteered to help with research on this need; we await further study of this issue.

            There has been an increase in the number of refugees in Maine.  The immediate needs are housing, clothes, blankets and food.  Wendy Schlotterbeck has done extensive research on the needs of refugees and asylum seekers.  Wendy, Bob Eaton, Clerk, and Ingrid Chalufour, Clerk of Peace and Social Concerns Committee, met to discuss this crisis and report that they recommend donating $350 to the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition from the Charity Account.  The Clerks Group is in close consultation with the Peace and Social Concerns Committee to consider providing winter necessities.  It was recommended that a Friends Note be sent to members requesting individual donations to the Immigrants’ Rights Coalition.

5. Meeting approved the change to the internet service, Comcast.

6. Meeting approved the donation of $350 from the Charity Account to the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition.

7. Meeting reaffirmed that the Clerks Group is not part of the regular meeting governance structure and exists as a meeting place for general support and discussion among clerks of committees.

8.Ministry and Counsel: Renee Cote reported that they have received a request from Michael Rivera, husband of Karen Marston, to hold a celebration of Karen’s life at the meetinghouse sometime in the spring. They will contact Karen’s niece and Michael to tell them that a meeting for worship for celebration of life can be held but will be subject to Covid guidelines in place at the time.

            M and C would like clear guidelines on use of the meetinghouse for memorials. Faith and Practice states that memorials will be held under care of Meeting through appointment of one or two overseers to plan the event with the bereaved.

            They are in the process of reviewing the report on the Meeting Care Coordinator position and plan to present it to Monthly Meeting in December.

            They reviewed and endorsed the “Internet and Phone Services for the Meetinghouse” proposal created by Sarah Sprogell, Wendy Schlotterbeck, and Craig Freshley with help from David Coletta, and recommend it for presentation to monthly meeting.

             The clearness committee (Ed Hinshaw, Doug Bennett, and Tess Hartford) for marriage for Ezra Smith and Laura is meeting in person this week.

            David Dexter has contracted Covid and is receiving assistance from people within and outside Meeting. Please hold him in the light.

            Meeting accepted this report with gratitude.

9.Finance Committee: Sarah Sprogell brought the January – September finance report. Our expenses to date are $27,871.74 and income: $39,647.75. This report is attached.  We accept this report with gratitude.

10. Peace and Social Concerns Committee: Ingrid Chalufour reported that they have been processing rich discussions and ideas from the reparations meetings this fall.  They plan to write a letter-to-the-editor in support of LD 1626, to be presented to meeting in December for approval.  In consultation with the Communication Committee, they plan to send emails to members and attenders announcing events, legislative updates, and articles that are relevant to social justice issues. They are sending a $200 donation to the Wabanaki Alliance.  They encourage us to sign up for the Sacred Ground series sponsored by the Episcopal Church in Brunswick; you can find the link to learn more and sigh up on the meeting website.

            We accepted their report with gratitude.

11. Meeting suggests that committees of meeting might have authority to use the meeting mailing list directly in furtherance of committee concerns. Meeting asks the Communication Committee to season this idea and bring to meeting a recommendation on the use of the mailing list.

12.  Kitsie Hildebrandt reported for the Trustees:  They have updated their guidelines for the Green Burial Site with additional information, which is attached.

            The meeting closed after a short period of silence.

Dorothy Hinshaw, Recording Clerk

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