Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends met virtually via Zoom for the conduct of business on Sunday, July 18, 2021, with 17 people present. Clerk, Bob Eaton, opened the meeting with silence.
1.The June minutes were approved as printed in the Newsletter.
2.Trustees: A lengthy discussion ensued regarding the trustees’ report about keeping, repairing, and/or selling the parsonage. After careful discernment, Friends united in accepting the recommendation of the Trustees to sell approximately two acres containing the parsonage, the well and the septic field. Their full report will be attached to these minutes and included in the newsletter. The meeting thanks the Trustees for their diligence and efforts on behalf of the meeting. We recognize that the parsonage has played a vital role in the life of the meeting, and we will part with it in sorrow. It is recommended that documentation of the “life of the parsonage” be written.
3. Friends approved the recommendation of the Trustees to sell approximately 2 acres including the parsonage, well and septic field on the open market. The trustees and clerk of the meeting are authorized to accept a final offer on behalf of the meeting.
4. Meeting Care Coordinator: Mey Hasbrook read her final report as Meeting Care Coordinator and expressed gratitude for being a part of the meeting. The meeting accepts the report with deep appreciation for the work and dedication Mey Hasbrook has brought to the work of Meeting Care Coordinator, while mindful of the harm raised in the report. Meeting asked Ministry and Counsel to follow up on some of the specific requests made in the report. This report will be attached to the minutes.
5. Ministry and Counsel: Renee Cote read the Educational Media Project proposal, and the multimedia project was enthusiastically approved. We added our blessing to their efforts to document our history through interviews of persons associated with the meeting. Details of this project will be included in the newsletter and attached to these minutes.
Renee Cote reported that there is a need for additional members to Ministry and Counsel. She also reported that they hope to have hybrid worship in the fall, using the Meeting OWL.
6. Peace and Social Concerns Committee: Ingrid Chalufour reported that the committee is hoping we will join them in a focused look at reparations this summer. They are devoting a section of the website to weekly postings for us to read or watch in preparation for a discussion in the fall. Please go to the web to see the first of three postings. One is an excellent 16-minute TED talk. They have also purchased 17 books for New Mainer children in Bath and hope to deliver them before the end of summer. The Social Justice Enrichment Project now has 4 schools and probably 9 teachers involved in this first year of the project. Elementary schools in Brunswick, Topsham, Durham, and Turner are going to participate.
7. Falmouth Quarterly Meeting is August 7th at Portland Friends Meeting. We appointed two representatives: Bob Eaton and Wendy Schlotterbeck. Our clerk encouraged all Friends to attend.
8. It was suggested that we not meet in August, as has been the past custom. Approved. We adjourned to meet September 19, 2021.
The meeting ended in silence.
Dorothy Hinshaw, Recording Clerk
