Meeting by Zoom, January 17, 2022
Present: Dorothy Curtis/President, Nancy Marstaller/Treasurer, Susan Gilbert/Secretary, Kitsie Hildebrandt, Charlotte Ann Curtis, Margaret Wentworth, Kim Bolshaw, Dorothy Hinshaw, Helen Clarkson.
Dorothy Curtis began the meeting with a discussion of the Card Ministry. Kim has picked up the card supplies from Margaret. Kitsie suggested one be sent to Gene Boyington, who is active at the Portland Meeting with Theresa Oleksiw. Sue Wood also was mentioned. She is healthy and was glad to have Charlotte Ann visit her at The McClellan.
The Devotions Program was brought by Kitsie from the Woman’s Society Book. She referred back to a previous lesson that Nancy had read—Pastor Kathy Berry on Psalm 91, “Whoever dwells in the shadow of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Pastor Kathy said that God does not prevent danger but does help us deal with it. She believes that as Quakers, our mission is to carry out God’s will, and his will must be obeyed. Participants considered the question “has God rescued us?” and shared instances of when they felt rescued.
Kitsie suggested further exploration of rest at restquiz.com, recommended to her by Kristna Evans. The rest quiz is connected with Saundra Dalton-Smith’s book, Sacred Rest, and Dalton-Smith’s website: https://ichoosemybestlife.com/.
Susan read the notes from the December 21 meeting. Corrections were made: two cooked vegetables and a salad instead of cooked vegetable salad for the Tedford House meal, and Phyllis Wetherell, not Phyllis Wentworth. Phyllis was Charlotte Ann’s sister, who had been very active in the Woman’s Society. The family contributed $200 to the Woman’s Society in gratitude for the loving time and attention Craig Freshley and Kim Bolshaw provided for the celebration of Phyllis’s life at the Meeting House. Craig and Kim did not want compensation.
Nancy gave the Treasurer’s Report: Balance $168 with no contributions yet this month. Sexual Support Services of Midcoast Maine, Wayfinder School and New Beginnings will each receive $50.
Nancy did not have a chance to look at the book list but has been reading “A Lenape Among the Quakers.” She found the depiction of the colonial/indigenous relationship distressing.
Margaret made Prayer Requests for two African missions, Samburu Friends Mission and Turkana Friends Mission, noting the importance of their being run by Africans.
The Tedford meal of roast beef, vegetables, salad and dessert was cooked on January 3 by Nancy’s team. This month’s meal on February 7 will be cooked by team C, Dorothy Curtis and Sarah Sprogell.
There was a meeting of the US Friends Woman’s Society NE Region on Zoom on January 15 from 9-11. Attending from Durham Friends were Dorothy Curtis, Helen, Nancy, Dorothy Hinshaw and Martha.
Dorothy closed the meeting with a quote from Martin Luther King, as we met on his National Holiday: “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
We were treated to a viewing of Nancy’s colorful block printed banners and Kitsie’s colorful block printed bag.
Respectfully Submitted, Susan Gilbert
