Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends met for the conduct of business on Sunday, July 21, 2024, with 10 people in attendance at the Meetinghouse and one attending by Zoom. Tess Hartford clerked the meeting.
- Approval for Meeting Clerk
Meeting approved Tess Hartford as Clerk of July Monthly Meeting for the conduct of business.
2. Meeting Opening
To continue Meeting for Worship, Clerk read from the book “Christian Meditation” by James Finley. Harper Collins, 2004.:
“Saint Paul writes in his Letter to the Philippians, ‘In your minds you must be the same as Christ Jesus’ (Phil. 2:5). We become the same as Christ Jesus in our minds through a lifelong process of conversion in which Christ’s mind and our mind become one mind, one way of seeing and being in the world. The faithful practice of meditation is a way of learning to follow the spirit’s prompting in being led along this self-transforming path into the mind of Christ. Let us then explore the ways in which we enter Christ’s mind in meditation. Such an inquiry will take us into the innermost recesses of Christian faith. These inner recesses consist of neither beliefs nor institutional structures, but rather a self-transforming journey into the vibrant center of reality itself As our inquiry unfolds, a portrait of Christ will emerge in which we can recognize our own true face as one destined by God to be one with God forever.” pp. 175
3. Approval of Minutes of June 16 2024 — Ellen Bennett
Meeting approved the minutes of the June meeting for business.
4. Ministry and Counsel — Renee Cote
Renee summarized the meeting for worship schedule for message-givers and Zoom availability for the next several weeks.
Discussion ensued about a memorial service for Lyn Clark. Considered were a special meeting, a meeting for remembrance in October for all who have passed, and honoring Lyn as part of a regular unprogrammed meeting for worship. It was agreed to note particularly what Barbara Simon had written and read to us about Lyn. The unprogrammed Meeting scheduled for August 25 was lifted up as a possibility that included inviting Barbara Simon and asking person responsible for Care of Worship to read her statement at the start of meeting.
Meeting approved M&C continuing their discussion of this, as well as the handling of memorial meetings/services in general.
M&C was asked to talk to individuals about what they would like regarding their own memorial gathering/meeting.
5. Trustees Report — Sarah Sprogell
Sarah read the Trustee Report aloud.
Trustees are asking for approval to continue their work with respect to the bequest of an estate of a former member. Trustees are also asking for approval, should it be necessary, to use up to $10,000 to pay for legal representation in pursuit of this matter. Trustees will seek out all avenues to resolve the situation before turning to hiring an attorney.
Meeting approved that Trustees continue to pursue the matter.
Meeting approved use funds up to $10,000, if necessary.
Clerk reaffirmed the Meeting’s trust in Trustees, and asked for prayers for their continuing efforts.
In addition, a member expressed gratitude to Sarah Sprogell, which the Meeting shared, for her attention to the condition of our beloved Meetinghouse.
6. Other Business
For everyone’s information, Ellen described the formation of an ad hoc event-planning working group. The group was asked to remember logistics, specifically with respect to the meeting calendar!
Meeting agreed that any members of Durham Friends Meeting who attend business sessions at NEYM be considered representatives of the Meeting.
The next business meeting will be held September 16th.
7. Closing Worship
Respectfully submitted, Ellen Bennett, Recording Clerk
