Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends met for the conduct of business on Sunday, June 15, 2025, with eleven people in attendance at the Meetinghouse and one by Zoom.

1.     Meeting Opening

        Clerk, Sarah Sprogell, opened the meeting by reading a letter received by the Meeting from FWCC in response to a donation given on May 1, 2025. The letter is attached.

2.     Approval of Minutes of May 2025

                        Meeting approved the May minutes.

3.     Ministry and Counsel Report — René Coté

Please refer to the report.

Meeting has not yet received an approval from Naramissic Meeting for the transfer of Margaret De Rivera’s membership to Durham Monthly Meeting. Clerk will follow-up with Naramissic.

Shelley Randall’s letter asking for Meeting membership was read aloud. (Please see letter that is attached).

Meeting approved a clearness Committee for Shelley that will include Martha Hinshaw Sheldon, Wendy Schlotterbeck, andRene Cote.

A memorial minute for Diana White is in process and will be a joint effort between Portland and Durham monthly meetings, with final approval by Durham Meeting.

Rene Cote will serve as Meeting Clerk in July.

                Meeting heartily approved Joyce Gibson to serve on Ministry and Counsel.

4.     Peace and Social Concerns — Ingrid Chalufour

Please see report.

The Wabanaki studies project with Kate Furbish teachers in Brunswick was reviewed. This project grew out of the Social Justice Book project. The Brunswick School Board’s Curriculum Committee will be hearing about the success of the initiative at the next School Board meeting.

Peace and Social Concerns has taken up a project to look at strengthening Wabanaki studies K-12 in Topsham, Brunswick and Bath. The plan is to initiate this project with a one-day event some time this coming fall/winter.

The Committee requests that the Meeting approve showing the movie Citizen George here at the Meetinghouse as part of our 250th birthday celebration. Help with marketing and staging the event will be needed. It was suggested that the event take place the Saturday before World Quaker Day on October 5. Because George Lakey loves to sing, it was suggested that opening the evening with singing before the film would be appropriate.

                Meeting approved showing the movie as an event here at the Meetinghouse.

Peace and Social Concerns is always looking for members to join the committee. It was suggested that this request be repeated at every meeting, and note that people can join the work of the committee on an ad hoc basis — given areas of interest and expertise.

                Meeting expressed its deep appreciation for the amount of work that P&SC has done.

5.     Seasoned Item: Donation to Newton, NJ Quaker Meetinghouse — Sarah Sprogell.

                Meeting approved the request to donate $250 to Newton Meeting.

Doug Bennett will draft an accompanying letter.

6.     Update on Use of Building Request by Brunswick Meeting  — Sarah Sprogell

Brunswick Meeting is continuing to look more broadly into places to hold their meeting for worship. We will continue to be flexible and open to the possibility of having Brunswick meeting here.

7.     Update from Quarterly Meeting — Sarah Sprogell

        Please note the following:

• Meeting for listening, June 21— via Zoom or in-person at Portland Meeting

• Kirenia Criado Perez, Pastor of Havana Meeting, will be visiting this summer from Cuba Yearly Meeting and holding workshops at Yearly Meeting sessions. She will be in Maine in July 24 and 25, and would like to visit both Portland and Durham meetings. The Sister’s Meeting Committee is requesting use of the Meetinghouse for July 25, as well as assistance in hosting a simple event here for Kirenia. Someone from ???????? [1] will in contact with our congressional delegation to ensure that Kirenia’s travel will not be encumbered or restricted as a result of new Federal restrictions. Note that for a 7/25 event both Kristna Evans and Shelly Randall speak Spanish, as well as Margaret De Rivera, and may be available to help with translation.

                Meeting approved use of the Meetinghouse for the event on July 25.

• Review of Minute of Solidarity with LBGTQIA Community from Brunswick Meeting, and DMMF proposed Minute, to Falmouth Quarter.

The Brunswick minute was read aloud. Concern was raised about the document focusing largely on political issues without reference to the divine and our testimonies. It was noted that it seems important not to focus on a single issue, but on the broader range of important issues facing us at this time.

The central question was are we in unity with Brunswick and the issue this statement addresses. The answer is, broadly, “yes”, and it prompted us to craft our own statement, growing out of the Meeting’s deep commitments to the testimonies.

Durham Friends Meeting approved a Minute on Sexual Orientation in February 2004. A proposed draft minute from Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends, building on the 2004 minute, was read. It is important that we not only protect but truly celebrate diversity in humanity and the gifts that this diversity brings to all of us. (A copy of the draft minute and the 2004 minute are attached.)

It was noted that the use of the word ‘unity’ over ‘solidarity’ better reflected the sense of the Meeting. Sharing both statements at Falmouth Quarterly meeting will generate good discussion.

                Meeting agreed that we are in broad unity of concern with the Brunswick minute.

Meeting approved the Durham MMF statement as an accompaniment to the Brunswick minute.

Meeting approved Wendy Schlotterbeck and Sarah Sprogell as representatives to Falmouth Quarter at the July 19 meeting where these minutes will be discussed.

8.     Other business

                        Meeting minuted its deep appreciation to Sarah for her service as clerk

                        Meeting minuted its deep appreciation to the Recording Clerk.

9.     Closing

Respectfully submitted, Ellen Bennett, Recording Clerk

Attachments

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