Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends Minutes, July 20, 2025
Ellen Bennett — Recording Clerk
Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends met for the conduct of business on Sunday, June 15, 2025, with thirteen people in attendance at the Meetinghouse and two by Zoom.
1. Meeting Opening
Clerk, Renee Cote, opened the meeting with a quote that begins John Punchon’s Portrait in Grey. It is the fourth verse from the poem The Brewing of Soma, by John Greenleaf Whittier:
Drop Thy still dew of quietness
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of Thy peace.
[This is also the fourth stanza of the hymn “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind”.]
2. Approval of Minutes of June 2025
In item number seven of the June minutes, “Puente de Amigos” is the organization cited that could help with Kirenia’s travel.
3. Approval for suspension of Monthly Meeting for Business in August — Renee Coté
4. Ministry and Counsel Report —Renee Coté
Supporting Juno Kay in her need for medical care. (Please see report for greater details.)
The Clerks group approved sending monetary support to Juno from the Charity account on an expedited timeline.
Clerk read the certificate of transfer from Narramissic Valley Monthly Meeting regarding Margaret De Rivera’s transfer of membership. The certificate included words of praise for her three decades of membership there and her good works on behalf of the community and Quakerism. Durham Monthly Meeting will send an acknowledgement.
The Clearness Committee assembled for Shelley Randall recommends that she be admitted to membership. In honor of her membership, Shelley will receive New England Yearly Meeting’s Faith and Practice.
5. Peace & Social Concerns — Ingrid Chalufour
An article describing the Social Justice Book Project has been submitted as a feature article for the winter issue of Friends Journal.
There was a brief report about the planned event on October 4th, preceding World Quaker Day on October 5th — a tribute to Quaker activism, including the 99 minute film “Citizen George” about George Lakey. A list of Quaker activists, known to the Meeting, who have made significant contributions to Quakerism, their communities, and the world, is being assembled for recognition on October 4, as well. Please see report.
Printed material from a variety of sources should be made available for attendees, who are being invited to the October 4th event from a variety of faith organizations.
6. Trustees Report — Sarah Sprogell
Please see report.
Trustees seek approval of increased cost of replacing bulkhead.
Trustees seek approval for new language on the sign which is placed at the corner of the property.
The proposal from a Durham community member to purchase the 50 acre woodlot was shared. The Trustees believe it should not be sold. There was discussion about other possible uses of the tract. Any alternative/future uses of the 50 acres, e.g., putting in trails for community use, should be aligned with conservation purposes.
7. Finance: No report
8. Other business
The ad hoc committee tasked with considering ways to freshen the gathering room suggested moving the file cabinets and re-hanging historical pictures and photographs in the entry foyer as first steps.
The Meeting has been asked by the Durham Historical Society if there is interest in participating in the 250th Anniversary Parade — the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Participation would provide an opportunity to be clear about our values and our message. This request will be reviewed again in September. All are asked to think about our potential role and what we want to “say”. Meeting will respond to the request in the interim.
About 12 people met for this summer’s Falmouth Quarterly Meeting. There was time for reflections and queries and song. The steps the Quarter might take to support trans-gender individuals was discussed. The minutes addressing sexual orientation and gender identity, from Brunswick and Durham and a strong letter from Portland to the local press, will be shared at Yearly Meeting sessions.
Those gathered also discussed naming someone to the Maine Council of Churches, and building a clearness committee for that individual. The current representative has served in the role a number of years.
A Meeting member raised that this country, and the world, are going through very trying times, but the Meeting doesn’t seem to have taken firm hold of our role, our spiritual role, in facing the challenges. It was urged upon us that we think about this. Troubles have many faces and may aspects. Of all those, the unkindness to immigrants stands out. What do we have to say about this and who do we say it to? Note that there is a 2020 statement on immigration, a collaboration among Britain Yearly Meeting, Quaker Council for European Affairs, QUNO, FCNL, AFSC. Now especially we need to insist on basic humanity — the humane treatment of immigrants. The 2020 collaborative statement will be put up on the website.
It was noted that NEYM has a monthly support call for people involved in immigration issues in each of the six New England states.
Also important is the education of one another about both Quakerism and the complexity of these issues.
9. Closing
Clerk closed meeting with a moment of silence.
Respectfully submitted, Ellen Bennett, Recording Clerk
