DRAFT
Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends Business Meeting Minutes, October 19, 2025
Ellen Bennett — Recording Clerk
Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends met for the conduct of business on Sunday, October 19, 2025, with twelve people in attendance at the Meetinghouse and 2 by Zoom.
1. Meeting Opening
Clerkopened with reading from Thomas Kelly’s A Testament of Devotion.
“There is a way of ordering our mental life on more than one level at once. On one level we may be thinking, discussing, seeing, calculating, meeting all the demands of external affairs. But deep within, behind the scenes, at a profounder level, we may also be in prayer and adoration, song and worship and a gentle receptiveness to divine breathings.
The secular world of today values and cultivates only the first level, assured that there is where the real business of mankind is done, and scorns, or smiles in tolerant amusement, at the cultivation of the second level — a luxury enterprise, a vestige of superstition, an occupation for special temperaments. But in a deeply religious culture men know that the deep level of prayer and of divine attendance is the most important thing in the world. It is at this deep level that the real business of life is determined. The secular mind is an abbreviated, fragmentary mind, building only upon a part of man’s nature and neglecting a part — the most glorious part — of man’s nature, powers, and resources. The religious mind involves the whole of man, embraces his relations with time within their true ground and sitting in the Eternal Lover. It ever keeps close to the fountains of divine creativity. In lowliness it knows joys and stabilities, peace and assurances, that are utterly incomprehensible to the secular mind. It lives in resources and powers that make individuals radiant and triumphant, groups tolerant and bonded together in mutual concern, and is bestirred to an outward life of unremitting labor. ”
2. Approval of Minutes of September 2025
The Meeting approved the Minutes of the September 19, 2025 Business Meeting
3. Trustees Report — Sarah Sprogell
Please see report. The Meeting affirmed its gratitude for the work of Trustees.
4. Ministry and Counsel — Renee Cote
Please see report.
Renee Cote, Doug Bennett and Sarah Sprogell will be the representatives of Durham Friends at Quarterly Meeting on Saturday, October 25, which will take place in the Durham Friends Meetinghouse.
The recommendation was made that the Meeting Care Coordinator (MCC) be funded through 2026, and that Leslie Manning continue in the position.
Meeting approved continuing the MCC position through 2026.
Meeting approved Leslie Manning as the MCC position through 2026.
Note that the 5th Sunday in November is the first Sunday in Advent. Therefore, we will be having a programmed Meeting for Worship.
5. Woman’s Society — Dorothy Curtis
No report.
6. Peace & Social Concerns — Ingrid Chalufour
No report.
7. Finance Committee Report — Nancy Marstaller
No report.
8. Other business
Would anyone be led to form an ad hoc choir for Christmas-time? The annual Christmas program will be Sunday, December 21st. There was much enthusiasm for this idea, and two names came up as possible choir conductors/organizers.
Discussion ensued about placement of the projector and computer for the Zoom setup. Suggestions for improvements will be brought to Ministry and Counsel.
9. Meeting Closing
Business Meeting was adjourned with appreciation for everyone’s input and the beautiful fall day.
Respectfully Submitted, Ellen Bennett, Recording Clerk
