Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends Business Meeting Minutes, January 18, 2026, DRAFT
Ellen Bennett — Recording Clerk
Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends met for the conduct of business on Sunday, January 18, 2026, with nine people in attendance at the Meetinghouse and three by Zoom.
1. Meeting Opening
Clerk Sarah Sprogell opened the meeting by reading sections of a letter sent to her by the Wabanaki Elder in Residence program at the University of Maine, in thanks for monetary support. The letter is very encouraging, and a reminder of the good works that are happening taking place, particularly if you take a long view. Another thank-you letter is posted on the bulletin board.
Meeting expressed its appreciation for the work of Ingrid Chalufour and Ellen Bennett in organizing the New Paths: Working Together on Wabanaki Curriculum Integration day-long conference.
2. Approval of Minutes of December 2025
The Meeting approved the Minutes of the December 21, 2025 Business Meeting, with typos corrected.
3. Ministry and Counsel — Renee Cote
M&C is working on coordinating New England Yearly Meeting accompaniment visits. The NEYM committee that organizes these visits is in the process of revisiting its charge and function. Visits are conducted to help meetings that are experiencing challenges.
DFM approached this committee after the February 2025 retreat, at which it was shared that there were unresolved issues within the Meeting. The NEYM accompaniment committee identified two representatives to work with our Meeting, both of whom have made visits.
4. Peace and Social Concerns — Ingrid Chalufour
Craig is giving a concert called “Bob for Food” (singing Bob Dylan songs) raising money for the Good Shepherd Food Bank. The date is March 14th. P&SC is helping to put this event together. All are welcome to help with this.
5. Nominating Committee Report — Wendy Schlotterbeck
Additional people are needed to oversee technology/Zoom access for the Meeting, as well as supporting our music ministry. Clerks, at their meeting, discussed restarting a list for those to take responsibility for after-worship food, coffee, tea.
It is important to encourage new people to sign up for these tasks. It is a way to be engaged in the life of the Meeting without a committee assignment. Also, new attenders need to be encouraged to sign the guest book and share email addresses so they can receive the newsletter.
6. Letter to Brunswick Town Council — Doug Bennett
The draft letter follows very closely and attaches the letter we sent to the council in 2022. Our message to the Town Council is the same.
Three suggestions followed:
1. To consider a new name for the park, assemble a group that includes indigenous members.
2. Note that members of this Meeting include residents of Brunswick, Topsham, Lisbon, and Freeport.
3. Reference the rotarian plaque earlier in the letter.
DFM will send its own letter to the Town Council with corrections, and at the same time, send it to the Brunswick Area Interfaith Council.
Meeting affirmed the letter with three changes. The changes will be incorporated and reviewed by the meeting clerk before being mailed.
Meeting expressed its great appreciation for Doug’s work
7. Website Annual Report — Doug Bennett
Please see report. What goes onto the website is written and provided by other people. Guidelines exist to ensure that postings come through the Meeting, and are reflective of the Meeting’s work.
Meeting expressed its appreciation for Doug’s work on the website.
8. Trustee Annual Report — Sarah Sprogell
Please see report.
Sarah gave a summary of the report. It includes a list of projects and their associated costs, building use by other groups, updates concerning the Lunt Cemetery, the Eileen Babcock estate, and bank accounts.
Trustees were asked to report annually on the number of burials in the cemetery. It was also suggested that a presence on the website about the cemetery, including a plot map and some history, would be a good idea. It was noted that Curtis library has a resource of the histories of local cemeteries. Doug will look into this.
9. Other Business
- The Meeting’s Facebook page has been revived. Questions arose about how to access Facebook pages for those who do not, themselves, have a Facebook page. Rules for page access vary. Because we are a non-profit, religious organization, the page is available to all. People can view and comment, but not post themselves.
- Dot Hinshaw and family gave a donation for use of the Meetinghouse for Ed Hinshaw’s memorial service. Her thank-you note was read. Dot will be staying in Sumner and would love visits. The family expressed its deep appreciation to the Meeting for the care it took with Ed’s service.
- Kim gave an update from our Sister meeting in Cuba. They have posted on Facebook that they are steadfastly against the violence perpetrated by the US government.
- A letter was received from Brown Lethem. He is in Blue Hill (very quiet!), in the family home, happily, because there is someone living there who can assist him as needed through the winter. He is looking for an assisted living situation for permanent residency. At next week’s meeting for worship, a card will be available for us to send to Brown. A few area assisted living communities were mentioned. Martha Hinshaw will send the results of her family’s search to Brown.
- Meeting approved representatives for Quarterly Meeting: Leslie Manning, Sarah Sprogell, Joyce Gibson, and possibly Kim Bolshaw.
Clerk closed the Meeting, asking us to go forth to find and shine our light in the darkness.
Respectfully Submitted, Ellen Bennett, Recording Clerk
