minutes for 2013 return to adelphi friends home page ...€¦ · adelphia friends meeting minutes,...

file:///C|/R3/Quaker/AdelphiFriends.org/Minutes/minutes2013.htm

Adelphi Friends Meeting for Worship for the Conduct of Business

Minutes for 2013

Return to Adelphi Friends Home Page Return to Minutes Page

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

file:///C|/R3/Quaker/AdelphiFriends.org/Minutes/minutes2013.htm (1 of 2) [2016/11/27 13:46:39]

http://www.adelphifriends.org/

http://www.adelphifriends.org/afminutes.html

file:///C|/R3/Quaker/AdelphiFriends.org/Minutes/minutes2013.htm

Return to Adelphi Friends Home Page Return to Minutes Page

Last updated 2016-02-21

file:///C|/R3/Quaker/AdelphiFriends.org/Minutes/minutes2013.htm (2 of 2) [2016/11/27 13:46:39]



Adelphia Friends Meeting Minutes, 2013-01-13

Return to

Home Page 2013 Minutes Page Minutes Index

Adelphi Friends Meeting 2303 Metzerott Road, Adelphi, Maryland 20783

MINUTES--Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, First Month, 13, 2013

The meeting opened with a period of silent worship with 28 Friends present. Latecomers brought the total to 31.

In what ways do I show respect for that of God in every person?

Do I reach out to those in distress? If I find this difficult, what holds me

back?

Am I comfortable making my own needs known to my Meeting?

How do we share in the diverse joys and transitions in each other’s lives?

Those who go forth ministering to the wants and necessities of their fellow

beings, experience a rich return, their souls being as a watered garden, and as

a spring that faileth not.

Lucretia Mott, 1850

Baltimore Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice (2012 Draft)

Part II: Queries, Advices and Voices

Nominating Committee

The following names were presented for a first reading:

Name Committee

Rachel Gates Library Committee

Dave Roberts Strawberry Festival Committee

Nicole Cintas Strawberry Festival Committee

Lonnie Weinheimer House and Grounds Committee

file:///C|/R3/Quaker/AdelphiFriends.org/Minutes/2013AFM01MinutesFINAL.html (1 of 4) [2016/11/27 13:46:39]




Drew Sommers Religious Education

Shawn MacDonald Capital Campaign

2013-01-01> The following names were presented for a second reading and were Approved:

Name Committee

Chloe Schwenke Outreach and Fellowship

Susan Leach Strawberry Festival

Chase Clement Capital Campaign

Doron Antrim Capital Campaign

Lainie Duncan Capital Campaign

Finance Committee

Report laid over until next month

Report from Ad Hoc Committee 2013-01-02> The proposed minute on transgender persons was presented for a second reading and was Approved.

Minute on Transgender Persons

Adelphi Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends understands that God, who loves all people unconditionally, is leading the Meeting to honor the gender identify of each person, as that person determines it.

In addition to welcoming transgender persons to worship with us, in 2009 our Meeting supported a Friend and her family through her gender transition as she claimed her wholeness as a woman. Our testimonies of equality and community confirm that when we embrace that of God in everyone, including the full spectrum of gender identities in our Meeting, our worship deepens and our community is enriched.

Every person should be able to live out fully what the Spirit is leading them to be. Adelphi will be an affirming, safe, and nurturing place for everyone. We extend our loving care to al transgender persons, and their families and friends, who seek to share our Quaker spiritual journey and corporate life.

2013-01-02> The request to lay down this committee after two years was Approved with great thanks for its work on specific documents and for guiding the community through the process.

After some discussion, it was decided that the minute will be distributed as follows:



● Include in Adelphi’s records and posted on its website● Send to the clerk of the Mid-Winter Gathering of Friends for Lesbian, Gay,

Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Concerns (FLGBTQC) to be held in mid-February together with a traveling minute to accompany those attending the conference

● Send to Meg Meyer of Baltimore’s Stony Run Meeting, the clerk of the upcoming Interim Meeting in March

● Include in the Adelphi’s 2012 Spiritual State of the Meeting● Submit to Interchange

Report on Visit to Hopi Nation by Mary Jane Muchui (Takoma Park Preparative Meeting)

Adelphi provided Mary Jane with a letter of introduction to visit the Hopi Nation in October 2012. Mary Jane reported on some of the current issues facing the Hopi (nuclear testing and resulting toxic lands, land disputes with the Navajos) and some of their values similar to those of Quakers (treasuring the earth, simplicity). The Hopis need outsider to visit, stay in their hotels, and buy their crafts!

Adelphi provides letters of introduction on occasion to Adelphi attenders visiting other meetings; the Clerk urged all those traveling with these letters to report back to Meeting on their visits.

Traveling Minute for Chloe Schwenke and Joan Spinner

2013-01-03> The request from Chloe Schwenke and Joan Spinner for a traveling minute to take with them to the Midwinter Gathering of Friends for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Concerns to be held February 15 – 18, 2013 was Approved.

A reminder:

Type of Document Purpose

Sojourning minute Accompanies one who will be spending time at another location with the intention of returning to the home meeting

Traveling minute Accompanies one who travels to other Meetings under a concern

Letter of introduction Accompanies one who will drop in on a Meeting in another location

Pastoral Care

The Clerk, reporting on behalf of Pastoral Care, announced that on Saturday, January 5, 2013 on 4 PM, Jen Chapin-Smith and Lexi Chapin-Smith expressed their continuing commitment to one another as they were married in good Quaker order and under the laws of the state of Maryland. The state of Maryland provides an alternative marriage license for Friends Meetings, one that can be signed by “overseers” instead of ministers or other clergy. Jen and Lexi’s marriage license was the



first one for a same-sex marriage to be registered with the state.

Clerk’s Mail

The Clerk has received thanks for Adelphi’s contributions from the following organizations:

● Housing Initiative Partnership (HIP)● Quaker Earthcare Witness

● St. Camillus Food Pantry

The Clerk has received a letter requesting consideration for membership from Randall Ehrbar. This request was referred to Pastoral Care.

The Clerk has received a request to be married under the care of the Meeting from Joan Spinner and Martha Hastings. This request was referred to Pastoral Care.

Meeting Minutes

2013-01-04> The December minutes were Approved as presented.

Jade Eaton, Presiding Amy A. Greene, Recording 3. 2013AFM01MinutesFINAL

Return to Home Page 2013 Minutes Page Minutes Index






Return to



MINUTES--Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, Second Month, 10, 2013

The meeting opened with a period of silent worship with 33 Friends present.

The Clerk read aloud a portion of the following:

Friends who restrict their experience of the Society to their local Meeting are missing rich experiences of fellowship in the wider community. Quarterly, Half-yearly and Yearly Meetings as well as larger gatherings provide opportunities for Friends of all ages to broaden their experience of the Society and the circle of their spiritually-based friendships. Attendance at such large Meetings should be seriously considered by each of us as a benefit of membership, an opportunity for spiritual nourishment and a means of widening our community.

Another rich resource within the Society which provides opportunities for fellowship and community is the variety of service committees and action organizations established to further our testimonies. Involvement in these endeavors can help to knit us one to another at various centers. Meetings should assist the attendance of members and provide opportunity to share the fruits of such experiences in the local Meeting.

Finally, the Friendly tradition of intervisitation, whether under the weight of specific concern of in the interest of wider Quaker fellowship, should be fostered among our local Meetings.

Baltimore Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice (proposed)


2013-02-01> The following names were presented for a second reading and were Approved: file:///C|/R3/Quaker/AdelphiFriends.org/Minutes/2013AFM02MinutesFINAL.html (1 of 5) [2016/11/27 13:46:40]




Name Committee Term Dates

Rachel Gates Library Committee 2013 - 15

Dave Roberts Strawberry Festival Committee 2013

Nicole Cintas Strawberry Festival Committee 2013

Lonnie Weinheimer House and Grounds Committee 2013 - 15

Drew Sommers Religious Education 2013 - 15

Shawn MacDonald Capital Campaign 2013 - 15

Finance Committee

● Treasurer’s Report

The draft fourth quarter report and the fund balances as of the end of the fiscal year (November 30, 2012) were presented for review.

● January Donations Report

January donations exceeded January donations in 2012.

● 2013 Budget Revisions

Several adjustments to 2013 line items were presented.

2013-02-02> The proposal to reduce three line items and transfer the reductions to a new line item for undesignated funds was Approved.



● Proposed Distribution of Funds

The proposed distribution of funds to support Quaker organizations in FY 2013 was presented for a first reading.

Organization FY 2013 Total

American Friends Service Committee $333

Friends Committee on National Legislation $333

Friends General Conference $333

Friends World Committee for Consultation $900

Friends House/Friends Nursing Home, Sand Spring, MD $900

Friends International Center, Ramallah $900

Friends Peace Teams; includes African Great Lakes Initiative $900

Pendle Hill $900

Quaker Earth Care Witness $900

Quaker House, Fayetteville, NC $900

William Penn House $900

Friends Council on Education $900



Quaker Leadership Scholars Program $900

Total $10,000

One Friend objected to spreading the funds among such a large number of groups, thus diluting the impact on each group. Giving more money to fewer organizations or allocating more money overall to giving are possible solutions.

Attenders are urged to bring concerns relating to funds distribution, either for 2013 or as policy going forward, are urged to bring them to the Finance Committee.

Thanks were expressed to the Finance Committee for the clarity of their budget reporting.

Report on Group Leading Concerning Gun Violence

This group had its genesis at the recent BYM Women’s Retreat and is just getting organized. Those interested in joining the listserv or the steering committee are urged to contact Mary Leonard. The names for the group being considered are Quaker Women for Save Gun Legislation or Lucretia’s Sisters.

Approval of January Minutes.

2013-02-03> The minutes for the January business meeting were Approved as corrected.

Clerk’s Mail

The Clerk received a letter from Ken Leonard asking for the Meeting’s support for his son Sean as he works for his Cub Scout emblem “That of God.”

2013-02-04> This request was Approved with the understanding that Ken and Sean will report on the work that’s been done before the emblem is awarded, and with commendation for this project.

The Clerk received a letter from Chloe Schwenke requesting a traveling minute as she follows a leading to reach out to clerks within Baltimore Yearly Meeting to share



on transgender issues. At least one member of Chloe’s support committee will be with her at each meeting.

2013-02-05> The Meeting embraces Chloe’s leading to take transgender issues to a wider audience. the request for a traveling minute was Approved.

Jade Eaton, Presiding Amy A. Greene, Recording 2013AFM02MinutesDRAFTA







Return to



MINUTES--Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, Third Month, 10, 2013

The meeting opened with a period of silent worship with 15 Friends present. Late arrivals brought the total to 25 Friends.

The Clerk read aloud a portion of a now unknown reading.




Carole Hoage Outreach and Fellowship 2013-15

Mosi Harrington Ministry and Worship 2013-15

Ministry and Worship

The Spiritual State of the Meeting report requested by Baltimore Yearly Meeting for 2012 was read aloud and presented for a first reading.

The report was compiled based on input gathered during the threshing session, visits to the Young Friends Meeting and Junior Meeting, and perspectives contributed by email.

The Clerk expressed thanks to Ministry and Worship for such a succinct document.

Finance Committee

● Treasurer’s Report

The first quarter report was presented for review. Adelphi has paid the entire apportionment budgeted to St. Camillus (instead of in two installments) to respond to that organization’s budget constraints.

● February Donations Report

February donations exceeded projected amounts. The number of auto-donors has increased and several auto-donors have increased their monthly contributions.

undesignated funds was Approved.

● Proposed Distribution of Funds

2013-03-01> The proposed distribution of funds to support Quaker organizations in FY 2013 was presented for a second reading and was Approved.





Organization FY 2013 Total

American Friends Service Committee $333

Friends Committee on National Legislation $333

Friends General Conference $333

Friends World Committee for Consultation $900

Friends House/Friends Nursing Home, Sand Spring, MD $900

Friends International Center, Ramallah $900

Friends Peace Teams; includes African Great Lakes Initiative $900

Pendle Hill $900

Quaker Earth Care Witness $900

Quaker House, Fayetteville, NC $900

William Penn House $900

Friends Council on Education $900

Quaker Leadership Scholars Program $900

Total $10,000

Request for Support

A group of Adelphi attenders would like to visit West Richmond Friends Meeting in Indiana to demonstrate support for their stance as an open and welcoming Meeting.

The clerk read the letter aloud

2013-03-02> The request for support for this visit was Approved and minuted.

House and Grounds

Will Kastens has been in touch with Pepco regarding Pepco’s intention to remove some of the trees on Adelphi’s property. The House and Grounds Committee agrees with some but all of the trees Pepco has designated for removal.

The House and Grounds Committee is currently without a clerk, but any formal agreement between Adelphi and Pepco could be signed by a trustee.

One Friend commented that we should take advantage of the opportunity to have some of



our trees removed at Pepco’s expense.

Clerk’s Mail

The Clerk has received a thank-you note from Guilford College for Adelphi’s contribution to the Quaker Leadership School program.

Requests for membership have been received from Tim Croft and Charlotte Croft along with requests for associate membership for their daughters Iana (age 11) and Ellery (age 8). These requests were referred to Pastoral Care.

The Clerk has written letters in support of scholarship applications to Earlham College for Jesse Greer.

2013-03-03> The letters of recommendation for Jesse Greer in support of his scholarship applications (Bonner Scholarship and Quaker Leaders Scholarship) were Approved.

Baltimore Yearly Meeting is offering training opportunities to learn about the Quaker Quest program. The training will be held on Saturday, May 11 at Langley Hill Meeting from 9 AM – 4 PM, and each Meeting is invited t send two representatives.

This issue was referred to Outreach and Fellowship to identify possible participants.

Approval of February Minutes

2013-03-04> The minutes for the February business meeting were Approved as corrected.

Jade Eaton, Presiding Amy A. Greene, Recording 2013AFM03MinutesDRAFTA







Return to



MINUTES--Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, Fourth Month, 14, 2013


The Clerk read the following passage from Baltimore Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice aloud:

Sing and rejoice, ye children of the day and of the light; for the Lord is at work in this thick night of darkness that may be felt. And truth doth flourish as the rose, and the lilies do grow among the thorns, and the plants atop of the hills, and upon them the lambs do skip and play. And never heed the tempests nor the storms, floods nor rains, for the seed Christ is over all, and doth reign. And so be of good faith and valiant for the truth; for the truth can live in the jails.

George Fox, 1663




Carole Hoage Outreach and Fellowship 2013-15

Mosi Harrington Ministry and Worship 2013-15

The following name was presented for a first reading:


Martin Fitzpatrick FCS Board Member 2013-15

The Nominating Committee has been asked to fill the following positions:

1. New editor for the newsletter

The status of the newsletter is under review by Ministry and Worship’s standing subcommittee on communications, so Nominating Committee is awaiting further instruction on filling this position.

2. Clerk of Religious Education (replacement for Lara Oerter)

Attenders are encouraged to help identify promising candidates for this very





important position.

Finance Committee

Recent contributions have been below projected levels; Friends are urged to consider additional contributions if possible.

Trustees and Facilities Working Group

The Adelphi Meeting Construction Project Guidelines and Specifications document was presented for a first reading.

These are a set of goals drawn from community discussions to date and are intended to focus attention on our desires and values, not intended to constrain us.

Discussion raised the following questions:

�❍ What is the relationship between these guidelines and specifications and the final design criteria outlined in the Charrette report?

�❍ Does this document fit within our decision-making process?�❍ Do we have the commitment to raise the funds to make these plans a reality?�❍ Is this document is prescriptive or aspirational?�❍ Do we as a Meeting have a commitment to growth?

The document will be brought back for a second reading with edits as needed reflecting concerns expressed during the discussion.

2013-04-02> An expression of gratitude to Glenn Riley for guiding the Facilities Working Group over the past three and a half years was Approved and minuted.

Pastoral Care Committee

2013-04-03> Pastoral Care convened a Clearness Committee to consider Randall Ehrbar’s request for membership. The Clearness Committee recommended Randall for membership, and this recommendation was Approved.

2013-04-04> Pastoral Care convened a Clearness Committee to consider the request from Joan Spinner and Mardi Hastings to take their marriage under the care of the Meeting. The Clearness Committee recommended that this request be accepted, and this recommendation was Approved. The marriage will take place at Adelphi on Saturday, May 25; Ministry and Worship was charged with setting up a Marriage Oversight Committee to arrange logistics for the wedding.

Ministry and Worship Committee

2013-04-05> The Spiritual State of the Meeting report requested by Baltimore Yearly Meeting for 2012 was presented for a second reading and was Approved with thanks.

Ministry and Worship reported on its establishment of a standing subcommittee on communications. The committee will be charged with reviewing Adelphi’s internal and external communications, including the website and the status of the newsletter. The participation of Young Friends and those with expertise in the communications area would be welcome.

Go Forth Committee



The 2013 budget includes a line item of $3000 for the Go Forth Committee. The committee’s proposal to give the $3000 to The Cornstalk Project was presented for a first reading. This pilot project would involve setting up a mechanism for groups and individuals to give directly to fill locally identified needs (“doing good quietly”) in Bartholomew Miheso’s village and the surrounding area in Kenya.

2013-04-06> This proposal was Approved.

Clerk’s Mail

The Clerk has received notice of a new Quaker organization called the New Association of Friends (https://www.fgcquaker.org/cloud/new-association-friends).

Approval of March Minutes

2013-04-07> The minutes for the March business meeting were Approved as corrected.

Jade Eaton, Presiding Amy A. Greene, Recording 2. 2013AFM04MinutesDRAFTA






DRAFT Minutes



MINUTES--Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, Fifth Month, 19, 2013


The Clerk read the following:

Queries:

What helps our Meeting build trust in one another?

How do we make time in our lives for our Meeting?

Voices:

Where, then, can seeking men and women find a community in which meditation, worship, religious education of children, common undertaking and adventurous experiments, common festivals, and spiritual therapy are all going on, not as part of an expensive organized professional program, but as part of the informal natural life of a close religious fellowship? Douglas V. Steere, 1940




Tim Croft* Pastoral Care 2013-15

Christine Lucas Trustees 2013-15

Ken Leonard Religious Education 2013-15

Anna Sommers Capital Campaign Committee 2013-15

Carol King Woodward FSC Board Member 2013-15




DRAFT Minutes

*Membership in Adelphi Meeting is required to serve on the Pastoral Care Committee. Tim Croft had not been approved for membership at the time of this discussion but was approved later in the meeting.



John Stith House and Grounds 2013-15

Martin Fitzpatrick FCS Board Member 2013-15


2013-05-02> A Clearness Committee was convened to discuss the request for membership from Tim and Charlotte Croft and the request for associate membership for their daughters, Ayiana and Ellery. This request was Approved.

Go Forth Committee

2013-05-03> The Committee presented a proposed for a second reading that the $3000 allocated to the Go Forth Committee in the 2013 budget be allocated to The Cornstalk Project. This pilot project would involve setting up a mechanism for groups and individuals to give directly to fill locally identified needs (“doing good quietly”) in Bartholomew Miheso’s village and the surrounding area in Kenya.

This proposal was Approved.*

*This proposal was approved last month but it was subsequently discovered that the proposal required two readings.

Trustees and Facilities Working Group

The Adelphi Meeting Construction Project Guidelines and Specifications document was presented for a second reading.

This document is meant to advance the communication between the Facilities Working Group and the Meeting as a whole, articulating the goals and values to be incorporated into whatever changes Adelphi make to its facilities. The intention is not to bind Adelphi in ways that may become troublesome as we move forward, but to include language that expresses strongly-held desires such as the commitment to handicapped access. Edits were offered to reflect these intentions.


DRAFT Minutes

2013-05-04> This document was Approved with proposed edits.


Ministry and Worship requested that $400 be allocated to provide food for attenders at Interim Meeting, to be sponsored by Adelphi on Saturday, June 15. Some of this cost is expected to be offset by donations from those attending.

2013-05-05> This proposal was Approved.

Jolee Robinson and Marcy Seitel reported on the Adelphi group’s travel under the auspices of a Travelling Minute to West Richmond Meeting where it was warmly received. The group was impressed with the diversity of West Richmond’s membership and the care with which it developed its minute determining to be a welcoming and inclusive Meeting. West Richmond is one of eleven monthly meetings that have left Indiana Yearly Meeting to form their own organization.

Mary Lord, a member of Adelphi but current sojourner at West Richmond Meeting, has been a wonderful connecting force for the two meetings, and Adelphi has been enriched by this connection.

Finance Committee

Donations currently are on track for to meet this year’s budget.

One Friend commented that Adelphi’s apportionment to Baltimore Yearly Meeting will rise this year (with an upper limit of 25%) based on donations. Anyone objecting to the increase in the apportionment is urged to contact BYM.

Clerk’s Mail

The Clerk reminds everyone that discounts are available for first-time attenders at Annual Session.

Approval of April Minutes

2013-05-06> The minutes for the April business meeting were Approved as corrected.

Jade Eaton, Presiding Amy A. Greene, Recording

Return to


DRAFT Minutes

Home Page 2013 Minutes Page Minutes Index3. 2013AFM05MinutesDRAFTB




DRAFT Minutes



MINUTES--Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, Sixth Month, 9, 2013





Tim Croft Pastoral Care 2013-15

Christine Lucas Trustees 2013-15

Ken Leonard Religious Education 2013-15

Anna Sommers Capital Campaign Committee 2013-15

Carol King Woodward FSC Board Member 2013-15

Finance Committee

At the half-way point in the fiscal year, giving levels are on track to meet the budget.

In the future, the amount in the building fund will be added to the finance report. There are now twelve donors contributing to the building fund through the auto-donor program.

Quaker Quest Workshop

An all-day training session introducing Quaker Quest was held at Langley Hill Friends Meeting on Saturday, May 12. Catherine McHugh and Alexander Barnes represented Adelphi, and Erik Hanson, Julian Dockhorn, and Ellen Saretsky represented Takoma Park Preparative Meeting. Developed by British Yearly Meeting, the program involves intensive introspection among Meeting members to clarify and articulate their relationship to Quakerism. This internal process may evolve into a series of workshops designed to introduce the public to Quakerism. Due to a recent change in regulations, it would be possible for Adelphi and Takoma Park to participate in this program together. The Outreach and Fellowship Committee was charged with considering the suitability of this program for Adelphi.

Approval of April Minutes

2013-06-02> The minutes for the May business meeting were Approved as corrected.

Clerk’s Mail




DRAFT Minutes

West Richmond Trip

The clerk of West Richmond Meeting responded to Adelphi’s traveling minute expressing appreciation for “the gift of visitation.”

Letter from BYM on Apportionment

The Stewardship and Finance Committee announced that the budget in 2014 will reflect a 3% increase over the 2013 budget. This raise will be reflected in the apportionments.

Note: Funds contributed to the building fund are not included in the amount used to determine the apportionment.

Adelphi will host Interim Meeting on Saturday, June 15. The Clerk commented that Interim Meeting provides a good opportunity for Adelphi attenders to learn more about BYM; almost all committee meetings are open to all.

Letter from Friends Wilderness Center

This organization is requesting donations, and is also seeking new board members. This request was referred to the Finance Committee.

Minutes from Irving Street Meeting

Riley Robinson, Executive Secretary of BYM, forwarded the minutes from the Irving Street Meeting of February 1948. With the laying down of the Irving Street Meeting, the expectation was that a new Meeting would be formed in Maryland, and this was the impetus for forming the group that became Adelphi Friends Meeting. At that time sixty students at the University of Maryland identified themselves as Quakers.


2. 2013AFM06MinutesFINAL





DRAFT Minutes



MINUTES--Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, Seventh Month, 14, 2013


The Clerk read the following:

Queries and Voices from BYM’s Proposed Faith and Practice:

In what ways do I show respect for that of God in every person?

Do I reach out to those in distress? If I find this difficult, what holds me back?

Am I comfortable making my own needs known to my Meeting?

How do we share in the diverse joys and transitions in each other’s lives?

Those who go forth ministering to the wants and necessities of their fellow

beings, experience a rich return, their souls being as a watered garden, and as

a spring that faileth not.

Lucretia Mott, 1850


2013-07-01> A Clearness Committee met to consider the request for membership from Robyn Gordon and recommended that Robyn be accepted for membership. This request was Approved.




DRAFT Minutes

Finance Committee

Monthly donations for last month exceeded projections by $3600, almost guaranteeing that we will make our budget for this year. The auto-donor program supplies two-thirds of our total donations, providing a reliable base each month, and the building fund is also showing growth.

Emergency Request from House and Grounds Committee

The dehumidifier beside the back door on the lower level of the Meeting House has stopped working.

2013-07-02> The proposal to entrust Dave Roberts with solving this immediate problem was Approved, with the understanding that the reconstituted House and Grounds Committee will address other dehumidifier issues.

Report from Facilities Working Group

The Facilities Working Group continues to work towards unity on plans for facility renovation. To further this process, the Working Group will sponsor an event on August 18 during potluck to review the design options and solicit feedback. Discussion focused on the method of collecting feedback at the August 18th session: distribute feedback forms to be completed, or open a forum for discussion of that feedback.

The Working Group balances the needs of those who want to participate in all phases of the process with those who trust a smaller group to make the decisions. The meetings of the Working Group are open to everyone. The next meeting will be held at John and Debbie Bassert’s house on August 16 at 7 PM; please call in advance if you plan to attend.

The Working Group was commended for formulating the decision-making process and synthesizing the feedback from the community that will result in a final design.

Request to Use Meeting Facility

Drew Sommers has asked to use the White House on Wednesday evenings


DRAFT Minutes

for the meetings of a men’s group, and has submitted the required paperwork. Adelphi welcomes Drew’s group to our facility.

2013-07-03> The proposal that the Clerk and the Treasurer determine an appropriate monthly fee for this group was Approved.

Clerk’s Mail

The Clerk has received the following requests:

● From Mosi Harrington and Molly Parrish to be married under the care of the Meeting, probably in October. This request was referred to the Pastoral Care Committee.

● From Catherine McHugh for a letter of introduction as she attends Indiana Yearly Meeting.

● From Janaki Spickard-Keeler for a sojourning letter during her stay in Philadelphia working as an intern with Friends General Conference.

The Clerk has received a number of thank-you letters expressing thanks for Adelphi’s mid-year donations. The Clerk read aloud the letter from the Children’s National Medical Center expressing special thanks for the blankets knitted by Adelphi attenders.

The Clerk read an email from Suzanne Costillo requesting that the Meeting investigate the purchase of quieter air conditioners. The Ministry and Worship Committee was charged with addressing this issue and reporting back to a called Business Meeting. House and Grounds Committee members are to be included in this discussion. Attenders with thoughts about air conditioning are invited to contact Ministry and Worship.

Interfaith Power and Light invites Adelphi to receive our power through this organization. Baltimore Yearly Meeting is a member of Interfaith Power and Light. Adelphi presently has an existing contract with another supplier, but members may be able to take advantage of this supplier by contacting them.

Approval of June Minutes

2013-07-04> The minutes for the June business meeting were Approved as corrected.


DRAFT Minutes


2. 2013AFM07MinutesFINAL





DRAFT Minutes



MINUTES--Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, Eighth Month, 11, 2013


The Clerk read the following aloud from the draft version of BYM’s Faith and Practice:

Do you, as the way opens, share Friends' principles with non-Friends?

Do you witness to your Quaker faith by letting your life speak?

Do you make non-Friends welcome in your meetings for worship? Do you find ways to encourage their continued attendance?


The Committee brought forward the proposal to purchase two new air conditioners to ameliorate the heat, circulation, and mold problems in the Meeting room. The proposal had been brought to a called Business Meeting on July 28, but no agreement was reached at that time.

The issue was presented in terms of accessibility: the heat/lack of circulation/mold are barriers, preventing some from coming to Meeting to worship in community, and preventing the rest from benefiting from the richness of spirit of those absent.

Extensive discussion touched on the following issues:

● Increased energy use for a solution that would only be used a few days a year in light of climate change (it was pointed out that all of Adelphi’s electrical energy comes from wind power)




DRAFT Minutes

● Health issues for many attenders that make attendance very uncomfortable or impossible on hot days

● Accessibility beyond physical accessibility (temperature, humidity, air quality, air circulation)

● The noise that air conditioners would create when many already have difficulty hearing messages

● Appropriate regulation of the temperature if air conditioners are installed

● The recognition that whatever interim solution is approved may be replaced as the facility is upgraded in the future

2013-08-01> The proposal to purchase two low-decibel air conditioners was Approved, with two Friends present standing aside and with the proviso that the air conditioners be tried out and returned if they prove to be unsatisfactory.

Report on Visit to Triennial Meeting of United Society of Friends Women International

Jolee Robinson attended the 44th triennial meeting of this group held in Indianapolis on July 4 – 7. The organization focuses on fund-raising and charitable donations. The theme of the conference was taken from First Corinthians, focusing on the scriptural directives such as Be strong/alert and Do everything in love. The large Kenyan contingent contributed spirited singing and dancing to the proceedings. The formation of a chapter of USFWI within BYM might be considered.

Finance Committee

Monthly donations for last month exceeded projections by $2000. The auto-donor and bank programs continue to supply a good percentage of total donations. Contributions to the building fund currently total over $32,000.

Clerk’s Mail

Adelphi makes its donations to selected organizations in two installments, one mid-year and one at the end of the year. The Clerk has received numerous thank-you letters from the receiving organizations; the


DRAFT Minutes

predictability provided by the auto-donor programs helps to make these mid-year payments possible.

Report from Annual Session of Baltimore Yearly Meeting

Arthur David Olson reported that draft version of Faith and Practice was not approved at Annual Session. The Yearly Meeting Nominating Committee is establishing a new Faith and Practice Review Committee, and intends to have the new members chosen by the next Interim Meeting. Those interested in serving on this committee are urged to contact the Nominating Committee.

The annual budget, including the increase of Adelphi’s apportionment by 25%, was approved.

Jolee Robinson announced that BYM will participate in the One Book Initiative. Meetings will read and discuss The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander and Cornel West, and Adelphi should consider participating.

Approval of July Minutes

2013-08-02> The minutes for the July business meeting were Approved as corrected.






DRAFT Minutes



MINUTES--Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, Ninth Month, 15, 2013


The Clerk read the following aloud:

Do you endeavor to live “in virtue of that life and power which takes away the occasion of all wars”? Do you work to make your peace testimony a reality in your life and in your world? Do you weigh your day-to-day activities for their effect on peace-keeping, conflict resolution, and the elimination of violence? Are you working toward eliminating aggression at all levels, from the personal to the international?

Baltimore Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice -- Queries




Amy Thomas Peace and Social Concerns 2014-2016

Samantha MaGrath Pastoral Care 2014-2016

Joan Spinner Pastoral Care 2014-2016

Tim Croft Friends Community School Board 2014-2016

Martha Woods House and Grounds 2014-2016

Several members are stepping down from Nominating Committee; the Committee asked Business Meeting to create a naming committee to find new members. Michael Levi and Molly Parrish volunteered to serve on the naming committee.

The Adult Religious Education Committee also needs new members.

Pastoral Care

A Clearness Committee was convened to consider the request from Mosi Harrington and Molly Parrish to be married under the care of the Meeting.

2013-09-01> The Clearness Committee joyfully recommended that this request be approved; the request was noisily Approved.




DRAFT Minutes

An Oversight Committee has been established to make preparations for the wedding which is scheduled for Saturday, October 19, 2013.

Finance Committee

The Third Quarter financial report was presented for review.

Looking ahead to Adelphi’s anticipated need for increased giving to pay for future building renovations and new construction, the Committee brought forward for discussion the idea of building increased giving levels into the 2014 budget.

The increased budget would serve as a way of measuring how much more Adelphi will be able to contribute to support renovation and construction projects. Funds could be deposited into the Building Fund so that Adelphi’s increased budget would not incur a larger apportionment. One attender commented that more details are needed on how this additional money will be spent.

Regarding the impact of an increased budget on Adelphi’s customary donations, one attender noted that Takoma Park Preparative Meeting has had the policy of allocating 10% of its budget to Quaker organizations and 10% to community organizations. Adelphi may want to keep this policy in mind as it considers increasing its budget.


Currently the Meeting space has no good spot for attenders in wheeled vehicles. The area between the piano and the entrance door seems to be the only space that will work, and only if the table next to the piano is moved.

2013-09-02> The Committee proposed that this space be set aside for those in wheeled vehicles, and that the space be labeled to reserve it. The proposal was Approved.

The Committee is returning to Business Meeting for some input on the new window air conditioners. The Committee reiterated the policies that:

● Air conditioners are to be used when the temperature reaches 78° ● The presiding clerk is the one who determines when the air conditioners are turned on

The Clerk commented that these can be held as policies in progress.

One Friend commented that the new air conditioners are still too noisy. Attenders are urged to forward their concerns to Ministry and Worship, and the Committee is urged to take the needs of the minority into account.

It was suggested that Ministry and Worship write a draft policy regarding the air conditioners, post it in the lobby and include it in Silent Announcements.

Peace and Social Concerns

The amounts to be allocated to organizations with connections to Meeting attenders in the 2014 budget were presented for a first reading.

Organization Amount

Housing Initiatives Partnership 3500


DRAFT Minutes

St. Camillus Food Pantry 3200

Deaf Link Uganda 1000

Maryland United for Peace and Justice 1000

Prince George’s County Peace and Justice Coalition

1000

Chesapeake Education, Arts and Research Society (CHEARS)

500

TOTAL $10,200

The Committee suggested that individuals may also want to make their own contributions to these organizations.

Report on Intervisitation with Indiana Yearly Meeting

Jolee Robinson, carrying a traveling minute from Adelphi and accompanied by Catherine McHugh, attended Indiana Yearly Meeting this past summer. The meeting was held at the Quaker Haven Camp.

Jolee read from the recommendations from the Indiana Yearly Meeting executive committee regarding the “reconfiguration” of member meetings. Fourteen meetings are to be “set off/released” from their association with Indiana Yearly Meeting, and proportionate funds from the endowment will be distributed to the new organization created by the fourteen meetings. Property that had been owned by the Yearly Meeting is being turned over to individual monthly meetings.

Indiana Yearly Meeting has cut all ties with the Earlham School of Religion and is no longer giving money to Earlham College.

Jolee was impressed by the results of the hard work done by Indiana Yearly Meeting and the New Association of Friends that culminated in this orderly transition, after years of pain.

Go Forth Committee

The Cornstalk Project, focused on meeting needs in Bartholomew Miheso’s village in Kenya, has made considerable progress.

The Cornstalk Project has:

● Enlisted support of two local contacts, Bartholomew’s daughter Susan and a college professor named Mabel

● Developed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)● Taken steps towards forming a non-profit 501c3 corporation● Engaged a website designer

Library Committee

The Committee, in taking inventory of the library, has found that many books have been lost, though a number have also been returned under the current amnesty policy.


DRAFT Minutes

The Committee is undertaking the following initiatives:

● A newcomers’ shelf, possibly located somewhere other than the library ● An acquisition policy with a focus on the following areas:

�❍ Quaker classics�❍ Books on Christ�❍ Bibles and Bible study books�❍ Quaker-related fiction

The Committee welcomes suggestions from attenders for library purchases.

Approval of September Minutes

2013-09-03> The minutes for the August business meeting were Approved as corrected.

Clerk’s Mail

Carol Beigel will take over the convening function for the Spiritual Exploration group. The Clerk commended Melanie Griffith for her work in spearheading this initiative and Carol for agreeing to continue this valuable work.







Adelphi Friends Meeting Minutes, 2013-10-13



MINUTES--Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, Tenth Month, 13, 2013



How can I actively support the meeting community? How can I support the Clerk of Meeting and the clerks of committees? How am I maturing into the fullness of membership in this spiritual community? How does the meeting community nurture my spiritual growth and transformation? In what ways does the Meeting make its needs clear to each of us?

Membership is costly . . . It is not just about belonging, feeling accepted, feeling at home. It has also to do with being stretched, being challenged, being discomforted . . . We can never be entirely sure of where the venture will lead us . . . [but] the one thing we can be sure of is that the process, taken seriously, will call us to change. Helen Rowlands, 1952

-- Queries and Advices on Membership, Baltimore Yearly Meeting Proposed Faith and Practice




Amy Thomas Peace and Social Concerns 2014-2016

Samantha Magrath Pastoral Care 2014-2016

Joan Spinner Pastoral Care 2014-2016

Tim Croft Friends Community School Board 2014-2016

Martha Woods House and Grounds 2014-2016



Alison Duncan House and Grounds 2014-2016

Viky Sosa-Kirkpatrick Religious Education 2014-2016





John Bassert House and Grounds 2014-2016

Finance Committee

The committee is confident that donations are on track for this year, especially since some expenditures have been lower than expected.

The 2014 budget was presented for a first reading.

Although much of the 2014 budget is similar to the 2013 budget, it contains one new item: a line item called Transfer to Reserve for Mortgage/Down Payment. Overall, the proposed budget is about 20% higher than the 2013 budget. This includes an increase in our apportionment to Baltimore Yearly Meeting of 25%.

Adelphi will probably need to budget approximately $30,000 - $40,000 per year to meet mortgage costs once we have a new building. Some Friends are anxious about our ability to cover this cost. Starting with the 2014 budget, we can begin to demonstrate our ability to cover this cost. The Finance Committee proposes starting with adding $20,000 to the budget, to be placed in an internally designated fund for a future mortgage or down payment.

Extensive discussion of this new line item followed:

● We need to be mindful of the lender’s perspective: a bank will look for a pattern of increased giving every year over several years that can be turned into mortgage payments.

● When we are paying a mortgage, it will be part of our regular budget; we can get used to it now and accept the increased BYM apportionment that will result from a higher level of donations to the meeting’s operating budget; however, that approach amounts to “paying a tax” on our fund-raising.

● We will investigate whether the meeting can allocate a percentage of all contributions to the Building Fund, which is a restricted fund and therefore not considered in BYM’s apportionment formula.

● Given the current number of donors, an extra annual $20,000 in giving would amount to about $200 more per family, on average.

2013-10-02> The Finance Committee proposes to transfer the responsibility for allocating the funds to Quaker organizations to the Peace and Social Concerns Committee. The Finance Committee will specify the total amount to be allocated. Peace and Social Concerns would designate the amounts for each organization and bring these recommendations to Business Meeting for approval as it does with contributions to non-Quaker organizations. Peace and Social Concerns has agreed to take on this responsibility. This proposal was Approved.

Trustee Committee Report

The Committee presented a proposal intended to address the following issue: it has been determined that third floor of the White House, long a treasured gathering spot for Young Friends, can legally be used for storage only due to fire code regulations.

The proposal was to purchase the house at 2304 Apache Street adjacent to Meeting property to provide a meeting place for Young Friends. This is an interim solution to a pressing safety issue, and Capital Campaign Committee is generally supportive. Some considerations:



● The house owner, Mr. Frank Buckler, has recently expressed renewed interest in selling.● Purchase of the house would place money in an appreciating asset; the house could be

resold later if no longer suits the Meeting’s purposes.● One or both bedrooms could be rented at below-market rates to University of

Maryland students

Extensive discussion followed.

● Any new building/renovation is at least several years in future. We have a current and very pressing safety issue that needs to be solved; this purchase need not be a permanent solution either to the issue at hand or to Adelphi’s overall space needs.

● The Facilities Working Group is close to reporting back to meeting on renovation/new building priorities; should we wait to move forward with this purchase until their report has been heard?

● Overall purchase issues:�❍ Need for home inspection �❍ $30,000 needed for down payment�❍ Zoning issues

● Factors involved with renting bedrooms:�❍ Designated staff needed to interview renters, monitor, collecting rent, oversee

maintenance of house ● Usage Issues

�❍ Move White House resident to Apache house and give Young Friends the current resident’s space?

�❍ Good to have house used during the week but maybe not as a residence; possibly as a childcare center?

�❍ Bedrooms are small for use as classrooms

2013-10-03> A proposal to task trustees to continue discussions with Mr. Frank Buckler, owner of the house as 2304 Apache Street and to prepare a draft contract for purchase of this house was Approved with the understanding that the contract would be brought back to Business Meeting for approval before it could be executed.

Peace and Social Concerns

2013-10-04> The amounts to be allocated to organizations with connections to Meeting attenders in the 2014 budget were presented for a second reading and were Approved.

Organization Amount

Housing Initiatives Partnership 3500

St. Camillus Food Pantry 3200

Deaf Link Uganda 1000

Maryland United for Peace and Justice 1000

Prince George’s County Peace and Justice Coalition

1000



Chesapeake Education, Arts and Research Society (CHEARS)

500

TOTAL $10,200

Approval of September Minutes

2013-10-05> The minutes for the September business meeting were Approved as corrected.

Clerk’s Mail

The clerk received a request from Daniel Longwing (formerly Daniel Flower Horn) and Megan MacKenzie to be married under the care of the Meeting. This request was referred to Pastoral Care to convene a Clearness Committee.







DRAFT Minutes



MINUTES--Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, Eleventh Month, 10, 2013



Do you live in accordance with your spiritual convictions? Do you seek employment consistent with your beliefs and in service to society? Do you practice simplicity in speech, dress and manner of living, avoiding wasteful consumption? Are you watchful that your possessions do not rule you? Do you strive to be truthful at all times, avoiding judicial oaths?

Baltimore Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice




Alison Duncan House and Grounds 2014-2016

Viky Sosa-Kirkpatrick Religious Education 2014-2016

John Bassert House and Grounds 2014-2016



Trish Crocker Treasurer, Takoma Park Preparative Meeting; Assistant Treasurer, Adelphi

2014-2016

Martha Gay Treasurer 2014-2016

Arthur Karpas House and Grounds 2014-2016

The Clerk commented that the current two-year term for Clerk, preceded by two years as Assistant Clerk, works well. The Clerk agreed to continue past the expiration of her term at the end of this year as the recommendations for the new clerk and assistant clerk move through the approval process.




DRAFT Minutes

Note: Nominating Committee still needs new members. A Naming Committee has been appointed to fill this need.

Finance Committee

● Donations Report

October donations totaled around $8300, about average for this month. Assuming that November donations are also on track, our 2013 expenditures will be covered.

In the past donations have spiked considerably in November, December, and January. Generous donations during these months are welcome and will position us well for our 2014 budget.

● Budget

The 2014 budget reflects an increase of 25% over the 2013 budget.* The major new item is line 58, Transfer to Reserve for Mortgage/Down Payment. The goal is to begin to increase our operating budget to position Adelphi for taking on whatever loan is necessary to fund building improvements and new construction.

*The actual increase in donations needed in 2014 over those received in 2013 is 30%. The 25% stated in the November Meeting for Business was an estimate based on a higher donation level for November than was realized.

In contrast, the Capital Campaign Fund’s approach to fund-raising is to concentrate on retirement funds, stocks, and other reserves that might be made available for substantial gifts.

The Clerk commented that, two years ago, Adelphi increased its budget by 10% to provide more support to members and members’ causes. This increase represents another challenge for the Meeting.

2013-11-02> The 2014 budget was presented for a second reading and was Approved.

Several of those serving on the Finance Committee are ending their terms:

Name Committee

Erik Hanson Treasurer, Takoma Park Preparative Meeting; Assistant Treasurer, Adelphi

Martha Gay Treasurer, Adelphi

Doron Antrim Assistant Treasurer, Adelphi

The proposal to extend the terms of these committee members until both first and second readings for positions next year can be accomplished was Approved. (First readings for Martha Gay and the new TPPM Treasurer Trish Crocker were reported above.)

2013-11-04 The budget of Takoma Park Preparative Meeting was presented for approval and was Approved with amendments. It was noted that Takoma Park’s donations are


DRAFT Minutes

barely covering its expenses, and that this situation is not sustainable.

Report from Trustees

At last month’s business meeting, the Trustees were asked to re-open discussion with Mr. Frank Buckler, owner of the house as 2304 Apache Street, to determine whether or not he was interested in selling the house.

At this time Mr. Buckler is not ready to sell the house; he will be in touch if and when he is ready to sell. The purchase of his house is now laid down, with the understanding that if Mr. Buckler should want to see in the future, all relevant committees will be consulted before a proposal to reopen any negotiations is brought to Business Meeting.

Young Friends Fire Safety Recommendation

2013-11-05> The Clerk proposed an ad hoc committee to address the fire safety issue comprised of the clerks of the Facilities Working Group, House and Grounds, Religious Education, Trustees, and one representative from young Friends. The clerk of House and Grounds was asked to convene the initial meeting of this group. Following the first meeting, each clerk may designate a representative to this group in his or her place. This proposal was Approved.

Report on White House Resident’s Contract

The contract for the current White House resident expires on November 30, 2013. The Resident’s Support Committee proposed that the contract be extended for an additional year.

Discussion focused on the following areas:

● At least six months are needed to find a new resident (advertising the position, interviewing, etc.).

● Adelphi may need a contract shorter than one year to permit some flexibility in the use of the White House spaces.

2013-11-06> The recommendation to extend the contract of the current White House Resident an additional six months (from December 1, 2013 to May 31, 2014) was Approved.

Approval of October Minutes

2013-11-07> The minutes for the October business meeting were Approved as corrected.

Clerk’s Mail

2013-11-08> The clerk received a request from Tim Reagan for a letter of introduction during his sabbatical as he travels to Meetings in the United Kingdom, Amsterdam, and the Hudson Valley. Tim will share a theatrical listening and reflection technique called Playback: children are encouraged to share an event from their lives, and improvisational actors develop a performance for the children using their own words. This request was Approved.

2013-11-09> The clerk received a request from Annie Storr for a letter of support for her application to Pendle Hill for the Minne Jane Arts Scholarship. Annie has applied for a residency at Pendle Hill which will allow her to pursue her investigation of the ways in which art informs spiritual journeys. Adelphi minutes its support for this residency; this request was Approved.


DRAFT Minutes







DRAFT Minutes



MINUTES--Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, Twelfth Month, 8, 2013





Trish Crocker Treasurer, Takoma Park Preparative Meeting and Assistant Treasurer, Adelphi

2014-2016

Martha Gay Treasurer 2014-2016

Arthur Karpas House and Grounds 2014-2016



Margaret Vitullo Peace and Social Concerns 2014-2016

Laura Jacobi Library Committee 2014-2016

Jaime Garay House and Grounds 2014-2016

Kate Titford House and Grounds 2014-2016

Doron Antrim Assistant Treasurer, Adelphi 2014

Shelley Grow Finance 2014-2016

Marcy Seitel Assistant Clerk 2014-2015

Michael Levi Clerk 2014-2015

Naming Committee for Nominating Committee




DRAFT Minutes



David Kirkpatrick Nominating Committee 2014-2016

Charlotte Croft Nominating Committee 2014-2016

Peter Curtis Nominating Committee 2014-2016

Clerk’s Mail

2013-12-02> The Clerk read aloud a request from Magada Monthly Meeting of Friends in Kenya expressing thanks for welcoming their members Ruth and Bartholomew Miheso into our community and requesting that Adelphi accept them as sojourning friends. The Mihesos expect to continue their stay in Maryland for some time to come. This request was Accepted.


DRAFT Minutes

Approval of November Minutes

2013-12-03> The minutes for the November business meeting were Approved as corrected.

Finance Committee

The year-end report was presented.

Adelphi has agreed to a 30% increase in 2014 over the 2013 budget. The number of auto-donors has risen to 70.

Friends agreed that it was appropriate to post the budget on the website with the provision that it require the password for access.







minutes for 2013 return to adelphi friends home page ...€¦ · adelphia friends meeting minutes,...

Documents