MINUTES
Minneapolis Friends Meeting
Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business, September 12, 2010

Attending:  [Names redacted for the online version]

1. Approve August Minutes
August minutes were APPROVED as submitted.
2. Monthly Reports
 Director of Ministry  – Pat Jones
Paul Furnas, a life-long Quaker and a member of this Meeting since 1967, died Wednesday, August 18, 2010.  A memorial service for Paul was held at the meetinghouse August 28.  Pat suggests that the length of a person’s membership be included in the minutes memorializing a death in the meeting.  The writing of memorial minutes for Paul Furnas and for Anne Beth Sippel was APPROVED.  Ranae and Pat will write the minute for Anne Beth Sippel and Jane Furnas will write the minute for Paul Furnas.  The obituary for Paul Furnas will be sent to Friends Journal and Quaker Life.
Meeting also APPROVED the proposal that when memorial minutes are written, they should be brought back to monthly meeting for approval.  Pat questioned whether in the last 6-7 years we have approved all memorial minutes, and meeting APPROVED the proposal that it be determined whether any memorial minutes have not been written by monthly meeting in recent times.  Pat offered the definition that a memorial minute is a testimony to the grace of God in the life of the person.  To Pat it is a spiritual document, a record of God’s continuing action in the life of the person.

Pat read some information about Margaret Fraser, Executive Secretary of Friends World Committee for Consultation, Section of the Americas, who will visit us Sat. evening, Sept. 25 and Sun. morning, Sept. 26.  Margaret is helping to plan the World Gathering of Friends to meet in Kenya in 2012.    It was suggested that monthly meeting have a Facebook page on which such events could be announced.  Those present were encouraged to announce the event on their own Facebook pages.  George  Watson spoke of Margaret’s fictitious assistant “Boris.”  Everything that went wrong, whether in her office or in others’, she ascribed to Boris.

 Ministry & Counsel – David Woolley
David Bostrom read the written report (attached).  The next storytelling event will be held November 11 at Kenwood Isles.
3. Annual Reports
 Social Committee – Clifford Goltz
A written report was read by Clifford and submitted (attached).  It is noted that “providing” hospitality is to be changed to “organizing” hospitality.  Clifford also mentioned that the committee could use more members.  Gratitude was expressed for the work of Social Committee.
4. Seasoning
 Adult Program Hour Committee – Judith James
A written report was read by Judith and submitted (attached).  A final report was submitted last month, but due to difficulty determining direction for proceeding, further seasoning was undertaken and is reported upon now.    Those present worshipped in silence to consider two queries: 1) What kind of adult programming would nourish our spiritual life together?  2)  How can we use the adult program time to meet together and know one another in that which is eternal?  One responder stated she would like to be presented with a message, say from George Fox, and then consider its meaning for her life today.  Another query was suggested: 3) What activities, e.g., food, worship, study, can we come together on through the week that would be so compelling and nourishing and exciting that it would draw us from the busyness of our lives to be together?   Support was voiced for the opportunity to share our reflections with each other around words of someone like John Fox or Marcus Borg, which could challenge our thinking, and for the proposal to share what it would mean in our everyday life.  This might also address the third query.  One Friend asked whether we are overly concerned with what topic we talk about at Adult Forum, suggesting an attitude like what we bring to a potluck—more of an exploratory attitude, seeing what we will find.  The important thing is that we come together.  One Friend likes approaching the question with more feeling than thought.  A Friend who was on the original committee to set up the Adult Program hour, talked about how the School of the Spirit was formed by persons dissatisfied with a perceived lack of spiritual emphasis at Pendle Hill.  He asks 4) What are we losing in matters of the spirit by not having many issues and concerns presented at adult program hour?  Further comments were made.
5. Communications and Announcements

A young meeting member  requested use of meetinghouse on  Nov. 19-21 for a retreat for Northern Yearly Meeting Senior High Group.  Use of the meetinghouse for that purpose was APPROVED.   Adult shifts for the retreat are being arranged.   Meeting member Andrew Bostrom is organizing clerk of the NYM Senior High Group

The Minnesota chapter of the National Association of Black Social Workers will hold a conference on Friday, October 29, 2010 in Minneapolis.  Meeting member Chester McCoy is president of the Minnesota chapter.

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Note:  Due to recording clerk’s inability to decipher a couple of signatures on the attendance sheet, the sheet is being attached to the minutes.

ATTACHMENTS (Not included in online version)
Ministry & Counsel report
Social Committee report
Adult Program Committee report