MINUTES
Minneapolis Friends Meeting
Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business, April 10, 2011

Attending:  [Names redacted for online version]

1. Approve March Minutes
March 2011 minutes were APPROVED with correction to first sentence of Par. 4 of the Family Medical Leave policy to read: “The first 4 calendar weeks of an approved leave will be paid for by the Meeting at a rate not to exceed the regular hours worked during the preceding period.”  A copy of the corrected policy is attached.
2. Monthly Reports
Director of Ministry – Pat Jones reported.  Pat has been aware of many new people coming to meeting to visit or beginning to attend.  She prayed thanking God for the guests and for guidance to receive them.  + Pat asked meeting for approval of a letter of thanks to those who organized Winds of Change.  APPROVED.  Pat reported on Ways of Peace II: Nonviolence in the Islamic Traditions.  Approximately 12 people from this meeting attended.
Ministry & Counsel – David Woolley reported.  A written report was submitted.  Please see attached.
3. Nominating Committee – report by Marilyn Johnson
Nominating Committee requests approval of several new nominations.  A written report is attached.  APPROVED.
4. Liaison and Review – report by Gayle McJunkin
A written Employee Performance Review report for Pat Jones, Director of Ministry, was submitted to the committee and will be kept confidential.   Gayle provided an update to plans for Pat’s sabbatical.  Her sabbatical will extend from May 2 to August 31, 2011.  She will be back at meeting September 1.  Staffing during Pat’s absence is still being arranged.  Meeting stewards are to be designated and will be present before, during and after meetings for worship.  In Pat’s absence as Director of Ministry, David Woolley will serve 10 – 13 hours each week as a Meeting Coordinator. He will be available to consult on committee and other Meeting matters, to answer questions or help people find resources, and to serve as a hub of communication. He will keep some office hours and check the Meeting voice mail daily when Carolyn is not in.

Also, Anne Supplee, a member of Twin Cities Friends Meeting and seminary graduate who is an experienced chaplain, has been hired part-time, for these four months,  to be available to do both emergency and general pastoral care within the Meeting. David and the stewards are also to be paid.  A Friend asked whether Mayim Rabim will be given a designated contact person—Pat said they generally call the office.  Clerk noted they should be alerted to Pat’s impending absence.
5. Welcoming Committee Report – report by Sandy Olson
A written report was submitted.  Please see attached.  The committee over the year welcomed attenders at the door and supported Winds of Change.  The committee is engaged with Quaker Quest, which is aimed at welcoming and introducing Quakerism to new attenders.  This committee will continue as the ad hoc Quaker Quest committee.  Friends APPROVED this continuation of the committee.
6. State of Society Report
Clerk asked for suggestions of topics to be reported on.  Friends suggested: Winds of Change, First Day school population, Director of Ministry changes and challenges, White Envelope gift, storytelling, music , changes in business meeting, designation of Peace and Social Concerns committee member Judy Sausen as Meeting liaison with the Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers,  the various meetings for worship held outside the meeting house, Fit for Freedom not for Friendship, Fall Camp, the way Winds of Change was funded, the circle process as it was used to resolve the conflict between Worship Committee and P&SC, wheelchair lift problems.  Volunteers for a drafting committee were requested.
7. Communications and Announcements
A request was received from El Salvador yearly meeting members who plan to attend Northern Yearly Meeting for hospitality before and after the yearly meeting sessions.  We do not know whether they have visas.  Clerk will follow up on this.
A letter of thanks (attached) was received from Northern Yearly Meeting for our contribution.
A question was asked about Quakers in Japan, and sources of information were discussed, including the FWCC web site, Asia-Pacific section.
A Friend announced a web site, diversity.minneapolisfriends.org, related to Winds of Change.
ADDITIONAL ITEM:  After going through a clearness process, Judy Sausen has been led to travel to Burundi in connection with the Africa Great Lakes Initiative.   Funding support is under consideration.  On June 25 Judy must be in Washington, D.C.; she leaves for Burundi on June 27, and will be there through July.   She will be involved with a construction project.
Friends closed meeting for worship with attention to business with a brief period of silent worship.

ATTACHMENTS (Not included in online version)
Family Medical Leave Policy
Ministry and Counsel report for March
Nominating Committee additions
Welcoming Committee report