MINUTES
Minneapolis Friends Meeting
Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business, August 12, 2012

Attenders:  [Names redacted for online version]

1. Approve July Minutes
July minutes were APPROVED, with request that the location of the lecture given by Judith James be noted.  A Friend commented that names in the attendance list cause Google searches to turn up meeting minutes.  Some attenders are not comfortable with this.  Clerk proposed posting online version of minutes with attendance list redacted, nothing on the online version that it is the online version.  APPROVED.  In an email prior to this meeting, David Woolley, who currently maintains the meeting’s web site, noted that instead of saying “names with phone numbers will be removed” it would be better to say “sensitive personal information will be removed.”  He stated that some personal information other than phone numbers is removed from the web version (e.g., health-related “hold in the light” items), and there are some cases where phone numbers are left in.
2. Monthly Reports
Director of Ministry – Pat Jones reported.
+  The last month has seen the deaths and memorial services of Ranae Hanson’s father and Dan Jensen’s mother.
+  Jeff Naylor was in a bicycle accident and injured his left arm.
+  Many Friends would appreciate rides to meeting, or other assistance.
+  Diane Randall, a Friend from New England, will visit August 26.  Diane works as Executive Director of Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL).  She will be at both meetings for worship and will speak at semi-programmed worship.  Friends are invited to meet with her for lunch at 12:15, downstairs.  Please RSVP to Pat for the lunch to be provided.
+  Noah Baker Merrill, who was a powerful speaker at Friends World Gathering in Kenya may visit here on September 10, a Monday.
+  Fall schedule will begin Sept. 16.
Ministry & Counsel – reported by Tom Wells.  A written report was submitted; see attached.  + On Wednesday, September 12, FNVW will provide a training on how to engage people in conversations about the marriage amendment.  + Lodging is available for Noah Baker Merrill and possibly for Robin Mohr, the Executive Secretary of Friends World Committee for Consultation, Section of the Americas, who will be accompanying Noah.  Financial help is requested in the amount of $150.  A Friend said Noah is an inspiring speaker and “was absolutely captivating and remarkable.”  Another Friend seconded the comments of the first.  Clerk asked what budget line item would this come from and could it not come from the M&C budget?  Suspending rules and taking it from Mission and Fellowship line item was APPROVED.
3. Other Reports
Annual Report, Shepherd Scholarship – by Allen Gibas.  Held over to next month.
Annual Report, Social Committee – by Judy Sausen.  A written report was submitted; see attached.   Held over to next month
Annual Report, Ministry & Counsel – by Tom Wells.  A written report was submitted; see attached.  Last year’s members need to be listed, instead of current members of M&C.
Annual Report, Youth – by Chester McCoy.  Held over to next month.
Annual Report, Metro Friends – by Nancy Helfrich and Jim Lovestar.  Held over to next month.
Quarterly Financial Report – by Suzanne Ferguson.  A written report was submitted; see attached.  $250 per month is received by direct deposit.
4. New Business
Adult Program Report – by Sandy Olson.  A written report was submitted; see attached.  This report is the proposal for Fall Adult Program.  Friends were satisfied with the plan that Adult Program Committee proposed.
Memorial Minute for Shirley Magraw – Friends needed to draft: Pat reviewed the piece printed in the memorial service bulletin and stated that it would be good to have two or three people look at it and see if it needs to be amended.  Ranae and Pat will work with Dick Magraw.
Memorial Minute for Cynthia Furnas – Linda Coffin drafted a memorial minute for Cynthia.  Pat will check on the status of this minute.
5. Communications and Announcements
+ Northern Yearly Meeting Executive Committee requests that it hold sessions at MFM on Nov. 16 and 17, with overnight Friday hospitality and simple Saturday lunch. MFM calendar is clear; members are invited to attend.  Volunteers were requested.  Several attenders offered use of their houses.  Meeting APPROVED saying “yes” to the Executive Committee.
+ A Rwandan Friend requests hospitality for one to three months.  This Friend’s father has provided generous hospitality in Rwanda to visiting Friends from this area.  No one immediately stepped forward.  A note was proposed to be put in the bulletin.  Sandy Olson volunteered to carry on communications with respect to the request.
+ Michael McKinney, an inmate incarcerated in Florida, requests correspondence.  His letter is attached.  Sigurd spoke of his experience corresponding with an inmate from NY.  A Friend said she would speak with another male Friend.  The request will be revisited next month.
+ Update on NYM marriage equality letter sent to Star Tribune and Pioneer Press.  The letter was sent to both metro newspapers, which ensured that neither would publish it.
+ Thanks was received from Joint Religious Legislative Coalition, Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches, Right Sharing of World Resources, Friends General Conference, Friends School of Minnesota, Friends for a Non-Violent world, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Friends World Committee for Consultation, Earlham School of Religion.  Quaker House.  These will be placed on the long table in the hall for perusal of Friends; copies are attached.
+Community Supported Films—there is now a collection of films about Afghani life today. The films are here for a conference around Sept. 9.  A Friend stated this might be a good way to show the life the U.S. has established for Afghans.  The cost would be $250.  Possibly other venues have been set up for showing the films.
+ Mary Gochnauer asked for approval of meeting to write a letter to the Sikh community that suffered a shooting attack.  APPROVED

Friends closed meeting for worship with attention to business with a brief period of silent worship.

ATTACHMENTS