Meeting for Business Minutes September 13, 2020
Minutes of Monthly Meeting for Business
Minneapolis Friends Meeting
September 13, 2020
[Names and some content have been modified for publishing on the internet]
Attendance: John Kraft –Presiding Clerk Stephen Snyder –Recording Clerk and 40 other members and attenders participating via Zoom
1. Reading and Silent Worship
2. Approve Agenda—The agenda was approved with the addition of the Peace and Social Concerns Annual Report.
3. Approve Minutes– Minutes of the August 9, 2020 Meeting for Business were approved with minor changes that will be made by the recording clerk.
4. Ministry and Counsel (M&C) Report – Bill H. The main concern of past month was whether to stay with a single worship service followed by the mid-morning and religious education programs or return to the regular fall schedule of earlier years. After much discernment and consultation with the affected committees, M&C reached unity on returning to the regular schedule. There will be unprogrammed worship at 9:00 a.m., Mid-Morning and Religious Education Programs at 10:15 a.m. and semi-programmed worship at 11:15 a.m. There will be one Zoom link for the morning programs with a special link for the RE program. M&C will also continue to host a mid-week, unprogrammed meeting for worship on Zoom from 7:00-8:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. In addition to the usual duties of finding speakers and closers, M&C is working with Christopher S. to offer a Zoom “retreat” in February. Christopher was a member of Northern Yearly Meeting and has served as general secretary of New York Yearly Meeting. In the past 14 years he has offered many workshops and retreats focused on deepening the experience of worship for monthly, quarterly and regional meetings. M&C is also developing two mid-morning programs for December 6th and 27th. A question was raised about the number of Zoom meetings listed in the weekly bulletin and if they should be under the care of meeting in some way. Ministry and Counsel recognizes and values the work of the Light Groups, the ministry using the practices of worship sharing and Lectio Divina to explore spiritual writings on Wednesdays mornings led by Mary S., and the writing group led by Jane D. Ministry and Counsel also reminds members and attenders that it accepts requests for membership and marriages to be taken under the care of the meeting. Meeting accepted the report and the Clerk thanked Bill and the committee for their work.
5. Memorial Minute for Louise White – Linda C. Linda read the memorial minute highlighting some of Louise’s life experiences both in meeting and the community. Louise was a 10th generation Quaker and was always a welcome presence and contributor to the life of the meeting. She died on May 27, 2020 and will be sorely missed. Friends accepted the beautiful minute with gratitude to Linda for preparing it.
6. Update on the Ad Hoc Committee for the New Normal – Clerk A committee has been meeting for several weeks to consider use of the meetinghouse during the Covid-19 pandemic. It has considered protocols for reopening the meetinghouse when the time seems right and the possibility of a hybrid model of meeting in person as well as on Zoom. Currently, committee members do not think it prudent to use the meetinghouse for worship for at least the next several months. It seems unlikely the Covid-19 situation will change significantly soon. The committee continues to work on a protocol for deciding when to reopen. In the meantime, it drafted a proposal for access to the building during the pandemic. It outlines criteria for who can access the meetinghouse, requires contacting the Meeting Coordinator, Carolyn V. during regular office hours before entering the meetinghouse, and outlines procedures and safety precautions that must be observed. A copy of the complete proposal can be obtained from the office. Discussion: Friend wondered if meeting might continue to meet on Zoom once worship resumes in the meetinghouse. Clerk noted there are technical issues to be resolved but the committee is looking into this possibility. Friend wondered how gardeners get access for watering plants during the summer. One should always let the Meeting Coordinator know and follow safety precautions when entering the meetinghouse. In response to a question about ventilation, the Clerk noted that both ventilation and lighting are being investigated to increase safety when returning worship to the meetinghouse. Friend thanked the committee for their careful work.
7. Request for Meeting House use for the Holiday Fair – Tom W. Friends for a Non-Violent World (FNVW) would like to use the meetinghouse again for its annual holiday craft fair in December. This is major fundraiser for FNVW bringing in between $12,000 and $20,000. Planners for the fair considered just asking people to donate money as an alternative this year. But the holiday fair is more than just a fundraising event. It is major opportunity to come together as a Quaker community, to spread love in the neighborhood, support the vendors and honor this tradition. The request involves three components. 1) Two to three persons from FNVW to be allowed access to the closet in the women’s bathroom to remove stored items needed for the craft fair. 2) Three persons be allowed to use the kitchen on Thursday, December 3rd through Saturday, December 5th to prepare food which would be picked up or delivered on Friday and Saturday. 3) Permission for 3-4 persons to set up a staging area near the door for curbside pickup on Friday and Saturday. Discussion: There was recognition of the dilemma that FNVW faces because of the pandemic and lengthy discussion of its proposals. However, many Friends present had concerns about the number of persons that would be in the meetinghouse and the health risks that this undertaking would involve. Further, the proposals did not seem in conformity with the guidelines proposed by the committee looking into uses of the meetinghouse. After much discussion clerk sensed unity around access to the closet but not the other requests. Friends approved the request to give three persons from FNVW access to the closet to retrieve their supplies and asked them to coordinate entry with the Meeting Coordinator.
8. Reports:
a. Social Committee Annual Report – Rae Beth C. The committee’s main charge is to organize, serve, and clean up the monthly potluck gatherings. They also purchase needed kitchen supplies and do an annual cleanup of the kitchen. Unfortunately, the pandemic has halted these activities for the past several months. The committee hopes to organize an outdoor activity this spring to celebrate the opening of the new patio with friends. Discussion: Friend suggested the committee might consider having some kind of social gathering on Zoom during the pandemic. Clerk thanked members of the committee for their report.
b. Care and Counsel Annual Report – Nettie S. Care and Counsel Committee is responsible for oversight of pastoral care needs in our meeting. Pastoral care is a responsibility of all members of the community, so the committee’s role is one of facilitating a process that connects the gifts of persons in the community with specific pastoral needs as they emerge. The committee has set up several opportunities for people seeking pastoral care to connect with Friends who may offer friendship or guidance. However, there seems to be some resistance to the vulnerability needed to request assistance. In addition, a Covid-19 Response Fund was created to assist members/attenders who are experiencing financial hardship as a result of the pandemic. Persons can request up to $1,500 and after six months another $1,500. So far $7,500 of the $10,000 initially available has been dispersed with one additional request pending. Care and Counsel is also trying to assure that everyone in meeting has some contact with others now that Friends are not able to meet together for worship. There are bi-monthly Zoom meetings following mid-week worship and committee members regularly check in with new attenders and the most isolated friends. Care and Counsel is grateful for the many other Friends who are reaching out to others on their own. There will be a special mid-week gathering the evening of September 23rd with Carl Magruder, a California Friend, who led Bible study at the FGC Gathering this summer. He will worship with Minneapolis Friends and then lead a Bible study that evening. October 4th the committee will facilitate a “care of caregivers” mid-morning program. Members of the committee feel blessed to be doing God’s work of upholding and nurturing each other and members of meeting. Care and Counsel hopes Friends will consider how each one can use their woundedness for healing. Discussion: People living alone are probably touch deprived which makes it hard to thrive during this time of isolation. Touching a dog or cat might be helpful as well as self-massage. Friend suggested asking if people would like prayers for themselves or others they are concerned about. Offering prayer is a way to help without intruding more than is comfortable for people. Prayer does not require knowledge of the details of a troubling situation. Clerk thanked Nettie and the Care and Counsel Committee for their work and report.
c. Peace and Social Concerns Annual Report—Roland B. (Postponed due to time and technical difficulties)
10. Closing Worship