Meeting for Business Minutes March 13, 2021
Minutes of Meeting for Business
Minneapolis Friend Meeting
March 14, 2021
John Kraft—Presiding Clerk Stephen Snyder—Recording Clerk Bill Hendricks—Zoom host plus 45 other attenders. [Some names and information have been edited for publishing on the web]
1. Silent Worship
2. Approve Agenda — Approved.
3. Approve Minutes — Minutes of the February 14, 2021 Meeting for Business were approved.
4. Reports
a. Stewardship and Finance Budget – Marilyn J. There are six members on the Stewardship and Finance Committee. The budget is a financial plan for carrying out the activities and services of the Meeting. This proposed budget is the committee’s best estimate of revenues and expenses at this time given the uncertainties and changes resulting from the pandemic. Projected expenses for the 2021-2022 budget are $136,490. This includes a $26,000 contingency fund for ministerial staff and $5,400 for a religious education coordinator should Meeting decide to hire such staff. There are small changes in other expenses except for two new line items– $10,000 for the ad hoc Covid relief fund and a $1000 contribution for NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center. Meeting for business created the ad hoc Covid relief fund last year and it has now been added to the budget for the coming year. The Stewardship Committee expects to receive about $93,000 to $103,000 in total revenue by the end of this fiscal year which will leave a sizeable surplus in the checking account. Some of this surplus could be used to make up any deficit between expenses and revenue in the coming year. Discussion: Jim H. Which organizational contributions have been increased? Only Northpoint which is a new line item. Lin B. What are the continency fund and salary expense items? Are they connected? These items give Meeting flexibility should it decide to hire ministerial or religious education staff. Carolyn V. The Religious Education Committee is still considering whether to recommend hiring a staff person. But it did formulate a draft job description with dollar amount attached should Meeting decide to hire a religious education coordinator. Tom W. expressed concern about continuing the contingency fund for ministerial staff in the absence of any plan to hire such staff as it may be contributing to a growing checking account balance. Other friends expressed support for this fund to build flexibility into the budget and encourage friends to continue their generous giving. Sandy O. What has Meeting spent so far? Meeting is likely to spend about $77,000 by the end of the fiscal year. Marilyn thanked everyone for their financial and other contributions to the work of the meeting. Clerk thanked the Stewardship Committee for their work and indicated that the question of continuing the contingency fund might need further consideration at a future meeting. Friends approved the 2021-2022 budget as presented.
b. Report of the Nominating Committee – Deborah J.
Deborah went over the list of committees and new nominees and noted that John K. has agreed to continue as presiding clerk for another two years. She thanked the many friends who have offered service to the Meeting. There are still positions that need to be filled and no one has agreed to clerk the Death and Memorials or Peace and Social Concerns Committees. Of particular concern is the Religious Education Committee where only one person has agreed to serve. Discussion then shifted to the concern for religious education. Clerk noted that the matter of religious education needs serious and worshipful consideration. Very few, if any, youth have been participating in the religious education program over the past year. Meeting needs to better understand this lack of participation by children and families and worshipfully consider its ministry to families and youth. Doug H. expressed a need for an action step to address this concern. Linda C. expressed concern about hiring a religious education coordinator without a religious education committee to guide this person. Linda H. shared an example of another church that hired a religious education coordinator and was successful in expanding its program, especially for younger children, after several years of investment. Allen G. cited earlier experience in Meeting when friends stepped forward to offer a program and children did come. Nettie S. noted that a lack of commitment on part of friends to participate in teaching and supporting children made it difficult to create a consistent program for youth. Bill H. wondered if Spirit is really calling us to address this concern. Mary S. observed a reluctance on the part of friends to integrate children and youth into the life of the Meeting. In her experience Meetings with successful religious programs lift up the youth and offer them opportunities to participate with adults in worship and other activities. Clerk drew the discussion to a close, and invited friends with a concern for religious education to talk with the Nominating Committee about serving.
c. Care and Counsel Report – Nettie S. There are four members and one ex officio member of the Care and Counsel Committee. Care and Counsel addresses the pastoral needs of the meeting. Its role is to promote caregiving and receiving in the meeting. The committee facilitated a mid-morning program on grief in January, held several prayer circles with an attender who was struggling with health issues, set up a support committee for a newer attender and administered the Covid Relief fund dispensing well over $10,000. Two mid-morning programs will be offered in April –one on opening ourselves to giving and receiving care of Meeting and a second one on needs of single friends in meeting. Discussion: Barbara Z. wondered if there was still money in the Covid Relief Fund. Yes. Meeting earlier agreed to make another $10,000 available as needed. Sue K. is coordinating respite care for a member of Meeting. Please contact her to get more information or offer help. Clerk expressed gratitude for the work of Care and Counsel and all the other friends who have stepped up to provide care during this pandemic.
5. The Annual State of the Meeting Report – Clerk Ministry and Counsel will coordinate the drafting of the state of society report. It will host breakout groups following 2nd hour worship on March 21st and 28th so friends can share their thoughts and experiences on the state of Meeting over this past year.
6. Update on COVID and the Meeting – Clerk The Governor has said religious gatherings can resume meetings at their places of worship. Meeting needs to put a hybrid system in place at the meeting house to allow continuation of worship on Zoom as well as in person. It could be July before friends can resume worship at the meetinghouse. An ad hoc committee continues to work on a plan for safely reopening.
7. Closing Worship
Attachments: The Stewardship and Finance Committee Draft Budget Proposal, the Nominating Committee report on the Structure of Ministry for 2021-2022 and the Care and Counsel Monthly Report are not attached. If you want to see these reports, contact the Minneapolis Friends Meeting Office.