Minutes of Meeting for Business

Minneapolis Friend Meeting

June 12, 2022

[Names and some content have been edited for publication on the web]

In attendance:  John Kraft—Presiding Clerk   Stephen Snyder—Recording Clerk   Bill Hendricks—Zoom Host.  Also participating were 21 at the meetinghouse and 27 on Zoom.

1.  Silent Worship

2.  Approve Agenda—Agenda was approved.

3.  Approve Minutes—Minutes of the Meeting for Business on May 8, 2022, were approved.

4.  Memorial Minute for Barbara Coffin – Diane B. Diane read the following memorial minute for Barbara Knight Coffin prepared with the collaboration of Barbara Z., Linda C., and others.

MEMORIAL MINUTE FOR BARBARA KNIGHT COFFIN April 12, 1920 – November 2, 2021 This is a testimony to the grace of God in the life of Barbara Knight Coffin, a faithful member of the Minneapolis Friends Meeting for over seventy years, who, during her long life both inside and outside of the Meeting, bore witness to the committed search for truth and meaning, the moral obligation to fight for justice and equality, and the healing power of love embodied.  Barbara’s early religious experience was at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis, MN, where her family, parents Clara and Ralph Knight and two younger brothers (a third brother had died a few weeks after his birth), were active members of the congregation. It was her participation in the youth fellowship at Westminster that influenced her later decision to seek an advanced degree in religious education.  After graduation from Washburn High School in 1938, Barbara went on to the University of Minnesota, majoring in English and music, followed in 1942 by enrollment in the Religious Education Program at the Chicago Theological Seminary. She found seminary to be a life-changing experience. For the first time she became aware of, and sympathetic to, the views of many of her classmates, some of whom were pacifists and conscientious objectors.  After graduation from seminary, Barbara served as the Director of Religious Education at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Decatur, Illinois. During this time, she was challenged and disturbed by the culture of racial segregation and limited ideas of a woman’s role in society.  One especially distressing incident was when the minister of the church expressed his outrage and horror that Barbara had joined an interracial group focused on integrating local restaurants.  Barbara returned to Minneapolis in 1946 and was hired to serve in the Religious Education division of the Minneapolis Church Federation, assuming the position of Assistant Director until 1948 when, upon the retirement of the Director, she was promoted to that position. During her tenure at the Minneapolis Church Federation, Barbara worked with ethnically diverse religious leaders and government representatives, fostered ecumenical activities, and organized shipments of relief supplies for Church World Service.  In 1949 Barbara met Gordon Coffin at a University of Minnesota square dance and that became the beginning of their life partnership.  Gordon was a birthright Quaker who had served as a conscientious objector during WWII and who, after the war, went to France to assist in the relocation of persons who had been displaced during the fighting.  During their courtship, Gordon introduced Barbara to the Minneapolis Friends Meeting, and shortly after their marriage in 1950, she deepened her commitment to the Meeting by becoming a Member.  This was not a sudden decision. While in seminary she had visited the Fifty-Seventh Street Meeting of Friends in Chicago many times. In the book she wrote entitled, The Time of My Life, Barbara said that she had always been a seeker after the truth. Through her studies about and participation in Quaker life and worship, she explained her attraction to Quakerism: “With their three-hundred-year-old history of following the Inner Light and Seeking after the Truth, with their absence of a creed which must be adhered to, I was free to grow and explore the expanding universe of thought.”  In her seventy-plus years as a member of the Minneapolis Friends Meeting, Barbara participated fully and generously in the life of the Meeting, serving on most of the Meeting committees and assuming many leadership roles, including Clerk of the Meeting and Recording Clerk.  In her spoken ministry and inspired living, she was a treasured example of lived faith and deep understanding of the Quaker Way, with Friends often seeking her open-hearted and wise counsel.  In 1978, in acknowledgment of her ministerial gifts, the Minneapolis Friends Meeting designated Barbara Coffin as a Recorded Minister.  In her book she said, “they were telling me that I had had a career all along.”  In 2003 Barbara and Gordon moved to Presbyterian Homes in Bloomington, MN where Gordon died a year later. Barbara eventually moved to Walker Place, residing there for a number of years before moving to The Episcopal Homes in St. Paul.  It was here that she died peacefully on November 2, 2021, at the age of 101.  Barbara had a quick and inquisitive mind right to the end, and her genuine and steadfast interest in the people around her, both old friends and new, and her contagious sense of humor and playfulness, enriched us all. The Memory of Barbara Knight Coffin will always remain a Blessing.  Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Robert, Jim and Tom Knight and her husband, Gordon.  She is survived by her daughters Linda and Sandra, and her daughter-in-law Kathy Webster.  Friends observed a moment of silence holding the gift of Barbara’s life.

Clerk thanked Diane and others who prepared the minute.  Friends accepted the memorial minute with gratitude for the light and life she brought to Minneapolis Friends Meeting. 

5.  Memorial Minute for Sue Murray – Jane F.  Jane read the following memorial minute for Sue Murray.

Sue Murray Memorial Minute.  Sue Margaret Murray was a beloved nurturer, teacher and inspirer of a generation of Minneapolis (Minnesota) Friends Meeting children.  Sue passed away on October 27, 2021 at age 92, and was celebrated in a virtual memorial service in the manner of Friends the following month.   Known for her inventive  curriculum for Quaker faith and how Quakers bring their light and experience into their communities and the wider world, Sue taught the Meeting’s junior high First Day School class beginning in the late 1960s and well into the 1990s. Devoted to the Meeting children and their families for decades, at times Sue was the sole teacher for this class, preparing materials and guiding children, First Day after First Day, including, for at least a year, when there was a single student in the Meeting who fell into this age group.  Her First Day School classroom was a place of animated discussion, skits and visits from local Quakers with engaging and sometimes harrowing life stories.    Sue’s nurture did not end with the youth of the Meeting. A woman of action herself, Sue could grow impatient with talk. With a sometimes startling forthrightness, she would challenge the adults of the Meeting to apply the lofty principles of faith to their everyday lives, inspiring by word and example, integrity between inward conviction and outward expression.   In her long term as Clerk of the Nursery Committee, Sue extended her care not only to the youngest attenders of Meeting, but to their parents and siblings.  Sue’s interest in and care of multiple generations of individuals, added to the insight and connectedness she brought to the discernments of Nominating Committee.   Even when Sue had rotated off the Nominating Committee, she was an invaluable point of contact for others in identifying peoples’ gifts and life experiences that might align with the work of Meeting committees.  Further, Sue’s passion for horticulture led her to the Master Gardner program at the University of Minnesota.  She shared her acquired wisdom and artfulness (and her home gardening extras!) by designing and cultivating garden spaces encircling the meetinghouse. She served as mentor and guide to other gardeners who would care for them after her. Those spaces continue to delight and welcome Meeting attenders and passersby.   As a Seeker, Sue joined Minneapolis Friends Meeting in 1961, bringing with her a restless, lifetime desire to serve others in meaningful ways.   Sue taught at Shirley Hills Elementary and Grandview Middle School, having earned a Master’s Degree in Child Psychology, and as a member of the first graduating class of certified Special Education-prepared teachers in Minnesota.   Forthright, compassionate and endlessly curious, Sue sparked these traits in others, who carry this legacy into ever-expanding circles of faith, service and love.  Gathered the afternoon of the memorial service for Sue were her dear family, friends and members of the Meeting community who shared stories and expressions of gratitude for her bright presence, the relationships she nourished, and her unwavering belief in us and who we might become.

Clerk thanked Jane for preparing the minute.  Friends accepted the memorial minute with appreciation for her life and service. 

6.  Ministry and Counsel Report – No report available. Clerk noted that Ministry and Counsel did meet and there are minutes of this meeting.  Clerk asked Friends to consider offering a planned message on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month.  There are many Friends who look forward to prepared messages. Talk with John Cutler or other members of Ministry and Counsel led to offer a reading or message.

7. Committee Reports:

a.  Mid-Morning Program Committee Annual Report – Ellen S. Committee members are Carol B., Joanne E., Roger M. and Ellen S., clerk.  Meeting every other month during the school year and once over the summer months, the Mid-Morning Program Committee plans Quaker-related educational programs for the fall, winter and spring months to enhance the life of the Meeting community.  Ellen noted that the committee welcomes suggestions and program offerings from Friends but receives more good suggestions than it can schedule.  During the past year, the committee offered 28 programs on a variety of topics related to Friends faith, practice, and testimonies.  Many programs were proposed and offered by Meeting committees as part of their service to the Meeting community.  One of the challenges faced by the committee members is gathering feedback about the value of the programs.  The committee receives more requests for program slots than it has available.  It would be helpful to have a better understanding of what Friends find helpful when scheduling programs.   Adapting to the hybrid format has also brought some challenges in implementing program offerings.  With the guidance of the Spirit and Friends, the committee looks forward to offering another season of meaningful programs beginning this fall.  Discussion:  Ed S. and Allen G. expressed appreciation for the great programs provided over this past year.  Carolyn V. encouraged Friends to provide feedback to Ellen and other committee members about what programs were most meaningful.  Friends accepted the annual report of the Mid-Morning Program Committee with thanks for its faithful work. 

b.  Property Committee Annual Report – David D.  Members of the Property Committee are Frank B., David D., Suzanne F., Linda F., Mike H., Betsy S., Ed S. and Rick V.. The Committee is charged with the upkeep and maintenance of the meetinghouse and grounds.  The committee is grateful for the work of Carolyn, the Meeting Coordinator, and Susan H. for their care of the building during the time it was closed.  The piano has been tuned and maintained well and weekly cleaning of the meetinghouse has resumed now that Friends are again meeting in person.  No annual cleanup was scheduled last year but one is planned for August 28.  Volunteers are needed to give the building a thorough scrub after being closed for two years.  Mike H. replaced the badly decayed pergola at the entrance of the meetinghouse last summer, cleaned the gutters and inspected the roof.  Volunteers are now needed to paint the new wood and some other exterior trim on the building.  Meeting gardeners cleaned up the landscaping and redid the mulch around the building.  Committee members inspected the five furnaces to better understand the heating and ventilation system and how it affects air quality in the building.  As a result, high efficiency air filters were added to the system to better clean the circulating air.  Routine inspections, maintenance, testing, registrations and grass and snow removal continued as usual.  Insulation was added in the west furnace room to reduce the risk of pipes freezing.  Going forward, the Committee is working on a new sign to be installed outside the meetinghouse.  It is also collaborating with the Trustees to make much needed repairs on the front porch.  The floor and everything below the roof need to be replaced.  A contractor has been selected for the project. Hopefully work can begin this summer once a building inspector has been assigned to the project.  Cost of this major project is estimated to be about $50,000.  Committee members are also inspecting the insulation in the attic in preparation for blowing in more insulation to reduce heating and cooling costs.  As these projects proceed, Friends are encouraged to respond to the requests for volunteers to help with painting and cleanup which will be posted in the Bulletin and on Google Groups.   Anyone interested in joining this amazing committee is invited to let the nominating committee know.  The Committee is eager to welcome another lucky individual.  Discussion:  Lynn B. wondered about the status of the lift.  It is inspected yearly.  It has had little use for the last two years and is working fine at the present time.  Annette S. thanked David and the Committee for the unbelievable work they have done while keeping a sense of humor.  Friends accepted the report of the Property Committee. 

David then presented a proposal for replacing the sign in front of the meetinghouse with a new one with Friends Meeting and Mayim Rabim displayed on the same sign. Currently the Mayim Rabim sign sits on top of the Friends Meeting sign.  The proposed sign is acceptable to Mayim Rabim and the city inspector.  The Committee is asking approval of Meeting to contract with a painter to create the new sign. Discussion:  Several Friends suggested changes or corrections that might be made.  Others suggested that Meeting might trust the committee members to complete the work they have initiated.   Friends approved having the Property Committee move forward with its plan to replace the existing sign and hire a painter to redo the sign. 

c.  Nominating Committee update—Carolyn V.  The Nominating Committee reported the following new appointments.  Mary S. to Nursery Committee, Sarah McC. Social Committee clerk.  Marilyn J. Clerk of Technology Committee, Evelyn R.  Child Welfare Coordinator (Rae Beth C.is also a Coordinator.).

8.  Holiday Fair in the Meeting House Proposal – Clerk. A proposal was offered at the May meeting for business to host the Friends for a Non-Violent World Holiday Fair noting that the meetinghouse has been reopened and the Holiday Fair has been a valued community activity and means of outreach in the neighborhood.  Out of concern for the safety of the participants no food service would be offered and Covid guidelines would be followed.  The balcony would not be available for use at the Fair to safeguard the hybrid technology installed there.  Discussion:  One Friend expressed grave concern about the risk of Covid infections in offering the Holiday Fair indoors at the meetinghouse but indicated they would not stand in the way of the sense of the Meeting.  Others acknowledged that there is a degree of risk when meeting together while Covid continues to be present.  However, people have different levels of tolerance for risk and should be allowed to choose whether to risk participation or not. Two Friends suggested that Meeting consider what would be best for FNVW.   Friends approved offering the use of the meetinghouse for the FNVW Holiday Fair should they wish to return the Fair to the meetinghouse in December 2022.  

9.  Northern Yearly Meeting (NYM) Request to hold Interim Session at the Meetinghouse--NYM has asked to use the meetinghouse in October for its interim session.  They would follow our Covid protocols.  Discussion:  Carolyn V. wondered if approving this request would commit Minneapolis Friends to offer accommodation and hospitality to out-of-town guests as in the past.  Clerk agreed that Friends in the Twin Cities have offered hospitality in the past, but the decision to approve use of the meetinghouse would not commit Minneapolis Friends to do so.   Friends approved allowing Northern Yearly Meeting to use the meetinghouse for its interim session in October. 

10.  Correspondence. Meeting received a thank you letter from NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center for its May 17, 2022 in-kind donations to the Food Shelf.  Many thanks to Deborah J. and other Friends who organized and donated items for the Food Shelf.  These gifts help NorthPoint secure the basic needs of its neighbors in North Minneapolis.

11.  Meeting closed with a period of worship