Minutes of Meeting for Business, November 13, 2022
Minutes of Meeting for Business
Minneapolis Friends Meeting
November 13, 2022
In attendance: John K—Presiding Clerk, Stephen S—Recording Clerk, Mary B—Zoom Host and 43 others on Zoom or in person.
1. Silent Worship
2. Approve Agenda: Agenda approved.
3. Approve Minutes. Minutes of the October 9, 2022, meeting for business were approved.
4. Nominating Topic – Carolyn V The Nominating Committee recommended, and Meeting approved the nominations of Ellen S to the Care and Counsel Committee until the year 2025 and Sarah G-H to the Nursery Committee until the year 2023. The committee is aware that the term of the current meeting clerk will end at the beginning of April. It would like to explore the option of nominating co-clerks, pairing a seasoned clerk with a new clerk as a way of supporting and encouraging a new person to take on the role of clerk of Meeting. As the Nominating Committee tries to match the many needs of meeting with the gifts of members, it is concerned that meeting may not have the energy and resources to continue meeting all these needs. Meeting is enriched by the work of its committees, those who facilitate meetings for worship and other events—speakers, mic carriers, closers, hybrid techs, zoom hosts, greeters, childcare providers, etc.–and those who organize and participate in the many groups meeting during the week. All these activities enrich the meeting community but also take time and energy to facilitate and participate in. As it begins the nominating process, the committee would like the meeting community and committees to consider what activities are priorities and what if any might be laid down for the time being.
5. COVID Protocol rebase line – Linda C At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Trustees were entrusted with the responsibility to adopt and implement protocols to provide for the safe use of the meetinghouse. Initially, the Trustees chose to implement very restrictive protocols, and these worked well to prevent any spread of covid at the meetinghouse. Since the decision to reopen the meetinghouse for worship, Trustees have received many requests for exceptions to its protocols regarding potlucks, eating, singing and mask wearing. Linda noted that Twin Cities Friends Meeting continues to encourage mask wearing but has made this optional and has approved resuming potluck meals at the meetinghouse. Mayim Rabim has events where the serving of food is an important part of their services. While Trustees have not reopened the kitchen because of its limited space and poor ventilation, they have approved limited consumption of food is some cases. Given these requests, Trustees feel it is time to revisit the protocols around food and masking and would like to take the sense of meeting about changing these protocols. Discussion: Clerk asked how people feel about having potlucks again? Many friends seemed open to resuming potlucks, but others were concerned that many friends would not be able or willing to participate in potlucks out of fear for their safety. Sharing potluck dishes and cleaning up in the kitchen pose additional risks of infection. Several suggestions were made to address these concerns. Friends could 1) bring their own plates and utensils to reduce use of the kitchen. 2) disperse throughout the meetinghouse to allow for distancing while eating. 3) hold off on potlucks but bring finger food to share. 4) bring their own bag lunches but eat together at the meetinghouse. 5) could have conversation and safely eat together while on Zoom. Clerk then asked if Friends supported making mask wearing optional. Friends again expressed different comfort levels regarding masking. Mask wearing has now become optional in most venues around the city and covid rates remain low. Others noted that covid statistics are not very reliable as many infections are not reported. Several people who do come to worship at the meetinghouse noted they might not feel safe if some people were unmasked. Another Friend worships on Zoom because it is too uncomfortable to wear a mask for the duration of worship as required at the meetinghouse. Clerk noted that while the decision rests with the Trustees, Friends seemed comfortable with Trustees changing our protocols to allow people to bring their own bag lunches and finger food to the meetinghouse, but prefer that people continue to wear masks when present at the meetinghouse.
6. COVID Fund Conversation – Nettie S
At the beginning of the pandemic, Meeting set up a Covid Response Fund to assist those having financial difficulties because of the pandemic. Care and Counsel administers this fund and allocates grants of up to $1,500. Recipients can reapply every 60 days for additional financial support. Nettie reported that $10,000 was budgeted for this fund and later increased to $20,000. However, no one was keeping track of how much money was being spent and the fund has now spent $31,500. The fund is overdrawn, but there is someone in meeting with ongoing need of financial support up to $4,500 in the next 6 months. Care and Counsel is looking for guidance from meeting for business on how to respond to this situation. Discussion: Clerk noted that he has been aware of this situation for a couple of months and has visited with Nettie about the continuing need and ways friends might respond. Friends discussed several options including 1) having individuals make direct contributions to the person in need, 2) allowing persons to make designated contributions the Covid Response Fund, or 3) simply have Meeting approve additional funds for replenishing this fund. Concerns were expressed about each of these options such as preserving the anonymity of persons applying for funds, the legality of pass-through contributions, and lack of accountability for tracking expenditures from this fund. Friend noted that Care and Counsel had considered this matter was unable to reach unity on a response. To further complicate the discussion, Mike Findley explained that $10,000 is budgeted for this line item in the 2022-23 budget and there are still unexpended funds this year. The Clerk indicated that there seemed to be some confusion around tracking of these expenditures and no unity on how to proceed. He asked Care and Counsel to consult with the Stewardship Committee to clarify the process for bookkeeping, to bring back a more complete explanation of the current financial situation, and a more detailed proposal for how meeting might respond to the ongoing need for covid relief funds at a future meeting for business.
7. Ministry and Counsel Report – Lolly L Ministry and Counsel asked Mid-Morning Program for three spots on its 2022-23 calendar. The first of these, on November 20th, will be a facilitated discussion on what it means to those of us attending meeting to be a Quaker. How do we describe our Quaker faith to others when Quakers have no formal creed and come from many faith backgrounds? The program will be a time for us to learn more about our faith as a meeting community. Friends accepted the report.
8. FNVW Holiday Fair – Rae Beth C. The Friends for a Non-Violent World annual holiday fair will be held on December 2nd from 1 pm-9 pm and on December 3rd from 10 am to 4 pm at the Friends School in St. Paul. Friends School agreed to open the cafeteria so meals will be served. Food donations to sell are needed. This is the major fundraiser for FNVW. Many volunteers are needed to bring and serve food, set up for the fair and help with other tasks. Go to www.fnvw.org to learn more and sign up to help.
9. Welcoming and Outreach – Thee Quaker Project – Jane D (Postponed to a future meeting).
10. Peace and Social Concerns – Minute supporting the Truth and Healing Commission Act – Terry H The proposed minute is the same as accepted by Northern Yearly Meeting (NYM) recently. It calls for Congress to create a Truth and Healing Commission to acknowledge and address the harm Indigenous children experienced because of forced attendance at Indian boarding schools. Discussion: Friend suggested that the minute could include a brief description of the harm experienced not only by children, but also their families and communities. The policies were an attempt at cultural genocide affecting entire Indigenous nations. Clerk suggested adding this language to the proposed minute. Friends accepted the proposed minute with suggested changes. It now reads as follows:
Minneapolis Friends Meeting Minneapolis, Minnesota Minute on Indian Boarding Schools Truth & Healing Commission Approved November 13, 2022. We, Minneapolis Friends Meeting, join the Northern Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quaker), in supporting passage of the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States Act (S. 2907/H.R. 5444). As we become aware of the past and ongoing harm caused by Indian boarding schools to Indigenous individuals, communities, and entire Indigenous nations, we acknowledge the grave moral wrong committed by the United States government and collaborating American religious groups, including Quakers. The bill will set up a Truth and Healing Commission to address the historical trauma experienced by Indigenous children in what is now the United States who were forcibly removed from their homes between 1869 and the 1960s and placed in Indian boarding schools. The children were forcibly dispossessed of their Indigenous languages, cultures, and spiritual practices and required to participate in Euro-American culture. Large numbers of children died and were buried at the schools. Indigenous peoples continue to suffer multigenerational trauma caused by this policy of forced assimilation and cultural genocide. We support the commission’s purpose to assess not only the past harms but the current impacts of Indian boarding school policies on Indigenous peoples, and to propose remedies and funding to address these harms. We note the leading roles of Indigenous people in the development of this legislation. Further, we note that the last generation directly affected by the boarding schools are passing from the scene, so the opportunity to hear from them may be lost without prompt action. We believe that the proposed commission is a strong step toward addressing more than 500 years of genocide, colonization, and forced assimilation of Native peoples on our continent. It is part of the work necessary to build relationships among Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities based on truth, respect, justice, and our shared humanity. We hope that the work of reconciliation will begin in earnest under this Truth & Healing Commission.
11. Committee Reports
a. Stewardship and Finance 2nd Quarter report – Mike F. The report shows that contributions during the 2nd quarter were $2,479 less than expenses. So far this year contributions are $30,851 or about 25% of the amount budgeted while expenditures stand at $30,168 or about 24% of the amount budgeted. However, none of the money budgeted for the Religious Education Coordinator, Tech Service worker or contributions to Friends Organizations has been spent yet. Expenditures for heating gas are also running considerably higher than budgeted.
When this money is dispersed, there will be a need for increased contributions in the 3rd and 4th quarters if Meeting is to meet its obligations in the budget. Discussion: Friend indicated that the confusion about the state of expenditures for ad hoc covid relief is unacceptable and clarification is needed from the responsible committees. Clerk said meeting is not presently hurting for funds but would welcome generous contributions in the coming quarter. Friends accepted the report understanding that the state of covid relief expenditures needs clarification.
12. Correspondence.
Meeting received a certificate of transfer from the clerk of Providence Friends Meeting in Rhode Island noting that Jill F, a member of Providence Friends Meeting, has requested that her membership be transferred to Minneapolis Friends Meeting. Finding no obstruction to granting this request, Providence Friends Meeting commends Jill F to the care of Minneapolis Friends. Friends joyfully accepted this request for transfer of membership. The Clerk will return an acknowledgement of this acceptance to Providence Friends Meeting.
13. Closing Worship