Monthly Meeting Minutes Minneapolis Friends Meeting January 12, 2025
Meeting for Worship with attention to business opened with a period of silent worship and a reading of the Land Acknowledgement.
1. Approval of Agenda
The Clerk presented the proposed agenda, which was approved.
2. Approval of Minutes of December 8, 2024
The draft December 8, 2024, Monthly Meeting minutes were circulated in advance of meeting for business.
December 8, 2024, minutes were approved.
3. Ministry and Counsel Report
The Ministry and Counsel Committee of Minneapolis Friends Meeting provides care, nurture and support of the Meeting including the meetings for worship and the spiritual well-being of the meeting community.
- Ministry and Counsel will be providing the mid-morning program on Feb. 23rd. It will be focused on, “What is Quaker Worship?” How do we decide when a message for vocal ministry is ready to share? How do messages come to us from the spirit? This will be a panel of Friends sharing their experiences. The committee hopes that many will attend, including those who are new and those who are seasoned Friends.
- Ministry and Counsel discussed the suggestion to include attenders in the membership of the Care and Counsel and Ministry and Counsel Committees. After this discussion and after receiving comments from several Friends on this topic, they are bringing forward the following recommendation.
The committee’s recommendation is to invite attenders to become members of Care and Counsel, and to trust the work and discernment of the nominating committee to choose individuals to serve on Ministry and Council who have experience with Quakerism and who will bring that experience and their skills to complement the work of Ministry and Counsel.
M&C appreciates those who reached out to the committee with advice, comments, and concerns.
After some discussion, the Meeting approved a change to the Care and Counsel Committee description to make attenders as well as members eligible to serve on the Committee. Friends trust the discernment of the Nominating Committee to recommend persons with the needed gifts to serve on the Committee. Doug Herron objected to the change but agreed to stand aside, allowing Meeting to minute approval of making attenders eligible to serve on Care and Counsel.
A concern was raised regarding the membership of Ministry and Counsel, this was referred back to the Ministry and Counsel Committee.
4. Stewardship and Finance Report
For the 2025-26 budget year, Stewardship and Finance and Peace and Social Concerns Committees recommend the following priorities for giving (not by amount, but in paying out):
1st priority – those organizations which feed the development of Quaker life and practice and have a more limited reach /support base:
Friends School of MN
Northern Yearly Meeting
Earlham School of Religion
Friends for a Nonviolent World
Quaker Voluntary Service
2nd priority – those organizations that directly help support our neighbors:
Loaves and Fishes
NorthPoint (The recommendation will be to eliminate our monetary contribution but participate in their annual food drive.)
3rd priority – those organizations that forward Quaker works:
Friends Committee on National Legislation
American Friends Service Committee
Right Sharing of World Resources
Friends General Conference
Friends World Committee for Consultation
Note – FGC and FWCC are more focused on the development of Quaker life and practice, and they have wider support than the organizations listed in that category above.
4th priority – interfaith partnerships with our neighbors:
The recommendation will be to eliminate monetary contribution to
Joint Religious Legislative Coalition
Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches
The committee is investigating what membership in the MN Council of Churches (refugee services, Taking Heart Iftar meals, Healing Stories tours and more) would require.
The committee also recommended following the meeting’s historic guidance that 10% or more of the annual income be given out in contributions. We affirm that the Minneapolis Meeting, as a corporate entity, has a voice and witness. Giving to organizations as a Meeting makes a public statement (reflecting the character of the organization receiving funds and of ourselves) and can bring worthy organizations doing good work to the attention of members and attenders.
This was presented for consideration and not for approval.
A reminder to committee clerks to get budget requests soon, including any salary increases for staff.
It was clarified that all the meeting’s contributions to other organizations are in jeopardy this year if additional funds are not donated to the meeting. Contributions are paid at the end of the meetings fiscal year.
The committee was asked to clarify if contributions are based on 10% of income or expenditures. It was also suggested that the meeting minute this practice to create clarity in the future.
The clerk expressed thanks to the Stewardship and Finance Committee and all their work in this past year.
5. Loaves and Fishes Report
The clerk reminded the meeting that we participate in a meal distribution program through Loaves and Fishes. This has been a ministry of the meetings for forty years. Twin Cities area Friends serve a meal every 5th Monday during a calendar year. The costs of food are split between the two meetings. This year, there were six events but usually there are four.
Food cost is invoiced to Minneapolis Friends Meeting, and then Twin Cities reimburses our meeting for their half. Annual costs range between $2000 and $2800. Twin Cities Friends Meeting provides all the fruit for the meals.
Volunteers are primarily from Minneapolis Friends and Twin Cities Friends. Sometimes others participate – Mayim Rabim participates regularly and for a while, a Muslim faith community participated.
The meal was served family-style at Holy Rosary Church in the Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis. Since COVID, people let us know how the number of people they are getting meals for, they receive that number of packaged meals and eat at a different location. While there is not as much opportunity to make connections with participants, prepping and cooking the meal together is a valuable experience.
Loaves and Fishes meals are served 4 to 5 days a week. Holy Rosary Church is located across the street from Little Earth United Tribes Housing complex. It is also in the heart of the community where many unhoused people gather. The Holy Rosary site has seen a 50% reduction in the number of meals needed in the last 3 months.
The menu has changed, and the meals no longer include beef. We also changed from serving chili to serving burritos and a piece of fruit. We get positive feedback from the people that are receiving the meals. We are serving 400 guests each date.
On December 30, 32 volunteers cooked 400 meals. The Meetings served 192 meals on the 30th and other meals were distributed the following days. We also completed a deep cleaning of the kitchen. Twin Cities Friends Meeting teens made 100+ cookies that were served as an extra treat.
A question was raised whether we can donate the money so that it is spread out over the year? The liaisons will bring back an answer to this question.
Those who have participated gave words of encouragement for others to participate. They affirmed that they have lots of fun gathering with Friends to prepare and distribute meals.
The meeting affirmed its commitment to continue this ministry.
6. Quaker Voluntary Service Report
Quaker Voluntary Service provides an opportunity for young adults. It is centered in Quaker practice. The volunteers work locally and live in the community.
This has been a collaborative effort of meetings in Minnesota, including Twin Cities, Prospect Hill, Minneapolis Meeting, Cannon Valley, and other metro Friends Groups. Having a connection between the different Friends meetings, provides an opportunity for Friends to come together. It continues to be rewarding as young people figure out the next steps in their life.
Minnesota Friends started the development process in 2015. We applied in the fall of 2016. The Minneapolis Meeting minuted a formal financial commitment.
In November of 2016, we approved moving forward with the founding of a house and had the first cohort of volunteers in 2018. The Minnesota QVS program has continued since then with a two-year furlough. Minnesota Friends provide annual financial support and other support including furnishing, setting up the household and other material support.
The national program is experiencing challenges. Colleges and universities were operating remotely. Nationally, this year’s participation doubled from last year. This coming year looks okay but will not be known until applications are all in. QVS has already closed one house. There is a possibility that the program will further constrict.
This is a trend that is impacting all the voluntary house community-based service programs. All other programs in the Twin Cities have closed. This is a hard time to attract young adults, as it is easier to get employment right out of college.
A question was asked about a summer intern program. It was reported that this approach is going to be piloted by Quaker Voluntary Service this summer in Philadelphia.
A suggestion was given to connect with community colleges and tech programs to recruit students. Or high school students. The program is limited by age requirements but not by education. Most of the recruitment is happening on college campuses and through social media. There is only one recruiter which may restrict broader recruitment.
It was asked how many current QVS participants there are in the Twin Cities. This year, the local house started with three but is down to one volunteer.
Examples of the organizations that volunteers have worked with include: Community Futures – a solar electric development company, Friends for a Nonviolent World, Horticultural Society, Mary’s Place, Rondo Community, etc.
The meeting agreed to extend its commitment to support this program into next year.
7. FNVW Proposal
The following proposal has been shared with the meeting.
The Board of Friends for a NonViolent World (FNVW) proposes that the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) be spun off into a separate organization (name to be determined), referred to here as AVP.
- Transition Period:
- FNVW will act as AVP’s fiscal agent for an interim period, anticipated to be less
than two years.
- During this time, FNVW will continue to provide the support needed by AVP to
prepare for its full incorporation and independence.
- Reconstitute the FNVW Board and Create an AVP Board:
- With the separation, a new AVP board will be established, FNVW will continue
to support the process of applying for the new organization’s 501(c)(3) status.
- Orderly Transition of Resources:
- A respectful and collaborative process will be initiated to separate assets and staff, ensuring mutual benefit for both organizations.
There are three primary reasons this proposal is coming forward:
- AVP is funded largely through government grants. This has restricted what the organization is allowed to do and advocate for.
- AVP consumes most of the time and resources of the organization. It has become difficult to do or initiate anything else.
- AVP in other states is usually self-governing.
FNVW has successfully launched AVP. The FNVW board believes that it is now time for AVP and workshop leaders to take on self-governance. The hope is that this could take place in the next two years. This proposal will be considered for a decision at the April 26th FNVW board meeting.
A Friend asked what the people in AVP think about this. It was reported that they have been interested in self-governance and are grateful to FNVW for their many years of support. Some feel it is strange to be answering FNVW and not being self-governing. They are looking forward to being able to make more of their own decisions. It will take a concentrated effort to establish a new organization.
A member of our meeting was one of the founding board members of FNVW. Her son reflected that every parent likes it when their children become independent and that she would have approved of this. This seems like a forward movement.
FNVW is going to continue to seek feedback on this proposal.
8. Stone Soup Event for Right Sharing of World Resources
Welcoming and Outreach Committee sought approval to have a Stone Soup meal rather than a potluck in an upcoming month. The Social Committee has approved this.
Reasoning: Right Sharing of World Resources lesser-known national Quaker organizations that funds low-income women through loans to help them to start their businesses. The committee wants to elevate the work of this long-standing Quaker organization and its outreach role. This is not a fundraiser.
Right Sharing of World Resources provides loans to women for small entrepreneurial endeavors. In 2023, 1336 women were supported.
A question was raised about whether Welcoming and Outreach connected with the Peace and Social Concerns Committee. They had not.
Another question was raised about how to participate in the stone soup process. Information will be included in the bulletin.
9. Correspondence and Announcements—Clerk
Care and Counsel and Mayim Rabim – are hosting a gathering for those who are interested in the lives of seniors. People will share their experience and discuss what our two faith communities might do to provide support. The event is going to be held at the meeting house.