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—Clerk  

The Clerk presented the proposed agenda, which was approved. 

2. Approval of Minutes of June 14, 2026 Clerk

The draft June 14, Monthly Meeting minutes were circulated in advance of meeting for business. Changes reflecting comments before this meeting have been made.

June 14, 2026, minutes were approved.

3. Northern Yearly Meeting Annual Report

Northern Yearly Meeting Annual Session began on May 17th over Zoom and continued to the in person session over Memorial Day weekend. Two hundred thirty three attenders, including 57 children and youth gathered to reflect on the theme of Courage and Witness, Stronger Together. Programs and activities included small group, Fox Talks sharing experiences of witness and courage, Quaker organizations fair, afternoon social and recreational activities, a memorial meeting for worship. 

The Fall Interim Session of Northern Yearly Meeting will be held September 25-26 at Minneapolis Friends Meeting house. Friends are invited to contact MFM organizers for interim session to assist with hospitality. 

4. History Book Update

Minneapolis Friends Meeting initially agreed to publish the history book being written by Linda, however the distributor, Itasca Books, strongly recommends not having the book published by an organization due to logistical challenges. They recommend it be published under the History Crafters imprint with all proceeds to be provided to Minneapolis Friends Meeting throughout her lifetime, with it specified in Linda’s will that the book become the property of Minneapolis Friends Meeting upon her death. 

Discussion: Question raised on if the Meeting could remain the publisher and specify Linda as the representative over the course of her lifetime. To allow for the publication to remain on schedule, the meeting entrusts Linda to determine the best path forward within the guidelines that any proceeds from the book be provided to the Meeting. 

Monthly Meeting revokes the earlier approval for Minneapolis Friends Meeting to publish the MFM History book and authorize Linda to make necessary decisions to facilitate the publishing of the book with revenue provided to the meeting and report to the meeting what those decisions were. 

5. Children and Family Annual Report

Accomplishments of the committee include covering all of the SPICES testimonies in the curriculum, two Friends days in collaboration with International Friends Church in Brooklyn Center, and continuing to grow the number of children participating. Nine children regularly attend meeting, and ten children attend less frequently. 

Challenges include establishing roles with the new committee members and newly defined First Day School coordinator. Irregular attendance makes planning for first day school difficult. 

The committee intends to promote and facilitate wider meeting engagement in the children and families programs, support to families and encouragement of attending on the first Sunday of the month. 

The Nursery Committee has not had any children under their care and has often served in the role of the second adult for First Day School programming. 

Report accepted.

6. Mayim Rabim Building Use Request

Mayim Rabim has requested building use on December 5 and 6, which would be a conflict with the historical timing of the Friends for a Non Violent World Holiday Fair. The co-clerk has attempted to connect with FNVW to determine the status of the Holiday Fair. No responses have been received. Attenders with knowledge of whom to contact within FNVW are asked to share that with the co-clerk. 

7. Peace and Social Concerns Proposal

A support committee is proposed to work with and keep the meeting informed of developments regarding the arrest of 15 participants in ICE resistance in the Twin Cities. 

Friends approved the formation of a group of Peace and Social Concerns Committee members and interested others who will monitor the legal and civic activity relating to the arrest of 15 protesters of the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Minnesota. The Peace and Social Concerns Committee will report their observations at Monthly Meeting for Business each month in which activity occurs, and include notification of possible individual or group participation in support of the arrested protesters.

The committee considered proposing the meeting collectively sign a letter being signed by various groups in regards to this matter. Since the meeting has historically struggled with the idea of collective response to these types of issues, the committee is requesting a threshing session lead by Peace and Social Concerns regarding the role of the meeting in signing on to these types of issues. The Clerks will meet with Peace and Social Concerns Committee to prepare a proposal for a threshing session to be brought for a future meeting. 

8. Proposal for MFM to Speak To Outside Groups on Solar Installation Project

WeBuildProgress.org would like to interview meeting representatives regarding the meeting’s experience with solar installation to prepare a short story regarding the Meeting’s experience with installation of solar panels. The goal of the interview and story is so other organizations can learn from the meeting’s success and be encouraged to move ahead, even without the IRA tax credits. 

Monthly Meeting approved the ad hoc solar group being interviewed representing the meeting.

9. Detroit Friends Meeting Thanks and Financial Request

Minneapolis Friends previously approved and made a donation of $2,000 to Detroit Friends Meeting for a meetinghouse project. Detroit Friends have thanked the meeting for that contribution, and noted that the project was $200,000 over the fundraised amount and that two of their members provided interest free loans from their retirement accounts and the meeting is now requesting funds to assist with the repayment of those loans.

A $500 donation from the Nancy P. Fund is proposed by the clerk. 

Discussion: Proposal was made for the donation of $2000. Finance committee clerk noted the balance in the Nancy P. fund is approximately $3,000. Discussion around the appropriate level of contribution and the use of the fund for MFM outreach. 

Monthly Meeting approved a donation of $2,000 to Detroit Friends Meeting from the Nancy P. Fund for their building fund. 

10. Six Points Theatre Opportunity 

The Happiest Man on Earth is proposed as a traveling one man show from Six Points Theatre. The performance would require a $900 fee. Dates available for the show are January 31, February 6 and February 7. Jane would serve as the meeting liaison for the performance. The $900 could be paid by ticket sales of $20 per ticket for 45 attenders. The Clerk’s fund could be used for any balance. 

Discussion occurred regarding raising the money elsewhere to allow the program to be offered with a free will donation. 

Monthly Meeting approved of the building use for a Six Points Theatre production of Happiest Man on Earthand the $900 the source of which will be a free will offering if we are able to source the funds without ticket sales. 

11. Memorial Minute for Dan J.

Attached memorial minute approved. 

12.  Announcements and Correspondence—Clerk

Stop the bleed training will occur August 12 6:30-8 at the Meetinghouse. Mayim Rabim is contacting the owners of the training to determine if it can be offered over zoom. 

Traveling Friend Letter for two friends traveling to Ireland was shared by the clerk. 

13. Closing Worship

Memorial Minute for Dan J.

Dan died unexpectedly after a brief hospitalization on March 9, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with the support and care of three Quaker elders. Dan was born on July 25,1956, to Nils and Margaret in Hopkins, Minnesota. His birth family included Mark, brother, and Maggie, sister.

Dan married Patricia; they had one daughter, Alicia. After her parents divorced, during weekends she spent with Dan, Alicia recounted “Every night before bedtime Dad would sing ‘How Could Anyone’ by Libby Roderick to me. He also loved singing Christmas songs when there was a big snowstorm; he would call me and sing, ‘Let It Snow’. He also liked making up songs.” Dan is also survived by his stepdaughter Kimberly.

Dan completed a degree at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He went on to attend United Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He then served churches in northern Iowa and Caledonia, Minnesota. After several years in parish ministry, Dan became disillusioned with this career path and realized working with traditional congregations was not his “calling”.

Continuing his spiritual journey brought Dan to the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) and Minneapolis Friends Meeting. He became a member in the early 1990’s. Dan served as Recording Clerk for the Meeting. He was a member of a men’s support group for several years and would “speak out of the silence” during worship with his rich and powerful singing voice.

During these years of personal growth, Dan attended a residency program at Pendle Hill, the Quaker Study Center in Wallingford, Pennsylvania. It was here that Dan found inspiration, spiritual nurture, a deep sense of community, and creative/artistic expression. Dan continued his connection with Pendle Hill through repeated visits and by attending Zoom worship services for the remainder of his days. His spiritual deepening also included training as a spiritual director with the Center for Spiritual Guidance, and work as a volunteer for the Christine Center in Willard, Wisconsin.

As part of his ministry to Quakers, Dan followed a “leading” to read and then write summaries for the more than 460 Pendle Hill pamphlets available to the public. He created a blog to describe contents for these pamphlets which reflect the length,  breadth and depth of Quaker thought and practice. In his own words, Dan said “I have found the six years I have spent immersed in the pamphlets to be transformative. Pieces of each have permeated my worship, meditation, actions, and life.”

It was during these years of spiritual deepening and discovery that Dan found a new “leading”, a gift that he hadn’t seen in himself before– compassion for and care of the sick and dying. This became his true vocation. He began by living with and caring for George, reading to him, preparing meals and having meaningful conversations throughout the final years of George’s life. George was a long-time, much respected Friend and member of Minneapolis Friends Meeting. In succession Dan responded to requests for his compassionate services for his own mother, Peggy, for Judy (Ranae’s mother), for Tom of Twin Cities Friends Meeting, and Carol, mother of Cynthia, member of Prospect Hill Friends Meeting. Cynthia noted, “Dan was a spiritual friend. He and my mother talked about the Bible and pondered ‘Big Questions’. He sang to her. He also purchased groceries, cooked for her, cared for the yard and shoveled snow.”

Bob, member of Twin Cities Friends Meeting and a close friend of Dan’s through worship, prayer, and conversation, said that “Dan became open to the Spirit in a way he had not done previously when caring for and being with others who were dying. Through this work he discovered why he was created.”

Dan was a man who was challenged by doubts of his own personal worth. He questioned his adequacy as a minister in a church where he needed to preach every week and care for an entire congregation. And he kept much of this self-doubt to himself. He was not always transparent or vocal about his own needs. He tended to care for others much more tenderly than he cared for himself.

As a Quaker Dan accepted and developed a different kind of ministry. It is an understatement to say that Dan was a “good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21-23). He was accepted and respected by both Minneapolis Friends and Twin Cities Friends Meetings where he was acknowledged as a “Beloved Child of Light”. We will remember you always, Dan. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us so generously.