Monthly Meeting Minutes
Minneapolis Friends Meeting
May 10, 2026
Meeting for Worship with attention to business opened with a period of silent worship and a reading of the Land Acknowledgement.
-
Approval of Agenda—Clerk
The Clerk presented the proposed agenda, which was approved.
-
Approval of Minutes of April 12, 2026- Clerk
The draft April 12, 2026, Monthly Meeting minutes were circulated in advance of meeting for business. No changes from the circulated minutes were made.
April 12, 2026, minutes were approved.
-
Ministry and Counsel Update
State of Society report was presented and is attached. Friends shared general agreement with the presented report and suggested adding that international Friends joined the meeting for virtual worship for many weeks in solidarity with the meeting and the people of Minnesota during Metro Surge and utilization of stronger language regarding safety concerns and the work of the Ad Hoc Safety Committee.
Meeting approves the State of Society report.
The annual membership report was distributed.
-
Liaison and Review Annual Report
Annual report presented and attached. Main points of work for the committee included celebration of retirement of the long time meeting coordinator, establishment of Office Manager position and hiring and supervision of this new position. The committee also established a new process for all employees involving annual contracts distributed following budget approval each year.
Report accepted.
-
Stewardship and Finance Annual Report
Annual report attached. Income in the 2025-2026 budget year was greater than budgeted and expenses were less than budgeted, resulting in a net income. The largest discrepancies between budget and actual were due to lower employee costs based on actual hours worked. The current year’s budget is smaller to better reflect actual costs.
The committee oversaw a shift from an outdated version of Quickbooks to a new online version. Upcoming points of attention for the committee include review and establishment of record keeping and record retention policies and anticipates utilizing a 7 year retention period.
The committee operates an annual budget and does not have a way to receive and manage designated donations, unless already established and approved by the meeting as a separate fund managed by the Trustees. This challenge was identified due to donations received during Metro Surge with direction to spend on related purposes.
The committee relies on clerks to submit budget requests and manage their own budget needs, including rerequesting funds for budget items included in a previous budget year but not yet expended.
Discussion: A request was made to increase the items in the contributions budget items to reflect inflation. The need for committee clerks and representatives to organizations to own their own budgets was reiterated.
Report accepted
Stewardship and finance has identified the bank balance exceeds the necessary level and recommends move funds to the trustees property fund.
The meeting approved transfer of funds from the general fund bank account to the trustees building fund.
-
Request for Northern Yearly Meeting Interim Session
Northern Yearly Meeting requested Minneapolis Friends Meeting host the fall interim session. Following review of the potential dates against the MFM and Mayim Rabin calendar, September 25-27 is recommended.
Responsibilities for hosting interim session include include building access, lunch on Saturday, technical assistance from hybrid meeting and overnight housing.
Discussion: The technology committee indicated ability to support the hybrid needs either through the paid AV tech or a volunteer AV tech.
Three individuals agreed to coordinate.
The meeting approves hosting interim session September 25-27.
-
Ad Hoc Safety Committee Request
The committee prepared an email to send recommendations from the Ad Hoc Safety Committee to various committees for consideration of additional responsibilities that were identified in the Ad Hoc Safety Committee report shared at the April 2026 monthly meeting. The email will be sent soon with request for committees to report back to Ad Hoc Safety Committee in September. Report to monthly meeting will following.
A request was received for signage regarding ICE access to the building to be installed at entrances. If meeting approves the installation of such signage, Ad Hoc Safety committee can identify the specific verbiage, if the specific verbiage discussed today is not satisfactory. Two examples of potential signage language were shared.
Discussion: Concern shared that signage installation may be a knee jerk reaction and may conflict with maintaining a quakerly and welcoming environment. Suggestion made to look at the verbiage used by Friends meetings who sued the government regarding ICE access as the language those meetings utilized was likely thoroughly vetted. Reminder shared that the signage is not only to prevent access by ICE, but also to show welcoming and safety to individuals who are at risk from ICE or similar agencies. A Friend noted that to be tolerant to some groups, you must be intolerant to intolerance. Friends hoped to utilize a short statement like many other buildings have posted, sharing that the example language was too long.
Unity not achieved. Carried over to a future meeting.
-
Transfer of Membership
A transfer of membership request letter was sent by Billings Monthly Meeting requesting transfer of membership for one individual from Billings Monthly Meeting to Minneapolis Friends Meeting.
Transfer of membership for a member from Billings Monthly Meeting to Minneapolis Friends Meeting approved.
-
Monarca Election Defense Training
A request was received for use of the meetinghouse for an election defense training session offered by the organization Monarca in the end of June or early July. The speaker would serve as the liaison. The training would be open to the public in general and there is also a request for hybrid assistance. Peace and Social Concerns vetted this request and recommends approval.
Building use by Monarca for election defense training in June or July and technical assistance for a hybrid meetings is approved.
-
Carbon Tax Recipient
Peace and Social Concerns committee discussed the use of the Voluntary Carbon Tax on several occasions and recommends the funds be sent to Quaker Earthcare Witness.
Discussion: Friends asked about the allowable uses of the funds and whether it can be used for climate positive actions of the meeting. A friend noted it has previously been used for attic insulation. Next year, consideration will be given to the potential use of funds for meeting specific actions.
The meeting approved a $1000 donation to Quaker Earthcare Witness for the 2025-2026 voluntary carbon tax.
-
Winona Friends Worship Group Update
Winona Friends, currently a worship group under the care of Minneapolis Friends Meeting has stated a desire to establish themselves as an independent monthly meeting. A Clearness Committee has been established to assist in this potential transition.
12 Closing Worship