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 Clerks presented the proposed agenda, which was approved.
2. Approval of July 12, 2026 Minutes
A draft of the July 12, 2026 Monthly Meeting minutes was circulated in advance of meeting for business. Suggested changes have been incorporated into the final version.
The July 12, 2026 minutes were approved.
3. Verbal requests to be recognized by the Clerk
If you would like to address or have a question about an agenda topic, state “Clerk please,” along with your name. If another person also wants to speak on the same agenda item, they should also state, “clerk please” and their name so that the co-clerks can keep a running list.
This includes people participating through Zoom.
4. Ministry and Counsel Annual Report
Accomplishments
Ministry and Counsel reflects on the quality of worship, including gathering and discussing feedback. We offered guidance to attenders on settling into worship and discerning whether a message was meant for them or for the entire meeting. Consistent reminders posted on the Zoom screen before worship were found to be helpful. In addition, we organized meeting closers and planned speakers for semi-programmed worship.
Ministry and Counsel offered three mid-morning programs on Quaker testimonies, with special attention given to the Peace Testimony. We supported the creation of a video about our meeting with the Thee Quaker Project through an ad hoc group of meeting volunteers.
We supported a worship sharing session on the topic of how our faith grounds us in troubling times, and how we live out Friends Testimonies, as individuals and as a meeting.
We convened several clearness committees for individuals seeking membership in the meeting and one to support an individual seeking clarity about their gifts and where to invest their energy.
We prepared and presented the Meeting’s 2025 State of Society report and once approved, forwarded it to Northern Yearly Meeting
We spent considerable time discussing and discerning our meeting’s response to ICE’s Operation Metro Surge. An ad hoc committee was convened – and is still working – to develop a safety and security plan for the Meeting.
We responded to the increased numbers of visitors and new attenders, offering several opportunities to meet after worship with a few experienced Friends for discussion and questions.
Challenges
M&C wrestles with continuing tensions in the meeting about the need for and rightful place of “political” discussions — while at the same time ensuring that the community is a welcoming place for everyone. How do we bring the Light to our considerations? How do we tenderly and tactfully wrestle within ourselves, our community, and the wider world?
There is an ongoing challenge of helping newcomers understand Quaker silent worship and supporting all of us to discern when a message is from the Spirit and how and when it is meant to be shared during meeting for worship.
As a small committee, arranging for weekly volunteers to serve as closers and speakers always requires much of our time.
Upcoming
Ministry & Counsel Committee will continue to offer mid-morning programs to further Quaker education and share a range of perspectives.
We will continue to keep aware of the quality of worship and support its deepening.
Questions
A member asked about how the committee facilitated newcomers’ meeting with seasoned members. This was offered at the rise of meetings a few times. Ministry and Counsel members served as the experienced members. Welcoming and Outreach Committee may want to host these more frequently in the future.
A Friend noted the connection between the Technology Committee and the Ministry and Counsel Committee.
Friends accepted the report.
5. Peace and Social Concerns Annual Report
Peace and Social Concerns is an open committee that encourages all members and attenders to join. This has been a busy and troubling year for this committee, our meeting, and our community. The committee and the Meeting have responded with integrity and willingness to stand up for Friends testimonies.
Accomplishments:
Engagement with response to ICE activities
This year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted a “Metro Surge” with many ICE officers detaining, arresting, and harassing immigrants. The people of the Twin Cities responded with great resistance, including protests and warning immigrants about the approach or presence of ICE agents. Peace and Social Concerns committee supported many in our Meeting who marched, participated in the rapid response to ICE, and provided rides and food to immigrants.
The Meeting received many requests and offers of support from other meetings. Three people from our committee attended a forum at Newtown Friends Meeting. The Meeting’s office manager and Peace and Social Concerns committee members responded to these requests and offers.
Two concerns brought to Meeting for Business.
Our committee brought the following two concerns to Meeting for Business.
- The establishment of a liaison committee to follow the indictments of the Minnesota 15 who were arrested for their activities during ICE activities. This liaison committee will keep abreast of developments and issues raised and share information and action opportunities.
- That the Meeting hold a threshing session to consider if and whether Minneapolis Friends Meeting would support social action as a body. The threshing session is under consideration by the clerks and our committee.
The Deep Inner Work of Racial Justice
The group is working with Unidos to support clean energy expansion in Minneapolis.
Members strive to be grounded in body and spirit and to correct patterns of white body supremacy. This group practices embodiment exercises from Resmaa Menakem’s “The Quaking of America: An Embodied Guide to Navigating our Nation’s Upheaval and Racial Reckoning.”
The committee hosted the Northern Yearly Meeting Anti-Racism Working Group (ARWG). This ARWG is meeting with interested Yearly Meeting members and attenders.
LGBTQ Group
The LGBTQ group is under the care of our committee. The group primarily offers social activities. If they do engage in social action, they will come to this committee for support.
Recommendations for Meeting Contributions
Our committee recommended
- the Meeting’s carbon tax of $1,000 be given to Quaker Earthcare Witness,
- the 2025 Winter Gift be given to Quaker Direct Action and the Immigration Defense Network, and
- A gift of $1500 from Oberlin Friends meeting to address the ICE surge be given to the Immigrant Defense Network.
Support for witness of meeting members
In a mid-morning program organized by Peace and Social Concerns, several members talked about their social action work. Small groups discussed queries related to their own social action and how the Peace and Social Concerns committee might support them.
Our committee assisted a member to develop a statement about Quaker recognition of human rights for all people. This statement now is approved for posting on our website.
Our committee supported a group that hosted Monarcha Democracy Defense training at the meetinghouse. The training was very well attended.
We support the monthly postcard/letter writing gathering with a hybrid option.
Challenges
We continue to consider how to best support our Meeting’s and individuals’ work in the world. These are ongoing challenges that have been with Quakers since the very beginnings of our society. How do we encourage working together? How do we address issues in a Quaker way? How do we combine contemplation with action? What actions are corporate and which are individual?
Upcoming points of attention
Our committee will continue to work with the clerks to examine various understandings of how or if we express a corporate witness.
A member expressed amazement at the level of work that has been done this year. They found it inspirational and reflected that we have a rich community grounded in spirit.
Another member shared that the web site rebuilding committee is discussing how to include social actions.
Friends accepted the report
6. Shepard Scholarship Annual Report
The Shepard Scholarship Fund is incorporated separately from the meeting, but the governing board is made up of meeting members.
This scholarship trust was created in 1977. It has distributed grants totaling $266,914.25 for post-secondary education. There is currently a balance of $ 284,304.89.
Under the terms of the Trust Agreement creating the fund, disbursements for scholarship grants are made only from interest. There were no applications this year.
Applications can come from active members and attenders. This year, the governing committee expanded the qualifications to active attenders. We have favored Meeting members and children of members. Grants can be awarded to William Penn College students and there are a few instances where this has been done.
A member asked how this opportunity was publicized. This has been mainly done through the bulletin, and the committee may need to consider other options.
These funds can only be used for post-secondary education under the terms of the trust. This is not for continuing education offered through conferences or workshops. The Meeting was reminded that the meeting has funds for travelling to conferences.
A member asked for specific examples and wondered if children in the meeting had received scholarships. Most of the children in the meeting have received scholarships based on available money and on application requests.
The report was accepted by monthly meeting.
7. Stewardship and Finance Annual Report
As of 6/30/2026, contributions for the current budget year totaled $31,382 – exactly 25% of budgeted revenue. We are on track to receive the donations that we hoped for. Thanks to all who have contributed and keep giving!
Expense were $22,294, reflecting 18% of our annual expense budget. There were no unexpected expenses. Friends were reminded that the Meeting’s contributions and building fund transfer to trustees are generally not reflected as expenses until the end of the fiscal year.
We have a positive balance of $189 in our electricity report line. This is due to our installation of the solar panels.
Friends accepted the report
8. Ad Hoc Safety Committee – Language for Door Signage
The statement below was presented. This would be posted on the outside entrances of the Meeting House. It is based on suggested language from Monarcha and statements from other Friends Meetings. The committee also looked at the language on our website about the meeting commitment to inclusion.
Friends were reminded that this kind of statement was requested by employees.
ALL ARE WELCOME
Minneapolis Friends Meeting is an inclusive faith community dedicated to the dignity and safety of every person, regardless of background, race, immigration status, orientation, or ability.
PRIVATE PROPERTY
As a community of faith and safety, a judicial warrant is required to enter private space on this property. We ask all visitors and officials to respect this sanctuary and community on this property.
Discussion
A Friend reflected that this statement seems repetitive of and less inclusive than our current inclusivity statement.
There were a series of questions. Is there a legal benefit to posting this kind of signage? Are we doing this to help people feel safer? What is the definition of private space? Is the private space the entire building or a space within the building? Have we established the private space? What are we declaring as the private space? If there is a sign on the door but we let law enforcement personnel in, are we still protected? What kind of training is going to be done for those who are welcoming people at the doors? The use of the word sanctuary may be confusing as Friends have not used that word for the worship space but have used it in the context of the sanctuary movement. Do we need the inclusivity part of the signage or is it already covered?
The range of questions and discussion reflected a need for more information and clarity on several issues. The Ad Hoc Safety Committee will take back these considerations and bring back a revised statement to a future Monthly Meeting.
9. Mayim Rabim Building Use Request Update
Mayim Rabim have reserved the building on three days in December for a Hanukah celebration.
FNVW would like to use the Meeting House for the holiday fair this year. We are still waiting on a formal request.
10. Memorial Minute for Kate WJ
A memorial minute for Kate WJ was read.
The Meeting approved Kate WJ’s memorial minute which can be seen below.
Memorial Minute for Kate WJ
(January 12, 1961 – February 26, 2026)
Kate brought a glow to our Meeting – a calm presence, kind, insightful, and loving. Some of us first met Kate during the COVID-19 pandemic through a Minneapolis Friends Meeting monthly online gathering called “Getting to Know You.” The ten or so participants shared deeply, speaking of past and current life experiences. Kate also joined the Meeting’s monthly read-aloud non-fiction book and pamphlet club. The group looked forward to Kate’s observations and good humor in the discussions that followed the readings.
As a practicing Buddhist, Kate found her way to Friends while in search of community, becoming in her words, “an online Buddhist Quaker.” Her light spread among us, as she connected with many in multiple pockets of Meeting life.
In January 2023, Kate became a member by convincement. She took active roles in committees and groups, supporting our hybrid worship by scheduling volunteer Zoom hosts and taking a monthly shift herself. She shared her moving poetry and other vocal ministry in worship. In one message, Kate spoke of the experience of being “gobsmacked by joy,” a reminder that delight is often closer than we think. Kate worked with a small group to prepare an educational presentation to the Meeting on disability and accessibility, and researched materials for seekers wanting to learn more about Quakerism in response to an influx of new attenders. As a Ministry and Counsel Committee member, she brought a sense of humility and gentle curiosity, listening to where people were coming from and sizing up situations with thoughtfulness and keen perception.
Kate was born on January 12, 1961 in River Falls, Wisconsin. As a child, Kate wrote, directed and acted in plays with her neighborhood friends, and rambled along the Kinnickinnic River. The former fueled her artistic and writing spirit, and the latter gave her a sense of the contemplative life, which she carried into adulthood.
At age 20, while in college, Kate was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. “Healing, for me,” Kate writes in “Journey Dancing,” her beautiful blog, “has come through returning to what gives me joy – making art and practicing meditation with compassionate teachers… When I open to my experience rather than trying to control it, I move towards healing. When I use my senses to become aware and awake in this moment, then my body becomes an ally instead of an obstacle.”
Unable to use her arms and legs for the past decade, Kate learned to use her mouth to hold a paintbrush and push a joystick to drive her wheelchair. She wrote three books, starting in 2008 with Dancing with Monsters: Chronic Illness as Creative Transformation. She used a voice-activated computer, taught workshops about creative journaling for people with disabilities and led online meditations, the final one from her hospital bed when she contracted pneumonia. Holding the hands of her husband, Ralph, and daughter, Alexis, Kate left this world, having said goodbye to a host of family and friends in her last week of life.
Kate moved through suffering and growing limitation with unwavering courage and grace, taking us on her journey while lovingly, enthusiastically encouraging us along on our own.
11. Report on Visit to Irish Friends
The meeting provided a letter of introduction for two travelling friends for a trip to Ireland. They visited a number of Friends’ meetings. At each meeting, a clerk or elder signed the letter of introduction. The co-clerks were presented with the signed letter.
Wisdom and knowledge gained on this trip will be shared with students at Wilmington College where on of the travelers teaches.
12. Correspondence and Announcements
Six Points Theater will stage a production in the meeting house on January 31, 2027. This was approved at the July Meeting for Business. Friends were encouraged to take advantage of this community building opportunity. Volunteers are needed to help with this event.