Meeting began with silence at 11:00 am. Fifty-four (54) members and attenders were present. Clarisse Harton was greeter. Julia Hebner from Ministry and Worship sat on the facing bench to hold Meeting in the Light. Nick Martina read the Baltimore Yearly Meeting (BYM) proposed Queries and Voices on Community.
Religious Education: Diane Bowden made two announcements: (1) A coffee house will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2015. Doors will open at 6:30 pm; performances will begin at 7:00 pm. Diane asked Friends to sign up to share “secret talents.” Proceeds will be donated to the Byrd Theatre Foundation. (2) On First Day (Sunday), May 31, 2015, at rise of Meeting, Senior Recognition Day will be held in the community room. Four seniors are graduating.
Adult Spiritual Education: (1) Howard Garner introduced Betsy Brinson who announced that on First Day, May 17, 2015, from 9:30 am to 10:45 am, a representative from Moscow House (Russia) will speak about their activities. Items from Russia will be offered for sale to support the organization. (2) On First Days, June 7, 2015 and June 14, 2015, from 9:30 am to 10:45 am, members of the Faith and Practice Ad Hoc Committee (which reviewed the proposed BYM Faith and Practice and was then laid down) will lead a discussion of how we use language to express the “Inward Light.” (3) On First Day, June 21, 2015, from 9:30 am to 10:45 am, the committee will facilitate a sharing of “Faith Transitions,” inviting Friends to share and discuss our experiences during the individual spiritual journeys that led to us to become Quakers.
Building and Grounds: Bob Alexander announced the Spring Work Day to be held on Saturday, May 2, 2015. Most work will be outside. Extra rakes are welcome. Lunch will be provided. Activities will be over before 2:00 pm.
Care and Counsel: Margaret Edds made two announcements: (1) There will be a New Member and New Baby welcome on First Day, May 3, 2015, at rise of Meeting. (2) The committee received an application for membership from Youth member Anna Best and recommends her for membership. Margaret read parts of Anna’s letter of application. As is our practice, the recommendation will be held over for one month and approval will be requested at Fifth Month MWB.
Hospitality Committee: Scott Selby presented the final proposal for improvements to the kitchen layout, including a new countertop and sink configuration. The existing dishwasher will be used. Ada Hammer explained that a new commercial dishwasher would have been very expensive, and very different and likely difficult to use. Financial Stewardship has approved a budget of $5500. There was discussion about whether a garbage disposal would be included; there is money in the budget for a garbage disposal but there are several unanswered questions that will require additional research. After discussion, Friends approved the proposal.
Clearing Building and Grounds Sub-Committee: Nick Martina reported for the committee: (1) The new website for The Clearing is up and includes a calendar displaying currently reserved and available times for use by the Meeting and rental by outside groups. Rental rates and other information is also on the website. Pictures of The Clearing (no pictures of children) are requested and may be sent to Dan Shaw. (2) A group of Young Friends spent a recent weekend at The Clearing and helped with major maintenance, including disposal of a felled tree and clearing of trails. A project is underway to create a map of the current trails. Friends interested in helping with maintenance were encouraged to contact Nick.
Ad Hoc Committee for Building Use: Steve Humphrey reported for the committee:
(1) The issue of identifying the person who made the threatening phone calls is in the hands of the police. (2) The zoning issue is now resolved. The for-profit yoga class – the only disqualified activity that was renting space from the Meeting – is moving to another location. The city acknowledged that we are allowed to post signs on our property, but Meeting is not yet in unity about whether to put signs out again. (3) The committee has begun developing guidelines for the use of our building. New guidelines will be developed with input from the Meeting community. To assist the Building Coordinator in the meantime, the following temporary guidelines are in place: (a) All committees should let Bob Alexander know when meetings are being held at the meetinghouse; (b) All meetings should end by 9:00 pm and people should be thoughtful about noise as they leave the building; and, (c) There should be no more than 30 people using the building in the evenings in order to limit the number of cars parked in the neighborhood. (4) A Listening Circle will be held Wednesday, May 13, 2015 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm to hear concerns about building use and the evolving guidelines. The temporary guidelines will be published in the newsletter.
Ministry and Worship: Tracey Cain distributed copies of the second draft of the 2014 Spiritual State of the Meeting report. She reported that comments on the first draft had been largely positive. The committee incorporated several of the suggestions received into the second draft. Tracey then read the second draft. Friends suggested two additional changes. Several Friends spoke in appreciation of the report. Friends approved the report with the changes. The Clerk thanked the committee for the report. One Friend suggested that since the report was a statement of our values, it would be useful as we considered guidelines for use of our building. The report, as approved with changes, will be attached to these minutes and published in the newsletter. There was discussion about the desire for a more detailed review of the previous year’s activities and the meaning they have for individual members and attenders. The Newsletter was identified as a good place for such reflections at this time.
Treasurer’s Report: Bronwyn Hughes distributed the financial report for the first quarter of 2015. Contributions were 14% of budget and expenses were 21% of budget (including a transfer to facility set-aside). Bronwyn noted several expenses were up and described recent transfers and fund activity. Friends thanked the treasurer for the report.
Working Group on New Jim Crow: Betsy Brinson announced the working group was laying itself down with the approval of the oversight committees (ASE and Ministry and Worship) and that the final report of the group will be published in the newsletter. Betsy then gave the highlights of the full report, including summaries of the current results of four activities the Meeting had focused on: the Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR) organization, introduction to Quakerism and worship at the women’s prison in Goochland (VCCW), VA CURE, and Prisoner Visitation and Support (PVS). With the exception of OAR, which has not worked out as an activity, numerous Friends are involved and making a difference. Friends accepted the working group’s decision to lay itself down. The Clerk thanked the group for its work. The final report will also be attached to these minutes.
In closing, Betsy described another possible volunteer opportunity: the Richmond Day Reception Center may need volunteers for tutoring, mentoring and G.E.D. preparation. There will be an information meeting on Friday, May 8, 2015 at 3:00 pm. For more information contact Betsy.
Peace and Social Concerns: Clerk Denna Joy read the first draft of a proposed minute on climate change.
Proposed Minute on Climate Change
Richmond Friends Meeting is a Quaker community of spirit dedicated to peace, justice and right relations with all creatures and life upon the earth. Our place on the earth is rooted in respect not domination. We submit this Minute in furtherance of that respect.
The effects of climate change have been documented by scientists who agree that human activity, specifically pouring millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, is reaching a tipping point. Living in harmony with the natural world has been replaced with unsustainable ways of living: reliance on fossil fuels, extreme methods of resource extraction, widespread destruction of old-growth and rain forests, and over-consumption of natural resources. These unsustainable practices are responsible for the Earth’s degraded state and climate disruption. As a faith community dedicated to peace and social justice, it alarms us that the effects of climate change disproportionately impact the world’s most impoverished peoples and that fossil fuel extraction and consumption has contributed to international conflict.
We recognize the urgency of this problem and support actions on all levels, from individuals to international groups, to work toward an ecologically healthy planet. Globally, developed countries must reduce carbon emissions and actively support the development of alternative energy sources. It is imperative that developed countries transfer money, expertise and technology to support sustainable development in less developed countries.
Our commitments to peace and justice, as well as our commitment to care for the earth, compel us to restorative action. Restorative actions include: education about climate change, education about sustainable living, conservation, downsizing our standards of living, reducing our carbon footprints, investing in renewable energy, divesting from fossil fuels and supporting sustainable energy development.
We are convinced that the problem of Climate Change is real, significant, worsening, and urgent. We are called to advocate for immediate attention to the climate at the local, state, national and global levels through lobbying, community education, and peaceful protest as conscience dictates.
Although the challenge posed by climate change is complex and may seem daunting, our call to action is grounded in faith and supported by community. We are a connected part of this earth, not separate from it. We invite other communities, individuals and groups to endorse this minute and to join us in restorative actions to heal ourselves and the planet.
The minute was previously circulated via the NewsList. Copies were made available at MWB. After Denna read the proposed minute, the Clerk asked Friends to contact Denna or Suzanne Keller with comments and suggestions. The proposed minute, with any changes made by the committee, will be read for the second time next month at Fifth Month MWB.
Third Month 2015 MWB Minutes: Approved, with three changes: correct the ASE announcement of the April 12 discussion (there was no plan for the author, Joanna Macy, to be present); correct the comment in the Ministry and Worship section to show that a suggestion was made that the Spiritual State of the Meeting be a topic for sharing during a regular First Day Meeting for Worship; and, under ASE, last paragraph, change FGC “sessions” to FGC “Annual Gathering.” For this last change, at the invitation of the Clerk, Michelle Bellows explained that “sessions” connotes business, which is not conducted at the Annual Gathering, and that FGC has many ministries, one of which is the Annual Gathering.
Clerk’s Business: (1) The Clerk announced that Tom and Carol Wolf plan a trip to Cuba and she anticipates they will request a minute of introduction from RFM, possibly at Fifth Month MWB. (2) The next potluck lunch will be April 26, 2015, at rise of Meeting. Please bring food to share.
All business being concluded we settled into silence until the rise of meeting was signaled from the facing bench.
Barbara Hulburt, Clerk
James Thoroman, Recording Clerk