Present: Carlton Gamer, Genie Durland, Bill Durland, Sarah Callbeck, Ann Daugherty, Molly Wingate (clerk), and Lisa Lister (Acting Recording Clerk).
The Clerk read queries from Fort Collins Friends Newsletter, Oct.,
The following queries were read (from IMYM Faith and Practice, pages 117-119), which prompted Bill to propose that M&O further explore vocal ministry, and perhaps facilitate a discussion with the wider Meeting:
When in meeting for worship, do I clear my mind so that the Spirit has a place to enter?
The October Minutes were accepted.
The Cash Flow Reports, which were presented by Sarah (attached).
Clerk's Report. We will hold our first Show and Tell on Friday, November 23 from 5-7 PM at the meeting house. Please bring a dish to share perhaps some Thanksgiving leftovers. Carlton will begin showing and telling.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
a. Finance Committee report is attached. Sarah has been setting up our finances in QuickBooks. This has been taking some time and tweaking. Brian is setting up our tax-exempt status. Sarah reviewed the draft budget for 2013-the final budget will be presented at the December business meeting. We also looked at the new Balance Sheet and a Revenue Statement output from QuickBooks to make sure we were comfortable with these new report layouts and content. We are all thankful for Sarah 's hard work, and the Finance Committee report was accepted with deep gratitude.
b. Nominating Committee report was given by Genie. Bill Werling and Genie Durland are on the Nominating Committee. They may be contacting people about their willingness to serve.
ACTION: We approved Ann Martin as a member of M&O.
c. Ministry and Oversight report was given by Bill and accepted with thanks. They discussed the greeting of visitors and how to be of support to Jonathan McPhee.
The full report is attached.
d. First Day School Committee. There is no written report, but the First Day School children will be painting a mural downstairs during our next work day, November 25. Molly will be the adult presence.
e. Adult Education and Action Committee (Two items)
1. ITEM 1: Molly read a minute on divestment which was drafted
by Genie, and is before us for consideration:
"We, Colorado Springs Friends Meeting, Religious Society of
Friends, embrace the spirit and support the goals of the We
Divest Campaign of the American Friends Service Committee.
We understand that this campaign was launched in partnership
with Jewish Voice for Peace and that it demands that
TIAA-CREF stop investing in corporations that enable the
destruction of Palestinian homes and orchards, the expansion
of Israeli settlements and infrastructure, checkpoint
surveillance of Palestinian communities, and provide weapons
used against civilians. The campaign does not ask people to
directly divest from TIAA-CREF. Rather it organizes
retirement fund recipients to exercise their rights as
shareholders and witness to TIAA-CREF (a company with \$441
billion in assets) to divest from corporations that profit
from the military occupation.
As Friends who value our testimonies of Peace, Equality,
Community, Integrity and Simplicity and strive to live by
them, we unite with the AFSC campaign. We see the campaign
as an example of speaking truth to power - in this case to
the power of unjust profit - both as individuals and as a
Meeting. We recognize that peace in the Middle East is
dependent upon true justice for Palestinians and so seek to
support all nonviolent efforts to further that cause."
ACTION: This minute was approved by the Meeting. Genie will
let AFSC and IMYM know that we have approved this minute.
2. ITEM 2: Coloradans Against the Death Penalty support: Molly
read the "Resolution of Support and Organizational
Membership" sent to us from the Coloradans for Alternatives
to the Death Penalty:
"WHEREAS, the death penalty diverts millions of dollars a
year of state resources into an arbitrary, unreliable,
wasteful and unnecessary capital punishment system, and
WHEREAS, the death penalty does not deter crime; and
WHEREAS, the death penalty is imposed in an arbitrary and
discriminatory manner;
WHEREAS, there are a growing number of known cases of
wrongful conviction and increasing evidence that there have
been wrongful executions; and
WHEREAS, the death penalty prolongs pain for victims'
families, dragging them through an agonizing and lengthy
process that holds out the promise of an execution at the
beginning but often results in a different sentence in the
end; and
WHEREAS, our communities require the best protection and
convicted murderers must be severely punished; and
WHEREAS, in the state of Colorado, there are two possible
sentences for Capital Murder; life without the possibility
of parole and death. We agree that death should not be an
option and, therefore, the sentence would be life without
the possibility of parole.
THEREFORE, we join the Coloradoans for Alternatives to the
Death Penalty and others in publicly supporting legislation
that abolishes the death penalty in our state. We recognize
that the sole mission of the Coalition is to repeal the
death penalty in Colorado. We understand that our
organization will be listed as a member of the Coalition and
agree to inform our members of our participation and invite
them to be active in the campaign as part of our efforts
and/or those of the Coalition or another member
organization. We acknowledge our right to participate, or to
not participate, in the meetings and decisions of the
Coalition. We recognize that any resource implications
involved in joining the Coalition are entirely voluntary."
ACTION: We approved signing the resolution letter. We
suggested that M&O look at this issue and explore further if
they believe the Meeting should write its own minute.
f. The Meeting Home Committee. The full report is attached and was accepted. There will be a work day on November 25th at the rise of meeting. We need to clean bathrooms, dust, vacuum/sweep and mop floors. The children will be working on painting a mural in the basement.
g. The Library Report was given verbally by Joyce and accepted with thanks. Her full report, including an inventory will be submitted to the next business meeting.
OLD BUSINESS Signs for religious education and bathrooms. Lisa volunteered for this last month, but has not accomplished it yet. She will do this soon, even if they are temporary signs.
b. Do we need a "steward" of the building? ACTION: Nominating Committee will talk to Peter about the role of this person, and the committee will draw up a list of responsibilities of this person. NEW BUSINESS a) Colorado Springs will be the host of the spring gathering of Colorado Regional Meeting April 28th, 2013, so we will need to think about making some preparations.
b) A Quaker family from Durango Monthly Meeting will be here on Sunday, December 9 to worship with us. Their daughter, age 19, is functionally deaf and they are planning for her to matriculate for one semester at the State School here in Colorado Springs. They are hopeful of finding local Quakers to provide support for their daughter and have asked if there is a family or individual in our meeting who would consider hosting her for one or two weekends a month between January and May. ACTION: Bill Wherling's family has volunteered to host this student. We all think this is wonderful.
ANNOUNCEMENTS Mountain Friends Camp sent a letter of thanks for our monetary gift, which we have agreed to continue on a regular basis.
IMYM Continuing Committee will be held in Tempe, AZ, January 11-13, 2013. For more information, visit www.imym.org A number of Friends from our Meeting will be participating.
IMYM Annual Gathering Ghost Ranch will be June 6-16, 2013
Friends General Conference will be held in Greeley, CO, June 30-July 6th. For more information, go to www.fgc.org
In the Light, Lisa Lister Acting Recording Clerk