Bennington Friends Meeting

Bennington Friends Meeting

Meeting for worship: Sundays, 10 am., Bennington Senior Citizens Service Center 

124 Pleasant St. Bennington, VT

Clerk: Beth Cheadle, Acting Clerk : Timmy Bullock 199 Sunset Hill, Pownal, VT 05361; 802-823-5088

Web site: Http://www.benningtonfriends.org

Mailing address: PO Box 221, Bennington, VT  05201

Bennington Friends Meeting

Minutes for Meeting for Worship on the Occasion of Business held at the Senior Citizens Service Center, Bennington, Vermont

January 25, 2009

If the process by which we discover the sense of the meeting is to work, we must be willing to lay aside personal needs and grievances; we must be willing to reach beyond what you or I want.  When I am able to set my ideas aside, and you are able to set your ideas aside, doors are opened, which allow solutions to inter on a shaft of Light.

Barry Morley, Beyond Consensus; Salvaging Sense of the Meeting (Pendle Hill Pamphlet #307)

Present: Timmy Bullock (Acting Clerk), Juliet Wright, Connie Evans, Joseph Tracy, Maurice Kahn, Peggy Kahn, Jane Radocchia, Priscilla Tracy, Bain Davis, Auberta Galusha and Arnold Ricks

Out of the silence at the beginning of the Meeting the Clerk red the above passage from Beyond Consensus by Barry Morley.

2009 – 01 The minutes from meeting for worship on the occasion of business from December 28, 2008 were read.

2009 – 02 Timmy Bullock as Clerk of Ministry and Counsel presented the minutes of its meeting on January 14, 2009, which are appended.

2009 – 03 Finance Committee report:  Jane Radocchia, treasurer, reported.  The minutes are appended.

2009 – 04 The meeting for business recommends a 2009 budget that parallels the 2008 budget.  The finance committee minutes are appended.

2009 – 05 Nominating Committee report:   Auberta Galusha reported.  The minutes are appended.

2009 – 06 Meeting for business approves having Priscilla Tracy and Timmy Bullock co-clerk Ministry and Counsel.

2009 – 07 Timmy Bullock was suggested as the contact person for New England Yearly Meeting Nominating Committee.

2009 – 08 The presentation of the revised end-of-life document has been postponed.

2009 – 09 The meeting reflected on the year in preparation for the writing of the State of Society Report.  Timmy Bullock will put these reflections on the Goggle Group list serve as an aid to the committee creating the report.

After a few moments of silence, the meeting adjourned.

Timmy Bullock, Acting Clerk

Juliet Wright, Recording Clerk

Ministry and Counsel Report

January 14, 2009 

Present: Timmy Bullock, Clerk, Bain Davis,  Priscilla Tracy

Connie Evans attended the meeting until M&C turned to pastoral concerns.

1.09 Ministry and Counsel is delighted to accept Ann Coakley and Sadelle Wiltshire’s request for clearness committees for marriage by the Bennington Meeting.  Ann and Sadelle are hoping that the State of Vermont will allow a marriage before the date on which they plan to be married but are willing to participate in a civil union if that is the only vehicle provided by the state.  The names requested and approved for their individual clearness committees are: Arnold Ricks and Timmy Bullock for Ann; Bain Davis and Jane Radocchia for Sadelle.

2.09 Ministry and Counsel has approached several f/Friends to take on the drafting of our annual State of Society report.

3.09 Given the schedule conflicts occasioned for several f/Friends by this past fall’s retreat date, Ministry and Counsel recommends that September 19 and September 28, 2009 be reserved as potential 2009 retreat dates.  September 19 is given preference in our discussion.

Pastoral concerns were discussed.

Finance Committee

January 12, 2009

Present: Timmy Bullock, Maryann St. John and Jane Radocchia, Treasurer

1.09 The ‘09 budget will replicate the ‘08 budget with the exception of the addition of $200 to the Peace and Social Concerns budget line.  Mindful of the drop in contributions, the finance committee will review the budget mid year and adjust it accordingly if expenditures need to be adjusted downward.

Nominating Committee

 January 18, 2009

Agenda

* Accepted Minute 08.11 Nominating Committee recommendation that Timmy Bullock, Assistant Clerk, to serve as Acting Clerk until Beth Cheadle, Clerk of Meeting,  is able to resume responsibilities   of Monthly Meeting Clerk.  Timmy, as Acting Clerk, will keep Beth informed of Meeting Activity.

* In considering the noted conflict of Timmy also clerking Ministry and Counsel, Nominating has not been successful in finding a solution and asks Ministry and Counsel to assist in working out a way to Clerk Ministry and Counsel while Timmy serves as Acting Clerk of Meeting.

* Nominating Committee has been asked to name a member to fill the New England Yearly Meeting’s invitation for a Friend from Bennington Monthly Meeting to serve on NEYM Nominating Committee.  We have made an invitation from a leading but do not have someone to name as yet.  As we continue our search we suggest Timmy Bullock be our contact person for NEYM Nominating Committee.  They will be notified of the change.

* In preparation of a slate for July 2009 to fill Meeting positions of responsibility, and committees, we are working out a plan of queries and a whole Meeting worship sharing in March to discern gifts and leadings in the ways members and attenders can serve Meeting.  This may include any changes that may arise for structure of committees.  One idea we wish to have meeting consider is how to best plan our education needs for First Day School, Adult Discussion, and Quaker Quest without over burdening Ministry and Counsel and with no First Day School Committee at present.

* Still on our agenda is planning for follow-up of the Meeting recommendation that committees meet the fourth Sunday of the month, and to complete the guidelines for each committee which was started at the  2007 Committee Workshop.

* Other concerns: