Bennington Friends Meeting

Bennington Friends Meeting

Minutes for Meeting for Worship on the Occasion of Business

Senior Citizens Service Center, Bennington, Vermont

August 21, 2011

Present were Timmy Bullock, Juliet Wright, Beth Cheadle, Priscilla Tracy, Joseph Tracy, Auberta Galusha, Peggy Kahn, Maurice Kahn and Bain Davis.

Listening, however, does not come easily to us. We are obsessed by the noise of our own thoughts and can hardly wait until the other person has stopped talking before making our own little speech – which we have been to busy composing to hear what the other said. Recall almost any party or committee meeting.

Adam Curle, 1981, page 151 of The Spirit of Quakers, Geoffrey, Durham

Out of the silence the clerk read the above quotation from John Punshon, 1987 The Spirit of Quakers by Geoffrey Durham.

2011-46 The recording clerk read the minutes for meeting for business July 17, 2011. They were approved with corrections.

2011-47 Priscilla Tracy reported on behalf of Ministry and Counsel. The minutes are appended.

2011-48 Meeting for business affirms the recommendation to move our retreat to Saturday, October 8, 2011 at Timmy Bullock’s house.

2011-49 Meeting for business affirms the date and planning for Ruth Hawes memorial service, including the purchase of sandwiches for 50 people.

2011-50 Meeting for business approves the memorial minute for Ruth Hawes, as edited. See attached.

2011-51 Meeting for business recommends that ministry and counsel develop a plan for recording memories and biographies of the meeting members.

2011-52 In view of anticipated absences on the last Sunday of the month (proposed for business meeting), the meeting has decided to forgo a meeting for business in September.

The meeting closed with a few moments if silent worship.

August 14, 2011

Meeting of Ministry & Counsel

Present: Timmy Bullock, Priscilla Tracy, co-clerks, Auberta Galusha, Bain Davis, Beth Cheadle; also in attendance for discussion of Hawes Memorial, Dana & George Houghton

14.11 A scheduling conflict precludes our retreat taking place on Saturday, September 17, and Ministry & Counsel recommends retreat be rescheduled for Saturday, October 8 at Timmy Bullock’s house.

15.11 Ministry & Counsel hopes that meeting will confirm the date of Sunday, September 18 for the memorial meeting for our late member, Ruth Hawes.

Approximately 50 people are expected to attend (number including Bennington attendees). We recommend that the meeting authorize the purchase of wrap sandwiches for +/- 50 persons. We will also need 6 or 7 desserts, including fruit. (Marj Davis has already promised 2 loaves of zucchini bread and Bain’s sister has promised some non-gluten cookies.)

16.11 Ministry & Counsel asks the meeting to consider whether we should hold a memorial meeting for Lee Loomis as a long time member of this meeting. We understand that services have been held, or will be held, in Salt Lake City and Maine, but our service would be Bennington’s way of formally honoring Lee’s gifts to our meeting.