Bennington Friends Meeting

Bennington Friends Meeting

Minutes for Meeting for Worship on the Occasion of Business

Senior Citizens Service Center, Bennington, Vermont

December 11, 2011

Present were Timmy Bullock, Juliet Wright, Priscilla Tracy, Joseph Tracy, Beth Cheadle, Arnold Ricks and Auberta Galusha

“…As in meeting for worship, the silence is an opportunity to open oneself to the guiding hands of the Holy Spirit. It is not a time to organize one’s thoughts or to devise the strategy of an argument to persuade others. If I have come with my mind made up, it is time to ‘unmake up’ my mind, to feel my way to the center, to encounter God on God’s terms, which are always loving, even If they require that I set aside my personal predispositions…”

Silence and Witness: The Quaker Tradition, page 69, Michael Birkel

Out of the silence the clerk read the above quotation from Michael Birkel, Silence and Witness: The Quaker Tradition.

2011-70 The recording clerk read the minutes for meeting for business October 16, 2011. They were approved with corrections.

2011-71 Priscilla Tracy reported on behalf of Ministry and Counsel. The minutes are appended.

2011-72 Meeting for business approved the recommendation that on December 18 we have caroling and worship with Maurice and Peggy Kahn at their home following potluck.

2011-73 Arnold Ricks reported on behalf of finance committee on the meetings third quarter expenses and income. The finance committee meeting minutes are appended. Meeting for business approved the recommendation to review the budget after the fourth quarter.

2011-74 Meeting for business approved the suggestion of reading John Woolman (excerpts) put forward by the committee on readings. The first discussion will be after the February potluck.

2011-75 Meeting for business approved the personal information form with a few amendments. We will begin work on the form on the January 1, 2012 meeting following potluck.

2011-76 Meeting for business authorizes Auberta Galusha to send an updated directory as an attachment to the Google group, with the request to advise us of updated information or if they wish to remain on the mailing list.

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Meeting of Ministry and Counsel

December 4, 2011

Present: Priscilla Tracy, Clerk, Juliet Wright, Auberta Galusha, Beth Cheadle, and Timmy Bullock, ex-officio

22.11 Ministry and Counsel recommends contacting Peggy and Maurice about sharing a short worship and perhaps some caroling on the 18^th after worship and potluck. This would eliminate the planned group activity at the senior center. Ministry and Counsel suggests buying an Amaryllis as a Christmas gift for the Kahns.