Bennington Friends Meeting

Bennington Friends Meeting
Meeting for Worship on the Occasion of Business
Held at the Senior citizens Service Center,
Bennington, Vermont
July 21, 2013

Present Timmy Bullock, Clerk, Beth Cheadle, Eliza Navias-Bell, Arnold Ricks, Auberta Galusha, Dorothea Izzo and Juliet Wright.

…We, as evangelists of each other, must have it as our first duty not to preach but to listen. We must practice an open and sensitive awareness which allows us to listen not merely to each other’s theology but to what the other person is. By doing this we will begin to live in such a way that we neither crush nor dominate nor entangle our companions, but rather help them to be themselves, and bring them to fulfilling service for the benefit of the larger Society of Friends. We will aim for transparency of heart; we will never manipulate each other’s consciences, or try to force other members of our Religious Society into our own scheme of things. No one will seek a procedural victory, or a formulation for faith and practice, or the advancement or postponement of a concern, which leaves someone else defeated.

Daniel E. Seeger, 1985, from Daily Reading From Quaker Writings Ancient and Modern

Out of the silence, the clerk read the above quotation from Daniel E. Seeger.

The recording clerk read the minutes for meeting for business for June 16, 2013, which were approved.

2013-22 Meeting for business approves sending out a mailing to those names on the directory who have not been in contact with the meeting for a considerable time or who have moved. A draft of the postcard mailing will be brought to meeting for business for approval.

2013-23 Meeting for business had a long and very discursive discussion on retreat. The clerk will be in touch with New England Yearly Meeting about possibilities for a retreat leader on climate change and possible areas of focus.

2013-24 Meeting for business considered and appreciates the Middlebury Gun Violence letter but will not take any action at this point.

2013-25 Arnold Ricks reported on behalf of nominating committee. Meeting for business approves the appointment of Eliza Navias-Bell to the finance committee.

2013-26 Meeting for business agreed that the clerk will formally publicize the request for a committed attender and potential member of the newly constituted Ministry and Oversight Committee of the quarterly meeting.
After a brief period of silent worship, the meeting adjourned.

Minutes for Ministry and Counsel

Sunday, July 14, 2013

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

Pastoral concerns were discussed.

10-13 Ministry and Counsel recommends sending out a mailing to those names on the directory who have not been in contact with the meeting for a considerable time or who have moved.

11-13 Ministry and Counsel recommends that we consider the Middlebury gun violence letter to discern what, if any, action the meeting would like to take.

12-13 Ministry and Counsel tentatively recommends that we explore the idea of the effects of climate change for a potential retreat. Timmy will be in touch with Noah Baker-Merrill for a potential facilitator.