Bennington Friends Meeting

Bennington Friends Meeting
Meeting for Worship on the Occasion of Business
Held at the Senior citizens Service Center,
Bennington, Vermont
September 15, 2013

Present Beth Cheadle, Eliza Navias-Bell, Arnold Ricks, Auberta Galusha, Dorothea Izzo, Priscilla Tracy, Joseph Tracy and Juliet Wright.

The presuppositions of the corporate meeting for worship have, from the very beginning, profoundly affected the method of decision-making in the meeting for business. In both, there is faith in the Guide. There is faith in a continuous revelation that is always open to produce fresh disclosures. And there is respect and affection for each other that cuts through all diversity and that helps to kindle a faith that, with patience and openness, the group can expect to come to clearness and to resolve the problems that come before it.
– Source Unknown.

Out of the silence, the clerk read the above quotation.

The recording clerk read the minutes for meeting for business for August 18, 2013, which were approved.

2013-32 Priscilla Tracy reported on behalf of Ministry and Counsel.

2013-33 Meeting for business has approved a request by Juliet Wright for financial assistance by the meeting for her to attend a 12-step/Quaker retreat at Powell House in December.

2013-34 Meeting for business approves Sunday, October 27, 2013 for our annual retreat. Locations and details are still to be determined.

2013-35 Discussion ensued on the topic of climate change in preparation for the retreat. We are looking to discern how Friends as a faith group look at climate change, how sustainability as an aspect of simplicity figures into this and what simplicity means to Friends and humans in our time. Meeting for business approves having a post-potluck discussion on climate change on the first Sunday in October in preparation for the retreat that will include some articles by Bill McKibben on climate change, to be provided by Priscilla and Joseph.

2013-36 Auberta Galusha reported on behalf of the library committee. Meeting for business approves giving Auberta Galusha funds to purchase the book Earth for our library.

2013-37 Auberta Galusha reported on behalf of Nominating Committee. Meeting for business approves having Dorothea Izzo succeed Auberta Galusha to be our representative for the Interfaith Council, along with Bain Davis.

2013-38 Following up on the request from Right Sharing of World Recourses, Joseph Tracy will contact them regarding the involvement for a volunteer representative.

2013-39 Auberta Galusha reported on behalf of Interfaith Council.

After a brief period of silent worship, the meeting adjourned.

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Minutes for Ministry and Counsel

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Present were Priscilla Tracy, Auberta Galusha, Beth Cheadle and Juliet Wright

Pastoral concerns were discussed.

13-15 Ministry and Counsel has approved a request by Juliet Wright for financial assistance by the meeting for her to attend a 12-step/Quaker retreat at Powell House in December.