Meeting for Worship on the Occasion of Business
Held at the Senior Citizens’ Service Center
Bennington, VT
August 18, 2019
Present were Timmy Bullock, clerk, Priscilla Tracy, Eliza Navias-Bell, Lucie McKee, Auberta Galusha and Juliet Wright.
In a Quaker meeting, for worship or for business, there is more than waiting and silence. There is also speaking for one’s self and feeling the weight of the words of others. The quest for truth among Friends is meant to be corporate, not a private reverie. The leading of the gathered group is to be trusted, and when you or I speak we must be willing to test our truth against the truth received by others…..It is a remarkable fact that Friends for three hundred years have taken neither the path of religious authoritarianism nor path of spiritual privatism. Instead, Friends have always accepted both the possibility of individual truth and the obligation of corporately testing that truth.
Parker J. Palmer, 1980
Out of the silence the clerk read the above quotation.
The minutes from the last meeting for business were read and approved.
2019-27 Given the few members present at meeting for business, meeting for business recommends deferring until next business meeting the decision on Eliza Navias-Bells’ recommendation for membership to Ministry and Counsel.
2019-28 Meeting for business affirms the intent of the retreat summary document as the working document for the meeting (See attached). Meeting for business sees the summary of the retreat as an accurate summary of the discussion and reflections that occurred on that day.
2019-29 In response to the suggestions from the Earthcare Minute from NEYM, meeting for business suggests that we informally check in on our individual and corporate efforts toward reducing our carbon footprint. We are reminded that there is a group, Climate Advocates of Bennington, that we might wish to join.
2019-30 Meeting for business thanks Eliza Navias-Bell for her finance report. We are deferring a decision about our contribution to Quaker Earthcare Witness until next month. Everyone is encouraged to read the Quaker Earthcare Witness website.
2019-31 Meeting for business asks finance committee to consider creating a discretionary budget line in the budget for one-time contributions
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Minutes for Ministry and Counsel
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Present were Timmy Bullock, clerk, ex-officio, Priscilla Tracy, Auberta Galusha, Juliet Wright and Eliza Navias-Bell
Pastoral concerns discussed.
19-12 Ministry and Counsel recommends having Eliza Navias-Bell as a member of ministry and counsel.
19-13 Ministry and Counsel recommends reading for approval the summary of retreat at meeting for business.
19-14 Ministry and Counsel recommends bringing the NEYM earthcare ministry to business meeting for discussion and suggestions.