Minutes of July 2022 Meeting for Business
Posted: under Minutes from Meeting for Business.
Bennington Friends Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business
July 17, 2022
Present: Timmy Bullock, clerk, Edward Cady, Auberta Galusha, Alison Levie, Priscilla Tracy, Juliet Wright, and Michael Wajda.
We gathered in the Senior Center for meeting for worship with attention to business. The meeting opened with a period of worship during which the clerk read the following quote from William Brown’s 1978 Illinois Yearly Meeting lecture, “Transcendence in the Pursuit of Wholeness:”
When we are humble, we are able to wait and be silent. We can wait, for we do not expect that we should immediately understand each question from within or have a response to each query from without…
Being able to wait enables us to listen. We are good listeners when others have something to say, and we will hear them out if we think it fit or timely to do so. But even more, we are good listeners to our own inner voices which often speak slowly and indistinctly.
Cited from Daily Readings from Quaker Writings, Ancient & Modern, edited by Linda Hill Renfer.
The recording clerk read the minutes of our June 19, 2022 meeting for business for information.
2022-17. Priscilla Tracy reported for Ministry and Counsel. The committee has learned that our new member Kerby Lovallo is moving to Norwich, Vermont later this summer. The committee is recommending that we hold an informal farewell potluck for Kerby. Alison and Michael have offered to host the potluck at their home on either August 16 or 20. Either date will work for Kerby. The meeting chooses August 20 beginning at 4:30 p,m. Michael will let Kerby know of our plan. It was suggested that we might send a letter to Hanover Meeting, where Kerby has attended, commending him to their care. Michael will check with Kerby about our sending such a letter and if he likes the idea, our clerk will send such a letter.
2022-18. The meeting returned to our plans for a winter retreat at Woolman Hill. Timmy has reached out to the Newbolds and their schedule is quite full for January, although the weekend of January 27-29 might make it possible for some of the family to be there. The meeting affirmed this last weekend in January as our choice. Our clerk has asked Juliet and Michael to serve as a small ad hoc planning committee for the retreat. Timmy will join the ad hoc committee as clerk. Michael still needs to check on the Woolman Hill cancellation policy and he will confirm with them our choice of the dates.
2022-19. On July 3 our meeting held a special session following worship to consider “An Urgent Call to the Religious Society of Friends, a message issued by 19 Friends concerning “the deliberate falsehoods and coordinated efforts currently underway to subvert our democracy.” The Call invites Friends and friends of Friends to enter into a national dialogue to discern how best to respond to this urgent challenge. Our member, Michael Wajda, one of the authors of the Call, facilitated the session. In preparing for our session Alison Levie recommended watching a Ted Talk by Valerie Kaur entitled “Three Lessons of Revolutionary Love in a Time of Rage.” which Friends found very helpful.
We started the special session with worship. Then we divided our time into two parts. The first part was to create a worship-sharing space where everyone was invited to share how they received the statement of the Call. The second part was to consider specific actions, if any. The responses of our members to the Call were largely positive, but they also ran the spectrum of “I was so happy that Friends want to speak out.” to “I wish it said more of what we are for rather than what we are against.” Some Friends shared very personal realities, which have led them to apathy, sometimes rooted in discouragement. There was anger and the comment “I have no more room in my life to take anything on.”
We then turned to what specific actions, if any, that we might as individuals or a meeting pursue. Valerie Kaur’s talk inspired a couple of suggestions. Since Valerie said change comes through working on systems, one Friend suggested a visit with Patrick Leahy, one of Vermont’s U.S. Senators, to discuss the political realities in Washington and the move afoot to amend the electoral college act. Since Valerie Kaur says, “see no stranger,” and encourages wonder about other persons’ lives and behavior, another Friend suggested that those who are interested form a “wonder group.” Individuals in this group would speak to persons who clearly think differently about many current issues and then share with each other (and the meeting) what they learn. There also was interest in having the meeting formally endorse the Call on their website.
The meeting took up the three suggestions. First, the meeting is clear to formally endorse the Call and our clerk will go to the Urgent Call website to enter that endorsement.
With respect the “Wondering” project, we decided to encourage each other to try such conversations, as way opens. Keeping it informal, we will check in with each other occasionally and possibly hold a meeting for learning on what we are discovering. Friends might also read or listen more to Valerie Kaur who speaks a lot about wonder. Amanda Kemp, an African-American Friend, was also suggested as a resource.
Michael Wajda is interested in pursuing a visit with Senator Leahy, and possibly including other Friends from other meetings in Vermont. Michael has had some contact with Diane Randall, immediate past General Secretary of FCNL, who had numerous helpful suggestions. The meeting offers its support for Michael to work on organizing a visit with the Senator.
2022-20. Since the rhythm of the pandemic has changed, and we have currently stopped wearing masks, a question was raised whether the meeting might return to having our monthly potlucks. We are ready to begin the regular potlucks again and will do so the first Sunday in August. If need be, we will reevaluate this decision later this year.
The meeting closed with a period of worship.
Michael Wajda
Recording Clerk
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Jul 19 2022