December 2023 Business Meeting Minutes
Posted: under Minutes from Meeting for Business.
Bennington Friends Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business
December 17, 2023
Present: Timmy Bullock, clerk, Auberta Galusha, Priscilla Tracy, Juliet Wright, Julie Snow, Alison Levie, 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 quotation from John Punshon:
The Meeting for business cannot be understood in isolation; it is a spiritual discipline.
The recording clerk read the minutes from our October 15 meeting for business for information.
2023-31. Priscilla Tracy reported for Ministry and Counsel. The committee reviewed a recommendation from Timmy Bullock to consider differing versions of the Lord’s Prayer as a topic for a future meeting for learning. Friends wondered out loud how such an exercise could help us. Timmy has a handout of alternative versions, and one possibility would be for individuals to rewrite the prayer in their own words. The meeting approved having Timmy facilitate such a session on the fourth Sunday in February 2024.
2023-32. Michael Wajda reported on his research into finding a New Testament Bible study leader, and how such a study might be focused. Gretchen Castle, Dean at the Earlham School of Religion, put Michael in touch with April Vanlonden, a staff member at ESR and an experienced Bible Study leader. Michael had several email exchanges with April and an hour-long Zoom visit with her to explore the possibilities.
April’s suggestions included:
- Starting with An Introduction to the New Testament curriculum, preceded by one session on “How to Study the Bible.”
- This would be a nine-session commitment, 90 minutes each, every other week.
- April would welcome an honorarium of approximately $50 – $100 a session.
- She could be available to start this study sometime early in the new year.
- If we meet on a weekday, April prefers 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. A weekend time might also be available.
Michael distributed a handout describing the participant’s book for the curriculum that April would use. It costs $16.99. He also read the following comments from April explaining her approach:
The curriculum is decidedly Christian and there are parts that are not necessarily the way those of us from the Quaker persuasion would approach them. I take liberty with these canned curriculums and insert what I hope will be helpful for a wider variety of approaches. I also include different views and approaches to the topic at hand. This Disciple series was constructed by Biblical and Theological Scholars, and I find that it lifts the study to a level that would satisfy your meeting’s expressed interests.
The meeting would like to move ahead with arranging for this study and asks Michael to poll those interested in participating about the best weekday or weekend time to coordinate with April. A suggestion of Thursday evenings will be given priority. The meeting will offer April $10.00 per person per session with an additional $25.00 per session from the meeting. Michael will order the books for the meeting and will be reimbursed. We may decide to offer a few slots to other members of the quarterly meeting.
2023-33. The meeting has been asked to consider dates on which we could help to provide food for one of the Bennington weekly Sunday Suppers organized by the 2nd Congregational Church. It is again being suggested that we partner with the Bennington County Peace and Justice organization to provide the meal. The dates being offered are Sunday, March 3l (Easter); April 12; April 19; June 16; and June 30. The Newbolds will be helping as servers on March 31 and June 30. The meeting chooses March 31 and Timmy will let Marsh Hudson-Knapp know our decision and will be in touch with Peace and Justice.
2023-34. The Legacy Granting Committee of New England Yearly Meeting has distributed a survey about their granting programs and is seeking input from individuals and meetings. Bennington members were invited to review the online questionnaire and to offer any suggestions that we can pass on to the committee. The important questions concern priority funding areas and overall feedback on the usefulness of these grants. The meeting was pleased with the grants focused on meeting energy savings improvements, including solar arrays, and any efforts related to climate change and food insecurity. There also was support for grants for young people and traveling ministries. The meeting sees value in continuing this granting program. Timmy and Michael will complete the questionnaire on behalf of the meeting.
2023-35. As has been its practice, the Friends Committee on National Legislation has invited meetings to offer input on its legislative priorities for the 119th U.S. Congressional (2025-26) season. The clerk is asking the meeting if and how we want to respond to this invitation. We will hold off deciding on our involvement until our January meeting for business.
The meeting closed with a period of worship.
Michael Wajda
Recording Clerk
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Dec 17 2023