Sarasota Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
Volume II, Issue 5
BULLETIN
April/May 2007
APRIL/MAY CLERK’S CORNER AND QUERY
Query for Fourth Month: Unity Within Meeting
Are love and unity maintained among you?
Do you manifest a forgiving spirit and a care for the reputation of others?
When differences arise are endeavors made to settle them in a spirit of love?
Are you patient and considerate towards those whom you find it hard to like or understand?
Do you respect that of God in each one, though it may be expressed in unfamiliar ways or may be difficult to discern?
Greetings Friends,
March and April have seen a great deal of vibrance and
light around Sarasota Monthly Meeting. The Quaker Market
held on March 31 was a resounding success. The meetinghouse
was filled with “recycled” items for sale, interesting speakers,
tables from various groups and organizations, and a delicious
home cooked lunch. I would like to thank everyone who
participated or donated items for helping to make the Quaker
Market such a success. I would also like to thank Sharon
Fitzpatrick for her leadership in conceiving the idea of
“growing” the Market from a flea market to what one Friend
described as a “festival atmosphere.” Sharon also worked
tirelessly to make her dream a reality along with the help of the
many Friends who pitched in to make Quaker Market an event
to remember.
A contingent of Friends from our meeting traveled to
Leesburg, Florida for the 45th gathering of the yearly business
meeting for Southeastern Yearly Meeting from April 4-8. A
highlight of the weekend was Arthur Larrabee, noted Friend
from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, who gave a two part
workshop on clerking and spoke about Quaker Leadership for
the Walton Lecture on Saturday evening. The Larrabee
workshop was very timely, as SEYM grappled with a complex
and emotional issue which tested SEYM’s commitment to
Quaker process. The question of whether or not to remain
affiliated with Friends United Meeting (FUM) monopolized the
SEYM gathering this year. While Friends were in unity that
FUM’s discriminatory personnel policy is not in line with
Quaker values, the Meeting was divided about what action to
take. After much discernment extending into the late hours of
Saturday night, a minute was approved that SEYM suspend its
membership with FUM for two years during which time no
financial contributions will be made and no representative will
attend FUM general board meetings. If SEYM is unable to
reach unity on this issue after this two-year period we will
permanently drop our membership with FUM. This was a
learning experience for all involved.
In the light,
Rolf Hanson
Sarasota Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
Meeting House: 3139 57th Street, Sarasota, Florida / Mail: PO Box 2292, Sarasota, FL 34230-2292
941.358.5759
http//sarasota.quaker.org
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MEETING FOR WORSHIP WITH CONCERN FOR BUSINESS
April 22, 2007
Present: Carol Bechtel, Shannon Blount, Marie Condon,
Bob Condon, Eric Connors, Don Cumming, Anne
DeArment, Dan De Arment, Sharon Fitzpatrick, Lou
Godio, Rolf Hanson, Marie Hausman, Dave Hilsheimer,
Chuck Hollen, Ruth Ann Lamb, Nancyrose Logan, Ed
Martin, Fern Mayo, Mimi McAdoo, Maxe Millery, Pat
Murphy, David Rakyta, Freddie Windriver.
As requested by Presiding Clerk Rolf Hanson the
Meeting settled into worship at 11:30 AM. After silence
Recording Clerk Carol Bechtel read the query for the
fourth month, on Mutual Care. Comments on outreach
and reading the queries at Meeting for Worship followed.
The possibility of an Outreach Committee was raised for
the second time. A Trustee said that having an ad in the
paper was being considered. The following matters were
referred to Ministry& Worship Committee: whether and
when to read the queries, need for greeters, and
latecomers’ entrance into Meeting for Worship.
Carol read the numbered Minutes and other
pertinent information from the March meeting.
On behalf of Trustees, Ed Martin requested that
budget requests for FY2007-2008 be submitted to Eric
Connors this week so that Trustees can look at the
proposed budget at their meeting on May 6.
Eric Connors, Co-Treasurer, gave the Treasurer’s
Report, which he had printed and handed out. He
announced that the Meeting made $790 at Quaker Market.
A donation was received from Charles Oldham in memory
of Merrick Woodward. Eric will write a note of thanks on
behalf of the Meeting.
Dave Hilsheimer reported for the Meeting House
Committee in the absence of Clerk Lesley Jacobs. Dave
began by saying that he had been pressed into service as
Co-Clerk. While the Meeting House Committee and the
Peace and Social Concerns Committee have not had a joint
meeting to discuss making space available to the Peace
Education and Action Center, Dave and Sharon
Fitzpatrick have had many conversations. Meeting House
Committee fully endorses the use of the Meeting House by
PEAC; however, the business arrangement raised
considerations and options.
Minute 1:04:07: Sarasota Monthly Meeting
endorses the extension of the mission of its Peace and
Social Concerns committee by sharing space--in the form
of once-per-week office space, storage space and space for
intermittent special events--for one year to the Peace
Education and Action Center, Inc. The Meeting requires
that PEAC obtain its own insurance coverage, which
should list the Meeting as “an additional insured,” and
provide the Meeting with a “certificate of insurance.”
Other items from Meeting House Committee
were news that three benches have been refinished, with
one in the First Day School Room to go. The committee
will also look into a plaque for the benches and a case for
Quaker relics also received from Augusta.
The Ministry and Worship Committee report was
given by Clerk Fern Mayo, who said the committee has
decided to defer further adult religious education programs
until the fall, and that the need for Inquirers’ sessions will
be assessed in the fall. She said that a letter of request for
membership had been received by Sharon Fitzpatrick and
that a Clearness Committee was in the process of being
formed.
There was no report from Peace and Social
Concerns other than the decisions discussed about PEAC.
A Friend’s request that the Meeting engage in outreach to
the local Muslim community was referred, along with
several suggestions from other Friends, to the committee.
Since the matter has a relation to Ministry and Worship,
Fern volunteered the help of her committee.
Minute 2:04:07: The Nominating Committeeformed new Pastoral Care Committee, consisting of Ruth
Ann Lamb, Ed Martin, Mimi McAdoo, and Maxe Millery,
was approved by the Meeting.
Discussion revealed that clarification of the
mission of the Pastoral Care Committee is needed.
Members of the new committee and Ministry and Worship
will meet after potluck next week to accomplish this. In
addition, it was raised that the mission and scope of all the
committees are unclear. Pat Murphy, Clerk of Nominating,
said he is working on a draft of a document that answers
this need, which Nominating Committee will bring to the
Meeting.
Pat also reported that David Rakyta was approved
by Nominating as a member on Meeting House
Committee and that Jim Weston has laid down his
membership in that committee.
There were no other committee reports.
Old Business: Rolf Hanson gave a report from
Southeastern Yearly Meeting, in which he described his
and Ann Sundberg’s participation in an ad hoc committee
attempting to make a recommendation to the plenary
session on retaining membership in or disassociation from
Friends United Meeting & the anguished statement that
resulted. Rolf and other Friends who had attended the
SEYM Gathering described as painful the process of
arriving at a Minute in the plenary session. The minute
states that SEYM will suspend membership in FUM, and
payments thereto, for two years, therefore sending no
representatives to Board Meetings. After two years if there
is not unity within SEYM, the suspension will be made
permanent. The money not spent is to be used for FUMrelated concerns, and any individual or Meeting that wishes
to continue dialogue with FUM is encouraged to do so.
New Business: A Statement on Gender Issues
written by Maxe Millery was read by Pat Murphy. The
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concern was referred to Peace and Social Concerns, with
Sharon stating that the committee would schedule a
viewing of the video recommended in Maxe’s statement.
After silence, the Meeting closed at 1:20 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Carol Bechtel, Recording Clerk
COMMITTEE REPORTS
EARTHCARE: Clerk: Fran Palmeri
Quaker Market and More
Thanks to brilliant innovative thinking by Sharon and
everyone pitching in, the Market was a big success. There
is always room for improvement, more innovations and
changes.
How can we do better? How often should we have it?
What would you like to see happen there (or not happen)?
Please email suggestions to Fran Palmeri at
franpalmeri@comcast.net. or write them down and give
them to me at Meeting
Thanks!
NOMINATING COMMITTEE: Clerk: Pat Murphy
The Nominating Committee recommended, pursuant to
proposal by the Committee on Ministry and Worship,
formation of a Pastoral Care Committee. Members who
have agreed to serve on the new committee are:
Ruth Ann Lamb
Ed Martin
Maxe Millery
Mimi McAdoo
Mimi agreed to convene the new Committee's first
meeting, at which a Clerk will be elected. Fern Mayo
suggested that she arrange a meeting between the new
committee's members and Ministry and Worship, to work
out the concerns and objectives of the new committee.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Rick Farmer, and Bob and Marie Condon are
interested in learning whether there is interest within the
Meeting for people to be in regular contact with our
members in Congress. We will be working with FCNL, the
Friends Committee on National Legislation, our Quaker
lobbying group in Washington.
There are 2 ways to do this. Since the anthrax
scare, all letters sent to Congress must go to Ohio to be
tested, then sent back to Washington, a process that
according to FCNL, can take up to 5 weeks. Therefore
letters should be of a long range concern. E-mail and
phone calls are now the acceptable form of
communication for current legislation.
We propose that for folks who want to use e-mail
we will have a monthly action for them to do, using e-mail
to contact them.
For folks who wish to write a letter, we will have a
prepared packet to distribute one a month. We estimate
that each action will require a 20 -30 minute time
commitment each month.
If this is something you are interested in, please
contact one of us.
The Open Door Homeless Shelter has
experienced tremendous growth for a variety of reasons.
While not many of us can work there, one thing we can do
is keep in mind that they always need socks--homeless
people's feet take a lot of punishment! Used or new, as
long as they are clean, they are welcome. I will be glad to
deliver them, if people would like to bring them to
Meeting.
Peace and Social Concerns Committee hosts
an evening about Friends Peace Teams (FPT), with
speakers Cece Yocum, Tampa Bay area's own international
peacemaker, along with FPT volunteer coordinator, Val
Liveoak from San Antonio, and Alba Luz Arrienta Cabrales,
Presbyterian peacemaker from Bogota, Colombia. Join us on
May 23rd at the Meetinghouse starting at 7pm.
Maxe Millery introduced the following statement at
Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business on 22
April, 2007. It was referred to the Peace & Social Concerns
Committee for discussion and development of a project for
assisting Friends to become more knowledgeable about this
important issue.
Statement On Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender Issues
By Maxe Millery
As expressed at the previous business meeting, I feel
that the time is ripe for Friends at Sarasota Monthly Meeting
to increase awareness and concern for
Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender issues.
I would like us to start having heart to heart
conversations about the oppression and violence that the
GLBT community still endures, and how we, as "seekers of
Truth", might be called to witness. I view the FUM personnel
policy as a wake-up call for the Religious Society of Friends.
Did you know that 90 percent of 13 to 18-year-old GLBT
students have been harassed or assaulted?
The path of silence in the face of abuse and injustice is a
frightening choice for us. I strongly believe that Quakers are
called to lead a peace movement to challenge heterosexual
privilege.
Maybe a good place for us at SMM to start might be
to make the time to view the educational video " On Growing
up Gay " by Brian McNaught. It gives strong insight into the
GLBT struggle.
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Three-Month Quaker Calendar
June 2007
6/3/07
Trustees/Finance meet before Worship
Meeting for Worship 10:00 am
Adult Religious Education 11:30am
6/10/07
Meeting for Worship 10:00am
Committee Meetings 11:30am
6/17/07
Meeting for Worship 10:00am
Business Meeting immediately following
6/24/07
Meeting for Worship 10:00am
Potluck 11:30
Adult Religious Education
7/15/07
Meeting for Worship 10:00am
Business Meeting immediately following
7/22/07
Meeting for Worship 10:00am
Potluck 11:30
Adult Religious Education
7/29/07
Meeting for Worship 10:00am
August 2007
8/5/07
July 2007
8/12/07
7/1/07
Trustees/Finance meet before Worship
Meeting for Worship 10:00am
Adult Religious Education 11:30am
7/8/07
Meeting for Worship 10:00am
Committee Meetings 11:30am
8/19/07
8/26/07
Sarasota Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of
Friends
PO Box 2292
Sarasota FL 34230-2292
TO:
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Trustees/Finance meet before Worship
Meeting for Worship 10:00 am
Adult Religious Education 11:30am
Meeting for Worship 10:00am
Committee Meetings 11:30am
Meeting for Worship 10:00am
Business Meeting immediately following
Meeting for Worship 10:00am
Potluck 11:30
Adult Religious Education