Metamorphosis – May 2011

Metamorphosis May 2011

Meeting for Worship Sundays at 10 AM at Explorations Academy, 1701 Ellis Street, Bellingham

Phone 360-734-0244    Mailing Address  P.O. Box 30144 Bellingham, 98228-2144 Website BellinghamFriends.org

Co-Clerks: Alice Turtle Robb, (312-8234) and Judy Hopkinson (713-816-3009)

Ministry and Counsel Members:  Alice Turtle Robb (312-8234)  Lorina Hall (734-8170) , Mimi Freshley (933-4566), Janine Hart-Horner (676-6029).  Childrens Program Clerk, Jessica Bee (393-4249)

Metamorphosis Editor:  Sharon Trent (714-6141) Sharon_trent@comcast.net

 

 

Calendar

 

May 22:  Retreat – All day story telling with Lopez Island Preparative Meeting at 10:30 am, facilitated by Kathy Hyzy, Editor of Western Friend, at Quaker Cove.  (see details on page of this newsletter)—There will be no Meeting for Worship or Second Hour at Explorations Academy.

Monday May 23:  Spirit Group meets at Sharon Trent’s (714-6141) – share one of your life stories

May 29:  Memorial Day weekend, no second hour.

June 05:  Potluck

June 12:  Meeting for Worship for Business

Monday, June 13:  Discussion of Ivan Doig’s The Whistling Season at the home of Janine Hart-Horner (676-6029)

Friday, June 17:  7 pm. Soup Supper at Don Goldstein’s (671-1395)  We will listen to Kirsten Ebsen’s play about Margaret Fell.

June 19:  NPYM (North Pacific Yearly Meeting) and possible affiliation with FGC (Friends General Conference other Quaker alphabet groups.

August 7^th:  Meeting for Worship and Potluck at Whatcom Falls Park (no activities at Explorations Academy on this date.)

July 3-9: Annual Gathering of Friends General Conference in Grinnell, Iowa

 

 

 

 

Draft Minutes for Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business – May 1, 2011

Clerk:  Alice Robb; Recording Clerk:  Betty McMahon

Present:  Doris Ferm, Sharon Trent, Jeanine Hart-Horner, Virginia Herrick, Susan Richardson, Tom Hall, Howard Harris, Adam Ward, Lorina Hall, Joanne Cowan and Judy Hopkinson

 

Our Meeting for Business began with opening silence at ~ 11:40am.

 

Reflections

Howard Harris’ words of wisdom today were that when personal experiences become rules for all, they tend to die and so does the religion that backs them.

A Friend would like to hold the Meeting in the Light:  The children’s energy is missed.  One hopes that our Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business grows in focus.

 

Approval of April’s Minutes – Corrections

Your recording secretary would like to apologize for getting the following correction incorrect two months in a row:  (1) Last month’s Eco-Suggestion came out backwards in Metamorphosis:  It should have read:  Receipts printed on thermal paper (the kind that leaves a mark if you scratch it) often contain the hormone disruptor BPA.  These should not be recycled, but put in the trash. One company, Appleton Papers, is marking receipts with small red fibers to indicate that they are free of BPA.

(2) Last month’s Ministry and Counsel Report should have stated:  “a decision was reached to hold no meeting at Explorations Academy, although some of those Friends who aren’t attending the retreat might wish to arrange a meeting for worship at someone’s home.”  Also:  The offer to stay overnight applies only to the night before.

 

Committee Reports

Outreach and Welcoming Group (A subcommittee of Ministry and Counsel)

Virgina Herrick proposed the idea of holding interest groups for the purpose of making visitors to our Meeting feel more welcome.  .  Of course, these interest groups are designed for everyone, not just new attenders. The proposal was approved of by the O&V committee and brought to Ministry and Counsel which also approved the proposal.  The suggestion of interest groups was approved by the Meeting.  The proposal follows.

 

Sharing our Passions, Learning from One Another

Bellingham Friends Meeting Interest Group Proposal

 

Proposal: Bellingham Friends Meeting will offer an ongoing but revolving assortment of interest groups to foster a sense of community by helping us appreciate our varied gifts and interests, share particular aspects of our spiritual journeys, and knit newcomers into our community.

 

What: Groups of up to ten people, who will meet from one to ten sessions, at their mutual convenience, preferably at least once a month, to share an activity or subject of interest.

 

Who: Anyone who is a BFM attender can offer to facilitate an interest group (become an Interest Group Leader). Interest Group Leaders should make clear in the description if participants need to have any particular age, skill, or fitness level to participate. (For instance, hiking, skiing, etc.)

 

How:

A. Offer a group. Outreach and Welcoming will provide forms for Interest Group Leaders to fill out. Interest Group Leaders should decide in advance:

How many people can I accommodate in my interest group at one time? How few?

How many sessions will the group continue? (These groups are not ongoing.)

What is the subject of my interest group?

a. Guidelines

1. Interest groups are a manifestation of our passion for a subject or activity that enriches our lives. Some questions to consider: How does this interest fit in with my spiritual journey? How does it enrich my being? How will sharing it promote a feeling of goodwill in our community?

2. If enough people do not sign up within a six month period, the Interest Group Leader may wish to adjust the description or duration of their interest group and re-offer.

b.  Examples: Beading workshops; FCNL (Friends Committee on National Legislation); Singing; Journaling as a Spiritual Practice; Recent Quaker History.

 

B. Sign up. An Interest Group notebook with blank forms will be left in a consistent place each week after Meeting for Worship so that Friends can sign up (either to lead or to join).

 

C. Start meeting! Interest Group leaders will monitor their own sign up sheets. When they have enough people signed up, they will collect the sheet, contact the interested parties, and set up a first meeting or a schedule.

 

D. Report back. If desired, Interest Groups may decide to offer a second hour presentation about their group after it is concluded. If they don’t, the Interest Group Leader should give a brief report to Meeting for Worship for Business. Outreach and Welcoming Group will monitor the Interest Groups and keep records of which ones met for inclusion in the annual State of Society report.

 

E. Interest groups may be offered more than once.

 

Where: The Interest Group Leader will be responsible for finding a suitable location to hold their interest group. Explorations Academy is often available to the Meeting after school hours without additional charge; public parks or private homes can be a good alternative for many interest groups; public buildings such as the Senior Center and the Public Library are available for a fee. For additional suggestions or assistance, contact the Outreach and Welcoming Group.

 

Title of Interest Group: __________________________________________________

 

Leader: ______________________phone and/or email:  ________________________

 

Description:  _____________________________________________________________

 

Special skills or supplies needed by participants:  _____________________________

 

Start Date:  ____________________Duration:  _________________________________

 

Location:    ________________   Minimum/Maximum number of participants:  ___

 

Please sign up on the back if you’d like to be part of this interest group. It will begin at the mutual convenience of those who sign up, when the convener determines there are enough people to proceed. If you would like to join this group after its meetings have begun, please sign up below AND contact the Interest Group Leader. Thank you!

 

Name                                      Phone                           Email Address                        Availability*

 

1. ____________________________________________________________________

 

2. ______________________________________________________________ etc.

*It helps Interest Group Leaders to know if you are only available at certain times of the day, month, or year.

 

Nominating Committee

 

Mark Hersh has been nominated for Earth care Committee, and this nomination has been accepted for seasoning.

 

Treasurer’s Report (Don Goldstein, reported by Joanne Cowan)

The BFM Finance Committee met on April 20th, with both old and new members present.

 

During this meeting I expressed, as Treasurer, my sense of unease concerning our mutual fund investments, specifically my concern that the stock and bond markets may soon experience a substantial decline in prices due to fundamental problems in the economy.  Rob Stoops echoed this concern; at least with respect to the bond market (one of our mutual fund investments is in a bond fund) since interest rates are at historic lows and when they inevitably rise, bond prices will decline.

 

The Finance Committee reached a sense of the meeting that we should sell our bond fund position and also sell a substantial portion of one or both of our two stock mutual fund positions.  Rob checked historical information concerning the two stock mutual funds and then advised that we sell about half of our shares in each of them, along with all shares in the bond fund.  These sales were accomplished the next day, and the amount of cash realized was a little over $27,725.  We still have investments in the two stock funds with a current market value of around $15,500.  All of these assets are part of our Meetinghouse Fund, so this transaction has no effect on our operating funds at all.

 

When the committee meets next on June 1st, we will decide what to do with the cash realized from these mutual fund sales.  If Friends have investment ideas they would like us to consider, please contact me or another member of the Finance Committee during May.

 

The Meeting feels that some general discussion is required, therefore Joanne will take this concern back to the committee to bring up again next month.  All are invited to the next finance committee meeting.

 

May 22, 2011 Retreat

Lopez Joint Oversight Committee members Susan Richardson, Don Goldstein, Sharon Trent, and Iris Graville met during the recent Quarterly Meeting session to review our plans for the Retreat at Quaker Cove on May 22nd.  Kathy Hyzy, the main program facilitator for the Retreat, joined us during that meeting, and we firmed up the schedule.

 

We will be asking Friends to arrive, if possible, not later than 10:30 am so that Kathy’s Spiritual Storytelling Workshop can begin promptly at 10:45.  Older children (age 8 and above) will be welcome to join the workshop’s morning session. We will break for a potluck lunch at about 12:30 pm. The afternoon portion of the workshop will begin about 1:30 pm and continue until about 4:45 pm with a short break in mid-afternoon.  Workshop participants will break into small groups for sharing of personal stories at least once during the day.

 

There will be optional meeting for worship before the Retreat proper, from 9:15 until 10:15 am. The availability of an option to stay at Quaker Cove the night before the Retreat now depends upon whether someone volunteers to coordinate such a group, since the original proponent of this option, Allen Stockbridge, will not be able to attend any part of the event. I need to hear from such a volunteer not later than May 12th.

 

Everyone planning to attend the Retreat must register with Don, or with Iris Graville on Lopez, in advance even though there is no cost to individuals, because of the need to coordinate transportation, child care, and the potluck lunch. An announcement concerning how to register(i.e., what information is needed from you) was included in April’s Metamorphosis, as you may have already seen. It will also be sent out soon to the meeting’s email list. Alice Robb is working on a Retreat flier which will be sent out by email at the same time, and will also be available here in printed form. Since that flier will be pretty full with just the information about the overall Retreat, there will also be a second flier, to be available by May 8th, with some information about the Spiritual Storytelling Workshop and how to request more such information.

 

The Retreat’s organizing committee at this point consists of Don, for registration, carpooling and other transportation, and contact with Quaker Cove; Susan, for coordinating with Children’s Committee concerning childcare and/or a children’s program for the Retreat; Sharon, for the potluck lunch and coffee/tea/snacks to be available most of the day; Iris, for coordination of Lopez Friends and others coming from the San Juan Islands; and Alice, for the fliers and other publicity. In addition to needing a coordinator for overnight accommodations at Quaker Cove (failing which, there won’t be any), we also need a volunteer to be in charge of morning setup (primarily, signs and furniture setup) and one or two volunteers to be in charge of final cleanup at the end of the Retreat. If you are able to volunteer for one of these jobs, please contact Don at dnx57@yahoo.com or 671-1395.  <Thank you was expressed to this committee from the Meeting.>

Ministry & Counsel (Lorina Hall)Query for May 2011:  Equality pulled from Plain Living by Catherine Whitmire.  ….The divine Light is accessible to all people..

Regardless of race, sex,Age, or material wealth.

Everyone has the potential to respond to God within…

Equality is not sameness.  It is equality of respect.

Every person is a child of God.

Query:  Do I look for and recognize that of God in all people?

 

Aug. 7 BFM picnic, anyone up for saving a parks building. Whatcom Falls nice

or Fairhaven Park.  <Sharon Trent offered to book a park for our August 7, 2011 picnic.>

 

Schedule:

May 01:  Meeting for Worship for Business

May 06:  Clerk’s Potluck at the Halls’. Gather at 5:15 pm. Forks lifted at 6 pm.

May 08:  Potluck and Mothers Day (note reversal of usual schedule for business/potluck)

May 15:  Spices Equality, Howard, Virginia and Don

May 22:  Retreat – All day story telling with Lopez and facilitated by Kathy Hyzy, Editor of Western Friend, at Quaker Cove. No Meeting for Worship or Second Hour at Explorations Academy. Check Metamorphosis regarding information from Don Goldstein.

May 29:  Memorial Day weekend, no second hour.

June 05:  Potluck

June 12:  M4W4B

June 17:  Friday 7 pm. Soup Supper at Don Goldstein’s.  We will listen to Kirsten Ebsen’s play, @ Margaret Fell.

June 19:  NPYM/FGC Affiliation and other QUAKER ABCs.

June 26:  Available

July 13-17: NPYM Yearly Meeting in Tacoma.  See NPYM.org to register.

 

A Letter of transfer of membership was presented regarding Judy Hopkinson, from Live Oak Meeting (TX) to Bellingham Friends Meeting.  This transfer is enthusiastically accepted for seasoning.

 

Friends Earth Care Committee (Doris Ferm)

 

1.  QUERY OF THE MONTH: Do we seek to transform our daily lives to minimize consumption? (NPYM 1998)

 

2. SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER:  Please write to Mayor Dan Pike, or if it is more pertinent to where you live, to the mayor of Fern dale or Lyndon, protesting plans to bring up to 9 long coal trains a day through Bellingham to a new shipping terminal at Cherry Point. Coal from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming would be shipped to China, whence the particulates and air pollution resulting from its burning would blow back here, to be added to the coal dust from the trains and the port. There are also concerns about the Cherry Point herring, where numbers are already down. Please see Whatcom Watch for April 2011 ( Vol 20, # 4) which can be accessed at www.whatcomwatch.org.   Also refer to www.resources.org.  Letters to the editor and to your representatives on city and county councils are also important.

 

3. Last month’s Eco-Suggestion came out backwards in Metamorphosis. It should have read: Receipts printed on thermal paper (the kind that leaves a mark if you scratch it) often contain the hormone disruptor BPA.  These should not be recycled. Put in the trash. One company, Appleton Papers, is marking receipts with small red fibers to indicate that they are FREE of BPA.

 

4. QUAKER FUN FIELD TRIP:  John Horner will lead a bird walk to Scudder Pond on May 7, 2011.  Meet at the parking area (almost across from Bloedel Donovan Park) at 8:30 am. It’s right in town, and there are reported a large number of species there, including an eagle nest!

 

The next committee will be June 1, 2011 at 7 pm, Doris’.

 

Announcements and Member Concerns

Write to your congressman about the desire to eliminate poverty in America versus creating it in other countries. (FCNL)

Please see FCNL.org for “10 reasons why Congress should cut the Pentagon budget.”

We are holding some Lopez members and attenders in the Light.  Also, we have circulated a card for our own member, Allen Stockbridge, and are holding Kristin McLewin and Tony in the light.  Let us please remember to address our Clerk and have a minimum amount of cross conversation.

 

Clerk’s Concerns

Alice is “glad to be clerk, again!”  Please send in your reports for business meeting no later than the Thursday prior to the meeting.  Committees, please meet early enough in the month to do this.