Metamorphosis
October 2010
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: Mimi Freshley, (933-4566) and Susan Richardson (733-5477), Ministry and Counsel Members: Mimi Freshley, Alice Robb (366-6005), Dorrie Jordan and Howard Harris (733-9071), Childrens Program Clerk, Jessica Bee (393-4249)
Metamorphosis Editor: Sharon Trent (714-6141) Sharon_trent@comcast.net
Query for October
Do we keep our lives uncluttered with things and activities, and avoid commitments beyond our strength and light? Is the life of our Meeting so ordered that it helps us simplify our personal lives? Do we order our individual lives so as to nourish our spiritual growth?
Faith and Practice page 48
Schedule
October 24 Doris Ferm, Care of Meeting, Joanne Cowan, Greeter
2nd hour: FWCC: Global Change Queries – Friends Earthcare Committee
October 31 2nd hour: Intergenerational Activity
November 7 – Daylight Saving Time ends: Set your clock back to Pacific Standard Time Sharon Trent-Care of Meeting, Tom Hall-Greeter
2nd hour: Potluck
November 14 – Meeting for Worship for Business
November 21 – 2nd Hour – SPICES program on Peace
November 28: 2nd Hour – Don Goldstein and Annelise Pysanky will provide a second hour on “Weaving Community and Welcoming the Soul.”
December 5: Potluck
December 12: Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business
December 19: Children’s Program
December 26: no second hour
ECO-SUGGESTION OF THE MONTH
Because there is not much time now to make the changes needed to keep global temperature rise under 2 degrees; because higher temperatures will lead to greater melting of permafrost with consequent release of methane gas which will add drastically to global warming; because this would cause unimaginable suffering and call into question our ability to continue to live on this Earth; and because there is no leadership coming from our politicians, let us then get up out of our comfort zones and SPEAK OUT – to family, neighbors, politicians, and anyone else who will listen! As Bill McKibben says, the urgent “task at hand is to keep the planet from melting.”
INTERFAITH COALITION’S WINTER COAT DRIVE
Join us for Interfaith Coalition’s annual winter coat drive. This successful program brings warm coats to people in need throughout the county.
Please bring clean, good quality winter coats, hats, gloves and mittens to the worship services this month. Children’s coats are especially needed. I can take clothing as late as October October 27th. Please call and I’ll pick up donations Many people appreciate this program because they don’t have to spend their limited income on a coat or go without one through the winter.
Thanks for sharing the warmth! Sharon Trent, Interfaith Representative 714-6141
SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER
The Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976 (TSCA) has not kept Americans safe. The 62,000 chemicals “grand fathered in” when TSCA became law have never been tested, and in the years since, EPA has only required 200 to submit to safety tests, and has banned only 5! Many known and suspected carcinogens are entirely unregulated. The Safe Chemicals Act of 2010, in both House and Senate, would require safety data on all industrial chemicals presently in use, with the burden of proof that they are safe for people and planet on the industries. Please demand that your Congress people pass the strongest possible version of this crucial bill.
Draft Minutes for Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business – October 10, 2010
Clerk: Mimi Freshley
Recording Clerk: Betty McMahon
Present: Howard Harris, Don Goldstein, Virginia Herrick, Doris Ferm, Sharon Trent, Dave Hopkinson, Judy Hopkinson, Kristin McLewin, Allen Stockbridge, Jessica Bee, JoAnn Cowan, Kim Schuster, & Dorrie Jordan
Our Meeting for Business began with opening silence at 11:35 a.m.
Our History – Howard Harris
Howard shared from the book, Windows for a Crown Prince. The book describes the Japanese culture, and reads that individuals can accomplish a lot. After World War II and Japan’s surrender, many of Japan’s citizens were starving. The American Friends Service Committee sent food, and there was a Quaker Meeting in Japan at this time. Japan’s emperor was revered, even though the military gained more power, and he requested an American woman to come to Japan to tutor the Crown Prince (11 years old) in English. This woman, Elizabeth Gray Vining, was a Quaker. She not only accomplished her goal with the Crown Prince but also tutored other children and gave speeches as well. Thus, a Quaker influence was felt among some of the Japanese population.
Our Future – Let us hold the Children’s Program in the Light as it goes through some transitions.
Let us speak out in favor of our Earth in response to the effects of global warming.
Agenda Review – The agenda was approved as adjusted.
Approval of Minutes – The minutes from September were approved with the following corrections: The correct spelling for Ms. Mott’s first name is Lucretia; In the expenses section, the Treasurer’s report should read Hospitality supplies rather than Hospitality supplied.
Committee Reports
Meetinghouse (Allen Stockbridge)
The Meetinghouse Scout (Allen Stockbridge) invited interested members/attenders from BFM to a meeting to discuss his work to date. This meeting was on Sept 23rd from 4:30 – 6 pm at the home of Judy and Dave Hopkinson. Present were Allen Stockbridge (Convener), Dave Hopkinson, Judy Hopkinson, Annelise Pysanky, Allan Richardson and Susan Richardson.
The meeting opened in silence after which we discussed the qualities and attributes that might be desired in a new temporary or permanent meeting location. In no particular order or ranking of importance or likelihood, the considerations are: seating for at least 50 people; large enough for usage by our meeting for other Meeting activities like weddings, memorial services, large groups, etc.; versatility; aesthetically pleasing; simple; minimum of 3 classrooms; teen space; kitchen; dining area; vestibule/foyer before entering the Meeting space; visitor welcoming area; library; green building features; outdoor play area; outdoor worship space; quiet; community grader area; easily locatable by visitors; handicapped accessible; accessible via public transportation; centrally locate; possible use by other sympathetic groups in the greater Bellingham community such as schools, pre-school, WP&JC, yoga, tai chi, aikido, other religious groups, AVP, mediation center, Transition Whatcom, etc.; suitable for warden/caretaker to live on site; low maintenance; ample parking; light; nature visible from the inside looking out; cemetery/memorial garden; piano; AV system for movies, meetings, etc.; wifi; dishwasher; espresso and computer space.
We made a list of properties that have been brought to the attention of the Meeting for consideration for purchase (P) or lease (L).
P Jewish Synagogue at 2200 Broadway
L Norway Hall at 1419 N Forest Street
L The Elks Club at 710 Samish Way
P 519 East Maple Street
L YWCA
P Church at F Street and Irving
L Waldorf School at 941 Austin Street
? 2500 Alabama (7th Day Adventist)
There is broad interest in visiting the Jewish Synagogue when it can be scheduled. Allen will call Jeff Jaffe to schedule the visit.
There is also an interest in driving around town and visiting existing churches to identify which ones would meet our needs should they ever become available. Annelise and Allen agreed to do this driving tour at a mutually convenient time.
The meeting closed after a brief period of silence just after 6 pm.
Everyone is encouraged to bring attributes of the desired building and possible locations to Allen Stockbridge for consideration by this group.
Subsequently, Allen scheduled a visit for interested parties to visit the Jewish Synagogue on Oct 19th at 2 pm. (car pool and meet at the Synagogue).
Ad Hoc Outreach Committee (Allen Stockbridge)
The Ad Hoc Outreach Committee met for its first meeting at the home of Howard Harris on Sept 23rd from 2-3:30 pm. Present were Howard Harris, Allen Stockbridge (Convener), Dave Hopkinson, Dan Goldstein and Virginia Herrick.
We each spoke in rich detail about our interest in outreach. There was a sense of personal and BFM duty to create visibility, encourage visitors, be welcoming as a Meeting, have appropriate systems (guest book, follow up, etc.) and materials available, and be intentional about outreach.
We reviewed the current position of Outreach related work within the BFM committee structure, and realize that M&C is the primary place for this area of concern at the present time.
There is interest in inreach as an important first step for any intentional outreach programs by BFM. Allen will bring materials from the FGC Advancement and Outreach Committee on Inreach/Outreach Workshop (for which he was trained as a facilitator). The Ad Hoc Committee can then consider if this type of workshop should be proposed to the Business Meeting in the future.
The next meeting is scheduled for October 14th at 10 -11:30 a.m. at the home of Howard Harris.
Action items to be completed prior to the meeting include:
Creating a draft of a guest book page with additional information requested – Don
Prepare and disseminate materials about the Inreach/Outreach workshops in anticipation of our next meeting – Allen
Consider the current and alternative committee structures to incorporate a more vigorous undertaking in the area of outreach – Virginia
Invite attenders and previous guests to attend the Spices programs in the future, giving as much notice as possible – Dave
Review materials available for visitors to take away (and for use at Farmers Market, etc.) and prepare to discuss choices at the next meeting – Howard and Allen
We closed in silence just after 3:30 pm.
Ministry & Counsel
Query – page 48 in Faith and Practice – Do we keep our lives uncluttered with things and activities, and avoid commitments beyond our strength and light? Is the life of our Meeting so ordered that it helps us simplify our personal lives? Do we order our individual lives so as to nourish our spiritual growth?
Alice Robb has decided to take three months off M&C and then reassess where she is. She will continue to be a key person and forward e-mails. {Light and gratitude was expressed to Alice.
The Meeting should temporarily direct their M&C concerns to Mimi Freshley in the interim. The next fully attended M&C meeting will decide upon a substitute clerk for this committee.}
Ministry and Counsel would like to nominate Judy Hopkinson to nominating committee. Judy Hopkinson’s nomination for Nominating Committee (December 2010-2013) was approved for seasoning.
Second hour schedule:
October 17: First SPICES program is on Simplicity. There will be a half hour of worship before program starts. John Helding will be leading this session and then will meet with people who are interested in leading other parts of the program in the afternoon. We will send out email to remind people of schedule change.
October 24: FWCC: Global Change Queries – FEC
October 31: Intergenerational second hour (?)
November 7: Potluck
November 14: Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business
November 21: SPICES
November 28: Don and Annelise will provide a second hour on “Weaving Community and Welcoming the Soul.”
December 5: Potluck
December 12: Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business
December 19: Children’s Program
December 26: no second hour
Margie’s carpool: Alice is willing to pick up Margie once a month. Doris may be willing to do it once a month. Mimi and Dorrie will try to split coordinating who is driving. Alice will send out another email asking people to contact one of us if they are willing to drive occasionally.
Emergency phone tree for closing down Meeting: Key people will make the decision on whether or not to have Meeting due to weather. We need to discuss exactly how to have it work. Alice could send out an email and people could check for this is the weather is questionable. The plan is: Key person will call M&C people; Alice will send out an email; check your email first, if you have a question then you should call M&C member to ask. {The Meeting made some suggestions regarding how to handle this as simply as possible, and the committee will discuss these at their next meeting.}
The next M&C meeting will tentatively be November 1st or October 25, on a Monday.
Children’s Program – (Dave Hopkinson)
All items are informational:
The CPC welcomes new members: Christina Crosetti and Kristen McLewin
Child Caregivers will be paid for one hour when no children attend (effective September 1, 2010).
Parent Sign-In: A bound composition book will be used for sign-in, kept as a record.
Christina will create a Child Registry form for the purpose of identifying 1) allergies and 2) permission to pick up. Children’s allergy information from Child Registry will be posted in kitchen near the food and snacks.
Kristen has volunteered to schedule teachers for the Children’s Program.
The SPICES program (October 17th and November 1st):
The SPICES presentation will be an extended first hour of worship. Children will attend briefly at the beginning of Meeting. Brook will do an extended children’s program so that parents can attend adult SPICES.
It’s been approved that Brooke Friswold’s new salary well be retroactive as of September 1, 2010.
Next meeting: Wednesday, October 27th, 7:30, Dave and Judy Hopkinsons’ home.
Submitted by Jessica Bee and David Hopkinson, Co-clerks
Nominating Committee – (Virginia Herrick)
1. (Information): Hooray! All the job descriptions for committees and other positions in the Meeting have been reviewed and returned to me. Thank you and a pat on the back to everyone for helping with this housekeeping duty.
2. (Discussion/Action): We had a rather unusual committee meeting this month, because Sharon was unable to come at the last minute, so I tried to fill her in by phone. As a result, I’m not sure this item qualifies as having been discussed by the whole committee, because I think I forgot to mention it to Sharon. But I would like to get a little feedback from the Meeting, and then we can take it back to committee if there is a lack of unity. It has come to my attention that reviewing the job descriptions every year is burdensome to some Friends. I would like to propose that, since committee clerks generally serve for two years, the job descriptions be reviewed every time a new clerk takes on the position, and other roles review their job description every two years or whenever someone new takes the job.
3. (Information): Hospitality Committee has requested another member. That means Nominating Committee is looking for someone who enjoys being hospitable, and doesn’t mind coming a little before Worship to set up, and staying a little after to clean up. This committee rarely has a meeting, so if you prefer hands-on work to attending meetings, this committee might be for you. If you have a leading toward this work, or know of a Friend who might, please let a member of Nominating Committee know. (Virginia Herrick, vherrick@q.com; Lorina Hall; or Sharon Trent.) Meanwhile, help support our Hospitality Committee by washing your own dishes and putting them in the dish rack, and assisting with restoration of the space.
4. (Information): Nominating Committee is continuing to work on the question of the best way to incorporate a lot of energy in the Meeting for outreach and inreach into our existing committee structure. We are in discussion with Ministry and Counsel at this time. One possibility, which has been mentioned a number of times and in various settings, is the option of transitioning from a Ministry and Counsel committee to the other model outlined by Faith and Practice, of having both a Ministry and Worship Committee and an Oversight and Membership committee. We have not reached clarity that that is the best measure to undertake at this time, given the size of the Meeting and the number of people active in the Meeting. So we are continuing to look at other possible ways to organize ourselves to do the work to which Friends are led. We anticipate having a report for Meeting next month. Stay Tuned!
Friends Earthcare – (Doris Ferm)
1. ECO-SUGGESTION OF THE MONTH: Because there is not much time now to make the changes needed to keep global temperature rise under 2 degrees; because higher temperatures will lead to greater melting of permafrost with consequent release of methane gas which will add drastically to global warming; because this would cause unimaginable suffering and call into question our ability to continue to live on this Earth; and because there is no leadership coming from our politicians, let us then get up out of our comfort zones and SPEAK OUT – to family, neighbors, politicians, and anyone else who will listen! As Bill McKibben says, the urgent “task at hand is to keep the planet from melting.”
2. SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER: The Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976 (TSCA) has not kept Americans safe. The 62,000 chemicals “grand fathered in” when TSCA became law have never been tested, and in the years since, EPA has only required 200 to submit to safety tests, and has banned only 5! Many known and suspected carcinogens are entirely unregulated. The Safe Chemicals Act of 2010, in both House and Senate, would require safety data on all industrial chemicals presently in use, with the burden of proof that they are safe for people and planet on the industries. Please demand that your Congress people pass the strongest possible version of this crucial bill.
3. FEC has cooperated in the 10-10-10 efforts in Bellingham by purchasing and donating two apple trees to Explorations Academy for their garden in Fairhaven Park.
4. Budget recommendations for 2011: we ask for $100 for QEW and $25 for Whatcom Land Trust, as last year, while recognizing that Meeting’s shortage of funds may necessitate reducing these amounts.
5. We will work in close contact with Peace & Social Concerns Committee, rather than recombining, as has been suggested.
6. In January of 2010, Olympia Friends Meeting organized Friendly Water for the World. By using biosand water filters, an “elegantly simple technology can remove 95-99% of bacteria and viruses as well as metals,” and provide pure water. Filters are inexpensive ($50 for a family), made of locally available materials, and will work for up to 30 years with little or no maintenance needed. The recent training in Anacortes attracted more than 40 participants from five states and British Columbia. Trainings have also been held in India and Africa, and the filters are in use in more than two-dozen countries.
7. There will be a joint Peace & Social Concerns/FEC soup supper October 11, 6:00, at Betty McMahon’s to view and discuss a brief film about how communities are overcoming corporate power. Please bring bread and butter, a salad or dessert.
8. The conference on global change held in Cochabamba, Bolivia in April included full participation by civil society as well as by national delegates. The main points coming out of this conference will be part of the negotiations to be held in Cancun in Nov.-Dec., a major victory! There will be several Quakers present in what is expected to be a very contentious, even dangerous, situation.
9. The next meeting will be Nov. 2 at Doris’ at 7:00 pm.
Peace and Social Concerns –
The committee reviewed our job description and decided to add: 1) in addition to social networking with various social groups we will also co-sponsor relevant events and 2) there are times we will work in close collaboration with Earthcare Committee when issues and/or concerns overlap. This might include second hours or soup suppers, etc.
The committee reviewed our annual budget and decided our recommendations for donations will remain the same. If the meeting cannot afford the suggested amounts, all amounts should be reduced equally across the board.
The committee decided our concern of the month would be WA Jobs for Justice- a local social action organization dealing with labor issues.
The committee discussed the October 11th soup supper. We each were to review various topics & DVDs to decide which would best facilitate discussion on corporatism. Later in the week it was decided we would cover material Judy received at a workshop on change and social justice.
Our next meeting will be October 27th at Doris’s house.
Treasurer’s Report and Discussion (Don Goldstein)
Account balances at end of Third Quarter, 2010:
WECU – TOTAL 16,248.94
General Checking 1,934.29
General Savings 1,135.38
Meeting House Fund Savings 2,624.60
Scholarship/FGC Gathering Fund 1,785.72 (FGC=1,464.43)
Meeting House Fund CD, matures in October 2012 8,768.95
Whidbey Island Bank – TOTAL 11,238.85
24-month CD, matures July 2012 3,803.53
24-month CD, matures September 2012 3,803.52
24-month CD, matures April 2011 3,631.80
Scottrade – TOTAL (Close of market 9/29/10) 38,182.37
Ariel Fund 11,969.53
Calvert Social Investment Bond Fund 12,214.94
Parnassus Equity Income Fund 13,997.90
GRAND TOTAL 65,670.16
9/30/10 6/30/10 Gain (loss) for Quarter
Operating funds 3,069.67 3,130.25 (60.58)
Scholarship/
FGC Gathering funds 1,785.72 1,658.58 127.14
Meeting House funds 60,814.77 57,153.90 3,660.87
Narrative:
1. The small loss in operating funds was caused by payment of several of our annual donations out to other organizations early in this quarter. Donations to the meeting have been better this quarter than for similar periods earlier in the year. Operating funds have now recovered enough so that about $500 of the additional budgeted donations out, on hold since the end of July, can be paid during October with our going below the 15%-of-budget minimum balance.
2. The gain in scholarship/sponsorship funds was caused by additional contribu¬tions to the FGC Gathering Fund. A scholarship payment of $100 was made during July.
3. The gain in Meeting House funds was caused by increases in the values of our market investments in all three mutual funds, plus interest received on our WECU CD and the Whidbey Island Bank CDs. Two of the 3 CDs at Whidbey Island Bank have been rolled over for new 24-month terms, as there is nothing better available to us at this time.
4. The remainder of this report is a two-page comparison of budgeted versus actual income and expenses through the end of September 2010, by line item. It is included in the emailing to BFM Friends on the “business” email list, but (for space reasons) not in the version submitted for printing in Octo¬ber’s Metamorphosis. If you would like a copy and did not receive one by email, contact Don Goldstein (671-1395, dnx57@yahoo.com).
The comparison shows that, through 75% of the year, we have received 82.7% of budgeted income (which did not include unpledged donations) and have made 64.5% of budgeted expenditures. Some of the shortfall in expenditures is because only 52% of budgeted donations out have been made so far. If we were now “on track” for donations out, the expenditures at this point would instead be 67.9% of those budgeted, so other expense reductions have also been important, primarily those for the children’s program and hospitality. My expectation at this point is that our actual deficit for 2010 will be between $1500 and $2000, as opposed to a budgeted deficit of $5140.
Joint Lopez Preparatory Meeting Oversight Committee – (Don Goldstein)
Three members of the Joint Lopez P.M. Oversight Committee met during the recent Quarterly Meeting session, and began discussion of a joint retreat next spring for Bellingham and Lopez Friends. Our preliminary envisioning included the following:
–The retreat would be held at Quaker Cove near Anacortes, which is about an hour from Bellingham by car and about the same time away by ferry/car for Lopez Friends.
–Although a multi-day retreat would be enjoyable and could certainly happen in the future, we believe that attendance would be maximized by holding a single-day retreat this time and perhaps discussing, while there, the possibility of a future full-weekend retreat. Quaker Cove includes cabins with beds for at least 50, plus plenty of space for tenting.
–We suggest that the best timing for this retreat would be during May 2011, before end-of-school-year and summer activities are in full swing.
–We would encourage Lopez Friends to walk across the ferry to Anacortes, and would organize Bellingham Friends with cars to pick them up and return them to the ferry dock.
–We discussed program/theme possibilities, and are interested, as our first choice, in inviting Western Friend editor Kathy Hyzy to present her Storytelling Workshop as the principal portion of our program for the day.
Since our committee meeting I have followed up on some details, learning that the Storytelling Workshop requires about 6 hours, and Kathy has adapted a portion of it to include participation by children aged 6 and above. She is available in May. I have also learned that Quaker Cove is quite inexpensive for daytime-only use and is currently available for the most likely weekends in May. However, it is also a popular retreat site and it’s therefore important to make a final date decision soon (before the end of October, if possible) in order to make our reservation and avoid disappointment.
What I am asking Bellingham Friends to discuss during Meeting for Business on May 10th are the following questions:
1. Would you prefer such an all-day retreat to be held on a Saturday or on a Sunday?
2. Would you prefer to see the retreat held during the weekend of May 14-15 or the weekend of May 21-22? If we follow recent precedent, our Meeting for Business in May will be on May 1st. May 8th is Mother’s Day and Kathy Hyzy is not available that weekend. The last weekend in May (the 28th-29th) is Memorial Day weekend, and Quaker Cove is already booked for then anyway.
3. How likely would you be personally to attend? (very likely, somewhat likely, or not likely)
4. The retreat would include a potluck lunch. We could also have a cooked dinner together (there is a full kitchen there which we will be renting) and a couple of hours of after-dinner program time, ferry schedules permitting, provided that there are sufficient food-purchasing, meal-preparation, and cleanup volunteers–perhaps 8-9 people altogether, a few of whom might be from Lopez–to do the dinner (or perhaps we could even order in pizza plus something appropriate for vegans). Would you prefer to go home before dinner or to stay for dinner and some evening program time? If you prefer the latter, would you be willing to be a volunteer on the “dinner team?”
5. Finally, and most important, are you willing to leave the final decisions on these details to the Joint Oversight Committee, following this consultation with you and a similar consultation next Sunday with Lopez Friends?
Member Concerns – Comments and appreciation were expressed regarding the friendly “outreach” or our Meeting as being Quakerly, and for the active participation of the Hopkinsons.
Our business meeting concluded at 1:15 p.m.
Submitted by Recording Clerk, Betty McMahon
…they became greatly endeared towards one another, in all pureness and tenderness of love, and finding the great benefit and advantage which they had in one anothers company, presence and fellowship, as of one being a strength to another, their life and spirit reaching unto them oft without all words, yea in the silence…
George Keith’s description of Meeting for Worship, written in 1670