Metamorphosis June 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
Advice and Query
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.
How do I monitor and change the deep-seated prejudices I have acquired from my family, church, community and culture? Am I committed to learning the skills necessary to end racism and other forms of prejudice and discrimination?
Schedule
July 3 Potluck
July 3-9 Friends General Conference Gathering
July 10 unscheduled*
July 11 Book Group at Sharon Trent’s (714-6141) 7 pm
July 13-17 Annual Session in Tacoma information npym.org
July 17 No Second Hour
July 24 Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business
July 24 Silent Worship with Lopez Island Preparative Meeting at Lopez
July 31 unscheduled
July 31 Concert for Interfaith Coalition Homeless Program
6:30, 1st Congregational free donations accepted
August 07 Meeting for Worship and Reunion Picnic at Whatcom Falls Park (an invitation is attached)
August 14 unscheduled*
Notes on future second hours- this fall Howard Harris would like to do a second hour based What do I believe?
* July and August Meeting for Worship for Business are combined on July 24th
Speak Truth to Power
A Thank You is in Order! In response to FCNL’s directive, the Peace and Social Concerns Committee urges Friends to contact Representative Rick Larsen and thank him for his efforts to reduce nuclear proliferation. According to FCNL, Rep. Larsen has become the foremost champion of nuclear arms control and nonproliferation issues on the House Armed Services Committee. Please compose your own letter and send it to:
The Honorable Rick Larsen
Wall Street Building
2930 Wetmore Avenue, Suite 9F
Everett, WA 98201
or phone his Bellingham office: (360) 733-4500
Eco-Suggestion of the Month
Instead of sprinkling your garden during dry weather, try this means of conserving water while getting it to the roots of your plants. Accumulate several 1 gallon plastic jugs. Cut a two inch hole in the bottom of each one. Remove cap and bury upside down at 18″ intervals. About once a week fill jugs with water through the two inch hole. Water seeps slowly into the ground. Terra cotta pots also work well, especially in container gardens, with the drain hole plugged with clay.
Lopez Silent Retreat
We are planning a one-day silent retreat at Karp’s house on Lopez on Sunday,
July 24. We usually begin with meeting for worship at 10AM, and enter the
silence at the rise of meeting. We have a simple lunch (a small committee will
coordinate who is bringing what) and break for worship sharing around 4:30 PM.
We would welcome Bellingham folks that would like to attend. If you think some
folks will be interested, we will send you further info as the planning
proceeds. We would need to know numbers for our planning purposes. If anyone is interested they should let Susan Richardson know by July 10.
Judy Meyer, Lopez Preparative Meeting
jlmeyer@uga.edu 360-468-2136
Vocal performance from American Songbook
to benefit Interfaith Coalition
You’re invited to enjoy songs from The Great American Songbook performed by Kent French and Harry Huff on Sunday, July 31 at 6:30 p.m., at First Congregational Church, 2401 Cornwall Ave. in Bellingham. A good-will offering during “An Evening of Song” will benefit the homeless housing programs of Interfaith Coalition of Whatcom County and Northwest Youth Services. Doors open at 6 p.m., and a dessert reception will follow the performance.
Both Kent, who is lead pastor of First Congregational Church in Bellingham, and Harry, who is minister of music at Old South Congregational Church in Boston, worked actively as professional performers in New England and New York City before their career changes. Kent sang for seven seasons with Tanglewood Festival Chorus of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and performed solo in Boston-area venues, such as Scullers Jazz Club. Additionally he appeared in more than 30 stage productions around New England, including “Guys and Dolls” and “Sweeney Todd.”
In addition to his role at Old South Congregational Church, Harry is an associate of Harvard University’s Department of Music. He enjoyed a 26-year career as a keyboard artist and conductor in New York City, prior to his ministry. He has been an accompanist and collaborator with numerous musicians of all genres, including Kathleen Battle, Theo Bikel, Tom Bogdan, Barbara Bonney, Judy Collins, Art Garfunkel, and many others.
Has Anything Disappeared from Your Kitchen?
We have lots of utensils and serving dishes in our hospitality closet. Some of them appear, well how to say this diplomatically? – too nice to have been donated. Take a look to see if something looks familiar and belongs in your kitchen.
Book Group
The Book Group will meet on Monday, July 11th at Sharon Trent’s house. Last month’s discussion had to be cancelled, so we will be discussing both Ivan Doig’s The Whistling Season and Reif Larsen’s The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet. Susan Richardson has the library kit for the latter, so call her if you need a copy (733-5477).
DRAFT Minutes for Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business – Jun 12, 2011
Clerk: Alice Robb
Present: Sharon Trent, Michael Bolton, Virginia Herrick, Judy Hopkinson, Dave Hopkinson, Susan Richardson, Doris Ferm, Don Goldstein, Rob Stoop, Howard Harris, Jessica Bee
Our Meeting for Business began with silent worship at 11:45 a.m.
May’s Minutes were approved.
Committee Reports
Ministry & Counsel
Query for June 2011. Jeanine will read during worship. (Alice as back-up.)
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: How do I monitor and change the deep-seated prejudices I have acquired from my family, church, community and culture? Am I committed to learning the skills necessary to end racism and other forms of prejudice and discrimination?
Schedule for 2nd Hours & other calendar items
June 05, 2011 – Potluck
June 12, 2011 – M4W4B
June 17, 2011 – Friday 6 p.m. Soup Supper: at Don Goldstein’s for playback of public reading of Kirsten Ebsen’s play “Margaret of Swarthmoor,” about the life and work of Margaret Fell.
June 19, 2011 – 2nd Hour, “This I believe” or “What happened on the way?” Inspired by recent retreat, friends will have opportunity to share their stories. Lorina will facilitate (or share).
June 26, 2011 – NPYM/ FGC Affiliation and other QUAKER ABCs Alice & Don
July 03, 2011 – Potluck
July 10, 2011 -unscheduled
July 3-17, 2011 – No Second Hour due to Wednesday through Sunday Annual Session in Tacoma; Registration information on NPYM website: npym.org; scholarship funds are available.
July 24, 2011 – *Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business
July 31, 2011 – unscheduled
August 07, 2011 – Picnic at Whatcom Falls Park secured by Sharon Trent.
August 14, 2011 – NO BUSINESS MEETING IN AUGUST, as per below.
Notes on future second hours- Howard would like to do a second hour based on, “What do I believe?” in the fall.
Regarding Meeting for Worship for Business schedule: M&C would like to set the precedent of taking a month off from M4W4B each year, and we suggest doing so in August. There are several reasons: People travel and are less available in the summer. Also, we believe that taking a month off is a way of respecting everyone’s needs for rest and self-care and encourages us to be respectful of one another’s time and energy. We would encourage Friends to use that time and energy to connect with one another in other ways. We ask committees to be aware of this request in planning their Quaker work. *Our July M4B will be delayed two weeks to allow for the next two business meetings to be more evenly spaced.
Clerk’s plan for use of M4W4B email group, regarding reports and minutes:
• Email group includes clerks of committees as well as anyone else who requests inclusion. List to be checked and updated regularly.
• Clerk will send request for reports and agenda items for M4W4B within 10 days of that meeting and will expect to receive replies/reports by Wednesday (or Thursday 9 p.m. at latest) prior to the business meeting.
• Clerk will send reports to be considered at M4W4B to everyone by Friday noon, previous to business meeting.
• Clerk will be send draft of minutes to M4W4B email group, as soon as she receives minutes from Recording Clerk and reviews them, approximately one week after meeting.
CAMP OUT INVITATION: Excelsior Campground Friday, Aug. 19 – Sunday, August 21, 2011. Bellingham Friends have been invited to join other progressive campers at Excelsior Campground, located seven miles east of Glacier on Mt. Baker Highway (SR542). Immediately after Mile Marker 40, the sign is on the left. On the right, take Excelsior Road to the camp. The campground is in an old growth forest next to the Nooksack River where BFM has camped in the past. Camp site is primitive with vault toilets and no running water. There are lots of great hikes nearby, both easy and challenging. The organizer (Duane Jaeger, from Whatcom Peace and Justice Center and Sustainable Connections group) is asking a small fee ($20 per car) to cover the cost of the two overnights. Friends who plan to camp out should contact Alice Robb, who will go if anyone else does, and we can coordinate supplies, food, carpooling, and fees. Hopefull,y we will have a small group for Sunday worship.
Follow up reports on recent Meeting activities:
Clerk’s supper – This traditional gathering was relaxed with good sharing. The gathered group created a poem, as follows:
BFM’s Welcoming Truth
Joy, joy, joyful inclusion,
Gathered intimacy,
Community cooperation,
Spirit-led excitement, Spirit!
Departed, forgiveness,
Courage and growth.
SPICES workshops: Generally considered to be successful and valuable. We would like to present this series again in a couple years.We would like to minute thanks to all who led sessions. Allen Stockbridge, Howard Harris, Kirsten Ebsen, Don Goldstein, Virginia Herrick, John Helding, Judy Meyers, and Susan Richardson.
Observation: Some people did not like the shortened worship. Several newcomers who came during SPICE really connected. For the future, we would recommend adjusting the format to allow the full hour for worship and do the queries and sharing at a regular 2nd hour.
Retreat – Spiritual Story-Telling Workshop, Joint Retreat with Lopez Meeting.
All who attended had a good time, reported feeling inspired, connected, moved.
The Quaker Cove location was considered to be a lovely setting, perhaps appropriate for for future retreats.
Member files updating: This task gives us a welcome opportunity to connect with members.
Planning Committee for Picnic August 7, 2011: Whatcom Falls Park, secured by Sharon Trent. Alice Robb will put press release in Herald. Lorina Hall, Jeanine Hart-Horner, and Judy Hopkinson will work on the organization of invitations and oversight of picnic. Hospitality and Children’s Committees need to be consulted and involved in planning as affects their functions in Meeting.
M&C next meets at Mimi’s home on Monday June 27, 2011.
Submitted by Lorina Hall, M&C Clerk
Children’s Committe (Jessica Bee)
We plan to have Brooke to use days where there are no teachers as an opportunity to teach camp songs. We invite meeting members to send details and lyrics of favorites to CPC for our summer curriculum. We already have “It’s no Fun Being a Pirate,” and “On Top Of Spaghetti.”
We plan to ask Ministry and Council for a Second Hour for face painting for children and adults.
CPC is looking for a caregiver to work 4-6 hours/month. Requires two unpaid volunteer tryouts to mutually test the fit.
Finance Committee – Don Goldstein
Committee meeting minutes included the following:
Don presented the treasurer’s report with actual expenses through May 31, 2011. He also reported that rent will increase from $500 to $550 per month on July 1.
Sale of the stock and bond funds following our last meeting realized about $27,725, with about $15,500 remaining in the two stock funds. We discussed how to handle the cash. Don shared information on CD rates, and discussion followed on how long a term to choose. We agreed to place the full $27,725 in a one-year CD. Don will find the best rate and make the investment. If it is at a bank other than Whidbey Island Bank, a corporate resolution will be needed from Meeting for Business.
Oral report by Treasurer Don Goldstein:
The minutes from May’s business meeting indicated that there were concerns about the sale of most of our stock and bond mutual fund investments which were to have been discussed further in Finance Committee and also raised again today. The concerns unfortunately were not on the agenda of the committee’s June 1st meeting, and Don apologized for not having read the May minutes until after that, and therefore having been unaware of those concerns. He reported that the valuation of our mutual funds had pretty much fully recovered from the declines in 2008 through early 2010 when they were sold, and that the decision to sell now was based upon unease with near-term (the next couple of years) expectations with regard to market conditions for both stocks and bonds. In particular, interest rates have fallen close to zero and therefore over the next few years are likely to increase since they can hardly decrease any further. Since bond prices move in opposition to interest rates, it is therefore very likely that the market value of our bond fund investment would fall over that time period, so we decided to sell the entire position with the possibility of reinvesting later once interest rates have increased again. We sold half of our shares in two stock mutual funds due to unease over prospects for the equities market over a similar period, but again with the possibility of reinvestment when conditions look more favorable. Mutual fund investments have always been in funds with socially-responsible investment criteria, and this will continue. Our new one-year Certificate of Deposit is with Whidbey Island Bank (with which we already have other CD investments), which does most of its lending for home mortgages and small-business loans in northwest Washington, including Whatcom County. Anyone interested in learning more about how the Finance Committee manages our investments is invited to attend any committee meeting.
The next meeting of the committee will be Wednesday, July 27, 4:00 PM at Joanne Cowan’s house.
Report from P & SC Committee – (Judy Hopkinson)
I. At our last meeting on June 7, 2011 we approved a revised version of the committee job description which was filed with the clerk of the nominating committee. The following change in the job description is of interest to the general meeting:
The committee will provide reports and agenda items to the clerk of the Meeting before Meeting for Business at least quarterly or whenever action by the meeting is required.
This decision was made out of respect for the time of business meeting attendees. From a practical standpoint, it means that items which are routinely shared with the meeting through other venues (letters, concerns of the month, and “speak truth to power suggestions”) will not be automatically reported at business meetings.
II. The following has been collected for concerns of the month and distributed to the designated organizations:
April, 2011 Doctors Without Borders $145
May 2011 Witness for Peace NW $ 80.66
III. July 27, 2011 has been identified as a tentative date for the next soup-supper film discussion sponsored jointly with FEC. Final decisions regarding both the date and the film to be discussed will be made jointly with FEC- hopefully by the first week in July. We are still looking for a suitable space for this soup supper.
IV. Our meetings continue to be spirit-led and welcoming, and we invite all Friends to join us in our discussion of and formulation of responses to issues of peace and social concern.
The next meeting will be July 5, 2011, 7 p.m, At Doris’.
Friends Earthcare Committee (Doris Ferm)
ECO-SUGGESTION OF THE MONTH:
Instead of sprinkling your garden during dry weather, try this means of conserving water while getting it to the roots of your plants. Accumulate several 1 gallon plastic jugs. Cut a two inch hole in the bottom of each one. Remove cap and bury upside down at 18″ intervals. About once a week fill jugs with water through the two inch hole. Water seeps slowly into the ground. Terra cotta pots also work well, especially in container gardens, with the drain hole plugged with clay.
A soup supper and film to be discussed are planned for late July. Details later.
The Committee will meet next June 30, 7:00 pm at Doris’.
Nominating Committee – Virginia Herrick
1. Nominating Committee is seeking input from the Meeting to fill the position of directory editor. Alice has produced our directories for several years, but would like to step down from that task. She is very willing to work with the new directory editor to show them all the ins and outs of putting the directory together. If you or someone you know has the skills to take this on, please contact Nominating committee (Virginia, Sharon or Judy). Since the new directory just came out, there will be very little to do in this job until January 2012.
• Nominating Committee would like to recommend that the positions currently on Communications Committee become freestanding, independent non-committee positions. This is a case of form following function. Over the years, Communications Committee discerned that the most efficient way to get its work done was to divide up the communications tasks among its members: newsletter, phone answering, web page, and directory. A few other miscellaneous tasks were taken on either by other members of Meeting (such as Howard collecting our mail for many years, and Don then taking that over) or by committee members (such as Alicekeeping the email group lists for the Meeting and circulating emails to those lists uponrequest) Last month, we added Don to the “committee” because of the mail collection job, which is a vital function and yet was not on our slate of responsibilities. Yet none of these responsibilities really requires the work of a committee. Over the years, Communications has ceased to function as a committee, gathering only once a year at most. There were occasional murmurs that Communications Committee could take on some outreach responsibilities, but the Friends involved were not drawn to that work. Now we have an outreach subcommittee, and a happy group of Friends who perform some vital communication-related jobs for us without the need for committee meetings. It seems in keeping with Friends’ values of simplicity, clarity, and integrity that we should not have a communications “committee” in name only. If the “committee” terminology is abandoned, the newsletter and directory editor, the phone message taker and mail collector, and the web master, will feel free to take any concerns that they arise to the committee which seems to them most applicable to the concern at hand. For instance, if Sharon wants input on how to handle articles about children’s program, she can visit the Children’s Program Committee. John Hatten recently wanted input on how our website could be more welcoming, and approached Outreach and Welcoming. If Betty gets a phone call from a prisoner at the Whatcom County Jail needing support, she would likely take that concern to Ministry and Counsel. This feels like “right process,” and we urge the Meeting to embrace right naming of that process. Those functions involving communication jobs are no longer part of a (Communications) committee.
Outreach and Welcoming Group (Don Goldstein)
The Outreach and Welcoming Group would like to report the following decisions:
1. Since we understand that Allen Stockbridge will not be returning to Bellingham for at least several months (and possibly not at all), and since we also understand that under such circumstances a committee or subcommittee may select an interim clerk, the Outreach and Welcoming Group has selected me (Don Goldstein) as its interim clerk. This item was on the agenda of our last meeting, which was shared with Allen in advance, and he encouraged us to go ahead and take this step. This selection has been approved by our parent committee, Ministry and Counsel. Should Allen decide that he is unable to return or unable to resume his post as subcommittee clerk, we will ask the Nominating Committee to discern the formal selection of a replacement clerk, for approval by the Meeting.
2. The Outreach & Welcoming Group, having been invited to consider the matter by the Ministry and Counsel Committee, has discerned its clearness that the Greeter function at BFM is of concern to us and falls within our area of responsibility, that this function should have oversight by a committee or subcommittee that meets more frequently than does Hospitality Committee, and that we are willing to take over such oversight if Hospitality is willing to transfer this responsibility to us. The attendance-taking function of the Greeter was only a small part of our thinking in this matter.
Since our meeting Ministry & Counsel Clerk Lorina Hall has consulted with Hospitality Clerk Maddie Solenberger, and we were subsequently informed that Maddie was agreeable to this transfer of oversight responsibility.
We should clarify that the Outreach and Welcoming Group is not proposing any change in how Friends sign up to be Greeter or any change in the list of those already scheduled to be Greeter. Rather, we are expecting that our subcommittee will assume responsiblity for maintaining the Greeter portfolio and the instructions and materials kept in it, for drafting and keeping up-to-date a sheet of guidelines for the Greeter, and for maintaining the attendance booklet and calculating and reporting to Meeting annual attendance summaries. We hope that those who currently act as Greeter will continue to do so from time to time, and also that other Friends are willing to sign up for this responsibility as they are led.
Our Group also has a concern to bring to this Business Meeting. We would like to remind Friends, especially those who occasionally take on the Care of Meeting duty, that we would like the Care of Meeting person to mention each week the New Attender Cards and also to specify that these cards are now the means, and the only means, by which new attenders may request to receive our monthly newsletter. A member of our group contacts each person who fills out a New Attender Card, usually within a week, to welcome them and also to verify that we have their contact information correctly and completely, at least for purposes of sending the newsletter if requested. We also use this follow-up contact to find out whether a new attender would like to be on the distribution list for emailed announcements. So, please help us and new attenders by mentioning the cards, along with other materials on the greeting table, during the Rise of Meeting period. Thank you.
The Outreach & Welcoming Group will meet next on Monday, June 20th, 10 am at Howard Harris’s home on 22nd Street. All of our meetings are open to any interested Friend.
Clerk’s Report – Alice Robb
1) I will be meeting soon with Daniel Kirkpatrick to sign the new lease for Explorations.
2) Lorina Hall, Don Goldstein, and I prepared BFM’s statistical report for NPYM (on which our assessment, “dues” to NPYM are based.)
FYI, we reported having 38 members/active attenders, and 10-15 children.
4 new members and 31 members total. No losses in membership.
3) We have been contacted with requests for hosting a Friend from Seattle.
I told him I would get back to him later today with possibilities for hospitality.
He would like to meet some Bellingham Friends if we are available for Tuesday dinner, 6/13, or Wednesday coffee, 6/14 between. 4-6 p.m. I will bring this up at M/B on Sunday, but I thought a heads up to our email list would be helpful. If anyone would like to get together with Derek, they should contact me, Betty McMahon, and I will phone
From email to Bellingham Clerk:
I am a YAF from University Friends Meeting in Seattle and I am writing with a couple questions. I am planning to attend a conference in Bellingham from June 13th to the 17th. The conference is organized by BALLE (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies) and I will be attending on behalf of an organization called Go Local, of which I am a board member. Since I work at a nonprofit, I am trying to be frugal on this trip and was wondering if you knew of any Friends that might be willing to host me and a friend who is also attending the conference.
If you have any ideas or think that some friends may be willing to host us, could you let me know? You can feel free to pass my contact information onto anyone you think may be interested in chatting about this.
Thanks so much for any information you might have. I appreciate it. Have a great day,
Derrick Rhayn
206-679-1252
Member Concerns – Buses are running again on Sundays. Margie While will be taking the bus. We will continue to check in with her.
Our meeting adjourned at 1:15 p.m. with closing silence and a group hug.
Respectively submitted by Betty McMahon, recording secretary
Note: some minute corrections were sent, but will be considered when these minutes are presented for approval at the July 24th business meeting.