Metamorphosis
March 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: 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 March
How do we exercise our respect for the balance of nature?
Are we careful to avoid poisoning the land, air and sea and to use the world’s resources with care and consideration for future generations and with respect for all life?
North Pacific Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice, page 48
Calendar
March 20 Spices (Sustainability- Judy Meyer and Susan Richardson)
Saturday March 26th – Interfaith Dinner/Auction, 6:30 pm Lakeway Best Western Inn
March 27 FEC Seeds of Violence/Seeds of Hope (Virginia Herrick)
April 3 potluck
Wednesday, April 6th – Soup Supper at Hart-Horners (676-6029) to see and discuss Not for Sale, a film put out by the environmental legal defense fund
April 10 M4W4B
April 17 Quarterly Meeting -no second hour
April 24 (Easter) – Children’s committee
May 1 – Meeting for Worship for Business
May 8 – Potluck and Mothers Day (note the reversal of the usual business/potluck order)
May 15 Spices Equality (Howard Harris & Don Goldstein)
May 22 Annual Retreat – all day spiritual story telling retreat with Lopez Preparative Meeting, facilitated by Kathy Hyzy at Quaker Cove. No Meeting for Worship or Second Hour at Explorations Academy.
May 29 no second hour – Memorial Day weekend
War and Peace Series
The Bellingham Senior Activity Center will offer a Presentation/Conversation series Wednesdays through April 6th from 1:30 to 3:00 pm in the coffee bar.
March 23- The Economics of War-Kaye Faulkner
March 30- JAGS in the Military-Leon Henley
April 6- Peacekeeping-Nick Mele
The cost of the series is $5 for BSAC members and $10 for non members.
Eco-Suggestion of the Month
Many store receipts are coated with BPA, a hormone disruptor linked to fetal development problems, obesity and cancer, as well as damage to wildlife. Store receipts on thermal imaging paper (the kind that leaves a mark if you scratch it) should not be put into the recycling bin. Throw them in the trash. Appleton Papers, Inc. makes a thermal imaging receipt without BPA and is now identifying such paper by small red fibers which you can see in the paper. Ask store managers to use Appleton paper (www.AppletonIdeas.com) and explain why.
Speak Truth to Power
Friends are encouraged to adopt Western Washington FOR’s (Fellowship of Reconciliation) slogan “Bring Our Billion$ Home”. Please write to Congressional Representatives and Senators. Point out that the vast sums of money being spent on keeeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq are needed here at home to repair againg and dangerous infrastructure, to provide housing for homeless veterans and families, to care for our public lands, waters and air, and to provide health care and education for all.
Draft Minutes for Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business – March 13, 2010
Clerk: Mimi Freshley; Recording Clerk: Betty McMahon
Present: Doris Ferm, Kristin McLewin, Sharon Trent, Jeanine Hart-Horner, Virginia Herrick, Susan Richardson, Joanne Cowan, Howard Harris, Tom Hall, Lorina Hall, Don Goldstein, Dorrie Jordan, Jessica Bee and Judy Hopkinson
Our Meeting for Business began with opening silence at 11:40 am.
Our History – Howard Harris
Many of us think of Daniel Boone as an Indian fighter & pioneer and were very interested to learn that he was also a Quaker. He was born west of Philadelphia in the late 18th century. A group of Shawnee Indians wanted peace with their neighbors as they were more concerned with fighting the Europeans. Boone tried to befriend the Shawnee while both were living in Boonesboro, Kentucky. The friendship didn’t succeed, the Shawnee returned to fighting their Indian wars, and Daniel Boone never got over the guilt of having killed three Shawnee.
Agenda Review – After reviewing, the agenda was approved.
Approval of Minutes – Corrections
The date of Janine Bruton’s gathering was February 24, 2011.
The correct spelling of Kristen McLewin’s name was acknowledged.
“Support” an affiliation was added to Tom Halls report.
The last sentence of Quaker Earth care Witness was removed.
February’s minutes were approved as corrected.
Committee Reports
Children’s Report (Jessica Bee)
The committee has decided to hire a support caregiver to use as backup and for rotation.
April 24, 2011 is the date of thee Easter egg hunt. The committee requests hard boiled eggs and Friends willing to hide the eggs (which will be turned into tasty egg salad sandwiches). Please contact Jessica.
Ministry & Counsel (Susan Richardson)
Informational:
1. Query – Faith and Practice pg 48 – How do we exercise our respect for the balance of nature? Are we careful to avoid poisoning the land, air and sea and to use the world’s resources with care and consideration for future generations and with respect for all life?
2. Schedule:
March 6 Potluck
March 13 M4W4B
March 20 Spices (Sustainability- Judy Meyer and Susan Richardson
Saturday March 26th – Interfaith Dinner/Auction, 6:30 pm Lakeway Comfort Inn
March 27 FEC Seeds of Violence/Seeds of Hope (Virginia Herrick)
April 3 potluck
Wednesday, April 6th – Soup Supper at Hart-Horners (676-6029) to see and discuss Not for Sale, a film put out by the environmental legal defense fund
April 10 M4W4B
April 17 Quarterly Meeting -no second hour
April 24 (Easter) – Children’s committee
May 1 – Meeting for Worship for Business
May 8 – Potluck and Mothers Day (note the reversal of the usual business/potluck order)
May 15 Spices Equality (Howard Harris & Don Goldstein)
May 22 Annual Retreat – all day spiritual story telling retreat with Lopez Preparative Meeting, facilitated by Kathy Hyzy at Quaker Cove. No Meeting for Worship or Second Hour at Explorations Academy.
May 29 no second hour – Memorial Day weekend
Future Second Hours topics: Howard will do second hour on what Quakers believe – possibly next fall
3. Committee for retreat details: Kathy Hyzy will be facilitating this, but we need to work out some details:. Rides will be coordinated to pick up island people at the ferry so they don’t need to bring cars. Need to coordinate child care. Food will be potluck. Need to check about plates and utensils. Plan is to start about 10:30 or so and end about 5 pm. Don has booked the facility and also communicated with Kathy Hyzy. Will need a flier to send out – will need to know who can drive, etc. If you would like to help with this, please let M&C know.
4. Member Concerns
a) Rides for Margie (Dorrie – March;and Lorina can coordinate April rides) Please let them know if you can offer a ride either direction..
g) Howard has written a book – spiritual biography. There is a copy in our library and he has made additional copies available for the cost of printing at $8 each.
5. We discussed Hearing suggestion forwarded by Sharon who got the idea from the Kalamazoo Meeting Newsletter (to have people with hearing problems sit in one area of the room with something that identifies that area as the one to address while speaking) and will revisit next meeting when Mimi’s professional experience may shed some wisdom.
6. We will revisit weather related cancellation procedure to discuss how this is working.
7. We remind people to register for quarterly meeting; registration is available on our website . Also Youth Summit at East side meeting for middle and high school students and parents and interested individuals upcoming
8. Next meeting: Tuesday, March 29th at 2pm-
Peace & Social Concerns – (Jeanine Hart Hart-Horner)
Peace and Social Concerns reaffirmed its earlier decision to no longer take responsibility for the weekly table at the Saturday Market. This item was referred back to Outreach Committee.
An issue was raised whether the Concern of the Month process might be used to augment funds budgeted by the Meeting for “suffering.” These funds could be used for meeting members facing significant financial hardships. Judy will contact Ministry & Counsel about this.
Feedback from the Finance Committee regarding funds collected for Concern of the Month resulted in P&SC adopting the following two minutes:
Minute 3-10-11
Future donations to concern of the month will be tendered in cash or in checks made out to the specified organization.
Minute 3-10-11
Cash and checks will be collected by P&SC. The amount, date, and name of organization will be recorded, and P&SC will send the donation to the chosen organization. (Note: funds will not be channeled through the meeting bank account.)
Speak Truth to Power and the letter of the month were decided.
An additional letter that the committee felt led to offer to Bellingham Friends Meeting, will be brought later this month. The letter addresses recently passed legislation in Wisconsin abolishing worker bargaining rights and state house approved legislation in Michigan giving unprecedented power to the state governor during a time he/she declares an “economic emergency.” Said legislation would authorize the governor to appoint a person or corporation as a state emergency manager. The manager would have authority to modify or nullify public employee contracts and abolish municipal and locally elected city officials thus controlling all government operations.
A soup supper sponsored jointly by P&SC and FEC will occur on 4/6 at Jeanine and John’s home. The film “Not for Sale” from Quaker Earth care Witness will be shown with time for discussion after. The activities of CELDF and Democracy Schools will also be discussed.
Friends Earth care Committee – (Doris Ferm)
- Some store receipts are coated with a dangerous chemical(BPA – small red fibers), therefore, don’t recycle these.
- John Horner will be leading a birds walk in April.
Interfaith Coalition – (Sharon Trent)
The annual dinner auction is March 26, 2011. Items are still needed for the silent auction.
Nomination Committee – (Virginia Herrick)
1. Nominating Committee in consultation with our current FCNL representative, Rob Stoops, and the Peace and Social Concerns Committee, asks Friends to approve a change to make the FCNL representative’s responsibilities part of the job of Peace and Social Concerns. Here is the job description of FCNL representative:
Purpose: To relate to members and attenders of Bellingham Meeting pending legislation, important to values; to encourage Friends to act on beliefs to foster peace, tolerance and kindness and move toward those in need.
Responsibilities: Report to Meeting relevant information weekly/monthly from FCNL.
NB: Important for information to be succinct. A longer session at intervals (annually) to review the nature of the organization, its history and mission could be helpful to Friends.
One to two people could share this opportunity.
2. Do we want a clerk for the Communications Committee? A discussion followed. Sharon Trent agreed to contact the communication Committee members to ask if they wish to have a clerk of their committee.
3. Our Friends General Conference scholarship has been given to Virginia Herrick upon the Meeting’s enthusiastic approval.
4. The following slate of nominations has been approved for seasoning:
Bellingham Friends Meeting Positions and Terms, March 2011
Bold typeface for current nominations; *means term has been renewed
Non-Committee Positions:
Clerk Alice Robb 2012
co-Clerk Judy Hopkinson 2013
Recording Clerk Betty McMahon 2012*
Treasurer Don Goldstein 2012*
Interfaith Coalition Sharon Trent 2013*
Librarian Margi Fulton 2012
Archivist unfilled 2013
Meetinghouse liaison Dorrie Jordan 2012
Meetinghouse Scout Allen Stockbridge 2012
NPYM Coord. Comm. Alice Robb October 2011
PNQM Con. Comm. Susan Richardson 2012
FCWPP rep. Tom Hall 2012
QEW rep. Doris Ferm 2012
FCNL rep. Proposed: Responsibility moved to P&SC
FGC rep. Don Goldstein 2012
Western Friend Lorina Hall 2013*
AFSC rep. Allan Richardson 2012
Native American Rep. Allan Richardson 2013*
Committees:
Ministry and Counsel
Lorina Hall, clerk 2013
Alice Robb, clerk of Meeting 2012
Judy Hopkinson, co-clerk of Meeting 2013
Mimi Freshley 2012*
Jeanine Hart Horner 2013
a) Outreach and Welcoming Group (subcommittee)
- 1. Allen Stockbridge, clerk 2013
- 2. Virginia Herrick 2012
- 3. Don Goldstein 2013
- 4. Howard Harris 2013
- 5. Joanne Cowan 2012
Finance
Joanne Cowan, Clerk 2012
Allan Richardson 2013
Rob Stoops 2013
Don Goldstein, Treasurer 2012
Nominating
Virginia Herrick, clerk Dec. 2011
Sharon Trent Dec. 2012
Judy Hopkinson Dec. 2013
Hospitality
Maddie Solenberger, clerk 2012
Kitchen
Rob Dillard 2012
Jesse Bee 2013
Tom Hall 2013
Tom Solenberger 2012
Maddie Solenberger 2012
Betty McMahon (schedule keeper) 2012
Key
Maddie Solenberger 2012
Don Goldstein 2013*
Alice Robb 2013*
Dave Hopkinson 2013*
Children’s Program
Jessica Bee, clerk 2012
Dave Hopkinson 2012*
Christina Crosetti 2013*
Kristen McLewin 2012
Peace and Social Concerns
Judy Hopkinson, Clerk 2012
Doris Ferm 2012
Joanne Cowan 2012
Brian Wiese 2013
Earth care
Doris Ferm, Clerk 2013*
Dorrie Jordan 2013
Tom Solenberger 2013
Communications
John Hatten, web master 2013
Sharon Trent, Newsletter 2012
Alice Robb, Directory 2012
Betty McMahon, phone messages 2013*
Lopez Worship Group Oversight
Susan Richardson, clerk 2013*
Howard Harris 2013
Sharon Trent 2012
Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy (FCWPP) – (Tom Hall)
Action needed. Please call your Congressional Representative
1) HB 1847-repeals shielding from taxes on a] private jets, b] elective
cosmetic surgery, c] profits on home mortgage ownership, d]out of state coal used to produce electricity. Passage of this bill would generate more than $100million/year for the Basic Health care plan.
2) HB 1889 would close more than 500 other tax loopholes, totaling $6.5 billion, which
would prevent cutting Basic Health Care now in Ways and Means Committee of House. Call!
3) SSB 5073– Medical Marijuana would reduce likelihood of jail for prescribers or
sellers. This bill is now in the House Health Care Committee.
4) SSB 5706 It is scheduled for Senate Hearing in Human Services and Corrections Committee. (EHB 1775 – Restorative Justice passed in the House of Representatives)
5) 5236 review of 3 strikes on floor for Senate vote – call now.
Member Concerns
An idea was suggested to have a designated Friend (either from Outreach or Communications) for the purpose of getting information into the local newspaper.
Our Meeting for Business closed at ~ 1:45 pm.
Respectfully submitted by Betty McMahon, Recording Secretary
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.
Martin Luther King, Jr.