Minutes for Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business

Colorado Springs Friends Meeting

15th day of Eleventh Month, 2015

In attendance: Lisa Lister, Carlton Gamer, Sarah Callbeck, John Robey, Holly Grasso, Molly Wingate

  1. Silence followed by queries.

    We started with what silence was to be found with the dogs barking.

    IMYM Faith and practice:

    Advice: The principle of stewardship applies to all we are given and to who we are as individuals, members of groups, and inhabitants of the earth. We are each obliged to use our time, abilities, strength, money, material possessions, and other resources in a spirit of love, aware that we hold these gifts in trust and that we are responsible for using them wisely.

    Query: Do we regard our time, talents, energy, money material possessions, and other resource as gifts from God, to be held in trust and shared in according to the Light we are given?

  2. Consideration of tenth month minutes please look at the minutes (attached and) online at: http://coloradospringsquakers.org/meetings/Business/2015/10

    Approved

  3. Old Business:

    Follow up on our theft:

    We received a report from the District Attorney regarding the theft of our checks from our mailbox. The criminal will serve six years. He faced several charges in addition to our theft. We hope to find out where this man is being held and offer to write to him or visit him to let him know we are holding him in the Light. Carlton Gamer and Bill Durland will follow up. John Robey and Holly Grasso also will be available.

  4. New Business:

    1. Brief Report on Representatives Committee Meeting

      Date of yearly meeting is June 5 - 12.

      We have received the fall queries from IMYM. There are three sets of questions.

      We will discuss the financial queries during the January 2016 potluck. Friends are encouraged to look at these in advance of the discussion. The clerk of the IMYM finance committee is willing to be available for our discussion, if we wish.

      We will discuss the 2nd set of queries concerning the theme of the annual gathering and the third set of queries from the Peace and Service at the February 2016 potluck.

    2. Update on children at the meeting

      Molly created a new brochure for people attending meeting for the first time. It includes a section on for parents with children. She modeled it on a similar document at Austin, TX meeting.

      All adults can be part of welcoming families with children. If you are at worship and no one seems to be moving to take the children at 10 minutes past the hour, please take any children downstairs and read books and play games.

      We approve the new brochure for first time attenders. See the Appendix for the text.

    3. Use of the meetinghouse by for a house party sponsored by Coloradans Against the Death Penalty, Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Center, the NAACP and Murder Victim Families for Reconciliation

      They typically have refreshments that include beverages, some of which may be alcoholic (beer and wine). Since we do not have a policy about alcohol use at the meetinghouse, it is being brought to business meeting for approval. If this is OK, they ask to use the meetinghouse on an open Thursday evening in December. Molly will be present at the meeting.

      Secondary question: Do we want to be a sponsor, and what does that mean?

      Discussion: The event will be scheduled for 12/10 5:30 -7 PM. Serving
      alcohol is not a deal breaker with COADP. Sponsor is just in name and
      offering the space. Friends were fine with the idea.
      
      Minute 11-1: Meeting allows alcohol for this event, and it wishes to
      sponsor the event.
      
  5. Committee Reports:

    1. Meetinghouse Committee (See minutes in the Appendix)

      Accepted the report

    2. Ministry and Oversight Committee - no report

    3. Finance Committee (See minutes in the Appendix)

      Finance Committee Minutes accepted

      We discussed the various ways that we might be able to rectify our monthly deficit. Clearly we need to increase our income. We are hopeful that some of the unfilled pledges will be fulfilled.

      Review of financial reports

      Cash Flow Report

      ENT Savings Update

      Current Month Planning for available funds

      The budget for next year has been drawn up, and it is bare bones while preserving the goals of the meeting. It comes in with a $2500 deficit. Next month we need to approve a budget and at that time if no more pledges come in for next year, we will be able to cut a few things in the programs area, such as support for travel, support of other organizations, reduce or eliminate our assessment to Colorado Regional Meeting and IMYM.

      The finance committee will draw up two budgets, one that balances and one that preserves all line items.

      We accepted the financial reports with anxiety

    4. Nominating Committee (See Report in Appendix)

      ACTION item: Approval of service positions to start First Month, 2016

      We tentatively approve the nominees in the nominating committee report, with the request that the terms of service be listed. We would also like to make sure that we get regular reports on AFSC and FCNL, wherever that reporting ends up in the meeting's structure.

  6. Announcements:

    1. Threshing Session, Wed., Nov 18 at 7:00 p.m. (6:45 for tea and crumpets)

      At Quaker Quest, we explored many ideas of ways to strengthen our meeting and grow internally. We also explored ideas for growing our meeting, including welcoming and engaging newcomers. From a place of reflection, we know that "way will open" to identify the priorities and ways we can proceed to fulfill our objectives. Ministry & Oversight will guide us in this process.

    2. Important - The Meeting needs your financial help

      From Lisa, the clerk, and from Finance Committee: Our income is not currently sufficient to meet our monthly expenses. For the last four months, we have had to dip into our mortgage reserves in order to the pay the mortgage. Obviously this is not sustainable in the long run. We have already downsized the budget to bare bones. We ask Friends who made a pledge last year and are behind in that commitment, to please consider catching up soon. We could use your pledge money now. If you have not yet made a pledge for 2016, please consider doing so.