Category Archives: Notable Minutes

Minutes approved by the Meeting of general interest.

Finances, Ministry & Care, Personal Assistance Fund, Process and Policies

Minute on Personal Assistance Fund (9/2000)

From the minutes of the meeting for worship with a concern for business, 9/24/2000:

Personal Assistance Fund (see attached, as modified): This proposal was approved on a second reading with some revisions. In summary, a separate fund is to be established to accept voluntary contributions from the meeting to assist those who are in need. The fund will be administered by a committee to consisting of one individual appointed by the M&O committee, the treasurer and one nominated individual. The PAF committee will report annually to the Meeting for Business. The committee will determine the eligibility criteria for use of the fund.

Minute on a Personal Assistance Fund for Patapsco Friends Preparative Meeting

from Ministry and Oversight Committee

Ministry and Oversight Committee proposes that:

  • a Personal Assistance Fund be established to which members and attenders may contribute as they are led;
  • monies in this fund be accounted for separately from the general operating funds of the Meeting;
  • payments into and out of the fund be reported to the Meeting at least annually;
  • that a Personal Assistance Committee be appointed to oversee disbursements from this fund.

Purpose:

If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food,

And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; not withstanding ye give them not those things which are useful to the body; what doeth it profit?

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

James 2: 15-17

The committee that oversees this fund shall be available in a timely way to members and attenders who have bodily needs: food, clothing, shelter or medical needs which if not met quickly are likely to become urgent. Requests for aid should be made to the clerk of the committee.

Responsibilities of Personal Assistance committee members and of those requesting aid:

Members of the committee should be prepared to act as a clearness committee for the one requesting help so that all are clear as to the nature of the help being requested, the level of help being requested, the likely duration of the problem and the ability of the committee to give the requested aid.

Members should be knowledgeable about public and private services available to meet bodily needs. The committee should help the person requesting aid to develop a plan to apply for available public and private assistance and help the person requesting aid to make applications for available public and private assistance both to meet short-term needs and long-term needs if necessary.

Members should be prepared to follow up with the person requesting aid and to provide spiritual support.

The business of the committee shall be conducted in strict confidence. If, however, the committee and person requesting aid are clear the problem is not a bodily need, or goes beyond bodily need or that the need exceeds the resources of the Personal Assistance Fund, then, with the agreement of the person requesting aid, the committee may refer the problem to another committee or to the Meeting as a whole.

Repayment of disbursements from the fund:

Disbursements made from the fund shall be considered non-interest bearing loans. After a disbursement has been made, it shall be the responsibility of the committee and the person requesting aid to establish a plan for repayment. The plan should be one that the person requesting aid can in good faith agree to. Aid should not be dependent on the likelihood of repayment.

Committee Members:

The committee shall have 3 members, all of whom shall be members of the Religious Society of Friends and regular attenders at Patapsco Meeting. One member shall be appointed from and by Ministry and Oversight Committee, one shall be Treasurer of the Meeting (or appointed from and by Finance Committee when such committee is established by the Meeting) and one shall be appointed by the Meeting through its nominating process. Term shall be for two years.

After approval by the Meeting of the members of the committee, it will meet to select a clerk, review its purpose and determine any other necessary business. All other meetings will be called.

Approved by Ministry and Oversight Committee, Patapsco Friends Preparative Meeting, 8th month, 8th day, 2000.

Process and Policies

Meeting Site Change, Building Proposal, (8/2000)

From the minutes of the meeting for worship with a concern for business, 8/27/2000, the following report was presented by Sherri Morgan and the included proposal was approved:

Reasons to Obtain a Building or a Full-time Lease of Property for Patapsco Meeting

1. We have many regular meetings and special events at different times of the day and week (Vacation Bible School, seeker sessions, committee meetings, music lessons, meeting for healing, discussion group, Bible study, welcoming events, workshops, threshing sessions). From time to time, we are limited by the availability of Mt. Hebon House or the church. The budget is affected every time we plan a new event. We would have more flexibility in planning meetings and setting up for events if we had 24-hour access to a site.

2. We are currently limited in our ability to provide many types of services to the larger community due to lack of our own facility. Possible additional uses we could offer if we had our own site:

a) overnight hospitality to traveling Quakers, including BYM committees, special speakers, youth groups, individual travelers.

b) low-cost rental or free use to community groups offering services such as after school programs, daycare, support groups , emergency shelter, literacy classes OR direct provision of such services under the care of Patapsco Meeting.

c) expanded library space

d) centralized office for meeting business, including a phone (with our own phone number!), copier, computer, filing space, etc. to reduce the personal, out-of-pocket expenses of individual members who conduct Meeting business. Also, this would give those without office equipment at home the opportunity to perform meeting tasks which they are not currently able to do. This would also reduce the burden on individual members for keeping Meeting records archived at home.

d) First Day classrooms could be arranged and decorated to reflect the personal efforts and interests of the children, providing them with a sense of continuity for ongoing projects and an avenue for displaying their work. Quaker themes could be highlighted more readily in the classrooms. Work and play space more appropriate to the children’s developmental levels could be created. Toys and supplies could be arranged in a more user- friendly manner.

e) We would offer a more permanent, tangible Quaker presence in Howard County.

3. Purchase of property requires a greater commitment from the members of Patapsco meeting: financial, time/labor, spiritual. Patapsco Meeting is growing and maturing and has a strong core of members dedicated to it’s long-term existence. Having a space to identify uniquely with our meeting is a step that, with faith, we can handle. It is also a step that would reflect a collective leading to establish a space for spiritual growth and worship that is more enduring than the presence of any individual member of the meeting.

4. Resources are available to assist us in our efforts. Seasoned Friends within BYM can offer expertise in planning and deciding how to meet our needs for a physical facility. Funds may be available from Sandy Spring or BYM to assist with costs.

SUMMARY: A full-time lease or our own facility would provide more scheduling flexibility, expand the services we could provide to the community, increase the convenience of conducting meeting business, enhance the religious education of our children and increase the Quaker presence in Ho.Co. We are able to do it and help is available.

PROPOSAL:

  • To schedule a threshing session to focus on our respective thoughts about a more permanent site, uniquely our own.
  • To schedule a workshop to gain more knowledge about the planning process for a Quaker meeting contemplating purchasing, leasing or building a facility.
Marriage Equality

Minute on Same Gender Marriages (4/2000)

From the minutes of the meeting for worship with a concern for business, 4/30/2000:

Ministry and Oversight presented its proposed minute on Same Sex Marriages. Discussion followed, including a distinction made between spiritual and civil marriages, with the note being made that a same-gender couple does not have the opportunity to have a civil union. Changes were made to it pursuant to the discussion, the final version reading as follows: Continue reading Minute on Same Gender Marriages (4/2000) →

Meetings for Listening

Threshing Session on Marriage

The announcement below comes from the Silent Announcements for 2/13/2000.  A report of the session will be added to this post if we ever find it.

Threshing Session On Marriage: Ministry and Oversight will lead a threshing session today, Sunday, February 13 at noon on marriage. The minutes from our November 1999 meeting for business state: “Several Friends expressed strong support for the intent of the minutes on same gender marriage circulated by Virginia Half Year Meeting, Alexandria Monthly Meeting, Charlotte Monthly Meeting, and BYM Young Friends. Some expressed concern that we be clear as to whether we are speaking of spiritual or legal matters. Some expressed concern that a minute on same gender marriage may emphasize difference rather than commonality. Friends asked M&O to organize an threshing session on marriage.” The Virginia Half Year Meeting and BYM Young Friends minutes are available for reference on the hall table.