Present: Janet Carter, Christopher Cadbury, Mary Cadbury, John Perry, Sybil Perry, Elisabeth Prenot, Christopher Sammond, Denise Sherman, Karen Snare, Caroline Webster, Mary Williams.
Meeting began at 12.30 after a brief opening silent worship.
2009-48 Denise Sherman agreed to act as recording clerk for the day.
2009-49. Mary Cadbury reported for the Nominating committee that they have not as yet been able to name a recording clerk. The Meeting approved their recommendation to name 3 people who will serve for 3 months each, to cover the period of October 2009 through June 2010. At this time Nominating committee brings forward the names of Lee Haring, to serve through December 2009, and Nancy Sorel, to serve in the spring of 2010. We will consider these nominations and bring them forward for approval at the next Monthly Meeting. No one has as yet been named for the winter of 2010. John Perry has agreed to mail the minutes to Friends who don't get them by email, and to print an acid-free copy to be sent to Swarthmore Library.
2009-50 As a result of Nominating committee’s struggle to fill the office of recording/assistant clerk, they proposed the following:
As we worked on discernment of how to present names for clerks - presiding, recording, and/or assistant clerks - we began to understand that there are differing views of the task of each of these appointees. And these differing expectations mean that among all of us present at monthly meetings for business, notions at cross purposes with each other may surface without our realizing or understanding what is happening.
Therefore we suggest that it is time to again look together at our meeting for worship for the purpose of business. What is the role of the clerk? Of the recording clerk? Of each member present? What is our vision of the meeting for business? How do we feel about the process of discernment? About following our leadings?
The Meeting referred this to Ministry & Counsel for their consideration, adding the further question of whether to find a different time for Meeting for Business.
2009-51 Mary Williams, clerk of Finance committee, submitted the third quarter Treasurer’s report, (attached) noting that our contributions are at 60% of our budget, which is higher than in previous years. Sybil Perry noted that the contribution of money for a planting in honor of Marge Currie is from Sonia Blumenthal, for an azalea to be planted in the spring.
2009-52 Karen Snare and Christopher Sammond reported on Budget Saturday, held 10/10/09. There were approximately 20+ Monthly Meetings represented, as well as regional Treasurers. At the start of the deliberations the budget contained a $33,000 shortfall. During the day $7000 was cut out of the budget. The Friends who were gathered pledged $5000, ending with a budget with a $21,000 shortfall. There was a clear sense that the budget had been cut as much as possible, and that the money budgeted will be expressly supporting things that are very important to Friends. The Yearly Meeting will send a letter to Friends explaining this, and will ask if Friends might be able to contribute more, either corporately or individually.
2009-53 Denise Sherman brings the following minute from Ministry & Counsel:
We have never gotten any calls from anyone searching for a meeting on our phone. We recommend eliminating the phone and that expense. In order to have a phone number to publish in the case that someone might call in the future, we recommend publishing the phone numbers of the clerk of the Meeting and the clerk of Ministry & Counsel in any place we currently list a Meeting number.
Friends approve in principle, but asked Mary Williams, with Vonn New to explore ways of obtaining a low cost permanent phone number for the Meeting. They will report their findings to Ministry & Counsel to consider and bring back to Monthly Meeting.
2009-54. Purchase Monthly Meeting has sent a letter of transfer of Membership for Kathie Scanlon. This is forwarded to Ministry & Counsel for their consideration.
Meeting closed at 1.50 pm, to meet again on November 8 at 12:30pm.
