February Minutes

Bulls Head-Oswego Monthly Meeting for Business

February 8, 2009

Present: Mary Cadbury, Christopher Sammond, Vonn New, John Perry, Sybil
Perry, Henry Muller, Elisabeth Prenot, Chris Cadbury, Bob West, Nettie West, Denise Sherman, Kathy Scanlon.

Minutes are numbered from the beginning of the calendar year.

In the absence of the clerk and with no appointed Assistant clerk, Friends settled into worship.

6. At the request of Ministry & Counsel, > Friends shared joys and concerns about the Monthly Meeting in preparation for the writing of the State of the Meeting report.

Respectfully submitted,

Denise Sherman

January Minutes

Bulls Head-Oswego Monthly Meeting for Business

January 11, 2009

Present: Julia Giordano, Nettie West, Robert West, Valerie Suter, Mary Foster Cadbury, Christopher Cadbury, Karen Snare, Denise Sherman, Mary Williams, Elizabeth Prenot.

Minutes are numbered from the beginning of the calendar year.

The meeting opens in worshipful silence.

The Clerk begins with a reading from New York Yearly Meeting’s Practice and Procedure on Meeting for Business.

2009-1. The clerk announces that Sybil Perry has resigned as recording clerk. We accept this resignation. The Nominating Committee will consider filling this position or that of assistant clerk.

2009-2. The treasurer brings the final report for 2008(attached), and she will submit this report to the auditor. We accept this report and note that we have operated with a deficit of $2329 for 2008.

2009-3. The clerk of the finance committee brings forward the budget for 2009, and we accept this budget. She notes that the finance committee believes this budget may end in a deficit, which they will make up from the general reserve. They also propose to send a letter to members and attenders explaining our

financial situation and asking for estimates of the amount of money they plan to contribute in 2009. If the estimates fall far short of the budget, the finance committee will have time to decide what to do about the 2010 budget.

2009-4. Ministry and Counsel present a minute which they have been working on for our approval:

“In a predominantly heterosexual world, even where society has become more open to various gender differences, barriers remain for non-straight people. On entering a new group, these people must often test the waters to see if they are truly included.

“Bulls Head-Oswego Monthly Meeting affirms the traditional testimony of equality of the Religious Society of Friends, and includes in that testimony people who identify themselves as bisexual, gay, heterosexual, lesbian, or transgendered. We seek that of God in everyone and welcome all to worship with us. We strive with Divine assistance to recognize and honor the intrinsic value of all forms of sexual orientation, gender expression or gender identity.”

We approve this minute, and we note that we find much of the disapproval and intolerance for diverse sexualities in our culture irrational. We plead, not for total sexual freedom, but for broader awareness and more profound thinking about the complicated issue of sexuality.


2009-5. Ministry and Counsel presents another minute:

“Ministry & Counsel is concerned about a recent pattern in which minutes brought to Monthly Meeting are returned to committee multiple times in response to new and different concerns having been expressed at successive Monthly Meetings. In cases where unity could be reached with minor editing, this has not been a problem. However, there are cases in which the substance of a minute evokes deeper concerns. It has not been effective to send a minute back to committee without a full exploration of these concerns. The committee for Ministry & Counsel recommends that when there are deep concerns expressed, the Meeting be willing to labor with those concerns until unity is reached and a minute approved at that time.”

We accept this minute, and we add that when such concerns arise we may call a meeting especially to address them.

The meeting ends in worship and adjourns to meet again February 8, 2009.

Respectfully submitted,

Julia Giordano, clerk

December Minutes

Bulls Head-Oswego Monthly Meeting for Business

December 14, 2008

Present: Lee Haring, Christopher Sammond, Julia Giordano, Nettie West, Robert West, Sybil Perry, Valerie Suter, Vonn New, John Perry, Mary Foster Cadbury, Christopher Cadbury.

Minutes are numbered from the beginning of the calendar year.

The meeting opens in worshipful silence.

The Clerk begins with a reading from New York Yearly Meeting’s Practice and Procedure on Meeting for Business.

2008-54 From Ministry and Counsel, Karen Snare reads a Memorial Minute for our member, Hans Janitschek. The meeting approves this minute with the addition of some suggested changes, which Ministry and Counsel will make.

2007-55 Karen Snare, also for Ministry and Counsel, announces the schedule for our Christmas celebration on Sunday, December 21^st. There will be singing from 10:00 to 10:30, with Adam Pinsker accompanying on an electronic keyboard. Then Meeting for Worship will begin at 10:30 sharp, afterwards followed by a potluck lunch.

2007-56 Lee Haring suggests that we invite Ruben Hilari, the Bolivian teacher working at Oakwood Friends School this year, to come speak to us. Friends approve and ask Ministry and Counsel to arrange this visit. We will invite other meetings.

2007-57 We will consider our 2009 budget at the January meeting. Due to a power outage caused by the recent ice storm, the Clerk of the Finance Committee was unable to provide copies of the budget at this time.

We adjourn to meet at the appointed time for Meeting for Business on January 11, 2009.

Julia Giordana, clerk

Sybil Perry, recording clerk

November Minutes

Bulls Head-Oswego Monthly Meeting for Business

November 23, 2008

Present: Karen Snare, Elisabeth Prenot, John Perry, Christopher Cadbury, Mary Foster Cadbury, Sybil Perry, Denise Sherman, Nettie West, Robert West, Henry Muller.

Minutes are numbered from the beginning of the calendar year.

The meeting opens in worshipful silence.

2008-49 Karen Snare volunteers and is approved as Clerk for the day.

2008-50 The Clerk was unable to be present and no one volunteered in advance, and no agenda was sent. The Meeting Clerk is asked to get together with Ministry and Counsel to recommend what the procedure should be when our clerk is not to be present.

2008-51 Denise Sherman reports Ministry and Counsel’s thoughts about their work on our “lists.” Ministry and Counsel recommends that the Clerk be responsible for all Meeting communications and that there be just one list. Denise receives feedback from the Meeting, and Ministry and Counsel will consider it further.

2008-52 The Bulls Head retreat was held Oct. 25, and out of that emerged great interest in two directions. 1) People working on Adult Religious Education and 2) those working on Fun.

An ad hoc committee on Fun has formed. Vonn New is the contact for that. If Friends are interested, please phone her at 845-633-0819.

2008-53 The Meeting noted with sadness the passing of our long-time member, Margaret M. Currie on October 10, 2008.

We adjourn to meet at the appointed time for Meeting for Business on December 14^th.

Karen Snare, Clerk for the day

Sybil Perry, Recording Clerk

October Minutes

Bulls Head-Oswego Monthly Meeting for Business

October 12, 2008

Present: Karen Snare, Valerie Suter, John Perry, Christopher Cadbury, Mary Foster Cadbury, Sybil Perry, Denise Sherman, Kathie Scanlon, Nettie West, Robert West.

Minutes are numbered from the beginning of the calendar year.

The meeting opens in worshipful silence.

2008-43 Karen Snare is approved as Clerk for the day.

2008-44 Kathie Scanlon (as nominated last month) is approved to be our liaison to Powell House.

2008-45 The Treasurer’s Report for the third quarter is presented and accepted.

THE REPORT IS ATTACHED.

2008-46 The Memorial Minute for Curt Beck is read and approved with the expectation that Ministry and Counsel will add information about his family.

ATTACHED.

2008-47 We approve the proposed letter of introduction for Christopher Sammond, who often travels outside his capacity as General Secretary of New York Yearly Meeting. We ask our clerk to send it on to Nine Partners Quarterly Meeting for consideration at their November 1st meeting. THE LETTER IS ATTACHED.

2008-48 Kathie Scanlon introduces us to ARCH: Aging Resources, Consultation, and Help, a program of New York Yearly Meeting. Friends feel this could be a Quarterly Meeting program and direct Kathie to bring it to the Clerk of our Quarter.

Our next Bulls Head Meeting for Business will take place on Sunday, November 23rd to avoid conflict with Fall Sessions.


Karen Snare, Clerk for the day
Sybil Perry, Recording Clerk

September Meeting for Business

Bulls Head-Oswego Monthly Meeting for Business

September 14, 2008


Present: Karen Snare, Vonn New, Valerie Suter, Christopher Sammond, John Perry, Sam Adams, Julia Giordano, Christopher Cadbury, Mary Foster Cadbury, Sybil Perry.


Minutes are numbered from the beginning of the calendar year.


The meeting opens in worshipful silence.


The Clerk reads from the Practice and Procedure section of Faith and Practice on the conduct of Meetings for Business.


2008-39 Nominating Committee presents the name of Kathie Scanlon as our Powell House liaison. Friends consider this nomination, which will come up for approval at our next meeting.


2008-40 Ministry and Counsel presents the following minute, which they have revised as they considered Friend’s responses to previous drafts:


In a predominantly heterosexual world, even where society has become more open to various gender differences, barriers remain for non-straight people. On entering a new group, these people must often test the waters to see if they are truly included.


Bulls Head-Oswego Monthly Meeting affirms the traditional testimony of equality of the Religious Society of Friends, and includes in that testimony people who are bisexual, gay, heterosexual, lesbian, or transgendered. In our Meetings for worship we seek that of God in everyone and extend a welcome to all -- individuals and families-- without regard to sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.


Friends unite with the ideal expressed in this proposed minute and we appreciate our months-long process of considering and revising this minute. We are not yet united in approval, and we ask Ministry and Counsel, with appreciation for all their effort, to work with this minute again.


2008-41 We consider our contribution to New York Yearly Meeting. We approve increasing our contribution for the year 2009 from $11,500. to $12,000.

We commend the Yearly Meeting Financial Services Committee for developing this version of the budget in terms of the programs that we support. The Clerk will email copies of this material to the meeting, and we ask our Finance Committee to schedule time after meeting for us to consider this “programmatic” interpretation of the budget.


2008.42 Julia offers to make flat cushions for the small wooden fold-up chairs in the Meeting room. We will think about this and consider it next month.


We adjourn to meet at the appointed time for Meeting for Business on October 12th.


Julia Giordano, Clerk

Sybil Perry, Recording Clerk

July Minutes

Bulls Head-Oswego Monthly Meeting for Business

July 13, 2008

Present: Vonn New, Valerie Suter, Denise Sherman, Margaret Currie, Carol Rice, Mary Cadbury, Karen Snare, David Cardall, John Perry, Julia Giordano, Henry Muller, Sybil Perry.

Minutes are numbered from the beginning of the calendar year.

The meeting opens in worshipful silence.

2008-34 We accept the annual report of the Trustees. The clerk will contact the convener, Mary Williams, and ask her to re-form the committee.

THE REPORT IS ATTACHED.

2008-35 Ministry and Counsel Committee presents us with the following minute, which they ask us to consider:

In a predominantly heterosexual world, even where society has become more open to various gender differences, barriers remain for non-straight people. These people must, on entering a new group, often test the waters to see if they are truly included. Bulls Head-Oswego Monthly Meeting affirms the traditional testimony of equality of the Religious Society of Friends, and includes in that testimony people who are heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered. Our meeting recognizes and welcomes the ministry of people of all varieties of sexual orientation. We uphold, and take under our care, individuals and families without regard to sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.

We appreciate the work Ministry and Counsel has done on this minute. We ask them to consider it once more and bring it to September Meeting for Business.

2008-36 Ministry and Counsel ask us to accept the transfer of our friend, Christopher Sammond, currently sojourning with us, from his Twin Cities Meeting in Minnesota. This transfer has already been approved by Twin Cities. We gladly accept this transfer, and we ask the clerk to send a copy of this minute to the clerk of Twin Cities Monthly Meeting. Transfer is approved.

2008-37 Ministry and Counsel ask us to approve the request for transfer of our member Virginia Prenot to Mohawk Valley Monthly Meeting. We approve Ginny’s transfer and ask the clerk to forward a copy of this minute to the clerk of Mohawk Valley Monthly Meeting.

2008-38 We receive the treasurer’s report for the first half of 2008.

THE REPORT IS ATTACHED.

We adjourn to meet at the appointed time for Meeting for Business on September 14^th.

Julia Giordano, Clerk

Sybil Perry, Recording Clerk