Minutes of Baltimore Meeting Representative Meeting
Minutes of Sixth Month 17, 2000
Hopewell Centre Meeting

R2000-15 Opening: Baltimore Yearly Meeting's Representative Meeting gathered on 6/17/200 at Hopewell Centre Meeting House in Clearbrook, Virginia. People from 20 meetings signed in:

Adelphi: Mary Lord, Arthur David Olson (Takoma Park), Pete Schenck (Takoma Park), Sharon Stout; Alexandria: John Mason, Linda Spencer; Annapolis: Nan Elsbree, Schuyler S. Elsbree, Pat Schenck; Baltimore, Homewood: Edith J. Ballard, Miriam Green; Baltimore, Stony Run: J. Michael Boardman, Dellie James; Bethesda: Ron Akins, Marion Ballard, Abbe Fessenden, Lee N. Foster, Liz Hofmeister, Paul Luckenbaugh, Phyllis Luckenbaugh; Deer Creek: Betsy Wollaston; Gettysburg: Margaret Stambaugh; Goose Creek: Sheila Kryston, Janney Wilson, Jean Wilson; Harrisonburg: Jeanne Tabscott (Augusta); Herndon: Bonnie Stockslager; Hopewell Centre: Bob Pidgeon, Jim Riley, Josh Riley; Langley Hill: Sheila N. Bach, David Yeaney, Timothy Yeaney; Nottingham: Ron Stroud; Pipe Creek: C. J. Swet, Emily Swet; Richmond: Elizabeth Smith; Sandy Spring: Maria Bradley, Annette Breiling (Seneca Valley), Flossie Fullerton, Kristina Gilbertson, Richard Liversidge, Gertrude B. Rogers (Seneca Valley), Jeanne Snyder; State College: H. Alan Weisel, Marjorie H. Weisel; Washington: David Etheridge, Errol Hess (Penn House), Joseph Izzo, J. E. McNeil, Winifred Walker-Jones; York: Lamar Matthew; other: Robert Strasser (Catoctin Quaker Camp).

R2000-16 Stewardship and Finance: At the request of stewardship and finance, as reported by its Clerk Marion Ballard, and on behalf of the Yearly Meeting, we AGREED to accept somewhat over $10,000 in off-budget, earmarked donations to obtain an 18-month option on the Donnelly property adjacent to Camp Catoctin and to pay for percolation testing and incidental costs. On behalf of the Yearly Meeting, we EMPOWERED J. E. McNeil and Nancy Beiter to negotiate and execute the option under the oversight of Stewardship and Finance.

R2000-17 Trustees: Ron Akins, Clerk of Trustees, reported that Harrisonburg Meeting had asked for a loan of $5,000 to allow meeting house renovation, and that Trustees had recommended granting of this loan. On behalf of the Yearly Meeting, we APPROVED granting of this loan. Ron reported that Trustees have considered the matter of purchase of the Donnelly property; the Trustees are enthused about the property, though not about its price.

R2000-18 Conservation easement: Marion Ballard, Clerk of Stewardship and Finance, and Frank Massey, General Secretary, reported that negotiations had begun with the State of Maryland's Department of Natural Resources' Project Open Space; the project seeks conservation easements, development rights, and timber rights to various parts of Camp Catoctin with expected proceeds of $235,000 to $250,000. We DIRECTED Frank Massey to continue overseeing negotiations.

R2000-19 Committee on Friends in Education: Marion Ballard, Clerk of Stewardship and Finance, reported that the Committee saw no problem with the Ad Hoc Committee on Friends Schools becoming a standing Committee on Friends in Education. Annette Breiling reported on behalf of the Ad Hoc Committee on Friends Schools that Nominating Committee and Manual of Procedure Committee had also considered a change in status. We heard that the group also seeks to include work with public schools within its scope.

R2000-20 Guidelines on "Embraced" Friends: On behalf of Nurture and Recognition of Ministry, Sharon Stout reported that a sixth version of guidelines on "embraced" Friends has been produced; the guidelines are for Friends seeking financial support for ministry to be overseen by the Yearly Meeting as a Yearly Meeting program (such Friends being called "embraced" for the term of the ministry). The guidelines cover matters such as clearness, support, oversight, and accountability, and the committee structure and duties required to ensure these. The guidelines envision that embraced ministries would last from one to three years. The guidelines include a glossary, a list of steps in the process of embrace, and a list of resources. Frank Massey, General Secretary, undertook to get copies of the guidelines to those attending today.

R2000-21 Task Group on the Structure of the Yearly Meeting's Committees and the Role of Staff: Lamar Matthew reported on behalf of the Task Group on the Structure of the Yearly Meeting's Committees and the Role of Staff that a draft charge for the group has been written and that Howard Fullerton is to serve with the Task Group.

R2000-22 Work of Pat Kutzner: Pete Schenck reported on behalf of Indian Affairs' Subcommittee overseeing the work of Pat Kutzner. Pete reported that funds are available for Pat's work through our upcoming annual session and for two months beyond that; the Subcommittee sees this as evidence of strong support for Pat's work. The Subcommittee envisions broadening this support by describing the project in Friendly publications. The Subcommittee is to ask at our upcoming annual session for a three-year continuation of the project and establishment of a travel fund to encourage visits of Friends to Torreon/Star Lake and vice versa.

R2000-23 Right Sharing of World Resources: Lamar Matthew, presiding, read a request from Baltimore Yearly Meeting's Right Sharing of World Resources Committee that Baltimore Yearly Meeting name a Representative to Right Sharing of World Resources, Inc., recently separated from Friends World Committee for Consultation. We DIRECTED Nominating Committee and Stewardship and Finance to consider this request.

R2000-24 Population Concern: Lamar Matthew, presiding, read a letter from Baltimore, Homewood Monthly Meeting reaffirming the leading of Stan Becker to travel among Friends with a concern for rapid population growth; the letter has been endorsed by Chesapeake Quarterly Meeting. We ENDORSED the travel minute of Stan Becker.

R2000-25 Families Against Violence Advocacy Network: Mary Lord, Co-Convenor of Peace and Social Concerns Committee, reported that the Committee has joined the Families Against Violence Advocacy Network; Linda Heacock is working with the group.

R2000-26 Friends Peace Teams: Mary Lord reported on behalf of Friends Peace Teams that Friends Peace Teams has identified two Americans and two Africans for the Burundi Peace Team.

R2000-27 Spiritual State of the Meeting: Miriam Green, Clerk of Ministry and Counsel, reported that eight of about 50 Spiritual State of the Meeting reports are outstanding; Miriam encouraged us to ensure that our home Meetings' reports have been sent.

R2000-28 Advancement and Outreach: Jeanne Tabscott, on behalf of Advancement and Outreach, reported that the Committee is seeking to reinvigorate itself and may need a transfusion.

R2000-29 Closing: We thanked Hopewell Centre Friends for their hospitality. We heard, corrected, and APPROVED these minutes. We adjourned, to gather next on 10/28/2000 at Nottingham Meeting House in Oxford, Pennsylvania, or at the call of the Presiding Clerk.

Lamar Matthew, presiding         Arthur David Olson, recording

 

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