Hartford Monthly Meeting Newsletter
February 2005

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. - Galations 5:22,23

Calendar

Jan 23 11th hour Discussion-State of Society Report ( queries on p. 6)
Jan 26 Considering the use of Virginia Hicks’ financial bequest of $100,000.
7:15 pm Discussion sponsored by Finance Committee; Ginny Allen’s home.
Jan 30 Family Meeting
11th hour Discussion-State of Society Report
Feb 5-6 Quarterly Meeting at Hartford Meeting (see full page announcement)
Including Sat evening potluck and Sunday afternoon potluck*
Feb 20 Meeting for Business

Meeting for Worship is held every First Day at 10 am.

Mid-week Worship Thursday at 7 pm in the Williams Room.

When there is a Fifth Sunday in a month, our 10 am worship is Family Sunday, where children are with us the entire hour of worship. These Sundays usually have programmed aspects for children and differ slightly from our traditional unprogrammed worship.

ALL ARE WELCOME AT ANY OF THESE GATHERINGS

*Our normal schedule of 2nd Sunday potluck is changed to 1st Sunday in February only.

Expand Your Quaker Experience
As your Conference Encouragers, Diane Randall and Roz Spier urge members and attenders, especially newcomers, of any age, to widen their experience of Friends by attending gatherings, interest groups, seminars or retreats sponsored by various Quaker organizations throughout the year. Our Meeting budget includes an ample appropriation to help people to participate. We know from experience that these opportunities provide enrichment and inspiration to the entire meeting as well as to the individuals.

WHERE? These include first and foremost the Sessions of New England Yearly Meeting (held August 6-11 in Smithfield, RI this year), the annual Gathering of Friends General Conference (July 3-9 in VA this year) and Friends Camp sessions for children
WHERE ELSE? All of Friends’ umbrella organizations (Yearly Meeting, Friends General Conference) arrange gatherings on topics like religious education, pastoral care, clerking Friends committees, etc. In addition Quaker study centers in Massachusetts (Woolman Hill) and Pennsylvania (Pendle Hill) offer weekend retreats on everything from the environment to Quakers in the arts to an experience of extended silence in a group. William Penn House, strategically located on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., offers many programs on issues and action related to national legislation.

MORE? This is just a hint. Announcements of opportunities cover the bulletin boards and tables in the library. Diane Randall and Clerk Cynthia Reik can help point these out. Just ask. Our hope is that you will report back to the Meeting on your experience, either to the Meeting for Business or in the Meeting newsletter.

HOW? For financial assistance apply in writing (email is fine) to the committee. Describe the program you wish to attend, your reason for choosing it, and the projected cost, including transportation. Give an estimate of how much, if any, you can afford to pay. You should know that financial aid is also available from most of the sponsoring organizations, but normally they expect the first request to go to one’s home meeting.

Committee on Conference Encouragers: Diane Randall and Roz Spier

Check out more information on the web:
www.neym.org, www.woolmanhill.org, www.fgcquaker.org, www.pendlehill.org,
www.friendscamp.org

Pax Educare Events
Tuesday Worship 5:30 Feb 8 and March 8, followed by soup and fellowship
Friday films 7: 30 Feb 4 Prisoner of the Mountains
March 4 All Quiet on the Western Front
The events above take place at 56 Arbor Street in Hartford.

Benefit Concert Feb 12 at 7, Adaskin String Trio with pianist Sally Pinkus, at the home
of Karen and Phil Will, 227 Girard Street in Hartford. $15 at the door.
Magical Strings Concert April 3 at 3; Hartord Quaker Meeting House.

Woolman Hill Programs
Jan 21-23 "From Earth Charter to Constructive Program: Translating Global Vision into Local Action" with John Humphries, Joanne Sheehan and Allie Perry. "The outcome of the US Presidential Election will not fundamentally alter the challenge we face in transforming our culture of violence. At this retreat we will explore alternative community structures that might help us begin to live our vision of the world we want.
Feb 11-13 "Journalling our Relationships" with Molly Duplisea-Palmer.
Feb 18-20 "Art and Spirituality for Friends".Practicing artists of any kind are welcome and some discussion of how art relates to our faith.
March 4-6 "Stepping into the Heart of Quakerism" with Will Tabor and Martha Mangelsdorf. This workshop will include short readings and discussion of early Quakers, especially George Fox and Robert Barclay. Newcomers to Quakerism are welcome.
March 18-20 "Bible Stories in our Lives" with Anne Anderson.
For more information visit the Woolman Hill web site at www.woolmanhill.org.

COMMITTEE NEWS

Pastoral Care Committee continues to reach out to friends within the meeting. If you have a concern-such as illness, loss, or significant life changes affecting you or your family-or you are aware of someone that you think Pastoral Care should be aware of, please feel free to call Debbie Humphries (236-5175) or Carolann Boucher (667-3323).

Worship and Ministry is leading the biennial process of examining the spiritual condition of our meeting, which will result in a formal report that is recorded in our minutes and sent on to the Quarterly and Yearly Meetings. Everyone who attends Hartford Meeting is encouraged to participate in the 11th hour discussions or by talking to members of the Worship and Ministry Committee (listed on the last page of the newsletter). State of Society Queries on p. 6 of newsletter.

Finance Committee is currently developing the proposed annual budget for the meeting. Each committee clerk is asked to report to Finance Committee their committee’s financial need for 2005. Please call Jim Reik (289-4566) before February 3; he will inform you of the amount your committee spent in 2004. The 2005 annual budget will be considered at the February 20 Meeting for Business.

Religious Education
3-5 yr olds have been studying the life of Jesus with Lynn Johnson and parent assistants.
1st-3rd graders are studying peace and protest songs with Emily Chasse.
4th/5th graders have been reading Genesis and learning about Abraham with Diane R.
6th-8th graders have been studying the Bible with MaryAnn S. Brigid K. and guests.
Young Friends have been considering the State of Society and hanging out with David Z.

What’s Going On?
Anyone wanting to be added to the meeting email listserve or the listserve for Peace and Social concerns can email their request to Bill Taylor.

Building and Grounds: Missing Ladders
The meetinghouse step ladders and extension ladders are missing. If you have borrowed these or know of their whereabouts, please return them to the meetinghouse or let Building and Grounds committee where they are.

Nominating Committee
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit…to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” 1 Corinthians, 12

Over the next two months Nominating Committee will ask everyone in the meeting to decide how best to serve the meeting in the next program year, starting in June. Please give this your careful attention and let us know where you fit in. Eleanor Godway, Clerk (225 7554), Joan Gallagher, and Ginny Allen.

COMMITTEES OF HARTFORD MEETING, 2004-2005

ARCHIVES: Meets monthly to review and organize materials collected over the years relating to Meeting life and history. Cynthia Reik or Eric Stamm

BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS: Organizes spring and fall Meeting-wide work days. Handles building needs as they arise. Reviews and recommends major repairs and Meetinghouse purchases. Stephen Haynes

BUILDING USE: Schedules the Meetinghouse for meetings and events. LouAnne McDonald

CANNED FOOD COLLECTION: Collects and delivers donated food to a pantry in downtown Hartford. Steve Warner

COMMUNICATIONS: Focuses on communications both within the Meeting (email, regular mail, phone, and newsletter) and outside the Meeting (all of the above plus print and the internet). Bill Taylor or Phil Will

CONFERENCE ENCOURAGERS: Acquaints people with Quaker Conferences and activities and funds available for attending these: Diane Randall Roz Spier

CORRESPONDENCE: Corresponds with those unable to come to Meeting and provides outreach to individuals on special occasions. Dianne Warner

ELEVENTH HOUR: Schedules programs for the hour after worship and provides advance announcements and notices to the newsletter editor. Roz Spier

FINANCE: Monitors the financial condition of the Meeting. Prepares the annual budget. Responsible for fundraising appeals as necessary. Sets rates for cost-sharing for building use. Sets rent on Meeting properties. Jim Reik

FRIENDS IN UNITY WITH NATURE: Seeks to heighten awareness of environmental issues, encourage spirit-led action when appropriate, plan activities in or honoring nature, and promote the work of the national Friends Committee on Unity with Nature (FCUN). David Holdt or Bill Upholt

GAY AND LESBIAN CONCERNS: Bill Taylor

GREETERS: Responsible for coming in early on First Day to prepare the building for worship, greeting people as they enter, helping newcomers and introducing them to others, staying late to lock up. Brad Noel

HOSPITALITY: Organizes fellowship luncheons (usually monthly) and Quarterly Meeting potluck, buys kitchen supplies, organizes kitchen. Mary Ann Snieckus or Michael Taylor or Roger Catlin.

LIBRARY: Acquires, catalogues, shelves, and circulates library materials. Consults with other committees regarding their needs, accepts suggestions for acquisitions, and occasionally writes reviews for the newsletter. Emily Chasse

MAILING LIST AND DIRECTORY: Maintains an up-to-date list of members and attenders. Publishes annual directory. Karen Will

MANTEL ARRANGEMENTS: Members rotate responsibility for mantel decoration for First Days and special observances, Don Noel

MEMORIAL: Notifies the Meeting community when someone in the Meeting community dies; helps the family, coordinates the Memorial Meeting. Maintains relevant library materials. Keeps files, including living wills, organ and body donation forms, and Friends’ final wishes. Administers Memorial Fund. Bill Taylor

NEWSLETTER: Gathers relevant news, writes copy, and arranges for printing and distributing the monthly newsletter. Roger Catlin or Diane Randall

PEACE AND SOCIAL CONCERNS: Gathers and presents information on peace and justice issues, and facilitates action on these concerns. Oversees the Meeting’s sponsorship of the Alternatives to Violence Program (AVP)

ALTERNATIVES TO VIOLENCE PROGRAM (AVP): Conducts weekend workshops in state prisons. Michael Taylor

INCREASE THE PEACE PROGRAM (HIPP): Conducts workshops on alternatives to violence in public schools. Mary Lee Morrison

PHOTO BOARD: Photographs Meeting members and attenders and maintains photo display board. Michael Taylor

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: Schedules classes, recruits teachers, develops curriculum and organizes special programs such as pancake breakfasts, Christmas pageant, etc., for nursery through senior high ages. Diane Randall

NURSERY CARE: Arranges for volunteers to assist with nursery care during Meeting for worship, Eleventh Hours, and Meeting for Business.

YOUNG FRIENDS: Works with high school age Friends to organize and provide programs. David Zevin

SOCIAL HOUR: Recruits volunteers to bring and serve refreshments at social hour. Marla Ludwig

Hartford Monthly Meeting for Business 1/16/2005

At 11:40 a.m. twenty-seven Friends gathered in silent worship to begin the Meeting for Business. Thanks were given to the Flints and Ginny Allen for the soup. Ginny will bring soup for the 2/20/2005 Meeting.

Committee Reports

Worship and Ministry Lynn Johnson reported that a Clearness Committee finds Beth Morrill ready for membership and asked for approval. Approval was granted and a Welcoming Committee of Mary Lee Morrison, Debbie Humphries and Diane Randall will visit her.
A Certificate of Transfer for Eileen Lawlor from South Berkshire Meeting was received, and Eileen will be welcomed back as a Member of Hartford Meeting.
John Stamm has been appointed a member of Debbie Humphries’ Support Committee, along with Eleanor Godway and Martin Wheeler.
A Minute expressing appreciation for David Holdt’s teaching of Quakerism 101 was approved.
Ministry and Worship will sponsor two 11th hours focusing on the state of our Society on 1/23/2005 and 1/30/2005. We will be considering the following questions together.
What is the Spiritual condition of our Meeting?
1. What does it mean to be a part of this spiritual community? How has it helped you? How has it challenged you? How does the experience of worship extend into the course of your week?
2. Are we addressing the needs of our whole community? Of newcomers? Of the elderly? Of our young adults? Of our children and families? Of our singles? Of all and any of us?
3. Are we addressing the challenges of our time? Our environment? The war in Iraq? Poverty and racism? Same gender marriage? Etc. Are we participating in wider Quaker circles and witnessing in the wider community?
4. In what ways is this Meeting being led/called to grow, stretch or deepen? How is the spirit moving among us?

Pastoral Care Debbie Humphries reported that a holiday party featuring a marionette show by Dan Butterworth was held last weekend with 25-30 children and many adults in attendance. It followed the welcoming of Sarah Grace McCarthy-Reynolds. Thanks were expressed to those who sent out Christmas cards-please let the committee know if any were returned because of outdated addresses, or if the telephone tree has any glitches. Cards are also sent to visitors or those Friends are concerned about.

Religious Education Diane Randall reported that classes are going well. Lynn Johnson, David Zevin, Carolann Boucher and Bill Taylor have extended their commitments for the entire year. In April and May the First Day School will focus on Earthcare Witness/ Friends in Unity with Nature, and they are looking for Friends interested in participating.
Storrs Meeting may visit on Family Sunday, to see how we conduct that Worship.

Library Emily Chasse reported that books keep “showing up!” She is grateful. The Library needs drawers for the cabinets, and the help of someone with carpentry skills to build them.

Finance Jim Reik reported an unusual financial event, the $100,000 bequest of Virginia Hicks to the Meeting. Virginia was a long-time member of the Meeting who, until her health deteriorated, was a regular attender of Meeting for Worship. She was also active in support of the library, and a First Day School teacher. The Committee would like to bring before the Meeting the question of how this bequest will be treated.

There has been no indication of Virginia’s intent thus far. There are a number of Endowment possibilities as well as various wish-lists and ideas, ranging from Library drawers to repairs to the Maplewood Properties, to remodeling the kitchen, to the Quest program (Quaker volunteer service). It was suggested that a Threshing Session might be the best way to fully consider the opportunity presented by this gift. Finance Committee will convene a discussion to prepare for the Threshing Session. In the meantime, the money will be placed into a short term Certificate of Deposit. It was noted that there is no great rush to decide. We will pursue additional information about Virginia’s life by contacting Mary Jane Carpenter and folks at Avery Heights, where she lived. The question of a Memorial Minute must also be resolved.

The Meeting had a cash flow loss of $25,617, attributable, for the most part, to the fact that individual contributions were $59,831 rather than the budgetary goal of $80,000. This loss is being charged against our reserves. Deviations from the Budget were for Major Repairs--$22,976, when we had budgeted $4000-most of this was for encapsulating asbestos in the Nursery School area. Building use did a good job of producing a budget surplus--$19,493 over the budget of $19,025-even though there was a reduction in a regular tenant’s use. A complete report of 2004 income and expenditures will be considered in February Business meeting.

The Committee would like all committees to let them know by 2/6/2005 what their budget needs will be for 2005.

The Committee raised the question of whether the annual budget should be approved in October prior to the start of the fiscal year or January, just after the start of the fiscal ear.
Other discussion centered on the individual contributions to the Meeting, use of the reserve funds and our donations to other organizations/causes. It seems there are three categories of contributions: Memberships, Meeting Concerns, and Wider concerns. Friends approved spending reserves to pay all 2004 budgeted contributions.

Buildings and Grounds Stephen Haynes reported that the snow service is being reeducated about the job requirements. There are communications issues with the Nursery School complicated by the fact that we no longer have resident maintenance personnel. Stephen is looking for estimates on masonry-foundation, chimney, water damage. The lead testing of both Maplewood Properties will be done next week.

He is also scheduling an engineer to look at what should be put out for bid to contractors. The issue of what to use the buildings for is still in the air. Several suggestions, including a homeowner’s service and having a Resident Friend were brought forward, and the Ad Hoc Maplewood Properties Committee, convened by Ginny Allen will consider these and other options, but the buildings condition must be settled first. The second property will likely be vacant as well, by next Fall.

Appreciation and thanks were minuted to Ginny Allen, Stephen Haynes and Otis Brown for their skillful engagement of these property issues.

Building Use LouAnne McDonald reported that Yearly Meeting Retreats for Middle School and High School are coming up at the Meeting House on March 5-6 and 19-20.

New Business
The September Retreat 9/16-18/2005 is booked. Ginny Allen will build a committee to plan it.
Quarterly Meeting 2/5-2/6 needs food and representatives. Bobbie Taylor and Debbie Humphries will be our representatives at the Saturday evening worship and Ministry session. It was suggested that younger families might be a rich field to till for representatives to the Sunday session.

Hillary Poole and Mark Wood have a new baby. Ginny Allen Cynthia Reik and LouAnn McDonald will visit.

Cynthia Reik, clerk David Holdt, Recording clerk

The Life of the Meeting. . . .

Ask Bill Taylor for a copy of his 1/15/05 memo: The Clash: Past Practices versus Present Realities. It’s too long to include in this newsletter, but he observes needs within the Meeting and raises queries for us to consider. It begins like this:

“Many people do many good works for Hartford Meeting, for Quaker concerns, and for other causes. As a community we support one another in significant ways.
However, a number of people have observed that the Meeting falls short or needs more help in a number of areas.”

CONNECTICUT VALLEY QUARTERLY MEETING
February 5-6, 2005, Hartford Monthly Meeting

Come one, come all, to share in spiritual fellowship
and inspiration with old f/Friends and new/young in hospitable Hartford!

In response to leadings emerging from the last Quarterly Meeting at Woolman Hill, the program at Hartford will be a little different this year.

Feb.5 (Saturday)
6.00 p.m. Pot luck supper at Hartford Meeting House
7.30 p.m. (After clean-up) All current and former members of Ministry and Counsel, Ministry and Worship, and Pastoral Care Committees in the Quarter are invited to an open meeting. (Agenda items to Eleanor Godway, (860 225 7554; fax 860 832 2923; e-mail godway@ccsu.edu <mailto:godway@ccsu.edu>; one of the first is a proposal to reinstitute the QM M&C.)
7.30 p.m. Friends of Junior High and High School age are invited to activities planned by Diane Randall - RSVP to 860 521 4380, or randalldiane@sbcglobal.net, followed by sleepover at 31 Grennan Road, West Hartford.
9.00 p.m. dispersal to Friends’ homes in the Hartford area.

Feb.6 (First Day)
8.45 a.m. Coffee, tea, etc. at the Meeting House
9.10 a.m. Bible study in the Ralph Williams Room - bring a Bible
10.00 a.m. Meeting for Worship
11.15 a.m. Quarterly Meeting for Business (note new time.)
Agenda items to Clerk Bonner McAllester, bmca@berkshire.net <mailto:bmca@berkshire.net>
12.45 p.m. Lunch (Hartford Friends bring enough for all)
2.00 p.m. Program
Let Us Walk Each Other Home. . .
a spiritual and practical response to homelessness

A number of Friends in Hartford and New Haven Monthly Meetings (and perhaps others also)
are working in various ways to address the injustice of homelessness. They will share gifts that
have grown out of this work as well as ways of addressing the issue locally and elsewhere.
This will be an opportunity to reflect on the issue of homelessness in a new light. Homelessness is not an isolated phenomenon, but an indication of how our society has lost sight of our mission on earth to each other. We will look at the call to end homelessness as an opportunity to go deep into our own hearts and find ways to respond to rebuilding home.
The program will include a short video, involve some worship and small group sharing, and activities appropriate for junior high and high school students as well as older F/friends.

3.45 p.m. Farewells