Hartford Monthly Meeting Newsletter
March 2005

"Do you try to set aside times of quiet for openness to the Holy Spirit? All of us need to find a way into silence which allows us to deepen our awareness of the divine and to find the inward source of our strength. Seek to know and inward stillness, even amid the activities of daily life. Do you encourage in yourself and in others a habit of dependence on God's guidance for each day? Hold yourself and others in the Light, knowing that all are cherished by God." Advices and Queries, The book of Christian discipline of the Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain

Calendar

March 13 Fellowship Lunch
March 20 Meeting for Business
March 22 Religious Ed and Earthcare Witness Committees' supper
6:30 pm Diane Randall and Roger Catlin's home
March 27 Easter
Sep 16-18 Hartford Monthly Meeting Retreat, Litchfield, CT

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

Virginia Hicks Memorial Minute

Virginia Hicks, who died in January of 2004, was a member of Hartford Monthly Meeting for forty eight years. Her participation in the meeting took the form of teaching First Day School and working on the Library Committee.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1919, she moved to Hartford 1930 with her parents and her older sister, Elizabeth. Virginia graduated from Weaver High School and Morse Business College. Later on she took some classes at Trinity. Her work experience was forty five years at the Diary Group of Kraft, Inc. eventually in the capacity of executive secretary.

Virginia was a quiet and reserved personality. When greeted, her response was a sweet, friendly smile but few words. She attended Meeting for Worship regularly and seemed to find Quaker beliefs and simplicity important to her. To an observer the exterior of her life seemed to be limited by the demands of caring for her father. She and her sister kept house for him well into their middle age and after his death she cared for her sister. Eventually the sisters became residents of Avery Heights where they lived in a cottage. Her sister predeceased her.

She lived a life of simplicity and on her death she left bequests to ten environmental and religious agencies. Her inner life was enriched and sustained by the silence of Friends Meeting, prayer and interest in other religious groups especially charismatic ones, books and the out of doors.

Mary Jane Carpenter

New Baby!
Lyra Joanna Gruber-Cooley, 8lb 4 oz, 22 inches, was born on February 19 to Bob Cooley and Miela Gruber.

First Day School Curriculum-New England Yearly Meeting
The Christian Education Committee of NEYM will hold a curriculum workshop on Saturday, April 30 in Portland, ME. This day is open to anyone interested in First Day School.

Bill Taylor's List of Meeting Challenges
Following up on the list of challenges facing the meeting, nine people sent very thoughtful and heartfelt responses. Those responses went out on the HMM-News email in mid-February. If you have email but don't get HMM-News, email Bill Taylor at williamtaylor@alum.wpi.edu for an email copy. If you don't have email, send your mailing address to Bill 28 Pelham Rd. West Hartford, CT 06107-2718 Or call 860 236-3709 and a copy will rush out to you at warp speed.

PLAN AHEAD FOR QUAKER GATHERINGS

Friends General Conference Gathering, July 2-9, Blacksburg, VA; www.fgcquaker.org

New England Yearly Meeting Session, August 6-11, Smithfield , RI

Friends Camp, South China, ME-two week sessions begin June 26 for age 7-11.
www.freindscamp.org or look in the Meeting library for mailings.
This year Friends Camp is holding a family camp from August 28 to September 2, open to individuals, couples and families who are interested in coming to Maine to enjoy a five day retreat at the end of the summer. For experiential reports, talk to children in our meeting who have attended Friends Camp in the past, including Jenny Weinholtz, Lillie Catlin, Rishona Hines, Nora Catlin, Shani Hines, Kevin Victoriano.

Hartford Monthly Meeting Biennial Retreat, September 16-18, 2005 at Wisdom House in Litchfield, CT.

Financial assistance to attend any of these gatherings is available from conference encouragers committee. Contact Roz Spier with a request or for more information

Library News
Check out the shelves above the card catalog on the Library counter for a recently donated collection of videotapes available for your home viewing. They are marked with a blue dot and have a brief description of the items' contents on the cover. Videos already in our collection marked with red dots are specific to Hartford Monthly Meeting. Sign them out by using the clip board immediately below on the card catalog file, view and rewind at home. Return to the Return Materials Bin. No late fees but remember someone else may be waiting.

Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
The Two Towns of Jasper, a look at the black and white communities in a Texas town where a black man was dragged to death
Peter Jennings Reporting: I Have a Dream, recounting the anniversary of Martin Luther King's famous speech
Peter Jennings Reporting: Jesus and Paul, the Word and the Witness
Farmingville, a documentary about problems of racism and influx of Mexican workers on Long Island
War Feels Like War, a look at war correspondents
James, the brother of Jesus
Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin, a biography of the Quaker Activist
T Shirt Travels, How your donated clothes become a commodity in the Third World and upsets the fledgling economies there
Faith and Do Ground Zero, Why did God let 9/11 happen?ubt at
Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet, good background on Islam
Desmond Tutu, The South African Bishop talks about using silence to mediate and pray
Strange Fruit, Story of groundbreaking song about the lynchings in the South, written by the man who adopted the Rosenberg children
Ram Dass: Fierce Grace, catching up with the spiritual leader and author of best seller,
Be Here Now
Afghanistan Unveiled, first documentary about Afghan women by Afghan women
Sister Helen, documentary about a woman who runs a shelter in New York
The Kidnapping of Ingrid Betancourt, an astounding documentary on activist Politician kidnapped in Columbia
Columbia's Forgotten Children
Heir to an Execution, granddaughter of the Rosenbergs tries to dig up her family history
The Christmas Truce, World War I, story of a holiday truce organized by soldiers
Rumsfeld's War, recent look at Defense Secretary's influence in the Bush Administration (this is a DVD)

Some other videos related to issues studied within our own Peace and Social Concerns and Pastoral Care/ Elder Issues have been added to the Library Collection. These videos are marked with a green dot. Included in this grouping:
On Our Own Terms, About Death and Dying
Forgetting: The Portrait of Alzheimers
Peace Skills in Action, a production of the Plowshares Institute
The Good War: And Those Who Refused to Fight It
School of Assassins, narrated by Susan Sarandon, a 1995 Academy Award Nominee

The Library Committee is looking for a volunteer who types and has easy access to a typewriter to type the cards for the card catalog when we add to our collection. Printed instructions are readily available, the job can be done on your schedule, we even drop off and pick up, materials provided. Estimate 3-4 books a month. 3 cards per book probably translates to 2 hours a month. Interested? Call Emily Chasse 521-9033

Book Review by Travis Taylor
Voices of A People's History of the United States
by Howard Zinn (Editor), Anthony Arnove (Editor)

Adding a new volume to his collection of highly regarded history books, Howard Zinn with the help of Anthony Arnove has just released "Voices from a Peoples History of the United States". This masterly collaborated collection of essays, songs, poems and speeches from both the widely known and the often ignored voice of the downtrodden is crafted together in such a way that the book tells the entire history of The United States through the eyes of the dissident. Stretching over 600 pages it encompasses everyone from Bob Dylan to Caesar Chavez and ranges in its time period from Las Casas writing on the horrors of Columbus's legacy to Tim Predmore, a soldier asking "How Many More Must Die" in the Iraqi war.

"How many more must die? How many more tears must be shed before America awakens and demands the return of the men and women whose job it is to protect them rather than their leaders' interests?"

This sampling is just a small sampling of insight from 400 years of progressive men and woman. With a short introduction to each piece, Zinn gives the setting allowing the reader to understand the circumstances of each piece. While the formatting done by Zinn and Arnove creates the tone, it is the incredibly powerful and original works found within this book that make it an invaluable handbook in reference to U.S history.

Meeting for Business Hartford Monthly Meeting 2/20/05

Thirty-seven Friends gathered in silence at 11:35 A.M. to begin the Meeting for Worship for Business. Thanks were given to Ginny Allen, Kiki Eglinton John Humphries and Debbie Humphries, for providing soup. A volunteer is needed to do likewise on 3/20/05.

Ad Hoc Committee on the Maplewood Properties: Ginny Allen reported on the property at 143 Maplewood for the Committee, which was an outgrowth of the October Threshing Session, and which has come to concern the Meeting after some ten years of occupancy by the Tran Family, who also provided custodial care for the Meetinghouse. The Trans moved out in December, 2004. Last week a building inspector viewed the entire house and found:

--masonry work is needed, especially around the chimney
--the eaves are occupied by squirrels, who have co-opted the attic insulation as well
--the gutters need replacement
--tree work is necessary
--window wells need replacement
-- an old boiler in the basement, covered in asbestos, is too large to remove intact
--there is water in the basement
--basement stairs need replacement
--kitchen needs total rehabilitation
--front door ceiling has water damage/plaster problems
--upstairs bedrooms have minor water damage, perhaps from gutter problems
--upstairs bathroom needs total rehabilitation

In short, it is not in as bad shape as we'd feared. Ginny and Chris Watts toured the house with the building inspector. Ginny offered Options:

1. Own the building , rehab and rent it. Chris Watts has volunteered, and will help organize work days to clean out detritus. Suggestion: a bank line of credit for $30,000 to $40,000 to pay for it-we would pay interest only on what we used of the credit line.
2. Own the building, apply to West Hartford for eligibility to rent to an affordable housing tenant. Possible connection with West Hartford Interfaith Housing Coalition, who might loan us money. We would need another $20,000.
3. Sell the house to WHIHC. They would manage it, sell it to resident, oversee the whole process.
4. Sell it on the open market, as is or fixed up.

Questions and discussion followed at great length, which included the following points made by Friends:

--It has cost the Meeting about $400.00 a month to operate the house historically
--The size of the lot may be a problem; anything is doable if you jump through red tape
--Not sure we'd qualify for rental assistance funds
--Families come with more "baggage" than a couple does
--lead paint is easier to sell than rent
--Rehabbing will pay for itself if selling
--How much responsibility does the meeting want to take on-managing property has not been our strong point
--The second Maplewood Property will open up in August
--consider Option 5-bulldoze it and build a parking lot
--Rumors of clauses in original cession of the properties are not in the deeds and documents
--Second House has much the same layout, but we've put some money into it more recently
--Dealing with the second house will be easier, given the work we're putting into researching options for 143 Maplewood
--There's a problem with selling off an asset without a plan for the use of the money
--Keep our commitment to the Earth Charter in mind in terms of sustainability
--We must consider potential long-term uses for that building and space-1st Day School, etc.
--What fits best with our spiritual base-if we could do anything with the property, what would Quakers do?
--We cannot leave it empty-vandalism in the neighborhood and in the Meetinghouse, insurance will not cover vandalism
--Ownership is stewardship
--A Community of Conscience is the steward now-and if we sell it, it will not be.
--Concerns about the price tag to rehab the building-might be much higher
--Keeping it will require a change in our way of doing management/stewardship
--Managing three properties-including the Meetinghouse-may overextend our stewardship-we are spread thin in time and energy
--Selling one property would produce funds that could be earmarked for the remaining properties. It would make more sense to sell the southern property and keep 143 Maplewood
--We have a long-standing relationship with WH Interfaith Housing Coalition
--Fund-raising fell $15,000 short last year
--The properties have contributed significantly to our revenue in the past
--Real Estate in West Hartford is a wonderful asset

Ginny Allen then attempted to find the sense of the meeting, given that the costs were guesstimates, and we can't answer whether the town would let us sell. She heard the sense that we operate in the realm of Options 1 and 2: that we keep and rehab the property, that if selling needs revisiting we consider the second house for sale. That we should get busy. This caused other Friends to offer the following:

--That we should have solid figures on costs of rehabilitation to compare our options
--that the house was used for 1st Day School and committee meetings in the past
--That we put too much responsibility on individuals
--There are people out there with experience in this sort of management, like Mercy Housing
--Is there a reserve to cover overflow costs, given skepticism about the costs
--We have $35,000 now in reserve
--We could go for a credit line of $80,000 and use only what we need-we don't have to pay interest if we don't spend it
--vocational schools love projects like this-free help

The Sense of the Meeting was then stated: We are clear to move forward immediately, with a bank line of credit, to rehab the house in a financially responsible manner, and to discuss rental or sale options at a later date.

The Meeting expressed gratitude to Ginny Allen for all her work on the Maplewood Properties.

Finance Committee: The Budget
Jim Reik presented the 2005 Budget for approval. He described it as a tight Budget, given the fact that we've been running "a shade shy" on contributions lately.
The bottom line was a Budget total of $86,290. (See details)
The Budget was approved.

Worship and Ministry: Lynn Johnson reported that the Committee has been gathering information for the State of Society Report. Two well-attended 11th Hours were held to discuss four questions about the life of the meeting. Diane Weinholtz has offered to draft the report.

There will be a Seekers Session on March 6 at the rise of Meeting lead by Lynn Johnson and Cynthia Reik. All new members and attenders who have questions about meeting are invited to attend.

Quakerism 101n will finish ion March 6th as well. Again thanks to David Holdt for his leadership.
Memorial Minute for Virginia Hicks was Accepted

Pastoral Care Cynthia Reik welcomed Beth Morrill to Membership. Cynthia will see that a subscription to Friends Journal is entered for her.

Religious Education Lynn Johnson reported that the Committee would like to thank the following teachers for teaching in the mid-winter: David Zevin, for continuing to work with the High School, Mary Ann Sneikus and Brigid Kennedy for teaching a unit on the Bible to the middle school, Diane Randall for teaching Bible to the 4-5th graders, Emily chasse for working with the 1-3rd graders "Teaching Tolerance," Lynn Johnson and parents for working with the "Lovelight" preschool class, learning about Jesus, and Bill Taylor and Carolann Boucher for continuing to work in the nursery. Thanks further to David, Lynn, Carolann and Bill who have volunteered to continue their work with the children throughout the rest of the year. Linda Smith is teaching Bible to the 4-5th graders, and Shawn Lang will begin teaching Bible to the 1-3rd graders. We need a volunteer or volunteers to teach Quakerism to the Middle School on four Sundays in March. Beginning in April the whole First Day School will be doing a unit on Earth Care Witness.

Peace and Social Concerns LouAnne McDonald reported that the Interfaith Coalition for Equity and Justice is seeking volunteers to host house parties. See LouAnne if interested . They will offer training for facilitating on 3/15/05 at 1st Presbyterian Church on Capital Avenue in Hartford.
John Stamm and Lynn Johnson presented a minute on the Death Penalty by Bruce Martin:

That, as a body, we quickly develop a well thought out attempt to change the Governor's mind. I suggest that we put our faith into action, speak truth to power, prepare a straightforward appeal to her conscience. Our heartfelt persuasive expression will enable her to see that as a mother and one of us as a society we will all be diminished and debased by conducting an execution of a human being. I suggest that we ask for an appointment with her at the earliest possible time.

The Minute was approved. Bruce will convene a committee to discuss and frame a statement. Cynthia Reik will send a letter to the Governor asking for a meeting. Carol Savery-Frederick, John Stamm, Jim Reik, Otis Brown, Beverly Stamm, and Kiki Eglinton volunteered to take part in the meeting.

Library Emily Chasse reported that the committee was still seeking drawers. Karen Will noted that the new Directory is available at $2 apiece, or electronically by e-mailing Phil Will.

Buildings and Grounds No Report

Nominating Committee No Report, but working hard.

Building Use LouAnne McDonald reported that recent vandalism in the Nursery School area with fire extinguishers had been repaired. She also noted that the New England Church of God reported videotapes stolen from the Clerk's Office. The combination lock will be changed, and it was noted that the firemen who cleaned up the vandalism described the other locks on the building as "useless."

The Meeting adjourned, after a period of silence, at 2:15 p.m.
Cynthia Reik, Clerk David Holdt, Recording Clerk