Hartford Monthly Meeting
Religious Society of Friends
November 2005

"The Quaker method is extremely simple. No intermediary, ritual or ceremony is required. Words are not essential. God does not need to be brought near for 'closer is He than breathing and nearer than hands and feet.' It is the human mind and heart that need to be adjusted and made conscious of His presence. And as the sincere worshipper waits in silent meditation, or voices prayer or praise, he experiences this fresh sense of God, and with it a renewal of spiritual strength in communion with God and with his fellow worshippers."
North Carolina Yearly Meeting, 1962

Calendar

Nov 6 10 am worship
Nov 10 7 pm Candlelight Prayer Vigil for Peace in Iraq at the Meetinghouse
Challenging the Structures of Racism-ICEJ event featuring john powell
Nov 12 9am-Noon Building and Grounds Work Day at Meetinghouse
Nov 13 11:30 am Fellowship Lunch
Nov 20 11:30 am Meeting for Business
Nov 27 10 am worship
Dec 3 6 pm Potluck for Newcomers
Dec 4 10 am worship
Dec 11 11:30 Fellowship Lunch

Meeting for Worship is held every First Day at 10 am.
First Day School for children begins at 9:50 am.
Mid-week Worship Thursdays at 7 pm in the Williams Room.
ALL ARE WELCOME

Help Needed for the Meetinghouse
This is a reminder that the Fall Work Day at the Meeting is Saturday, November 12 from 9 am to noon. There will be lots of projects, inside and out. Please mark your calendars and bring your work gloves, rakes, a bundle of leaf bags, etc, if you want to work outside or some cleaning rags and a bottle of Top Job, if you want to work inside.
The more the merrier. Many hands make for light work.

Finance Committee Meeting November 10, 2005 at 7:00 pm at Meeting House
We have a meeting scheduled as above to work out the budget for 2006. Ginny and Tim have circulated among the committee clerks asking them for their budget requests. Some responses have come in already. We have not pushed the Meeting to a final decision on our handling of the Hicks bequest. We might note in the proposed budget we present to Meeting what the income might be if we invested those funds somewhat more aggressively.

News from Kiki Eglinton The Motto Calendars have arrived for 2006!
They will be available for sale on Sunday, November 6th at the rise of meeting, for $1.50 each and until they are sold out. The proceeds of this sale go to the Connecticut AFSC. Some of you were disappointed last year when you made your decision too late. Don't let that happen to you this year!!! Of course you know the many ways in which they can be used: by your computer, in the kitchen, at the office, as gifts to teachers, etc. etc
Buy lots, buy early!!

Children Help Raise Funds for AFSC Hurricane Relief
Thanks to the kids and to everybody for pitching in with donations and set up and clean up! The Piano Room looked great full of cool stuff arranged so nicely and with the beautiful signs the kids made. We raised $621 for the AFSC Hurricane Relief Fund! We also put aside books for Marla's library in Ghana and saved some things for the Catholic Worker Christmas party. Lucy took a bunch of stuff to the Salvation Army, so we left the place the way we found it. You are all awesome!

Woolman Hill Programs
the Quaker conference and retreat center in Deerfield, MA. Rates are now on a sliding scale for the week-ends, from $100-200, with a standard rate of $150. There is additional scholarship money available. For further details and to register, contact Woolman Hill, 413-774-3431. www.woolmanhill.org. or email retreats@woolmanhill.org Mary Lee Morrison

November 4-6: Handwork/Heartwork: a week-end knitting retreat (and other handcrafts), not for instruction, but for quiet conversation and contemplation. Time for worship, sharing and recreation. Bring a current project, journals, sketchbooks, books and devotional materials. Led by Kenneth Sutton, member of Beacon Hill Meeting and a long-time knitter.

December 30-January 1: The Silence of Renewal: annual year-end retreat. Silence will be maintained from Friday night until Sunday morning. Will include a variety of optional activities including worship, prayer and meditation, walks, body movement and journalling. Led by Randy Kehler, long time peace activist, founder of Trap Rock Peace Center and former board member.

January 20-22: Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll: a workshop for teens and parents. Co-sponsored by New England Yearly Meeting Ministry and Counsel. For teens and parents to facilitate communication and decision making skills, hear each others' realities and support parents and teens and families. Led by Lisa Graustein, Young Friends Coordinator and a former high school educator, and Debbie Block, parent of two, now grown, teens.

February 3-5: Couples Enrichment. Details to follow in another email. See the web site for description ( I felt there was enough to read in this email!)

Friends House Moscow
Bryn Will, Karen and Phil's daughter who grew up in Hartford Meeting and is still a member here, has joined the Board of Directors of Friends House Moscow. This organization holds a small but regular meeting for worship in Moscow in addition to conducting such programs as Alternatives to Violence, draft counseling, and assistance to orphans from the Chechnya conflict.

The Board and executive committee, of which she is a member, meet in Moscow three times a year. Since this is costly commitment, she has asked if the Hartford Meeting might be able to help with expenses. At the last Meeting for Business, we referred this request to the finance committee, but also came up with the idea of collecting frequent flier miles that she could use.

If anyone has unused miles, especially on Delta Airlines, it is possible to transfer them for a small fee. Please contact Karen or Phil if you'd like to help in this way.

Or you can donate to Bryn's travel fund by sending a tax -deductible check to Friends House Moscow, notated for Bryn Will's travel. The address is:
Friends House Moscow Support Association
c/o Julie Harlow
1163 Auburn Drive, Davis CA 95616
More on FHM can be found at http://fhm.quaker.org

Hartford Monthly Meeting
Meeting for Business 10/16/2005

Twenty-three Friends gathered in silence to begin the Meeting for Worship for Business at 1140 am.

Religious Education: Lynn Johnson reported on the scheduled Book and Toy Sale to benefit AFSC and its work in relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina. October 30 will be a family meeting, with children in attendance.

Worship and Ministry: The Committee suggested a Minute of Appreciation for Jonathan Vogel-Bourne for his facilitation of the Retreat. The Recording Clerk will compose this Minute for approval. There will be a candlelight Prayer Meeting f or Worship for Peace in Iraq every 2nd Thursday of the month. It was suggested that a sign announcing this be placed out at the curb. Robert Batson and another Friend will look into this. Discussion of Outreach-"Quakers being Friendly"-and the Committee will work on this issue.

Pastoral Care: Otis Brown reported that the Committee is visiting the sick and reaching out to those in need of care. There will also be a Pot Luck Supper for Newcomers at the meeting House on December 3rd.

Treasurer: Tim Allen distributed actual figures and budgets for the two preceding years and the present year's budget, and actuals to help with the formation of the proposed budget for 2006 and to create records for budgeting decisions which will be made at the November 2005 Meeting for Business. Appreciation was expressed for this clear and helpful presentation.

Finance: Jim Reik will send to Committee Clerks reports on what they've spent this year, and will ask them for requests for the 2006 budget a couple of weeks before the November Meeting for Business.

Buildings and Grounds: Ginny Allen has been working with Chris Robinson on door issues-those on the nursery and kitchen entryways will be replaced, probably with steel doors, and paid for out of the Buildings and Grounds budget. An anonymous donor has volunteered to pay for the costs of a handicap-accessible Front door with button-probably a larger single door with a glass panel. This was approved with gratitude to the generous donor. Other issues included the tree surgeon, who is coming soon, the water problems in the basement-not "catastrophic"-the issue of whether we want, need, can afford a property manager, and work on the Maplewood Properties. Tenant Relations is firming up a policy on sub-letting the Maplewood Properties-the meeting will take in extra income ($100 or 30%) and require contact information on the sub-lessee. Appreciation was expressed for the hard work that Ginny Allen and the Committee have been putting into these projects. John Stamm raised the suggestion that the Memorial Garden, benches and plaques could be improved by moving the Ted Beale sculpture into that area and improving the shrubbery. Bill Taylor had done some surveying of opinion on the question. It was suggested that the issue be tabled and that it be announced that it will be discussed at the November Meeting for Business. It was also noted that publishing the Agenda before the Meeting for Business might be helpful.

Memorial Minutes: the Memorial Service for Elsa Cullen was held last week. Memorial Minutes will be needed for Elsa, and for Dick Bolton Friends suggested Kiki Eglinton might pull together the resources for the Minute for Dick Bolton, using the rather detailed Obituary that was published. Diane Randall and Bobbi Taylor volunteered to work on the minute for Elsa Cullen. Clarification on the Minute for Pat Ritter, it will be sent to Quarterly Meeting, not NEYM.

The Nominating Committee reported that Debbie Humphries, not John Humphries, was appointed to the Committee. Martin Wheeler and Caroline Webster will represent Hartford Monthly Meeting on the Worship and Ministry Council of New England Yearly Meeting. Representatives for the Nominating Committee of NEYM are needed. This should be posted in the Newsletter and on the e-mail list serve.
Discussion of the Meeting's membership in the Capital Region Conference of Churches was centered around the shift in emphasis in that group from peace and social concerns to seeking projects under the Faith-based initiatives of the Federal government The Meeting decided to schedule an 11th Hours when possible to invite the Reverend Shelley Copeland to clarify the activities of the Conference.

Peace and Social Concerns: John Stamm and LouAnn MacDonald are active in the Interfaith coalition on Peace and Justice, It was suggested that the committee itself is the concern of the entire Meeting and that the committee itself be laid down. Worship and Ministry will oversee stewardship of the issues associated with the Peace and Social Concerns Committee, as well as concerns about Earthcare Witness having been laid down, and the issues of outreach and publicity for the active role Friends take in these issues. Worship and Ministry will report back next month on their deliberations.

Quarterly Meeting: Caroline Webster and Bill Upholt attended the Quarterly Meeting Retreat at Woolman Hill, representing Hartford Meeting. John Humphries reported on the Peace-Builder Camp. At the Meeting there was also discussion of Beacon Hill Friends House, which is considering a new Board structure. Hartford Meeting will host the February Quarterly Meeting and has the responsibility of identifying the Clerk for the 2006 Quarterly meeting from the Quarter. We need to act on this. As Assistant Clerk, Donn Weinholtz is responsible for the February Quarterly Meeting, and Ginny Allen, Lynn Johnson, John Humphries and Anna Moberly will join him in that endeavor.

New England Yearly Meeting Permanent Board will meet in Hartford in February (2/25/2006) for a Meeting for Business @ 9am to 3 pm. We will have responsibilities for that meeting as well, including breakfast, snacks, coffee, soup for midday, and perhaps overnight hospitality.

Other business included concern about soup-Ginny Allen will contact Marla Ludwig about this. The question of whether soup is the best option and whether juice, bread, cheese and fruit might be better was raised. The NEYM Working Committee on Racism will meet at the Meeting House on January 7th 2006. They bring their own lunches. Bill Upholt reported that the Inter-religious Eco-Justice Network will be visiting the Meeting House to conduct an energy audit and to report to the Meeting. The NEYM Epistle was read to the Meeting by the acting Clerk, Donn Weinholtz. He reported it was a powerful meeting, with concerns for more active witness at the Monthly Meeting level. Updating the Meeting Website will be forwarded to Chris Watts. The Friends Historical Association will meet November 12, 2005 in Philadelphia regarding the 350th anniversary of the Society. The Meeting adjourned after silent worship at 205 pm.

Donn Weinholtz, Acting Clerk David Holdt, Recording Clerk

November Business Meeting will occur on Sunday, Nov. 20th at 11:30 am. Anyone who attends Hartford Monthly Meeting is welcome to attend this meeting for worship to conduct business. The agenda includes reports from the committees that carry out the work of the meeting and issues that need a decision from the Meeting. The November agenda will include consideration of the 2006 annual meeting budget. (A copy of the current year-to-date budget is included in this newsletter.) It will also include the consideration of the memorial garden on the meetinghouse grounds and location of the sculpture donated by Ted Beale.

Please send your financial donation to support the Hartford Monthly Meeting to
Tim Allen, Treasurer
56 Gifford Road,
West Hartford, CT 06119.