July 2021 Meeting Minutes

GRASS VALLEY FRIENDS MEETING

Of the Religious Society of Friends of the Truth

College Park Quarterly Meeting, Pacific Yearly Meeting

MINUTES & RECORD

Meeting for Worship on the Occasion of Business

07/11/2021

We met on Zoom.

Present:  Don McCormick (co-clerk), Amy Cooke (recording clerk), Dean Olson, Dianne Marshall, Gordon Starr, Doug Hamm, Judy Hamilton, Chamba Cooke.  

The Meeting opened with silent worship.  

CLERK’S REMARKS

• The purpose of our meetings for business is to seek the Spirit’s will for us as a community. We are here to worship and not to get through an agenda.
• If you want to suggest that we take some time for worship or take more time between speakers, please say, “Clerk, can we have some time for silence” or use the Time Out sign. 
• Being a clerk is a role assigned to one or two people, but clerking is a bunch of behaviors that we all can engage in, and I hope we all will. 
• We leave room for Spirit to come through, releasing our thoughts, judgements, opinions and becoming silent inside and out. We can hand our issues to Spirit/God/Jesus, and then settle into any sensations or messages coming through.  

QUERY:  How do you know when you’ve detected the will of the Spirit–in Business Meeting and in your daily life?

• Does something spontaneously occur to you and the thing that lets you know that it’s genuine is that it is NOT coming from your ego, NOT promoting conflict, not coming from your intellect, NOT a response to something else that was said, and so on? And it is NOT all that, and it still stands, you know it is the will of the Spirit. 
• Or is there a sense that comes with it that lets you know—a certain feeling (like quaking or feeling compelled to do something even if you really don’t want to), an image that accompanies it, or is it the way it sounds inside your head? 
• Or is there a sense that it’s right, or that it diminishes your ego and your will and you know this because it goes against the agenda or opinion you came into the meeting with?
• Or do you detect something and you think about and evaluate it? You ask yourself, does it promote community, love, or balance? Does it foster joy?

Friends spoke to how they discern the will of the Spirit in their lives and in Meeting.  

Co-Clerk’s Announcement

Anita McCormick, one of our co-clerks, wrote a letter to our Meeting, which was read and appended.  

Don McCormick let the gathered Friends know that he also needs to step down as co-clerk.  He shares many of Anita’s concerns, and noted that a decision by people who are married is not an individual decision, it is a joint decision. Exposure to one is essentially exposure to both.  He accepted the position as co-clerk because it was a joint position. He let us know that he could not and cannot do the work on his own.  In addition, he has been working on a year-long mindfulness teacher training program and it is much more work than he had anticipated. Our co-clerk is overwhelmed.  He also communicated to us that he has gotten a lot out of being co-clerk. He has learned a lot. It is good work that he has valued and he will miss it.

COMMITTEE REPORTS (see reports appended, committee clerk is noted in bold)

STEWARDSHIP:  Mary Starr, Gordon Starr, Reed Hamilton, Pat Phillips, Doug Hamm, Fosten Wilson (Treasurer, Ex-officio) Dianne Marshall (ex officio as Librarian and Newsletter Editor), Hailey Wilson 

Gordon Starr gave the report, attached.  

There was a meeting with Marty, who has reaffirmed the importance to Sierra Friends Center of the Grass Valley Friends Meeting.  She also confirmed that the Meetinghouse and the classroom are the sole use of GVFM from 9 am to 2 pm on Sundays.  She is also interested in acquiring the equipment for blended or hybrid meetings.  We are also free to purchase that equipment ourselves.  Marty also spoke to the experiences Friends had when the memorial for Peggy took place.  She noted that all group activities need to adhere to new cleanliness guidelines as well as insurance needs.  The Center is also contending with having to closely monitor who is on campus.  

We need to hold our own insurance for liability.  It was noted that Church Mutual dropped Sierra Friends Center after the fire.  State Farm has made some recommendations.  Mertens Insurance, and Wanda Mertens specifically, was recommended.  

Work days will still be available by prior arrangement.  We must clean up after ourselves.  Also, they will be making the meetinghouse shoes-free, with an entry area for shoe storage.  The floor will need to be cleaned after each use.  SFC will supply cleaning supplies and directions. 

The Stewardship Committee is recommending that we pay half of the wifi installation cost ($225) as well as start paying $25 per month for the wifi service.  The timing is  unclear at this time.  

MINUTE (seasoning until 9th month):  Grass Valley Friends Meeting (GVFM)  approves the expense of $225 as a one-time installation fee for the dedicated wifi at the meetinghouse at Sierra Friends Center.  GVFM approves the monthly expense of $25 for the wifi use, which we agree to periodically review.  

SPIRIT & WITNESS: Gordon Starr, Judy Hamilton, Gordon Bishop, Dorothy Henderson, Anita and Don McCormick (ex-officio Co Clerks), Judy Hamilton

Judy Hamilton made the report, attached.  

MINUTE 07.2021.01:  Grass Valley Friends Meeting accepts the Letter of Sojourn for Amy Cooke and Chamba Cooke to the Groupe Languedoc in Congenies, France as attached to these minutes.  

MINUTE 07.2021.02:  Grass Valley Friends Meeting approves the new Representative structure as attached to the June 2021 Minutes of the Meeting for Business.

MINUTE (seasoning  until 9th month): Grass Valley Friends Meeting warmly welcomes Judy Hamilton to the Grass Valley Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. 

The Memorial Minute for Peggy Baldwin was read and accepted.  

Hybrid Meeting ad hoc Committee:  Gordon Starr, Amy Cooke, Don McCormick, Pat Phillips.  

The committee met and did not come to unity.  We would like to hear how Friends are feeling, what their thoughts are, and gather input and feedback.  

The issues that the committee grappled with were:

1.  Re-opening guidelines (indoor vs outdoor, masks, contact tracing, COVID testing if symptoms are present, Delta variant risks) 

2.  Equipment issues (What do we need? What equipment will Sierra Friends Center buy? Who will be in charge of set up and operation?)

3.  Wireless Configuration and costs

4.  Move-in date to communicate to Sierra Friends Center

The attached report was read by Gordon Starr and a mini threshing session was convened on the topic, with the following comments:

• It was noted that the Children’s Program has decided not to meet in a hybrid fashion.
• How will we handle singing given that singing is a highly contagious activity?
• There are people who do not show up because Zoom does not work for them.  How can we get their input given that they do not meet on Zoom?
• Could we meet at a greater distance for singing?
• An example was mentioned of an outbreak at a place of work at which all persons there were vaccinated.  
• The number of cases is increasing drastically.  It is unclear whether that is due to opening up or to the Delta variant.  
• New cases are largely in younger populations and in unvaccinated individuals.
• There was concern about our relationship with Sierra Friends Center. There was discomfort expressed with taking our time with this decision.  
• Can we meet with those people who are comfortable with in-person meetings and include those who are uncomfortable on Zoom?
• If we decide not to meet at Sierra Friends Center, can we reach out to those who do not meet on Zoom?
• As we discern God’s will, science and policy is one part and not the only part.  
• Given the long standing relationship with SFC, we have a certain amount of interest in meeting in person if possible and work with Zoom to improve the experience in order to meet the needs of those who are not able to participate in person.  We are in process. 
• We can honor those who are evaluating the risk and making the judgement that they cannot participate in person.  And, if those who feel comfortable meeting in person are willing to do so, then we can also honor that.
• There is support for reaching out to as many people as we possibly can in as many ways as we can.  Friends volunteered to help in that effort (Dianne Marshall and Judy Hamilton).  
• It was also noted that there is evidence that you can test positive if you are vaccinated and not transmit the virus.  

This issue will now go back to Spirit and Witness for the next steps.  We recommended that the newsletter, phone calls, and email tree be used to gather information.  S&W will meet in August.  The Newsletter editor noted that the August newsletter could be a single subject issue.  

NOMINATING:  Doug Hamm, Patrica Phillips, Karen Olson

Doug Hamm gave the report.  The Nominating Committee has received the resignations of our co-clerks.  The committees are still selecting their clerks.  Please notify the Committee of the clerk selection when it is complete.  

WELCOME: Karen Olson, Kathy McCreery, ex officio Website/Facebook Coordinator (Amy Cooke), ex officio Zoom coordinator (Hailey Wilson and Stuart Smith), ex officio Email Coordinator (Judy Hamilton)

No report. 

CHILDREN’S PROGRAM:   Karen Olson, Judy Hamilton, Dorothy Henderson, Gordon Bishop, Anita McCormick, Doug Hamm, Don McCormick

No report. 

REPRESENTATIVE and OFFICER  REPORTS

• Sierra Friends Center: The report was read and is attached
• Interfaith Nevada County: Dianne Marshall gave the report that the group is being reconstituted as the faith leaders bring their congregations back.  More to follow.   

ANNOUNCEMENTS 

• If you use Facebook, follow the Grass Valley Friends Meeting page, or join the Facebook Grass Valley Friends Meeting group. If you share a post from the page, your friends will see it!. It helps our visibility.  Follow this link.
• It’s easy to give to Grass Valley Friends Meeting!  Go to gvfriends.org and click on the Give button.  This takes you to a secure site for donations. Please consider making your contribution monthly.  Your contribution covers our Pacific Yearly Meeting dues and ensures that our activities as a Meeting are sustained.  Thank you.  
• The dates for Pacific Yearly Meeting Annual Session 2021 have been set: July 23-28, 2021.  See the Clerk’s Call to Annual Session 2021 and the AS 2021 Information Page for more information. 
• Online Worship: every Wednesday evening, 7:00-7:30 pm sponsored by PYM Eldering subcommittee of the Ministry Committee.  Consider also the many other opportunities for online Quaker worship listed at westernfriend.org.

FEEDBACK

The clerk, Don McCormick,  asked for feedback on his clerking as a whole.

• Appreciation was given that the clerk shared his learning process openly.  The meeting became a part of his process, and he became part of ours.
• Appreciation was given that the co-clerks studied clerkship and brought that learning to GVFM.
• Starting the meeting with the reminder of what we are doing, and then the Query grounding us in spirit, helped to focus our Meetings for Business.
• There is sadness at the departure of our clerks
• Appreciation was expressed for the humor the co-clerks brought, and support for others.
• Each person brings a difference flavor to clerking, and the academic underpinning was very appreciated, while at times there was a small lack of focus in the meetings
• The co-clerks have been dedicated to welcoming others to our meeting
• Time to meet with Recording Clerk in between meetings was deeply appreciated.  

ACTION ITEMS & ITEMS SEASONING

MINUTE (seasoning until 9th month):  Grass Valley Friends Meeting (GVFM)  approves the expense of $225 as a one-time installation fee for the dedicated wifi at the meetinghouse at Sierra Friends Center.  GVFM approves the monthly expense of $25 for the wifi use, which we agree to periodically review.  

MINUTE (seasoning until 9th month): Grass Valley Friends Meeting warmly welcomes Judy Hamilton to the Grass Valley Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.  

READING OF THE RECORD AND MINUTES    

Note:  The record and the minutes were read, corrected and approved.

If you are giving a report to GVFM, please send the actual report to the recording clerk at grassvalleyfriends@gmail.com THE FRIDAY BEFORE MEETING FOR BUSINESS.     

GVFM Newsletter Reminder: Please have items into Diane Marshall by Tuesday at 10 am. 

The Meeting closed with silent worship.  

Respectfully recorded by Amy Cooke, recording clerk.   

APPENDICES:

1. Letter from Anita McCormick
2. Spirit and Witness report
   1. Sojourn Letter, Amy and Chamba Cooke
   2. Hybrid Meeting ad hoc Committee report
   3. Representative Committee 
3. Memorial Minute for Peggy Baldwin
4. Sierra Friends Center report
5. Stewardship Committee

—————————————————————————

LETTER FROM ANITA MCCORMICK

Anita McCormick, one of our co-clerks, wrote a letter to our Meeting, which was read and is appended.  

Dear Friends, 

Sixteen months ago, when we were beginning to lock down, I decided that if I was asked to continue as Co-Clerk, I would do so until lockdown was over and people in the Grass Valley and Nevada City area were beginning to be able to meet in person. That time has come. Recently my own health has begun to make me unwilling to leave lockdown entirely, and consequently I am not expecting to join with Friends in person for the time being. 

Clerking via Zoom will not be adequate once members and attenders are meeting face to face. In light of that and some personal concerns, I am asking to be released from my position as Co-Clerk of Grass Valley Meeting. I have been honored to serve in that position, and I thank you deeply for the trust you have placed in me.

With gratitude,

Anita McCormick

SPIRIT AND WITNESS

            We met July 3^rd, 2021 without 2 of our members due to illness and travel.

            Judy Hamilton will continue on as clerk and Gordon Starr will continue as recording clerk of this committee.

            Peggy Baldwin’s Memorial minute has been written (enclosed as an attachment).  Judy will run it by her husband for any corrections or additions.  Don McCormick will send this and the Memorial Minute for Ted Smith to PYM for the annual Memorial Meeting.

            Committees of care are continuing although with summer scheduling most are not meeting regularly. A sojourn minute for Amy and Chamba Cooke is being completed. Judy Hamilton’s Membership Committee has met with her and has approved her request for membership. This will be brought to this month’s Meeting for Business.

             Dorothy reported the Waking up to Race group has added two new participants and have started reading a new book,  Healing Resistance  by Kazu Haga. In addition to an hour of worship sharing, they are holding a second anchoring hour where the work each is doing to deal with racism is discussed. .Dorothy commented she felt that, in some ways, our Meeting was in the forefront of  changes many Meetings are going through.

             Don brought a statement from Santa Monica Meeting, explaining the Quaker worship process, that they put in the chat at the beginning of their meeting and then half way through. Some thought things in the chat were disrupting. Better as a poster? No decision was made regarding this.

            We are still working on the idea and implementation of ‘Quaker Buddies’.This is the proposal that each person on Spirit and Witness have a group of people from our contact list to call occasionally, keeping in touch so that all feel included and important to Meeting.

Questions that arose: How to divide the list? How to decide who calls? How often? Distant

Friends? Dorothy asked for some help on this and Amy said she would help her decide what was the best way to assign ‘buddies’.

            Gordon reported that Stewardship committee had begun moving book cases

back into the Meeting House. Final configuration is yet to be determined. Stewardship has

agreed they have responsibility to manage cleaning duties, and have agreed to meet with

Marty on July 8 to try to answer many questions from both sides.

            Marty has offered to split the cost of a dedicated internet line for the Meeting House, and Stewardship will bring their approval to M4B for discussion.. It will be installed the middle of August.

sub committee etc.

            There was a suggestion that an ad hoc committee be set up  that includes representatives from Spirit and Witness, Stewardship, Finance, Children’s Committees, our Meeting clerk(s) and our SFC representative.  This committee would discuss what concerns Meeting has and get together with Marty to discuss said concerns.

LETTER OF SOJOURN FOR AMY AND CHAMBA COOKE

Richard Thompson, Secretaire

Groupe Languedoc

11, Avenue des Quakers

30111 Congenies, France

July 11, 2021

Dear Friends, 

We offer greetings from Friends at Grass Valley Friends Meeting in Pacific Yearly Meeting. We commend to your loving care Chamba and Amy Cooke, who are members of Grass Valley Friends Meeting and will be sojourning with Groupe Languedoc. They will be serving as amis-residents at the Maison Quaker while retaining their membership with Grass Valley Friends Meeting.

We hold Chamba and Amy in our prayers and trust that God will richly bless your time together. On behalf of Grass Valley Friends Meeting, 

Anita McCormick                               Don McCormick
Co-Clerks, Grass Valley Friends Meeting, Pacific Yearly Meeting

Hybrid Meeting Committee

Zoom Meeting on July 6, 2021

Present: Amy Cooke, Gordon Starr, Don McCormick, Pat Philips

  Amy noted there is lots of information out there since most Meetings are looking for solutions

Conditions that need to be met in order to meet person to person:

    Cleaning -Understanding what is included, tools and materials, and organizing crews. Stewardship comm. has acknowledged their responsibility to manage this.

    Vaccinations – do we require all present to be vaccinated or just recommend? It was noted that the current variant in California is highly contagious. 

   Guidelines for gathering – CDC guidelines? State? Other sources?

We came to consensus that we will use state guidelines, only those fully vaccinated meet in person, get tested if sick and agree to contact tracing.

We considered meeting outdoors but that makes the technical issues even more complicated.

   A trial Meeting for Worship on August 15 was proposed to test equipment and internet strength. Pat will call Stuart Smith to see if he can help. Gordon suggested doing a committee meeting to sort out issues before the Meeting for Worship; Stewardship on August 5 and/or S&W on August 7. 

   Some members were concerned or hesitant about attending out of concern for their or other’s health.

   It was noted that Zoom doesn’t work very well with kids.

   Technological issues – What equipment will be needed and who will supply it? Owl? Costs $1,200. computer? New TV? Gordon suggested that, since Marty wishes the equipment be available to other users, SFC should supply it. He will clarify this on July 8 when Stewardship meets with Marty at the Meeting House.

Amy will email S&W and bring our decisions to M4B.

Representative Restructuring Proposal:  Our subcommittee – Judy, Amy, and Dorothy – have developed this proposal to ensure that our meeting stays connected to the organizations we care about and maintains representation in those organizations that require it.

We will be maintaining the following positions that are to be filled by Nominating each year. The representatives for these organizations are tasked with providing timely information to GVFM about events and communications from the said organizations.

1. Pacific Yearly Meeting
2. College Park Quarterly Meeting
3. Sierra Friends Center
4. Interfaith of Nevada County

All organizations would be housed in either the Welcoming Committee or Spirit and Witness.

Welcoming would include all the organizations that connect us to other Quakers and nourish us spiritually. Those would include:

• Ben Lomond Quaker Center
• Friends General Conference (FGC)
• Friends World Committee on Consultation (FWCC)
• Pacific Yearly Meeting (PYM)
• College Park Quarterly Meeting (CPQM)
• Sierra Friends Center (SFC)

Spirit and Witness would hold the faith, practice and witness organizations (ones doing work out in the world).  These would include:

• American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
• Interfaith of Nevada County
• Nisenan
• Quaker United Nation Organization (QUNO)
• Right Sharing of World Resources (RSWR)

Each month, a member of the respective committee would prepare a report on the organization based on queries.  We would alternate months, with odd months going to one committee and even months the other one.  That would give many people the opportunity to “discover” Quaker organizations, and to hear from different people so that we all get to hear from each other.   

Folks who are passionate about these organizations could share from their point of view when the report comes up.  Monthly announcements would also be made by those persons who are involved or passionate about those organizations.  

The reports would be structured around the following queries:

What is this organization’s mission statement?

What are their current activities or plans?

What is exciting?  

Are there any concerns? 

How can Friends get involved if they feel inspired? 

Is anyone in our meeting particularly involved?  How? 

Memorial Minute for

Peggy Baldwin

December 10^th,1936- January 26^th, 2021 

            Peggy was born December 10th, 1936 to Howard and Roxie Lang in San Francisco, California.

She grew up in nearby Oakland.  She loved acting and performed in many student drama productions at Oakland High School.

            At age 19, she moved to New York City to pursue her love of acting and graduated from the American Theater Wing.  She performed in summer stock theater in New England and on television including the Patty Duke Show.

            In July of 1964, she married Don Baldwin, a newly graduated Methodist minister.  Their first pastoring experience involved a move to Yosemite Valley,serving first at the El Portal Community Church and later appointed as the Resident Minister in the Park. They lived in Yosemite for 4 years during which time both of their daughters, Eve and Joy, were born.  It was at an evening Chapel service on silence that Peggy began her Quaker journey.

            Peggy and Don moved to Lawrence, Kansas in 1969, where Peggy  attended an on-campus Quaker Meeting.  During their 7 years at Kansas University, Peggy took a year’s sabbatical at Pendle Hill and deepened her commitment to prayer and peace.

            In the following years, Don and Peggy served at Methodist churches in Kings Beach, Truckee, Sacramento and Aptos, California. Peggy added to Don’s ministry by singing in the choirs, teaching Sunday school, supporting Peace Builders and serving as host to many homeless guests. While in Sacramento, Peggy graduated cum laude from Cosumnes  River College with a degree in television communication and spent the next few years working at a Sacramento television station.

            In 1999, Don retired and the couple moved to Santa Rosa where Peggy became active in the Redwood Forest Quaker Meeting, engaging in many actions for peace and social justice.

            Don and Peggy moved to Nevada City in 2004.  Peggy worshiped with the Grass Valley Friends Meeting where she quickly became an active and beloved participant.  She served on almost every committee, being especially active in the Spiritual Life and Peace and Social Justice committees. Many a morning, Peggy would act as ‘greeter’, standing outside on our cold winter mornings in her handmade wool sweaters and down parka, welcoming folks to First Day Meeting.

            Peggy is survived and dearly missed by her husband, Don, daughters Eve and Joy (Troy), sister Linda Bishop (Floyd) and her nieces, nephew and cousins.

            The Grass Valley Friends Meeting also misses Peggy greatly.

SIERRA FRIENDS CENTER REPORT

submitted by:  Dean Olson

Here are words to our Meeting directly from Marty Coleman-Hunt, Interim Executive Director:

“We have really great news that we hired a Woolman Alumna to be our Programs

Director, Mollie Mowat.  She will manage all our camps, Woolman Outdoor School and

Jorgensen School for Nonviolence.  We are already booking into next year with many

interesting groups.  We just hosted the Color Me Human camp, for LGBTQ teens.  Our site

management staff has performed major fuel reduction along and across the creek.”

Karen and my response back to her was:  THAT IS EXCITING!  THAT’S GREAT!  We continually tell Cletus (grounds maintenance person) how great the place looks, like “driving onto campus, I 

imagine all this as an oasis.  All green and lush.’  And looking out our window at the soccer

field, I’ve had the thought, ‘That looks like a golf course green.”

That’s hard work he does.  Over at the Meeting House and down to Fern House, you can

see through the whole area, walk through it, and the tree branches look trimmed up to 8 ft

off the ground.

And the progress Maliaka is making in the campus garden.

So much hope and new life sprouting!

Stewardship Report

For Meeting for Business July 7, 2021

   At our meeting on July 1, to start the new term, we selected officers. Mary Starr agreed to continue as clerk and Gordon Starr agreed to continue as recorder. 

    For the Finance, Fosten submitted the following:

    Contributions were excellent in April but May & June were thin*. Overall, contributions have exceeded our budget expectations since October.   Income is down a lot since Covid-19 stopped our in-person Meetings.   But our costs dropped with our reduced budget & when we stopped paying Meetinghouse rent and started renting the cargo container in January. With more income than expenses, we have been able to pay PYM, CPQM, & all of our outbound donations for this fiscal year, by June 30th.    Costs will increase when we resume Meeting for Worship in person. 

    All Restricted Funds (Sharing Fund, Scholarship Funds, etc.) are unchanged in the last three months.   Our General Fund includes container rent, our donation to the Nisinan, and our costs for the Peggy Baldwin memorial along with the items mentioned above. 

    All contributions to Grass Valley Friends Meeting — whether money, service, or prayer – are deeply appreciated.

    Library. Dianne reported in the last 14 – 18 months she had received only two Pendle Hill pamphlets and no subscription publications. She would check with Dean as mail clerk.

   Newsletter. Due to left over editions Dianne will be cutting back published editions to 16.

Meeting House – Moving back in. On June 24 we began the process of moving back into the Meeting House by bringing in the book cases to see how best to utilize the new arrangement. We felt we needed input from Marty to make any final decisions and agreed to try to meet with her.

  We agreed to bring to Meeting for Business the proposal to split the cost of a dedicated internet connection for the MeetingHouse with SFC.. The installation total cost is expected to be $450 and monthly service would be $50. There is only one provider (Smarter Broadband) in the area. Reed will call them to get more information on the service. Some questioned the fairness of splitting the cost but finally agreed to start the process with the possibility of renegotiating later if needed. 

  At Marty’s invitation we have agreed to meet with her in person at the Meeting House at 2:00PM    July 8 to discuss all the above.

  We agreed that Stewardship committee has the responsibility of managing the new cleaning process, but not necessarily doing it all. Volunteers anyone?