December 2024 – Meeting for Worship on the Occasion of Business
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
December 8, 2024
We met in a hybrid meeting in person at the meetinghouse and on Zoom.
Present: Dorothy Henderson, clerk; Jennifer Smith, recording clerk; Gordon Starr, Mary Starr, Dianne Marshall, Anita McCormick, Don McCormick, fosten wilson, Kathy McCreery, Dean Olson, Doug Hamm, Sharon Davisson, Amy Cooke, Chamba Cooke, Juniper Lisette, Nora Cooke, Keith Runyan, Peter ORourke, & Pat Phillips.
The Meeting opened with silent worship.
Clerks’ Remarks and Query
Our clerk reflected on how our work is done in committees for Meeting for Worship for Business and how we want to focus on the Worship part of this work.
How do individuals and committees contribute to our Meeting for Worship for Business? It’s time to “brag” a little.
Friends spoke up, often with a smile, about how many of us individually contribute, and have contributed, to our Meeting. Friends focused on individual skills and talents we have contributed to help our community.
Several Friends spoke about how different individuals contribute significantly to our committees and the structure of the work in our meeting, and the many tasks that our members and attenders fulfill.
Another Friend expressed the joy and desire at the opportunity to contribute more of his own personal skills and passion to our Meeting in the future.
Another Friend wanted to focus on the work it takes to come to unity during Meeting for Worship for Business and how this is a way to contribute to our meeting’s spirituality.
There were many who spoke up in appreciation of those in the room, and attending on Zoom, and how we all want to “brag” about the contributions we all bring to Meeting.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
(see reports appended, committee clerk is noted in bold)
Spirit and Witness: Amy Cooke (2024-2027),Stuart Smith (2023-2026), Reed Hamilton (2022-2025), Sharon Davisson (2022-2025), Dean Olson (2023-2026), Dorothy Henderson (ex-officio, GVFM Clerk)
Amy Cooke gave the report, appended.
There were questions about the name that Emma Autumn Smith is preferring to go by. Jennifer Smith confirmed that right now she prefers Autumn Smith.
Jennifer also reported that the letters and cards that were sent by members were taken to Autumn. She really appreciated them. Jennifer let the meeting know that if they wish to write to Autumn, the cards need to be very plain (no paper clips, staples, etc.). You can send cards to Jennifer and Stuart and they will take them to Autumn.
Stewardship: Gordon Starr, Pat Phillips, Reed Hamilton, David Bowman. Dianne Marshall (ex-officio, Newsletter editor), Mary Starr (ex-officio, Treasurer), Don McCormick (ex-officio, Librarian), HaileyWilson (ex-officio Tech Support).
Gordon Starr gave the report appended.
MINUTE (seasoning until the 1st month): The position of Recorder/Archivists will be placed within the Stewardship Committee, ex-officio.
Welcome: Peter O’Rourke (Website and Facebook coordinator), Kathy McCreery, Don McCormick, Pat Phillips, Cheryl Hendrickson, Cindy Bliss, Lo Hamm, Judy Hamilton (ex-officio email coordinator), Nancy Anderson (ex-officio directory clerk).
Peter O’Rourke gave the report, appended.
Dorothy encouraged members to look at the report to see the data about the new website.
Nominating Committee: (terms as noted) Judy Hamilton: 2022-2024, Gordon Starr: 2022-2024, Dean Olson 2023-2025, Sharon Davisson 2023-2024.
Gordon Starr gave the report, appended.
There needs to be further work on the job description for the Recorder/Archivists. Nominating will bring it back to the meeting next month.
Children’s Program: Keely McDonald, Doug Hamm, Judy Hamilton, Dean Olson, Reed Hamilton, Don McCormick, David Cowan, Lo Hamm.
Dorothy Henderson gave an update.
Keely McDonald is unable to continue as clerk of Children’s Program due to medical reasons.
This means that we do not have coverage for the Children’s Program and will need volunteers to help take over on 3rd Sundays.
OFFICER REPORTS and REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS
Treasurer: No report given.
Pacific Yearly Meeting: No report given.
College Park Quarterly Meeting: No report given.
Interfaith Nevada County: No report given.
Interfaith Nevada County is scheduled to meet on site here on February 20th.
Sharings from the wider Quaker world:
Anita shared that she is going to start attending the Wellington, New Zealand meeting (over Zoom), where her son attends, in addition to our Meeting.
Don will be presenting a workshop at Ben Lomond at the end of the year.
Keith reported about Earthcare Witness. On Saturday, Dec. 14th at 1:00 PM (Pacific Time) he will be giving a talk on the Road Ahead, Earthcare During the Trump Era, and stepping up the Quaker response to this, especially over the next 10 years.
Amy shared about a Woodbrooke online workshop on Tuesday January 14th at 11:00 AM (Pacific time). The workshop is presented by Rob Hopkins (founder of the Transition Towns movement) to kick-start the new 6-part series on Resilient Communities – Revisioning Society. https://search.app/jXhesQvKLNHz5yDx8
Stuart Smith is presenting with the Quaker Theological Discussion Group this Friday, at 8:00 AM on the Free Produce Movement. This is a part of his Doctoral research project.
Dorothy shared that she receives many pamphlets on Quaker organizations and wants to make them available for Friends to look at.
Dorothy also shared about the death of Ginger Covert, one of the Nisenan elders on site, and that we would like to send something to the family. Dorothy will write a consolation letter to the family on behalf of the Meeting, and will work with Dean to make sure the family receives it.
CLERK’S REMARKS:
The blending of grief and joy are here in our meeting today. We take joy in a young Friend who is with us, and joy in the return of Friends who have been gone. We acknowledge and grieve the loss of Ginger Covert, of the Nisenan tribe. We can hold joy and grief in our circle with an awareness that our circle is big and can encompass many people and emotions. We can see and appreciate each other, and acknowledge the work that was done today in a spirit of love and care.
ITEMS SEASONING or CARRIED OVER
MINUTE (seasoning until the 1st month): The position of Recorder/Archivists will be placed within the Stewardship Committee, ex-officio.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Facebook: please 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, and it helps our visibility. Follow this link.
The 2023-2024 PacYM General Directory. The directory is now available. The Directory is for use by members and attenders of monthly meetings and worship groups within Pacific Yearly Meeting and by Friends serving on Pacific Yearly Meeting committees. It is not to be shared beyond this community. Dorothy and Don have the new password for the PacYM Directory.
Carl Magruder: You can follow Carl’s healing journey on the CaringBridge.org website HERE. Friends have also set up a daily Meeting for Healing from 7:30 to 8 am (Pacific) on Zoom here or contact Amy Cooke at amylisette@gmail.com for the link.
Contributions to Grass Valley Friends Meeting are gratefully accepted. You can give by mailing a check to Mary Starr or through Tithely on the website or our newsletter.
READING OF THE RECORD AND MINUTES
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 jenniferjksmith@gmail.com THE WEDNESDAY BEFORE MEETING FOR BUSINESS and share with both Dorothy and Jennifer.
GVFM Newsletter Reminder: Please have items into Dianne Marshall by Tuesday at 10 am.
The Meeting closed with silent worship.
Respectfully recorded by Jennifer Smith, recording clerk.
APPENDICES:
Spirit and Witness Committee report
Stewardship Committee report
Welcome Committee report
Nominating Committee report
Recorder/Archivist 2024 Job Description
Children’s Committee report
Treasurer’s Report
Interfaith Nevada County report
Pacific Yearly Meeting report
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Spirit & Witness Report
12.2024
The Spirit & Witness Committee met this week with attention on a letter drafted by the Toward Right Relations Witness committee to share with other Meetings. This letter has been crafted to share our own experiences of the land transfer and the process of finding a way toward allyship with the Nisenan and CHIRP. The process resulted in several queries that guided our discussion. We recognized the value of having the Meeting engage with queries and discernment for an after-meeting program.
We also have been exploring our role as “tenders,” both in the sense of opening and closing Meetings for Worship but also as tenders of the spiritual life of Meeting. As one of the members of the committee said, “It is about paying attention and being so intimately involved and connected that you sense changes and become aware of needs. Then you become aware of how you can support and assist.” Another member noted that composing oneself for worship helps others find that settling too. The etymology of the word was brought in – To tend is to reach out, to stretch. The tender boat is the one that goes out from shore to the larger vessel to see what the people on that boat need, and then it guides the larger vessel into harbor.
Our new Programs Subcommittee will meet later this month. Programs this month include:
1 December: Gordon, Birthing the Christ Within
8 December: M4W4B
15 December: Christmas Party Potluck after Meeting
29 December: Intergenerational Meeting for Worship:
Stuart and Jennifer
We are holding Emma Autumn Smith in our hearts and in the Light as she works to heal in a residential treatment program.
We are also continuing to contact former members to see how they want to continue (or not) with the Meeting.
At our next meeting we will be reviewing the following section of our job description for updating:
“Provide ongoing coordination and care of the relationship between Grass Valley Friends Meeting, College Park Friends Educational Association (CPFEA) and Sierra Friends Center (SFC).”
In Friendship and the Spirit,
Amy Cooke, clerk
Stewardship Committee
Report of meeting on 12-2-2024
Present – Gordon Starr, Committee Clerk; Mary Starr; Reed Hamilton; Dianne Marshall; Pat Phillips; & Fosten Wilson
Treasurer’s Report – Dec. 2024 income = $6,912. spending = $1,551. Thank you!
Mary & Kathy McCreery have sorted through our old financial records. The most recent seven years are at Mary’s home. The older records were appropriately disposed of or shredded.
Mary is exploring area banks, looking for a better option for interest & fees. Also, this week she will be meeting with an advisor to implement Quicken for our electronic financial records.
Recorder / Archivist – Stewardship Committee suggests placing the Recorder / Archivist position within the Stewardship Committee, ex-officio. This is the case with our Librarian, Treasurer, & Newsletter Editor currently.
Annual Fundraising Letter – Dianne has written our annual appeal. The mailing list needs to be updated, then formatted for mailing labels. Pat, Mary, & Gordon volunteered to help.
Newsletter – Dianne requests written contributions for our newsletter. Having more options to fit in will ease her editing work.
Thursday, 1/2/2025, at 3 p.m. will be the next Zoom gathering of Stewardship Committee.
Welcome Committee
Meeting for Worship – Welcome Committee
December 2, 2024 / 7:00PM / Zoom
Opening Worship
Greeting Checklist
All good
Meeting directory
All good
Monthly potluck (Holiday Party)
Holiday Party will be December 15 at Dorothy and Doug’s home
Possible house warming in Jan.
“Outreach” – Group’s ongoing initiatives:
Friendly 8’s – Don
Will startup in early 2025
NextDoor posting (see below) – Cindy/Pete
Website pictures – Don/Pete
Don has forwarded pictures to be uploaded to Website
Reviewed FWCC communication – Don
Don got this email about a FWCC program to help meetings build connections to our local community. It involves being an apprentice of sorts, our meeting engaging in an experiment, and attending a workshop in Arizona for 3 days. It looks like it is right up our alley.
Experiments are short-term (3 months) practical projects that build connections to the local neighborhood or town and help the church or meeting test out their mission. They are designed for discernment and are “safe to fail”.
The Friends World Committee on Consultation, Section of the Americas, offers a program to help monthly meetings grow. This program is called Quaker Connect, and you can find out about it at https://www.quakerconnect.org/about/.
You can open the website to find out what is available — applications for the first round of funding close on January 5, 2025…
Don will summarize communication and review at Business meeting
Supplies
Judy will get supplies from Costco
Next Meeting – Monday, January 6th, 7pm
Snap shot of our website – 50+ increase in views
Nominating Committee Report
From meeting on November 19, 2024
Nominating committee, consisting of Gordon Starr, clerk, Judy Hamilton, Dean Olson, and Fosten Wilson, met November 19, 2024 on Zoom and agreed to nominate Amy Cooke and Don McCormick as co-Recorders/Archivists. Gordon also agrees to assist Don in his capacity. We looked at a revised job description, submitted by Amy, that divided up the many responsibilities of the office between her and Don. Basically, Amy would handle all the Google Drive records and Don, with Gordon’s help would deal with paper copies and filing things in the correct folders. We include a copy of the revised job description with this report, but suggest this is a temporary revision, not permanent.
Job Description for Recorder/Archivist 2024
(Amy) Much of the information we want to keep is on the GVFM Google Drive in the digital version of the newsletters. This includes:
Monthly committee reports
Quarterly and year-end financial reports
State of the Meeting Reports
The Recorder Archivist will make sure that there are digital copies of the newsletters on the GVFM Google Drive. (other)They will also collect paper copies of the newsletter
(other)The Recorder/Archivist will collect paper copies of the State of the Meeting Reports, Threshing Sessions, and year-end financial reports.
The Recorder/Archivist
?(Amy) Creates files for new Attenders, in consultation with the Attender. They give the attender the appropriate forms (for example, Attender Profile, Final Affairs, , etc.).
?(Amy) Creates a new Member file when an Attender becomes a Member, or if the person transfers their membership from another meeting to GVFM. They give the new Member the appropriate forms (for example, Membership Record, Final Affairs, Transfer of Membership (if applicable), etc.).
No longer combines the files of both partners in a marriage. There will be individual files for each partner.
(Other) Keeps other important records of the Meeting (such as important correspondence and legal papers, such as deeds, conveyances, and trusts) in the file cabinet.
(Other)Keeps public documents of interest, such as newspaper articles, letters to the editor, participation at events documented by the Meeting, or other events of interest. These are kept in three-ring binders in the Grass Valley Friends Meeting section of the library.
(Other)Maintains a file for various documents for each year, such as the yearly slate from the Nominating Committee. Any other documents that aren’t mentioned elsewhere in this document and that the Recorder/Archivist believes is worth keeping for reasons of historical import, will go into the file for the year.
(Other) When a new person takes over the Recorder/Archivist position, the out-going person should go over this job description and do an orientation of the file cabinet.
Each year, the Recorder/Archivist
(Other)Collects the State of the Meeting Report, Meeting Directory, and PacYM Statistical Report, and places them in the appropriate paper folder in the file cabinet. Separate folders are kept so members and attenders can easily find these items.
(Amy) Answers the questionnaire from the Statistical Clerk of Pacific Yearly Meeting. They keep a copy of this report for the GVFM archive. Before May 31, the current PacYM Recorder will send an email that describes the information they need and that includes the GVFM report from the previous year. The membership list provided to PacYM should be accurate as of May 31. The form and accompanying information should be returned to PacYM June 30.
(Amy) Twice a year (preferably May and October), the GVFM Recorder/Archivist makes an announcement that the Final Affairs forms exist, explains what they are, and give copies of the form to people who want one to fill out and have the meeting store.
(Other) When a member or attender dies, the GVFM Recorder/Archivist will see if there was a Final Affairs form in their file. If there are things on the form that the meeting should attend to, like a memorial service, they will bring it to the attention of the appropriate person or Welcome committee. If it is information that the next of kin or family should know, they will pass it on to them. The GVFM Recorder/Archivist will then place the person’s file in the ”Former Attenders” or “Former Members” section of the paper files.
(Both) Forms. Each form will have one master paper copy that will have a post—it note on it indicating this. This will be used to make copies of the form. A copy of each form will also be in the GVFM Google Drive, so this could also be used. The Recorder/Archivist makes sure that there are digital copies of each of the blank forms mentioned below. They will date any revisions to the form on the form.
The records needed from each Member and Attender are:
Attender Profile (for Attenders)
Membership Record (for Members)
Final Affairs form and/or Five Wishes pamphlet
If applicable, the Member or Attender folder should also contain the:
Transfer of Membership form
Certificate of Transfer form
Marriage form (especially if they are married care of the meeting)
Application for membership (this is a letter, not a form)
Minute of membership (a copy from the newsletter)
Memorial Minute
Miscellaneous Items (Clippings, historical records, Memorial Program for Members and Member’s Family)
Records Kept in the Paper Archive
The items in a boldface font are the ones that have the black-divider-with-white-writing dividers.
Current Members
Current Attenders
Miscellaneous
Business Meeting Minutes
Chico Preparation Meeting
Correspondence
Information for Newcomers
Mailing Lists
Meeting Directories
Memorials
Misc.\Procedures
Miscellaneous Files
Miscellaneous Historical Documents
Notes from Threshing Sessions or Called Meetings
Outreach Documents
Portraits & Biographies
Releasing Members & Attenders
Spiritual Life / Adult Education
State of the Meeting Reports
Statistical Reports and Membership Rolls
Transfer Minutes
Travel Minutes
Former Members & Attenders
Forms (Blank)
Yearly Files
Notes and Drafts of 2011 GVFM History
Recorder/Archivist Files
Reference Materials (Readings for the Clerk and Others)
Archival Paper
Many sources recommend using archival quality paper and file folders for particularly important documents. This can be very expensive. The Pacific Yearly Meeting Archivist uses 8 ½ x 11 Permalife Bond Paper, which can be purchased from Amazon.
Further advice about Recorder duties are covered in Faith and Practice, in the Appendix, “Recommendations for Monthly Meeting Records.”
Children’s Committee Report
No report was given.
Treasurer’s Report
No report was given.
InterFaith Nevada County Report
No report was given.
Pacific Yearly Meeting Report
No report was given.