Ithaca Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business
May 3, 2020
Clerk: Gina Varrichio
Recording Clerks: Marin Clarkberg, Blair Jennings
(The @ signifies that the minute has been read and approved during Meeting. Copies of all written reports are on file with and available from the Clerk or Recording Clerk.)
2020.5.1 Opening Worship
Ithaca Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends met in Monthly Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business on May 3, 2020. At 12:31 P.M., 18 Friends gathered via Zoom and settled into worship.
Clerk recognized Karen Reixach who was holding the meeting in the light.
2020.5.2 Memorial Minute for Carol Kimball
Bronwyn Mohlke read the memorial minute written for Carol Kimball by her daughter, Erica Weiss along withPeggy Walbridge and Carolyn Kenyon.
Clerk invited Friends to share a few minutes of silent worship. Friends shared reflections out of the silence.
Friends approved the minute.@
2020.5.3 Ministry & Worship
Extending Suspension of In-Person Meeting for Worship The Sequel
At April’s Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business, IMM approved the following minute:
Friends approved extending the suspension of in-person Meeting for Worship in the Third Street Meetinghouse and the continued closure of the Third Street Meetinghouse to all groups through Sunday, May 3, 2020.
Reporting on behalf of the committee, Nancy Riffer shared the following recommendation:
Ministry & Worship, with the support of the Third Street Meetinghouse Committee, recommends that we extend this same suspension through our next Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business, June 7, 2020. The following reasons impact the recommendation:
- NYS Pause extension until May 15th
- Planning considerations for returning to the Third Street Meetinghouse (fire inspection, cleaning, etc.)
- Lack of clarity among all stakeholders about what exactly the “right time” is.
- Faith that waiting for clearness on all of the above will indeed yield the right decision
Clerk invited Friends to enter into silent worship and share ministry out of this silence as led.
Friends approved the continuation of the current suspension. @
2020.5.4 Ministry & Worship
Meeting for Worship Online in May
On behalf of Ministry & Worship, Asha Sanaker shared the committee’s report and following recommendation:
In order to combat what many are now referring to as “Zoom-fatigue”, Ministry & Worship proposes that we make two changes in our First Day format for the month of May.
- Shortening our official online worship time to 45 minutes. Meeting for Worship will begin at 10:30 AM and end at 11:15 AM. For Friends who desire a more extended worship time, the Zoom worship space will be available starting at 10:15 AM each
First Day.
- Eliminating community announcements at the end of worship. Announcements concerning IMM will be made by Gina Varrichio, Clerk in a single, succinct list after worship.
Friends shared appreciation for the various committees that support IMM and participate in ongoing discernment of Meeting for Worship best practices during this pandemic, as well as their takeaways from this morning’s trial run of the newly suggested framework.
Clerk asked all who have suggestions related to matters of start/end time, length of break between Meeting for Worship & Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business, etc. discerned during our experience with the new format over the next five weeks be sent directly to the Clerk for consideration by Ministry & Worship.
Friends approved the changes to our Meeting for Worship format for May. @
2020.5.5 Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer, Pat Sewell shared a year-to-date report run on 29th April 2020. The document presents a different way to “look” at IMM’s financial health by comparing actual expenditures with budgeted amounts and noting the percentage variance between the two. Based on those percentages, treasurer reports that everything looks on track at this time.
Questions about current costs and potential savings related to the Meetinghouse shut down were asked and answered as treasurer was able.
A Friend suggested the addition of a balance sheet that lists current amounts in IMM’s various funds would be helpful moving forward.
Treasurer will consider all requests and suggestions and report back.
Friends received the report. @
2020.5.6 Ministry & Worship
Mutual Support Fund
A member of meeting approached IMM’s Clerk with a desire to use an unexpected windfall to help meet any emergency needs that arise for other community members due to the pandemic. Clerk brought this request to Ministry & Worship for consideration of how to appropriately move forward with this gift.
On behalf of Ministry & Worship, Nancy Riffer shared that the committee has been led to recommend the establishment of a Mutual Support Fund.
The Mutual Support Fund is specifically for offering support to members of the IMM community, as opposed to the wider community, and therefore is separate from the Special Needs Fund.
In order to keep the activities of the Mutual Support Fund separate, Ministry & Worship will be working with the Finance Committee to set up a discrete line in the Meeting’s Chart of Accounts.
Requests for assistance will be received by the Clerk, and then disbursement decisions will be made by members of Ministry & Worship and Finance Committee. A monthly report on the total money spent and the balance in the Fund, omitting all confidential details of recipients, will be made to Ithaca Monthly Meeting at Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business.
Ministry & Worship wishes to keep this fund active as proposed until the end of the calendar year, at which time the Fund may be laid down or the Meeting may decide to include the Mutual Support Fund in its budget for 2021, with any changes to the Fund’s oversight proposed and approved as part of that annual process.
A question about the tax deductibility of these funds will be addressed by a legal professional so IMM can assure it does what is both legal and appropriate.
Friends approved the creation of a Mutual Support Fund. @
2020.5.7 Ministry & Worship
State of the Meeting (Second Draft)
On behalf of Ministry & Worship, Kris Altucher read the State of the Meeting Report.
Clerk invited all to enter into a few minutes of silent worship and share ministry out of the silence as led.
Friends approved this as the final draft of the report to be sent to New York Yearly Meeting. @
2020.5.8 Closing Worship
15 Friends settled into silent worship at 2:05 P.M. before adjourning. Our next regular Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business will be held via Zoom at 12:30 P.M. on June 7, 2020.
Respectfully submitted,
Blair Jennings