Ithaca Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business
October 11, 2020
Clerk: Gina Varrichio
Standing in for the Recording Clerks: Ellie Rosenberg, Melissa Travis Dunham, Gina Varrichio
(The @ signifies that the minute has been read and approved during Meeting. Please note that copies of all reports provided during this Meeting are on file with and available from the Clerk or Recording Clerk.)
Nineteen Friends were present at 12:45pm at the start of Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business.
Clerk recognized Nancy Gabriel as holding the Meeting in the Light.
Clerk read the following passage from Thomas of Celano in The Remembrance of the Desire of a Soul (2000), a reflection on the life of St. Francis of Assisi:
He learned by revelation the meaning of many things, but when he was conversing among others he put the opinions of others ahead of his own. He considered the opinions of his companions safer than his own. He would say that a man had not yet given up everything for God as long as he held on to the moneybag of his own opinions.
2020.10.1 Worship Sharing: Report to FSRM on the Reflections of the IMM Breakout Group
We began with worship sharing around a report written at Farmington Scipio Regional Meeting’s Fall Gathering regarding the experience of Ithaca Monthly Meeting Friends. The report was read by Melanie-Claire Mallison. Those gathered were ask to consider the following queries:
1) Do you feel the report captures the corporate experience of IMM at this time?
2) Where do you see the spirit moving in our Meeting or where have you seen it moving in the past?
3) What is missing from this report?
Friends shared ministry. Some of the themes that arose during this time were recognition of the unwillingness and/or discomfort around talking about religion/our spiritual lives/God; a feeling that IMM focuses on the testimony of community, sometimes to the exclusion of all other testimonies; concern about the message that “if you’re not doing X, you’re not really a Quaker;” the desire to refocus on the “we” rather than the “I;” and a deep love and appreciation for IMM and each other. Informal notes were taken, and these will be used to inform further discussions around these themes. TBD.
NOTE: This is a brief accounting by the clerk and not a minute approved by the body, as we neglected to write one.
2020.10.2 Covid Working Group: Wedding And Memorial Gatherings
The COVID Working Group proposes that the Third Street Meetinghouse be made available for members or attenders who would like to hold a wedding or memorial gathering.The covid working group will change some of the wording to speak to unmasking during wedding vows and kisses and wording around “bubbles.” @
2020.10.3 Covid Working Group: Building Use By Outside Groups
COVID Working Group recommended opening the Third Street Meetinghouse to outside groups for their events. The proposal to open the Third Street Meetinghouse to outside groups following our covid guidelines was approved. @
2020.10.4 Covid Working Group: Use Of The Kitchen By Teen Day
The COVID Working Group proposes that Teen Day be granted access to the kitchen and any appliances it needs for teaching purposes, with the understanding that no food will be prepared or consumed in the meetinghouse. @
2020.10.5 Ministry And Worship: Hybrid Meeting For Worship
M&W recommends the extension of hybrid Meeting for Worship in the Third Street Meetinghouse until Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business in December. @
2020.10.6 Treasurer’s Report
We were reminded that Kitchen Cupboard still needs our donations and are figuring out the best way to make this happen. Questions were asked and answered about the budgeting sheet. New camera, microphone, projector, disinfectant, etc. is under operations and maintenance for the Third Street Meetinghouse for now. There may be a way to have a COVID-related line as well. Finance Committee is discussing this. @
2020.10.7 Other
A request was made to open the Meetinghouse for a day of prayer on election day.