Ithaca Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business

April 10, 2022

(The @ signifies that the minute has been read and approved during Meeting. Please note that copies of all annual reports provided during this Meeting are on file with and available from the Clerk or Recording Clerk.)

2022.4.1 Opening Worship

Ithaca Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends met on-line, via Zoom remote for Monthly Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business on April 10, 2022. Clerk reviewed the agenda for Monthly Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business and recognized Steve Mohlke for holding the Meeting in the Light.

At 12:32PM, Friends present settled into worship & by 12:37 they numbered 13.

2022.4.2 Ministry and Worship: State of the Meeting Report (Second Reading)

On behalf of Ministry and Worship, Carol Clarke read the second report (revised with input from Friends after its first reading in March). The report details the highs and lows of IMM’s membership & worship engagement related to the extended duration & nature of Covid-related restrictions and realities. While individual engagement has been challenged by a variety of factors, committee work has been more consistent and fruitful in 2021 as compared with 2020. Additionally, small group gatherings (for discussion, social connection, service, deep spiritual investigation and exploration of leadings) have flourished. Bottom line, in 2021, we have continued to make ourselves vulnerable and to do everything possible to come together, keep ourselves and each other safe, and follow the leadings of Spirit.

Clerk made space for questions, concerns & ministry. Friends requested the following addition: “We extended our Memorandum of Understanding with the Friends Center for Racial Justice to continue its work in the Burtt House for an additional year, through 2023.”

Friends approved sending the report on to FSRM and NYYM @

2022.4.3 Ministry and Worship: Plan for Worship

On behalf of the committee, Barbara Chase reported that Ministry and Worship would like to continue hybrid worship temporarily and sees a need to create gatherings, both in person and on Zoom, so that Friends can share and discuss their experience of worship now, both from attending worship in person and on Zoom. M & W plans to have these meetings in May and will announce when it will do this on Zoom and in person as soon as the committee is able to set dates.

Friends shared reflections, comments and concerns related to the availability & quality of hybrid meeting for worship, as well as appreciation for the efforts of IMM to make those attending worship electronically feel included in the process. They requested the May meeting announcements be distributed widely with the goal being to include as many people as possible, by as many modalities as possible to encourage as large a virtual gathering as possible. Carol Clark shared that there are many options for gathering still being suggested & considered, especially those for utilizing outdoor spaces as weather permits.

Further, IMM will hold an indoor sunrise Worship at the Hector Meetinghouse on Easter Sunday with regular indoor worship at Hector set to resume at 10:30 AM in person on Sunday, April 24.

Friends approved the committee’s recommendation @

2022.4.4 Communications Committee: Sound System

On behalf of the committee, Melissa Travis-Dunham provided a detailed report on IMM’s new sound system. Melissa reviewed the components & layout, technical hurdles & triumphs, process for integrating, offering & facilitating the use of included listening assist receivers (2), as well as the final costs & equipment acquisitions as follows:

• $7,400. to Audio Chef, LLC (Paul Acosta’s business) for the A/V system as installed (hours he spent consulting with IMM prior to equipment purchase & troubleshooting after installation were included).
• $830. for an overhead projector purchased and installed in January 2021
• $399. for a new laptop acquired in fall of 2021

Friends asked questions, expressed wide-ranging gratitude and specific reflections, and acknowledged that IMM currently has a de facto technical assistance “working group” that helps troubleshoot & facilitate user experience. A suggestion was made to formalize communication between ComCom & these tech helpers to address questions, problems and/or solutions related to the system.

Friends received the report.@

2022.4.5 Treasurer’s Quarterly Report

Treasurer, Pat Sewell shared transactional details to supports the following statement:

At the end of 2021, our Meeting remained in very good fiscal health. IMM received roughly $73,000. in donations, which was very close to its budget of $76,000. Covid meant less was spent on in-person necessities (childcare, hospitality), but more was spent on technical equipment. In response to a solicitation about including IMM in estate planning,  IMM received an estate planning gift ($100K) that has provided a strong financial base from which to operate moving forward.

Major 2021 projects included the following:

• Solar Panels donation/installation, resulting credits (about $50./month) & fees
• A/V Upgrade (numbers are slightly different — $7400. as reported by ComCom represents the initial estimate; final number includes $225. billed at the end of the project for additional services/equipment support rendered)
• New furnaces for Burtt House
• New ramp for TSMH

Pat shared details about IMM’s long term financial planning (see estate gift above), as well as the reality that the Meeting-approved portion of our savings ($50K) housed in an environmentally focused mutual fund managed by Quakers is currently down about 4% from our initial deposit due to supply chain issues and the war in Ukraine.

After acknowledging Quakers’ testimony of simplicity that encourages us to use our resources deliberately in ways that make life truly better for oneself and others, Pat provided Friends with a visual breakdown of where/how money was spent in 2021.

• 48% properties
• 28% Quaker organizations
• 10% Witness
• 8% Admin
• 6% Nurture (funding lines that help IMM do IMM “things” specifically related to meeting such as childcare, etc.)

Additionally in 2021, IMM housed $127,000. in Alternatives Federal Credit Union, which used the money to invest in our community by way of loans for individuals and businesses.

A Friend asked if IMM has a specific process/procedure for how it handles estate planning gifts. While estate gifts are not treated as income, finance is presently working on a plan to formally address & communicate the process/procedure by which they are received, accounted for, held &/or utilized.

Additional questions, comments & reflections about expenses related to the Third Street Meeting House (repairs, improvements, etc.) were asked, answered, shared & received, and the resulting investments acknowledged.

Friends received the report.@

2022.4.6 Closing Worship

At 2:16PM, 10 Friends settled into worship before adjourning. Our next regularly scheduled Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business will be May 8, 2022.

Respectfully submitted,

Blair Jennings