Meeting Minutes
Redding Monthly Meeting of The Religious Society of Friends

April 13, 2008

Present: Susie, Tom, Lenore, Doug, Doris

Minutes from the previous meeting were reviewed and approved.

Treasurer’s report: $2799 balance; pending expenses include $20 to Spiritual Enrichment Center (peace lantern), $15 PFLAG, $25 Sponsoring youth to international Quaker conference

Ministry & Oversight: (no meeting)

Peace & Social Order:

1) Interfaith Witness for Justice & Peace has disbanded and is joining SCIFF (Shasta County Interfaith Forum), which will be coordinated by Lynn Fritz.
2) Season of Nonviolence: still some events remaining. May 16 Dances of Universal Peace; May 17 Rumi: Love & the Spiritual Path Workshop; June 1 Floating of the Lanterns For more information visit the Spiritual Enrichment Center website. http://www.reddingsec.org/season/seasonnonviolence.html
3) On May 4th at 5:30 there will be a potluck dinner at the Pilgrim Congregational Church honoring the retirement of minister Ann Lougee

Unity with Nature:

We listed ways we've reduced our individual energy consumption and/or carbon footprint, for a report requested by PYM.

Other Business:
1. We've received multiple solicitations for donations from various AFSC (American Friends Service Committee) organizations. Doris will check on the relationship between the national and San Francisco groups to determine whether our meeting should donate to just one or both.
2. Redding Searchlight Religion Page: Doug has enjoyed writing responses for inclusion in this newspaper feature; Susie will write on occasion.
3. Doug will inquire whether 2008 Quaker history calendars are still available from the Berkeley meeting and order if available.
4. State of the meeting: We need to write this statement and for Quarterly meeting by May 9. To participate in drafting this document, you may attend a special meeting on April 27, to be shared and revised at the Dinner Among Friends (see calendar for times/dates).

Announcements
Doug will be attending Quarterly Meeting at Ben Lomand May 16-18. Contact him is you would like to join him for the trip.

News of Friends
Doris' brother passed away recently. We will keep her in the light, with thoughts of peace and sympathy.

Calendar:
Sunday, April 27 at Methodist Church
9:45 State of the Meeting--write draft
11:00 Meeting for Silent Worship (children's activities = Susie, refreshments = Doris)

Sunday, May 11 at Methodist Church
10:00 Meeting for Business
11:00 Meeting for Silent Worship (children's activities & refreshments = Susie & Tom)

Friday, May 2, 6:00 p.m.
Dinner Among Friends
Potluck at the Morehouse home

Redding Monthly Meeting of The Religious Society of Friends

March 9, 2008

Present: Doris, Tom, Susie, Ed

Minutes from the previous meeting were reviewed and approved.

Treasurer’s report: $2547.18 after paying rent, Darfour donation, P.O. box payment.

Peace & Social Order:

Friends are reminded about the Walk for Peace (5th anniversary of Iraq invasion) on 3/16 at 1:00 pm in front of City Hall. Bring a picnic lunch at 12:00 to and meet on the front Cypress Ave. facing steps.

Ed will order documentary Prison Town USA which we will watch at a future dinner among Friends or we will hold a interfaith function to view it together.

Unity with Nature:

PYM Unity with Nature committee has asked meetings to report changes we have made to help slow global warming. Please email Ed at edatoakrun@frontiernet.net or bring input to the next business meeting. Ed reported that a Harmony with Earth Testimony has been proposed.

Ed encouraged Friends to look at the simple water heater design in the Sat. 3/8 Homes section of the Record Searchlight. There will be a credit given for installing a solar water heater. Ed is available if Friends want help with a design for their homes.

Nominations Committee:
Doug - clerk

Tom - asst. clerk & mail clerk

Lenore - recording clerk

Doris - treasurer

M & O - Susie, Richard, Kathleen

No dinner among Friends in April. Easter (3/23) will be a regular silent meeting at the Methodist Church.

Calendar:

March 23 Easter - 11:00 AM meeting for worship at Methodist Church.

Snacks and childcare undecided.

April 13 - Business Meeting 10:00 AM

Meeting for Worship 11:00 AM

Redding Friends Quaker Meeting
Minutes for February 10, 2008

Submitted by: Lenore Frigo, Recording Clerk

In attendance were: Doris Bond, Lenore Frigo, Tom & Sue Morehouse, Ed Marek. We opened the meeting with silence.

1. Review of Minutes:

Minutes from the last meeting were approved. Minutes and other information are available at the website http://reddingfriends.blogspot.com/

2. Treasurer's Report:

-Current balance is $2770.

-The budget committee met to draft the 2008 budget. The meeting approved this budget. It includes funding for fixed ($1234) and variable ($450) operating expenses, as well as $1000 for charitable giving.

3. Ministry & Oversight:

-A committee met with Richard; in order to maintain ordination, necessary for his job as hospital chaplain, he will be applying for membership at First Baptist Church, but will maintain his membership with this meeting, as well.

4. Unity with Nature

-Ed shared low-energy LED nightlights, to help us in reducing our individual energy consumption.

-Ruah Swennerfelt & Louis Cox continue their Peace for Earth Walk, after traveling through Redding. Click here to view their travel blog online or sign up for email updates.

-We're reminded to continue in our individual efforts to reduce and save resources, especially through making small changes that add up.

5. Peace & Social Order:

There will be a peace rally and march in Redding on March 16, with multiple sponsors. Our meeting agreed to contribute $50 for the event. There will be a sign-making party on February 23 in preparation for this event. For more information about the peace march & rally and other Season of Nonviolence events, view the Spiritual Enrichment Center website or calendar of events

6. Other Business
Letters from our meeting for the Record Searchlight religion section have been published the last two Saturdays, with thanks to Sue Morehouse (writing on the role of spirituality and social change, published February 9) and Doug Milhous (writing on the "Bodies Revealed" upcoming Turtle Bay exhibit). You can view these and other responses to the weekly religion page question at the Record Searchlight online. (The webpage is updated regularly, with only the most recent topics available for viewing).

7. Calendar

Sunday, February 24 11:00 a.m. Meeting for Worship (children's activity: Sue refreshments: Doris)

Friday, March 7 Dinner Among Friends
6:00 p.m. at the Bonds
Video and discussion about global warming and reducing your own carbon footprint.
Dinner will be baked potatoes plus potluck. Bring toppings, salad, or dessert to share.

Sunday March 9

10:00 a.m. Meeting for Business

11:00 a.m. Meeting for Worship (children's activity & refreshments: Sue)

Redding Friends Quaker Meeting
Minutes for January 13, 2008

Submitted by: Lenore Frigo, Recording Clerk

In attendance were: Doris Bond, Lenore Frigo, Tom & Susie Morehouse, Doug Milhouse. We opened the meeting with silence.

1. Review of Minutes:

Minutes from the last meeting were approved. Minutes and other information are available at the website http://reddingfriends.blogspot.com/

2. Treasurer's Report (Doris)

Current balance is $2971, with regular rent due. A budget committee meeting is scheduled for January 27th at 10:00 a.m. Contact Tom or Doris before then if you have budget requests or suggestions; the meeting is also open to anyone who wishes to come.

3. Peace & Social Order (Doug)

The Peace for Earth walkers, Ruah and Louis, will be coming through Redding later this month. Our Meeting is hosting them, including a scheduled potluck dinner and public presentation, the evening of January 29th (see calendar for details).

The Season for Nonviolence, hosted by the Spiritual Enrichment Center starts this month. For more information about the various events go to http://www.reddingsec.org/season/seasonnonviolence.html

4. Business

Concerning the Record Searchlight request for letters in response to religious topics: we revisited this issue and decided as a Meeting to possibly respond to some of the weekly topics. Doug and Susie will be our official representatives to the Record Searchlight. They may work with others within the Meeting, responding not each week, but only when the subject is compelling, based on Quaker Faith & Practice. Tom will contact the Record Searchlight to designate our two official representatives

Doris brought mail from the past month, including multiple solicitations for donations. Some of those requests will be reviewed at the budget planning meeting.

5. Calendar

Sunday, January 27 11:00 a.m. Meeting for Worship (children's activity: Susie, refreshments: Doris)

Tuesday, January 29

6:00 p.m. Potluck dinner at Morehouse home

7:30 p.m. Presentation at Methodist Church (room 10), Walking in the Light, Peace for Earth discussion

Sunday February 10

10:00 a.m. Meeting for Business

11:00 a.m. Meeting for Worship (children's activity: Susie, refreshments: Richard, coffee: Tom & Susie)

Climate Change: Ideas for Action

Redding Friends Meeting
Possible Action Items to Address Climate Change

Individual Level
Unplug or shutdown appliances when not in use.
1) Be careful to turn off lights in house when not in use
2) Less use of plastic
3) More efficient source of heat for the house
4) Avoid driving to the store to buy just a thing or two
5) Walk or ride a bicycle rather than driving your car
6) Turn down the thermostat by four degrees.
7) Install fluorescent lights in house
8) Drive highly fuel efficient cars
9) Take public transit such as buses or trains
10) Avoid airplanes as they are not efficient
11) Cancel a trip – ie. to Europe
12) Heat your water with solar energy
13) Generate electricity with solar or wind energy
14) Weather proof and insulate your home – ie. seals on doors
15) Educate ourselves about the problem and solutions
16) Install ceiling fans
17) Energy efficient appliances
18) Shop locally in our neighborhood
19) Grow a big organic garden and share with neighbors
20) Build community locally. Trade goods and services with friends and neighbors
21) Assess your climate impact at http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/carboncalculator/
22) Work towards a personal goal of reducing personal use of green house gases by 10% in the coming year
23) Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me

Influencing the wider world
1) Labor with government to utilize environment friendly buildings.
2) Install billboard signs asking people to conserve.
3) When talking to people about global warming, emphasize what is happening morally. We are stewards over the land.
4) Build Cypress pedestrian bridge
5) Eliminate subsidies, so that we experience true costs. Airlines are subsidized because they are used by rich people. Buses are not subsidized because they are used by poor people
6) Roads should be subsidized by those that use them
7) Work for energy efficient van transportation for Shasta College students from remote sites
8) Build pedestrian ways and bike ways rather than highways. More walker-friendly cities
9) Less imports of un-essentials from other countries
10) Keep climate change as an ongoing concern of the Quaker Meeting, engaging in collective discernment and action
11) Network with other Meetings and like-minded groups
12) Labor with those shaping public opinion and policy to care for the earth
13) Speak truth to power in support of public policy that cares for the earth and assists the most vulnerable

(Compiled Spring 2007)


Click here for this list as an active document.

Redding Friends Quaker Meeting
Minutes for December 8, 2007

Submitted by: Lenore Frigo, Recording Clerk

In attendance were: Doris Bond, Lenore Frigo, Tom & Susie Morehouse, Doug Milhous, Ed Marek. We opened the meeting with silence.

1. Review of Minutes:

Minutes were approved, with the note that minutes were also posted on our new website (reddingfriends.blogspot.com).

If you would like information or links posted to this site, please forward specific information to Lenore (reddingfriends@gmail.com OR lfrigo@gmail.com) to be posted.

Correction to minutes: Doug will be traveling to Quarterly meeting on January 20, 2008.

2. Treasurer's Report (Doris)

a. Balance is $2772. Recent deposits include $1525 from the brunch that we hosted. Recent expenditures include food costs for the brunch, Quarterly meeting dues, a donation to AFSC (for migrant workers affected by the S. California fires), rent, and telephone bill.

b. Members are encouraged to contribute $200/year to cover operating costs, including PYM and Quarterly Meeting dues.

3. Ministry & Oversight
We discussed Christmas gifts for the Faithworks family that the meeting sponsors. These will be two $75 gift cards (Safeway and Target) for the family. Susie will arrange for these.

4. Peace & Social Order (Doug)

a. We'll be hosting the guests who are conducting the Walking in the Light, Peace for Earth Walk, on January 29. This will include a potluck dinner and presentation (see calendar for details).

b. Doug will be traveling to Quarterly Meeting on Jan. 20, 2008, and welcomes traveling companions.

c. Record Searchlight: Religious Faith Articles
The Record Searchlight is starting a new format for the religion section. Local congregations will be given a topic per week to write about. Articles will be published in the paper and/or online. As a group, we decided to wait and see how this works out before determining whether we will participate. (Doris will notify Lynn, who is coordinating this project).

5. Unity with Nature (Ed)

Lenore will post our 8/2007 minute on Unity with Nature to the new website, as well as the list of 20 suggestions for conserving environmental resources. Ed will email Lenore with additional information to be posted. Lenore will also create a chart that we can use within our individual households to track energy/resource use and to set goals for reducing our usage during 2008.

6. Calendar

Sunday, December 16, 6:00 p.m. Christmas Dinner Among Friends & Gift Exchange. At the Morehouse home. We'll have ham and potluck sidedish & desserts. Bring a dish to share, plus one gift ($10 or under) for the exchange, something you've made, if possible.

(Sunday, December 23--NO MEETING, even though it is the 4th Sunday)

Sunday, December 30, 11:00 a.m. Meeting for Worship. Tom & Susie will provide children's activities (if needed) and refreshments

Sunday, January 13: 10:00 a.m. Meeting for Business, 11:00 a.m. Meeting for Worship (Susie for children's activities, Lenore will bring refreshments)

Tuesday, January 29: Potluck dinner at Morehouse home for Walking in the Light, Peace for Earth Walk guests at 6:00. Presentation at Methodist Church (room 10) at 7:30.

Redding Friends Quaker Meeting

Meeting for Business

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Respectfully submitted, Lenore Frigo

1. The meeting opened with silence

2. Review of minutes (no comments)

3. Treasurer's report: Sue Morehouse reported that we raised about $1000 from the breakfast that we hosted at the Methodist church.

4. Ministry and Oversight: The meeting has submitted a letter supported Richard Coholan as a Quaker chaplain at Mercy hospital.

5. Peace & Social Order

a) Louis Cox and Ruah Swennerfelt, a Quaker couple from Vermont, will be coming through Redding as part of a Walking in the Light, Peace for Earth Walk. More information can be found at www.peaceforearth.org

The Redding Friends meeting will be hosting their visit. Doug will organize the event. Tom and Sue will host the guests. Events for everyone include:

Tuesday January 29

-6:00 p.m. Potluck dinner at Morehouse home

-7:30 Presentation at Methodist church, room 10

b) Doug Milhous will be traveling to Santa Rosa for the Quarterly Meeting on January 29. Doug will also be attending a workshop in Humboldt on Compassionate Listening. He welcomes company to join him on either trip.

6. Unity with Nature

Ed noted that at our next meeting he will have information to share from the Pacific Yearly Meeting on this topic.

7. Redding Friends Website: Lenore Frigo proposed that the Meeting have a website with basic information, such as schedule and announcements. The Meeting agreed that she should go ahead and set up a draft of this website. It will be posted at http://reddingfriends.blogspot.com/

8. Calendar

Sunday, November 25, Meeting for Worship, 11:00 a.m. Methodist church

Sunday, December 9, 10:00 a.m. Business Meeting, 11:00 Meeting for Worship, Methodist Church

Sunday, December 16, 6:00 p.m. Dinner Among Friends: Christmas Celebration with potluck dinner and gift exchange. Bring one gift of $10 or under, something handmade by yourself if possible!

Hello!

This is the brand new website for the Redding Friends Quaker Meeting. Stay posted for announcements.