MAY-JUNE2016 POUGHKEEPSIE FRIENDS MEETING Poughkeepsiequakers.org We are participants in a vast communion of being, and if we open ourselves to its guidance, we can learn anew how to live in this great and gracious community of truth. - Parker Palmer Advice 8 Friends are earnestly advised to refrain from practices that are detrimental to the body or the mind, for example, the use of intoxicants and tobacco, and the misuse of drugs. Query 4 Are love and unity fostered among us? If differences arise, do we endeavor to reconcile them in a spirit of love and truth? Are we careful not to manipulate and exploit one another? Do we avoid tale bearing and are we careful of the reputation of others? Spring Sessions More than 150 of us gathered in central New Jersey for New York Yearly Meeting's Spring Sessions. Delightful spring-like weather welcomed us before thunderstorms rolled through and brought back winter-coat weather. We enjoyed the warm hospitality of First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens and the old quiet of Rahway and Plainfield Meetinghouse. We worked hard. Saturday's agenda brought a fond farewell to Ann Davidson as she prepares to retire from many fruitful years as Powell House Director. We welcomed our new Powell House Directors, Regina Baird Haag and Dennis Haag, as well as our new Children & Youth Secretary, Melinda Wenner Bradley. We were reminded on Sunday that our financial life together requires care and attention from all of us. We struggled with an overrun in the expenses related to our preparation for our audit and with new ways of using income from our trust funds. As we move along the road toward greater transparency in our

finances and a consolidated statement that includes both trustee-managed funds and our operating account, we are experiencing some bumps. Our vision of a yearly meeting that is accountable and transparent continues to inspire us. We are a bright and committed group of people; accountability starts with each of us and in classic Quaker fashion, trickles up toward God. We heard a report from our General Secretary and a report from the Meetings for Discernment Steering Committee. We were encouraged by our 6-12 year olds to conduct our Session without the use of plastic tableware and disposable plastic water bottles; we referred this concern to Sessions Committee for their consideration. As usual, there was much more. There are over 3,000 of us in New York Yearly Meeting and though we felt as if we were many at Spring Sessions, we were a small portion of us all. I am grateful to those who come to actively share our work and grateful to all who support it with prayer and concern from afar. Lucinda Antrim, Clerk, New York Yearly Meeting Friendly Discussion on “Clerking” Deb Wood, of Purchase Meeting, facilitated eleven Friends in a stimulating discussion about the art of clerking committee and monthly business meetings. Deb is a life-long Quaker, a graduate of Oakwood Friends School, and the current clerk of the Yearly Meeting’s Nurture Coordinating Committee. Most of us had some previous experience at clerking, but no one claimed that the experience had been without difficulty. Several people expressed their frustration with participating in business meetings, often over detailed discussions that resulted from inadequate seasoning or communication prior to monthly meeting, or to a lack of appreciation for the role of worship while conducting business, or the appropriate level of detail in formulating and approving of meeting minutes. Some of the other issues that were discussed included: 1. The role of the clerk - agenda preparation, conducting the meeting, and discerning and offering the

“sense of the meeting” 2. The duties of meeting participants - to listen carefully and to oppose the emerging sense of the

meeting by “standing aside” only when one feels God’s will, not one’s own ego, is being violated 3. Advice for good clerking: a. allow space in the agenda for the Spirit to work - prioritize agenda items, to hold over rather than test

the meeting’s endurance b. consult with committee clerks prior to business meeting to discuss the issues that could arise, and the

appropriate time to be allowed c. clerk should ask questions to obtain clarification, and should reflect back proposals to ensure

understanding Some of the fine lines that a clerk must make judgments on are deciding when enough discussion has been heard (vs. hearing everyone’s views), when to hold over an item for more seasoning, and sensing the need to return to silent worship. Meeting members should support their clerk by respecting these judgments as well as their particular style of clerking, by privately offering constructive criticism, and most of all, by being faithful in attendance at business meetings. Fred Doneit

Parsonage Renovation Renovation of our parsonage building is in progress by the general contracting firm Advanced Construction. Without a committed tenant we are just making improvements that would benefit any tenant, be they residential, professional office, home business or studio, school, day care center or non-profit agency. We anticipate follow up alterations to suit or accommodate a specific tenant. Energy efficiencies, beyond the new gas heating system and new windows, include sealing and installation of heating ductwork, and the replacement and installation of the domestic water piping. Health and safety upgrades include sealing and sanitizing the attic space which has had rodent infestation, rebuilding a portion of the wooden cellar floor which has succumbed to termite activity, removal of all carpeting, additions to the exterior lighting of walkways and approaches, and replacement of the front porch steps to allow a smooth concrete slab that will eliminate trip hazards and correct damage problems. We are refreshing and modernizing the interior by refinishing or re-carpeting floors, replacing vinyl floors in the kitchen and bathrooms, providing several new kitchen and bathroom appliances and fixtures and making all interior doors and closets fully functional. We are planning new signage near Hooker Avenue that will say "Residential/Office Building for Lease." Interested parties should contact Rachel Ruth or Fred Doneit or be directed to our realtor at River Realty. Fred Doneit Library News The Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World By Desmond Tutu and, Mpho Tutu Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize winner, Chair of The Elders, and Chair of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, along with his daughter, the Reverend Mpho Tutu, offer a manual on the art of forgiveness—helping us to realize that we are all capable of healing and transformation. Tutu's role as the Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission taught him much about forgiveness. If you asked anyone what he or she thought was going to happen to South Africa after apartheid, almost universally it was predicted that the country would be devastated by a comprehensive bloodbath. Yet, instead of revenge and retribution, this new nation chose to tread the difficult path of confession, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Each of us has a deep need to forgive and to be forgiven. After much reflection on the process of forgiveness, Tutu has seen that there are four important steps to healing: Admitting the wrong and acknowledging the harm; Telling one's story and witnessing the anguish; Asking for forgiveness and granting forgiveness; and Renewing or releasing the relationship. Forgiveness is hard work. Sometimes it even feels like an impossible task. But it is only through walking this fourfold path that Tutu says we can free ourselves of the endless and unyielding cycle of pain and retribution. The Book of Forgiving is both a touchstone and a tool, offering Tutu's wise advice and showing the way to experience forgiveness. Ultimately, forgiving is the only means we have to heal our aching world and ourselves.

Practicing Peace: A Devotional Walk Through the Quaker Tradition By Catherine Whitmire

This book describes successful nonviolent movements in history and includes quotations taken from 350 years of Quaker writings on the discipline of practicing peace.

Laudato Si -- On Care for Our Common Home by Pope Francis

In his second encyclical, Pope Francis draws all Christians into a dialogue with every person on the

planet about our common home. We as human beings are united by the concern for our planet and every living thing that dwells on it, especially the poorest and most vulnerable. Pope Francis' letter joins the body of the Church's social and moral teaching, draws on the best scientific research, providing the foundation for the ethical and spiritual itinerary that follows. Laudato Si outlines: the current state of our common home, the Gospel message as seen through creation, the human causes of the ecological crisis, Ecology and the common good, Pope Francis' call to action for each of us

- Submitted by PFM librarians Rhonda Sullivan and Diane-Ellen McCarron

New Pendle Hill Pamphlets Added to PFM Library

Diane-Ellen McCarron writes, "I have found each Pendle Hill Pamphlet an invaluable resource and source for companioning into a deepening spirit. We have three bins (located behind the door in the library) -- a couple hundred pamphlets on various topics that meet our life conditions along the Way." 390 Special Education as a Spiritual Journey by Michael Resman 409 Who Do You Say I Am by Lloyd Lee Wilson 411 Plow Up the Fallow Ground (A Meditation in the Company of Early Friends) by Lu Harper 412 Answering the Violence (Encounters with Perpetrators) by John Lampen 413 James Nayler Speaking by Brian Drayton 419 Nurturing Children's Spiritual Well-Being by Margaret Crompton 420 Waging Peace (Discipline and Practice) by Pamela Haines 421 Heartfulness (Renewing Heart, Mind & Spirit on Retreat & Beyond) by Valerie Brown 422 Reclaiming the Transcendent (God in Process) by Thomas Gates 423 Queries and Prayers by Ron B. Rembert 424 Nonviolent Direct Action as a Spiritual Path by Richard K. Taylor 425 The Light Within -- Then and Now by Rex Ambler 428 Spiritual Accompaniment (An Experience of Two Friends Traveling in the Ministry) by Cathy Walling and Elaine Emily Clerking Workshop at Powell House As I had just accepted the clerkship of the advancement committee and imagined there was a lot to learn, I opted to attend the clerking workshop at Powell House on the weekend of Feb. 5-7, 2016 . On arrival, I unexpectedly encountered Arthur Larrabee, the facilitator for this workshop. I confessed I'd just accepted being the clerk of Advancement and had no idea what I was doing. He thanked me for my honesty and said he was just about as unsure but willing to learn. In the workshop we determined the need of clerks for committees and meetings and how we had to progress to achieve the goals we set. He emphasized the importance of the following: Community must be created It must be safe to be vulnerable Support of one another Truly listen to each other Participation and doing good work together is the desired goal We were instructed about the need for clerks to open files on what applies to the work being done at the meeting. The clerk should create space for others to interact and fully communicate. Clerks should exercise leadership in all aspects of the committee meeting or meeting for worship with aconcern for business. The importance of gratitude and acknowledgment were stressed as well as a concern that a

sense of worship is present within the business of our committee meeting. A question arose as to what clerks say and how it is said. A spirit of humility and transparency is needed. It is their responsibility to protect against schism and to allow for evolving and creative solutions. We were counseled about the following needs and possibilities: Sense of the meeting vs. "consensus" Unity about where the spirit is leading Eyes for the invisible Hearing spirit Continuing Quaker education Shared understanding We touched on issues of unity, reflecting a connection to the spirit in all of us, avoiding "heirarchy," preserving and deepening community, listening for spirit, becoming teachable, seeking clarity, as well as hearing and respecting each other. A clerk must know every person on the committee and everyone of import to contact so that work can be accomplished and we can serve our meetings effectively and with joy. Submitted by Enoch Nixon News from Green Haven Sent from Otisville Prison, dated April 10, 2016 To my Quaker family: On the 19th or 20th of April, your brother is scheduled to appear before the parole board. Please keep me "in the light." Please tell the folks at Green Haven and at Poughkeepsie Meeting that I send my regards, especially to Robert Martin, Karen Hall, Frank de Leeuw, Diane-Ellen McCarron, Nan Fogel, Don Badgley and Rachel Ruth. I miss you guys immensely. Your brother Darrel (Hun) Unconditional Love I have grown into adulthood thinking that to express love it must be put into words. I have since learned that there are some sentiments that cannot be put into words. To provide care, support and assistance to a person in need is also love. To be there for someone is another level of love I all compassion. I used to think love was an intimate physical relationship between two people, but I have changed my mind. My parents loved me unconditionally, and although I never heard them say, "I love you," I realize now it was stated another way, like: "What's wrong?, Be Careful, What do you need? Where are you going?, Take care of yourself, Let me do that for you, and call me when you get there." They gave me the security a child needs to grow. I have met Friends who have shown me love and helped me further understand what it means. I have come to learn that love is compassion. This is what has kept me going over the years. Knowledge Inner worship has allowed my spirit to be renewed and uplifted. If I can bring an open heart and

mind, I may find the Holy Spirit in unexpected places. The inner spirit blesses.

Brother Charles

Things to Always Remember and One Thing to Never Forget Your presence is a present to the world, You are unique and one of a kind. Your life can be what you want it to be, Take the days just one at a time. Count your blessings, not your troubles, You'll make it through whatever comes along. Within you are so many answers; Understand, have courage, be strong. Don't put limits on yourself, So many dreams are waiting to be realized. Decisions are too important to leave to chance, Reach for your peak, your goal, and your prize. Nothing wastes more energy than worrying. The longer we carry a problem, The heavier it gets. Don't take things too seriously. Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets. Remember that a little love goes a long way. Remember that a lot of love goes forever. Remember that friendship is a wise investment. Life's treasures are people together. Realize that it's never too late. The ordinary things in an extraordinary way. Have health and hope and happiness. Take the time to wish upon a star. And don't ever forget ... for even a day... How very special you are. Quaker Greetings from Green Haven - Alvin Greetings from Tim and Silvana in Costa Rica Dear friends,

We have finally reached an agreement on the purchase of a small lot above the community garden in Valle Bonito along with the upper portion, including our own section, of the garden, a total of 600 square meters and the construction of a 50-square-meter house overlooking the garden. Our home will be of average size for our neighborhood, an almost exclusively Tico one, but for that reason where we want to

be. Growing our fruits and vegetables on such a small piece of land will be a challenge, but a welcome one, since we do not want to set ourselves apart from our neighbors, but we do want to offer an example of what is possible, even with limited resources. A lot of vegetables can be grown in a small space, but fruit trees obviously take more room. We plan to surround the house with lemon, tangerine, grapefruit, fig, papaya, and tomato trees, a little banana grove, blackberries, black raspberries, and perhaps a strawberry bed and a grape vine or two. Our little pineapple plantation is already started. Take the top, strip off the lower leavers, soak the fleshy part in water for a few days, plant, water, feed, and if all goes well you may have a small pineapple in a couple of years. All of this, will, of course, take time to develop and mature to full fruitfulness.

Construction of the house should begin in a couple of weeks. Two bedrooms, one a guest room, will occupy opposite corners, with the living, dining, kitchen area winding in s-shape in between. Using simple manual tools, I'll construct as much as I can of the few furniture pieces we'll need. A little house could seem claustrophobic unless there´s little in it, only what´s needed and no more. We know someone who is selling a used slightly-larger-than-table-top frig. For cooking a three-burner camp-type stove using gas should be sufficient, since for us, eating simply as we do, an oven would only be needed for bread baking, but we have cut bread eating to a minimum. A small tank of gas costs about $12 and lasts us two months or so. We can also eliminate a hot water heater since our only hot water use is for showers. In Costa Rica most people use a little contraption that takes the place of a shower-head and heats the water as it filters through. If the water is turned on high, it goes through quickly and is not heated. So if you want the water heated, you have to turn the water flow down as much as possible. The longer the water stays in the little "shower-head” the warmer it gets.

I would be happy to do without a washing machine. For me the daily rhythm of soaking one or two items overnight and washing them by hand and hanging them out to dry in the morning is natural and without burden. I would also be happy to wring Silvana's clothes and the sheets, the latter of which I do anyway, by hand, but arthritis and declining strength in her hands is inclining her, against her established practice, towards the little Costa Rican washing machine with separate washing and spinning chambers, the former filled manually by separate hose. Even if we compromise and obtain the little machine, I'll continue to do most of my washing by hand. Humans in the modern world seem in a rush to obtain something, get somewhere, do something exciting, secure the future, and in the process make the many little things we all need to do into so many chores. An alternative to this "mad game" is to choose to do as many of those necessities of life as we can with our own hands and legs, with quiet attention, and with pleasure in our hearts.

As I mentioned in a previous letter, food consumption, home construction and energy use, and transportation each constitute roughly one third of one's environmental footprint. Let me survey briefly our present efforts to make our footprints as small as we can. As for food, our daily staples are rice and dried beans, oats, a little bread or pasta, greens, carrots, camote, broccoli, onions, garlic, flax seed, papaya, pineapple, and bananas. The vegan footprint is about one tenth that of the average North American diet. With grains produced regionally and fruits and vegetables a mix of regional, local, and home-grown--with an expected steady shift towards home-grown--our footprint should be even smaller.

Apart from the washing machine, shower-head, frig, and a few lights, the only electrical items we expect to have are our clock/radio/CD player and a fan available for hot nights. We haven´t needed a fan yet, but it's warmer further down the mountain where we'll be. A heating source is not necessary, quilts serving when it's chilly at night. Water is supplied by a gravity-based system so there is water even when the electricity is out. All our garden and carpentry tools and kitchen items will be manual--no TV, No computer, no misc. electrical gadgets sitting around. So with a small house and minimal energy use (Costa Rica's electricity is 95% renewable, I'm told), the home part of our footprint should be fairly small. In any case, we will consider the feasibility of a solar panel as well.

As for transportation, we routinely walk, as you know, myself an average of four miles daily getting to and from the places I need to go. We do accept rides sometimes when offered, to be gracious, for the conversation, and to foster a community spirit of mutual service. For long-distance travel we use the buses Ticos use, not the tourist buses. We've traveled about 1000 miles on buses since our last return from the U.S. 9 or 10 months ago. Plane travel is the killer for us at this point, a stab in the conscience every time I think of getting on a plane. After I ship the remainder of my possessions, though, and, even more so, if I gain residency here, I don't expect to make annual trips back to the U.S. Other than to see some of the people I care about, I have little reason or inclination to do so, and those I don't see, even for years, are held in heart and can communicate by other means if they wish.

To conclude this letter I want to say a word about our community work and travel plans. Recently an intern at Monteverde Institute helped us with improvements on the medicinal garden, particularly by devising a method for greater public access to and use of these plants for personal health purposes. Silvana’s Al-Anon group seems to be gaining strength slowly, a major test being that they have met even when she couldn't. Some months ago an all-volunteer community library was established and we take a shift each week keeping it open and running. All the community garden families are enthusiastic about their plots. They have decided to call it Jardin San Martin (Martin, they say, being the patron saint of gardens). We are always ready to start another community garden if someone offers the use of land. In the meantime, for those who have even a tiny open space around their houses, we plan to offer our help in starting a home garden, if only a single bed. Already one woman has responded enthusiastically. Also, we foresee the tutoring of children and adults as part of our future work. In broad terms, we want to foster a culture of beauty, food self-sufficiency, earth care, and mutual help.

Silvana plans to travel in late May to the U.S. and then to Italy and return to Costa Rica the end of August or first of September. She is missing Italy very much and needs the time away. I will stay to oversee the home construction and only travel to the U.S. after she returns. In this way the house can be continually occupied. I anticipate my stay to be three to four weeks if I have a place to stay in NY while I sort through my last remaining possessions to ship what I can fit into a one- cubic-meter box and let go of the rest.

We hold you in the Light in our daily worship. Blessings to you all. Love, Silvana and Tim

Other News 1. Paul Gorgen and Rachel Ruth welcomed their first grandchild, Persephone Edith Burke Gorgen on March 26, 11pm, 8 lbs, 21 inches. Mom and Dad, Molly Burke and Nate Gorgen, did a great job with a long labor, being induced and ending up with a natural delivery. (They used the same supportive Bradley childbirth training that Rachel and Paul did!) After receiving wonderful photos, due to the amazing technology of computers and cell phones (not availabe in the 1980's when the Gorgen boys were born...), Rachel and Paul report being on Cloud 9 when they got to Ohio on March 31 and were able to hold Persephone themselves! Persephone has lots of dark hair, as Nate and his brothers did (and "Grammy" and her siblings!) and still has extremely alert dark blue eyes (like Grandpa, her mom and uncles Sam and Perry). We love it when Persephone turns her head in response to her parents' voices! A Gorgen mini-reunion is planned for June in Columbus, with all the new aunts and uncles (Perry and Tess, Sam and Ali) in attendance. 2. Don Badgley's Minute of Travel has been endorsed by the Yearly Meeting. 3. There are two new Qi Gong classes being held at the Meetinghouse on Thursdays, one from 4 to 5:15 pm, the other from 6 to 7:15 pm. They are led by Lorraine Hughes 4. There will be a new yoga class at the Meetinghouse on Monday evenings from 5:30 to 6:30. The class will be taught by Diane West and will start Monday May 9 th.

FRIENDLY NEWS CALENDAR May 2016

1 Sunday - 10:00 a.m. - Meeting for Worship, First Day and childcare Followed by Friendship Hour

1 Sunday - Food Collection for Dutchess Outreach in Lobby

1 Sunday - Nine Partners Quarterly Meeting held at Bulls Head-Oswego Monthly Meeting

10:30 Meeting for Worship

12:00 Potluck Lunch

1:00-2:00 Program: Jeff Hitchcock will speak on issues of racism. Jeff is the immediate past-clerk of New York Yearly Meeting and is the author of “Lifting the White Veil”

2:30 Meeting for Business

6 Wednesday 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.- "First Wednesday Book Group" : discussing part 3 of “The World We Seek” Statement of Legislative Policy published by Friends Committee on National Legislation.. For further information, contact Maureen

8 Sunday 10:00 a.m.- Meeting for Worship, First Day and childcare followed by Friendship Hour

15 Sunday 10:00 a.m.- Meeting for Worship, First Day and childcare

15 Sunday 11:30 a.m. - Monthly Meeting Lunch hosted by Brook Nam

15 Sunday 12:30 a.m. - Meeting for Business

21 Saturday a.m. Spring clean-up

22 Sunday 10:00 a.m.- Meeting for Worship, First Day and childcare followed by Friendship Hour

29 Sunday 10:00 a.m.- Meeting for Worship, First Day and childcare followed by Friendship Hour

Committee Meetings: Committees meet once a month from September through June. Contact Committee Clerk for schedule

Volunteers for May

Monthly Meeting Lunch: hosted by Brook Nam

Calendar editor : Lynne James – please have all entries in by May 22

Looking ahead:

Sunday June 26 8:30 a.m. First Summer Breakfast hosted by Nan and Lynne at Lynne’s house

June 11 – 9:00 a.m.to 12:00 a.m. Repair Café Poughkeepsie NY

Quaker related events throughout NYYM

May 7- May 8 Powell House Celebrate Ann Davidson's 22 Years of Hospitality and Spirit at Powell House

May 12-14 Spring Production, Oakwood Friends School - “See Rock City and Other Destinations”

May 20–22 - Powell House, Old Chatham, NY

"From Seed to Flower," the next Tending the Garden retreat,

May 22 - Quaker Meeting House Opens its Doors: New York Landmarks Conservancy’s annual “Sacred Sites Open House” at Cornwall Meeting

In New York “Sacred Sites” Event

10:30 Meeting for Worship

12:30- 3:00 Drop-in guests will be especially welcome at the Cornwall Quaker Meeting House. Quakers will guide visitors on a tour of their 1790 building and host an informal open house from 12:30 to 3 p.m.

Summer Sessions 2016

Sunday, July 24, 2016 - 6:00pm - Saturday, July 30, 2016 - 6:00pm Silver Bay Association, Silver Bay, New York

See NYYM website for upcoming notifications

Poughkeepsie Monthly Meeting for Business 3/20/2016

Present: Don Badgley, Marcia Clark, Maureen Derasmo, Fred Doneit, Jean Doneit, Nan Fogel, Dick Hathaway, Lynne James, Robert Martin, Brook Nam, Enoch Nixon, Rhonda Sullivan, Jeanne Woods

The Meeting approved Don Badgley as acting clerk and Nan Fogel as acting assistant clerk for this meeting.

The meeting opened with worship. The clerk then read from a poem, “The Meeting,” by John Greenleaf Whittier.

Ministry and Counsel Don Badgley reported that the committee discussed several pastoral care concerns regarding members and attenders. M&C hopes that our entire meeting will continue to be aware of the pastoral needs of members and attenders who may need support.

The committee continued to develop the concept of sponsoring a public and interdenominational panel discussion with the topic of “My Faith Community’s Vision on Fostering Peace.”

Maureen Derasmo has organized a book club and has had many Friends express interest.

The brochure that was initially approved by M&C and distributed to the meeting has received helpful feedback and M&C is continuing revisions to return to the meeting for further discernment.

Advancement Enoch Nixon, Jean Doneit and Marcia Clark reported that the Committee is continuing to collect digital images of group activities for the website and welcomes help.

A peace program for young people with the concern for attracting young families to the meeting has begun. More research is needed to create a full program, and other members are encouraged to help amass material from our library, FGC, and other sources. It was agreed that Sunday mornings during meeting for worship continues to be the best time for religious education.

The Committee is in the process of redefining its mission and duties for the Handbook. A member suggested that the Committee prepare a plan with a merger of the Advancement and Peace & Service Committees. As it does this, an appropriate name for the Committee should emerge. It will present its proposed Handbook description for approval at the Monthly Meeting in April or May.

The Committee will continue to present the Meeting with opportunities to write to their elected representatives on national and state issues of particular concern to Quakers. A recent topic was the federal Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act.

Plans for an ice cream social this year are just beginning to be discussed. We hope to do greater outreach in connection with this event, possibly to other faith groups.

A collection of Advancement Committee minutes has been moved to the library.

Minute 3.20.16 – 1: The Advancement Committee is charged with finding pictures to hang in the lobby. The Committee asks members to give their suggestions to Jean Doneit or Marcia Clark. The Meeting approved this.

Planning and Finance Fred Doneit reported that we will be renting the monthly meeting room to Lorraine Hughes to give Xi Gong classes weekly, beginning Thursday, April 7, from 3-7 p.m. Minute 3.20.16 – 2: The Meeting approved adding Lorraine Hughes to the list of approved users.

The Wedding Venue Task Group has supplied our promotional material to eight local wedding planners. We are working with Building & Grounds to upgrade our meeting house bathrooms.

Padma Surampudi made a contribution in recognition of our expenses to prepare for her tenancy in the parsonage, with gratitude for our efforts to accommodate her needs.

We have renewed our agreement with River Realty to market the parsonage for another six months. Our broker, Ric Licastri, has agreed to work with us for an improved lawn sign to be displayed near Hooker Ave. Fred has also notified some residential real estate agencies.

Our contract with Advanced Construction has been revised with a "not to exceed" cost of $45,000. We will be providing the kitchen appliances and cabinetry.

Buildings and Grounds Jeanne Woods reported that the Committee is finding contractors to paint new lines in the parking lot, do new floors in the bathrooms, repair walls in the downstairs bathroom, and make the first floor bathroom wheelchair accessible. Minute 3.20.16 – 3: The Meeting approved these improvements.

Library Rhonda Sullivan reported that the library has become more of a community room. If you have donations or community records, speak to Rhonda or Diane-Ellen McCarron who will arrange space.

Other Business. A member suggested we not read the business meeting minutes in their entirety for efficiency’s sake. The clerk stated that the form of the meeting is discerned by the clerk as lead by the body and the Light. The important minutes are action minutes. This is the business of M & C and it will continue the conversation.

The meeting closed with the reading of another poem by Whittier.

Nan Fogel, Acting Assistant Clerk

Don Badgley, Acting Clerk

Poughkeepsie Monthly Meeting for Business 4/17/2016

Present: Don Badgley, Marcia Clark, Maureen Derasmo, Fred Doneit, Jean Doneit, Nan Fogel, Dick Hathaway, Brook Nam, Enoch Nixon, Dare Thompson, Jeanne Woods

The clerk read from the Pendle Hill pamphlet by Thomas Gates, Members One of Another: The Dynamics of Membership in Quaker Meeting. A short period of silent worship followed.

The Meeting approved Fred Doneit as acting clerk.

Buildings and Grounds - Jeanne Woods said that the wedding committee feels our space needs more visibility as an option for a wedding and requests that a sign saying “available for wedding ceremonies” be added to our main sign outside. There was general approval of some such sign being added but no unity on what the sign should say. Discussion will continue. She asked for a sense of Friends’ feelings about getting some new chairs for the dining room and for Monthly Meeting room. There was no unity and the discussion will continue in committees. She is getting estimates for replacing the floors in both bathrooms. She reported that we are hiring Easy Street Cleaning to repaint lines in the parking lot for $825. Frank Eginger repainted the Tapestry Room for $150. CAM replaced the SE downspout. Spring clean-up is scheduled for May 21. She presented a proposal for making the main floor bathroom wheelchair accessible. Minute 4.17.16 – 1: The Meeting agreed that we should continue to move forward with this proposal and the Committee will bring its findings back to the Meeting.

Ministry and Counsel Don Badgley reported that the committee remains focused on the various pastoral care needs of members and attenders. All members and attenders are encouraged to be alert to the needs and sufferings that arise in our faith community. The committee is laboring with concerns raised by some members regarding the efficiency of Monthly Meeting for business. The hope is to maintain the spiritual grounding of the business meeting as we convey the work of the committees while also avoiding unnecessary and repetitive discussion. M&C also encourages every member and attender to consider attending Meeting for Business whenever possible. Advancement Enoch Nixon reported that the Committee will try a change in the time of its meetings, hoping to encourage an increase in attendance and membership. The meetings will now be at the rise of meeting second Sundays starting after May.

The Meeting has been invited to participate in a “Good Neighbor Partnership" meeting at Vassar on Sunday, April 17. Enoch will be our representative and make a short presentation. The meeting will be an opportunity for us to enlist help recruiting Vassar student interns who might be able to help us organize the interfaith Peace Forum we plan to host at the Poughkeepsie Meeting House (date TBA).

We agreed to continue sending a subscription of the Friends Journal to the Poughkeepsie library, as requested, but it will now be sent to the branch at Boardman Road where the librarians expect it to receive more attention. The Committee decided the mission statements and descriptions of duties of the Advancement and Peace and Service Committees in the 2010 Committee Handbook are all still relevant and simply need to be combined. It reached no unity on a new name. Minute 4.17.16 – 2: The Meeting approved the merger of Advancement and Peace and Service. A Handbook page will be presented by the merged committee at a later date.

Our Interfaith Peace Forum will be further defined at a future meeting. We hope to have Vassar volunteers help with organization and marketing. The Ice Cream Social and Vigiling will be discussed in future meetings. In answer to the request that we find relevant pictures for the walls outside the meeting room the committee decided not to put up a permanent display but consider having a temporary exhibit, hanging works that have a spiritual theme by artists affiliated with the meeting. Marcia will send out a call for participation and will curate, or co-curate, the first exhibition. Planning and Finance Fred Doneit reported committee recommends approval of the request by Diane West to teach a yoga class each Monday from 5:30-7:00 p.m, in the Monthly Meeting room, beginning May 9.

Minute 4.17.16 – 3: The Meeting approved adding Diane West to the list of approved users.

The committee has compiled a list of capital projects which will require prioritization, contractor proposals, and funding. We will work with Building & Grounds to develop an implementation plan.

Work to renovate the parsonage was begun by Advanced Construction on April 11. The contractor has engaged subcontractors for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, floors, and alarm system work. Advanced will do the carpentry, masonry, painting, and kitchen and bathroom upgrades. We continue to show the building to interested parties, but always appreciate referrals by our members and attenders. A new lawn sign announcing "Residence/Office Building for Lease" is being planned for installation, using the existing stanchions near Hooker Ave.

The committee is considering three proposals for committee reorganization and revitalization, resulting from our January threshing session.

The meeting closed with silent worship.

Dare Thompson, Assistant Clerk

Fred Doneit, Acting Clerk