Burlington Quarterly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
Minutes of Meeting
Twelfth Month 9th 2006
Rancocas Meetinghouse in New Jersey

Friends of the Burlington Quarterly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends gathered for fellowship before nine in the morning of Twelfth Month 9th 2006 at the Meetinghouse in Rancocas, New Jersey. Clerk was Harold Jernigan, recording Susan White.

Minute No. 1. Opening Minute Burlington Quarterly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends gathered at Rancocas Meetinghouse Twelfth Month 9th 2006 near the stated hour of half past nine in the morning and settled into opening worship. After a time of worship, clerk welcomed Friends, and expressed our thanks to Rancocas for hosting. 44 Friends and guests were in attendance. Of Monthly Meetings in Burlington Quarter: Barnegat had none present, Little Egg Harbor – 4 Friends, Mount Holly – 11 Friends, Rancocas – 9 Friends, Crosswicks – 2 Friends, Trenton – 7 Friends, Princeton – 5 Friends. Other Meetings represented were Chester Monthly Meeting in Chester Quarter with 2 Friends present , and Baltimore Yearly Meeting, 1 Friend. Three guests were also present.

Minute No. 2. “”Is Love Enough?”: Workshop on Peacemaking”. Mary Lord, who is the Assistant General Secretary for Peace and Conflict Resolution in the American Friends Service Committee, presented a talk and workshop on Peacemaking at all levels – ranging from wars that rage among and within nations, to the conflicts that can harm the life of our Meetings, and across a broad spectrum of places and possibilities for conflict in our relationships She lifted up the value of peace and peacemaking, and offered that war does not work, while peace does. There have been fewer wars in the world and deaths from armed and violent conflict in the last fifty years. However, Mary shared with us a sense that there is critical work in peacemaking to be done at the present time, and that Quakers have an important voice to raise in these matters.

After a time for questions and comments on peacemaking from those present, Meeting took a break for luncheon, and then gathered again to continue our business. Agenda was approved as presented, and copies were distributed for informational purposes of the minutes of Ninth Month Quarterly Meeting, which were approved at that meeting.

Minute No. 3. Treasurer's Report. Frank Smith presented the Treasurer's Report. General Fund has $6,201.17, School Fund $11,485.43, Shrewsbury Fund $3,587.01. Mansfield Accounts are Checking $2,799.52, Savings $2,320.47, Stock Portfolio $19,116.41. Trenton Meeting has applied for and will receive assistance from the Shrewsbury Fund in the amount of $3,000 to help pay for a new furnace. This will be taken from the amount stated above. Friends approved Treasurers report with gratitude. Both Treasurer and clerk of Steering Committee need to know what the covenants for next year will be for Yearly Meeting.

Minute No 4. Mansfield Report All that needs to be done at this point is a thorough cleaning, and acquiring tables and chairs for events such as our gathering today. Quarterly Meeting will be held there in Sixth Month 2007, God willing.

Minute No. 5. Nominating Report. Pat Fowler, clerk of the Burlington Quarter Steering Committee, which serves as the Nominating Committee for the Quarter, presented names for service. Tad LaFountain of Princeton was lifted up as the new clerk of Quarter, and Bill Robbins of Mount Holly as Treasurer. Friends approved. Tad's service will begin after today's meeting, while Bill Robbins and Frank Smith will work together for several months to facilitate a smooth transition in our financial affairs.

Minute No. 5. Coordinator's Report. Fran Campbell presented the Coordinator's report. She has been working with Trenton Meeting on strategic planning and at a community outreach U.N. International Day of Peace Fiesta and Picnic held there recently. Planning for Tri-Quarter Gathering next fall is going forward, as well as for Residential Yearly Meeting to be held at Rowan University in New Jersey in July 20007. Regional staff meetings are held bi-monthly. Quarter Link distribution was described, and deadline for next newsletter was stated Also, planning for today's program by Mary Lord was an important part of her work this Quarter.

Minute No. 6 Clerk's Concern. Clerk lifted up the request for our holding in the Light, and taking back to our Meetings for Worship, that tomorrow is the annual observance of United Nations Human Rights day. Also, a request from the Save Darfur Coalition that all faith communities this weekend hold prayer services for the situation in Darfur, given the extreme human rights violations there at the present time. Save Darfur Coalition is made up of some 170 faith and humanitarian groups including the National Council of Churches, to which Philadelphia Yearly Meeting belongs and through which this request come.

Minute No. 7. Scholarship. Treasurer reminded Friends of the need to be aware of and observe the schedule and deadlines for application for scholarship aid for the coming year.

Minute No. 8. Minutes of Appreciation. Friends approved asking recording clerk to prepare minutes of appreciation for the clerk and the treasurer to bring back to next Quarterly Meeting.

Minute No. 9. Minutes. Minutes of today's meeting were read, corrected, and approved.

Minute No. 10. Closing. After a period of worship, meeting rose at quarter of one in the afternoon, to meet again Third Month 2007, according to Divine Will.

Susan White, recording clerk