Burlington Quarter Steering Committee Minutes May 2006

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Burlington Quarterly Meeting of The Religious Society Of Friends
Steering Committee Meeting
FirstMonth 19th 2008
Woolman Memorial Mount Holly New Jersey

Friends of the Burlington Quarter Steering Committee gathered for fellowship at half past nine in the morning of First Month 19th 2008 at the Woolman Memorial in Mount Holly, New Jersey.

Minute No. 1. Opening Minute. Burlington Quarter Steering Committee met at Woolman Memorial First Month 19th 2008 near the stated hour of ten in the morning and settled into opening worship with 17 Friends attending. Tad LaFountain was clerk, Susan White, recording.

Other Friends present were : John Andrews (Crosswicks), Fran Campbell (Mt. Holly and Coordinator of Quarter), Jean Jordan (Rancocas), Joe Jordan (Rancocas), Louis LeFevre (Trenton), Tad LaFountain (Princeton), Sally Miller (Mt. Holly), Gary Nisley (Little Egg Harbor), Bill Robbins (Mt. Holly), Carolyn Shafer (Barnegat), Frank Smith (Rancocas), Joy Smith (Princeton), Jack Walz (Mount Holly), Allan White (Princeton), Susan White (Princeton and recording.) Friends unable to sit with us today who sent regrets were Pat Fowler, Jada Jackson, and Margery Larrabee.

Minute No. 2. Financial Matters . Bill Robbins, Treasurer of the Quarter, presented a written Treasurer's Report, [with Fund Accounts, attached to the paper copy of these minutes.] The Operating Fund at present has a balance of $16,992.02. Third quarter covenant payments are coming in, and will be sent to the Yearly Meeting when completed. This is for quarter January, February, and March, 2008.

Minute No. 3. Coordinator's Report . Fran Campbell presented a Coordinator's Report where she lifted up the following points:

TriQuarter Gathering will be held October 3,4,5. Coordinator is working with the Organizing Committee.
Indian Committee. Coordinator is supporting Yearly Meeting Indian Committee.
Research. Fran has been doing research on BQ matters at Historic Collection Haverford.
Mansfield . Coordinator is continuing to set up office, library, and also cleaning Mansfield . Joe Laufer, the Burlington County Historian, has requested the use of Mansfield to display a collection of photos of Meetinghouses of Burlington County. He wishes to check out the space to see if it is viable. This would give publicity to Mansfield . Friends noted that the south side of the building is not presentable. There is wood stored on the floor, and it needs a thorough cleaning. Visitors always want to see the south side. Mouse problem need to be addressed.
Quaker Quest. Fran distributed a flyer for Quaker Quest program at a called session of Burlington Quarterly Meeting on February 9. She has sent them to newsletter editors in our Quarter, and distributed them broadly. A Friend who has seen a program from the presentors for our Meeting lifted up the value of learning more about this program, and offered that Friends of our Quarter would be comfortable with this program as outreach.
Burlington Quarter Directory was circulated for correction.

Minute No. 4. Calendar. Our next regular Quarterly Meeting will be at Crosswicks Third Month 15 th . Clerk encourages Friends to send to him items for the agenda for that meeting.

Minute No. 5 . New Business. Frank Smith, clerk of the Scholarship Committee, reported that this is the time for families who are members of Meetings in Burlington Quarter to apply for scholarship. Children who are in levels K through College, so long as at a Quaker College , are eligible for support.

On March 9, at 1:30 in the afternoon, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting will host a meeting at Burlington Meetinghouse, open to all, about the uses of that Meetinghouse.

Minute No. 6. Minutes and Closing. Minutes of today's meeting were considered, revised, and approved. After a period of silent worship, with 16 Friends present, meeting closed before the hour of 11 o'clock, to meet again in Called Session Second Month 9 th , and in Steering Committee Second Month 16 th 2008, according to Divine Will.

Susan White, Recording Clerk.

Burlington Quarterly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
Burlington Quarter Ad Hoc Committee
Meeting 19 January 2008
Woolman Memorial - Mt. Holly New Jersey

Minute No. 1. Opening Minute . Friends of the Ad Hoc Committee of Burlington Quarterly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends gathered after the Burlington Quarter Steering Committee Meeting at Woolman Memorial in Mt. Holly , near the hour of 11 in the morning of First Month, 19 th , 2007, and settled into opening worship with 17 Friends present. Clerk was Joy Smith (Princeton), recording Susan White ( Princeton .) Other Friends present were : John Andrews (Crosswicks), Fran Campbell (Mt. Holly and Coordinator of Quarter), Jean Jordan (Rancocas), Joe Jordan (Rancocas), LeFevre (Trenton), Tad LaFountain (Princeton), Gary Nisley (Little Egg Harbor), Bill Robbins (Mt. Holly), Carolyn Shafer (Barnegat), Frank Smith (Rancocas), Joy Smith (Princeton and presiding), Jack Walz (Mount Holly), Allan White (Princeton), Susan White (Princeton and recording.)

Minute No. 2. Charge of Committee : Tad LaFountain, clerk of Quarter, noted that at Twelfth Month Burlington Quarter Meeting, he was asked to clerk Steering Committee until a new clerk is designated. He did so this morning. Tad also reported that since we do not have a handbook for the organization for our Quarter, as for example, Bucks Quarter has, we might want to name a clerk for Steering, and also look at the assistant clerk of Quarter position, and consider other matters relating to our organization of our Quarter. The Ad Hoc Committee was created to consider these matters. Tad asked Friends of the Ad Hoc Committee if we are comfortable with the current structure of Burlington Quarter, or if we want to make changes in the Quarter.

Minute No. 3. Discussion of Organization and Function of Quarter. A Friend lifted up the value of examining relevant statements from Faith and Practice in considering matters in the Quarter. Another Friend reminded us that our Yearly Meeting had questioned the value of Quarterly Meetings, but under a different General Secretary. Today the Yearly Meeting is positive about Quarters. In discussion, Friends lifted up the following points in considering the work of our Quarter

? Alternate Clerk and Quarter Committees.

Joy Smith, presiding clerk of Meeting, spoke warmly of her experience in New York Yearly Meeting relating to an assistant clerk position. When a clerk was needed, seasoned Friends were asked to fill in. Especially when such a clerk can be drawn from those with considerable experience in the Meeting of whatever level, work can go forward in a expeditious manner.
If there is enough work for the Quarter to warrant an assistant clerk of Quarter?
Tad reported that functional committees which might be useful. We do not have at the Quarter level Religious Education, Peace and Social Concerns, and Property.
Could clerks or representatives of various Monthly Meetings committees be part of a Quarterly Meeting committee of that function? Treasurers do this now. Fellowship and work together for other Committees – Overseers, Worship and Ministry, Property. First Day School , and so on, could benefit our Quarter.
Could presiding clerks of our Monthly Meetings fill in when needed, or, might the clerk of Trustees might be an alternate clerk for the Quarter?
Would visioning help us find clarity in the structure and function of our Quarter? We had at one time scheduled a visioning session at Quarterly Meeting, but did not get to that work.

? Support for Monthly Meetings.

Meetings can offer ways in which the Quarter can support them in their particular situations as is stated in Faith and Practice,
If our Meetings were struggling, would they come to Quarterly Meeting for help?
A Friend noted that while he has been a member of the Quarter, two Meeting have been laid down. One ws Burlington Monthly Meeting. The other ws Upper Springfield / Mansfield Monthly Meeting. He did not see a lot of effort on the part of the quarter to do something about those failing. If we were more like a Monthly Meeting, could we be more supportive?
Another Friend who was active in the Quarter at that time noted that Friends of Burlington Quarter did hold a number of Sunday afternoon Meetings at Burlington Meetinghouse to try to help hold the Meeting, and there was a good attendance from the community, at times so many as 80 people. This was at the time of the first Iraq war around 1990. Many from the community expressed the wish not to have the Meeting laid down. But the effort to keep the Meeting did not find a congregation to continue as that Meeting.

? Documents and Reports

Clerk of Quarter lifted up that any documents about our structure need to be dated, and to say that they supersede previous documents on that topic. It can be difficult for new members to take a full role in Quarterly Meetings without good documentation.
Joy Smith reported on a structure of Burlington Quarter from 1991 which was dated, quite detailed, and had terms specified in several cases.
Clerk of Quarter reported that annual reports “State of the Meeting” as noted in Faith and Practice , coming to Burlington Quarter from each Meeting could help us all be more aware of how each Meeting is functioning.
A Friend offered that if a general structure were suggested for reports, Meetings might find it easier to create an annual report.
Clerk of Quarter also lifted up the possible value of annual reports from both Quarter and Monthly Meetings going to Yearly Meetings. Could we take a positive role in filing an annual report with Quarterly Meeting, as a possible example? Might we wish to post these on our web site within Philadelphia Yearly Meeting?
Could a repository for Quarter records be at Mansfield as well as at Haverford?

? Business and Fellowship.

One role for the Quarter is to advance business of Quarter to the Yearly Meeting level.
How much business has come through Burlington Quarter in recent time? Clerk of Quarter noted that there was a very high profile minute from this Quarter about three years ago that went to Yearly Meeting, and can be seen to have been part of recent positive change in our Yearly Meeting.
If business were done more fully at Steering Committee, could more time could be spent in spiritual matters and in fellowship at Quarterly Meetings.
Might the Treasurer report be done quarterly?
Could Coordinator report via email or otherwise?
Might the Quarter have business meetings less frequently than quarterly, with other meetings devoted to fellowship?
A Friend offered that fellowship is important to strengthen community in our Quarter.
Do we really need separate committees for Mansfield Meetinghouse and Trustees of Quarter? Friends noted that the Mansfield Meetinghouse Committee is a subcommittee of Trustees.
Could Coordinators Support and Oversight be separated?

Minute No. 4. Research on Other Quarters. Clerk of Quarter suggested that before our next meeting, we take on examining the organization of other Quarters to see if their experience could inform our work in considering the organization of Burlington Quarter. Clerk offered to outline what we might ask. Recording Clerk offered to help supply a list of contacts with other Quarters. Friends agreed to contact Quarters as follows, to report back at our next meeting which is scheduled to be held after next Steering Committee.

Abington – Carolyn Shafer
Burlington – Joy Smith
Bucks – Gary Nisley
Caln - Joe Jordan
Chester – John Andrews
Concord – Sally Millner
Haddonfield – Fran Campbell
Haverford – Tad LaFountain
Philadelphia – Louis LeFevre
Salem – Jean Jordan
Southern - Bill Robbins
Upper Susquehanna – Allan White
Western – Susan White

Minute No. 5. Announcements, Minutes and Closing. Minutes of today's meeting were considered, revised, and approved. After a period of silent worship, with 17 Friends present, meeting rose near the noon hour to meet again in Called Session Second Month 9 th , and in Steering Committee Second Month 16 th 2008, according to Divine Will.

Susan White, Recording Clerk.

Religious Society of Friends - The Quakers
Burlington Quarterly Meeting in Central New Jersey

Burlington Quarter Steering Committee
Minutes of Meeting January 19, 2008

Religious Society of Friends - The Quakers Burlington Quarterly Meeting in Central New Jersey

Burlington Quarter Steering Committee Minutes of Meeting January 19, 2008

Religious Society of Friends - The Quakers
Burlington Quarterly Meeting in Central New Jersey

Burlington Quarter Steering Committee
Minutes of Meeting January 19, 2008