Friends General Conference

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Threshing Session January 24

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The Ad Hoc COVID-19 Coordinating Committee has asked to schedule another threshing session at the rise of Meeting on 1/24/2021 to further explore Friends' thoughts and feelings regarding the request by the mid-week worship group to meet inside the Meetinghouse during the winter months. The Committee's hope is that we might be able to bring a revised proposal to Meeting for Worship with Concern for Business either to a called Meeting or the regular February Meeting. 
Those of you who participated in the November Meeting for Worship with Concern for Business will recall that at that time we were unable to reach unity on the proposal from the Committee. Since then the Committee has continued to discern together with members of the mid-week worship group about how the Meeting might be able to work toward unity regarding this, especially in light of the fact that this issue is very tender for many Friends with strong feelings on both sides. 
If you would find it helpful to discuss this in advance of 1/24/21, please feel free to be in touch with any member of the Committee. The members are:
Isabelle Kane, Co-Clerk
Peter Colby, Co-Clerk
Peter Manzella
Chuck Lidz
Elin Calver
Lee Miller, ex officio
Morgan Wilson, ex officio
We would all welcome the opportunity to hear from Members about this issue in advance of the threshing session, recognizing both its tenderness and the fact that if we cannot find unity soon we will have de facto made a decision with respect to this winter.
The Committee offers the following queries for Friends to consider in advance of the threshing session on 1/24/21:
  • How has worship during the pandemic met, or not, your spiritual condition?
  • What would make you feel comfortable to return to the Meetinghouse for worship?
  • What would make you feel comfortable with others worshiping in the Meetinghouse?
  • How do we weigh the need to worship in person (with other people) versus the need to protect our community?

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