Meeting for Worship + Business, 06/24/2018

Present: Kathy Cotton, Dawn Crimson, Maurine Pyle, Gary Davies, Tom Hensold (clerk), Gary Marx (recording).

The meeting opened with a period of silence and a reading from Illinois Yearly Meeting's Faith and Practice, reminding us to conduct our business in the spirit of worship.

The Treasurer's report was given and approved. Treasurer Dawn Crimson reported that the Meeting is in good financial shape and there were no unexpected expenses this month.

-- A contribution to the Ministry Fund was received from Sue Davison, former clerk of Illinois Yearly Meeting, and Dawn has sent a note of thanks on behalf of the Meeting.

-- Our website is hosted by FGC, and because the URL is long and unwieldy we also have a shorthand address to take people directly to our site – SIQuaker.org. Dawn reported that she has renewed that shorthand address for six years, until August 2024, for a fee of $79.95. The Meeting agreed to reimburse her for that amount.

The Meeting heard a proposal from Maurine Pyle concerning the Friends World Committee for Consultation's Traveling Ministries Program. Maurine requested Friends' support to invite Julie Peyton from the newly formed Sierra Cascade Yearly Meeting to spend time with us in October. Julie would hold a workshop, participate in Meeting activities and share thoughts about Quaker ministry. Friends agreed. Maurine will invite Julie, and offer two possible weekends – Oct. 13-14 and Oct. 20-21.

Friends considered an invitation to have a representative from Meeting speak during an immigrants rights rally in Carbondale on June 30. The rally, hosted by the Southern Illinois Immigrant Rights Project, will address present federal policies concerning the treatment of immigrants in the country, specifically the separation of families at the Mexican-U.S. border. Friends agreed to support Tom Hensold to speak for the Meeting.

Friends considered a suggestion to send a donation to Gaia House Interfaith Center, which is in financial need, and a one-time gift of $100 was approved.

The meeting closed with a period of silence.