On June 30, 2013 The Steering Committee for the New Association of Friends met At Salem Friends Meeting in Liberty, Indiana
Present were Grant Reeves (Salem), Jameson McGrew (New Castle), Margaret Fraser (Friends of the Light), Ed Nicholson (West Richmond), Richard Ratcliff (Spiceland), David Edinger (West Richmond), Dortha Meredith (First Friends Richmond), Mary Lord (West Richmond), Catherine Griffith (First Friends Richmond), Leigh Eason (West Elkton), Peter Shawver (Bluff Point Friends), Linda Daniel (Friends Memorial Muncie), Helen Sawver (Bluff Point Friends), Nancy Sawver (Bluff Point Friends). Margaret Fraser clerked.
Membership in Friends United Meeting
Mary Lord reported that she attended the Friends United Meeting Board in Jamaica representing Baltimore Yearly Meeting and was privy to the discussion of the inclusion of the New Association of Friends being admitted into membership. Since she is a sojourning member of West Richmond Friends, she was able to represent the New Association of Friends when questions of clarification arose. Margaret Fraser and April Vanlonden were able to email Mary, during the meeting, the necessary documents.
The business took some time, since FUM's processes for accepting associations, rather than yearly meetings, into membership are a little unclear. However, both the representatives of Indiana Yearly Meeting spoke strongly in favor of granting full membership to the New Association of Friends. As a result of these efforts, Friends United Meeting granted the New Association of Friends a full membership in Friends United Meeting. It was mentioned in the steering committee that we all hope that we continue to get the kind of support and encouragement that is being offered by Indiana Yearly Meeting and that the smoothness of this relationship continues.
Reconfiguration of Indiana Yearly Meeting
A prayerful concern was raised for Winchester Friends who has taken a principled position to not choose either "Yearly Meeting B" or "Non-B", and to not participate in the reconfiguration process. They have from the beginning said that they will not participate in a process they do not support. As a result they are being released by Indiana Yearly Meeting but are not a part of the New Association of Friends. We hold Winchester Friends and the final process of reconfiguration of Indiana Yearly Meeting in our prayers.
Nominating Committee report
Cathy Harris has been attending the Recording Committee, now being clerked by Josh Brown. We are happy to receive the Nominating Committee's proposal that Cathy will now be a member of that committee while David Brindle takes time off. We ask that David Brindle is encouraged to rejoin the committee, to serve along with Cathy Harris, when he is ready.
Treasurer's report
Margaret Fraser reported, for Bud Shore, that we now have an EIN number and can open a meeting financial account. Some meetings want to make a donation and others are encouraged to do so. We have $2,000 in unrestricted funds, awaiting deposit.
Trustees' report
Grant Reeves gave a trustees' report. The attorney bill is $750. Steering committee approved sending the bill to Indiana Yearly Meeting, in line with the reconfiguration plan. All meetings are encouraged to get a quit claim deed so that if at any time IYM has made a claim on the property, it can be released to the meeting at the transition and the meeting house property can remain clear. All copies of the deeds need to be sent to Grant Reeves. Specific meetinghouses in question for various reasons at the time of transition include Englewood, First Friends Richmond which is a lease, and Bluff Point.
Fountain City Meetinghouse
Ed Nicholson and Grant Reeves, on behalf of the Trustees reported on the Fountain City Meeting House. Their points of agreement are that we should accept the property as is, and sell it if in the future it cannot be of use. The reasons for accepting it include:
- it was part of the agreed upon settlement between IYM and the NAoF and we do not want to unravel that settlement;
-it has been inspected by Ed Nicholson and another professional. They believe that it is in sound structural condition and has had several improvements made to it;
- it will only cost about $5,000 a year in utilities and insurance if we do nothing to it at all;
- if the newer part is turned into an apartment, it could serve, in the future, to bring in revenue for itself to cover expenses and deter vandalism. Ed estimates that the cost of this would be between $12,000 and $15,000, since he would serve as unpaid general contractor and he has already assembled a team of volunteers ready to work on it. There are no taxes involved at this time.
- it has a good location if we choose to use it, because of its historical value and situation in closeness to Levi Coffin House, the Amish community, and Richmond, Indiana as well as 40 other Quaker venues; it has a good location for resale even if it is sold at an auction; money was recently spent on it by IYM to replace the roof and drain pipes.
The steering committee agreed to accept the proposal.
FUM Triennial 2014
Indiana YM is sponsoring the Triennial meeting of FUM in 2014 at Indiana Wesleyan University. Richard Foster, Mary Lord, and Colin Saxton are among the speakers. In the reconfiguration Frequently Asked Questions it was announced that the triennial would be jointly sponsored. The Steering Committee agreed to put on the agenda for the August 25 full representative council meeting the question of the New Association's interest in co-sponsorship or assistance with some of the local work involved in hosting.
Other:Leigh Eason reported on an initiative to have businesses display a small emblem in their windows saying “We are a Friendly Business” which was designed already and is being produced. The business owner has to agree to five things before placing the emblem in the window: treat all customers equally; be honest to and with all people; be courteous to all people; ask the lowest price on a continuous basis; and offer the best product you can afford to offer.
Leigh Eason said that she is willing to clerk a committee that will oversee educational curriculum development. This will be a coordinated effort with Friends United Meeting where she will serve on their committee there which includes Colin Saxton and Annie Glen. Leigh would like the curriculum to include a Bible story, its context, its application to a fruit of the spirit or a testimony, a connected historical Quaker teaching or quote, and five queries per lesson. For children it will include crafts and games that go along with the lesson.
The meeting ended and the members joined other NAoF members at a picnic at Whitewater Park.