Meeting for Worship for Business

9 January 2005

Hamilton Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
www.quaker.ca/hamilton
quakers@hwcn.org

Present:

Dick, Betty, Blair, Mona, Jean, Bev (clerk), Susan, Don W, Helen B, Ian (recording clerk), Carol Leigh (supporting clerk)

1. Minutes of Nov 7th: Approved with edit to item 4.a. Helen B has keys to the meetinghouse.
2. Agenda: approved with additions: - brief report on RM meeting by Bev S.
3. Continuing Business
   1. Jane Zavitz-Bond and archives potluck. Date of Jan 30th has been confirmed.Note: Change of date to 6 February
   2. HMM Retreat. April 1 - 3. We urge people to send registration and payment to Bev S on behalf of M&C. See last newsletter for form. M&C is open to receive names of those willing to serve as the companion/elder for Margaret Slavin, during the week of April 1 to 9th. Contact Jean J if you can offer billeting.
   3. John Calvi visit to Ontario. He declined to come to Hamilton but is doing a workshop in Ottawa in early February and considering Toronto.
4. Business Arising
   1. Committee of Care: Ian chaplaincy. The existing committee is willing to serve until a new committee is named by M&C by the end of February.
   2. Committee of clearness for Diana and Sean. NC names Betty P, Don W, and Sian. Clerk will contact Betty P.
   3. A Check for $432 as a designated contribution was send to CFSC in support of Jenn Preston-Howe travel to Geneva. (Minutes HMM 041202)
5. Reports
   1. Treasurer:

      A preliminary annual income statement and balance sheet was presented by Andy. There is $967 left over unspent from the insulation fund to be reallocated. General Fund Income is roughly as budgeted, $24,752, due to large number of last minute donations including $432 for Jenn Howe travel, and fees for April 2005 retreat. Expenses were $5000 below budget though all expenses may not all be included, examples: did not include snowplowing contract, expenses for Education, First Day School, Relief of Local Hardship, newsletter, office, outreach, subscriptions. Iincluded payment for 2005 retreat to 2004 expenses.

      Friends are reminded that postdated cheques are easier for the treasurer to manage the cashflow during the year.

      We approve the payment to Canadian Friend of $800 for 2004 for about 30 subscriptions at $28 each, following the recommendation in the Feb 2003 Treasurer's report.

      We approve the travel Expense for Ray for his DFAIT trip to Ottawa.

      Discussion of 2005 budget items:

      • do we contract for snowplowing? Helen B. to offer suggestion to Maintenance, including sidewalk clearing.
      • ensure CF subscriptions paid on time.

      We request Finance committee to ensure consistency of reporting, for example to consider treatment of accruals and prepaid expenses.

      We request Finance Committee to dispense the unspent line items in the 2004 budget. We thank Andy for his report and presentation in explaining the state of our finances.

6. New Business
   1. Transfer of membership: Margaret Stewart to Prairie Monthly Meeting, attending Regina Allowed Meeting, to be written by the supporting clerk. We share both her sadness at her leaving Hamilton Meeting and joy for Regina.
   2. Conscience Canada. Don W is board member, and reported on plans to lobby the federal parliamentarians and government for the support of conscientious objection to military taxation. CFSC is being requested to consider a $5000 grant to Conscience Canada in support of the project. We approve a direct HMM donation of $250 to Conscience Canada and write CFSC to request their further financial support.
   3. Report from Representative Meeting (Bev, stood in for Dick as HMM representative):
      • Home Mission and Advancement Committee (HMAC) requests monthly meetings to consider applications for scholarship funds to Pendle Hill (by Mar 31) and the Quaker Education Fund (by Apr 7th).
      • the 2003 CYM General Fund deficit did not materialize do to one time donations, the projected deficit for 2004 is $21,000 and likewise for 2005. Meetings are asked to consider increased donations to support Yearly Meeting.
      • A proposal to create a CYM operating manual is being considered at the May Representative Meeting.
      • 2005 is the 50th anniversary of the United CYM, and 100th anniversary of the Canadian Friend.
   4. Canadian Friends Service Committee "NON-EVENT" fundraiser. April 1st has been named as a day to "do what you want" but you have buy a ticket (make a donation) from CFSC. Mona is the HMM coordinator.
   5. Draft chapter of the CYM Faith and Practice manual, called Stages of Life, is now available for comment. An HMM potluck is planned for Feb 25th on this topic.
7. Other Business
   1. Memorial Minute for Mary Rutty will be referred to M&C to arrange authorship.
   2. Mona reported that a memorial meeting for Donald Laitin has been arranged for Jan 15th at Yonge Street Monthly Meeting. Friends are asked to hold YSMM in the Light during this time.
8. Correspondence
   1. Deryl Thompson, member of Edmonton Meeting, has written to inform us of a new Canadian peace initiative. It is a global referendum on the creation of a democratic world government. See for information and balloting. Deryl is actively involved in this work.
9. Next Meeting: The January meeting will be held on January 9th, 1:30 pm after worship and a shared lunch.
10. Meeting adjourned with silent worship at 10pm.

Last updated: 24 January 2005