Clear Creek Friends Meeting News

This month the quarterly meeting endorsed traveling minutes for two Friends. Diann Herzog of Fall Creek Meeting will be traveling within Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting, and Rex Sprouse of Bloomington Meeting will be traveling among Friends in the Midwest.

The next quarterly meeting will be at…

1. The meeting opened with a reading of the Queries for the 1^st Month. Fourteen Friends were present. Friends reflected on how we prepare for and participate in Meeting for Worship.
2. Larry H presented the treasurer’s report: Income for the twelfth month was $12,607, due to a bequest of $9700 from Evan F. Expenses were $1627. Committees are asked to consider options for the use of this bequest money and bring recommendations to the finance committee.
3. Jan S reported for Nominating Committee: The nominations held over from last month were approved by the Meeting. Many thanks to the nominating committee for their wonderful discernment.
4. Gwen H reported for Ministry and Oversight: The marriage clearness committee for Anna Margaret B and Emmanuel G met with them twice and after a favorable report to M&O; M&O recommends that they be married under the care of Clear Creek Monthly Meeting. This was approved by the meeting. The letter from Newell P and Jennie Itt requesting to be married under the care of Clear Creek Monthly Meeting was read. A marriage clearness committee has been formed and has met with them once. Plans for the Quaker Quest session on Feb. 6th are continuing. Friends are asked to RSVP whether they are coming or not. Contributions of food are also needed. The committee gave further consideration to the time and format for monthly consideration of the Queries. M&O recommended that we try having a discussion of the Queries prior to meeting for worship on the first Sunday of each month. Meeting approved this starting in March and continuing for at least 6 months with reassessment of how it is going periodically.
5. Jane S reported for Peace and Social Concerns: Showing of the video “Life in Occupied Palestine” is set for Stout on Jan. 24th. In February there will be a discussion of FCNL priorities. The committee will look into a concern that the application process for the food pantry is unnecessarily cumbersome.
6. Gwen H reported for Children’s Religious Education:There are still opportunities to volunteer to help with the children in the spring.
7. Marya B read the announcement of a 3 Meeting program “Leading Quakers: Discipleship, Leadership, a Friends Model” that is being developed by Jennie I. It is hoped that 6-8 people from each meeting will participate. This will be a series of Sunday evening programs over a period of several months. Cost is $30, but those needing financial assistance can apply to the meeting.
8. Many thanks to David G for clerking this past year.
9. The minutes were read and approved.
10. Meeting closed with a brief period of waiting worship.

1. The meeting opened with a reading of the Queries for the 12^th Month. Nineteen Friends were present. Friends reflected on the relationship between our spiritual and work lives, as well as our views on gambling.
2. Larry H presented the treasurer’s report: Income for the eleventh month was $2180 and expenses were $1862.
3. Michael B reported for Nominating Committee: The nominations held over from last month were approved by the Meeting.

In addition, the following nominations were brought for the first time:

• Marya B              Clerk                                        2010
• David G             Assistant Clerk                         2010
• Jana S                        Clerk of M&O                         2012

These nominations will be held over for final approval next month.

4. Gwen H reported for Ministry and Oversight: A marriage clearness committee has met with Anna Margaret B and Emmanuel G and will be meeting with them again this month. We have also received a letter from Newell P and Jennie I requesting to be married under the care of Clear Creek Monthly Meeting. M&O is putting together a marriage clearness committee for them. The committee brought a concern that with the current format of business meeting it feels rushed to consider the Queries at the start of business meeting. Various other options for consideration of the Queries were discussed. M&O will continue to consider these options. Planning for the Quaker Quest session on Feb. 6th is continuing.

5. Jane S reported for Peace and Social Concerns: They are still planning to show the video “Life in Occupied Palestine” in January. Feedback on format for this showing is welcomed. Jane S and Meg O went to Open Arms Ministries training recently and will be volunteering.
6. Jennie I reported for Adult Religious Education: In January there will be a worship sharing on Lectio Divina, and in February Larry H and David G will give a presentation on simple burial. She is also planning two sessions in the future on vocal ministry.
7. Gwen H reported for Children’s Religious Education: There are still opportunities to volunteer to help with the children.
8. The clerk reported that our sign usually placed in the front campus has disappeared. Do we want to replace it? If so, in what form? For further consideration later.
9. Friends were reminded that we had discussed the covenant being developed between Earlham College and Indiana Yearly Meeting and whether we wanted to start a similar discussion with OVYM. The feeling among those present was that there is no urgency to start this.
10. The minutes were read and approved.
11. Meeting closed with a brief period of waiting worship.

1. The meeting opened with a reading of the Queries for the 11^th Month. Sixteen Friends were present. Friends reflected on our relationship to the peace testimony.
2. Larry H presented the treasurer’s report: Income for the tenth month was $694 and expenses were $3415. These expenses included annual donations to local organizations and a one time expense for the new meetinghouse cabinet.
3. Gwen H reported for Ministry and Oversight: The initial Quaker Quest session is scheduled for Feb 6th. We need a second person to volunteer as a demonstration presenter. We also need to consider food during the session. Friends are reminded that we need as many people as possible to attend.
4. Cathy H presented the Nominating Committee report: They brought a slate of  new nominations:

Name:                         Position:                  Term (thru end of):

• Dan S                    Recording clerk                                  2010
• Jennifer F           Assistant recording clerk               2010
• Larry H                Treasurer                                              2010
• Cathy H                Assistant treasurer                           2010
• Jane S                   Archivist                                               2010
• Jane S                   Recorder/statistician                      2010
• Jan S                     Asst Newsletter ed/webmaster   2010
• John H                 Directory editor                                 2010
• David G                Ministry and Oversight                   2012
• Robin A                Ministry and Oversight                  2012
• Jane S                   Peace and Social Concerns           2011
• Mary G                 Hospitality                                           2010
• Erica P                  Outreach coordinator                    2010
• Jennie I                Adult relig. ed. coordinator        2010
• Gwen H                Children’s relig. ed. coord.           2010
• Larry H                Budget committee (ex. off.)         2010
• Cathy H                Budget committee (ex. off.)         2010
• Larry H                OVYM exec. comm.                        2010
• Cathy H                Whitewater QM                                 2010
• Jan S                      Whitewater QM alternate             2010

The nomination of Larry H for simple burial committee, brought last month, was approved by the Meeting.

5. Cathy H reported for Susan Lee’s support committee. They asked that the Meeting renew her traveling minute and this was approved.
6. Jane S reported for Peace and Social Concerns: They will be showing a video “Life in Occupied Palestine” after meeting on Nov 22. She also asked whether the Meeting wishes to become an affiliate of Open Arms Ministries? This would require a commitment by the Meeting to make regular contributions to them. P&SC will consider this further and bring a recommendation.
7. Gwen H reported for Children’s Religious Education: Helpers for first day school are largely arranged through the end of the year but the next year is open. Contact Gwen if you are interested in helping.
8. The clerk reported on plans for Christmas events this year. A planning committee was formed consisting of David and Mary G, Jan S, and Marya B.
9. The minutes were read and approved.
10. Meeting closed with a brief period of waiting worship.

1.    The meeting opened with a reading of the Queries for the 10th Month. Eleven Friends were present. Friends reflected on our use of resources and its effects on the environment.
2.    Treasurer’s report: Income for the ninth month was $1370 and expenses were $190. This is the end of our fiscal year. For the whole year we had a surplus of $696 when special contributions were included. The budget for next year was presented for second reading. Changes from first reading were the addition of $1000 for Quaker Quest and $700 for partial reimbursement of costs and labor for the cabinet that Dan S built. This revised budget was approved by the Meeting.
3.    Nominating Committee report: They are working on filling a list of positions that will be open in January. One name was brought for first reading: Larry H for the Simple Burial Committee through 2011.
4.    Ministry and Oversight: The committee has received a request from Anna Margaret B and Emmanuel G to be married under the care of Clear Creek Monthly Meeting. M&O is forming a clearness committee for them. The committee also received a letter from Keith S requesting a transfer of membership from Clear Creek Monthly Meeting to Spokane Monthly Meeting. M&O recommended approving this transfer and it was approved by the Meeting. The clerk will send a letter of transfer to Spokane Meeting. The committee received a request from Doug G, pastor of First Friends Meeting, that Clear Creek Meeting host the Christmas eve service for the 3 Richmond Meetings at Stout Meetinghouse this year. M&O recommended accepting this. This would mean that Clear Creek would plan the service and invite the other Meetings. In addition, since this is during Earlham break, we would have to make sure that heat was on in the Meetinghouse and snow (if present) was shoveled on the paths to the Meetinghouse. The Meeting approved moving forward with this.
5.    Children’s Religious Education: It is different this year since the children, on average, are younger. There is not a set curriculum, but the teachers are ably developing things as they go.
6.    Peace and Social Concerns: They have purchased a set of DVDs with the help of West Richmond Friends that will be available for our use and will be stored at West Richmond. She also reported that Open Arms Ministries is now opening on a permanent basis to help coordinate ministries by local religious organizations. P&SC has invited the director, Judy Jackson, as well as Sue Axtell, to the after meeting discussion on Oct. 25th.
7.    Jerry K reported on a covenant that is being developed by Earlham College in relationship to Indiana and Western Yearly Meetings. Jerry will develop a threshing session to explore whether Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting might also want to be involved. If there is a feeling that we should move forward on this, it would be brought to monthly and quarterly meetings. Contact Jerry if you are interested in pursuing this issue.
8.    The minutes were read and approved.
9.    Meeting closed with a brief period of waiting worship.

The meeting opened with a period of silent worship. Nine Friends were present. The clerk read the Queries for the fifth month and Friends reflected on how we balance care for self and others.

1. Treasurer’s report: Income for the fourth month was $1890 and expenses were $1792.
2. M&O: The committee recommended changing the time for meeting for worship to 10:00 am with discussion after worship. A potluck or lunch would be held prior to business meeting. This change would start in June. After considerable discussion, there was clarity to change the time for meeting for worship to 10:00 starting on June 14 and to reevaluate this in one year. There was less clarity about how to schedule other activities around this meeting time. We will do some trial experiments with different possibilities for how to schedule these activities. For June, business meeting will be held after worship with a potluck prior to business meeting. M&O also reported that renovations on the Quiet room will begin shortly. M&O is making plans to move our stuff that is currently stored in the Quiet room. Dan S. has offered to build a cabinet to store our stuff in the future. Cost for this would be reimbursed by the donor that is funding the renovations to the Quiet room.
3. P&SC committee: Jane S. may plan a program on Israeli/Palestinian  issues for June 21st. She also asked whether the Meeting wants to support the group “Churches for Middle East Peace”. This will be discussed further by the committee and a Meeting discussion will be planned.
4. Clerk reported that Newell P. has asked for a letter of introduction for himself and Jennie I. on their trip to Costa Rica. Meeting approved having the clerk draft a letter of introduction for them.
5. Clerk reported that he is coordinating with the other Meetings to plan the 3 Meeting worship on June 7. we will also plan to have someone at Stout Meetinghouse for those who prefer to worship at Stout.
6. Whitewater Quarterly Meeting report: The 2010 FCG gathering will take place July 4-10 at Bowling Green. If Friends wish to help with planning, see www.fgcgathering.org. The search for a new clerk for quarterly meeting is continuing. The Right Relationship with Food and Land minute was discussed. The quarterly meeting will not approve its own version. Clear Creek Meeting approved sending our version of the minute to the Earth Care subcommittee of OVYM. The Irvington/Eastern Hills issues were discussed, but the quarterly meeting’s previous position on this has not changed

The minutes were read and approved. The meeting closed with a brief period of worship.

Clear Creek Meeting has continued the process of adjusting to being a smaller meeting, seeking the path of faithfulness and growth in the Spirit.  We experience both benefits and distractions of closeness to the larger Earlham College community, and seek to find ways to incorporate student members and attenders in the life of the Meeting.   We are increasingly aware of the need to seek opportunities for connection to, and participation in projects with other members of the Richmond community, as we also participate in wider Quaker groups, activities, and concerns.

Gathering for the First Day hour of worship continues to be the core of the Meeting’s life.  Our worship is deepened by a variety of voices in spoken ministry.  We appreciate the presence of our one toddler and two elementary-age children during the opening period of our worship, as well as the regular participation in the worship hour of high school, college and seminary students.  The children follow a First Day School curriculum.  A second-hour schedule of adult religious education activities has been revived.  Our small but active Peace and Social Concerns Committee has faithfully provided information and opportunity for communicating our concerns to appropriate, responsible groups.  We rejoice to hear of the experiences and achievements of our young people in school at other places, and welcome them to our worship when they are at home.

Members of Clear Creek Meeting participate in the responsibilities and events of Whitewater Quarterly and Ohio Valley Yearly Meetings, as well as the wider Quaker world, and share the news and challenges of these groups with the local Meeting.  We are gratified that the First Day worship during the annual session of our Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting fills our Meeting Room once a year!

We are grateful for the diligence of faithful participants who share and assume the routine tasks of “Keeping the Meeting going.”   We now have an active Meeting web site that keeps us informed of Meeting activities.  Our newsletter editor has put special effort into compiling an interesting and informative document distributed to local and former members and friends.  The schedule of monthly potlucks has been revived, experimenting with Saturday night instead of Friday night gatherings.   Several interest  groups: “Poetry Writing as a Spiritual Practice”, ”Mystical Practices and Worship Sharing,”  “Book Group,” and “Spiritual Friendship” continue on their separate schedules.  The mid-week Meeting for Worship continues to gather at Friends Fellowship Community.  The traditions of “Simple Gift Making,” the children’s Christmas Program (now including the participation of eager adults), and Christmas caroling nurture our fellowship and joy.  The fireplaces, closed without authorization a few years ago, were opened in time for our Christmas morning worship.  A weekly peace vigil, started on Christmas Eve, 2002, was regretfully laid down this year, as attendance dwindled. Several members of the Meeting were involved in political activities related to the national election.  We have welcomed two new members, and two transfers.  Two Friends have transferred memberships to other meetings.  A long-time, very active member has moved to service in another area.  We have experienced loss through the deaths of a long-time member, and a long-time attender.   We cherish the friendly experiences we have had with these and others who are no longer with us for regular worship and fellowship.  We send greetings to our fellow Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting Friends, and welcome your visits at any time!

• The meeting opened with a period of silent worship. Twelve Friends were present. The clerk read the Queries for the fourth month and Friends reflected on how we maintain simplicity in our lives.
• Lonnie V. brought a request for travel funds for Adriane L. to go to an Interfaith Youth Core workshop in Chicago in June. The Meeting approved offering her $100 from the PSC travel fund. If she needs more than that, the amount can be reconsidered at the May business meeting.
• Treasurer’s report: Income for the third month was $1050 and expenses were $1852. Friends are asked to consider how much they are able to contribute to the Meeting. Jennie I. may develop an Adult Religious Education discussion on contributions and use of resources.
• Milly M. presented the final draft of the State of the Meeting report prepared by M&O. The report was approved after minor changes.
• Gwen H. presented the M&O committee’s thoughts on the possibility of changing the time of Meeting for worship. The committee brought several possibilities and recommends that we focus on the needs of those attending now rather than whether we could get new people to attend. The main options would be meeting starting at 10:00, 10:30 or 11:00. A 10:00 time would just shift our current schedule a little later. A 10:30 or 11:00 time for meeting would allow for the discussion period to occur before worship but business meeting would remain after worship, maybe with a potluck lunch in between. After considerable discussion, it was decided that M&O should send a message to the clear creek email list concerning the options that were discussed and asking those who wish to make their opinions known to send them to M&O and/or attend the May business meeting.
• P&SC committee report: On April 26, Mindy R. from Habitat for Humanity will give a presentation after meeting. The revised version of the minute on Seeking Right Relationship with Food and Land was presented.  This minute was approved after some minor wording changes. This will be brought to Whitewater Quarterly Meeting this month.
• The schedule for Quarterly Meeting was discussed. It will start at 10:00 am on April 18th at Stout Meetinghouse. Our clerk will send details to Ron H.
• Clerk reported that there will be a meeting on May 2nd at Hopewell Meeting to discuss the future of the OVYM Advancement and Nurture Committee. Also, OVYM is looking for people interested in serving on the planning committee for the 2010 gathering of FGC, as well as those interested in serving as assistant clerk and assistant treasurer for OVYM.

The meeting opened with a period of silent worship. Fourteen Friends were present. The clerk read the Queries for the third month and Friends reflected on how we foster community within our Meeting.

• Treasurer’s report: income for the second month was $1066 and expenses were $1683.

• Nominating committee: recommend that David G remain as clerk for the rest of this year.

• M&O: Drafts of the State of the Meeting report and a memorial minute for Mary M were presented. The memorial minute was approved as written. Some revisions were suggested for the State of the Meeting report. A revised version will be brought next month for final approval.

• M&O report part 2: In the process of corresponding with distant members and attenders, we have received several requests for transfer or withdrawal of membership. Sam G has requested a transfer of membership from Clear Creek Monthly Meeting to Sandy Springs Monthly Meeting in Maryland and M&O recommended acceptance of this request. This transfer was approved by the Meeting. Jon L has requested a withdrawal of membership and M&O recommended acceptance of this request. This withdrawal was approved by the Meeting. Lisa N has requested a withdrawal of membership and M&O recommended acceptance of this request. This withdrawal was approved by the Meeting.

• Children’s Religious Education: thanks to all who are helping with the children. The schedule is filled for now.

• The Clerk read a letter from Habitat for Humanity of Greater Richmond thanking us for the lunch we provided.

• The Clerk reported that Kelly Burke, as director of Campus Ministries, is proposing a year long trial of holding College Meeting at 1 pm. This would give us the opportunity to change our time of worship and other activities. Several suggested changes were discussed. M&O will consider these and bring a proposal next month.
• The minutes were read and approved. Meeting closed with a brief period of waiting worship.

David G, Clerk
Dan S, Recording Clerk

Minutes of Clear Creek Meeting
Monthly Meeting for Business
Second Month 2009

1. The meeting opened with a period of silent worship. Fourteen Friends were present. The clerk read the Queries for the second month and Friends reflected on the importance of reading and meditation in our lives.
2. Treasurer’s report: income for the first month was $1470 and expenses were $1727.
3. M&O: They are in the process of preparing the State of the Meeting report and a memorial minute for Mary Mullin. These should be ready for first reading at next month’s business meeting. The committee is also in the process of compiling responses to the letter and survey sent to distant members and attenders.
4. Jan S. reported on the last WWQM: It was sparsely attended. Nominating committee worked on finding a new clerk for the Quarter and a new recording clerk was also found. Responsibility for funding young friends at Quarterly Meeting was also discussed. The main piece of business was a minute concerning right relationship with food and land. Meetings are asked to consider this prior to the next Quarterly Meeting. Issues raised by Irvington Meeting concerning the potential membership of programmed Meetings in OVYM will also be discussed at the next Quarterly Meeting. Jerry Knutson raised a concern that outreach to Irvington Meeting is needed. He may bring his concern to M&O. The next Quarterly Meeting will be hosted by Clear Creek Meeting on April 18th.
5. The Clerk appointed Michael B. to serve on the nominating committee for the next 3 years and this was approved by the Meeting.
6. Erica P. reported on a couple opportunities for Friends to provide help to community organizations. Four Friends have agreed to provide food for Habitat workers on Feb 21st. Other possibilities include helping with renovations on an old house starting in May and helping in the office of Open Arms Ministries. Peter Stowe expressed a concern that we also consider needs within our Meeting. It is our understanding that Jennie Isbell is planning an after Meeting discussion on gifts and needs within the Meeting.