Mount Toby Peace & Social Concerns Committee

Minutes of meeting 7-3-2017

Present: George, Beth, Ka, Dan, Steven

We began with a period of silence.

We reviewed the process and result of MfB consideration of the $2000 gift.

Ka gave an update on the refugee mentoring project, which is going very well with the first matches being made this week. The committee approved providing advice and support to the project, which is also affiliated with Pioneer Valley Interfaith Refugee Assistance Group (PVIRAG).

We discussed best formats for communicating FCNL info to the whole meeting. We agreed that a brief (one issue) announcement on the fourth Sunday is good, and we’ll try to find a way to bring it into mindfulness with a query. We’ll also try to arrange for an ‘FCNL Corner’ in each newsletter. The newsletter is under the Communications Committee. Dan will follow up on this.

P&SC approved support for a new western Mass advocacy group being formed by FCNL. Northampton meeting has already identified a couple of members for the ‘host committee’ of 3-8 people. A broader group of 15-20 will participate in an in-person training, then those wanting to continue will continue to meet, with training & support from FCNL. The goal is to establish a relationship with each of our legislators, more of a proactive approach to advocacy, which tends to be reactive, especially these past months. Ka will follow up with recruiting members, and P&SC members and other Friends are asked to identify individuals in their networks who might be candidates, including members of the Greenfield Quaker group.

Dan will take letter-writing for July. We agreed to try moving it to the second Sunday, and to ask if this might be announced, despite it being a no-announcement Sunday. Beth will follow up on this.

Beth described her NEYM session with Strong Oak, ‘Transforming the Human-Nature Divide’, Tues Aug 8, 5:30 pm. The Committee approved contributing $50 to defray travel expenses for Beth & Strong Oak.

We ended with a period of silence.