Peace and Social Concerns Committee, 3/5/18

Present: Daniel G, Ka R, Beth A, George M, Roger C, David A, Claude T, Frank G

1.Ka spoke of FCNL’s request for us to weigh in on setting priorities. Beth suggested that one way to do it would be to get Friends’ suggestions on a letter writing day. A notice will be sent out about this, and if a person cannot attend on the letter writing day, Ka will accept emailed suggestions. Roger will put out the notice on the all-meeting list.

2.Beth will send out a note on the listserv about the attempt to stop US cooperation with Saudi Arabia in the war in Yemen.

3.Ka spoke of a program on 4/22, with a speaker from NuDay Syria. We agreed to cosponsor the event and donate $50 for it, by a check to Edwards Church with memo line that it is for the NuDay Syria. Dan will tell Don to send the check. We will ask to have approval by the whole meeting for the event, in the April meeting for business.

4.Claude wants to have us consider and approve the Cambodian Water Project for the FC:OO part of the budget. We approved.

5.David spoke of the progress in furthering the treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons. If Tim Wallis can come for our committee’s 11:40 on April 29, that would be an ideal way to have the conversation in our own meeting. David will check with Tim, and find another 11:40 date if 4/29 does not work for him. David also mentioned other initiatives on the issue.

6.David passed around a flyer by www.NuclearBan.US, “How faith communities can help get rid of all nuclear weapons” with a lot of good information.

7.Pat Hynes is coming here on April 12, 7-8:30, with a talk “This polluter does not pay: The crime of US military pollution on foreign bases.” This is cosponsored by ARISE, CAN, the Peace Pagoda, Resistance Center, and our committee. Beth will tell the Scheduler, and will get a projector and screen from the Resistance Center.

8.Beth recommended cosponsoring a “Sacred Earth Sharing Circle” on April 26^th, Thursday, 6:30-8:00. She will arrange it. Roger will talk with the CWC about it.

9.We reviewed the Handbook entries and found that almost all were accurate though some suggestions were made. The section about “other organizations” needs a closer look however. Committee members will look over the description (attached to the agenda which Dan sent out on 3/5) for a future discussion.

10.We understand that it is important for us to review the criteria for the “Friends Concerns: Other Organizations” responsibility of our committee.

We closed as we had begun, with a time of silence.