Peace & Social Concerns 10/25/18

Present: Ka R, Frank G, Diane C, ME C, Jack J, George M, Dan G, Jane J, Roger C

1. We began with a reading about peace, and then with silence.

2. Mary Ellen told of an effort she is making with regard to the future of the planet and environmental concerns, and she showed a dramatic graph of various trends. She intends to make a four minute video which will be available from UMass. We had several comments and suggestions for this worthwhile effort.

3. Our recommendation about the Resistance Center (see September minute 9) should go forward. Ka will contact Cat to get on the agenda of the meeting for business. Ka will also contact Roxanne to see if she would do the presentation.

4. George reported that 17 letters were written on the topic of the war in Yemen, on our letter writing day, and Ka reports that perhaps ten people took the short blurb, to take home and do there. We agreed to invite other groups: Jane will contact the Immigrant Solidarity Group; Roger will contact the Climate Witness Committee; Diane will contact the Race and Class group. Ka suggested letter writing teams of two might work well. Frank will see if Friends associated with the youth programs would like to do a session.

5. We confirmed that we will meet on last Thursdays henceforth, next on November 29, a week after Thanksgiving.

6. Dan will continue with finding an 11:40 for our committee, with the Truth School as subject (see September minute 9.) He will contact Andrea or others to find a presenter.

7. The matter of concert donations (see Sept minute 11) has been resolved.

8. We did not have any suggestions at hand regarding a better description of the spiritual basis of the committee. Beth brought up that need, and Jane offered to look into it. It is too late to modify our Handbook entry but we can modify our description on the website.

9. We spent some time recalling how important Beth is to our committee and our meeting, and to the concert series, and holding her in the Light in a period of quiet.

10. Friends Concerns: Other Organizations. Roger will handle it this year.

11. George is leaving our committee after years of faithful service.

12. Frank spoke of his need for us and others to cross over social and religious divides.

13. We intend to take up the BDS matter for full discussion at our next meeting.

14. We noted that Mary Ellen attended and contributed much to this meeting, and we hope she will return.

15. We closed in a period of silence.