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The last two days flew by with social engagements and family and Meeting.
Sunday Meeting had a threshing session around how the meeting should budget given a suggested minute from Peace & Social COncerns that we double our contribution to Quaker organizations this year, discussing outreach through other Quaker organizations and, in this time of reduced return on investments[1], providing rescue funding to AFSC (the service organization founded by Friends), FCNL (the national legislative lobby organization), and FCL-CA (California legislative lobby). I went in feeling like a reed that would lean the way whomever was speaking leaned. The need for reserves to maintain the building seemed responsible. The need to not put people at fixed income in a place where they would feel they can't keep up with their responsibilities seemed important. But i'm not convinced that we should double the contributions some how, and if it comes out of reserves it's ok to take that risk. The convincement took place as i listened to three Friends, one after another, speak of being led by joy, speak of not knowing just how big an impact we might make. Tears ran down my cheeks as i felt the certainty that taking the risk and giving was right action, that prudence was responsible in "normal" times, but these are not fiscal normal times.
As the threshing session began i read the queries, one of which asked, "Are we doing all that we can..." and i began trembling in indignation. We would never be able to corporately have a clear any easy "yes" to any question phrased that way, and i don't think it's right action to pour all energy and resources in one direction. So i spoke first in the session, critiquing the question, and reading from the advices for simplicity and living from a Center.
[1] i'm forgetting the word for the chunk of money nonprofits often fund their work from....
--==∞==--
I'm a little cranky about Ritzpic's (Wolf Camera's) 6x6 soft cover photo book. Yesterday i made four with photos from our camping outings for Christine and i to share with our mothers and for me to send to my grandparents. The "soft cover" are identical in price to the hard cover, but simply a stapled together chapbook. I suppose the hard covers are negligible compared to the printing time. Ah well, lesson learned. It's probably less expensive to post the chapbooks and easier to stick into an existing album (for my Mom).
--==∞==--
no time to write about my brother and his family. Sigh. Good times with them, wonder at my parents' and sister's critical reactions to the boys. The boys are different - -far more physical that we were -- but i'm not seeing any Problem.
Sunday Meeting had a threshing session around how the meeting should budget given a suggested minute from Peace & Social COncerns that we double our contribution to Quaker organizations this year, discussing outreach through other Quaker organizations and, in this time of reduced return on investments[1], providing rescue funding to AFSC (the service organization founded by Friends), FCNL (the national legislative lobby organization), and FCL-CA (California legislative lobby). I went in feeling like a reed that would lean the way whomever was speaking leaned. The need for reserves to maintain the building seemed responsible. The need to not put people at fixed income in a place where they would feel they can't keep up with their responsibilities seemed important. But i'm not convinced that we should double the contributions some how, and if it comes out of reserves it's ok to take that risk. The convincement took place as i listened to three Friends, one after another, speak of being led by joy, speak of not knowing just how big an impact we might make. Tears ran down my cheeks as i felt the certainty that taking the risk and giving was right action, that prudence was responsible in "normal" times, but these are not fiscal normal times.
As the threshing session began i read the queries, one of which asked, "Are we doing all that we can..." and i began trembling in indignation. We would never be able to corporately have a clear any easy "yes" to any question phrased that way, and i don't think it's right action to pour all energy and resources in one direction. So i spoke first in the session, critiquing the question, and reading from the advices for simplicity and living from a Center.
[1] i'm forgetting the word for the chunk of money nonprofits often fund their work from....
--==∞==--
I'm a little cranky about Ritzpic's (Wolf Camera's) 6x6 soft cover photo book. Yesterday i made four with photos from our camping outings for Christine and i to share with our mothers and for me to send to my grandparents. The "soft cover" are identical in price to the hard cover, but simply a stapled together chapbook. I suppose the hard covers are negligible compared to the printing time. Ah well, lesson learned. It's probably less expensive to post the chapbooks and easier to stick into an existing album (for my Mom).
--==∞==--
no time to write about my brother and his family. Sigh. Good times with them, wonder at my parents' and sister's critical reactions to the boys. The boys are different - -far more physical that we were -- but i'm not seeing any Problem.