Greetings Friends,  Monthly Meeting for Business was held on Sunday, Oct 20 at 8:30 AM. This edition of our Newsletter contains items that were submitted as reports to business meeting and/or were discussed and decided upon during our meeting. Friends are reminded that our fall clean-up day is scheduled for Sunday, Nov 3 following the rise of worship. Lunch will be provided. A list of chores needing attention, including washing and mounting storm windows in the meetinghouse,  will be posted soon by Gretchen.

OCTOBER-NOVEMBER CALENDAR

Oct 27 –      Property Committee, 8:30 AM in Community House
Oct 30 –      Seekers Group Meets, 7 PM in Community House Info HERE
Nov 2 –       NEYM Sessions Committee, Worcester Meeting
Nov 3 –       Meeting Cleanup Day following worship. Lunch provided.
Nov 8-10   NEYM Ministry and Counsel Retreat, Winthrop, Maine. Map
Nov 10 –     Second Sunday format.
Nov 15-17 JYM Retreat at Westport Meeting, Young Friends Retreat at Portland Meeting
Nov 17 –    Ministry and Counsel, 8:30 AM in Meetinghouse
Nov 23 –    NEYM Permanent Board, Plainfield Meetinghouse, Plainfield, VT
Nov 24 –  Monthly Meeting for Business, 8:30 AM in Meetinghouse

CALENDAR DATES TO SAVE
Dec 15 –   Monthly Meeting for Business, 8:30.  Advent Sunday followed by Potluck
Jan 26 – Sandwich Quarterly Meeting at Westport Meeting! More soon on this.

OCTOBER-NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS
October
1        Oscar Martinez Cardenas
15        Owen Thomas Vieira
16        Gorman Reilly
18        June Correia
21        Jeanne Robinson
24        Nancy Dubler
28        Laura Bilodeau
28        Joshua Vieira
30        Jackie Bullis
November
12        Betty Ann Lee

Ministry and Counsel 

Melinda Foley-Marsello, clerk, reported that the Committee recommends that Amy Lee Vieira and Jay Vieira be accepted into membership at Westport Friends Meeting. Friends approved, and a welcoming coffee hour will take place on Sunday, Dec 15 at the rise of worship.

Finance Committee

As previously planned, Greg Marsello, Clerk of Finance Committee, presented an in depth report of Meeting finances to business meeting. Please read report here.  (pdf) In addition the report which Friends are urged to read, Finance Committee also…

• From a financial perspective, this has been an unusual year with expenses related to facility upgrades in the Community House and Meetinghouse, combined with the sale process of the parsonage.
• The Meeting’s Annual Contribution Letter will go out the second week of November.
• FinCom projects that the Meeting’s anticipated revenue from donations and weekly offerings will fall short of expectations.
• FinCom also acknowledged that Gretchen Baker-Smith as our Property Coordinator has been doing a great job with overseeing Community House fees and managing the maintenance of our facilities.
• Again, please be sure to read FinCom’s full report here.
• At our November business meeting, Friends will be asked to make decisions regarding the matters in the report presented.

Property Coordinator

Please read Gretchen’s report for 10.16.13 HERE.

Property Committee

Information regarding the property was reported to Monthly Meeting as follows:

• We sold the parsonage on September 6th, 2013, at 11 AM for $300,000!
• Based on cost savings we left Borden Insurance and entered into a policy agreement with Sylvia Insurance.
• There is a mailbox up and working at 938 Main Road.
• Fall Clean Up day will be on November 3rd at the rise of Meeting.  Friends are in agreement to perform all tasks on this set date.
• It also should be noted that even after stepping down as Property Coordinator, Deana Chase still helps enormously with several property items such as going through mail and donated items, bringing trash barrels in, etc.

Hospitality Committee

The committee gained two members Jennifer Moura and Betty Ann Lee.  Thank you, Friends! The schedule has been planned through December. Hospitality was also reminded that our Westport Meeting is hosting Sandwich Quarterly Meeting on Saturday, January 26, and that our Meeting needs to provide for refreshments upon arrival and at lunchtime.

Additional Monthly Meeting Highlights

Greg Marsello, Clerk of Finance Committee noted that our new bookkeeping system is now fully operational and has replaced the role of Treasurer as of September. Friends expressed their deep appreciation for Deana Chase, who has served as Treasurer for several years. Members present were also in unity to minute this as follows: The Meeting expresses its appreciation to Deana Chase for her many years of service and stewardship of processing financial donations to the meeting and for her sensitive care to maintain the privacy of members and others who have made donations to our Meeting.   (approved 10.20.13)

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Clerk of Meeting, Betty Ann Lee,  508-994-1638 | EMAIL
Ministry and Counsel Clerk: Melinda Foley-Marsello, 401-624-9840 | EMAIL
Finance Committee Clerk, Greg Marsello, 401-624-9840 | EMAIL
Gretchen Baker-Smith, Property Coordinator, 508-636-4963 | EMAIL
Kevin Lee, Meeting Newsletter Editor, 508-994-1638 | EMAIL