Present: Florence Tucker, Jere Luciardello, Philip Raines, Larry

Ingle, Craig Davoulas, Elise Askonas, Jim Bowman, Becky Ingle, and Chuck Jones (clerk).

Meeting opened with a period of worship, during which the clerk read “Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed,” from the Constitution of the United States; and “to become different from what we are, we must have some awareness of what we are,” by Eric Hoffer.

Clerk’s Notes: A postcard from Janine Bruton was read from her travels in Australia with the Friendly Folk Dancers. We had sent her with a letter of introduction.

A letter was read from Carol Nickle, coordinator for the “Chat ‘n’ chew” at the SAYMA Gathering after the evening plenary speakers. She requested our help as a meeting in providing refreshments for approximately 50 to 75 Friends on one of the evenings. Friends wanted to help, but Larry and Becky, who were the only ones present who knew for certain that they were going, could not be available during the Chat ‘n’ Chew time. They did say that they would be happy to help prepare. Others wanted to accept Carol’s request, but could not commit at the time. Friends who plan to go will get together later and will let Carol know. Until then, it is pending and the clerk will contact Carol with our undecided decision.

Tom Fox, who was a member of the Langley Meeting but who grew up in Chattanooga, and who had been kidnapped a couple of months ago in Iraq as a part of a Christian peacemakers group, was found killed. The clerk asked if Friends felt called to act in anyway concerning his death. Friends were united in thinking that Tom Fox was a reminder to us of the power of nonviolent action and that we should not forget all the victims of the war. Larry would bring to the planning committee for the Peace March the idea of a moment of silence in memory of Tom Fox and all the victim’s of war. The Peace March is scheduled for the 18^th of March, the 3^rd anniversary of the start of the war in Irag.

Friends also received a letter from the Faith and Practice revision committee. Friends are encouraged to read the revisions and meet with others who have read them, discuss them and send an email to the committee. The revisions will be put on the table in the dining room.

Ministry Oversight :

1. M&O will invite and encourage First Day School to contribute to the Meeting newsletter as often as they like [contents by Editor's approval, Chuck]. If they want they can include occasionally, or frequently, answers Meeting adults and young Friends give them to whatever question(s) they would like to ask. They could ask one or more questions of one or more adults or young Friends, or they could interview one adult or young Friend at a time for a submission to an issue of the newsletter.

2. We talked some more about outreach through bumper-stickers and buying spot announcements on the radio.

3. Set up Clearness Committee for Janine Bruton's request for membership: Becky I, Clerk, Phillip Raines, Laura Seegar. (The committee has a progress report to make today.)

4. 2nd hours topic(s) for next two months

3rd month: 2006

1st First Day FCNL 110th Congress priorities.

2nd First Day Meeting for Business

3rd First Day Potluck: followed by M&O Committee and

the Peace Committee

4th First Day Bible Study: Book of Luke, Chapter 22

4th month: 2006

1st First Day open

2nd First Day Meeting for Business

3rd First Day Potluck: followed by M&O Committee and

the Peace Committee

4th First Day Bible Study: Book of Luke, Chapter 23?

5th First Day Paving the Meetinghouse driveway (and parking area).

5th month: 2006

1st First Day open

2nd First Day Meeting for Business

3rd First Day Potluck: followed by M&O Committee

(may be rescheduled) and

the Peace Committee

4th First Day Bible Study: Book of Luke, Chapter 24?

Property Oversight: A Spring Work Day was scheduled for April 22^nd which happens to be Earth Day.

Concerning the driveway, the committee is still working on the data, but we will have a second hour discussion on the 5^th First Day of the 5^th Month.

The resident is planning to move out sometime in the Summer. She had planned to move out in May, but her fiancée is moving back to Chattanooga. She was wondering if it would be ok for him to move in with her until they found another place. The question of co-habitation came up, but Property Oversight recommended that we not add another renter and that we continue with our “one renter” practice. Friends united in that recommendation. The clerk asked if we needed to discuss the idea of “sleepovers,” but Friends united in the idea that we could not “police” the renter’s behavior.

Peace Committee: A progress report was given. A survey is being worked on designed to get direction for the committee from Friends in the meeting.

Also, the idea brought out in an earlier discussion of showing the movie, Bowling for Columbine, was suggested to be shown during potluck in the 4^th Month. Friends weren’t sure if they wanted that fellowship time to be taken over with watching a movie but suggested an evening instead. The Peace Committee expressed concern that an evening showing might not bring Friends in like it would if Friends were already here for meeting for worship. No decision was reached.

Treasury Report: The monthly meeting treasury report was presented and received. It is as shown. The meeting received it without much conversation.

First Day School Report: The kids continue to look at other religions. They presented their show called the “Big Mouth Quakers,” to the Unitarian youth and the Unitarian youth visited today during First Day.

Treasury Report: The treasury report was received. With some minor changes, they should be posted on the website and will be included in the newsletter.

Newsletter: Concerns have been voiced about not seeing it on the website. Jim, who posts the newsletter and minutes from each meeting on the website, said he hadn’t gotten the minutes from last month. The clerk agreed to send them to him and call him by phone to double check that they had arrived.

FCNL: Five of us met during 2^nd Hour last week and came up with priority recommendations for FCNL’s work and focus next year. After some fore discussion, meeting approved Becky to send the recommendation in to FCNL. (FCNL is a Quaker nonpartisan lobby for peace, justice, and care for the earth.)

Becky asked for a minute of appreciation to Jere Luciardello for the work he does in the yard after meetings for worship many times during the month.

Meeting closed with a period of worship.