Carol Simon Sexton will lead us in activities designed to help us reflect on and explore our spiritual journey.  The weekend will be held at Finn’s Inn on Point Chautauqua October 5-7, 2001. All are welcome. Join us!

Dear Harold,

 We finally had a visit from the education team in the person of their new leader, Juan Gaspar.  It appears that one of the reasons for their lack of communication with us has been many changes of personnel with the team and   the community organization as a whole.  One of our former contacts is now the president of the entire community.  When people move from one job to another, they sometimes do not adequately prepare the new ones for their jobs.  Juan Gaspar did not know anything about Buffalo Meeting's contributions nor ours!   Therefore, he was very glad that we forced a meeting with him because he  was able to learn about parts of his new job that he did not know about.

We   learned that, indeed, the account number we had was NOT the one for his team, but rather the community's acct.  We gave him the dates and amounts we had deposited for the last two years, so he could verify with the treasurer just how much they had in that account.

I was very impressed with Juan.   First, his very friendly personality and secondly, his careful,   business-like manner.  He carefully took down all our information, both about your contributions and our scholarship program, and then he outlined their educational needs at the moment.  He came prepared with a list of 13 students who need help next year and got application forms from us.   AND he gave us various ways to communicate more directly with them.  He promised to let us know soon what   arrangements he makes with the treasurer of the community.  Now we can stop fretting about this situation.   We appreciate your patience through this confusion; actually you were a good model for us in our own frustration.  We will keep you informed of developments.  

In peace,

Buffalo Monthly Meeting

Meeting for Business: July 15, 2001

1.  Meeting for Business began at 9:50, with six adults present.  Ted Dziekonski clerked. He began by reading New York Yearly Meeting’s State of the Society report. 

2.  The Nominating Committee report for 2001-2002 was read by Charlotte Frantz.  A position for trustees is still to be filled.  Esther Simon agrees to represent Buffalo Meeting on Ministry and Counsel at Yearly Meeting for this year.  Representatives to New York Yearly Meeting will be Roy and Esther Simon, Jackie Gray, Harold Risler, Newton and Anneliese Garver. 

The treasurer’s position will change on October 31,2001 when Harold Risler retires and Mark Kenmore assumes the position on Nov. 1, 2001. The Nominating Committee’s report was approved as amended.

3.  Harold Risler presented the Treasurer’s Report.  Budgeted income to date is $14,010.00; actual income to date is $12,545.86.  We are $1,500 behind our budgeted income.  We have spent $1,000 more for gas than was budgeted for the entire year.  The Treasurer’s Report was received.

4.  Rodney Pierce reported for Ministry and Counsel:

      a.)  Cynthia Sass Minsky’s membership was transferred from Buffalo Monthly Meeting to Saint Petersburg, Florida, Monthly Meeting.

      b.)  “Art and the Sacred” was selected as the theme for the annual Fall Retreat at Finn’s Inn October 5-7th.

      c.)  Elaine Chamberlain was asked to contact Donald Layton, Canadian Friend, for specifics of his proposal to Buffalo Meeting.

      d.)  A report was read on the proposal for gambling casinos in Buffalo and Niagara Falls, expressing concern over its impact on both the cities and the Seneca Nation.  A copy of the report will be sent to Yearly meeting. 

5.  These Minutes were approved.

6.  Appreciation was expressed to the Pierces for hosting the meeting.

7.  The meeting closed at 10:45, with nine adults present.

                  Elaine Chamberlain, Recording Clerk pro tem

Buffalo Monthly Meeting

 Meeting for Business: August 19,2001

 Meeting began with Ted Dziekonski reading Advice and Query Number Ten  from the New York Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice.

 1. Harold Risler gave the treasurer's report. It was received. 

2. Sue Tannehill reported from Ministry and Counsel:

 3. Harold Risler reported the findings of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Function of Yearly Meeting. Ministry and Counsel will consider  a Quaker conversation regarding the report.  

4. It was announced that AFSC' Middle Atlantic Region's fall gathering will be held in Logan, West Virginia. Dates are October 19th through the 21st. Car pools are to be arranged. Interested Friends can call Charlotte Frantz. 

TO:  RSF Buffalo Meeting

FROM: Harold J. Risler

Date: July 29, 2001 

SUBJECT:  NYYM Session @ Silver Bay, NY July 22-28, 2001

Carol Sexton led interest groups on "The Labyrinth as a Spiritual Tool" and "Earlham School of Religion  "40 Years of Ministry Education"

 The Bible study and "programmed"  worship were on Sarah/Hagar and how this explains/prophecy of the current Middle East conflicts.   Two three-day workshops were on Building Skills for Peacemaking and The Middle East.    However, no plenary session considered these subjects.

2001-2002

Clerk- Linda Chidsey

Assist Clerk- Dean Hoover

Clerk, Ministry & Counsel - Ann Davidson

Clerk, General Services - Paula McClure

Clerk, Nurture- Sarah Faith Dickinson

Clerk, Witness- Anita Paul 

These members of our Meeting were appointed or continue appointments of Yearly Meeting.    Farmington-Scipio Regional Meeting has only one member of the Nominating committee and should have 6-8.

Newton Garver-Representative to Friends World Committee for Consultation, Section of the Americas
Member at Large, Witness Section

Jacqueline Gray - Junior Yearly Meeting
Records committee

Faith and Practice Committee

NYYM Ministry and Counsel Report
reported by Esther Simon

This was a session when joys and concerns of monthly meetings were shared.

1. Buffalo Monthly Meeting: Newton Garver was Friend in Residence at Pendle Hill for ten weeks. In Buffalo , the lawn in front of the Meetinghouse has been replaced by flowers.

2. Philipstown Worship Group under the care of Purchase Monthly Meeting is made up of 12 adults and 13 children with a sense of caring and community. When 2 members were ill, they held Meetings for Healing in their homes. For another they held a Meeting for snow removal.

3. Ithaca Monthly Meeting has a piece of land for the building of a Meeting House.

4. Syracuse Monthly Meeting has two new families. Dorothy Sims is recovering from hip surgery. A male member now has hospice care.

5. Oswego Monthly Meeting: Members have been responding to the needs and concerns of members with Prayers for healing. The support of the women’s group of Bulls Head meeting was mentioned.

6. Westbury Monthly Meeting: two Friends were released to Mannhatten Monthly Meeting at 15th St., NYC. This is a programmed worship with Noel Palmer as pastor. There are 7 members and attenders who meet 1st,3rd and 5th Sundays at 9:30am.

7. Albany Monthly Meeting mentioned the Miracle of George Fox -- "There is only one that can speak to my condition." Our tradition is to follow Christ. Can we not lift up this thread again?

8. Easton Monthly Meeting has had an opening for a new study inclusive of Jesus Christ. After they sent a letter on E-mail, a monthly dialogue began with joy.

Stories for Younger and New Friends Requested

Consider the New Budget:

 Friends are asked to consider what items in  the 2000/2001 budget should be changed.    

We discuss the budget in Sept/Oct.

Text of the Letter opposing Las Vegas type Casino Gambling in WNY from Network of Religious Communities

Note: Buffalo Monthly Meeting has added its name as a signatory to this letter following approval at August’s monthly meeting for business.

We are deeply troubled by any attempt to gain speedy approval of a proposed compact with the Seneca Nation of Indians to operate Las Vegas type gambling casinos in Western New York.  The current proposal deprives the citizens of the State of New York of their voice on this matter and ignores legitimate concerns that casino gambling will disproportionately harm the poor and most vulnerable in our communities.

Guided by the purposes of the the Network of Religious Communities which call us to work together for Justice, Peace and the Common good’ and by the sacred Scriptures of our various religious traditions, which teach us to place the welfare of the poor and the most vulnerable first, we therefore:

1. Call upon the religious and congregational leaders of Western New York to speak out against the rush to approve a  compact with the Seneca Nation of Indians to operate casinos in Western New York and ask their members to  place the welfare of the poor and the most vulnerable first in their prayers and deliberations.

2. Call upon the members of the congregations of Western New York to support the right of the citizens of Western New York to determine whether or not casino gambling is introduced into our region and to insure that the welfare of the poor and the most vulnerable is protected. We further urge them to assist in facilitating discussion of this significant issue in their own communities.

3. Call upon the members of the New York State Assembly to reject the proposed compact with the Seneca nation of Indians to operate Las Vegas type casinos in Niagara Falls, Buffalo and a yet to be named location on the Seneca Reservation.

4. Call upon the members of the New York State Senate to rescind their approval of the proposed compact with the Seneca Nation of Indians to operate Las Vegas type casinos in Niagara Falls, Buffalo and a yet to be named location on the Seneca Reservation.

5. Call upon Governor Pataki to release to the public the full text of the proposed compact with the Seneca nation of Indians to operate Las Vegas type casinos in Niagara Falls, Buffalo and a yet to be named location on the Seneca Reservation.

6. Call upon Erie County Executive Giambra, Mayors Masiello and Elia, and members of the Erie County and Niagara County Legislature to follow the recommendations of the National gambling Impact Study Commission and present a comprehensive gambling impact statement’ prior to joining any effort to introduce casino gambling into Western New York. According to the commission, such analysis should be conducted by qualified independent research organizations and should encompass, insofar as possible, the economic, social and regional effects of the proposed action.

7. Call upon the Western New York media to continue to be balanced in all their reporting of the efforts to introduce or oppose the introduction of casino gambling into Western New York and to continue to educate the public about the possible positive and negative consequences of introduction Las Vegas type casino gambling into Western New York.

The Network of Religious Communities is an organization of denominations, congregations and religious organizations in Western New York and the Niagara Peninsula of Southern Ontario.

People News

Newton Garver is recovering at home following surgery. He is feeling well.

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Buffalo Monthly Meeting RSF
72 N. Parade Ave.
Buffalo, NY 14211