Brooklyn Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
Minutes of Called Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Peace,
First Day, Fourth of Eighth Month, 2002

Attendance:
Leslee Atallah Mary Pagurelias
Dulcie Barlow Tom Rothschild
Boyce Benge Mary Jeanne Sanford
Glen Bibler Inga Schwartzkopf
Michael L. Black Curtis Seyfried
Nancy Black Georgia Southcotte
Bill Donnenberg Jon Stout
Pete Emery Michael W. Stout
Naceo Giles Suzanne W. Stout
Barbara Kuesell Paul van Linden Tol
Helen B. Mullin Loen Weybright
Susan O'Doherty  
Note: Not all Friends were present for the entire meeting.
  1. The meeting commences at approximately 1:10 P.M. with a period of silent worship.
  2. The clerk informs Friends of actions taken at sessions of New York yearly meeting (7th Month 21-27) relating to peace concerns, in particular the possibility of war with Iraq, and the call for action by monthly and other meetings within New York yearly meeting.
  3. The meeting approves the following minute, already approved by New York yearly meeting in session, 7/26/02, under the title of Gospel of Peace Minute:
      The Religious Society of Friends of New York Yearly Meeting (Quakers) gathered the last week of July 2002 with the theme "Conflict as an Opportunity for Spiritual Growth." We know that vengeance, war and all forms of violence inhibit such growth. The gospel of Jesus is a gospel of peace. No one who hears this message and follows it can be led to war. The "war against terrorism" like all wars is a failure to follow this teaching. The gospel of Jesus is also one of forgiveness and reconciliation. The horrific acts of September 11th made many feel anger, but we must not allow such feelings to direct us into acts of destruction and further death. While forgiveness and reconciliation are often difficult, they are imperative for peace to prevail. In this Spirit, we call upon our government
      • to refrain from war, and in particular to abandon the planned invasion of Iraq.
      • to redirect resources away from instruments of death and destruction toward peace-building work and toward humanitarian, educational and reconstruction assistance in Afghanistan and other devastated or impoverished areas.

      approved by New York Yearly Meeting in session 7/26/02 (minute #66)

  4. The meeting calls upon the weekly peace vigil maintained under the care of the peace and social action committee to focus the vigil and its handouts on the prospective invasion of Iraq, and on a call to others to join with us in this vigil.
  5. The meeting agrees to place advertisements expressing its opposition to war with Iraq in local Brooklyn newspapers as quickly as possible. Leslee Atallah, Sue O'Doherty, Barbara Kuesell and Paul van Linden Tol will take responsibility for creating the text of the advertisements, arranging for the advertisements with the various papers, and determining financing (considering both the budget of the peace and social action committee and the possibility of assistance from New York yearly meeting).
  6. The meeting urges members and attenders to reflect and pray about the growing threat of war, and asks that they consider contacting their elected representatives to express concern about this.
  7. The meeting agrees to explore the possibility of placing an advertisement in the New York Times in cooperation with other meetings and possibly other religious groups and organizations. Suzanne Stout and Georgia Southcotte will take responsibility for this matter, including arranging a "telephone tree" to contact members and attenders to solicit donations towards the cost of such an advertisement.
  8. The meeting agrees to cooperate in interfaith efforts to express opposition to war, especially war with Iraq, and will reach out to other religious groups and organizations in Brooklyn as part of this effort. Barbara Kuesell and Tom Rothschild will coordinate this effort.
  9. After a period of silent worship the meeting concludes at approximately 2:35 P.M.