Minutes of Meeting of New York City Peace Friends

Held at Brooklyn Monthly Meeting
First Day, Eleventh of Eighth Month, 2002

1. The meeting commences at approximately 1:00 P.M. with a period of silent worship. Helen Garay Toppins serves as clerk for the meeting; Tom Rothschild serves as recording clerk.
2. Reports are heard of special meetings for peace concerns: Tom Rothschild, Brooklyn; Helen Garay Toppins, Morningside; Betty Williams, 15th Street peace concerns.
3. The clerk explains to Friends that New York City Peace Friends is a network of Quakers in New York City with particular concerns for peace. The clerk reviews the agenda, which friends accept.
4. New York City Peace Friends agree to arrange visits with members of congress, and to arrange cooperation with other faith groups in this effort. This will be done promptly so that visits can be arranged this month if possible. Helen Garay Toppins will undertake overall coordination of this effort.
5. New York City Peace Friends agree to move forward with visits with New York State's Senators in their New York City offices. Tom Rothschild, Paul van Linden Tol and Larry Otway will coordinate this effort for New York City Peace Friends. We also ask the "working group" to take this effort under their care, to assist in this effort and to encourage other quarterly and regional meetings to arrange such visits in the other local offices of the Senators for New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
6. New York City Peace Friends encourage monthly meetings to reach out to other faith and peace groups, and others opposed to war with Iraq, to join in all of these efforts.
7. An announcement is read of a planned vigil in Washington Square Park, commencing 7 PM on September 10 and concluding at 10 AM on September 11, with music, poetry, speakers, silence, plus a candlelight vigil from 10 PM to 7 AM. More information will be posted on the yearly meeting web sight as it becomes available.
8. Fred Dettmer gives a report on the status of the "working group" of yearly meeting (Linda Chidsey, Vicki Cooley and Fred Dettmer). He also reports on the progress for arranging financial assistance for projects being undertaken by monthly, quarterly and regional meetings.
9. Friends agree that further meetings of New York Peace Friends will be scheduled to follow up on the matters agreed to in this meeting, and also to consider matters not reached on the agenda for lack of time, relating to support for conscientious objectors to military service and to suggestions for the program committee of New York quarterly meeting.
10. After a period of silent worship the meeting concludes at approximately 2:45 P.M.