Meeting for Worship on the Occasion for Business – April 2026

MINUTES & RECORD

Meeting for Worship on the Occasion of Business

April 12, 2026

We met in a hybrid meeting in person and on Zoom.

Present: Gordon Starr, clerk; Amy Cooke, recording clerk; Mary Starr, Judy Hamilton,

Reed Hamilton, Dianne Marshall, Arly Helm, Pat Phillips, Nora Lisette, Donna Fry, Peter

O’Rourke, Chamba Cooke, Keith Runyan.

The Meeting opened with silent worship.

Clerks’ Remarks and Query: Gordon Starr invited people to share any spiritual

experiences they have had today. Friends spoke out of the silence.

• Our two Junipers – Juniper Genevieve and Juniper James – were

mentioned as delightful parts of the meeting today.

• The ministry of connection as being the opposite of addiction, quoted from

Gabor Mate, was spoken of as moving.

• It was also moving to see the young visitor who came to meeting all the

way from Lincoln.

• A Friend spoke about having an inspiration about writing postcards inviting

people to come back to meeting.

• Our incoming clerk spoke to the challenges of preparing for Meeting for Business, and

how it has come together. He spoke of the love and appreciation he has for this meeting

COMMITTEE REPORTS

(see reports appended, committee clerk is noted in bold)

Spirit and Witness: Amy Cooke (clerk), 2024-2027, Stuart Smith, 2025-2026, Reed

Hamilton, 2025-2028, Dean Olson, 2024-2027, Doug Hamm, 2025-2026, Gordon Starr,

2026 (ex-officio, GVFM Clerk) Amy Cooke, clerk, read the report, appended.

Minute 2026.04.01: Grass Valley Friends Meeting has received the

recommendation of the clearness committee for marriage, composed of Carl Margruder, Keely MacDonald, and Nancy Anderson, which met with Keith Runyan and Nora Lisette as they discerned their intention to marry. We unite with the committee’s discernment and approve that the marriage of Keith Runyan and Nora Lisette be taken under the care of the Meeting. Nora Lisette spoke to the meeting expressing appreciation and gratitude for being part of this community. They have set a tentative wedding date of May 1, 2027.

Minute 04.2026.02 Grass Valley Friends Meeting approves the 2026 State of the Meeting Report.

Minute 04.2026.03 Grass Valley Friends Meeting approves Arly Helm and fosten wilson to serve as members of Nominating Committee for 2026-2028 term.

Minute 04.2026.04 Grass Valley Friends Meeting formally supports the Peace and Justice Walk planned for May 30, organized by local faith communities. We agree to be visible and participatory.

Meeting members will bring our banner and will explore having t-shirts as well. Reed will be the point person.

Stewardship: Mary Starr (Clerk), Gordon Starr, Pat Phillips, Reed Hamilton, David

Bowman. Dianne Marshall (ex-officio, Newsletter editor), Judy Hamilton (ex-officio,

Librarian), Hailey Wilson (ex-officio Tech Support). Mary Starr gave the report.

Welcome: Peter O’Rourke (Clerk), Nancy Anderson, Judy Hamilton, Kathy McCreary

Peter O’Rourke gave the report. We spoke to the issue of publicizing the meeting and its activities.           Are we ready? We have already minuted a decision that the presenter determines the scope of the

advertising for the after meeting programs, so that is already in place. Amy is not ready for the Quaker Seminary to be publicized, though she is willing to offer that program again.

The larger question is how we publicize our move beyond basic announcements.  How do we share the opportunities of after-meeting programs? How do we let the local community know about the move in a more detailed way?

Amy and Pete will get together to draft a proposal for the meeting to look at in May. It will be circulated in advance.

Religious Education: Judy Hamilton (Clerk), Doug Hamm, Alan Stahler, Don McCormick, Dean Olsen, Reed Hamilton. No report was given.

Nominating Committee: Fosten Wilson, 2024-2026, Mary Starr, 2025-2027, Chamba

Cooke, 2025-2026, Dean Olsen, 2025-2027. Mary Starr read the report, attached.

Minute 2026.04.05 Grass Valley Friends Meeting approves removing the Yulica

Representative from our slate, and encourages meeting members to remain

connected with the concerns and activities of the Nisenan tribe. We remain

committed to a positive and supportive relationship with the tribe, and are grateful

for the work of the Toward Right Relations committee who also helps us to remain

connected with the tribe.

OFFICER REPORTS and REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS

Treasurer’s Report: Mary Starr, Treasurer, gave the report (appended). She

responded to questions regarding the fund balances and budget.

Co-Archivists/Recorders: Information form coming out again – please fill it out if you

have not yet filled it out.

Pacific Yearly Meeting: July 17-22. Onsite at CSU Monterey Bay –  Online via Zoom.

College Park Quarterly Meeting: Spring Quarterly Meeting will be April 24-26.

Registration is open.

Interfaith Nevada County: Dianne Marshall reported that the group remains active.

Sharings from the wider Quaker world: Yurii Sheliazhenko, a conscientious objector from Kyiv, was stopped by military recruitment officers on the street in mid-March 2026. He was beaten and detained. After managing to escape he has written about his experiences and continues to advocate for

peace. You can see more at https://www.youtube.com/@YuriiSheliazhenko.

The current number of  applications for conscientious objection from the US military are

Unprecedented, showing a 1000% increase due to objections to the war with Iran. See page ____.

CLERK’S REMARKS

The clerk expressed appreciation for the meeting and the community.

ITEMS SEASONING or CARRIED OVER

Immigration statement from Pendle Hill calling for immigration reform and an end to unjust enforcement has been shared via the email tree. Friends are encouraged to review this statement in preparation for discernment at the meeting in May.

READING OF THE RECORD AND MINUTES    

Record and the minutes of March Meeting for Worship on the Occasion of Business: Minute 2026.04.06 : The minutes of March Meeting for Worship on the Occasion of Business were published in our newsletter and approved with no changes.

The record and the minutes of April Meeting for Worship on the Occasion of Business: to

be read and approved.

GVFM Newsletter Reminder: Please have items into Dianne Marshall by Tuesday at 10a.m.  Please do not format in blue.

Meeting closed with silent worship

Amy Cooke, Recording Clerk