Meeting for Worship on the Occasion of Business – June 2026
GRASS VALLEY FRIENDS MEETING
Of the Religious Society of Friends of the Truth
College Park Quarterly Meeting, Pacific Yearly Meeting
MINUTES & RECORD
Meeting for Worship on the Occasion of Business
June 14, 2026
We met in a hybrid meeting in person and on Zoom.
Present: Gordon Starr, clerk; Amy Cooke, recording clerk; Reed Hamilton, Dean Olson, Chamba Cooke, Don McCormick, Mary Starr, Dianne Marshall, fosten wilson, Andy Huang, Jennifer Dickey, Kathy McCreery, and Peter O’Rourke.
The Meeting opened with silent worship.
Clerks’ Remarks and Query: Gordon Starr welcomed us to Meeting for Worship on the Occasion for Business. He noted that we talk about joys and concerns. What is one joy you have and one concern?
Friends shared out of the silence.
Our joys included getting to be with grandchildren, being here in Meeting in person, a book group’s journey to Ashland, Oregon for the Shakespeare festival, our community and the support that flows from our community, granddaughters and the sweet connections with them, the voyage of a granddaughter who will be going on a wonderful journey and the freedom that comes with being alone together, the knowledge that there is boat that holds us, and an associated concern that comes with the thought of missing the boat.
Our concerns included not being able to be with grandchildren very often, not getting to be here in person very often, a brother-in-law with cancer along with the joy of remembering all the connections they have had, how to be effective and make a difference in this difficult world, connections with an estranged daughter.
Peace Lutheran Church: Gordon met with Pastor Christian about signage for our meeting and have worked things out for the time being. Pastor Christian mentioned that during their committee meeting there was expressed a desire to share Sunday worship services with each other. One Sunday we would worship with them and another they would worship with us. They, especially, are interested in learning about our practices and beliefs. There is the potential of learning from the “cross pollination” of our spiritual views and traditions.
Proposal: Meeting with people in a Peace Lutheran service on July 28, fourth Sunday, and they would then meet with us August 23, the following fourth Sunday. For our turn, since our room would be too small, we considered meeting in their large dining area. We could set up concentric circles of chairs according to estimated attendance. This, of course, would be voluntary participation both times.
It was noted that we may want to educate ourselves about the Lutheran liturgy before we take part in the Lutheran service. And, conversely, we would want to send them educational materials about our way of worship in advance as well as having a verbal introduction and seat cards. We agreed to delegate the work of planning. It was noted that the Welcome Box has pamphlets that explain Quaker meeting.
We shared names for the planning committee out of the silence. The Welcome Committee would develop the materials for sharing, and Gordon would receive the materials from Peace Lutheran to share with the Meeting. Don McCormick volunteered.
Minute 2026.06.01: Grass Valley Friends Meeting approves meeting with people in a Peace Lutheran service on July 28, fourth Sunday, and to having a joint meeting for worship with Peace Lutheran members on August 23, the following fourth Sunday. The Welcome Committee, with the help of Don McCormick and with input from those interested, will develop materials to share with the Peace Lutheran members. Gordon Starr will ask Pastor Christian for information on the liturgy and any other materials to share with the Meeting.
Meeting for Business in July: Due to Friends General Conference (July 7 – 12) and Pacific Yearly Meeting (July 17 – 22) happening in July, we propose skipping the Meeting for Worship for Business in July. Committees will meet as they wish. There will also be no newsletter that month.
Minute 2026.06.02: GVFM approves skipping the Meeting for Worship for Business in July 2026.We will have our next Meeting for Worship for Business on August 9.
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.
The revised job description for Spirit and Witness will be included in the next newsletter and we will bring it for approval at the next Meeting for Worship for Business (in August).
We thank the ad hoc committee – Arly Helm, Dianne Marshall, and Steve Borrum – for drafting the appended advices and queries on immigration. Dianne Marshall presented the advices and queries to the meeting and these will also go out in the newsletter. Dianne acknowledged that these are not complete and the ad hoc committee will continue working on the document and they welcome input. The Meeting will be able to discern what to do with the document in the future. It was suggested that it could be a letter to the editor in the Union and also be posted on our website.
Stewardship: Mary Starr (Clerk), Gordon Starr, Pat Phillips, Reed Hamilton, David Bowman. Dianne Marshall (ex-officio, Newsletter editor), Don McCormick (ex-officio, Librarian), Hailey Wilson (ex-officio Tech Support).
Mary Starr gave the report, appended. The meeting expressed gratitude for the committee facilitating the installation of the sign in front of Peace Lutheran.
Welcome: Peter O’Rourke (Clerk), Nancy Anderson, Judy Hamilton, Kathy McCreary
Peter O’Rourke gave the report, appended.
Peter requested that Friends test the survey form who do not have a gmail account. Peter will send it to some Friends in the Meeting who do not have gmail accounts to test if it will work for them.
Religious Education: Judy Hamilton (Clerk), Doug Hamm, Alan Stahler, Don McCormick, Dean Olsen, Reed Hamilton.
No report.
Nominating Committee: Fosten Wilson, 2024-2026, Mary Starr, 2025-2027, Chamba Cooke, 2025-2026, Dean Olsen, 2025-2027.
Fosten Wilson, clerk of the nominating committee, reported that the Slate for the upcoming term has been seasoning since the second week of May. No thoughts or concerns about the proposed Slate have been expressed. At this time the committee requests approval of the Slate as presented last month.
We wish to thank the people in our Meeting who were both able & willing to do the work needed for the coming year. Thank you all for your help.
Minute 2026.06.03: GVFM approves the Nominating slate for 2026-2027, appended.
OFFICER REPORTS and REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS
Treasurer’s Report: No report.
Co-Archivists/Recorders: No report.
Pacific Yearly Meeting: July 17-22. Onsite at CSU Monterey Bay & Online via Zoom. Annual Session Registration is open.
College Park Quarterly Meeting: Next meeting: October.
Interfaith Nevada County:
Sharings from the wider Quaker world:
- FWCC World Quaker Day 2026 theme and materials announced: Let Peace Be Among Us, with the supporting Bible passage Hebrews 12:14, “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy.”
FWCC is planning a massive online Meeting for Worship on World Quaker Day (4 October), bringing together Friends across borders, time zones, and Quaker traditions with a shared focus on peace.
- Carl Sigmond, a beloved Friend who attended Grass Valley Friends Meeting over the years, will be getting married in Massachusetts over the July 4th weekend. We send much love to Carl and Inger!
- Friends General Conference: 2026 FGC Gathering takes place over July 7 – 12, 2026 in Burlington, Vermont. The theme for the 2026 Gathering is “A Window and a Door: A Prayer.” FGC will also be hosting a virtual welcoming workshop on September 25-27 this year and they are looking for success stories. It was suggested that we could share out experiences. Please contact Gordon for more info.
CLERK’S REMARKS
ITEMS SEASONING or CARRIED OVER
- The job description for Spirit and Witness will go out in the newsletter and be brought back for approval at the next Meeting for Worship for Business.
- The advices and queries on immigration will also come back to us in the next Meeting for Worship for Business as well as the discernment on how this document will be used by the Meeting.
READING OF THE RECORD AND MINUTES : The record and minutes were approved in the course of the Meeting for Worship on the Occasion for Business.
GVFM Newsletter Reminder: Please have items into Dianne Marshall by Tuesday at 10 am. Please do not format reports in blue.
Meeting closed with worship.
APPENDICES:
Spirit and Witness Committee
Faith and Practice Revision:
A called meeting was held on 7 June from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to consider the section on
Eldering in Pacific Yearly Meeting’s Faith and Practice. The committee’s report has now been submitted to the Faith and Practice Revision Committee. We extend our gratitude to all Friends who participated in this important discernment.
Spirit and Witness Committee Job Description
The committee has completed its review of the revised Spirit and Witness Committee Job Description, which is attached for consideration by Meeting for Business.
Spiritual Life Programs
The Quaker Seminary series will resume in September, meeting on First Sundays.
- September: The Power of Corporate Discernment
- October: Support for the Spiritual Journey
- November: Topic to be determined
Our Fourth Sunday program in June will feature Don McCormick giving a presentation on “What’s It Like to Experience God or the Inner Teacher?”
In July Gordon will be hosting a reflection and review on our Spiritual Life programs held this past year as well as ideas for future programs, to be scheduled.
Witness Committees
The Toward Right Relationship Committee is dormant at this time. We do not have a sense that it is time to lay it down, and we acknowledge this as a waiting period to see what might emerge in the future.
Outreach
Gordon and Amy have drafted an article for publication in The Union describing the Meeting’s move from the former Woolman property, now Yulića. Friends are invited to contact Gordon or Amy in the next 30 days for a copy of the article and to submit comments or feedback before publication.
Committees of Care and Anchor Committees
Spirit and Witness continues to support committees of care and anchor committees for individual ministries. Friends seeking accompaniment or support in their spiritual journey or ministry are encouraged to contact any member of the committee.
Respectfully submitted, Amy Cooke, clerk
Spirit and Witness Committee Job Description
Purpose
The primary responsibilities of the Spirit and Witness Committee are tending to the spiritual wellbeing of the Meeting community, the pastoral care of individuals within the community, and the movement of Spirit among Meeting members as they are led to take action in the wider world. These three areas of responsibility are integrated with one another and are mutually interdependent.
Responsibilities of Members of the Spirit and Witness Committee
Members of the Spirit and Witness Committee are asked to:
- Nurture their own spiritual wellbeing and attend meetings with a waiting spirit.
- Hold the members of the committee in tender care, setting the tone for the work of the committee and for the larger community.
- In monthly committee meetings, settle into corporate worship to discern right action regarding the spiritual, pastoral, and action-oriented needs of the Meeting community.
- Support the quality of ministry and eldership within Meeting for Worship and Monthly Meeting for Worship for Business.
- Ensure that the pastoral care needs of individuals within the Meeting community are attended to.
- Provide discernment and support for individuals and groups within the Meeting who are experiencing leadings of the Spirit to be expressed in the wider world beyond the Monthly Meeting.
Areas Under the Care of the Spirit and Witness Committee
The following tasks and concerns are under the care of the Spirit and Witness Committee:
Worship and Spiritual Life
- Hold the process for how Meetings for Worship are opened and closed (“tending”).
- Select monthly Advices and Queries for the GVFM newsletter.
- Read selected Advices and Queries during Meetings for Worship.
- Provide support and guidance for spoken and silent ministry.
- Ensure that all are given opportunities to learn more about Quakerism and to deepen their spiritual lives, nurturing all aspects of the religious education of the Meeting.
Clearness, Discernment, and Leadings
- Facilitate clearness committees for members or attenders who request guidance in their spiritual or life path.
- Provide guidance and discernment for individuals and groups who bring action-oriented leadings of the Spirit to the committee for support.
- Provide education for the Meeting on issues of peace and social consciousness that are of concern to Friends.
Community Care and Pastoral Support
- Attend to the pastoral needs of the community, assuring that those who are ill, troubled, or in need are visited, counseled, and assisted as may be needed or desired.
- Care for the corporate life of the Meeting, helping to clarify matters involving organizational procedures and Quaker process.
Coordination and Meeting Care
- Convene a biannual joint meeting of the clerks of all committees to coordinate efforts, encourage creative cooperation, and provide spiritual support.
Membership and Marriage
- Consider and recommend action upon requests for membership, and transfers or withdrawal of membership, following the procedures outlined in Faith and Practice of Pacific Yearly Meeting.
- Consider and recommend action upon requests for marriage under the care of the Meeting, following the procedures outlined in Faith and Practice of Pacific Yearly Meeting.
ADVICES AND QUERIES – IMMIGRATION
June 13, 2026
| The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) believe there is a divine spark in everyone, regardless of nationality or migration status. This is to be honored in all decision making. We bear witness to see that the laws of the country be fairly, equally and humanely administered. We strongly advocate for immigrant rights, viewing the inherent value and agency of every person as sacred. We advocate that the worldwide pressures for people to immigrate and the environmental and social impacts of immigration into the United States be integral in the development of humane policies and to the enforcement of immigration justice. | Do I consistently seek the divine spark in everyone, striving to confront my own biases?How do I specifically demonstrate my personal commitment to inclusion?How do I make known my commitment to fair and just immigration policies and practices?Where there is distrust, injustice, or hatred, how am I an instrument of reconciliation and love for everyone, not just those who agree with me?What are we, as Friends, doing to welcome, not only immigrants but also those opposed to immigration, to bring about lasting peace?What effort are we making to see the light Within those whose values appear to be different from ours? |
Stewardship Committee
Minutes from meeting on June 4, 2026
Present: Mary Starr, clerk, Gordon Starr, recorder, Pat Phillips, Judy Hamilton, Dianne Marshall
We opened with a moment of silence.
Treasurer’s report. Mary reported donations totaled $1,832 for the month. Expenses were
$1,193. She noted the large amounts in and out were due primarily to the purchase of and
donations toward the tee shirts for the Peace and Justice walk.
Library. Judy reported the survey covering the library and the newsletter is ready to send out to
but needs to be put in a different format, as there were difficulties opening it.
Judy and Kathy are continuing to sort and organize the library.
Signage near the street entrance. Gordon had spoken with Pastor Christian previously about
placing a more permanent sign at the front of the church, visible when turning into the parking
area from the street. Their committee has agreed to allow us to place our larger sign on the block
wall to the left of their large sign and message box. This is approved for the time being. They had
some concern about the style of the sign and whether it will fit in with the rest of the signage
there. Our larger sign will have to be slightly modified since it refers to going to the Meeting
House. We are hoping an arrow applied over the words will suffice.
We closed with more silence.
Our next meeting will be July 2, 2026 at 3:00 on Zoom.
Welcome Committee
1. Potluck update
a. Kathy and Fosten – July 11 th , 5pm
2. Review Library and Newsletter survey
a. Next step discuss at Meeting for Business
3. Discuss new Welcome team email
Next Meeting – July 6th – 7pm
Nominating Committee
Proposed Nominating Slate, 2026-27
| <>Spirit and Witness | |
| Amy Cooke (24- 27) | |
| Pat Phillips (26-29) | |
| Dean Olson (24- 27) | |
| Reed Hamilton (25- 28) | |
| fosten wilson (26-29) | |
| Gordon Starr (ex-officio) | |
| <>Stewardship | |
| Mary Starr (ex officio, Treasurer) | |
| Gordon Starr | |
| Reed Hamilton | |
| Pat Phillips | |
| fosten wilson | |
| Dianne Marshall (ex officio, newsletter) | |
| Judy Hamilton (ex officio, Library) and Kathy McCreery | |
| Hailey Wilson | |
| <>Welcoming | |
| Peter O’Rourke until 2-2027 | |
| Kathy McCreery | |
| Gordon Bishop | |
| Don McCormick | |
| Ros Bae | |
| Nancy Anderson ex-officio | |
| Judy Hamilton ex-officio | |
| Nora Lisette-Runyan, ex officio, website? | |
| <>Religious Education | |
| Judy Hamilton | |
| Doug Hamm | |
| Dean Olson | |
| Cheryl Hendrickson | |
| Gordon Starr, support | |
| Reed Hamilton | |
| Al Stahler | |
| Don McCormick, support | |
| Anita McCormick | |
| Shera Banbury, occasional | |
| <>Meeting Clerk | Gordon Starr 2026-2028 |
| <>Recording Clerk | Amy Cooke 2026-2027 |
| <>Newsletter Editor | Dianne Marshall |
| <>Newsletter Distributor | Pat Phillips |
| <>Email Coordinator | Judy Hamilton |
| <>Treasurer | Mary Starr |
| <>Tech Coordinator | Hailey Wilson |
| <>Website/Face Book | Nora L.-R. (Peter O. until February 2027) |
| <>Librarian | Judy Hamilton & Kathy McCreery |
| <>Recorder-Archivist | Arly Helm |
| <>Directory Clerk | Nancy Anderson |
| <>Mail Clerk | Dean Olson |
| <>Interfaith N.C. | Dianne Marshall |
| <>PYM Representative | Keith Lisette-Runyan |
| <>CPQM Representative | – |