Dear FMC Community,
As many of you know, the Meeting received a bequest of $400,000.00 in 2021. This money has fluctuated in value in the current economic climate, but we are preparing to take up the joyous task of deciding how to use this generous gift to our community.
A working group consisting of Susan Davies, Jane Jackson, Gail Rogers, and Lynne Weiss has been planning ways to begin a process of discernment. We plan to hold one or more listening sessions in late March and early April. We invite people to offer their perspectives on how some or all of this money should be used at those sessions.
These listening sessions will be a first step in discerning together how we might use this gift. The bequest is totally unrestricted by the donor. It can be treated as a lump sum, or it can be divided into a few large or many smaller portions. It can be spent or invested. It can be used to benefit the Meeting community or other groups. Whatever we choose, the energy and execution need to come from volunteers, and part of our process of discernment will be to develop a sense of where the energy of the Meeting is drawn.
Questions for individuals or groups to answer if they would like to suggest a use for the money at one of the listening sessions:
1. What uses or projects would you propose?
2. How will the Meeting benefit—physically, spiritually, or otherwise—from this proposed use or project?
3. Are there particular groups within the Meeting or beyond it who would benefit from the project, and how and why would they benefit?
4. Why are you suggesting this use or project? What need would the project or suggested use fulfill or how does it inspire you?
5. What steps are needed to implement your idea? Who do you envision doing the work to make it happen? What time frame is involved in executing your suggestion?
Our hope is that the listening sessions will result in individuals or small groups finding leadings regarding these funds and that they will embark on further research to polish proposals to present at Meetings for Business in Worship in the Fall.
We will be sending reminders over the next few weeks, along with the dates for the listening sessions.
