35 Year History of
Columbia Friends Meeting
(1967–2002)
Compiled by Pat Wixom with the help of
John Schuder, Scott Searles, Mike Murray and Nancy Boon
September 2003
Columbia Friends Meeting
A History by Pat Wixom
The Beginnings
Layout by Judy Richards is much appreciated.
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In late 1960 or early 1961, a Friends’ Meeting was started in
the living room of John and Retha Schuder at 300 Edgewood after
the Schuders had moved to Columbia from Trevose, Pennsylvania
(John and the two older children, Linda and Charles were members
of Byberry Friends Meeting in Pennsylvania). Silent Meeting was
held on Sunday mornings, while Retha Schuder kept the children
quiet! Participants included:
Ellen Biddle — a young mother and the daughter-in-law of
Loureide Biddle and, at that time, the wife of Bruce Biddle. Ellen
and Bruce were later divorced.
Bess and Roy Johnson — this middle-aged couple had moved to
Columbia from North Carolina from a Quaker church background.
Roy was the manager of a newly reinstituted city bus system after
private ownership was discontinued. Bess was ill much of the time
with apparent heart failure.
Joanna Collier — a young mother of two small boys, Joanna
was the wife of a psychology professor at the University and
an enthusiastic and very active participant in the newly formed
Committee for Informed Opinion on Nuclear Arms (CIONA).
Although small, and static in numbers, the Meeting was
apparently appreciated by the attendees and met the very real
needs of the participants. Parenthetically, in the early days of our
new Meeting, a longer-term member of the Columbia community
mentioned that there had been a Friends Meeting in the 1940s put
together by Marion Nagler, a faculty member at Stephens College.
Marion Nagler later moved to West Lafayette, Indiana where she
was very active in Friends activities for an extended period of time.
However, it was the arrival of the Dunhams that served as the
catalysis for growth in the size and scope of the Meeting. In 1963
Arthur and Esther Dunham moved to Columbia from Ann Arbor,
Michigan for Arthur to take a position as a visiting professor in
community development with the University. They immediately
got together with the few Friends in Columbia to advertise and
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Columbia Friends Meeting
hold the first organizational meeting on October 11, 1963 at their
apartment at 1709 Hinkson. Friends at this meeting were Carleton
and Sylvia Spotts and son Peter, Nancy Laun, Kathleen Keefe, John
Schuder and the Dunhams. Arthur Dunham had been in prison as a
WWI Conscientious Objector before becoming a Quaker. He was
a spiritual leader and our center for all the peace work that came
later.
The first Meeting for Worship was held at 4 pm, October 27, 1963
at the home of Carleton and Sylvia Spotts, 701 Donnelly Avenue.
Sylvia, who was a birthright Friend from Connecticut, first heard
of the Columbia Friends Meeting from the quiet words of Esther
Dunham. The Meeting was followed by a discussion on the topic
“Who are the Friends?”. Present at the first Meeting for Worship
were Bruce and Ellen Biddle, William Bryon, Rev. and Mrs. Edwin
Cunningham, Gordon and Elizabeth Freese and daughter Alison,
Arthur and Esther Dunham, Kathleen Keefe, Nancy Laun, Gertrude
Mathews, John Schuder and Linda, and Carleton and Sylvia Spotts.
This Meeting for Worship followed newspaper articles on silent
worship. The next discussion on November 3, 1963 was “What a
Small Friends Meeting Can Do”.
In addition to those involved in the first two meetings, Fred and
Pat McTaggart were regular attenders during the 1963-64 period,
after which they moved to Decatur. In January 1964 a report was
given by Arthur Dunham to the Friends World Committee of the first
days of a Friends Meeting in Columbia. A talk was given by William
Biddle on “Religious Motivation and the Scientific Approach”. The
group had a pot luck supper arranged for 15 African community
development workers from Kenya and Tanganyika, including
Frederick Ombira. Frederick was a Friend from Kenya and joined
with Columbia Quakers for the rest of his time in Columbia. In
January, when Frederick had to leave to go back to Kenya he told
one of the members “After I met the Friends, the remaining weeks
passed much too quickly. I want to tell the people in my Friends
Church about the silent worship. It makes everybody feel he has a
part in the worship.”
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A History by Pat Wixom
During this time, Meeting for Worship was held in the homes
of members. On March 1, 1964, the time of Meeting for Worship
was changed from Sunday afternoon to 10 am Sunday morning.
Meeting for Worship was followed by a group discussion that lasted
until noon. During this first year, the Friends Meeting joined the
Columbia Council on Religion and Race and sent a letter to Mayor
John Longwell urging support of a public accommodations bill and
a fair housing ordinance. The Worship Group also helped entertain
members of the Hiroshima World Peace Study Mission. Barbara
Reynolds visited enroute across the world with nuclear bomb
victims, and there was state prison awareness. Arthur Dunham
served as correspondent during that first critical year.
After a summer recess the Friends Worship Group again started
regular Meeting for Worship and discussion in September 1964.
Meeting was held in the homes of members until February 7, 1965
when the place of meeting was changed to the Missouri School of
Religion building at 9th and Lowry Streets. Since the building was
shared with the Unitarians on Sundays, Friends met early--9 am for
discussion and 9:50 to 10:45 for worship. Due to a considerable
extent to the efforts of Esther Dunham, a First Day School was
started for the children. It was during the 1964-65 period that
Robert and Edith Wixom, Clinton Wixom, and Richard Catlett
became part of the group. John Schuder served as Clerk during
this period. In October 1964 we made up our first budget with help
from our treasurer Clinton Wixom and doubled our previous year’s
commitment to giving.
Following a summer recess, Friends again met in the Missouri
School of Religion building in September 1965. Discussions from
9:45 to 10:45 am were preceded by silent Meeting for Worship
from 9:00 to 9:30 am. Three discussions in one month were led
by members of Columbia Friends Meeting and based on Current
Trends in Social Change, A New China Policy (a report for the
AFSC) and Responsibilities in the World at Large. The involvement
of the United States in the Vietnam War was of increasing concern.
Richard Catlett represented the Meeting at the Friends Conference
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Columbia Friends Meeting
and Vigil which was held in Washington D.C. on February 11-14,
1966. John Schuder and four more counseled round the clock.
Campus protesters sought Friendly support.
The 1965-66 period saw the beginning of active consideration
of the possibility of the Meeting affiliating with the larger Society
of Friends. Robert and Clinton Wixom attended the annual meeting
of the Missouri Valley Association and representatives from Iowa
Yearly Meeting (Conservative) and Illinois Yearly Meeting visited
the Columbia Meeting. Visitors from St. Louis Meeting also came
to help Friends decide whether to become a Preparative Meeting
under the care of St. Louis Meeting or a full fledged young Meeting.
Arthur and Esther Dunham returned to their home in Ann Arbor in
September 1965. During the 1965-66 year, Diane Moser, William
Anthony and Russ and Joan Goddard became part of the group.
Russ Goddard was sentenced to a five-year prison sentence and
served 20 months for returning his draft card in opposition to war.
On May 8th Bob Wixom led a discussion on “Science and the Unseen
World”. Gordon Freese served as treasurer and John Schuder as
Clerk during this period. It was at about this time that the term
“Columbia Friends Meeting” started to replace “Columbia Friends
Worship Group”. Friends stated “The classroom atmosphere and
the early hour may have been somewhat inhibitory, though we were
welcomed by the Missouri School of Religion. We have considered
the idea of buying a house to develop a Friends Center.”
In September 1966 the location of Meeting was changed to
the lounge of the United Church of Christ building at 309 Hitt St.
Meeting for Worship was at 10:30 am and discussion from 11:15
until noon. This space was available because a fire had destroyed
the main worship area of the building and the congregation of the
United Church had to meet elsewhere. The lounge, however, was
not damaged and proved to be a most suitable place for Friends
Meeting. At this point Columbia Friends Meeting was generally
small, about 10 people in membership with 4 to 7 at worship
each week. Meetings for Business were called as needed, about
4 during the year supplemented by discussions after Worship.
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A History by Pat Wixom
The Vietnam war and in particular the problem of medical aid to
all parts of Vietnam was of continuing concern to the Meeting.
Through involvement in the Columbia Council on Religion and
Race, the Meeting was active in the successful attempt to obtain
a more racially integrated public school system in Columbia. The
Meeting also joined the Human Development Association of Boone
County. After a lapse of over a year, a First Day School was again
started for the children. Two parents, Lyle Koch and Nancy Laun,
led the children, Doll’s (5), Koch’s (2), Laun’s (3), Biddle’s (3), and
Wixom’s (2). Visiting Friends included Cecil Hinshaw (AFSC),
Irving and Mary Smith and Cecil and Amy Harworth (IYM), Paul
Goulding (FGC), Doris Darnall (AFSC), Clifford Haworth, Ed Wood
and Galen and Verna Wood (St. Louis). Through some very active
individuals, our Meeting expressed its concerns for race, peace and
conscientious objectors in various projects and organizations within
the community.
In the spring of 1966 the Meeting seriously considered the
prospect of renting a house for student activities as well as for
Meeting. In the fall a suitable house was found near campus, which
could be rented for a year for $3600. However, a minute was reached
in the fall stating that “Columbia Friends Meeting …does not feel
prepared to undertake the responsibilities to govern, to finance, to
operate, or to sponsor this project.” It was decided that individual
Friends would be more suitable to undertake these responsibilities.
Scott Dyller, Scott Searles, Fred and Judy Halley, Kay
Westbrook, Barbara Papish, and Eugene Russell were among the
new people who were active during the 1966-67 year. The Meeting
was saddened by the deaths of Edith Wixom and Elizabeth Freese in
the winter and early spring of 1967. A memorial service for Edith
Wixom was conducted under the care of Columbia and St. Louis
Friends Meetings.
*(Borrowing generously from “A Brief History of the Columbia Friends
Meeting” written in September 1967 and also from the one page “HISTORY:
Columbia Friends Meeting” written sometime after 1969 by Gertrude Marshall.
Notes on the early Friends Meeting were provided by John Schuder.)
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Columbia Friends Meeting
Columbia Friends Decide to Form a Meeting
First Day, Fifth Month 28, 1967 - “Friends present are now united
in the desire to join together as an organized Meeting for Business
on the basis of spiritual needs, of sharing in the continued growth of
the worship and social concerns of our group and for participation
and recognition among Friends elsewhere.” Fourteen adults and
11 children signed the application to Illinois Yearly Meeting, which
granted us status as a Meeting in August of that year. John Schuder,
as Clerk, had sent a letter on July 3rd to the attenders of the Columbia
Meeting to find out who would be willing to become members
of Columbia Monthly Meeting. On July 30th a letter from John
Schuder to Harold Flitcraft (Clerk of IYM) saying there were 16
people who would be members after the Meeting became a regular
Meeting of IYM. There would be no mention of the two deaths
during the year, but the two births would be members by request.
We became the Columbia Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society
of Friends, Columbia Friends Meeting for short! In September we
set up separate Meetings for Business, preceded by a pot luck meal,
a custom that we kept up for many years.
It was during the 1966-67 period that preparations were made
for the Friends General Conference at Stephens College which
was held in June 1967. John Schuder had replied to an early letter
from Jeanette Larson in 1965 that Columbia Meeting was in favor
of this although the members of the Meeting were too few and
moving around too much to be counted on to help. Friends General
Conference held an initial consultation at Stephens College in May
1966 and the Planning Committee met at Stephens in September
1966. The Midwest General Conference for Friends was held at
Stephens College on June 25 - July 1, 1967. Carolyn Doll attended,
and received her initial introduction to Friends there.
“Firsts” followed rapidly: first Letter to the Editor on C.O.
Counseling; first sponsored speakers - Don Luce and Betty
Boardman; first political declaration - backing local housing
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A History by Pat Wixom
ordinance; first Christmas bazaar - articles made by the children
and sold for AFSC; first, and deeply searching, consideration of our
responsibilities for overseeing marriage. Fred and Judy Halley were
co-clerks of Columbia Meeting from 1967-68 and again from 196970. Judy said that for such a small Meeting it was very vibrant;
there was a connection between social activism and spiritual
concerns. She felt the diversity in Meeting but also the closeness.
Fred commented on the diversity, but also on the wisdom of Clint
Wixom. Fred was interested in sociology, and had attended prison
Meeting for Worship at Attica Prison. They were among the young
folks acting in the spirit in the period of the Vietnam War. In 1968
Sharen Belcher and others, with the active help of a local clergyman,
State Representative Harold Reisch, helped change Missouri law
so Quakers and other religious bodies could act in lieu of clergy.
This was followed by the wedding of Sharen with Bob Wixom in
July 1969. The Peace Testimony received long, prayerful thought
and action. Many conscientious objectors in the community were
counseled by either John Schuder or Richard Catlett.
In May 1968 there was a report from Columbia Friends Meeting,
which was meeting at 309 Hitt St. in quarters rented from the United
Church of Christ. Meeting consisted of 13 adults and 11 children,
with other attenders coming regularly. In the summer Robert Wixom
organized a picnic at Phillip’s farm and lake south of Columbia, as
well as a canoe float later in the summer. Among newspaper articles
was an advertisement by Friends Meeting and the FOR asking that
holiday greetings be sent to C.O.s in prison. The ad was signed by
John Schuder for the FOR and Fred Halley for Friends Meeting.
Business meeting was still held at homes in the evening with a pot
luck preceding the meeting.
John Schuder was a great influence on Meeting. He helped
coordinate a vigil in front of the Memorial Union during the Vietnam
War Years, starting on Feb. 8, 1967, and sponsored by the FOR. An
FOR sponsored demonstration was held in front of the Post Office
downtown in 1980 to object to the registration bill. Since 1983
an FOR sponsored weekly peace vigil has been held in front of
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Columbia Friends Meeting
the Columbia post office. Many from Friends Meeting have been
regular participants. In 1964, John Schuder, along with three others
from Columbia protested in front of the penitentiary in Jefferson
City as Ronald Wolfe was executed. In January 1969, a letter to
the judge was written about jail conditions, and about having books
for prisoners. Since executions were reinstituted in 1989, many
Friends have been participants in execution night vigils, sponsored
by the FOR, and held in front of the Boone County Courthouse and
in Jefferson City.
Friends were also very interested in our traditional peace
testimony. The Meeting spent considerable time discussing the
Richmond Declaration of 1968 from the Friends National Conference
on the Draft and Conscription, held in October 1968. This was based
on an earlier document, The Friends Peace Testimony, developed
by Friends Coordinating Committee on Peace. In a letter to Eugene
Boardman, Chairman of the Peace and Service Committee of
Illinois Yearly Meeting and in a later Declaration on the Draft and
Conscription, Columbia Meeting stated that “We commit ourselves
to validate our witness by visible changes in our lives, though they
may involve personal jeopardy. We cannot rest until we achieve an
end to conscription and war. Let us hold each other in the Light
which both reveals our weaknesses and strengthens us to overcome
them.”
1970s in Columbia Monthly Meeting
During the 1970’s, the Vietnam war years, people were attracted
to Quaker beliefs, including Pat Lacefield, Linnea Capps, Jim
Hadley, Sue and Mac Brasfield, Fran and Bart Frueh, John Noller,
Lana and Jim DiMian, Loren and Treva Kintner and Iris Brooks.
In 1971 letters from co-clerks Richard Catlett and Julia Newman
supporting the organization of vigils and concerns with the prison
system were written. Some of the concerns of the Meeting were
for amnesty for violators of military law and prevention of death
penalty executions.
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A History by Pat Wixom
On July 24, 1971 Paul Kelly and Cynthia Johnson and on June
3, 1972, Linda Schuder and Ray Brown were married under care
of the Columbia Friends Meeting with the new state law providing
for such traditional Friends Weddings without the need for clergy
involvement. This law also applied to the marriage of Richard
Catlett and Carol Kieninger just a month later in 1972. Columbia
Friends were also concerned about Quakers in Korea who were being
persecuted and about Everyday People, the organization supported
by Meeting. Letters were sent to our representatives in Congress to
object to their support of a budget that deprived so many Americans
of everyday living expenses. These were signed by most of those in
the Meeting. In June-July 1973 Tom DeVol and Lyle Koch led the
discussion periods with exercises on group awareness and sharing.
The pink sheets of welcome to Friends Meeting and explanation of
our silent service were developed about this time. The annual July
picnic was held at the Biven’s home, and a canoe outing led by Bob
Wixom followed it for most of the years. A fall retreat at Camp
Okotipi, which was Robbie Beaver’s uncle’s lodge near Hannibal
was held almost every year with the participation of Friends Hill
Meeting (Quincy) and St. Louis Meeting. Robbie Beaver was an
important part of Meeting throughout this decade.
In 1973 parents decided to continue last year’s rental of the
Children’s House for 2 hours each Sunday, together with a baby
sitter for the younger children. For older children there was a need
for a new approach as the mothers had carried the task for many
years. So the men of the Meeting were suggested and a sign up
sheet passed around on the spot.
It was in March 1974 that McCollum Brasfield died by his own
hand. He had dedicated his life to international relations, having
gone to college in Japan and as part of his alternative service as
a conscientious objector spent two years in Tanganyika working
on community development projects. He had chosen hospital
administration as a career, and had pursued this at the University of
Missouri Medical Center since 1972. He left behind his wife Sue
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Columbia Friends Meeting
and two children, Lela and Andrew. Sue transferred to St. Louis
Meeting with her children in November 1975.
The Meeting met in 1974 in the Ecumenical Center at 813
Maryland Ave. The Meeting considered carefully Illinois Yearly
Meeting’s plans to develop their facilities, and sent a final report in
the summer of 1974. The next summer cars left early for IYM, so
that Columbia could join St. Louis in site preparation.
In 1975 Meeting for Business was held after Meeting for
Worship, followed by a pot luck lunch at some member’s house,
then a continuation of Meeting for Business. The Continental
Walkers came to Columbia and Jeanne Wixom and Lyle Koch went
to meet them, taking food. Interest in a study group was started by
Muriel Bivens. Muriel and Gordon Bivens were an important part
of Meeting since its beginnings. The Bivens left in June 1977 for
an academic position at Iowa State University and arrived safely in
Ames, Iowa.
Special thanks to Clinton Wixom for 9 years of service as
treasurer and for his steadfastness and leadership in the Meeting
was recorded in the minutes of 1975. At the close of his report,
he addressed the Meeting on the importance of a reserve fund, the
value of a Meeting House, and that of Membership.
“The Reserve Fund - was established in the late ‘60s as a building
fund and the Meeting budgeted regular amounts to it. It was further
proposed that it be used for emergencies. It has been used for
several emergencies, but money has been contributed to cover them
and it has been kept intact for the primary purpose. A Meetinghouse
is a solid reminder that this is a worshiping community. We have
been budgeting $80 per year to this fund. I recommend increasing
that, possibly by applying an appropriate part of the official year-end
surplus. Friends might earmark certain parts of their contributions
to be applied to this fund additionally to the budget amount. I intend
to do this. We might make it known occasionally that the Meeting
welcomes bequests to its building fund, too.”
On Membership - Clinton quoted from William Comfort and
from Howard Brinton, saying that it was the system of organization
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A History by Pat Wixom
and membership that they early developed and followed, from
generation to generation. This was aided by the volume of Quaker
literature produced; in the first 50 years some 40 Friends produced
2600 books and pamphlets. By their writing, some Friends made
their voices heard beyond their own Meetinghouse walls, far beyond
their own life spans. Also Yearly Meetings put their beliefs and
practices into “Faith and Practices” or “Disciplines”. The writers
have always stated that these were not rules but guides, yet many
times the distinction between those two words was blurred.
Columbia Meeting received a bequest of $942.18 in January
1976. Meeting for Business was now directly after Meeting, with
no potluck. There was only 1 speaker per month, plus 1 time slot for
Concerns. A State of Society (‘75-’76) talked about study groups,
and about reaching out including Peace Pilgrim, and Pat Lacefield,
and John Noller talking about the world food crisis. Pat Lacefield
and John Schuder were working on a statement for amnesty for war
resisters to be sent to the newspapers in the fall. A farewell party for
the Lacefields was noted in the Minutes of March 6, 1977.
In 1977, John Schuder spoke on needs in CO Counseling.
Programs after Meeting were on FCNL, on Citizen’s Rights
(requested by AFSC), public education, and concerns. The Meeting
joined in Sufi dancing led by John Noller and Janet Deutsch. Pat
Lucas and Carolyn Doll presented discussions on Quaker concerns.
The Meeting reviewed a plan to care for Louriede Biddle while
Bruce was out of town. She will be picked up by taxi from Hillcrest
Manor and various Friends will take her home again. There was a
letter to Harrisburg in support of Sharen Wixom who was teaching
the blind there. The Meeting made a small contribution to Mary
and Jerry Nuremburg who were in charge of a community center in
Cairo, Ill., working for the AFSC.
Michelle Rieling’s letter applying for membership in June 1976
was read with her permission. She was accepted into the Meeting
the next month. Marianne Thomas was accepted as a member of
Meeting in the Minutes of May 1976. Marianne strongly opposed
the death penalty and believed most Americans agreed with her.
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Columbia Friends Meeting
There were minutes of a Special Meeting on July 31, 1977 to discuss
Jeannie Thomas’ wedding to Seyed Hamdani. Thereafter, Jeannie
Thomas decided to have the presence of an ordained minister for
witness to her wedding to Seyed Hamdani from Iran. The wedding
proceeded under the care of Columbia Monthly Meeting. In January
1979, Marianne became very ill. She fortunately recovered and with
her quiet manner and soft voice was an important part of Meeting.
In 1977 the Meeting welcomed Eunice Searles as member of
Meeting. She sent a very eloquent letter to Meeting that we later
sent to Friends Journal. Later in 1977 Eunice Searles was Meeting’s
prison representative. She visited a young man in Moberly, and
then later had some difficulty in visiting prisons as a prison minister.
The Meeting received a letter from James Martin, acting director of
Missouri Division of Corrections, which assured the Meeting that
all correctional institutions have been instructed to allow Quakers to
visit inmates as religious ministers. In 1977 Scott made an end of
his term as Treasurer speech, since he was then to become Clerk, and
Clinton Wixom took over as Treasurer. Clinton Wixom presented
the next year’s budget.
In 1978 Richard Catlett was facing trial as a war tax refuser for
the years 1971 to 1973. In January a Minute was passed reaffirming
the Quaker Peace Testimony of 1660, and support of Richard Catlett.
Richard was sentenced to serve 6 months in a federal prison. People
from both Penn Valley and Columbia Meetings met with Richard
Catlett and fellow prisoners in Kansas City at the Municipal
Correctional Institution on January 28, 1978. The Meeting sent a
copy of Faith and Practice to Richard Catlett’s attorney. Clinton
Wixom, Eunice Searles and Jeanne Wixom recommended a Mutual
Aid Fund in January 1978 of substantial size to be gathered and held
until needed by Meeting members. In January 1979, David Wixom,
Clerk, planned to write letters to both local papers regarding
Richard’s reasons for going to prison. It was agreed that while the
letter should indicate Richard’s actions are compatible with Friends’
testimony, that conversely Friends’ testimony does not necessarily
suggest we all should take Richard’s stand. It should be noted that
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A History by Pat Wixom
Richard Catlett had been a conscientious objector during World War
II, working in the Civilian Public Service Program. Bob Wixom had
also been in the CPS program during WWII and was later in Federal
prison for refusing to register under the 1948 military draft law.
Jim Ellinger was scheduled to be released from prison. A
minute was made affirming support for him and sent to his parole
board in 1978. Letters were written requesting a suspended
sentence for Linnea Lacefield for her participation in the Labor
Day demonstrations in ‘78. In 1979, Eunice Searles and Gertrude
Marshall were interested in “lifers”, a prison program at the
Jefferson City prison. A challenge was put before the Meeting in
the summer of 1977 when a Ku Klux Klan chapter was initiated
in town. Letters were sent from Scott Searles (as Clerk in 1978)
to Patricia Schroeder and from David Wixom (Clerk in 1979) to
President Carter to oppose the military draft.
In May 1978 Clinton Wixom died from an aneurysm. Bob
Wixom found him in his apartment. The local Meeting as well
as Illinois Yearly Meeting was deeply grieved by the death of this
stalwart Friend. He was both a long time Treasurer of Columbia
Meeting and past Treasurer of IYM. The Treasury was passed to
Loren Kintner. The IYM Conference on Sexuality was attended by
Lyle Koch and Pat Lucas. Meeting’s response to issues of sexuality
and marriage were discussed. A clearness committee reported the
request for marriage under the care of the Meeting by David Wixom
and Yvonne Hill for August 12, 1978. David and Yvonne had
requested that the clearness committee stay in touch with them for
the first 6 to 12 months of their marriage. This marriage took place
just before Bob and Jeanne Wixom went to Germany and reported
back to the Meeting on the Friends they met with there.
In 1979 we had use of a second room in the Ecumenical Center,
cooperatively with the Missouri Peace Studies Institute. It could be
used for our library or First Day School, for meetings and committee
or study groups. Eunice Searles, Judy Chamberlain and Bill Foster
joined Meeting. Gordon Biven, Sharen Wixom, Pat and Linnea
Lacefield transferred membership away. But the next year Pat
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Columbia Friends Meeting
Lacefield and Bill Wickersham were back as part of a public panel
against defense measures. Such is the case with a Meeting in a
college town; people are continually on the move!
Evening business meeting in February 1979 was after potluck
at Scott and Eunice Searles’ house. Bob Gordon was visiting from
Iran. Subsequently, Scott Searles pursued help for Bob Gordon,
who was staying in Iran with his wife’s parents. Bob Gordon was
intent on Iran’s reformation. He was employed at Demarvanal
College in Teheran, Iran. Scott offered to help him if possible and
tried to call Bob’s in-laws.
Concrete plans for hosting the IYM Continuing Committee on
October 13, 1979 at Daniel Boone Regional Library in Columbia
were finalized. David Wixom, clerk of Columbia Meeting, arranged
food and housing. Lunch on Saturday was held at Carolyn Doll’s
house with David Wixom, Gertrude Marshall, and Judy Richards
going to the store to buy sandwich fixings; everyone that ate then
shared the cost. Treva Kintner donated tomatoes and watermelon.
Supper was a potluck dinner at the Ecumenical Center and there
were extra people to feed so Friends were reminded to bring plenty
of food
There was a payment to Friends Journal for the announcement
of Columbia Friends Meeting. Judy Richards stated that it was
through this source that she learned of the Columbia Meeting. It
was noted that the circle we sit in during our worship indicates our
openness.
An interest was expressed by Hank and Lyle Koch, Marty
Patton, and David Wixom in visiting a new worship group at
Kirksville. The membership of Mike Nash was completed. Marty
Patton and Gail Meglitsch also became members. The wedding of
Gail Meglitsch and Ron Tipton at their home, on September 21,
1979 was very moving, with the Divine Spirit being felt intimately.
A request for marriage from Tom DeVol and PeriAnne Brumley
was announced. Richie Catlett and later Natalie were registered as
birthright Quakers.
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A History by Pat Wixom
The Meeting’s 1979-1980 budget was drawn up and approved.
There was talk, and it was noted, that it was then probably feasible
for Columbia Friends Meeting to build or buy a Meetinghouse. It
was decided at business meeting to fast on 11-29 to 12-2 to show
solidarity with those starving in Cambodia and Thailand. In
November 1979, the study group reported on their efforts to set up
a series of discussions on Quaker history and testimonies. The next
study group meeting was at Ron and Gail’s home, on November 16,
and Bob Wixom gave an illustrated talk on English Quaker history.
Lyle Koch and Ron Tipton were jubilantly accepted as members
of Meeting. Scott Searles wrote several Congressional letters as
Clerk of the Meeting. These letters were an effort to change the
budget priorities and were signed by 25 members and attenders of
Meeting.
1980 - 1985 in Columbia Meeting
In the 1980s the Meeting moved to the Presbyterian student
center, at 100 Hitt St. The Meeting approved having a file of those
who wished to document their CO beliefs. CO cards were filled out
by W. Jesse Biddle, Susan Morse, Paul A. Searles, Byron Fisher, and
Jennifer L. Biddle. Later Gary Walden and David L. DeBoe also
wrote out their beliefs. Hank Koch stated the Meeting’s stationary
printing style which he had developed symbolized the continued and
thus hopefully eternal traditions of the Religious Society of Friends
and in particular their value of harmonious individuality because the
printing style is old and slightly irregular. The letterhead was printed
with gray ink on the side of the page so an aesthetic letter could be
more easily typed or written. The Meeting was impressed.
In January 1982 Susie Morse started Nurturing Peacemakers.
A special minute in support of Susie was approved on January 24,
1982. She was not asking for money, but for sponsorship and a
clearness committee from the Meeting. The next year there was
a report of Nurturing Peacemakers Project - Susie resigned from
Stephen’s College to devote full time to this project. A special fund
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Columbia Friends Meeting
was started in Meeting, largely contributed to by her parents, to
make sure she had enough funds with which to live. In 1984 Susie
Morse and Linda Harlan sponsored a workshop on Creative Conflict
Resolution with Children, sponsored by Parenting for Peace and
Justice and Educators for Social Responsibility. She offered a
special evening for parents on conflict resolution. Susie Morse
presented the annual report for Nurturing Peacemakers Project,
which received enthusiastic support.
May 17-18, 1983 was the Spring Retreat at Camp Oko-Tipi.
Child care rotated among all members and attenders. This was
an annual retreat of the Meeting in conjunction with Friends Hill
Meeting and others. Camp Oko-Tipi was closed in 1984 and then
reopened as a YMCA camp. Concerns of Columbia Meeting
were mostly with the Peace Tax Fund and Conscientious Objector
Counseling. There was a list of offices of the Meeting including
the Mutual Aid Committee, Special Activities Organizers, Program
Organizer, MASW correspondent, Resource Sharing Committee.
There were about 15 to 20 people at each business meeting. As in
the past since the Meeting was formed, minutes were taken and then
read and corrected at the next business meeting.
The Meeting had both its tragedies and helpful events. Charles
Wright died on February 13, 1980. Eunice Searles spent some time
in the hospital. Chris White’s wife Marilyn died in an auto accident
in California. Jeanne Wixom suffered from a recurrence of her
cancer and died in October 1983. Becky Westling had been in the
hospital for surgery, but was looking forward to gradually getting
back on her feet. On a lighter note, David and Yvonne Wixom left
for Kansas City to pursue their objectives. In May, the Meeting lost
Iris Brooks, who went to Arkansas; and Ken and Phyllis Wallace,
who went to Alabama. Nancy Laun and Terry Ingram were married
and moved to their new home in Apple River, Illinois. There
was a warm welcome to new members Annette Weaver and Jim
Ellinger. Carol Fulkerson gave the Meeting a letter of application
for membership on March 21, 1982. At Meeting new attenders were
Bruce Lafleur, Chris and Mary Starbuck, David and Janet Mehr,
18
A History by Pat Wixom
Carolyn Brittell, and Susan Dean. In December 1983 the Donegan
family joined Columbia Monthly Meeting. In October 1984, Greg
and Mary Neal, who became members in June 1983 shortly before
moving to Tennessee, had a child Julia Christine, who is a birthright
Friend in Columbia Meeting. Carolyn and Jack Doll have moved
to New Mexico and are settling in well. There was clearness for the
marriage of Laura Doll and Ethan Froese.
Jim Ellinger was involved in prison advocacy and gave a talk at
Blue River Quarterly. Later there was talk of splitting Blue River
Quarter into Northern and Southern portions so that people would
have a shorter distance to commute. It met with some disagreement
and was discussed over several Meetings, but eventually died down
and Blue River Quarter went on as earlier. A few members of
Meeting joined the 28 people who went on a 40 mile peace walk
to missile site C-4 near Pilot Grove. They met with others at the
missile site to leave peace symbols and plant flowers there. Susie
Morse felt it was a very centering experience. During this winter
Peace Pilgrim made a visit to Columbia with several speaking
engagements, hosted by Gertrude Marshall. There was a coalition
for Missouri Corrections, and a Costa Rican slide show.
Ned Stowe was the recipient of considerable discussion in
September 1983 and Meeting decided to give him $50 from the
Meeting treasury plus whatever individual Friends offered. He
needed help in paying his hospital bill and discussing alternative
ways of using his money. Ned soon left Columbia and was active
in Urbana-Champaign Meeting and then served with FCNL. As of
September 2002, Ned continues as a Legislative Secretary of FCNL,
a position he has held for a number of years.
Sanctuary for Central American refugees was discussed in March
1984, as proposed by Carolyn Doll, Clerk. The proposal seemed to
be gaining some community support, but a place of sanctuary in
Columbia never came to fruition. There was a contribution of $25.
to the Community Friends School in Crossville, TN. In May 1984,
there was a list of books in the library, including older books of
1815 up to 1909; and Religious Education suggestions and ground
19
Columbia Friends Meeting
rules were made. In February 1983, Gary Walden began to edit the
newsletter. Gary was very thorough in his writing and made a long
newsletter of 7 extra long pages.
The committee on Ministry and Worship with Bruce Froehke,
convener, agreed that the Committee should also discuss:
1. the appearance of the Meeting room
2. our capacity to respond to potential members and troubled
Friends
3. support for the personal quests of members for spiritual
study and practice.
An official minute passed March 3, 1985, concerning Meeting
for Worship. Promptness consisted of being present and in your
seats by 10:00 am. Latecomers should wait until the children leave
at 10:15 am. The committee asks for renewed commitment to
keeping announcements as brief as possible, with the announcement
period lasting no more than 10 minutes.
Melanie Ann Powell was born to Mary Ann and Phillip Powell.
She was welcomed into Meeting, and her parents asked that she be
given birthright status in Columbia Meeting. A request for membership by Joan Gilbert was received at the September 1985 Meeting for Business. There was also a request for a clearness committee
for marriage by Robert Wixom. Lynne Fitz-Hugh offered a workshop on Imaging the World without Weapons. Hank Koch opened a
photo-exhibit entitled “Where two rivers meet: Cairo, Illinois.”
Carol McKeever performed CPR on a man who was stricken
with a heart attack and had collapsed. The man’s heart was not
beating, nor was he breathing. He was rescued by the Boone
Hospital Center ambulance. The man was Gary Walden’s greatuncle, Edwin Westbrook. He underwent a triple by-pass just 5 days
after Gary’s father left the hospital following his own quadruple bypass. Gary Walden’s father had a serious heart problem in 1985, but
recuperated.
Gertrude Marshall reported on the plans to hold Alternatives
to Violence Project training weekends with facilitators from New
York Yearly Meeting. The AVP training weekends in April and May
20
A History by Pat Wixom
1985 were a big success, with 15 for the first weekend and 5 for the
second. Lynne Fitz-Hugh, Marianne Thomas, and Mariana Johns
then offered a mini community workshop. The other graduates
were Sister Ruth Heaney, Nancy Stine and Gertrude Marshall. AVP
has two workshops planned, one at Missouri State Penitentiary and
one at Algoa Prison. There were 23 resident members of Columbia
Meeting for the IYM Quota. George Mummert’s peace ministry
was part of the budget. Schweinsburg Mission was a large part of
designated contributions ($700.). Alternatives to Violence was also
a large part of designated contributions ($525.).
The State of the Meeting report for 1985 was discussed
collectively after silent worship. Members and attenders reported
that quality of worship was good. Others have stayed away saying
that too much time was given to announcements and Meeting was
too political. First Day school is struggling with volunteers for 2
weeks only. JoAnn Gilbert had the new responsibility of producing
a children’s newsletter. The budget has been stretched to the limit.
We have catching up to do in the next year. We have gratitude for
those of us who are dedicated to Envisioning a Peaceful World, and
those who keep the Post Office Vigil.
1985 - 1990 in Columbia Meeting
At the Meeting for business more information was needed on
two topics: How to Become a Member of the Religious Society
of Friends, and The Mutual Aid Fund - managed by a committee
consisting of the clerk, treasurer, and a third person who serves as an
attender. Many community events having to do with peace, feeding
the hungry, and the peace vigil were addressed.
A most uncomfortable situation occurred in 1986-87 with
Brian DeSilva. Brian had hosted Business Meeting in his home on
September 8, 1985, and was given special thanks for this. Also he has
had a Quaker study group at his home on Thursdays. In 1987 Brian
was renominated as recording clerk, and he was also the convener of
Ministry and Worship Committee. In December he kept the minutes
21
Columbia Friends Meeting
at his apartment while he went on a visit to Florida. Unfortunately, at
this time he was also having trouble with his postgraduate program
in civil engineering and aeronautics at the University of Missouri.
He read the minutes drafted for May and June business meetings
which were then approved. Brian, however, felt that the minute
books were his personal property, and refused to allow the Meeting
to have them. Brian was confronted and some reconciliation was
effected, but he still kept the Minutes. Fortunately, these were only
the Minutes for about two years, and we had copies or synopses of
most of these in the Newsletters. Later Gertrude heard from Brian
DeSilva, who was at that time in Las Vegas.
There was a report from Peace and Social Concerns Committee
- a long list of concerns; reading the FCNL newsletter; sending
letters to the newspapers. A plan was presented to have the
committee present letters to the Missourian and Tribune every 3-4
months, signed by the names of each committee member. A letter
to the Editor by the Peace and Social Concerns Committee in April
1986, was composed by Larry Williams and opposed worldwide
hostilities.
Information about various members and attenders of Meeting in
1986 follows. Lynn Fitz-Hugh moved to Seattle and was working
with VORP there. Synthea Maas moved to Manhattan, KS on
completion of her veterinary studies. Bruce Froehlke was going to
Carlinville, IL. after sharing 12 meditations he developed at Pendle
Hill. Carolyn and Jack Doll have returned from Cape Cod, where
Jack had been associated with the Woods Hole Laboratories for the
past two years. Bob and Pat Wixom visited for a short time, but they
are going back to Philadelphia for the rest of 1986. Drs. Charles
and Jan Swaney have moved to Columbia with their 3 month old
baby, Leah. David Mehr was an active part of the Meeting.
The August Meeting for Business was held in the Ecumenical
Center since it was too hot to go to Finger Lakes State Park. The
regular retreat with Quincy Friends did not materialize but Friends
were invited to join with St. Louis Friends at their retreat near
Union, MO. Budget for the next year was given. The Meeting had
22
A History by Pat Wixom
a deficit of over $1100. during the last year, bringing the general
reserve down to $323. It was decided to have a general discussion
of budget problems during the “Concerns” time. In 1987 the
Meeting had been unable to meet its IYM quota, let alone make
other contributions that it had budgeted. In view of the impasse, it
was decided to make an announcement in the newsletter and also to
rework the budget. A singing period just before the regular Meeting
for Worship was held each week led by Loureide Biddle and
Gertrude Marshall. John Schuder was convener of Peace and Social
Concerns committee. Karen Shippen continued as treasurer. Scott
Searles became newsletter editor with many thanks to Gary Walden
for his several years of writing excellent monthly newsletters.
On December 27, 1987 the Meeting received a letter from
the Sunrise Worship Group at Springfield saying that they were
considering becoming a preparative meeting, though they hadn’t
decided under whose auspices since they were equidistant from
three Meetings. We will strongly encourage this. The clerk will
write and ask why they want a Preparative Meeting status rather
than becoming a regular Meeting, and what they would expect of
us. They could choose between Penn Valley Meeting (belonging
to Iowa Conservative Yearly Meeting), the South Central Yearly
Meeting, and Columbia Monthly Meeting (member of Illinois
Yearly Meeting). They are also investigating other possibilities.
They gave a little bit of their history, saying they had been founded
by the Rickabaughs, of Seymour, MO. When the Rickabaughs left,
about 1981, they moved the Meeting to Springfield. Later Emmett
McCracken wrote for Sunrise Worship Group, saying that they had
decided to affiliate as a preparative meeting under the care of Green
Country Meeting of South Central Yearly Meeting. Bob Wixom
suggested sending Sunrise Worship Group a letter expressing our
joy in their decision to move forward to closer affiliation with
Friends, and hoping for continued contact with them.
Sylvia Spotts has begun to attend Meeting once again in 1988,
and offered a poem on Wisdom to the Meeting. Annette Weaver
suggested establishing a visitor’s bookshelf, with paperback copies
23
Columbia Friends Meeting
of fundamental Quaker books to be borrowed. She said that
this might stop the drain of our hardback volumes that had been
occurring. She also suggested she might advertise for funds to
establish such a bookshelf in the newsletter. This was approved by
the Meeting. Some discussion was made of photographic albums,
including one by Karen Shippen of current events, and one by
Scott Searles as a historical one with writing as well as pictures. A
photograph album was suggested for the Meeting by Gary Walden
in 1988. Unfortunately, these albums were not updated after 1990.
Advancement Committee proposed having a newsletter every two
months, alternating with a calendar of activities. Scott Searles is the
new newsletter editor.
The problem of David Wixom’s request for Caryn’s birthright
membership in Columbia Meeting in 1988, while the rest of the
family belongs to St. Louis Meeting, was considered at length. There
was considerable discussion of baby Caryn Wixom’s application. It
was decided to hold off doing anything, while offering support to
David. It was finally decided not to accept her as a member, but to
view this application as a clear distress signal, and to respond in as
supportive and helpful a way as possible. In October this application
was laid aside as David Wixom was encouraged by the recent efforts
of St. Louis Meeting to care for its children.
The Nurturing Peacemakers report was given. Susie Morse will
be moving to Ann Arbor in the spring of 1989 but Linda Harlan
and Gail Plemmons are ready to take over. She will talk with
replacements for her role, who would then have to meet with the
committee from the Meeting. She had prepared a 1987-88 year
end report showing that they have given 27 workshops with an
attendance of 513 people, as well as activities on KOPN and in two
newspaper articles. Linda and Gail are committed to continuing the
Nurturing Peacemakers Project in the areas of Drama, Workshops,
Children, Curriculum, and Resources. The project is a program
of the Columbia Friends Meeting and is funded by individual
contributions from both within and outside the Meeting. Susie
Morse will talk to the Peace Alliance on February 18. April 29 will
24
A History by Pat Wixom
be a Pancake breakfast at Rock Bridge State Park, which will be a
farewell party for Susie Morse.
Appreciation was given to the religious education teachers:
Marty Patton, Mary and Tom Watson, Carol Keininger, Chris and
Mary Starbuck, Kim Dowat and the Davidsons. Children are urged
to be with their parents the first 15 minutes of Meeting for Worship.
There will be a picnic on Sunday, July 26, 1987 at Bethel Park, after
Meeting for Worship. A need for a regular mid-week gathering
of Friends was expressed by some members of the Committee.
This might be better than having a discussion or talk or Meeting
for Business after Meeting for Worship, because these activities
make too long a morning for those with small children. A Foster
Grandparents Program for children in the Meeting was discussed.
A questionnaire was proposed to have adults indicate which child
in the Meeting they would like to have a special relationship with.
It was emphasized that this would only signify the interest of the
adults in having such a relationship. In January 1988 religious
education included “Family Gifts”, “We Can Help Too!” and “The
Dream Goes On”. Child-care for infants and toddlers was provided
each First Day from 10 am to noon by either Phillip Powell or Marty
Patton. The Davidson’s gave the March lessons for the children
culminating in 20 children attending the Easter lesson. Religious
Education Program had a broad theme for the fall of Old Testament
Bible stories. A monthly lesson sequence offered children a chance
to have a lesson with their peers: Preschoolers - first Sunday, K3rd grade - second Sunday, and 4th-6th Grades - third Sunday, with
Intergenerational Sunday on the fourth Sunday. A sheet was passed
around so that other members of Meeting could sign up, at least
once a semester, to help the teachers. In the fall there were 15 adults
and 9 children present at business meeting.
Social activities in 1987 and 1988 - There were 3 hikes in scenic
areas around Columbia, the week-end float trip on the Meramac R.
and the Easter egg hunt for the children. Bob Wixom led a fall
canoe float trip on the Big Piney R, including a 8-9 mile hike on the
Big Piney Trail in the Paddy Creek Wilderness Area. Bob Wixom
25
Columbia Friends Meeting
and Jeanne Davidson led a discussion of environmental concerns on
understanding, and on personal and/or group action. The queries on
the environment are not historical, but are a forum for present day
discussion. There was a spring wildflower family hike, and then
the 16th Annual Quaker Float Trip with 30 Friends and friends of
Friends. In the fall we had a family outing to Swan Lake National
Wildlife Refuge, and later there was a family picnic and hike at
Rock Bridge State Park. Jeanne Davidson interpreted the karst
rock structure and Bob Wixom led and gave some insight on the
kaleidoscopic fall colors. After the family breakfast in 1988 Bob
Wixom led a spring wildflower walk in the park. This was followed
by the 17th annual Quaker family float trip, which was a rubber raft
float trip on a river in the Ozarks.
Columbia Meeting hosted IYM’s Continuing Committee in
March 1988. At the same time, a workshop for members of nearby
Friends Meetings, especially the small and preparatory Meetings,
was planned.
On Saturday evening sharing on the Quaker
Testimonies was led by Lucy Talley and Maurine Pyle, and included
Friends from Rolla, Plumbottom and Sunrise Meetings. IYM
Continuing Committee met in the Ecumenical Center. Columbia
Meeting was in charge of a light breakfast at Chez Café beforehand,
a light lunch at Chez Café midway, and a pot luck supper at the end
of the day. At the April Meeting for Business, a minute proposed by
Gertrude Marshall as follows was approved: “With grateful hearts,
we commend Robert Wixom for his excellent job in promoting,
making arrangements for, and carrying out the details (right down
to cleaning up the last crumbs) for the Spring 1988 Meeting of IYM
Continuing Committee in Columbia, March 25-27, 1988.”
Loureide Biddle’s 85th birthday was celebrated with cake, ice
cream and singing. In November 1987 Carolyn Brittell was warmly
approved as a member of Meeting. A request from William and Jill
Donegon for transfer of their memberships to the West Knoxville,
TN, Meeting was read and approved. Kim Dowat’s application for
membership was approved. There was news from Ron Tipton and
Gail Meglitsch, Mike Nash in Knoxville, Pat and Julie Sweet, the
26
A History by Pat Wixom
Lacefields back from two years in San Salvador in October 1987;
from Barbara Moulton who had been working in Guatemala, and
from Nancy Ingram. In 1988 there was a picture of John Schuder
on the vigil line in front of the Post Office in Sunday’s Columbia
Tribune. Pat Wixom, a more recent and occasional demonstrator,
was on TV in the vigil line and march to Volkmer’s office. Welcome
to two active families: Jeanne, Hugh and Kevin Davidson transferred
from Boulder Meeting, and Richard and Carol, Jesse and Sarah
McKeever. The McKeevers expressed their unity with Friends by
joining Columbia Meeting in April 1988 before leaving for family
practice residency in Maine. A request for membership from Robert
H. Warren from Sunrise Worship Group in Springfield was read. A
committee was appointed to meet with Robert when he came to our
Meeting , after which we approved his membership.
John Schuder, convener, reports the Peace Testimony and
Social Concerns Committee has been relatively inactive lately,
due to lack of availability of people who have the commitment and
time needed. However the vigil line at the Post Office and draft
registration counseling services continue. Gary Walden composed a
letter to be sent to new attenders or visitors. At December Monthly
Meeting for Business in 1987 we anticipated financial problems
since contributions were significantly less than a year ago. Meeting
for Business discussed an innovative idea regarding the time frame
of Meeting for Worship and the Discussion period. Special talks will
now precede Meeting for Worship, starting at 9:30 am. There were
two types of problems, one concerned with individual expression
at Meeting, and the other with individual spiritual growth. Two
poems by Sylvia Spotts were given on “Suffer the Little Children”
and “Repeated Lesson”. A report on the photographic history of
Columbia Friends by Gary Walden was presented; and descriptions
of the Columbia FOR and of the national NIBSCO and CCCO
organizations by John Schuder. May monthly Meeting for Business
was an evening meeting followed by pot luck supper and visiting.
There were 8 in attendance at both April and May monthly Meetings
for Business.
27
Columbia Friends Meeting
Chris Griffith, son of John and Reva Griffith of the Penn Valley
Meeting in Kansas City was shot and killed while riding with a
friend. He was a physical therapist. A memorial to Chris Griffith
was written up by the Meeting. In 1988, the views of John and Reva
Griffith on the sacredness of human life, which they had expressed
to the judge, caused Meese to be given life imprisonment for Chris’
murder, but the death penalty for the murder of James Watson. The
Griffiths told us that the judge spoke to them privately afterwards,
thanking them for their letter and saying that he hoped that someday
their view would prevail. Columbia Meeting had written a letter
that was signed by Susan Morse for Columbia Friends Meeting
expressing our opposition to the death penalty. There will be a
memorial meeting for Chris Griffith. A scholarship fund in Chris
Griffith’s memory has been set up for physical therapy students.
Appreciation was expressed to Bob Jones for bringing his
children, Annie and Sam, into Meeting at 10:30. The Meeting
was delighted with the young babies who have been coming, Neil
Davidson and Jeremy Garnett. There was a welcome to new regular
attender Cindy Scantlen. We said goodby to Kim Dowat who was
moving to Minneapolis with her 3 children, Raven, Cole, and Iris.
Gertrude volunteered to use some of her AVP exercises in getting to
know and trust each other in the preworship period. Pat Wixom’s
transfer of membership from London Grove Meeting, Pennsylvania
was approved. Pat and Gertrude went to IYM on August 3-7 and
had a wonderful experience. Others were invited to attend.
The Meeting welcomed with joy the announced plans to marry
in the fall of 1988 of Gertrude Marshall and Robert Marble. Bob
Marble has worked on the AVP project with Gertrude and brought to
it a flavor of India where he has been a missionary for many years.
A favorable report was given for the marriage of Gertrude Marshall
and Robert Marble under the care of the Meeting on October 7, 1988.
Committee members for the wedding are Pat and Bob Wixom and
Annette Weaver. The wedding took place in a beautiful service.
Pat and Bob Wixom introduced the proposed Friends IYM
Peace Tax Fund. “Certain members of the Illinois Yearly Meeting
28
A History by Pat Wixom
…, having examined their consciences regarding the payment
of military taxes, feel led to refuse to pay taxes used for military
purposes. Wishing to stand in unity with these members and
attenders of IYM Friends Meetings in their efforts to faithfully
maintain the Quaker peace testimony, and in recognition and
support of efforts other groups have made to oppose military taxes,
IYM establishes the Friends IYM Peace Tax Fund.”
Our correspondent from Algoa, Dan Morgan, was trying to get
permission for a Silent Meeting in prison. John Schuder and Howard
Hendricks attended the recent candlelight vigil in Jefferson City on
the occasion of the state execution of convicted murderer George
Mercer. John expressed his heartfelt sorrow that our government
is deliberately killing fellow human beings. This turn of events
is made sadder by the fact that the death sentence has not been
imposed in Boone County since the late 1960’s. In the January 1989
calendar were reasons for opposition to capitol punishment. This is
particularly timely as Missouri has just had its first legal execution
in 20 years.
The Advancement Committee, led by clerk Jeanne Davidson
proposed to invite Elise Boulding to come for a visit in the spring.
Elise gave a lecture during the Peace Perspectives week in October
1989. Scott Searles asked about the possibility of hosting the
Midwest group of New Foundation Fellowship for one of their
meetings, and this also received a favorable response. Since
Christmas and New Year’s Day occurred on Sunday this year, we
had our regular Meetings for Worship then. Three worshipped
together on Christmas Day: John Schuder, Scott Searles and Hank
Koch. It was decided to recognize all November birthdays, including
Loreide’s 86th, at the Intergenerational breakfast on November 27,
1988.
Congratulations are in order for Neva Reece, now a member of
the faculty of Central Methodist College. At the intergenerational
breakfast Karen Shippen will help us learn some of Gregory’s sign
language, and brief us on the monthly first day school program, and
grandparent fostering. Columbia Friends pledged approximately
29
Columbia Friends Meeting
$370 to help defray the expense of upgrading the sewer system
and installing handicapped-accessible toilet facilities at the Yearly
Meeting House, McNabb, Illinois. The newsletter editor Scott
Searles, has been quite ill with flu and bronchitis. The eagle days
outing at Clarkesville on the Mississippi River was successful
with 8 adult Friends and 3 children. The Wixom family went and
welcomed other participants.
The committee on Ministry and Worship discussed specifically
the present interruption of the silence of the first 15 minutes by
singing and talks to the children. In most meetings, it takes the first
15 minutes to center down. This part of the report was objected
to, and further discussion is planned. The practice of sandwiching
Meeting for Worship between the opening and closing Business
Meeting sessions was discussed. A “consensus” developed that
Business Meeting should follow Meeting for Worship. Appreciation
was expressed for Karen Shippen’s excellent record keeping and
summaries as treasurer. Meeting advised its committees to obtain
input from the children of the Meeting and to nurture their growth
as full Meeting members. It was then proposed that children should
be appointed to committees along with adults. In response to Bob’s
inquiry, two children said that they would like to be on committees,
too. The report of the Meeting’s Pancake Breakfast mentioned 14
adults and 13 children in April 1989. The report on the State of the
Meeting was given including a report of the Children’s program, the
Business Meetings, discussion topics, and social activities. A report
of the spring Blue River Quarter was given, in which they suggested
dividing BRQ into an Eastern half and a Western half, to decrease
the distance Friends had to travel.
News of Friends and Meetings was shared. We enjoyed contacts
with Green Country Friends, including a visit by Dave and Dodo
Swaney and frequent news of Bill and Pat Sweet, former Columbia
Meeting attenders who now meet with Green Country Friends.
Lynn Fitzhugh, former attender, is still in Seattle continuing her
peacemaking work. New members in Columbia Meeting are
Howard and Laurel Hendrix. Proposed Christmas activities in
30
A History by Pat Wixom
1989 included staffing a food bank booth at Columbia Mall, giftgiving at St. Francis Catholic Worker House, caroling at a nursing
home, and enjoying a potluck dinner at the Wixoms’ home. There
was a request from Carolyn Doll for a letter to be sent to Phoenix,
AZ Friends Meeting confirming Nancy Doll’s participation in
Columbia Meeting and it was approved. A request for membership
was received from Neva Reece. Neva Reece has recently moved to
Fayette, and was warmly welcomed into membership.
It was decided that future Minute presentation would be
facilitated by the recording clerk preparing two kinds of Minutes.
One set of Business Meeting Minutes will be “in-depth” and
detailed; a shorter version, focused on the essence of the Meeting
will form the official Minutes. Business Meeting started out with
9 present. By the end of 2½ hrs only 4 people were present. June
Business Meeting was held at Rock Bridge State Park with only a
few people present. Announcements were discussed at length, with
the decision that they should be written out and given to the clerk
to read after Meeting for Worship, but that this will not be made a
rigid rule.
Meeting endorsed the American Forestry Association’s Global
Re-Leaf Project, a national effort to plant 100 million new trees in
the next four years presented by Bob Wixom. At the instigation
of a Baltimore Yearly Meeting project, Seeds for Peace, Meeting
agreed to try to collect surplus seed from area seed companies for
distribution by BYM to needy farmers in other countries. Meeting
encouraged individual members and attenders to help defray the
educational expenses of a Kenyan student studying for the ministry
at Earlham College. In December 1989, at a Called Business
Meeting, a “Burundi fund” was established under the care of Debra
Howenstine to help defray the medical expenses of an African
woman living in Columbia who is suffering from progressive
deafness.
The tea that the women of the Meeting had for the Moslem
women on February 24 was well attended. Everyone enjoyed the
talking and the refreshments, while children played underfoot,
31
Columbia Friends Meeting
having a good time, too. One of the things all seemed to agree on
was that if women held high places in the governing of our lives,
there would probably not be any wars! We had a very good feeling
from this party and wished we had done it earlier. We hope the
Islamic women will help us continue the relationship.
Friends agreed to sponsor an open house as a Quaker outreach
to the community. Our first open house took place on Sunday
evening, October 29, 1989 at the former Ecumenical Center from 7:
15 to about 9:30 pm. There were 7 visitors. Friends present agreed
that it should be an annual event. In November, the closing of the
Ecumenical Center on December 31 was discussed. There was a
feeling that we should be making plans, even if in the end we did not
have to move. In December it was announced that the Meeting will
be able to use the Ecumenical Center until the end of June. In June,
the clerk, Pat Wixom, raised the question of where we can meet after
we have to leave the Ecumenical Center. Friends discussed several
potential new sites for Meeting for Worship; Stephens College, the
Hillel Foundation, Christian Science and Seventh Day Adventist
churches, all in Columbia. An update was given on prospective
sites for the Meeting, if it was necessary to leave the Ecumenical
Center. Various other churches were considered. Kip Westling
and Phillip Powell have talked of helping to build a Meetinghouse,
and Bob Wixom volunteered to be on a committee to locate a site.
Friends viewed suggestions to find a building site and construct a
Meetinghouse as longer-range possibilities requiring much more
discussion. Most people seemed to prefer to continue to seek rental
quarters.
At the Presbyterian Center a second annual open house was
planned as a form of Quaker outreach to the community. The Open
House was set for October 21, 1990 in the evening. The theme
was “Can we be a peaceable people.” Speakers provided insight to
their Quaker grounded social action and experience. Those to speak
included Gertrude Marshall, John Schuder and Sabina Wangia.
Scott Searles presented a historic perspective on the Quaker
experience. Fifteen Friends and five new attenders participated.
32
A History by Pat Wixom
The Clerk announced that a small bequest of $600. was given the
Columbia Friends Meeting from Sara B. Tow of Mexico, Missouri,
and we received a check for this in March 1990.
Columbia Friends Obtain a Meeting House
In the summer of 1989 a small church on Hickman St., across
the street from Jefferson Jr. High School, came onto the market. The
Columbia Meeting had been concerned with the instability of the
Ecumenical Center, and having a permanent place for the children
of the Meeting. At a called Business Meeting on July 30, 1989 the
Meeting was in unity that we would like to make long range plans
for owning a Meetinghouse and we should take immediate steps to
secure a meeting place that would be ours throughout the week, and
give a sense of permanency to the Meeting. At that same meeting
we agreed that we didn’t want to buy the former United Community
Baptist Church on Hickman St. Some of the problem areas were the
neighborhood, the lack of yard, the possibly inadequate separation
of child care and meeting space, as well as the need for major repairs.
Therefore a property committee was appointed to investigate options
for both the long range goal of owning our own Meetinghouse, and
the more immediate goal of finding a suitable, affordable meeting
place when the Presbyterians decide what they are going to do
with the Ecumenical Center. The property committee consisted
of: Chris Starbuck (convener), Annette Weaver, Neva Reece, Kip
Westling, Karen Shippen, and Pat Wixom. Ten options were listed
encompassing renting or buying or building, a large or small house,
and establishing a long range but active fund for a Meetinghouse,
with specific goals and developing plans for its use.
The Meeting for Business decided that in 1990 there should
be a category referred to as “Rent/Mortgage” in the budget that
should total approximately $350 per month and enable us to
monitor whether we could sustain a regular payment. In addition
the Meeting for Business approved the creation of the Columbia
Friends Meeting House Fund. Meanwhile in November, Friends
33
Columbia Friends Meeting
held a trial Meeting at the End of the Rainbow Daycare Center in
Grindstone Village. A site was considered bordering on Grindstone
Park, but sewage problems eventually ruled it out.
During the fall, Chris Starbuck reported for the property
committee on a fruitful discussion. The property committee had
looked at several houses for sale, and we had a much better idea
of possibilities and costs. It had become increasingly apparent
that properties meeting our needs might be had in the $30,000$50,000 range. Efforts were concentrated on getting a better idea of
construction costs, finding land available for building, and obtaining
the necessary financing. In February 1990 Pat Wixom as the Clerk
suggested the Meeting could relieve the property committee
of its search for immediate temporary rental quarters, since we
were welcome to stay in our present quarters indefinitely, and the
Presbyterian Church seemed very willing to accommodate our
needs. The Meeting was unable to unite on this suggestion as some
members still felt the Ecumenical Center was not an acceptable
place for Meeting for Worship. The Meeting was proceeding, still
without unity on the means to obtain or the final form of our own
Meetinghouse, but showing flexibility, listening to one another’s
concerns and remaining open to greater Light.
In March 1990 it was recommended that the Meeting should
consider incorporation; Annette Weaver reported on the procedure
for this, and Pat Wixom and Karen Shippen explored this possibility.
Attached to the bylaws were draft articles of incorporation, modeled
after the set successfully applied by the Penn Valley Friends in
Kansas City. It was also stated that the corporation would be a
separate and distinct entity from the religious group, the Columbia
Friends Monthly Meeting. Friends were considering the possibility
of purchase of a lot near Prospect Park. Neva Reece reported that
the Property Committee get-together was a success, due in no small
part to convener Chris Starbuck’s slide presentation on our various
options for obtaining our own Meeting house. The proposed fall
meeting to bring more thoughtful consideration to our effort and
provide a focus to the Property Committee was set for September
34
A History by Pat Wixom
1990. Discussion at the Meeting for Business briefly addressed
several options that had been discussed before; specifically the
property on the 200 block of Garth St. was discussed. No action
was taken. The Meeting House Fund totaled about $14,500.
Chris Starbuck made a report for the Property Committee,
stating their uncertainty of how to proceed. They recommended
we all participate in a retreat, tentative date of November 11, led by
Jennie Mummert to gain clearness on our objectives as a Meeting
community. Among Jennie’s contributions will be a set of queries
to guide the effort, to search within ourselves and ask: “What is
the basis for our coming together as a Meeting and how do we
envision ourselves in the future?” In December the Meeting for
Business determined that the recent retreat–while constructive–had
underscored the need to promote harmony within the Meeting. In
the January 1991 Meeting for Business Karen Shippen confirmed
an average monthly income of $500 for the Meeting. The Meeting
could afford monthly payments for a Meetinghouse. The letter from
Chris Starbuck resigning as convener of the property committee was
read. There was a strong feeling that the Meeting should make a
commitment to either owning or not owning our own Meetinghouse.
Cherie DuPuis, as recording clerk, wrote a letter to Chris thanking
him for his sensitive leadership and the persistence he had shown
as convener of the property committee. It was also stated that there
was a commitment to look at our inability to evidence the trust and
appreciation we feel for the work we request of individual members.
The January 27 discussion period was an open and forthright
sharing of our concerns, reservations and hopes with regard to a
Meetinghouse in preparation for a decision at the February Meeting.
In the newsletter it was written “Let thy voice be heard and thy
spirit be felt!”
In February after considerable discussion, we came in a
roundabout way to the idea that our lack of unity as regards this
issue may not be a lack of unity at all, but a placement of attention
on surrounding issues, rather than the central issue of desiring or not
desiring to own a house. We decided that we did want to own, even
35
Columbia Friends Meeting
though we had reservations about our financial affairs. The property
committee will continue, with the request that others participate also,
as they are able, by looking for houses and relaying information to
property committee members. On April 7, Kip Westling acted on
our behalf for the Property committee, by offering $50,000. for the
property on West Boulevard, contingent on the meeting’s approval
in June. This was not finalized.
We have papers regarding our intent to become incorporated,
in the form of Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. Pat Wixom
and Lyle Koch will visit Betty Wilson, a local lawyer, regarding
our need for clarification. There will be a change of name of the
corporation to “The Columbia Friends Meeting House, Inc.” and
officers (trustees) to be separate from clerks of the Meeting, and
nominated for staggered 3 year terms (3 required). On June 9
there was a called Meeting for Business concerning finalization of
incorporation papers. Trustees were named for rotating terms: Scott
Searles, 1 year; Cherie Dupuis, 2 years; Pat Wixom, 3 years.
In June members visited a house that had just been put up for
sale on Locust Grove Rd. Kip had learned of this house through his
coworkers. Sylvia spoke for many of the members in saying that
it felt right to worship there. On Tuesday evening the 18th of June
there was a called Meeting for Business to discuss the Locust Grove
property. Although there was much discussion pro and con, no firm
sense of the meeting was reached. At the Business Meeting held
on July 7 a decision was made to purchase the property on Locust
Grove Rd. There was also a Called Business Meeting on July 21.
Friends discussed apparent disagreements within Meeting over
the acquisition of the Locust Grove property. After considerable
discussion about the merits of the Locust Grove property relative to
other properties on and off the real estate market, Meeting reaffirmed
its purchase decision made at the July business meeting.
On August 4, Cherie Dupuis reported on the formation of and
discussion with a clearness committee at IYM, regarding our present
difficulty over the prospect of owning a property (specifically the
one on Locust Grove Rd.), which was a great help in giving us a
36
A History by Pat Wixom
better sense of direction through the sharing of experiences: fears
about losses, joys about gains. Among other advices were these:
a) decisions made at any Meeting for Business are to remain valid;
however a whole Meeting can reconsider its previous decision, b)
forming minutes in the face of the Meeting, rather than later, are
helpful in avoiding misunderstandings. Nancy Elder suggested that
those of us who attended this clearness committee meeting, or who
talked extensively with others about our problem, should write a
short account of our findings.
Scott Searles had taken the considerable trouble of searching
several other houses currently on the market, and brought
appropriate information. Meeting did not reach unity on a proposal
to start an allowed meeting in the campus area of central Columbia.
Considerable discussion focused on whether the proposal would
constitute a “breaking apart” of Meeting. Reading of the July
minutes reminded us of our previous decision on the Locust
Grove property; however, Cherie Dupuis requested a comparison
between several of these other properties and the Locust Grove one.
Considerable discussion ensued; the Locust Grove property was the
preferred one and the Meeting then reaffirmed its previous decision
to proceed with plans for the purchase of this property.
The Meeting requested the trustees of the corporation to write
the contract for the purchase of this property, and also to do some
loan-shopping. It will be further stated in the contract that the
neighborhood must find our presence there acceptable. Pat Wixom
and Gary Walden plan to go to meet the proposed neighbors,
in order to ascertain their acceptance of us. At the Meeting for
Business on September 1, 1991 we said that we will complete our
property transaction on September 3, and will meet in our new
“Quaker-Quarters” at 6408 Locust Grove Road after that date.
Clearing out from 100 Hitt St. will begin at 8:00 am on Saturday,
September 7. Kip Westling will send postcards out to our regular
attenders not present; also the telephone tree will be activated.
Cherie Dupuis brought up the possibility of an Open House at our
new Meetinghouse sometime in October.
37
Columbia Friends Meeting
1990 - 1995 in Columbia Meeting
Nurturing Peacemakers reported on a conflict resolution
workshop at Rock Bridge High School, placement of peace-related
materials at the Columbia library, and preparation of a pamphlet
for Earth Day. Nurturing Peacemakers gave its second year end
report (1990-91) since Susie Morse left. Gail Plemmons and Linda
Harlan have been doing many things with school children jointly
with the Community Task Force on Conflict Resolution and the
cooperation of Columbia Public Schools. There was note of the
loss of Bob Marble, who had been a long time, strong supporter of
the Nurturing Peacemakers Project. Cherie Dupuis gave the report
with the Nurturing Peacemakers Committee of Gertrude Marshall,
Marty Patton and Mary Starbuck. In the fall of 1992 Susie Morse
stated from Michigan that the money in the Nurturing Peacemakers
Fund was not hers, and suggested that $800 go to CREATE (a
group working with conflict resolution in the schools), $100 each
to Linda Harlan and Gail Plemmons, and the remaining $1093.21
to the Columbia Friends Meeting, for use in our own peacemaking
efforts. The Meeting committee for Nurturing Peacemakers then
disbanded.
A letter of application for membership was received from Karen
Shippen, and a second letter applying for membership for her
children, Heather and Gregory Woods, from both Karen Shippen and
Randy Woods. Their application was accepted with much pleasure.
Howard and Laurel Hendrix moved to Fresno, California. Bob
Jones, Kathy van der Walle and their children, Sam and Annie went
to Aberdeen, SD. Hugh Davidson and Jeanne with their children
moved in January because of a change in jobs. Carolyn Doll has
requested transfer of her membership to Las Cruces Meeting in New
Mexico. We received a request from former member, Kim Dowat,
to have her children, Raven, Cole, and Iris listed on our roll of
official members. These were all approved. Sylvia Spotts requested
38
A History by Pat Wixom
membership in Columbia Friends Monthly Meeting. Lorena Tinker
intends to transfer her membership from Coastal Bend Meeting in
Texas to Columbia Friends Meeting. In August Becky, Sam and
David Westling requested membership in the Meeting.
In June 1991 the Meeting holds in the Light and in our hearts
Gary Walden and his mother, on the recent and sudden death of
his father; Karen Shippen and her family, on the recent and sudden
death of her father; Gertrude Marshall, as she cares for Bob Marble,
struggling to regain strength after his long illness; and Marianne
Thomas, as she cares for Lloyd Thomas, who is recovering from
serious heart surgery. Lloyd died on June 21, and Bob Marble on
July 5. On the Sundays immediately following those dates, we had
our own private and impromptu thanksgivings, to celebrate our love
for the two departed and for those left behind.
The State of Columbia Meeting for us was one of pivotal
concerns for the tasks both of living a lifestyle of simplicity
(described by such emotional attributes as kind, loving, considerate,
and forgiving) and witnessing to the world for the purposes of
justice (frustration, anger, judgment and urgency). It was beneficial
to us, in this polarization, to find times of refreshment, to share our
struggles against our comforts and complacency, to try to determine
when our self-will is positive and when it is negative. Neva Reece
drafted this State of the Meeting.
Bob Wixom enjoyed organizing an intergenerational pancake
breakfast and wildflower walk in the spring. This continued through
the 1990s and on into the next century. Bob gave a report of the
Gans Creek Fall Hike in November 1991 and the proposed Eagle
watching day at Schell-Osage Wildlife Area in January 1992.
The 1990 Quarterly Meeting was arranged by Bob Wixom,
with Francis Hole as a speaker and a theme of “The Inward Search
for Creativity”. The main issue at following sessions was a frank
discussion on whether the Quarterly Meeting should be laid down.
The Quarterly Meeting approved a minute stating its willingness to
have Blue River Quarter divide into two quarterly meetings on a
north-south basis. The discussions were stimulated by an excellent
39
Columbia Friends Meeting
presentation of the meaning behind the Meeting for Business and
Meeting discipline given by Tom Paxson. Friends in Columbia
Meeting united behind the belief that the Quarterly should not
be laid down; they were less united on the prescription for its
revitalization as a Quarterly conducting business to be brought
forward to Illinois Yearly Meeting. It was suggested and approved
in 1993 that our Meeting will give $100 from our general funds to
Blue River Quarter, as it started moving upon a more fiscally sound
path and letting children attend without charge.
In October 1991 Scott Searles asked permission to have an
Allowed Meeting for the campus area, as our present location is
less convenient than our previous one for people in the downtown
area. He felt that, in the past, many valuable members began their
Quaker journeys during their college years. There was considerable
discussion and questioning, pro and con, about whether we were
seeking a breaking apart or a growing together. Campus Ministry
meets regularly on Sundays at 10:45 a.m. at the Paquin Tower
conference room with an average attendance of 5 to 6. A discussion
on Isaac Penington followed Meeting for Worship fortnightly. In
April Lyle, Hank, and Lorena Jeanne gave an update on the campus
Meeting. There was a sense of openness to the efforts to reach the
campus/downtown community. It was agreed to send a letter stating
that the Monthly Meeting acknowledges the campus Meeting as
an Allowed Meeting under its care. The Business Meeting was
appreciative of the effort that has been made to attract students. A
sign-up sheet was circulated to ensure that there would be at least
one Quaker present at the appointed hour in the Community Room
of Paquin Towers during the summer months. Some members feel
strongly that seekers after the Light should have a place to worship
near the downtown area and the University Campus. While
attendance there is small at present, we hope that numbers will
increase as more students learn about the Meeting. We view the
campus meeting as a valuable outreach and members who normally
attend at the Meetinghouse on Locust Grove support the campus
40
A History by Pat Wixom
Meeting by attending there occasionally. Gratitude was expressed
to those members who make the effort to support both groups.
We are ready to dedicate our new Meetinghouse and
simultaneously celebrate 25 years as a Monthly Meeting. On May
3, 1992, we will have a worship-sharing, looking back and forward
at ourselves as a Religious Society of Friends. In the afternoon there
will be a short program from 2:30 to 3:00 p.m.: “An introduction to
Quakerism – Who are we?” The open house will continue, from 2:
00 to 5:00 pm. We thank Friends everywhere for their moral and
practical support over these past two years as we have struggled to
find unity in this decision. Our hearts are thankful for the fellowship
of Friends, for the joy of seeing our Young Friends come together to
know and love each other and to learn about Quakerism, and for the
leading of the Spirit to have not only a new Meetinghouse, but also
a campus Meeting!
At the March 1992 Business Meeting, three Friends from Illinois
Yearly Meeting, Paul Buckley (57th St. Meeting), Nancy Duncan
(St. Louis Meeting) and Katie Hurley (Southern Illinois Meeting),
were here to advise and support us in our efforts to manage well
our transition to a Meeting with a property to take care of. These
three spoke positively about our management, acknowledging the
problems of potential and inevitable loss of some of our membership,
and of dealing with the establishment of a property without having it
usurp out attentiveness to God as a religious body.
In December the question arose about whether or not we should
request an exemption on our property tax. After considerable
discussion we decided that Karen Shippen, Treasurer, should file
for tax-exempt status, with the understanding that the Meeting will
make a contribution in the future, based on our recognition of our
responsibility to county services. One member, strongly opposed to
exemption, has agreed to stand aside; however, several others also
feel uneasy about the concept of church exemptions from taxation.
This is a matter that we need to take up in greater detail in the near
future. In January the Meeting decided that it will contribute funds
to support roads, schools, and health and human services. This
41
Columbia Friends Meeting
discussion led to the remembering of a disharmony among us over
our present Meetinghouse, which needs to be addressed also. Pat
Wixom will plan for a meeting for clarity regarding our purchase of
property, and the pain this purchase has caused us.
Long-range plans of the Meeting regarding our funds are to
maintain the Columbia Friends Meeting House Fund until the
major initial renovations are completed. These include roof repair,
garage renovation into a Young Friends room, driveway and parking
area development, and solving the heating problem with increased
insulation, etc. The funds that remain after that, and after keeping
$2,000 as a property emergency fund, will be used for principalreduction on the mortgage. Carpeting and chairs were mentioned,
with permission to purchase both. Regarding the chairs, Andrew
Schwarzer and Nancy Elder donated money for chairs with the
understanding that we will match the amount. Thank you, Nancy
and Andrew!
Mary Phillips, our February 1993 visitor from the IYM Ministry
and Worship committee, complimented us on the ambience of our
Meetinghouse and the immediate sense of welcome. She noticed
people readily spoke after meeting and apparently had their needs
met. Lyle reflected that the breadth of sharing in Meeting for
Worship had increased and she appreciates where we are. For
site development Kip Westling reported on a wish to act on the
installation of doors between the hall, kitchen, and meeting room;
also on the erection of a wall to close in the garage to make a teen
room. Philip Powell is here to help in whatever ways he can with
the doors and wall. We gave permission for these enhancements.
In late April 1993 we made plans for an open house. At 9:30
a telling of our earlier beginnings, followed by a worship sharing
of our feelings about owning a Meetinghouse, followed by regular
Meeting for Worship. We enjoyed the pleasure of the company of
Mary and Jerry Nurenberg, from IYM. The afternoon from 2:00
until 5:00 will be largely unstructured. A brief program from 2:30
until 3:00 will contain some singing, a very short overall history
of Quakers, and a small panel telling visitors who we are (we of
42
A History by Pat Wixom
Columbia Meeting), where we came from, or how we became
involved. There may be pictures and other historical items in the
back room for perusal during the afternoon. Of course, refreshments
will be served.
Meeting approved a letter requesting Governor Ashcroft to stay
the scheduled execution of Gerald Smith. Later, our opposition to
the death penalty was again displayed by Gertrude Marshall in a
moving letter asking the Governor to stay the execution of Maurice
Byrd. At a called Meeting for Business, Friends expressed approval
for an effort to obtain a federal pardon for imprisoned Native
American activist Leonard Peltier. A minute in opposition to use
of the death penalty by Missouri and Illinois, approved in Columbia
Monthly Meeting in July 1990, was subsequently approved by IYM
and submitted to governmental authorities in the two states.
John Schuder reminded us that the most active thing our group
was doing in the 1990s was draft counseling. Amy Toomsen and
John represented our group and averaged four contacts a week per
counselor. It was the sense of the Meeting that it is important to
us as Friends to contribute to peace efforts. A called Meeting for
Business on January 27 approved the placement of a series of items
in the Columbia newspapers calling attention to the Quaker peace
testimony.
Meeting noted the October 9 preliminary hearing for attender
Will Gruen, charged with second degree murder, and an October
17th court date for Lorena Jeanne Tinker, charged with disrupting a
military recruitment office. Annette Weaver suggests that we make
up a package of books for Will Gruen, who is incarcerated in Fulton
at the present time. Such books will not be returned to us, so give
away only what you feel is right. He likes history, particularly
political history, and also is quite interested in various religions and
religious thought. Annette has taken one of our Faith and Practices
for him, and he needs more books for the next seven years, which
he received for involuntary manslaughter. He needs the stimulation
and the feeling that we have not forsaken him.
43
Columbia Friends Meeting
Our teenaged Friends have been meeting regularly since
September 1992. Cherie Dupuis has assisted the teen age group
with substantial contribution by Gary Walden in encouraging
journaling. They enjoyed their time with the wider youth group at
Blue River Quarterly in October, and the December Quake in St.
Louis. The group is energetic, creative, fun-loving, and a blessing to
the Meeting. The next Young Friends Business Meeting is January
12. The elementary age group includes 8 potential students. The
lack of formal programming over the past year has been a grave
concern, so starting in January Karen Shippen will teach a lesson
with an emphasis on biographies every First Day except the day of
our regular Business Meetings. We hope this group can develop the
close knit fellowship we see in the older group. We have four very
young Friends for whom Sabina Wangia will be available.
The fiscal year for our budget was decided to be from July 1 to
June 30, in accordance with IYM’s budget. In November it was
decided to read back the minutes at the Business Meeting in which
they were taken. Only corrections will be allowed later. In January
we said that it is quite possible that we are now ready to begin the
birthing of a handbook, in order to define and clarify our activities.
We seem to need to define ourselves in three diverse areas: 1)
committees and their functions (Sylvia Spotts will ask committee
conveners to take care of this), 2) our various funds (to be taken care
of by the temporary finance committee consisting of Karen Shippen,
Cherie Dupuis, and Bob and Pat Wixom), and 3) organizations we
normally contribute to (Bob Wixom will see to this). Cherie Dupuis
is requesting membership. Bob Wixom led the teens in a hike at
Rock Bridge State Park to investigate sinkholes in December 1993.
It was attended by about 30 young Friends. Much of the time was
planned and chaperoned by Cherie Dupuis.
We of the Columbia Monthly Meeting are attempting to settle
gracefully into our new Meetinghouse. The setting is lovely and
we are pleased to finally have a place where the children among us
can feel at home. Our young Friends recently spent a night painting
and decorating (with help from some St. Louis Friends) the room
44
A History by Pat Wixom
transformed for them from a garage to a young Friends room. We
are pleased to see a gradual increase in attendance by college-aged
seekers, some with small children. We hope this trend will continue
now that we have a Meetinghouse. While owning a Meetinghouse
has brought us many blessings, balancing housekeeping with our
other commitments is a challenge. It is often tempting to spend
our limited time and funds to make the house more comfortable
when these are sorely needed to work for peace or support the
work of AFSC or our local soup kitchen. In general members have
responded to the added responsibility. As the Meeting grows, there
will be more shoulders to bear the burden.
We have been blessed recently by the regular attendance of
Friends from afar. Roger Kamidi from Kenya attended for about a
year while pursuing graduate studies at the University. We miss his
gentle spirit now that he has returned to his home. We also value
Sabina Wangia (also a graduate student from Kenya) who attends
nearly every week. We have learned a great deal about Quakerism
in Kenya from Sabina and Roger. Overcoming seemingly
insurmountable difficulties, Sabina managed in the fall of 1991 to
bring her two twin daughters, Victoria and Gloria to the U.S. from
Kenya to attend college at Lincoln University and Cottey College,
respectively. Her husband, Caleb, also temporarily came in ‘94 to
be with Sabina while working on an academic project with faculty
members at the University.
The Overseers Committee wrote a two page letter to Friends
whom we haven’t seen for some time. It spoke of the activities
of members of Meeting; John Schuder, Loureide Biddle, Gertrude
Marshall, Bob Wixom (who has retired from the University), and
Lorena Jeanne Tinker teaching a peace studies course, and Sharon
Pike traveling to England. We talked of our teens, and of Victoria
and Gloria who are doing very well at their colleges. Will Gruen
is incarcerated and very lonely. Cliff Moyers and his friend Steve
bring a spiritual vision to Meeting that shines for us all. The
Meeting attempts to publicize itself. Feature articles have appeared
45
Columbia Friends Meeting
in local papers, and a poster has been designed and stapled to
bulletin boards.
Columbia Monthly Meeting is fortunate to have a solid core of
long-time members who are dedicated to working on the problems
of the world. Several members work nearly every day to oppose
military intervention and the death penalty. One member (Gertrude
Marshall) is infecting us with her great enthusiasm over a growing
AVP (Alternatives to Violence Program) prison program in the area.
Another member (Bob Wixom) dedicates much of his effort toward
environmental concerns. Still another (Lorena Jeanne Tinker)
takes her leave soon for Oregon to oppose discrimination against
gays and lesbians. While each of us could do more to witness
against injustice and to help those less fortunate that we are, we
all do some good works. Two members work tirelessly with our
children, one member writing the newsletter and minutes, another
one on meeting house remodeling and others as conveners and
members of our committees. All of these efforts are necessary and
are greatly appreciated. Meeting for Worship at Locust Grove is
attended regularly by about twenty of us. The lovely wooded setting
makes it easy to settle into Meeting and the spirit is strong with us.
Ministry is frequent and Meetings often seem gathered. The varied
backgrounds of members and attenders stimulate us all to continue
seeking.
There was considerable dissension with AFSC resulting in
a minute from Columbia Meeting in 1995 giving suggestions
for AFSC, especially including communication and openness to
Quakers. In June the Meeting prepared an extensive minute on our
relationship with the AFSC, which we sent to IYM. This minute
was also sent to and acknowledged by the executive director, Kara
Newell.
In May 1994 Sandy Matsuda applied to the Meeting to stay at
our Meetinghouse during the week while attending graduate school
here. We favor the idea of having a presence in the Meetinghouse,
providing a neighborliness and warmth to the house’s atmosphere.
We are offering her this possibility; but we think she will stay without
46
A History by Pat Wixom
charge, unless we discover that our utilities and insurance costs get
out of balance. She would rather pay rent than be considered a
‘caretaker.’
There was a called Meeting for Business on July 25, to allocate
some funds immediately to Loaves and Fishes, and to the Healing of
Racism Institute. The committee is very perturbed that as a Meeting
no peace testimony items had yet been funded. Loureide Biddle has
been absent for several weeks, although it is reported that she is not
ill. We are concerned for her spiritual welfare, and feel that we need
to take responsibility to ensure that older members are not prohibited
from attending Meeting due to transportation problems. In March,
she was again able to attend Meeting! In the July newsletter it was
noted that Loreide has moved to the Columbia Manor care center.
She would be happy to receive visitors there. On September 28
Eunice Searles died. Friends discussed how to comfort Scott and
remain concerned for him and hope for his continued recovery from
Eunice’s death. Cherie will write him a letter; others should feel
free to offer comfort in their own ways.
From Property Committee, Kip has found a furnace which
he finds superior, and has permission to buy it, and also hire the
installation. Karen advised that we need to buy and lay carpet and
pad in the teen room. It was decided that the teens would take care
of this item. In the minutes of November 1993, it was noted that
we have grown weary of our continued dependence on electricity
for our warmth. Efforts are being made to get the gas furnace
hooked up, and then the question will be reexamined if necessary.
In January 1994 we now have gas heat, hurray and thanks to those
responsible for this long-awaited event. Overseers discussed
concerns for Friend’s allergies and the mildew or dampness in the
building. In December several of our attenders have become nonattenders, due to the mold problem. Air-purifiers were investigated,
and Chris will talk with Scott about this, as Scott is one of the
sufferers. Katie Hurley mentioned that someone brought up at
Continuing Committee the need for minutes to be read in the face
47
Columbia Friends Meeting
of the Meeting. This issue will be discussed further and a response
made to Continuing Committee.
We have been pleased by the number of new attenders and by
the participation of two high school students who are studying us for
an “ethnography” project. We are overjoyed that Katy Hurley and
Tom Ireland have moved to Columbia from Carbondale and attend
regularly. Their energy, enthusiasm and Friendly spirit add a great
deal to the life of Columbia Meeting. In February we adopted a
strong minute against the School of the Americas.
We decided to adopt a standard-type budget rather than a cookiejar type of approach. It was decided that we will pay one-twelfth
of the amount set aside for ‘other organizations’ each month. We
had a concern for lack of participation in Business Meetings. John
Schuder reminded us that the first-day school, by contrast, seems
to be doing very well. Karen Shippen says, “Maybe if we had less
discussion and more prayer” we would handle ourselves better. We
will try to approve the Minutes at the moment of their birth, again.
The probability of changing from septic-tank/lagoon type of asepsis
to a city controlled system seems to be high. We will consider this
again later. It was suggested that the costs might be as high as
$5,000, which can be arranged as monthly payments over a 10-year
period.
In September Sabina left to go back to Kenya. We will need
another child care worker for two hours at $5 per hour. Sandy will
be leaving in a month and we are flexible and open to the right
person using the space. Information on Meeting finances will be
periodically placed in the newsletter. The Meeting wants no one
to miss Meeting because they are unable to donate money. The
Meeting also wants all to be aware that the Meetinghouse was
purchased with donations.
A reprint from Chris Starbuck, on Meeting for Worship with a
Concern for Business is as follows: “Ideally, Business Meetings
are special Meetings for Worship in which the meeting seeks divine
guidance on matters, both mundane and profound, that affect the
membership. But even spiritual business requires that words be
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A History by Pat Wixom
spoken during the Meeting. Being used to the silent form of worship,
it is easy for unprogrammed Friends to forget that they are, in fact,
worshiping during a Business Meeting and that any words spoken
should be based on a leading by the inner light. We do not engage
in discussions or arguments during silent worship and should not do
so during Business Meeting. There will always be disagreements
within a Meeting on how to proceed on a given matter. Friends
should not hesitate to speak to an issue during Business Meeting if so
led. But in a worshipful Meeting for Business, speaking will come
out of the silence just as it does during Meeting for Worship.”
Chris represented the Meeting at a neighborhood meeting on
formation of a sewer district. We would pay $9588 or $80 per
month for 10 years through a neighborhood improvement district
loan. The Meeting values the wooded space now and for future
plans and so gave Chris as trustee the charge to resurvey the
property immediately (cost estimate $500 to $1000). The Meeting
appreciates Chris’ service of time and thoughtfulness in representing
Friends in the sewer district plans.
And a piece by Gertrude Marshall-Marble in the September
1994 newsletter: “Be happy” — careless words, in context of a
popular song, but very powerful in context of Pat Wixom’s Plummer
lecture. She quotes the Dalai Lama, that Tibetan saint, exiled from
his homeland, his nation cruelly exploited by China; the Dalai Lama,
partaker of the whole world’s ills, as he smiles his way around the
globe. Asked what is our purpose in life, he replies: “to be happy.”
How can he say such a thing? It flies in the face of his experience
— and in my own lifelong idea that ‘happiness’ is a by-product, not
a quality in its own right. Happiness, it seemed to me, was the result
of outer forces coming together in a neat way, a kind of accidental
blessings…say, a coming together of people who hit it off for an
hour…or a day…or — oh, miracle, even longer! …an experience of
beauty such as moon rising over water…or holding a new-born…or
sharing the pure nature of a child…or hearing great music rendered
flawlessly and with that extra ingredient of heart. Each one could
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Columbia Friends Meeting
make his own list of those times. Happiness seemed, to my rather
Puritanical mind, an elusive thing, temporary, almost undeserved.
That mind-set began to be dissolved when I got into the
Alternatives to Violence project (AVP). Fifteen years ago I took
the adjective-name “Grateful Gertrude.” What a guidepost! I have
discovered that I can retrieve ‘happiness,’ a quiet eye, by paying
attention to those good experiences, recounting them to myself in
prayer or in quiet moments in the night, deliberately substituting
high for low thoughts, forcing out worry and allowing happiness
to rise. Does it sound like George Fox’s ‘ocean of light’ that lies
above the ocean of darkness? Well, they aren’t just there; they have
to be chosen, sought, using all one’s awareness and strength to swim
out of the dark waters up into that light. How wonderful it is to be
swimming in the ocean of light! There, my mind is clearer; my
creativity stirs, my love rises up to assist in the freedom to go out and
meet the crowd, the individual, the physical test, or the mental one.
Fear is forgotten, I can stand or move, different and unashamed; able
to try the untried, to trust in that of God in every man.
Am I dreaming? Yes, in that I too seldom reach that state, that
kind of happiness. But I do accept the command: be happy. If I am
to deliver my endowment of love, of health, of educated talents, of
the learnings of my lifetime, I shall do it by cultivating happiness.
The Dalai Lama says that this is our purpose. It leaves me breathless,
grateful. How beautiful.”
John Schuder wrote a concerns page reviewing the tenets of
membership in the Society of Friends. Many participants welcome
an opportunity to formalize their association with the Society of
Friends as an expression of commitment to a way of life; while
others view formal membership as stifling their own spiritual search
for the truth. It was decided that there would be no distinction
between members and attenders as participants. This arrangement
has worked well and, over the years both have joined in the decision
making process, functioned as members of committees, and been
Meeting Clerk. It is a legal requirement in Missouri that membership
in the Society of Friends by one or both participants is required for
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A History by Pat Wixom
marriage under the care of the Meeting. Also support of individuals
seeking to follow the peace testimony of Friends by seeking
conscientious objector status can be expressed more convincingly
for those who are actually members. A more explicit presentation
by Meeting of the issues involved might help individuals make an
informed decision about joining in keeping with their own personal
goals.
Karen described plans for the grade school Quake, December 9,
1994 at the Meetinghouse. They will ring Salvation Army bells, join
carol singing at Gertrude’s, then sleepover at the Meetinghouse. We
are back to approving the minutes of the last month at this month’s
business meeting.
In October final preparations for the open house, to be November
12th 1994 took place. Posters prepared by Chris and Mary were
distributed. Gertrude and Pat will make visits to neighbors today.
Heather suggested making sundaes. Bob will appear as William
Penn. It will be both a spiritual and a practical meeting, examining
where we are in our spiritual life and as part of the community of
Columbia Meeting. We will examine our beliefs as Friends and
how these fit into the structure and practices of our Friends Meeting.
How can we produce a better “fit”, and become a better community.
Since this will be on Saturday, space is made at 10:00 a.m. for those
who would like to join John Schuder at the Post Office vigil. Twelve
Friends gathered at 9:00 am and shared in silent worship during the
first hour with expressions of our hopes for the Meeting and the
day. Phrases such as these arose from the silence: the threads that
bind us together, our common purpose, being open and at ease with
one another, appreciating and supporting diversity, cherishing each
person present and finding again a sense of celebration, being part of
our common process, working for peace and justice, and learning to
live fully in the moment. Several of us joined John Schuder on the
Peace Vigil outside the main Post Office, but returned to a cheerful
fire and clean swept porch, which were much appreciated.
For the remainder of the morning John Schuder told us of his
spiritual journey incorporating ever more fully the peace testimony
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Columbia Friends Meeting
against war into his life. He became aware of Quakers in Lafayette,
IN, where he had gone back to school at Purdue after World War
II. He was helping to put out a Peace Newsletter that wasn’t a very
popular stand at that time, and the Quakers of Lafayette were about
the only folks willing to speak out against war and to write for that
newsletter. John soon joined them in the Quaker Meeting there. In
his efforts to find professional work which would not be associated
with war and indirectly training young people for war work he made
several moves from business to engineering, and finally to MU to
do biomedical engineering research on one aspect of the implanted
artificial heart problem and on defibrillation devices. Active in
speaking out against war, John said it was only the tenure system
that kept him from being fired by pressures exerted by community
groups such as the American Legion. When John first met with
the few Quakers in Columbia, meeting in each other’s homes, the
Quakers were also very strongly implementing the peace testimony
in their witness against war. John was the first clerk as Columbia
Quakers formed themselves into a Monthly Meeting associated
with Illinois Yearly Meeting in 1967. All through the 60s and 70s
the Quakers in Columbia, with much of the rest of the nation, were
strongly opposed to the war in Vietnam, and witnessed to that belief
in many actions as a Meeting.
John feels the Meeting has since, in the 80s and 90s, changed
it’s emphasis from a united expression of concern for the peace
testimony to individual activities in many other areas — the
prisons, the environment, and inner spiritual growth and nurture to
counterbalance the hectic life which so easily sweeps us away. As
a result he feels out of step; that this is a different Meeting from the
one he joined and has long been associated with. There were many
expressions of the value Friends have found in John’s steadfast
witness.
We enjoyed a delicious pot luck lunch and a little outdoor
exercise, then came back together to examine the question in
small groups “What is the core of the Meeting for me, and do I
feel supported by the Meeting?” There was lively discussion for
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A History by Pat Wixom
about an hour. After a break our final period of silent worship was
punctuated by positive thoughts and hopes for the Meeting, which
were expressed by all in our final pyramid of phrases of positive
vision for the Meeting.
1995 - 2000 in Columbia Meeting
Preliminary planning for Blue River Quarter in 1995 has been
done by Bob Wixom, Karen Shippen and Heather Woods. The topic
will be the spiritual basis for environmental concerns. The theme
will be “Quaker Concerns on Population”. Karen and Bob are
developing queries to facilitate worship sharing on the theme. Pat
will send letters to the small Meetings in the Quarter seeking their
help, especially in child care and programs for the children. She
emphasized that our children are the future of the Society of Friends
and that Quarterly Meeting is an excellent builder of fellowship and
spiritual bonds among young Friends.
Karen Shippen presented the 1995 Meeting budget that reflected
a large increase in support of causes and organizations since the
Meetinghouse was purchased. While some Friends were concerned
that we were spending too much on the building, it seems that the
Meetinghouse provided an element of stability that strengthened
the Meeting. The immediate centering that occurred with having
Meeting for Worship at 9:30 impressed all. It was decided to change
our First Day schedule on the first day of each month to begin at 9:
30 with Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business following.
Friends will be notified through the telephone tree.
In March 1995 it was noted that the Bible Study according to
Friends principles had become a regular part of our once a month
9:30 a.m. period of discussion. This Bible Study method involves
each participant reading a few verses of the chosen passages, then
individually answering five questions about it; 1) What is the main
point of the author?, 2) New light revealed?, 3) Is this passage true
to my experience?, 4) What are its implications for my life? and 5)
What problems do I have with the passage?
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Columbia Friends Meeting
Luci Lee was warmly accepted into membership in absentia.
Thom Irelan submitted a clearness committee report which captured
a sense of the deep spiritual sharing among committee members.
Our degree of commitment to non-violence was discussed. Friends
were reminded that we need not hold completely to traditional
Quaker testimonies of equality, peace and stewardship, but that we
must be accepting of those who do feel those testimonies strongly. A
moving letter from Kip Westling requesting membership was read.
Kip reported a continued hope of getting the driveway and parking
lot in order. David Westling has become concerned with and is
writing about road kill. Debra Howenstine has a new baby, Corinne
Elyse! Peter Holmes has started a new round of Family nights on
the fourth Friday nights with families acting out well known stories.
In January 1996, we welcomed David and Nancy Finke from 57th
St. Meeting in Chicago. Will Gruen is still in prison, though he has
only 10 months left. Clifford Moyers died in the fall from AIDS.
A silent retreat is being planned for January 6th, 9:00 to 5:00.
Katie Hurley and Gary Walden will put a proposed format in the
newsletter. Dale will include a sharing of his experience with silent
retreats. In the silence we reflected on the fact that it is our search
for God’s way that has drawn us together. We asked ourselves
what we bring to Meeting and what we share with Meeting. Deep
inspirational sharing resulted. There were 12 people present and
this silent retreat may become a quarterly affair. The next one will
be held April 27th with Gary coordinating. Friends attending the
retreat are encouraged to jot down leadings that will be incorporated
into a book called Gathered Leaves.
Gary Walden proposed organizing a Quaker walking team to
participate in non-profit events. It will be called The Foxtrotters.
With the presence of David Finke Columbia Meeting has become
responsible for collating the Among Friends and Yearly Minute
books. The first date for collating saw Elizabeth, Pat, Bob,
Laura, and Karen on hand to help. With concern for clutter in the
Meetinghouse it was proposed to move bulletin boards to the kitchen
and other reading matter into the reading room or library.
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A History by Pat Wixom
In February 1996 Robert Warren’s transfer of membership to
Sunrise Friends Meeting in Springfield was approved. Friends were
reminded that we are guided by the leading of the Spirit that includes
both spontaneity and good order. We agreed that our expectation is
that Meeting should last about one hour and be broken by the Spirit.
Gary was given approval to purchase Shaker-style coat hooks and
install them in the hall. The Peace and Social Concerns committee
with Lorena Jeanne, Michael LaBelle, Lori Dawson, and Sharon
Pike discussed homosexual issues, deciding that the best approach
at present would be education and further talk, with possibly a
workshop led by Bonnie Tinker. There is a notebook with minutes
from other Meetings in the library.
Dale Gardner’s transfer of membership from Oklahoma City
was approved. Dale Gardner and Laura Stevens have requested
marriage under the care of Columbia Meeting. A clearness
committee will be formed with Cherie as clerk. Luci Lee and Rick
Kaplan also requested marriage under the care of the Meeting. A
clearness committee will be formed with Pat Wixom as clerk.
Sandra Kubal’s application for membership was read. Gertrude will
form a clearness committee for membership for her. Gertrude will
receive the Golden Rule award for her work with the Alternatives
to Violence Project. Her housemate Sabina Wangia had surgery in
November and welcomed the visits, cards, and flowers that came
her way at University Hospital. Lori Dawson and Michael Labelle
moved to Mount Toby Meeting in Massachusetts and requested a
letter of introduction to them.
The alternative school “Morningside” has asked to rent the
Meetinghouse during the week from 8:00 to 6:00. Concerns
were voiced about the tuition, abandonment of public schools,
and physical demands on the space. A committee will review the
written proposal and lead the next discussion on it. Finally it was
decided that the Meetinghouse was not large enough to support such
an endeavor.
Roger Kamidi, a former attender of Columbia Friends Meeting
and now member of Ndalu Mukuyu Friends Church in Kenya,
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Columbia Friends Meeting
Africa requested our help in constructing a Meetinghouse there.
The treasurer will create a separate fund through which members
can contribute. The Meeting will make an initial pledge of $100.
and with member’s donations promised a total of $500 in aid. A
suggestion that we establish an ongoing relationship with Roger’s
Meeting will be discussed in Peace and Social Concerns Committee
and a proposal brought to the next business meeting.
In our proposed minute on the AFSC in the fall of 1995 we
emphasized our strong support of the AFSC as the service body
of U.S. Quakers, truly working to make God’s love visible in the
world. We also reaffirmed the value of work camps under Quaker
leadership for those participating in them, and supported any efforts
of IYM’s Ad Hoc Committee on Relations of Friends with the
AFSC to make the many already existing Quaker and AFSC work
camps more widely known, and to promote scholarship aid to make
participation by the Quaker youth of today more possible. The
committee on relations between the AFSC and Friends asked that
it become a standing committee of Illinois Yearly Meeting, with the
new name “Quaker Volunteer Service and Training Committee”.
In September 1996 the parking lot was completed but the
Columbia Meeting House Fund will now be used for the sewer
payments. The sewer project was revisited. Present members have
not wanted to give up our second lot at this time. The property
value will go up with the addition of the sewer. The price of the
sewer easement is $5000. per lot with 6% interest charge. Friends
can contribute to this cause if led to do so. The Columbia Friends
Meetinghouse, Inc. is not in good standing because we have not
received and returned needed forms. The Meeting directed the
corporation to complete the back forms from 1992-1995 and pay
the required fees rather than have a black mark on our corporation’s
name. On the workday there was roof, gutter and house cleaning,
drainage work, the deck treated, firewood cut, and a compost pile
started. This will continue as a spring and fall tradition.
During a session at Blue River Quarter we were encouraged
to write our visions of Quakerism. Chris Starbuck wrote the
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following: “Forty years and countless changes ago, I was simply
a Quaker. Since birth, my seven year old self had been part of a
loving and devoted family descended from the Quaker Starbucks
who founded Nantucket in the seventeenth century. I was nestled
into a close-knit Quaker community in Salem, Ohio; I came to
Quakerism not by an arduous spiritual journey but by immersion.
One of the most powerful influences on me, even then, was the aura
of peace surrounding the elder members of Salem meeting. Even
as a wiggly little person, I understood that these were people who
knew something that put them at ease with creation. I did not then
use the standard Quaker terms to describe this state, but it was easily
sensed. To one unaccustomed to silent worship, the elders might
have looked somber sitting on the facing bench. But in my child’s
mind I knew each one as a gentle, open, fun-loving person whose
peaceful demeanor was derived from deep faith. While life seems
infinitely more complex now, the memory of this faith-derived peace
has kept me from completely losing sight of the Quaker principles
I know intuitively to be landmarks in the journey toward spiritual
awareness.”
In July 1996 there was a clearness committee on finding a
presiding clerk for our Meeting. In the Friends’ tradition, the
presiding clerk position is not about one person. It is about the
whole Meeting holding that presiding clerk in the Light as she or
he speaks the sense of the Meeting. When Gillian Martin hesitated
to be clerk, Friends warmly supported the courage of her decision.
When she originally accepted, that support was not as obvious
though just as warmly felt. How, then, can we sustain the clerk in
the knowledge that we are in unity and ready to help? How can we
continue to deepen the worshipfulness of Business Meeting? This
could be done by meeting with the clerk and holding that person and
the Business Meeting in the Light each month. In addition, some
Friends might choose to hold the clerk in the Light during Business
Meeting, especially when Truth and Duty are not apparent. Our silent
waiting was richly rewarding. It was asked for all Friends to use the
same process in revisiting ways to increase the spiritual dimension
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Columbia Friends Meeting
of Meeting for Worship for Business. Gillian’s hesitation has given
us the opportunity to deepen our discernment of how God leads our
Meeting. These are notes written by Cherie Dupuis, who together
with David Finke and Gillian Martin formed the committee.
On July 26, 1996 we lost our beloved 93 year old Loureide
Biddle, who in recent years had been unable to attend Meeting but
was grateful when Friends visited and worshipped and sang with her
at the Columbia Manor nursing home. During a special Memorial
Meeting in August we were joined by a number of Loureide’s family
and friends, some of whom offered musical numbers and poetry in
tribute to her. The whole congregation concluded with singing
several of her favorites. We received a very nice note of appreciation
from Loureide’s two children, Barbara and Bruce. Contributions
were given and Friends were encouraged to think how this money
might be used to reflect her concerns (music, AFSC, etc.).
Bob Wixom and Dale Gardner are our official representatives at
the Pendle Hill Quaker Peace Roundtable to be held in Philadelphia.
Their travel costs will be provided. A total budget of $11,682. for
1997 was presented by Karen Shippen with both bar graph and
pie chart forms. In February Bob Wixom asked the meeting to
endorse two minutes, one on Abolition 2000 and the other a human
population minute. There were revisions to both minutes and they
will be brought forward again.
Pat Wixom presented the IYM Listening Project on Sexuality,
Marriage and Commitment in the fall of 1996. Meeting agreed to
participate in this experimental phase. A committee of Columbia
Friends was formed to develop questions. These will be further
refined by the IYM committee. Then specially trained members
will serve as listeners as everyone in Meeting is invited to be
interviewed on the issue in a way that all can feel heard. A slow
searching for truth unfolded after Pat Wixom told of the completion
of the questions and plans for the training for the Listening Project
on Sexuality, Commitment and Marriage. Some Friends wished
to see the questions before the interview. One worried that there
was a hidden agenda. A Friend asked who would be interviewed58
A History by Pat Wixom
-members, attenders, sometime attenders--(any who wish to).
Another was saddened that we would not trust Friends to follow
Quaker process. After deep sharing by all, we were brought to the
point on which we all agree--there is that of God in everyone and
we are all seeking truth. Friends were reminded that the summary
of the project is available through Pat Wixom and questions about
follow-up after interviews will be discussed with the trainer.
There are four members of the IYM Steering Committee for the
Listening Project present in our Meeting who are willing to struggle
with individual concerns. They are Dawn Rubbert, David Finke,
Lorena Jeanne Tinker, and Pat Wixom. The honesty of the sharing
reminded many that they were drawn to the Meeting because of
its courage to face intensely emotional issues. In March Business
Meeting, Sherry Monroe clarified what the project is and is not. She
reminded those who still wish to take training that another session
will be held in March. She asked that all quietly reflect on what
part they wish to take in this project and be willing to respond when
called. Those concerned about seeing questions in advance may do
so if that is their need. A numerical coding will be used to ensure
confidentiality.
The Listening Project has revealed that 1) there is not unity
within this Meeting about homosexual marriage, but also 2) that
we wish to make clear our testimony on spiritual equality of all
people. There is concern within Ministry and Counsel that we be
a welcoming community. We heard several concerns about the
mistrust which has come forth in our deliberations; one Friend hoped
we would “get that purged” before we can come to a true sense of
our Meeting. The sense of the Meeting today is that this still needs
more work. We ask Ministry and Counsel to have an open meeting
on the topic, and we await a further recommendation from Ministry
and Counsel. Ministry and Counsel reported on a briefer minute
being explicit about welcoming both heterosexual or homosexual
orientation and finding that we are not in unity with regard to taking
same-sex marriages under the care of the Meeting. The Meeting
could not approve this minute as it suggested that same sex couples
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Columbia Friends Meeting
are discriminated against in the Meeting. A revised draft copy of
an “Affirmation Minute” was circulated by Pat Wixom. This readdresses issues last considered at the November 1997 Meeting
for Business. Ministry and Counsel is asked to help us process this
further, and we hope they might consider another open meeting.
Appreciation was expressed by Pat Wixom for those in Meeting
who provided hospitality through food, transportation and lodging
for the IYM Continuing Committee visit in 1997. Gillian Martin
expressed appreciation for the energy the visitors brought. Scott
Searles reminded us of the legal requirement that trustees of the
Meeting be members of Columbia Meeting. He proposed that
only members serve as clerk, treasurer, on overseers committee, on
nominating committee and on clearness committees. Discussion
centered on our ability to know as a body who is speaking from the
Spirit without specific criteria versus making certain that servants
of the Meeting are familiar with Quaker process. Gillian Martin
will announce the topic each first day in March and encourage all to
consider the issue. A time for a threshing session will be set at the
April business meeting. We were reminded that we need a formal
educational venue for teaching attenders what membership means.
At a called Meeting in 1997, Jonathan Pitts prepared a story on
Columbia Friends Meeting for the Columbian Missourian. He was
requesting that a photographer be permitted to take pictures during
Meeting for Worship. The Meeting approved a minute saying that
the photographer can take pictures of one side of the Meeting room.
Friends who are comfortable with that process could choose to sit
on that side. A sign announcing this plan was posted that day. The
photographer was advised to allow time in silent waiting to be able
to take photos as the Spirit moves.
The business meeting during Gillian’s time as Clerk seemed to
be larger than usual with about 20 people each session. At Business
Meeting in April 1997 David Finke reminded us in the past a
traveling minute was given to a Friend whom Meeting recognized as
a minister with a special leading. Our traveling minutes have been
confirmation that a Friend is a part of our Meeting. We would like
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to implement this new form. Meanwhile Bob Wixom has requested
a traveling minute and funds for his trip to FAHE in June, and Bob
and David Finke have requested traveling minutes for their trip
to the QVSTW meeting in April. Their minutes will be letters of
introduction written by Scott Searles.
Gillian will prepare a more factual State of the Meeting report
and announced the process we have begun. Cherie will begin this
process by reviewing Minutes, gathering queries and scheduling a
9:30 discussion period. The State of the Meeting report is important
to us in terms of knowing who we are and who we say we are. This
should involve a thoughtful process that looks back at the year
and worshipfully answers queries in as representative a group as
possible. Gillian will leave for Florida on May 17, 1997.
Luci Lee’s clearness committee is concerned as Luci has moved
to Kansas City and is attending Penn Valley Meeting. She still
wants to be married under the care of our Meeting, in her home in
Kansas City, May 30, 1997 with only family and John and Reva
Griffith (Penn Valley Friends) and Thom Irelan and Katie Hurley
from Columbia Meeting. Concerns were raised at this meeting
about the meaning of “under the care of the Meeting”. It was
felt it meant participation of our Meeting members in ensuring a
worshipful service. It also means the couple has a heart connection
to the Meeting. Although this marriage will proceed, future
clearness committees are asked to consider these understandings.
To reestablish a “heart connection”, we will hold a blessing of the
marriage of Luci and Rick at the Meetinghouse at a time convenient
to the newlyweds.
Scott Searles will still arrange a 9:30 period to begin threshing
the issue of members only on committees. There are different
forms of membership including transitional and sojourning. We
need to make attenders clearer about how to become members and
the benefits of doing so. There should be an annual calendar time
when the mechanism of membership is explained and questions
can be asked. This is not an issue that needs to be hurried. We
may consider asking the field secretary, Barry Zalph, to join us for
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a session in the fall. He had concurred that the members only idea
had merit.
In July the new clerk, Dale Gardner, also acted as Recording
Clerk. Gertrude Marshall died on May 23rd, 1998 and memorial
minutes for her for IYM, Among Friends, and Friends Journal
together with a minute from Ichiro Matsuda were approved. The
newsletter, now put together by Scott Searles, for June and July was
dedicated to her. With a new clerk we started approving minutes
in the face of the Meeting. Friends approved allocating some
child-care funds for use during our upcoming “Quakerism 101”
series, if this would enable more attendance. We will now have a
Greeter to welcome newcomers to meeting. Friends approved these
recommendations, and will review how it is working three months
hence. In October the clerk reminded us of the essential connection
of our worship to our being able to do business well. It was
announced that Sabina Wangia expects to finish her graduate work
and return to Kenya in the near future. Advancement Committee
will organize a farewell party, to be announced. We became more
active contributors to the Shelter, as Dawn Rubbert has laid out a
signature ad and incorporated our concerns in it.
Ministry and Counsel brought the following minute: “From our
earliest history in the 17th century, Quakers have affirmed that of
God in everyone. We have experienced God speaking directly to
and through all people, regardless of age, gender or economic class.
In the 17th century, this concept of equality included women and
children. Equality later came to include persons of all races. Today,
at Columbia Meeting, we are clear that equality includes all persons.
Friends in this Meeting bear witness to our faith that all people can
discern and act in accordance with God’s leadings within the context
of a faith community in which those leadings can be tested. As
early Friends affirmed, experience is the basis of faith, and we have
experienced a wide variety of lives lived with the deepest integrity
of inward guidance and outward witness. Sexual orientation is not
a bar to hearing God’s voice. We affirm that all of us have equal
access to spiritual leadings and the capacity to act in faithfulness
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to them. We are grateful for the gay and lesbian people who have
responded to the welcome our Meeting offers.”
We received a letter from Robert Warren, asking that we reinstate
him in our Meeting as a member. Mike Murray from Springfield,
joined us during this discussion. Pat Wixom and Nancy Boon
reported on their work with the Library Committee. They have sorted
a great deal of material, much of which is now in three binders, kept
in the Meeting room: A) National Friends Organizations, B) Friends
Meeting Newsletters, and C) Local Columbia organizations. The
Advancement Committee has reviewed the new practice of having
a regular Greeter signed up each Sunday to help newcomers be
welcome and find their way around. They believe this is needed,
and will try to reactivate it, urging other Friends to take their turns in
participating. We recently had 12 Friends work with Judy Richards
in moving cut wood from her home to the Meetinghouse. Meeting
appreciates this offering. Five Friends participated in a silent retreat
at the Meetinghouse on January 10, planned by Gary Walden and
Elizabeth Freese. The fall outing of the Columbia Friends Meeting,
planned by its Environmental Concerns Committee was a visit to
the solar home of Nancy Boon. A regular attender of our Meeting
and an ardent advocate of solar living, Nancy built her house as
the culmination of a long dream. The overhangs of the roof, large
windows, an earth berming, and 12 inch exterior wall plus a Trombe
wall outside the living room result in a house easy to heat and cool.
In February 1998 we welcomed Jeanne Murray from Nevada,
Missouri, who will be moving here as opportunity permits. A
traveling minute was read from Croyden Preparative Meeting in
England, for Pearl John, who will be here for 6 months. In March
the Clerk reminded us of children’s concerns. We looked at the
structure which we have: Karen will be the lead teacher for the 9:
30 period with paid child care from 9:30 to 12:00. We also heard
a concern to seek out teens and pre-teens in our Meeting’s families,
to assure attendance at Quarterly and Yearly Meeting events. We
authorize Karen to act on our behalf in offering financial assistance
to families in this regard.
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Columbia Friends Meeting
Dale Gardner reported a number of initiatives in response to the
conflict with Iraq. Dale will continue to be in touch with a coalition
in the community to enable direct, material aid for people in Iraq, and
ending sanctions. Meeting approved Dale’s continuing to represent
Columbia Friends Meeting in developing community-wide plans,
and trusts his judgment in committing us to participation.
In April 1998 with a donation of $20,000 we paid off our mortgage
($28,000) and still had a small amount towards our sewer project.
Friends are deeply appreciative for the heartwarming, generous
donation that will enable us to further the various ministries of this
Meeting, through reducing our mortgage debt. Our mortgage on the
Meetinghouse has been paid in full, and the receipted document was
shown to the Meeting.
In May, Viola Young died. She was our neighbor and an
occasional participant in our Friends community. Dale Gardner
will send her family a card expressing the Meeting’s sympathy. The
Meeting congratulates Sabina Wangia, Laura Stevens and Dawn
Rubbert for graduating from the University of Missouri in their
various graduate specialties. In June, Lisi Bansen will be moving
to Columbia from Nevada to sojourn among us. It was decided to
accept Robert Warren’s transfer to our Meeting, and Sunrise Meeting
in Springfield was notified and replied with a letter commending
Robert to our care. Meeting notes the impending move next month
to Kansas City by Dale Gardner and Laura Stevens, who have made
such vital contributions to the life of Columbia Monthly Meeting.
Our heartiest good wishes go with these Friends, who are much
beloved and will be deeply missed.
A number of Friends spoke generally to issues of membership,
as regards nomination and service in the Meeting. This discussion
is ongoing in the Meeting, without full agreement, and we
expect to continue exploring it. The Meeting considered the
IYM Membership document and drafted the following minute:
“Columbia Monthly Meeting has further considered the draft of
the proposed IYM Faith and Practice section on Membership,…
We also considered the corresponding section in the 1997 edition of
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Philadelphia Yearly Meeting’s Faith and Practice, and those of some
other Yearly Meetings. We find the wording on Membership in the
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting’s Faith and Practice to be very close to
our view of what it should be. We prefer it to the present draft.”
In late July 1998 Barry Zalph, IYM’s field secretary, visited
Columbia Meeting with Margaret Katranides to have individual time
with those who wished it, and to lead the Meeting in a discussion
of ‘Quaker Process’. This would be preliminary to his leading a
weekend retreat of the Meeting at a later date. In September a fall
retreat on Saturday, November 14th, will be an experiential retreat,
focusing on community building, as planned by Pat and Sherry.
Columbia, Rolla and Southern Illinois Meetings are responsible for
planning the next Blue River Quarter in April 1999. In December
discussion led to a clarification as to how the sewer-related expenses
will be funded, from Maintenance, Meetinghouse, and General
funds. The Meetinghouse fund is now primarily designated for
the sewer. This year Ministry and Counsel will give oversight to
the process of producing a State of Society report. They welcome
the volunteer efforts and reflective comments of Friends. We are
concerned that we are still paying $20 per week for a child-care
worker even though we have not had children with us for a while.
We are concerned with the multiplicity of activities that may make
it difficult for our members to be involved at a level consistent with
our testimony of simplicity.
We proposed another Meeting retreat with Barry Zalph. A
theme – to be developed more fully – would be to go even more
into the issue of community, with some work, using Barry’s skills,
on tensions we may have experienced. We affirmed the principle of
outside facilitation. Barry and Margaret Katranides will be at the
meeting for the whole weekend March 26-28th 1999. They plan on
scheduling visits on Friday afternoon and Sunday afternoon. They
will be at Fun night on Friday evening, Spring Retreat Saturday
9-5, and with the Ministry and Counsel Committee for supper on
Saturday evening. The theme of the spring retreat will be “Conflict
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Columbia Friends Meeting
Transformation as a Path to Community Building and Healing
Wounds”.
At the March Business Meeting, Ministry and Counsel brought
a brief minute affirming the welcome of all people to participate in
our Meeting, which was then considered. The ceiling is a continuing
problem. We must decide whether we are willing to meet elsewhere
for a while, and how much we’re willing to pay for what others
may do. Property Committee is moving ahead on getting a sewer
hook-up. The sewer connection is now completed, and gravel is
still needed in the parking lot. The Meeting directed Treasurer Pat
Wixom to pay the $12,500 Boone County bill for completion of the
sanitary sewer line across the Meeting’s two lots. In December the
Meeting paid for one of the lots ($6,252.) and must pay the other
prior to an upcoming county bond issue to avoid being locked into
10 years of installment payments. Blue River Quarterly meeting
registration forms are now available, and should be returned to
registrar Pat Wixom. Two Friends - Lisi Bansen and Lyle Koch
- have come forward to work with young people, and can use some
more assistance. Scott Searles is conferring in person with Deborah
Fisch, the resource person. It is the Meeting’s intention to maximize
the values of timeliness, brevity and appropriateness to the life of
this Meeting in the announcements.
Richard Catlett joined with Friends again meeting regularly
with us right up through the June Business Meeting, but then died
on July 28, 1999. The Ministry and Counsel Committee will write
a memorial minute on his life to send to IYM and Friends Journal.
The Sufferings Committee recommended a 3-way division of
monies contributed in memory of Richard Catlett; $200 in support
of Jeff Stack’s work on the death penalty, $200 to be added to the
Peace and Social Concerns committee budget; and the rest to go into
the general fund to honor Richard as one of the founding members
of Columbia Friends Meeting. The memorial minute on the life of
Richard Catlett was drawn up by Scott Searles with input from John
Schuder and approved by the Meeting with requested changes.
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The Meeting welcomed Hadley Finke, father of David Finke,
new Columbia resident and first time attender at a Columbia Friends
Meeting for Business. Heather Woods spoke of some interest at
Truman State University in Kirksville in starting a Friends meeting.
Friends urged the Property Committee to address the problem of
ceiling mold, which is severe enough at present to prevent at least
one member from attending Meeting for Worship. There will be a
welcoming for Anna Cecelia, daughter of Sue and Jeff Rioux. The
Meeting established a budget committee to draw up a year 2000
budget. The committee, comprised of Nancy Finke, Scott Searles,
and Karen Shippen, will consult with Treasurer Pat Wixom and
report back to the Meeting in January.
2000 to 2002 - 35 Years of Columbia Meeting
In September 2000 there was discussion of where to meet while
the ceiling was being repaired. This Meeting for Business was held
at the home of Sylvia and Carleton Spotts. Nan George offered
to make her house available for Meeting until temporary quarters
could be found. The designation of alternate meeting sites was
necessitated by the partial collapse of the ceiling over the worship
area in the Meetinghouse during the week of August 27. Home
inspector Fred Fischer of Columbia inspected the Meetinghouse
on October 12 to determine the full extent of necessary repairs.
Nancy Boon made a written report of the inspection. Meeting
further approved the Committee recommendation that Florence
& Sons of Columbia be hired to do ceiling repairs and associated
work on the Meetinghouse, with provision for contract cancellation
if full repair cannot be justified financially. Florence & Sons’ bid of
$3,997 for ceiling and associated repairs was the high one of three
presented to Meeting by the Property Committee. By October the
Meeting was settled at the Access Arts home of Naomi Powell,
with a voluntary contribution of $100 per month payment for use
of the facility. Meeting approved a written report from the Property
Committee. It was estimated that two to three weeks were required
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Columbia Friends Meeting
for completion of all Meetinghouse repairs. The repairs cost $6040,
and Pat completed payment of that bill to Florence & Sons. The
Clerk expressed gratitude to Friends for their financial generosity
since the Meetinghouse ceiling collapse in late August.
In April Pat Wixom reviewed the financial statement that
included the $6369.34 payable to Boone County for construction
of sewer lines on Meetinghouse property. It was formally agreed
that Meeting approved installation of air conditioning in the
Meetinghouse and that the Property Committee will make the
decision as to which bid to accept. The Property committee had
come up with a definite schedule for lawn mowing by Dustin Sublett
Lawn Services, which was approved by Business Meeting.
Meeting approved the transfer of Carolyn Doll’s membership
from Las Cruces New Mexico Monthly Meeting to Columbia
Friends Meeting. Carolyn Doll will complete Judy Richards’ three
year term as trustee, as well as being clerk of Property and of Peace
and Social Concerns Committees. In March Meeting approved a
stipend of $200 for Lorraine Caputo Crouch from the Nurturing the
Peacemakers Fund to help defray the expenses of her trip to Cuba in
April and May. Meeting considered requests for Scholarship Fund
assistance, which were approved for $50 for Lorena Jeanne Tinker to
attend an upcoming Friends Committee on National Legislation and
$50 for Gary Walden’s attendance at a John Calvi healing workshop
in St. Louis. At the request of Ministry and Counsel Committee,
Meeting approved the use of $70 from the Scholarship Fund to pay
part of Sherry Monroe’s expenses in attending an eldering workshop
sponsored by Friends Center in Barnesville. Columbia Meeting
approved $500 to Phase Two of the Campaign of Conscience for the
Iraqi People. Future potential officers and trustees of the meeting
will be informed of this action by the Nominating Committee
because they may incur some legal liability for violation of U.S.
laws enforcing the sanctions on Iraq.
Peace and Social Concerns has written a letter to the Editor
protesting the unfair administration of justice in death penalty cases.
At a called Meeting for Business later in the month, Meeting agreed
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A History by Pat Wixom
to cosponsor a program called to protest United Nations sanctions
on the Iraqi people. The Meeting also agreed to support its cosponsorship by forwarding earmarked contributions from individual
Friends, with the understanding that these will total at least $50.
The Treasurer noted that $150 from the Tanzanian Fund has been
sent for the purchase of a bicycle which will facilitate the work of a
Quaker teacher in a school for AIDS orphans. In June the clerk read
a letter of introduction for Bob Wixom to use on his forthcoming
visit to Costa Rica. It was approved, with addition of a request that
it be endorsed and returned to our clerk.
In February Meeting noted the receipt of a letter to Scott
Searles from Mike Ashcraft of Kirksville, Missouri describing the
first gathering of a worship group there and expressing gratitude
for an earlier visit by several Columbia Friends. According to
correspondence from Mike Ashcraft, the Kirksville Worship Group
later experienced diminishing attendance and may cease meeting.
Our Meeting recommended that the Ad Hoc Committee maintain
contact with Mike Ashcraft at least through the fall.
With joy, Meeting approved a recommendation that Mike
Murray be accepted as a member of Columbia Friends Meeting. In
June, Meeting approved the transfer of Luci Lee’s membership to
Penn Valley Meeting in Kansas City, Missouri. A farewell party
was planned for Cherie Dupuis, who with her husband is moving
to Chicago this summer. Nan George has requested membership in
Columbia Friends Meeting and Meeting approved her membership.
The Clerk welcomed Roxy Jacobs, Illinois Yearly Meeting’s new
Field Secretary, as well as Lila Lelend and Gwen Davies, who were
attending Business Meeting in Columbia for the first time.
There was discussion on the varying roles of convener and clerk
for committees, and of who should appoint them, the nominating
committee or the committee itself. After much discussion, Friends
approved the following minute, “It is the task of the Nominating
Committee to recommend individuals to serve as clerks for the
Meeting’s various committees; it is Business Meeting’s responsibility
to approve, modify or reject these recommendations.” Friends
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Columbia Friends Meeting
agreed to discontinue use of the term convener in connection with
committee operations. Meeting approved a deed of gift of Meeting
records to the State Historical Society of Missouri, located in the
Ellis Library Building, University of Missouri-Columbia. Pat will
determine the best method of selecting and conveying our records to
the State Historical Society.
In November, still at Access Arts, Meeting approved $50 to
Gregory Woods to help him in attending the Youth Quake in Seattle,
Washington this year. Greg also asked for and the Meeting approved
the establishment of a special fund to be called the Project Lakota
Fund. The Fund will contain money raised by Gregory and Candy
Boyd and her daughter Maya Suffern, all of whom participated in
a summer work camp on the Pine Ridge Lakota Reservation in
South Dakota. Project Lakota is jointly sponsored by the American
Friends Service Committee and Intermountain Yearly Meeting.
Meeting set up an Oversight Committee to advise the participants
on Fund disbursements. In January 2001, the Meeting approved
the following minute submitted by Gregory Woods: “We, as
Columbia Friends Monthly Meeting, support Greg Woods, Candy
Boyd, Maya Suffern, and other Friends who feel called to help with
Project Lakota. Project Lakota is raising awareness and money for
the Lakota who live on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The money that
is raised will be used only for building supplies for homes on the
reservation built in conjunction with the AFSC-IMYM Joint Service
Project (workcamp) and scholarships for Friends of all ages to come
to the workcamp”.
The Project Lakota Oversight Committee proposed that Meeting
draft a minute for submission to the Finance Committee of Illinois
Yearly Meeting (IYM). The proposed minute would request the
creation of an IYM budget item in partial financial support of the
Project and would call on IYM members to join in Project Lakota
work. Last summer Gregory Woods, a youthful member of Columbia
Friends Meeting, joined the two St. Louis Meeting members, Candy
Boyd and her daughter, Maya Suffern, in working on the Project.
Under the guidance of Columbia Monthly Meeting’s Project Lakota
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A History by Pat Wixom
Oversight Committee, these three have raised presently more than
$5000 to be used for workcamp building supplies and scholarships
for workcamp workers in summer 2001. We strongly encourage
volunteer service opportunities under Quaker sponsorship and
spiritual oversight, a concern we share with IYM’s Standing
Committee on Volunteer Service, Training, and Witness. Columbia
Monthly Meeting considers the plight of the Lakota people and the
worthiness of this Project as fitting objects of ongoing concern by
Illinois Yearly Meeting.
Recent repairs appear to have solved the mold problem in
the worship area, but it remains a significant irritant in other
Meetinghouse rooms. The library reported the need for a
large bookcase, thanks to Nancy Boon and Nan George for the
computerized inventory of the library’s holdings, and on the new
work of reviewing past Business Meeting minutes prior to their
being archived by the Western Historical Manuscript Collection at
Ellis Library.
In response to Query #2 on Meeting for Business several
Friends reminded us that Business Meeting is another form of
Meeting for Worship but that Friends too easily and often seem to
disregard that fact in their eagerness and manner of speech. Friends
remarked also that silence during Business Meeting can serve both
as a damper on useful discussion and as a reservoir of clear, inspired
expression. Four members proposed that Meeting adopt the practice
of starting First Day with Meeting for Worship, rendering all other
matters secondary and subsequent. The group, impressed with the
idea of beginning worship with the first arrival and continuing until
completion, desires that Meeting focus on God’s concerns before
attending to its own. After some discussion, Meeting referred the
matter to Ministry and Counsel Committee.
In March Meeting approved a Property Committee report,
advising the committee that it need not seek Business Meeting
approval for expenses of $200 or less. Meeting also approved the
expenditures of about $500 to repair the Meetinghouse chimney
cap and about $200 to cover the final costs of pew reconditioning.
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Columbia Friends Meeting
Meeting approved the appointment of Mike Murray to a three year
term as trustee of the Meeting, replacing Gary Walden who wishes
to resign the post. Meeting appropriated up to $150 to enable the
Nominating Committee to organize a Meeting-wide workshop on
effective committee work.
The Clerk presented the following minute, which was discussed
and approved. “It is Business Meeting’s task to start, lay down,
divide and consolidate committees. Normally, proposals to do
so would be brought by the Ministry and Counsel Committee, by
Nominating Committee, or by the committee in question itself.
When possible, the committee in question would be consulted
regarding any such proposal.” With regard to adding new members,
after some discussion, the following was approved. “With the
exception of the Nominating Committee, the Ministry and Counsel
Committee, and the Corporation Trustees, new members can be
added to a committee when the committee clerk notifies, in an
official committee report, the Meeting for Business of a desire to
add someone to membership of that committee. When the Meeting
for Business accepts that report the new member will be officially
added to the list of committee membership.”
Ministry and Counsel Committee will assume the responsibility
of contacting inactive members regarding the intent of each
individual to continue membership in Columbia Monthly Meeting.
If the Ministry and Counsel Committee is unsuccessful in reaching
any of these individuals, or if any of the members successfully
contacted wish to be released from membership, the name of
each individual will be presented to Business Meeting. Action on
releasing the Friend(s) presented will not be taken until the next
Business Meeting.
At a called Meeting for Business on September 23, 2001 we
considered possible corporate responses to events of 9/11/01. In a
document of Response and Intention, Columbia Friends Meeting was
given unity on its general direction, and a second document from the
Peace and Justice Committee giving specific recommendations was
approved. The specific recommendations for action were such as
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had been our actions in times past, brought together and compiled.
At a called Meeting for Business on September 30, 2001 the Minute
of Response and Intention was approved as follows.
“We grieve for the suffering and loss stemming from the tragic
events of September 11, 2001. We grieve for the alienation and
despair that led individuals to perform such acts. We acknowledge
the oneness of all creation and pray to God that the present calamity
may open our hearts to the travails of our human family and guide
us in finding ways we may be called to witness to justice for all. We
acknowledge that only through our relationship with the one God
will we be changed and enabled to bring peace to our world.
Let us prayerfully consider how we are being asked by our
Creator to respond to the events of September 11. We are drawn to
the foundations of our faith, to our continual experience of the one
God who is revealed to all people. We are given a commandment by
God to love one another as we are loved by God. Out of this love,
we are led to lay down our fears and consider the welfare of all in the
same way we do our own. We are called to be compassionate - not
only to be deeply aware of suffering, but also to address suffering
in all its guises. We continually ask for guidance, confident that our
Divine Source will hear and be with us in this endeavor.
We would counsel our larger society and governments that
contributing to the cycle of violence and retaliation has never
achieved true peace; rather, we need to seek new ways to address
conflict and injustice. Our righteous anger can blind us to the root
causes of strife that must be addressed. The peace we are searching
for is not simply the absence of war but an inner experience of
oneness that is reflected outwardly in loving justice. As we act on
the measure of truth that is given us by God, we open ourselves to
further revelations.
Let us strive for understanding, patience, acts of mercy, and
love. May each of us be an instrument of peace, embracing all in
our human family and embodying God’s love and wisdom as we
seek a justice that leads to reconciliation, not revenge. “
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Columbia Friends Meeting
Our Minute of Response of 9/30 was published as an op-ed
piece in the Columbia Daily Tribune and as a letter to the editor of
the Jefferson City newspaper. It will also be printed in the next issue
of Among Friends.
At the October regular Meeting for Business we heard from the
Property Committee that Mike Murray, Clerk of Business Meeting,
would talk with Dale Silvey, our insurance adjuster about possible
coverage of the cost of the meeting house ceiling. Also Dustin
Sublett was hired to cut our grassy areas once in September, once
more in October and to cut the NE road edge of our property for
$50, making the total $120. We will assess his work and readdress
the problem in the spring, possibly hiring him to do the work next
summer. They also proposed spending $530 in removal of a dead
tree and several dead branches of the bur oaks overlying the roof of
the Meetinghouse. There was ready agreement to unite with a figure
of $1,000 to be forwarded immediately to the Afghan Relief Fund of
the American Friends Service Committee.
The Meeting also united with a proposal from the Peace and
Justice Committee brought by Bob Wixom as follows: “Columbia
(Missouri) Monthly Meeting requests that the planners of the
Friends General Conference (FGC) Gathering consider a new peace
education program for Quaker youth in the 6th through 9th grade age
range, who will attend the Gathering in 2002. This program would
consist of presentations of the experiences of Quaker conscientious
objectors during World War II. Friend Bob Wixom of this Meeting
is willing to assist FGC planners in the creation of this program. We
also hope that FGC will later consider extending these presentations
to future Young Quaker conferences, as well as Friends meetings,
colleges, and schools. If this proposal cannot be implemented
for 2002, we hope the idea will remain alive for inclusion in later
Gatherings.”
The Meeting approved the following policy proposed by
Ministry and Counsel Committee: When there’s been no contact
between an absent Friend and Columbia Meeting over a four-year
period and after Ministry and Counsel’s diligent efforts to reestablish
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contact have failed, Ministry and Counsel will recommend that
Business Meeting release the missing Friend from membership. It
is understood that the Friend in question should ordinarily speak for
him- or her self and not simply be the subject of another Friend’s
surmise. The membership recorder will follow the direction of
Meeting for Business. In November the Ministry and Counsel
committee proposed that neither pictures nor posters be placed on
the walls of the worship room. This increased simplicity met with
the Meeting’s support.
In February at Meeting’s request John Schuder prepared a
minute in support of organizations that provide counseling to
individuals affected by the draft registration law and individuals in
Meeting who resist compliance with that law.
“Almost since its inception, Columbia Friends Meeting and its
members have given financial support to national organizations,
such as the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors and
the Center on Conscience and War that provide counseling and
other assistance to young people facing the possibility of military
conscription or desiring discharge from the military for reasons of
conscience. For decades, Meeting has contributed to Mid-Missouri
Fellowship of Reconciliation that does similar work locally and
to the Fund for Education and Training that provides loans to
conscientious non-registrants nationally. The need to continue this
support is reiterated.
At a time when our national leaders appear to visualize our
nearly perpetual involvement in wars around much of the world,
the primary purpose of the present Minute is to make explicit the
intention of our Columbia Friends Meeting, in a manner consistent
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Columbia Friends Meeting
with our Faith and Practice, to provide religious support, counseling,
and, as needed, financial support to long-term members or attenders
of our Meeting who resist cooperation with registration and/or
conscription and to those who are willing to perform civilian work
as conscientious objectors.
At present, the main punitive action imposed upon those who fail
to register for possible military conscription is the denial of federal
or state loans or grants for post-secondary education or training.
To the extent that family or other resources are unavailable or
insufficient to meet the educational fiscal needs of our conscientious
non-registrants, Meeting will attempt to make or secure loans or
grants, for a period of up to four years per individual, in lieu of loans
and grants which, except for non-registration, would be available
from federal and/or state sources.” After holding this minute over
for a month it was approved.
Two women in Missoula, Montana, a lesbian couple, have been
denied family health benefits by their employer, the University of
Montana. As a result of this publicity, they have received death
threats and their house was recently destroyed by fire. These two
women with their baby son attend the Quaker Meeting in Missoula.
Our hearts go out to this family and we wonder if there is anything
we can do to help. Our clerk, Mike Murray, wrote to the Meeting
and they said there had been an outpouring of support but asked if
we could keep them in the Light.
Significant damage to the Ramallah Friends School occurred
when an Israeli missile was targeted at a police station next door.
The Peace and Justice Committee made a recommendation that
the Meeting make a contribution to help repair the Friends School.
We agreed to send $50 from Meeting funds plus any contributions
earmarked for the Ramallah Friends School. In May we heard of
the AFSC’s new “Palestine-Israel Crisis Fund” for those suffering
as a result of recent military incursions into the West Bank, and to
support longer term reconstruction and peace-building in the area.
Several spoke of their eagerness for Meeting to participate in this
effort at a generous level. The figure of $1000 was agreed upon,
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realizing this will entail extra allocation and fundraising beyond the
$450 that can come from our budgetary line item on international
relief.
In August the 35th year of the Meeting’s founding was celebrated
with stories of when and how people had come to Columbia Meeting
and with birthday cake and ice cream. The Meeting has grown over
the past 35 years, but is still concerned with the imponderables that
started it in Columbia and in the world.
Clerks of Columbia Monthly Meeting
Clerk
Treasurer
Recording Clerk
1966
John Schuder
Gordon Freese
1967
John Schuder
Clinton Wixom
1968
Fred Halley
Clinton Wixom Judy Halley
1969
Gertrude Mathews
Carol Kieninger
Clinton Wixom Judy Halley
1970
Fred Halley
Clinton Wixom Judy Halley
1971
Richard R. Catlett
Clinton Wixom Julia Newman
1972
Bob Wixom
Clinton Wixom Sharen Wixom
1973
Carol Kieninger
Clinton Wixom Gertrude Marshall
1974 Hank Koch
Gertrude Marshall
Clinton Wixom
1975
Clinton Wixom
Hank Koch
Gertrude Marshall
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Columbia Friends Meeting
Clerk
1976
1977
1978
1979
Gordon Bivens
Gordon Bivens
Treasurer
ClintonWixom
Scott Searles
Recording Clerk
Scott Searles
Gertrude Marshall
Sue Betts
1992-93 Chris Starbuck
Karen Shippen
Sylvia Spotts
1994-96 Pat Wixom
Karen Shippen
Cherie DuPuis
1996-97 Gillian Martin
Karen Shippen
Cherie DuPuis
1997-98 Dale Gardner
Karen Shippen
David Finke
Pat Wixom
David Finke
Clinton Wixom (3-78)
Loren Kintner
Michelle Reiling
1998-99 Sherry Monroe
David Finke
19992001 David Finke
Pat Wixom
Mike Murray
2001-02 Mike Murray
Pat Wixom
Scott Searles
David Finke
Elizabeth Rogers
2002-03 Nan George
Pat Wixom
Elizabeth Rogers
Scott Searles
Lyle Koch
Jeanne Wixom
Gertrude Marshall
Loren Kintner
Marty Patton
1981
Hank Koch
Loren Kintner
Lyle Koch
1982
Hank Koch
Scott Searles
Judy Richards
Scott Searles
Marty Patton
Carol Fulkerson
Karen Shippen
1987-88 Gertrude Marshall Karen Shippen
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Karen Shippen
Members of Early Years
(Numbers of Children)
Brian De Silva
Pat Wixom
Scott Searles
(Shift to Nominating Committee’s Report in May-June)
1989-91 Pat Wixom
Recording Clerk
Sylvia Spotts
David Wixom
1985-86 Lyle Koch
Treasurer
Karen Shippen
1980
1983-84 Carolyn Doll
Clerk
1991-92 Cherie DuPuis
Jeanne Wixom
Scott Searles
Pat Lacefield
Gertrude Marshall Clinton Wixom (10-77)
Bob Gordon (2 wks)
Michelle Reiling
Scott Searles
A History by Pat Wixom
Hugh Davidson
Bruce & Ellen Biddle (3)
Gordon Freese
Gertrude Mathews
Charles & Nancy Laun (2)
Sharen Wixom
Robert Coppinger
Kay Westbrook (3)
Richard Catlett
Fred & Judy Halley (2)
John Schuder
Clinton Wixom
Robert Wixom (2)
Carolyn Doll
Christopher & Marilyn White (2)
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Columbia Friends Meeting
Members Added in 70’s
Lawrence & Jeanine Jones (2)
Gordon Bivens
Elfriede Coppinger
Scott & Eunice Searles
Iris Brooks
Linda Schuder
Carol Kieninger (2)
Brent Barton
Mary Howard Watson
Pat & Linnea Lacefield
Ed Beaver
Jan Macy
Sue Brasfield (2)
Marianne Thomas
Michelle Reiling McCaffrey
Sarah Gorin
Robert Gordon
Billy Ray Foster
Judy Chamberlin
Mike Nash
Tom DeVol
Gail Meglitsch
Ron Tipton
Martha Patton
Lyle Koch
Members Added in 80’s
James & Mary Neal (2)
Judy Richards
Carol Fulkerson
Annette Weaver (2)
Gary Walden
Laura Doll
William & Jill Donegan (2)
Joan Gilbert
Melanie Powell (child of Mary Ann) Brian DeSilva
Carolyn Mathews
Robert Warren
Kim Dowat (3)
Pat Wixom
Hugh & Jeanne Davidson (2) Neva Reece
Richard & Carol McKeever (2)
Laurel & Howard Hendrix
A History by Pat Wixom
Weddings under the care of Columbia Monthly Meeting
1. Robert Wixom - Sharon Belcher
July 20, 1969
2. Paul Kelly - Cynthia Johnson
July 24, 1971
3. Ray Brown - Linda Schuder
June 3, 1972
4. Richard Catlett - Carol Kieninger
July 8, 1972
5. Scott Searles - Eunice Gray
August 5, 1973
6. Ed Beaver - Mary Howard
April 27, 1974
7. Patrick Lacefield - Linnea Capps
November 1974
8. Seyed Hamdani - Jeannine Thomas
August 4, 1977
9. David Wixom - Yvonne Hill
August 12, 1978
10. Ron Tipton - Gail Meglitsch
September 21, 1979
11. Terry Ingram - Nancy Laun
May 30, 1981
12. Ethan Froese - Laura Doll
July 2, 1984
13. Robert Marble - Gertrude Marshall
October 7, 1988
14. Dale Gardiner - Laura Stevens
January 4, 1997
15. Rick Caplan - Luci Lee
May 30, 1997
Memorial Services
1. McCollum Brasfield
March 9, 1974
2. Gertrude Marshall
May 23, 1997
3. Richard Catlett
August 18, 1999
Members Added in 90’s
Kip & Becky Westling (2)
Sylvia Spotts
Cherie DuPuis
Karen Shippen (2)
Luci Lee
Ichiro Matsuda
Dale Gardner
Sandra Kubal
Wendy Hoffman
Members Added in 2000-2002
Michael Murray
Nan George
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Columbia Friends Meeting
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A History by Pat Wixom
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Columbia Friends Meeting
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