Third Haven Monthly Meeting
Overseers Annual Report
Calendar Year 2009

During the year 2009 the Overseers Committee, attended to pastoral care, keeping in touch with members via a calling tree by dividing the membership directory alphabetically, publishing that in the directory and online, and also responding to answering machine and website messages. Should inclement weather take place it is agreed that the clerk of meeting and communications clerk will e-mail closing information to the meeting and Overseers will contact local computer free members and attenders. Friendly support was offered privately to members and couples experiencing a variety of life challenges. Oversight committees from marriages in years past were reminded to continue their oversight as part of the couple being "under the care of the meeting."

The file of Declarations of Intentions was maintained by Nancy Mullen and Marsie Hawkinson. Members wishing to complete a declaration of intentions for death may complete the form in the upcoming newsletter.

Under the organization of John Hawkinson with contacts made by the Overseers the directory was updated.

Memorial Meetings for Worship were held for John Shoffner, Laurence G. "Pinny" Claggett, and Wayne Flanagan.

The clearness process as detailed in Faith and Practice was followed for membership requests and marriages under the care of the meeting. Clearness committees may also be used to resolve issues between members in conflict or for confidential clearness around personal discernment issues.

Friendly presences were provided for wedding parties using Third Haven buildings by Doreen Getsinger and Aiyana Paterson Zincand.

New member clearness committee volunteers were Ann Williams, Doreen Getsinger, Helen Womack, Candace Shattuck, Norval Thompson, Marsie Hawkinson, John Schreiner, Dee Rein, Ralph Young. New members Robert Gladney, [A. P.-Z.], Connie Pullen, Michael Pullen and Joan Wetmore were welcomed and each received a 6 month gift subscription of Friends Journal from the meeting.

A New Members and Attenders recognition luncheon was well attended on March 22th. Speakers included Connie Lewis, Bill Lane, Monimia Barker and Winslow Womack. Overseers and members provided a groaning board!

Friendly Eights created three groups for January-June 2009 and were enjoyed by the participanrs.

Members were contacted intermittently throughout the year in an effort to keep in touch and encourage participation in the aforementioned events. To this end notecards and postcards with the line drawing of Third Haven on them were purchased in bulk. They are available for sale in the corner closet of the Common Room should Friends want one.

During the year the committee reviewed a number of topics, including the Overseers Committee role, the role and process of clearness committees, and the meaning and execution of "under the care of the meeting" for unions.

Per Faith and Practice,

"A Committee of Overseers is appointed to assume leadership in maintaining a caring community, helping all members to find their right roles as nurturers of others."

Overseers goals include providing oversight to the ministry of the life of the meeting and acting as a conduit for clearness, especially in cases of membership, unions (marriage/commitment) or personal discernment. All members and attenders are encouraged to allow Overseers to be of service in times of need. We stand at the ready to help and welcome your ideas for future efforts on behalf of the meeting. We thank all Friends who minister to each other as that is the essence of the Religious Society of Friends.

Respectfully submitted, Dee Rein, Clerk, Overseers with the considerable contributions throughout the year of Doreen Getsinger, Asst. Clerk, Norval Thompson, Betty Jean Wheeler, Ann Williams, Nancy Mullen, Helen Womack, Marsie Hawkinson, Irene Williams, and Candace Shattuck.


2010 Overseers' Calling Tree

Overseer Responsibility (All names in Third Haven Directory inclusive of these letters)
Doreen Getsinger: 410-745-3485 A-Cl
Marsie Hawkinson: 410-822-0589 Co-Fi
Molly Bond: 410-745-9396 Fl-Gr
Norval Thompson: 410-745-3550 Ha-Jo
Nancy Mullen: 410-822-1616 K-Me
Lorraine T. Claggett: 410-822-0669 Mi-Ow
Bob Marshall: 202-812-4776 Pa-Sh, phone call help from Dee as needed
Dee Rein: 410-819-0529 Clerk of Overseers; answering machine
Adrienne Rudge: 410-822-4959 Si-Wa +Ann Williams
Ann Williams: 410-770-3237 AZ; We-Z
Irene Williams: 410-819-3355 emeritus
Candace Shattuck: 410-226-5787 Assistant Clerk of Third Haven Friends

"Overseers invites all members and attenders to make use of clearness committees. As individuals, or in our relationship with others, there are times when we may experience a sense of ongoing deep disquiet. For reasons that are unknown, discernment remains obscured—the genuine nature of our feelings, or our sense of direction, is in question. The Meeting community is available to help all members and attenders who are experiencing such disquiet by offering the availability of a clearness committee. A clearness committee does not give advice or attempt to 'fix' you. A clearness committee helps you remove the encumbrances to your discernment and thus allows you to move forward in in your journey to discover your True leadings. Everything about a clearness committee is treated confidentially. To request a clearness committee, please write to the clerk of Overseers. You can request that specific Friends be on the clearness committee. You will need to prepare a statement, well in advance of the clearness committee meeting, three to five pages in length, describing the problem and providing background. Overseers refers Friends to two references to learn more about clearness committees. One is Patricia Loring's Pendle Hill Pamphlet on 'Spiritual Discernment: the context and goal of clearness committees'. The other is Parker Palmer's concise and clear description of clearness committees (online here.)"

Bob Marshall

Third Haven Friends Monthly Meeting is a member of Southern Quarterly Meeting of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends General Conference of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

Meetings for Worship: Sundays 10:00AM, Wednesdays 5:30PM

Childrens' program: 1st and 3rd Sundays 10:00AM

Meetings for Worship with Attention to Business: 2nd Sunday of the Month following Meeting for Worship (except for the months of July and August)

Contact: 405 S. Washington St., Easton, MD 21601; (410) 822-0293; 3rdhaven@gmail.com; Find Us on Facebook

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