Saturday, December 28, 2002 Meeting Notes

AGENDA

0. Check-in
1. Vigil
2. First night
3. Incorporation
4. Relation of UFPPF and PPJH
5. Announcement

CHECK-IN: a few scattered notes on remarks by those present:
- Laura is feeling groggy in this holiday season.
- Elaine is also feeling groggy.
- Dorothy's husband celebrated his 80th birthday on Christmas Day. She was very affected by the news this week of the U.S. involvement in the torture of prisoners.
- Marisela is leaving on Tuesday for Granada, Spain, despite an ear infection. She'll be back in July but will be in touch through e-mail and the web.
- Mark feels we're facing dark times in the new year.
- Sheila came to the meeting for the second time, with Kyle; she's been reading about Israel and Palestine.
- Vivi is just back from two days crosscountry skiing.
- Marilyn's letter to the News Tribune (Tacoma) on the Locke budget should be in the paper soon. She will be having eye surgery on Monday and will be uninvolved with the group for ten days or so. She has concerns that she is losing her center by being so involved elsewhere.
- Marion is feeling good after holiday celebrations that went well. She feels deep concern, however, about a nephew in the Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton who has been assigned to load and unload ammunition.
- Colleen is looking forward to the New Year and feels it's necessary to be hopeful, and feels not only a duty but a need to be involved with PJH at this time.
- Kathryn, at the meeting for the second time, feels she's a reserved person but is feeling a need to start speaking out about the current situation.
- Sara is having feelings of turmoil, unhappiness, distress, and anguish about the impending war and about the real reasons for the war, feelings which are always with her, even in dreams.

1. Vigil. There were 21 people at the Christmas Day vigil at the Federal Courthouse on Wednesday. One person stopped to express the view that protesters are demoralizing our troops. We discussed developing talking points to help us to prepare to respond directly to this and other concerns. REMINDER ABOUT QUICK RESPONSE PLANS: If/when the was starts/escalates, PPJH will hold a vigil from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on that day at the Federal Courthouse (1717 Pacific Ave.), and then resume a daily vigil there.

2. First night. PEACE WORK OPPORTUNITY! Colleen is organizing a schedule of leafleters to hawk "No Iraq War" buttons (which we have thanks to Susan's generosity!) and distribute PPJH material against the war to First Night revelers in downtown Tacoma. This is an unofficial First Night activity -- which means leafleters must not leaflet events, but should confine themselves to public areas and keep moving. Materials for leafleting will be stored on that day at a local site (probably Tully's, but check with Colleen to be sure). Call Colleen (759-9680; cwaterhouse@att.net) to let her know when you'll be there and to coordinate times. Sara (759-1959; sglick@aol.com) is willing to help people prepare talking points for this activity.

3. Incorporation. Pursuant to David Alger's desire to clarify the relation of PPJH to Associated Ministries, and following last week's developing consensus that PPJH's formal affiliation with Associated Ministries is a less desirable path than that of taking the step of independently incorporating as a legal entity, Mark looked into what is involved in incorporating under the Washington Nonprofit Corporations Act (Chapter 24.03 RCW, available on the website of the Secretary of State of the state of Washington). What is involved is: filing with a $30 filing fee a form and articles of incorporation in duplicate copies. These materials must designate a name, an effective date of incorporation, a term of existence (in this case, perpetual), a purpose (educational), a destination for assets in the event of dissolution (Associated Ministries?), a registered agent with a 'registered office' (i.e. geographically existent address), the name and address of one or more initial board directors, and the name and address of one or more incorporators. Subsequently, the law requires the submission of an annual report by December 1 with a $10 annual report fee. Some of the individual named in the formal filing may be the same persons. Since the law prohibits the president and the secretary of an organization from being the same person, the minimum number of persons required to form a corporation is Washington is two. Advantages and disadvantages of incorporating were discussed. Advantages: possession of powers granted under the act, which are, principally, for PPJH, the power to receive, possess, and dispose of property; power to sue in court; power to promote or partner in other enterprises. Disadvantages: power to be sued, and the fact that the act imposes a structure to some extent antithetical to the nature and spirit of PPJH (hierarchical, orientation to money and legal process), which was seen by some as threatening PPJH's élan. Obtaining some of the desired advantages without incorporating was mentioned as a possibility by Sheila. Discussion will continue next week: PJHers are encouraged to attend to express their views on these important questions.

4. Relation of PPJH to United for Peace of Pierce County. This week what was formerly called "the December 8th Coalition" voted to adopt the name United for Peace of Pierce County. The relationship of these two groups was discussed. Although there is some overlap of these groups in terms of members and goals, the groups are in fact quite different, and are distinct, independent, and autonomous.

5. Unaddressed agenda items. Lack of time precluded addressing the following agenda items, which should be taken up next week: (a) What can we do for U.S. troops at this time? (b) Conscientious objection; (c) Conversation cafés.

6. Announcements.

On Jan. 19 at First United Methodist (423 MLK Jr. Way, Tacoma) from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Fr. Ray Bourgeois will speak about his trip to Iraq and funds will be raised to help five Washingtonians and Oregonians charged in relation to protests at the School of the Americas.

Marion announced that the labyrinth will be set up at Mason Methodist Church. She will e-mail particulars to the listserv.

The meeting concluded at 12:10 p.m.