Call to Order
Glenn called to order the meeting for business for Peachtree Friends Meeting at 10am on June 15, 2025 at the Activity Center at Christ Church Episcopl in Norcross. Glenn was acting as the Clerk and Recording Clerk for this meeting.
An opening silence was observed.
Attendance
Fifteen people attended the meeting.
Approval of Minutes
No changes or corrections were requested for the minutes from the Fifth Month Meeting for Business. The minutes were then approved.
Open Issues
Sue May, FCNL Atlanta Advocacy Team
Sue May visited the meeting today to share with us her work with the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), and specifically the Atlanta Advocacy Team.
Sue is a long time member of Atlanta Friends Meeting. She’s been working with FCNL for 30 years. The Atlanta Advocacy team is one of 135 advocacy teams in the nation with teams in every state, plus the District of Columbia.
Advocacy teams choose one issue to work on each year and this year the Atlanta team is working on International Aid.
Sue left some information for our meeting to review and encouraged us to join in the lobbying efforts that the Atlanta team is working on.
More information about the Atlanta team can be found on the Atlanta Friends Meeting website at:
https://atlantaquakers.org/fcnl-advocacy-teams/.
Statement for the Treatment of Immigrants
Scott and Ed presented the first draft of the meeting’s statement regarding the treatment of immigrants in this country. It is presented below.
The meeting is asked to review it and provide any input they have for revisions.
Comments and suggestions can be emailed to
Peachtreefriendsmeeting @ gmail.com
Comments can also be made directly on the Google document by clicking here.
Movie Night
This month’s movie night is tonight, at 6:30 pm in the Activity Center. The movie LA Confidential will be shown.
Community with Christ Church
Beth has reached out to the Rector and staff at Christ Church to help foster community between their parish and our meeting. She will continue to do so.
No Kings Protests
The idea was brought up about PFM makinig a group trip to one of the upcoming No Kings protests in the area.
Next Meeting for Business
The next Meeting for Business will be held on July 13th at 10 am. Please share items for that meeting’s agenda to Curt Thompson or Elizabeth Herrera by July 10th.
Adjournment
Glenn adjourned the meeting at 10:50 am.
Submission and approval of minutes
Minutes submitted by: Glenn
Minutes approved by: Edward
Peachtree Friends Statement on Immigration
It is important to remember when considering the current issues surrounding immigration into the United States of America, that apart from the First Nations peoples and tribes and their descendants, all of our ancestors and families were once willing (or unwilling) immigrants to this country, whether one, two, or more generations ago. The very history of our country is based on it being a nation of immigrants many of whom had in common the desire to leave the countries in which they were born to seek religious, personal and to enjoy economic opportunity. The resulting contributions of these immigrants has always been considered one of the strengths of this nation.
In addition to the unique contributions of immigrants, our Constitution and founding principles originate from the Judaic-Christian heritage of our founders and the countries from which many immigrants originated. The Old Testament makes it very clear: Leviticus 19:33-34 and 24:22 – “When the alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”
We do not advocate or suggest that migrants should be allowed to enter the country without appropriate inspection and screening. However, this should be done with empathy and compassion. Many people flee countries where their economic and political situations and/or safety are in dire jeopardy, and where their own lives and those of their families and children are threatened. Logic and experience tells us that the decision to leave one’s home and country is an extremely difficult one. We have all heard about the risks may be involved in immigrating here. We also know that many do not have the luxury of waiting the 2-10 years it can take to complete the required U.S. entry process! Reform has been politically gridlocked. Still revisions to our immigration laws and sufficient funding to insure that they are implemented are necessary.
Many immigrants have entered as children. They have grown up here. They and their families have paid at least all public sales taxes, worked hard, often paying Social Security and other taxes, and helped our economy thrive, and yet are at risk of deportation because of their immigration status.
PFM calls upon our government to reform our system of immigration in a way that discourages the need for crossing our borders without documentation or inspection out of a sense of desperation. We condemn the current treatment of all immigrants that inflicts the fear and human anguish of being in danger of immediate deportation. We call upon our governing officials to create a fair and reasonable pathway to citizenship for the many immigrants who have contributed to our society. We ask that the fear-mongering that currently portrays many immigrants as members of violent and criminal gangs cease and that our government truly utilizes its many resources and expertise to arrest only proven criminals without documentation and allow them due process of law as required by the constitution.
Peachtree Friends Meeting 