AGENDA for the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the
RUDOLF STEINER BRANCH (NC) of the
ANTHROPOSOPHICAL SOCIETY in AMERICA
March 23, 2024 2:00-5:00 pm
in the Mays Home
OPENING VERSE — The American Verse
May our feeling reach
To our heart’s inmost core,
And seek to unite in love
With human beings of like aims,
With those Spirits who, full of grace,
Look down on our earnest heartfelt striving,
Sending strength out of regions of light,
Bringing light into our love.
~ Rudolf Steiner
Welcome (Robert Mays, Vice President)
Remembering recently deceased members and friends:
Lawrence Miller February 2, 2023
Diane Corcoran March 5, 2023
Traute Page March 6, 2023
Val Sankewitsch April 9, 2023
Elaine Upton July 20, 2023
Truus Geraets October 4, 2023
David Tresemer February 12, 2024
Mary Lee Plumb-Mentjes March 4, 2024
Verse for the Dead
Feel how we gaze lovingly
Into heights that now
Call you to other work.
May your power reach out
From spirit-realms
To the friends you left behind
Hear our souls’ request
Sent to you in confidence:
We need here, for our earthly work,
Strong power from spirit lands –
We thank our friends now dead for this.
Reports for the year 2023:
President’s Report for 2023 (Robert Mays, Vice President)
The Branch was very active with the observance of the seasonal festivals and other offerings to our community. In March, Eve Olive and Allen Barenholtz organized our community’s first Festival of the Unborn in the EWS Eurythmy Room with Eve, Brigida Balzun, Bride Alona McWilliam, and Larissa Oryskevitch presenting speech and eurythmy offerings, with Beth Shirey as piano accompanist. Suzanne Mays played two lyre offerings. The St. Johns Festival was held at the North Forest Hill Park with Jenny Bingham and Christina Beck presenting a program about St. John and Archangel Uriel. The Michaelmas Festival was held at Ben and Jenny Bingham’s home with Ben, Jenny, and Christina Beck presenting a program of Goethe’s fairy tale of the Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily. The celebration of All Souls was held at Eve Olive’s home featuring a special remembrance by Kathleen Wright of two important Anthroposophists who had passed in 2023, Truus Geraets and Traute Page, and a lyre piece by Suzanne Mays, followed by candle remembrances of those who have died. The four Advent Sundays were at the EWS Eurythmy Room and at the Mays home with eurythmy exercises for the Foundation Stone Meditation directed by Christina Beck, speech presentations of the Foundation Stone by Robert Mays, and readings relating to Advent and to the Christmas Foundation Meeting. The Holy Nights observances consisted of eurythmy classes relating to the Foundation Stone Meditation by Christina Beck, a biography workshop held at Diana Haynes’ home, a talk at Leni Covington’s home by Kathleen Wright about the 1924 Christmas Foundation meeting and the events immediately following it, a discussion about “The Three Calls”of the Christmas Foundation Conference at Judy Granberry’s, caroling at Martha and Dirk’s home, and a Christmas story reading at Eve Olive’s home.
In addition, the Branch Board made a proposal to The Christian Community in NC to use the Branch’s Buidling Fund to help finance a “joint meeting place” for the Branch and the Church. The Christian Community group was not interested at this time.
Treasurer’s Report for 2023 (Robert Mays, Treasurer)
At year-end 2023, the Branch had $1,757 in checking and restricted funds of $28,352 in the Building Fund, $10,798 in the Linda Folsom Fund, and $5,209 in other restricted funds.
Income for 2023 was: $1,210 in Dues, $555 in Donations, and $1,376 earned in interest, for a total of $3,141 in income. A major financial event was that we converted our older Certificates of Deposit to higher yield CDs, earning $1,100 more interest than 2022.
Expenses for 2023 were: $639 for Event Honorarium, Room Rental, and Festival expenses, and $878 for General Operations, for a total of $1,517 in expenses. The net operating revenue for 2023 was $1,624. Most of this net revenue was from interest on savings.
Individual Initiatives:
- Eurythmy Offerings – (Christina Beck)
- Festival for the Unborn – (Eve Olive)
School of Spiritual Science (Suzanne Mays)
Waldorf Schools
- Emerson Waldorf School (Viorica Comaniciu)
- Raleigh Day School (Leni Covington)
Christian Community (Buddy Smiley)
Biodynamic Group
Study Groups:
READING FOR THE DEAD (Allen Barenholtz)
Voting:
Candidates for renewing or joining the Board: Kelly DiPietro, Annie Haas, Allen Barenholtz, and Whitney MacDonald
Discussion: What things would we like to see happen in the Branch this coming year?
Closing Verse: The Branch Ideal
From generous sources of the creative ones –
Lending aid to those who selflessly dedicate themselves
To the needs of the as yet quietly learning ones –
And where they meet with one another, there
Spiritually active individuals present and defend
The Anthroposophical substance received –
Higher Forces ministrate Light-Warmth-Devotion.
