Our Meetinghouse is a place of spiritual sustenance and social renewal. It is a place for worship, a place to conduct the business of the Meeting and a place to build community. The buildings themselves — their form, shape and condition — are a significant influence to the life of the Meeting.Our vision of that gathered light includes:The presence of the divine may manifest itself in the humblest situations and in the darkest corners. However, we should not be afraid to enhance the life of the Meeting and to build a modest home for our community. Just as our Meeting seeks to cultivate and nourish the expression of the light within, so our Meetinghouse must be cared for to best reflect the light that gathers there.
The Meeting Buildings and GroundsAreas to Consider in Creating Good Stewardship of Our Meetinghouse include:
Our Meeting buildings and grounds are a place of welcome to all people — reaching out to the community by providing space for programs and to travelers by providing restful lodging — accessible to all and free from barriers to full participation. They reflect our stewardship and care for our community and the Earth. They provide a space to give life to our testimonies of peace, simplicity and equality.Worship Room
Meeting for Worship is the heart of our life as a community.Social Hall
The social hall provides a warm and welcoming environment, encouraging a sense of community for the Meeting and its visitors.Rentals: Social Hall, Pre-School, AFSC
The tenants of our Meetinghouse and visitors from the community at large attending events at the Meetinghouse feel welcomed and accommodated.Library/Small Meeting Room
Our library is a resource for inquirers and scholars. It is a welcoming place for study and reflection. Our committees have adequate meeting spaces.Caretaker’s Apartment/Office
We value and respect the work of our paid staff. The space that is used by our employees reflects our values as Quaker employers.First-Day School
Our children are important and integral members of our community. They feel welcomed and nurtured at the Meetinghouse. We provide safe and comfortable spaces for them learn and to grow.
The Meeting Buildings and GroundsProjects Committee Page
Overall maintenance of the Meetinghouse, and Quaker House, has not kept pace with our, and others', heavy use of the buildings. Our annual maintenance budget has not been adequate to keep up with repairs, and the configuration of space, inside and out, ill serves our expanding needs, those of our tenants, and those of the wider community. (Since Quaker House is financed on a self-sustaining basis by income from tenants, Quaker House maintenance is addressed separately from the Capital Campaign.)
Inadequate acoustics in the Social Hall and insufficient lighting in some parts of the Meeting grounds are a barrier for some to full participation in the life of the Meeting. Lack of reliable parking options continues to be a problem.
There are also systemic issues, such as the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) which does not adequately heat or ventilate the Worship room, and gives rise to health concerns by carrying moisture to the interior of the building.Worship Room
Our Worship room should be uplifting and conducive to quiet worship. The room is in need of new carpeting, painting, and improved ventilation. The windows could be double-paned to increase energy efficiency and sound insulation. Many members and attenders find the chairs uncomfortable.Social Hall
The Social Hall is a gathering space, before and after meeting. It serves Meeting members, attenders, and numerous area residents.
The Social Hall can be difficult to reach if access is blocked, even by a single person pausing in the hallway after Meeting, and many opt for a "quick escape" out the front door. The acoustics in the Social Hall make conversation difficult. The chairs and tables used for light lunch are not comfortable and their storage is problematic. The floor is not sufficiently sound for some of the activities that take place in the Social Hall. The lighting and general flow of space are not conducive to contemplation of the art displays.Rentals: Social Hall, Pre-School, AFSC
During each week the Social Hall hosts many classes, meetings and neighborhood events that are not directly part of the Meeting's activities. We want, and need, to create a welcoming and accommodating atmosphere for our friends, neighbors, and renters. The hall needs to be cleaner, more comfortable, and more able to take the weight of the social gatherings that happen there.
The kitchen is challenging when trying to accommodate a large number of people. An institutional stove and dishwasher would help immensely. The Social Hall could serve as a more successful revenue generator if the facilities were brought up to the standards of other similar rentals.
Better bathroom facilities also would help make the Social Hall a more welcoming and user-friendly rental. The AFSC offices are increasingly crowded and the Lake Union Pre-School has to use the hallway for some of their activities.Library/Small Meeting Room
The library houses a varied collection of Quaker and Quaker-related literature that is a resource to the meeting and the community at large. It should provide a place conducive to quiet study and contemplation. The library also doubles as a meeting room — with limited success. The tables and chairs are of different heights, and they do not promote attentive listening. Furthermore, any meeting in the library likely discourages others from coming into browse or study, thus limiting the room's utility as a library.Caretaker's Apartment/Office
The Caretaker's apartment is adequate in that it provides shelter and privacy, but the quarters are cramped. The office is of reasonable size, but the furniture is not ergonomic and thus not suitable for continuing daily use.First-Day School
Many parents find the Lake Union Pre-School facilities adequate for First-Day School use by pre-school age children in its current form.
For the older children who meet upstairs, and particularly for our teens, the Meeting's accommodations are not adequate. The demographics of the Meeting are skewed between the elders and its youth. Families are relatively scarce. Providing a more creative and welcoming space would help attract families to Meeting, encouraging them to stay and be a part of the community.
The Problem Statement that this document evolved into.