Interim Meeting - April 10, 2010
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
Interim Meeting Minutes-Approved
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Arch Street Meetinghouse
- 1. Opening Worship
Friends gathered on the above date somewhat near the appointed hour of 9:30 a.m. and settled into worship.
- 2. Welcome
Out of deep worship the Clerk welcomed those in attendance. Clerk Thomas Swain (Middletown MM, Concord Quarter) introduced himself. Others on the Clerks table introduced themselves: Alternate Clerks: Jada Jackson (Trenton MM, Burlington Worship Group), Dana Kester-McCabe (Wicomico River MM), John Ellsworth (Gwynedd MM); Recording Clerk: Jim Herr (Lancaster MM); Assistant Recording Clerk: John Hope (Harrisburg MM). Mark Myers (London Grove MM) also introduced himself as Alternate Clerk and designated back bencher. New Representatives appointed to Interim Meeting introduced themselves. Clerks of PYM Standing Committees introduced themselves. Staff of PYM introduced themselves. Guests introduced themselves, some of whom were here because of the Junior Interim Meeting, which was going on vibrantly upstairs. The Clerk reviewed the agenda and suggested some changes.
- 3. Growing and Vital Sharing
Middletown MM (Concord Quarter) is revitalizing itself with a workshop on lost priorities, offered to Yearly Meeting and its Quarter. Princeton Meeting has been invigorated by having an intern from Princeton Theological Seminary in their midst. Abington Quarter has considered what happens when someone dies. With a recognition that all of us are ministers, they are having meetings in their Quarter to discuss planning for end of life.
Plymouth Meeting is building community by taking people to the local professional soccer game. More people have signed up to go to tonight’s opening game than ordinarily go to worship. Mt. Holly Meeting hosted World Day of Prayer, a program of Church World Service. Unami Monthly Meeting held a vigil on the anniversary of the beginning of the war in Iraq. This peace witness, as part of worship, reached out to many who have become more aware of Quakers as a result. There was general appreciation expressed for the Quaker Quest ads on the radio. These ads will encourage others, and ourselves. Reading MM has had people affiliated who have been attracted because of the renovated meetinghouse. They are working a great deal on outreach, including planting a vegetable garden, the produce from which will go to shelters in the city.
- 4. PYM FYE 2011 Budget
Clerk reminded us that our purpose today is to decide on the rightness of sending our budget to Monthly Meetings for consideration. He reviewed the process of formulating the budget. Quite a few of those in attendance stood to be recognized for their work in preparation of the budget. Clerk urged us now to be “powerful beyond measure,” as suggested in a quote from Marjorie Williams.
Jack Mahon ((Woodstown MM), clerk of Financial Stewardship Committee, reviewed the formulation of the budget. At first there was a consideration of the income and requests for expenditures, with a $594,000 difference. However, new issues were discovered with the original estimates that lead to the inability to present a sustainable budget. New efforts were needed. After the initial consideration, the clerks of Standing Committees returned with a greatly reduced set of requests that eliminated the difference. One of the things of most help in consideration of expenditures was the list of Yearly Meeting priorities. As part of the financial stewardship process, there is more and more consideration of active engagement with the entire membership of the Yearly Meeting. Jack told us that the development of this budget was very difficult and time consuming, but that the decisions they came to were not the result of tiredness. Instead, the Committee arrived at this budget with energy and a readiness to try something new.
Benjamin Lloyd (Haverford MM), clerk of Worship and Care Standing Committee, talked about the communal spiritual process that has given birth to this budget. He felt this started three years ago. Budgets don’t lie, and they support visions. Our vision is to create a more vibrant and dynamic faith community. It has already started, for instance the finding of $20,000 for radio advertising for Quaker Quest, which is clearly part of that vision. Ben expressed his great hope and excitement with the future as built into our 2010-2011 budget.
TylaAnn Burger (Green Street MM) has been treasurer of PYM for 6 years. She explained that this is the budget for fiscal year 2010-2011. The origins of this budget start with expenses that continue to go up. Income comes from investments, the Annual Fund, and covenants. These, too, have continued to go up, but not as much as expenses. Until now, the difference has been able to be filled with money from our designated funds. Now the economy has exacerbated this difference. In the process of developing this year’s budget, there were suggestions of methods of balancing the budget, but all involved cutting programs. Returning for more consideration of vision, those in the process came back with a method to move the budget toward being more responsive to our Monthly Meetings. This will be possible by withdrawing money from the income of some of our unrestricted funds.
Jack Mahon came back to talk about some of the many papers distributed for this meeting, which, if approved today, will also be sent to Monthly Meetings.
Arthur Larrabee (Central Philadelphia MM), General Secretary, distributed a sheet showing two versions of the Yearly Meeting organizational chart. One version shows the current situation, with places to change. The other version shows the new organization. Arthur said there have been three considerations in developing a new structure: knit the staff with the life of Monthly Meetings, enlarge our vision, and help to augment and strengthen the process of fund-raising. One suggestion was to have individual staff each relate with three Monthly Meetings that are not served by a Quarterly coordinator, so that all 50 Meetings not served by coordinators would have contact with PYM staff four times per year. By showing up in the meetings, the staff would develop relationship with membership, which would help the entire staff be aware of the dynamics of PYM members and help members be more aware of PYM staff efforts. In addition, the current coordinators would be encouraged to be better conduits of information between their Monthly Meetings and other PYM staff. To strengthen the development process, Wright Horne will spend more time on development as Associate Secretary for Advancement and Communications and in this position will be able to help Monthly Meetings in their consideration of the covenant. Arthur added that these new positions align themselves with our priorities. The Director of Spiritual Community parallels our first two priorities: Spiritual Growth and Renewal and Caring for our Community. The Director of Witness and Outreach incorporates our last two priorities, Witnessing our Faith and Making Ourselves Known.
In response to a question about staff involvement with Monthly Meetings not served by coordinators, Arthur explained that this is a work in progress, which will need creative thinking and energy. The staff person will come to the Monthly Meeting at times which will develop relationship—whatever time that might be—pot luck meal time, business meeting time, or whatever. Meetings would determine if and how they would relate to PYM staff.
Some of the PYM staff salaries will be split among several working groups.
It is anticipated that expenses for the year will come in slightly under budget, covenants will come in on budget, and Annual Fund will be under budget.
Some of the technical publication and printing of PYM Today will be contracted out to Friends Journal, though Wright will continue to have some hand in publication, since this budget calls for eliminating the position of Publications Coordinator.
The faithful Friends—clerks and their Standing Committee members—have had to go through some very difficult times to decide how to reduce projected expenses by $600,000. This crisis has given them opportunities to find ways to work together more efficiently. Many of the changes in process and staff that are taking place are a result of the considerations and work of these clerks.
As an over-view of the three years’ plan: it will take 3 years to implement, but will use “dead people’s money” to implement, with hope that in the process of implementation income will increase as membership becomes more involved in and excited by the work of our Yearly Meeting. It is the hope that this direction will strengthen our spiritual life.
Asked to summarize the proposal, TylaAnn said there are three elements: (1) the current budget and budgeting process is not sustainable; (2) changes are proposed that will reduce staff and realign remaining positions and programs; and (3) we will use unrestricted funds (approximately $600,000) over three years, and, at the end of that time, we will evaluate whether the new process has worked and put us on a path to sustainability.
BREAK
Clerk reminded us this time is for our decision whether or not to bring this budget to our Monthly Meetings. At the end of 3 years there will be $25,000 less income as a result of using money from our unrestricted funds. If this budget is approved today it will be sent out soon for Monthly Meetings to consider and be prepared to speak to it at annual session in July for decision. A Friend suggested that, following Quaker process, unless there are glaring errors, this work of a faithful committee should be accepted and sent on. There was a question about the Deepening and Strengthening Working Group losing money. Ben Lloyd admitted this was a difficult decision to make, but it had to be done. It was suggested that Monthly Meeting clerks be included in the General Secretary’s process of involving Monthly Meetings. And in answer to the question: To what degree can members of Interim Meeting become catalysts in the process of involving Yearly Meeting staff in our Meetings? Arthur replied “Have a consciousness, intent, willingness, and energy to be involved.” Prior years’ budgets were not sustainable. Although a reduction in staff is necessary, we will develop new staff directions with $600,000 over three years. At the end of 3 years we will have a sustainable budget in place or we will know what Friends want and how we can proceed. We hope this will enable a stronger spiritual community. Meeting approved with unity and strength sending this budget to the Monthly Meetings.
6. Minutes of February 13, 2010
The minutes were approved with the following changes:
A few minor typographic errors in Section 4: Personnel (not personal) Services Committee; add “the” in the phrase “making revisions to staff manual;” “current practice which arose” (not arouse). And, in the minute to express the sense of the meeting, “to recognize the need” (not …recognized...)
The nominating committee report needs to include term expiration dates:
a.) Education Standing Committee: George Crispin 2012, Rosemarie Koenig 2013
b.) National Council of Churches: Therese Miller 2013
c.) Friends Center Board: Constance Brooks 2013
d.) Friends Fiduciary Corporation: Samuel Allen, John Coleman, Arthur Larrabee, John Shaw, Charles Ufford, all 2013
e.) United Nations: Phil Furnas 2013
7. Development - Donor Recognition, Annual Fund Update
Jan Hatchard (West Chester MM) told us the Annual Fund is $18,000 ahead of last year, but with over $250,000 still needed to meet the goal. There has been a loss of number of donors over the past 6 years, from 2,143 in 2004 to 801 last year; 6,400 families have never contributed to the Annual Fund. There was a request for callers for the phone-a-thon, scheduled for April 22-24. People give to individuals who ask them. Wright Horne presented a new idea: to recognize the names of donors to the Annual Fund according to categories of gift giving, while other names will be listed as contributors. There were questions about how this will mesh with our testimonies of equality and simplicity. There were questions about buying privilege. Another Friend pointed to the fact that Friends Schools have done this type of list. A Friend expressed concern that we need to recognize those who are connected to Yearly Meeting without an ability to pay. There was a suggestion to encourage challenge gifts. A member said this strategy encourages competition and shaming. The point was made that to maintain the benefits of our Yearly Meeting programs, we must look for creative ideas to increase income, and this might be one. Clerk recognized that we were not in unity on dealing with this request. It was suggested we continue this discussion outside of this meeting, and that staff, the clerk and Advisory Committee will discuss this with consideration to bring it before us again in the future.
After a period of worship, we adjourned at 1:14 to go outside to attend the planting of a scion of the Penn Treaty Elm tree near some dirt in the meetinghouse garden. We agree to meet again on Saturday, May 8, at 9:30 AM.
Thomas Swain, Clerk
Jim Herr, Recording Clerk
John Hope, Assistant Recording Clerk
