Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of The Religious Society Of Friends |

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
Interim Meeting Minutes – Approved
January 9, 2010, 9:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
Arch Street Meetinghouse

1. Opening Worship

Friends gathered at 9:30 and settled into worship.

2. Welcome

The clerk welcomed those present and introduced the clerk’s table: Clerk, Thomas Swain (Middletown MM, Concord Quarter), Alternate Clerks, Jada Jackson (Trenton MM), John Ellsworth (Gwynedd MM), and Dana Kester-McCabe (Wicomico River MM), Recording Clerks Alison Levie (Goshen MM) and Rich Ailes (Middletown MM).

New representatives appointed to Interim Meeting introduced themselves. Visitors within the Yearly Meeting introduced themselves. Staff of the Yearly Meeting introduced themselves, with special acknowledgement of the two new staff members present, Steve Dotson, the new Middle School Friends Coordinator and Jill Tafoya, Assistant to the General Secretary.

3. General Secretary’s Report

Arthur Larrabee, (Central Philadelphia MM) General Secretary, commented on the wonderful sense of community present and shared his request of the staff to embrace with joy a renewed vision of our work with the Yearly Meeting in faith, practice, worship, work and vision. He asked Interim Meeting to do the same.

New staff were introduced with more details about the experience and gifts they are bringing to their work with the Yearly Meeting. Steve Dotson is a graduate of Guilford College where he was a part of the Quaker Leadership Program. He has wide experience in working with young Friends at Pendle Hill and Baltimore Yearly Meeting. Jill Tafoya, a member of Doylestown Meeting, most recently worked at Temple University. She can organize herself out of a box, according to those who have worked with her.

Arthur reported on the first issue of PYM TODAY which has replaced PYM News and asked for reactions. Several positive reactions were expressed including one from a Friend involved in making grants who appreciated that the publication provided an overall view of Yearly Meeting activities and raised the awareness of activities that are usually hidden.

The staff has been asked to model giving to the PYM Annual Fund and has responded well. Only half way into the fiscal year, already 70% have contributed. Arthur is hoping for full participation.

Friends Center has received its LEED certification (a green building rating system) at the platinum level—the highest level available. It has been rated with more points than any building in Pennsylvania.

Arthur has accepted an invitation from the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia to be part of an interfaith delegation to Israel and Palestine that seeks to understand the conflict from both sides. He hopes that one outcome of his participation will be to build bridges between the Quaker and Jewish communities in Philadelphia. The trip is highly subsidized by the sponsoring organization. The Yearly Meeting is being asked to contribute $1,000 toward the trip. Arthur asks that we hold him in the light as he travels.

Friends responded to an invitation to share stories of vitality and growth in the Yearly Meeting. 1) Wicomico Meeting held its first meeting in their new home. 2) Uwchlan Meeting in Downingtown has started offering a class on Islam open to the public. About 70 people, many from outside the meeting, came to the first session. 3) Crosswicks Meeting held a candlelight Christmas service where Quakers and non-Quakers shared a deep and meaningful service after the program. 4) Bucks Quarter “A to Z” had at least 30 people attend. 5) This year marked the 50^th annual peace pilgrimage from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

In anticipation of his trip to Israel and Palestine, clerk offered to write a minute of travel for Arthur Larrabee. Interim Meeting APPROVED.

4. Report from Peace and Concerns Standing Committee

Patricia Finley, (Old Haverford MM) Clerk of Peace & Concerns Standing Committee, reported for the committee. The new Eco-Justice Working Group is developing a specific description of its role. The Standing Committee considers the issues addressed by this group one of its highest priorities since climate change is likely to be a cause of wars to come.

The interfaith group, Heeding God’s Call to Gun Violence Prevention will be under the care of PYM’s Peace and Concerns Standing Committee although it involves many interfaith groups from outside Yearly Meeting.

The Middle East Working Group is organizing a delegation to Israel and Palestine for Young Adult Friends 18 to 35 years old.

The Standing Committee is looking for a PYM alternate representative to the UN Department of Public Information in consultation with Non-Governmental Organizations. Susan Campbell (Merion MM) is the representative now.

Peace and Concerns Standing Committee holds open the concern for the work of Conscience, Militarism, and War Tax Concerns. By holding open the concern it is meant that P&C SC listens for leadings in this particular area. Many Friends in PYM have expressed the possibility of leadings about war taxes and military recruitment and they often act on those concerns with diverse Quaker and non-Quaker organizations. These concerns have not yet coalesced into a PYM working group. However, some of the war tax concerns work continues in the ad hoc group charged by Interim Meeting to re-evaluate the PYM policy concerning employees who are war tax resisters.

Margaret Mansfield (Mt. Holly MM), project leader of the PYM FCNL network thanked Yearly Meeting for its support and follow through on the requests from YM sessions in July. Climate legislation is bogged down and the network is asking that meetings and individuals organize phone calls around specific provisions in the legislation and that people visit Senators offices about climate change legislation.

A period of worship sharing around climate change issues followed with Friends sharing concerns about our relationship to Earth, the effects of our own lifestyle decisions, the challenge of convincing others, and our legacy to future generations.

Robert Greene (Princeton MM) came forward to update the Meeting about the Obama Panel charged by Yearly Meeting at 2009 Annual Sessions to witness to the US President on the environmental harm being done by our economic system, suggesting alternative ways forward.

After some queries were read from various sources we were invited to share our deep concerns on our economic system and what our Quaker response should be.

a) We need to examine all of our economic choices. They are all critical in how they affect the earth. We must invest with our values.

b) Quakers need to look at our own behavior. When I ask the question “How many people think our environment is at a perilous brink of disaster?” Only a few people will raise their hands. There is still much we can do to change our environmental behavior. No one in this room has changed their lives to the degree that we will be forced to change.

c) Buckminster Fuller once noted that he’d ask how many are willing to use 10% less energy and he’d get many hands raised. How many would use 20% less and fewer hands would go up. How many would use 50% less and no hands would go up. Yet 50% less is what the French are doing.

d) Yes we can be accused of “preaching to the choir” but usually what follows that is an invitation to sing!

e) Some Japanese have a map on their fridge that shows them where the items are inside so they can waste as little energy as possible getting to them when they open the door.

f) We will learn to get our energy from different sources, less carbon intensive. As in France where they rely on nuclear power.

g) Where is God to be after the collapse? What do Quakers have to say?

At the conclusion of the worship sharing, Robert called people’s attention to the notice about the videoconference, “Building an Ethical Economy: Theology and the Marketplace” on January 28 and 29. Friends Center will be one of the satellite sites. Friends present were asked to identify people in their meetings who would be interested in the work of the Obama Panel. Names and contact information can be sent to Pat Finley at finleyp [at] temple [dot] edu.

The question was raised about the Standing Committee keeping a working group that has no people. The Clerk said that this is not our practice, but that Peace and Concerns has a little different practice because the concerns are ones that generate a lot support and concern even as individuals do not come forward to join a working group. The Advisory Committee will consider this issue.

Interim Meeting expressed deep appreciation for the hard work of the Peace and Concerns Standing Committee.

5. Financial Stewardship

TylaAnn Burger (Green Street MM), PYM Treasurer, and Jack Mahon (Woodstown MM), Clerk of Financial Stewardship Committee, reported for the committee. Our income is shrinking in relation to our need and desire for what we want to do. The audit reports that the record keeping and finances are clean. YM administrative and fund raising expenses are low relative to other organizations. The Committee analyzed how long PYM could operate at the current level with no income coming in. With both liquid and non liquid reserves, our reserves would have covered 2.25 years of expenses in 2007. This had dropped to 1.65 years in 2009. Using just liquid reserves, in 2007 we had .88 of a year of reserves and .34 of a year in 2009 - roughly three months. We are currently using money in restricted funds to support our cash flow for expenses because our income from investments is paid only twice a year, at the end of each six-month period. These funds are replaced as new unrestricted income is received.

Friends in the room contributed much information to help understand these numbers and to help compare them to other organizations. Friends reported that the recommended minimum liquid reserve is about 30% of a year’s reserve. One Friend reported that six months is really needed. Another Friend reported that among the non-profits in Philadelphia the current most common reserve is one month, but many non-profits are failing.

TylaAnn reported that unrestricted income has been less than unrestricted expenses for the last three years. Unrestricted donations are lower this year than they were last year at this time. YM is also expecting a 10 to 20 thousand dollar shortfall in covenant contributions because of difficulties Monthly Meetings are experiencing. YM is watching income and expenses closely. In February those involved with financial stewardship will evaluate whether cuts are needed to balance the budget this year.

Plans are starting for the preparation of the 2011 budget, which starts in July 2010. The standing committees are vibrant and eager to work. They are requesting more money, but the expectation is that there will be less money available.

6. Development Report

Jan Hatchard (West Chester MM), Director of Development, reported on the status of current fund raising. We are behind last year’s record in contributions.

7. Minute for Religious Service

Eric Evans (Central Philadelphia MM) reported for the Spiritual Accountability Group for Viv Hawkins (Central Philadelphia MM). Telling of Viv’s travel over the last year and a half and requesting that a new minute for religious service be approved. Viv, who has been traveling with a minute from her meeting, Philadelphia Quarter, and PYM, has particular gifts of spiritual hospitality and prophetic ministry, a compassionate heart, and deep integrity to live in a way that reflects the message she carries. Her message is one of love, light, and the power of God.

Interim Meeting APPROVED the endorsement of the minute for the ministry of Viv Hawkins forwarded by Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting and Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting to travel in the ministry.

The Clerk asked that we revisit our process for considering the endorsement of a minute for religious service. Pat McBee reported on the process used by Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting for those following their leadings. The Meeting now gets as many as five or six requests a year. As they have worked to deepen the process, they have called forth the gifts of the spirit from others, and they have helped them be faithful listeners to God’s message and call to religious service. The Meeting web page, CPMM.org, describes their process.

It was noted that the process of calling forth and supporting Friends’ leadings fits well with the theme of Annual Sessions this summer, “We Make the Road by Walking.”

A question was raised about the role of Interim Meeting in endorsing a minute when the minute itself is generated by a monthly meeting that has labored on the issue and provides accountability. Page 57 of PYM Faith and Practice sets forth the expectation that Yearly Meeting will endorse the minute of Friends who plan to travel in religious service outside our Yearly Meeting. Yearly Meeting does rely on the work of the monthly meeting. They join with the meeting and the quarter in holding that person’s ministry in the light.

8. Interim Meeting Budget

Les Hopton (Moorestown MM) provided the proposed budget for Interim Meeting. This is not the Yearly Meeting budget, just that portion that is assigned to Interim Meeting. He reviewed the major increases and decreases, most of which are caused by changes in accounting, not actually expenditures. The biggest increase, $63,247 is the money for grants to others: FGC, FWCC, Conference of Churches, and Quaker Information Center. The amount of the grants has not changed, but they were located elsewhere in our Yearly Meeting budget. Five thousand dollars was added to the IM budget for anticipated legal fees. The budget calls for $5,700 less for printing and distribution of documents, a savings realized as a result of email distribution. There is a 2% decrease in budget items that were formerly in Interim Meeting’s budget. Responding to a question about the legal fees, Arthur explained that the biggest anticipated legal expense was for property issues at Burlington and Arch Street.

Interim Meeting APPROVED the Interim Yearly Meeting Budget as part of the larger Yearly Meeting budget.

Interim Meeting also minutes its appreciation for the diligence that Les Hopton and Rick Dow (Lehigh Valley MM) have made on our behalf and to Les Hopton for his clear presentation.