Interim Meeting - September 12, 2009
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
Interim Meeting Minutes – Approved
September 12, 2009
9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Arch Street Meetinghouse
- 1. Opening Worship
- 2. Welcome
Introduction of Clerks: Thomas Swain, Clerk; Jada Jackson, Alternate Clerk; John Ellsworth, Alternate Clerk; Dana Kester-McCabe, Alternate Clerk; John Hope, Recording Clerk; Alison Levie, Alternate Recording Clerk.
New Interim Meeting members were invited to introduce themselves. Welcomed were Anna Mae Sutterly (Haddonfield), Steve Dutton (Wilmington), James Barton (Chambersburg), Lynn Conant (Westfield), and Dorothy Reichardt (Media).
Visitors were asked to introduce themselves.
Yearly Meeting staff were asked to rise and introduce themselves: Wade Wright (Spiritual Formation Program, Interim Meeting at-large member, Upper Susquehanna Quarter Coordinator); Beth Lawn (Concord Quarter Coordinator); Michael Gagné (Sessions Coordinator); Christie Duncan-Tessmer (Associate Secretary for Program and Religious Life); Phil Anthony (Salem Quarter Coordinator); Kathy Reilly (Associate Secretary for Business and Finance); Arthur Larrabee (General Secretary); and Wright Horne (Associate Secretary for Advancement and Communications).
Clerk announced a change in the order of agenda items to accommodate those participating in the Friends Center celebration later today. Thus, the Friends Center Update item was moved from #7 to #4 and the report of the Annual Sessions Planning Group was moved from #4 to #7. The agenda was approved as amended. Clerk reminded us that we are dealing with our agenda, not the Clerk’s agenda, and that we must all work together to honor and achieve our planned 1 p.m. stopping time.
- 3. General Secretary’s Report
Arthur Larrabee quoted the comment of a middle school student at Westtown School’s opening meeting for worship this fall that we feel stronger and the light shines brighter when we are all together. He expressed his great joy at today’s Interim Meeting and Friends Center celebration.
Arthur asked for stories of monthly meetings experiencing vitality and growth. Positive experiences of growth in attendance at worship and first day school, public programs, building dedications, and meeting anniversaries were lifted up from Quakertown, Princeton, Moorestown, Germantown, Trenton, Third Haven, and Makefield meetings.
In his General Secretary’s report, Arthur noted completion of the Friends Center renovations and today’s party to celebrate the completion. “That project took a lot of the General Secretary’s time but now we have our house in order and are ready to roll the wagons out, whatever that means,” he said. He invited all present to travel to Friends Center for the celebration and to particularly visit the Yearly Meeting staff space, which he described as a wonderful support for those working there.
Elizabeth Walmsley has resigned as Yearly Meeting Middle School Friends Coordinator, reporting that the position finally had depleted her energy and she needed to recoup.
Arthur referenced the packet sheet showing status of unfinished matters before Interim Meeting and the Yearly Meeting so we don’t lose sight of them. Items on the list were the Military Tax Refusal Policy Review Group, the committee to revisit the Peace Testimony, EarthCare Minute for Action; and Delegation to Meet with the President: Economic Policy and Environmental Sustainability. He spoke specifically of the Military Tax Refusal Policy review Group and reported that six people have agreed to serve by reviewing current policies in light of the changed environment in which we are operating. Friends APPROVED the nominations of Justin Loughry (Haddonfield), Robin Harper (Providence), Suzanne Day (Westfield), Steve Loughin (Old Haverford), Jane Keller (Pennsdale), and Beth Crosman Georgian (Centre), with the assistance of Peter Goldberger, the attorney who has represented us for many years on this concern.
Clerk Thomas Swain said that approval of this Minute was an appropriate time for him to ask Interim Meeting to approve a policy of having the Recording Clerk read back specific minuted actions at the time of their approval. Friends APPROVED this procedure.
Returning to his report, Arthur said he plans to send Interim Meeting agenda packets to everyone electronically, but will gladly provide a hard copy to anyone who wants it. A concern was raised that sufficient packets be made available at Interim Meeting for those who want them but don’t want to burden Yearly Meeting with mailing costs. It also was noted that monthly meeting representatives to Interim Meeting often used the hard copy materials to post on bulletin boards or pass on to interested people in their meetings. Arthur reiterated the availability of hard copies and said he will take the issue of having sufficient packets available on the day of the meeting under advisement.
The General Secretary asked Interim Meeting to spend time in a threshing session on his proposal that way be found to develop and approve some time in the future a brief, one-page statement of what Quakers in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting believe. He noted the difficulties that many of us have in responding to that question and asked whether there is something at the core of our faith experience in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting that we can identify and share. It has been seen that in vital meetings, all are able to share what is at the core of their experience.
Arthur uses the solar system as a metaphor for the situation in which there is a core that is surrounded by other entities that are extremely diverse in size, shape, orbit, and attributes. He said he believes we can embrace the diversity among Friends while still describing the center and what it is that we are orbiting. He said he has no specific proposal to make at this time for how to proceed and wants Friends to understand that this work needs tenderness and thoughtfulness and cannot be hurried.
Possible approaches include appointing a small committee and scheduling a listening/sharing session at a future Interim Meeting. A work product could be a written one- or two-paragraph statement that monthly meetings could then have to use if they were so led. No one would have to subscribe to such a statement, Arthur said. The issue should not be “What do I believe and if I don’t believe it, it can’t be at the center.” Rather, the question is “What’s at the center, whether I believe it or not.”
Friends reported being excited and energized by Arthur’s call, some quaking at the thought of working together to reach unity on such a statement. It was noted that the annual sessions this summer approved four primary areas of concern, including making ourselves known. It’s not necessary to share our personal ongoing revelation with God to be able to explain what it means to be a Quaker.
It was suggested that such a statement should be included in the next update of Faith and Practice. We were reminded of the structure taught by Haverford College president emeritus William Wistar Comfort that Quakerism is based on (1) the Inner Light as a teacher who is available to all; (2) continuing revelation; (3) the universality of grace; and (4) a call to perfection in ourselves and the wider world. A fifth element could be our commitment to act on the first four.
We recognize that many of us are averse to using Christian language and it will be important to sit with the pain that many have brought to Quakerism from the Christian denominations into which they were born. If our lack of clarity on who we are comes from the pain of leaving our former faith community, it will be important to sit tenderly with others whom we perceive to have caused us pain and to re-embrace the Christian language, even if it is not where we currently stand.
Many of our meetings are made up primarily of convinced Friends who often are running from something and don’t know what they are convinced of. Lots of modern Quakers forget the first 300 years of our history, preferring to focus on the last 50 years. The early Friends didn’t rationalize their faith. They believed there was a transcendent power into which they could tap and they were willing to be jailed or beaten or even die for that belief. If we are convinced that there is that source, the grace of God can overcome any darkness.
While we should always be seeking, we need to recognize that if we haven’t found something after all this time, we may be looking in the wrong place.
Clerk Thomas Swain said the threshing session demonstrates that Arthur has tapped into something that is strategic and important for us. He encouraged the General Secretary to carry on with his proposal as way opens in hopes that we may see more thinking, structure, and suggestions in the future as Arthur and others labor with this.
- 4. Friends Center Update
General Services Committee co-clerk Richard Morse reported that Yearly Meeting is being asked to help Friends Center over a temporary cash flow problem by guaranteeing and collateralizing an $800,000 line of credit. The issue is that the renovation project is essentially completed and contractors must be paid but there are three grants from public and private funding sources that are still outstanding. These three grants (Pew Charitable Trust, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, U.S. National Park Service) are expected to yield more than $800,000 and could be received by the end of the year.
Since the American Friends Service Committee has no additional collateral available, having used it for the $7 million bond issue, the Yearly Meeting is being asked to guarantee and collateralize an $800,000 line of credit with Brown Brothers Harriman at 3.25% interest for a term to end no later than February 28, 2010.
Friends voiced strong support for the conviction that we are morally obligated to pay on time the contractors who have done the work on the project as we requested. Still, concern was expressed that the money might not be paid back, given the difficulty, for instance, that many monthly meetings now have in meeting their budgets. Friends Center interim executive director Pat McBee responded that the money already has been committed for the project and that two of the three grants in question are likely and the third is a fairly sure item. She said those who have examined the proposal believe the risk to the Yearly Meeting is very small. General Services Committee members and Yearly Meeting staff received comprehensive briefing information on the issue and believe that ultimately our beliefs leave us no choice but to approve the request.
Friends APPROVED that Philadelphia Yearly Meeting guarantee and collateralize a Friends Center line of credit to be extended by Brown Brothers Harriman, in an amount not to exceed $800,000, and that the General Secretary be authorized to enter into such agreements, execute whatever documents may be necessary, and take such other actions as may be necessary or appropriate to effect the intentions as outlined in Fact Sheet dated August 25, 2009.
Clerk Thomas Swain announced the July 22nd death of Gladys Kinard Hernblad, a member of Monthly Meeting of Friends of Philadelphia. A memorial meeting for worship to celebrate her life and gifts was held August 22nd.
- 5. Minutes from Interim Meeting
Recording Clerk John Hope reported that Reading Meeting submitted a correction to the minutes of June 13. The item in the General Secretary’s report dealing with renovations at Reading Meeting should read that “Reading Monthly Meeting has been renovating a kitchen and former classroom. The area is an addition to the meetinghouse by the Red Cross, which used it to make bandages during World War I.
Interim Meeting APPROVED the minutes of the June 13 meeting with this correction.
The Recording Clerk reported he had received updated information relating to the Minute for Travel that was approved at the June 13 Interim Meeting. That minute had been presented by Christine Greenland, Abington Quarter Alternate Recording Clerk. The updated information is that due to the challenges besetting Iran, Cynthia Blumenthal advised that the group intending to travel discerned that they would not go and have postponed travels in ministry of this sort until such travel would not place their hosts at risk.
- 6. Annual Sessions Planning Group
Report: Annual Sessions Planning Group Clerk Amy Ward Brimmer (Fallsington) asked those present at Interim Meeting to be sure to report back to their monthly meetings on their experiences at the annual sessions this summer at DeSales University. A report on the sessions is available on the Yearly Meeting Web site.
She said that the Planning Group has started reviewing evaluations submitted for the residential sessions and making plans for 2010. Overall the evaluations reviewed so far were very positive and contained constructive criticisms. It was felt that the business of the Yearly Meeting went very well, although too much was scheduled for each plenary session. Friends expressed the hope in their evaluations that we will reach the point where we pay less attention to institutional matters. Almost all evaluation comments on the clerking were very positive. The primary improvement sought was that there be more concise minutes. Efforts are underway to reach clarity on how minutes should be recorded and read back.
There were mixed reviews on the food service. It was suggested that we make better use of volunteers to free staff and also have a less crowded schedule, with more time for fun and leisure. The Planning Group is considering scheduling a totally free afternoon with no planned activities. The Planning Group is looking at financial assistance availability, especially for the residential sessions. They intend to issue an earlier call for workshop ideas and want to more actively work with workshop leaders to help them succeed. They will widen their search for those in the Yearly Meeting who are able to offer education, entertainment, and other service. They also have a goal to make registration for annual sessions as accessible and easy as possible.
The Planning Group hopes to be able to recruit one or two people from each monthly meeting to serve as liaisons between the Planning Group and their monthly meetings. They would receive e-mailed information periodically to announce to their meeting.
Amy reminded us that we have completed the third year of a five-year experiment to hold annual sessions in both March and July. Resources will need to be found if we choose to continue this model past the five years.
Queries being considered by the Planning Group focus on the purpose of sessions, the purpose of the Planning Group, what works well, what doesn’t work as well, and what gifts or abilities they bring to planning. Monthly meetings will be asked to consider and respond to what they believe annual sessions are for and how to bring their gifts and abilities to sessions.
The theme for 2010 will be “We Make the Road by Walking” or, perhaps, “We Make the Road by Walking Together.” It is taken from a poem by the Spanish poet Antonio Machado. Sessions will be March 26-28 at Arch Street Meetinghouse and July 28-August 1 at DeSales University.
Proposal for Delegation to the President. An ad hoc committee named by the clerk met three times this week to work on a proposal to nominate a delegation that would seek a meeting with President Obama about the intersection of economic policy and the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gases and to address other ecological damage caused by our current levels of consumption. Robert Greene reported for the ad hoc committee and proposed that Interim Meeting establish an ongoing group to go forward with the concern. Friends APPROVED this minute: Our Yearly Meeting in residential sessions ending 2nd day, Eighth Month, 2009, called upon the clerk to investigate the possibility of sending a delegation to the Obama administration to voice our concerns over “the interaction of economic policy and the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gases and address other ecological damage…” Friends gathered for Interim Sessions today reaffirm their commitment to sustained engagement with this issue and hereby call upon the Peace and Concerns Standing Committee, in consultation with the Yearly Meeting clerk, to name a panel of Friends who will:
Discern our message and our path for communicating with the Obama administration and possibly other political leaders;
Advise us on how and when communication with the Obama administration might be most fruitful;
Recommend how monthly meetings and the wider body of Friends might engage with these concerns in a meaningful way, to inform them of the urgency, and to help sustain our focus;
Envision a path forward, including other actions we might consider involving the intersection of economic policy, ecological damage, and social injustice, and to be better stewards of God’s creation.
This panel of Friends shall report directly to the Yearly Meeting in Interim Sessions, prior to our Annual Sessions to be held March 2010. Given the weight of these concerns, it is further understood that Friends wish to be as effective and faithful in our engagement with the administration as possible. While mindful of the urgency of these issues, the panel should not feel bound by any particular event or deadline.
Clerk Thomas Swain suggested the names of Jonathan Snipes (Fallsington), Clerk, Ed Dreby (Mount Holly), Hollister Knowlton (Chestnut Hill), Steve Loughin (Old Haverford) and Robert Greene (Princeton), all of whom had been serving on the ad hoc committee. Friends APPROVED these nominations.
It was noted that at the Annual Sessions August 2, a minute had been approved urging PYM Friends to take certain actions to convey our deep concern for the issue of climate change. In support of that minute, Interim Meeting APPROVED calling on monthly meetings to (1) contact U.S. senators before November 15 with the message that strong climate change legislation is essential and (2) participate October 24 in local events to publicize the importance of addressing climate change.
Threshing: Post Summer Sessions: How Are We Led Now? Clerk reported that we are not ready to address this topic at this time and it will be on the agenda of a future Interim Meeting.
- 7. Standing Committee Reports
Support and Outreach Standing Committee co-clerk Susan White (Princeton) reported that the group has completed the task given to it at the 2006 Summer Sessions to learn what causes meetings to flourish or to die. She said that while committee members initially feared that the assignment would leave them discouraged, instead they have been led, informed, and gifted with a solid body of information on our lives as Friends. The group has published a pamphlet, “Report on Vibrant Meetings and Troubled Meetings’ and a “Help for Meetings Checklist” that raises issues that meetings should consider.
Susan reported that the Quaker Quest program is ramping up and financial help is being sought for any monthly or quarterly meetings wanting to present a Quaker Quest program.
Friends are asked to consider what kinds of publications people need, which current publications need to be revised, and which current publications should be translated into other languages.
Peace and Concerns Standing Committee clerk Patricia Finley reported that the Yearly Meeting has endorsed a September 21 program at Arch Street Meetinghouse as part of the Iraqi Labor Tour. Our endorsement and co-sponsorship has been listed on publicity materials as a way of ensuring that our name is associated with activities that we back.
- 8. Annual Fund
Wright Horne reported for Jan Hatchard, who wanted to express to Interim Meeting her appreciation for the welcome she has received as PYM’s new development director.
The Annual Fund’s goal for 2010 is to help members and attenders of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting burn with fire for their beliefs and passions about what is going on. The Annual Fund will communicate on three points: Why, Give, and Now. It has been found that the most effective way to communicate is through person-to-person contact and thus the Annual Fund will be making greater use of phone-a-thons and monthly meeting representatives, rather than direct mail.
Phone-a-thons will be held more often during the year. They will operate from a variety of locations so volunteers will not always have to make their way into Center City Philadelphia. Monthly meeting representatives will be asked to speak at their meetings more often and especially to speak with non-givers to ask them why they are not participating. Wright also referenced the Arts on Arch juried art show and Livingston Taylor concert the weekend of November 5-7 that Jan is organizing as an inventive fund-raiser.
- 9. Advisory Committee Notes
Clerk referred to the notes that were distributed and asked for questions. It was noted that the Yearly Meeting priorities are available on the Web site. They will have wide distribution after the Priorities Process Committee meets September 15 to finalize them.
10. Announcements
Yearly Meeting staff and Interim Meeting members made several announcements. Clerk thanked those present for their discipline that eased the clerking process and allowed us to meet our time commitment. Such discipline, he said, is something we should encourage and expect in each other.
Following a period of worship, Interim Meeting adjourned to reconvene, God willing, on October 10, 2009.
Thomas Swain, Clerk
John Hope, Recording Clerk
