Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
Interim Meeting
21 November 2002
As Corrected at Interim Meeting 23 January 2003

Minute # 1. Worship and Opening Exercises

The meeting settled into worship at the appointed hour of 6:00 p.m. at Arch Street Meetinghouse, Philadelphia, PA.

The alternate clerk, Chris Nicholson (Germantown), introduced himself and asked the recording clerk to introduce herself - Susan White (Princeton). The clerk, Chris Mahon (Woodstown), was absent due to illness.

The alternate clerk then welcomed the following new members, alternates and visitors. New representative: Fawn Vrazo (Uwchlan); substitutes: Theresa Fitzgibbon (Trenton) and Cindy Shultz (Harrisburg); and guests: Mario Cavallini (Mickleton and Meeting on Worship and Ministry), Elaine Crauderueff (Radnor), Alan Crosman (Newtown), John Hunt, (Plymouth), Marty Kremer (Center), Nancy Starmer, (George School), and Gail Woodbury (Germantown and Meeting on Worship and Ministry).

Minute # 2. New Business

A. Review of the By-laws and Articles of Incorporation for George School to complete their incorporation process. Referral from the 2002 Yearly Meeting in session.

John Hunt (Plymouth), of the law firm of Hunt and Ayres, and Nancy Starmer, Head of George School, were present to present the By-laws and Articles of Incorporation for George School. John pointed out the following focus points which answer the concerns raised at Yearly Meeting in session.

1. Intention of George School. The Articles of Incorporation, in the Background section, state:
In 1893 George School Committee of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends commenced the educational and religious activities of George School.
George School, since its formation as an unincorporated association under the care of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, has provided a secondary school co-educational experience following the Light Within as expressed in the beliefs, values and practices of the Religious Society of Friends.
With George School's incorporation it is the intention of the George School Committee to continue without interruption the underlying principles, practices and operation of George School as they now exist and as they may evolve in the future, consistent with the beliefs, values and practices of the Religious Society of Friends.

2. Continued connection with Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of George School. The Articles of Incorporation, in item 8 states:
Two-thirds of George School Committee members shall be members of the Religious Society of Friends and the majority of the Committee members shall be selected from among nominees presented by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting…
While Article IV, section 4.3 of the Bylaws is as follows:
The Committee shall consist of at least eighteen but not more then thirty-six persons.

3. Following Faith and Practice.
In Item 4.11, Conduct of Business, the Bylaws state:
The Committee and its subcommittees shall conduct their business consistent with decision-making of the Religious Society of Friends set forth in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting's Faith & Practice.

A Friend asked about item 4.10, which allows for participation in Board Meetings through teleconference phone calls. While most meetings will be held in traditional face-to-face manner, this provision allows for a Board member who cannot attend a particular meeting to have a voice in the discussion.

Several Friends raised a concern that the clerk of the Board is not required to be a member of the Religious Society of Friends.

Another Friend suggested that we trust the Friends on the Board of George School to make good decisions for the school, and not micromanage their work.

Having considered all points, Friends of Interim Meeting approved the Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation of George School as they were presented.

Minute # 3. Continuing Business

A. Friends Pension Plan Amendment.
Alan Crosman, (Newtown), brought some proposed changes for the Friends Pension Plan for the consideration of Interim Meeting. The document including these changes was distributed to members of Interim Meeting. It is entitled "Fourteenth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Friends Pension Plan." Changes included several technical notes, and also some language for "highly compensated employees" which does not actually affect anyone in the employment of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, but which is required by U.S. federal law.

One of the changes is the removal of a one year waiting period before a person can be recognized as a spouse. Another change was that beginning with the 2003 year, the earning stated on the W2 form will serve as the definition of a staff members earnings.

Arlene Kelly (Central Philadelphia), noted that the Pension Plan Committee is a joint committee of Friends General Conference and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Amendments must be approved by both bodies. Friends General Conference two years ago approved the changes proposed here.

Friends approved the proposed changes as presented.

B. Ad Hoc Group to Recommend Ways to Establish Future Priorities.
A meeting of the ad hoc group to recommend ways that could be used to establish priorities for the future of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting will meet on December 4 at 6:30 p.m. at the Arch Street Meetinghouse. This group was approved at the October Interim Meeting, and charged with reporting back to Interim Meeting.

A Friend raised a concern that the work of the group could be seen as the beginning of a process to re-invent the Yearly Meeting all over again each year. The alternate clerk suggested that rather than re-doing the work of organization, the group would suggest ways that the Yearly Meeting could engage in a process of discernment. How best can the structure be used to accomplish the work that we are led to do? Also, priorities might well continue for several years, rather than being re-done each year.

A Friend asked whether the ad hoc group was restricted to members of Interim Meeting. No, it is not. Other interested Friends are welcome to join in the work of this group. The clerk Chris Mahon has asked any interested Friends to join the meeting on December 4, and provided a sign-up sheet. Four members expressed interest in attending, and their names will be forwarded to her by the alternate clerk.

Minute # 4. Financial Stewardship

Jackie Bowers (Falls), clerk of the Financial Stewardship Committee, reported that the Heads-Up which came to Interim Meeting in June that we might be heading towards a difficult time financially in the 2003-2004 year has now become a reality. Since June, there have been two significant reductions in expected income from investments.

There is a new way of setting budget of the Standing Committees. The Standing Committees were given an amount of money available, and each Standing Committee divided it up for their Working Groups.

When the Financial Stewardship Committee went into the Budget Conference on November 16, figures for the 2003-2004 budget were established, except for the covenants from the Meetings. At the Budget Conference, meetings provided a three and one half percent increase in the covenants, which added an additional $38,000. Financial Stewardship was enormously pleased with the added support of the Meetings. But even with this generous support, at the end of the Budget Conference, there was still a $184,000 shortfall to balance the budget for 2003-2004.

Financial Stewardship must bring a balanced budget to Interim Meeting in January, so that the Monthly Meetings can have budget materials mailed out to them in January. If Financial Stewardship on December 4 has to reduce the budget by $184,000, doing so will significantly impact the corporate witness of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.

Therefore, the Financial Stewardship Committee brought a minute for Interim Meeting to consider, asking that Financial Stewardship may include some income streams from PYM invested funds currently designated for other purposes. This minute would allow income streams from undesignated funds, which work together to support many important programs, to be used to balance the budget. This is income, and not principal.

Friends offered up the following.

A Friend asked what type of funds are being considered. This is from unrestricted funds only.

Another Friend asked which programs might lose some support. No work has been done to determine this question, since doing so before Interim Meeting approved did not seem rightly ordered.

A Friend asked whether Financial Stewardship might bring various options to the January Interim Meeting. This would not be practical since Interim Meeting has to approve the budget at that time.

A Friend suggested as being appropriate to our discussion:
New occasions teach new duties, time makes ancient good uncouth,
They must upward still and onward, who would keep abreast of truth.
Quoting from the hymn "Once to Every Man and Nation".

Friends noted that funds for grant making and outreach will no doubt be cut no matter what we do tonight.

A Friend suggested that we don't tell our story well, and that many Friends within Philadelphia Yearly Meeting don't understand what the Yearly Meeting does. We need to do a better job of explaining our need for income to our Monthly Meetings.

Another Friend offered that people give to causes, and not to budgets.

Only a small percentage of Friends give to their own Meeting, and an even smaller number to the Annual Fund of Yearly Meeting. In addition, most of those who give to their Meetings and to the Yearly Meeting are over sixty years of age; many Friends under the age of sixty do not give at all.

A Friend offered that we need to do a better job of creating a sense of the connection between stewardship of resources and the work that the Society of Friends is doing.

Friends approved the following minute.

Interim Meeting of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
XI 23rd 2002
The balanced budget for 2003-2004 that the Financial Stewardship Committee will present to Interim Meeting in January 2003 (for approval to mail to the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings), may, if necessary, include as income to the General Fund some income streams from PYM invested funds that are currently designated for other purposes.

A Friend from Radnor Meeting asked to have his dissent recorded, but did not stand in the way of the minute.

Minute # 5. Business of Standing Committees.

A. Support and Outreach Standing Committee.
Will Bowers (Falls), a member of the Support and Outreach Standing Committee, reported on several matters for that committee:

1. Support and Outreach has approved Southern Quarter to have a Regional Coordinator as a half-time position. The funding for this position is already in place.

2. Support and Outreach wanted to call attention to the exhibition: "Silent Witness: Quaker Meetinghouses in the Delaware Valley, 1605 to the Present". It is a joint presentation of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) of the National Park Service, and the Quaker Information Center.

The exhibition of large-format, black & white photographs, measured drawings, and historical text is the culmination of a multi-year effort by HABS to record the meetinghouse architecture of this region. Each of the twenty-seven structures featured represents a particular type, period, or pattern of meetinghouse development. The meetinghouses of the Delaware Valley are remarkably well preserved.

The exhibit is currently on display at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia. It will come to Arch Street Meetinghouse in January, 2003.

3. The Publications Service Group reported that the 2002-2003 Directory of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting has been issued. Copies have been mailed to clerks of Monthly Meetings, Standing Committees and Working Groups.

B. General Services Standing Committee
Anne Moore (Valley), clerk of the General Services Standing Committee, reported for that committee.

1. Anne presented a report from Elizabeth Foley on the progress of the Annual Fund. That report states:

As of 11/21/02 Friends received 504 gifts totaling $58,829.63, or 13% of the $435,000 goal. As of 11/21/01 Friends received 647 gifts totaling $71,456.43, or 15%, of the then $460,000 goal.

The mainstay of support for both our Monthly and Yearly Meetings are Friends 60+ years of age. The majority of these Friends are retired and living on incomes from investments and pensions. In the last three years, these Friends have seen their incomes greatly reduced by the economy.

When Friends write the checks that support our Monthly Meetings and our Yearly Meeting, that too is a continuation of worship.

Non-contributing Friends receive letters asking for their support, but do not respond. Can the representatives of Interim Meeting offer their counsel? How can we awaken these Friends to consider their part in caring for our faith community?

2. Anne brought the names of two Friends that the General Services Standing Committee proposes to serve on the 2003 panel of the Meeting House Trust Fund:
David Dobbins Westtown Concord Quarter
Christina Stanton Middletown Concord Quarter
Friends of Interim Meeting approved.

3. The General Services Standing Committee has approved a new name, the Financial Oversight Working Group, for the group which has been called for the last five years the Finance Services Group. The new name better describes the work of the group, and is less likely to be confused with the Financial Stewardship Committee.

One of the functions of the newly re-named Financial Oversight Working Group is to see that the audit of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting is accomplished. In the auditor's management letter last year they noted that staff is spending an excessive amount of time entering amounts in various accounts, tracking investment activities and inter-fund transfers due to an inefficient and ineffective account system and chart of account structures. The auditors recommended streamlining this process, and the Financial Oversight Working Group recommended revising the accounting system structure and acquiring nonprofit accounting software.

Anne went on to report that General Services Standing Committee has approved their recommendation that $15,000 be requested from Bequests for this purpose, and indeed this amount has been applied for and granted. The total estimated cost is $35,000. Additional sources of funding will be $5,000 from the General Fund, $5,000 from Tyson, and $10,000 which will be applied for from Chace.

4. The Chace Granting Group provided a detailed list of grants which were approved at their meeting on September 9, 2002. These grants were grouped into the categories of Friends, Education, Minorities, Native Americans, Peace, Prisons, Youth, and Other Quaker Testimonies. The amount disbursed was approximately $116,000. Will Scull, clerk of the Chace Granting Group, sent a letter in which he described the process of discernment for making these grants. He also encouraged any Friend who has a question about the Chace grants process to contact him at 610-604-0136, preferably in the afternoon.

5. Anne reported that the General Services Standing Committee is continuing to think about financing major renovations and upgrading the infrastructure of Friends Center. It has yet to be decided what level of renovations will be chosen, but there is certainty that moving ahead to care for the basic safety, heating and cooling systems is sensible.

The Equity Partners for Friends Center include Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, and the American Friends Service Committee. At their September meeting, it was estimated that this basic work would cost in the range of some six million dollars. Some of the space improvements which seem important for Friends Center would bring the cost up to ten million dollars.

It is clear that each Equity Partner has a different style of operating, so how they can work together on this project will have to be worked out.

The General Services Standing Committee at their November 6 meeting considered the following four steps:
(1). To get the project started, it would be possible to get a 30 year six million dollar tax-free bond.
(2). To pay the interest on this bond, the rents in Friends Center would have to be raised.
(3). A lump sum, perhaps a million dollars, would be expected from each Equity Partner to go towards the total cost.
(4). Some sort of capital campaign to raise the balance would be needed.

Members of the General Services Standing Committee have raised sufficient questions about these proposals that they did not bring to Interim Meeting any recommendation. The information on the process is bring provided so that Interim Meeting will be informed about what is being considered. General Services is especially concerned about how large sums of money might be located without unduly jeopardizing income to Yearly Meeting and its programs.

Friends of Interim Meeting raised up the following.

What questions were raised about keeping our presence at Friends Center? Were these good, solid questions that thoroughly covered all practical issues?

Why are these renovations and improvements being considered in such a large lump sum? A little over a year ago, we were considering whether to keep Friends Center at all. Where should we best house our staff? Are we making an assumption about the necessity to spend an enormous amount of money?

The Board of Friends Center considered a number of options for renovating Friends Center. Can we have a report of the detail of some of those options?

What kind of timelines are we considering here? Are there urgent needs for repair or replacement in the building? How much has to be done immediately?

What things are worn out and need to be replaced? A Capital Fund Drive for this purpose seems inadvisable when we need money for basic programs such as education.

Anne will take Friends questions forward, and keep Interim Meeting informed.

C. Peace and Concerns Standing Committee
Howard Cell, clerk of the Peace and Concerns Standing Committee, reported that Peace and Concerns has minuted appreciation for the faithful service of Friends on Working Groups under its care which have been laid down.

Howard asked Lois Kuter, (Plymouth), clerk of the Indian Committee, to present their annual report to Interim Meeting. Established in 1795, the Indian Committee is the oldest PYM committee in continuous operation. In considering projects which apply for funding, the Indian Committee places high priority on those which directly support Native American communities, and which contribute to the development of leadership and self-sufficiency in those communities.

Among projects funded in the last year were:

The Nanticoke Lenni Lenape Conference which was held in October 2001. This conference supported the development of an overall confederation for all Lenape.
The Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware symposium held in April 2002. Its focus was on archaeological sites and the preservation of Lenape culture.
The Piney Lenape community in New Jersey. Acquisition of computer equipment for genealogical research.
The Pennsylvania Native American Theater. Launching a program of native American plays in the Philadelphia area.
United American Indians of the Delaware Valley. Planning for a powwow which was then held in Fairmont Park, Philadelphia in August 2002.
The Mowa Choctaw Friends Center and Academy in Alabama. Furniture, equipment, and computers for kindergarten, first grade, and adult programs.

Additional projects have supported educational institutions, individual scholarships, educational video projects, and the support of organizations that increase awareness of Native American issues.

Minute # 6. Nominating Committee.

Rich Ailes, clerk of the Nominating Committee, reported the following nomination:

Friends Pension Board

* = first term

Resignations

Friends Pension Board

Friends approved the nominations presented, and accepted the resignations.

Current Count for Standing Committees including the above
Education = 13 General Services = 15 Peace & Concerns = 13
Support & Outreach = 17 Worship & Care = 14 Financial Stewardship = 7+ 9 SC reps*
(* SC reps = Standing Committee Representatives)

Minute # 7. Minutes from Meetings

A. Chester Quarter Minute
Chester Quarterly Meeting brought forth a recommendation that Interim Meeting follow up on its minuted support for the Nonviolent Peaceforce. Several Friends of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting are listed as active participants. Background information provided included the following points.

The Nonviolent Peaceforce is a larger, more international and broadly based effort in third party nonviolent intervention in significant world conflicts. I

It has had major Quaker involvement in it development.

Strategies will be flexible and designed to lessen violence, create space for peaceful and just resolution and empower local peace and human rights activists. While in an area of conflict, the Peaceforce will also serve as internatioal eyes, ears, and conscience. In all cases, Peaceforce missions will turn over their work to local groups as rapidly as feasible.

Friends approved the following minute:

Interim Meeting of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
XI 23^rd 2002
Interim Meeting will inform the Nonviolent Peaceforce, 801 Front Avenue St,. Paul, MN 55103, that it may list the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends as an endorser.

B. Haverford Quarter Minute
Jane Kronick (Haverford), brought the following minute from the Haverford Quarterly Meeting.
X 27th 2002
Haverford Quarterly Meeting unites with Radnor Monthly Meeting in response to Interim Meeting's lifting up of three priorities for the Yearly Meeting, and urges that we explicitly give priority to Peace and Justice as the major area of concern at the Yearly Meeting level.

A background statement brought with the minute included the following.

This minute is informed by a general sense of disappointment in the priorities set by Interim Meeting in the July meeting. The Peace Testimony, our historic legacy, is both critically important at the present time and needs to be a clear priority at the Yearly Meeting level if it is to inform the actions of Friends. Many fear that we may lose our Peace Testimony if it is not exercised and is without the leadership of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Haverford Quarter asks that Interim Meeting consider this focus for the work of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.

Friends of Interim Meeting raised up the following points.

We want to declare ourselves as to who we are and what we are. That is, we are a historic peace church, and a present day peace church. We need to be clear and focused to set peace and justice as priorities.

In setting priorities, we are dealing with staff activities, not who we are as Quakers. Communications is a concern. Setting priorities for staff shows leadership and insight into how we can use the resources we have. We need to understand the visioning process. We talked about a number of priorities at June and July Interim Meeting.

We could support the Minute if this was one priority, rather than making this the only priority.

Could we amend the foci to use Peace as an example of important witness among Friends?

The foci adopted in July serves the needs of all 105 Monthly Meetings of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, rather than only serving our witness to Peace and Justice.

The third foci of July incorporated support for a number of types of witness important to us. How could we better articulate the connection between witness and our priorities for work set in July.

The unanimity of the Quarterly Meeting carries weight. We need a sense of listening and responding to this Minute.

At the June Interim Meeting, the consideration of priorities saw Friends expressing strong leadings all over the board. But in July, we could spend a lot more time in worship than we had in June. It was hard to read this communication from Haverford. We need to be tender to our process. We also need to listen and hear other gathered bodies. It is sometimes hard to submit to a particular body when we can't be a part of that. Within the Society of Friends, we need to be able to grant the authority of decisions made. It doesn't seem necessary to re-do the whole process.

Meetings are not in unity about the Peace testimony. Some members are frightened that we will lose our Peace Testimony.

The alternate clerk raised the following questions.

1. What should the focus of Yearly Meeting be?
2. How can we emphasize our traditional focus on Peace?
3. What is the best way for Interim Meeting to set priorities?

Friends waited upon these questions in silence, and then a Friend offered the following:

How can we listen to one another, deeply, respectfully, and with love? In so doing, we open ourselves to the Divine Spirit from which our Light surely comes. As we go forward, we should endeavor to trust one another, with the belief that there is truth in individual contributions. This is our grace and our gift, and that we must be open to the call of true discernment at all times.

A Friend suggested the following Minute.

Interim Meeting of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
XI 23rd 2002
We unite gratefully and wholeheartedly to stand with Haverford Quarterly Meeting in our ancient truth that we are a peace church;
That
We utterly deny all outward wars and strife, and fightings with outward weapons, for any end, or under any pretense whatever; this is our testimony to the whole world. The Spirit of Christ by which we are guided, is not changeable, so as once to command us from a thing as evil, and again to move us unto it; and we certainly know, and testify to the world, that the Spirit of Christ, which leads us unto all truth, will never move us to fight and war against any man with outward weapons, neither for the Kingdom of Christ, nor for the kingdoms of this world ... Therefore we cannot learn war any more;
Quoted from: GEORGE FOX AND OTHERS. A Declaration from the Harmless and
Innocent People of God, called Quakers, presented to Charles II, 1660
And so we share this testimony of our faith with our staff as they engage in the work that we ask them to do for us, with the structured guidance of the Yearly Meeting priorities;
And we reaffirm our own clearness that the current priorities for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting set in July should be adhered to for this time.

Friends approved.

Minute # 8. General Secretary’s Report

In the General Secretary’s Report of November 21, 2002, Thom reported that since the last Interim Meeting, he had met with the Standing Committees for General Services, Support & Outreach, Worship & Care, and Peace & Concerns, and with Financial Stewardship to talk with them about how they see their work relating to and being shaped by the priorities approved by this body in July. Thom felt these meetings were productive, and that Friends in those groups are taking their prescribed responsibilities seriously, and facing the challenging task of discernment. Thom reported his sense that a new energy is being released in this process.

Thom also reported that the last eight weeks have provided many opportunities for him to make our testimonies concerning peace and justice more visible in the world, and gave examples of several of these. Thom reminded us that this is spiritual work before it is political work. He challenges us to be sure that we are abiding ourselves in the life and power that takes away the occasion of all wars, since this is the only foundation for true peace.

Thom talked about visits he made since last Interim Meeting with seven Meetings within Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. He found these visits highly informative as well as enjoyable. He reported three observations from these Meetings:

1. In these Meetings he found communities genuinely grateful to share their lives and faith with one another, and to offer personal and spiritual support to their members;

2. These communities demonstrate that our faith as Quakers seems to lead us to service, as individuals and as Meetings;

3. Thom observed a hunger in many people for something more - for a community in their Meeting where people could spend more time with each other and know each other better, for an experience of worship that was deeper and richer, and for a witness to the world that is more inviting and transforming.

Minute # 9. Minutes of 26 September 2002

Friends approved the Minutes of Interim Meeting for 26 September with the following corrections:

Minute # 2.B, page 3. The third line on the page should read:
"4. Carry out enhanced pattern of visits to Monthly Meetings."

Minute # 2.C, page 3. In the third paragraph from the bottom on the page, which begins "Arlene further reported…", in the fifth line, Christopher Segal is a member of Germantown Monthly Meeting.

Minute # 10. Announcements and Adjournment.

Friends were reminded of future dates set for Interim Meeting in the coming months: January 23, February 27, April 24, and June 26.

Carlos Moreno (Abington), provided a written report on his attendance as the representative of our Yearly Meeting to the Annual Assembly of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA. He reported that in the five years he has been attending Annual Sessions of this body, he has observed a "changed culture more grounded in the prophetic tradition, tendered by love, and more willing to become an agent for national social and spiritual change as guided by God." The sessions were a mixture of worship, dialogue, and discernment with a call to action. A presentation by Thuma Mina (Nulu for "Send me, Lord") Mission Theater company, showed the strength of following God's leadings. Perhaps our Yearly Meeting might invite them to share their gifts in Philadelphia.

Carlos further reported that the "Seasons of Peacemaking" program of the National Council of Churches is a multifaceted response to the government's rush to war. A document was distributed to Interim Meeting giving a Draft Vision Statement for this group, and also showing a detailed calendar of events and actions which are being coordinated by the National Council of Churches to promote Peace.

Robin Meaker (Quakertown), clerk of Bucks Quarter, reported that Yardley Meeting and Lehigh Valley Meeting had each brought Minutes of concern regarding the situation in Iraq to the Bucks Quarterly Meeting on 17 November 2002. Each Meeting had made copies of their Minute, distributed them appropriately and widely, and published them in their local press. Copies of the Minutes and lists of actions taken with them were provided to Interim Meeting.

Friends settled into worship and adjourned near the hour of 9:15 p.m. We shall meet again, God willing, on 23 January 2003.

Chris Nicholson, alternate clerk
Susan White, recording clerk

Last modified: 1/02/03 1:45 PM