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Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
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 clerk welcomed the following new members, alternates and visitors. New
representatives were Marjorie Candau (Woodbury), Foster Doan (Millville), Alison
Levie (Goshen), Myke Rogers (Lancaster), and Ruby Trimble (Lancaster). Guests
were Janet Boys (Chestnut Hill), Gretchen Castle (Doylestown), Mario Cavallini
(Mickleton and Meeting on Worship and Ministry), Mary Anne Crowley (Religious
Education staff), Hans Dietze (Media), Melanie Douty (Radnor), Frances Dreisbach
(Lehigh Valley), Alice Gilbert (London Grove), Philip Gilbert (London Grove),
Ruth Johnson (Camden), Lee Junker (Central Philadelphia), Hollister Knowlton
(Chestnut Hill), Harold Miller (London Grove), Samuel Nicholson (Southampton),
Dennis O'Brian (Providence), Marty Reamer (Centre), Peter Rittenhouse (Friends
Center), Geoff Tilden (Plumstead), Michael West (Centre), and Gail Woodbury
(Germantown and Meeting on Worship and Ministry).
The clerk introduced herself, Chris Mahon (Woodstown), and asked others at
the clerk's table to introduce themselves - Chris Nicholson (Germantown), alternate
clerk, and Susan White (Princeton), recording clerk. The clerk reminded Friends
of the importance of checking in with Connie Blood at the registration table
at each Interim Meeting so that the record of those attending can be complete.
Connie also has information for new representatives about mentors who can help
them learn about participation in Interim Meeting.
The clerk then asked Friends to center themselves. She reminded Friends that
we are here at Interim Meeting to do work for many who can't be here. We have
been sent by our Meetings because we are listeners, and can make rightly ordered
decisions on their behalf. She asked Friends to consider prayerfully the difficult
decisions being considered at this meeting. The clerk also asked Friends to
consider asking our individual Meetings to hold us in the Light on the evening
of each Interim Meeting as we are in session.
Minute # 2. General Services Standing Committee
Anne Moore (Valley), clerk of the General Services Standing Committee, reported
for that committee.
A. Friends Center Work
Friends Center is owned jointly by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, the American
Friends Service Committee, and Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting. Major
renovations are required in the several buildings that make up Friends Center.
The cost will range from six to twelve million dollars. At the December meeting,
the General Services Standing Committee approved using a tax-free bond to cover
the costs of basic upgrades to the infrastructure, and paying for the debt
service by increasing the rent of all tenants of Friends Center beginning July
1, 2003.
Four documents about the renovation project were provided to members of Interim
Meeting. One was a Chronology of Friends Center Long Range Planning, from
December 2000 until the Present, with details of steps along the way. A second
was a
letter from Anthony Junker, explaining why upgrades are necessary. He is
both an architect serving Quaker groups professionally and an active member
of Central
Philadelphia Monthly Meeting. He states, "I believe we should see our
Quaker buildings as tools to effectively carry out our religious beliefs and
outreach." He concludes by saying
Building renovations and development programs of the scope required can seem
overwhelming in times like these, but it should be remembered that they will
take years to achieve and it would be financed by a number of strategies; not
just donations, but effective financing, tenant rent increases, increased revenues
from room rental and shop sales, and so on.
A third document was a detailed list showing the estimated cost for each
of seven stages of the renovation project, moving up the building floor by
floor.
Therefore some types of costs are listed several times, once for each floor
/ phase of renovation. A Friend asked to have the term “sinking fund” explained.
This is a reserve fund to pay for things that wear out and have to be replaced
over time. Another way of saying this is a “depreciation fund”. Friends
Center did not have such a fund when it was built in 1975, and the Arch Street
Meetinghouse does not have such a fund. It is rightly ordered to have a fund
for this purpose. The Sinking Fund would be established by adding some percentage,
perhaps one, two, three or four percent to each tenant’s rent.
The fourth document was the following minute:
I 23rd 2003
Interim Meeting of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
MINUTE CONCERNING LOAN FOR FRIENDS CENTER WORK
Interim Meeting of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, on the recommendation of the
General Services Standing Committee and the Financial Oversight Working Group,
approves the issuance of a net six million dollar ($6M) tax free bond for a
term not to exceed twenty-four (24) years, for the purpose of paying for work
to renovate and improve Friends Center, provided:
1. Rents to the equity partners be increased by an amount which, by itself,
is sufficient to cover the total debt service; and
2. An adequate and appropriate sinking fund be established by the Friends Center
Corporation, based on a professional engineering study, for the proper maintenance
and repair of Friends Center over the term of the loan.
Friends of Interim Meeting approved the minute.
B. Bequests Granting Group Report
The General Services Standing Committee distributed a report from the Bequests
Granting Group, showing grants approved at their November 7, 2002 meeting.
Thirteen applications were fully or partially funded in an amount totaling
$228,898.
Projects funded included:
Yearly Meeting Education Program $60,000
Yearly Meeting Financial Services $15,000
Haddonfield Friends Meeting “Beyond Prison Walls” transition project
$10,000
Physical plant work for:
Greenwood Friends School $36,000
Moorestown Friends School $5,000
Plymouth Meeting Friends School $30,000
United Friends School $15,000
Chandler Hall Friends retirement facility $15,000
Camp Dark Waters $15,898
Friends Peace Teams African Great Lakes Initative $5,000
FWCC for Guilford Peace Conference $10,000
Non-Quaker organization projects:
Norris Square Neighborhood Project, physical improvements $9,000
Prisoner Visitation and Support -- to recruit volunteer visitors $4,000
C. Annual Fund Report
Elizabeth Foley (Mickleton), Annual Fund staff, provided a written report on
the status of Annual Fund contributions. As of January 23, 2003, Friends have
raised $170,621.16 of the $435,000 goal set for fiscal year 2002/2003, or 39%
of goal. As of this date last year, Friends had raised $181,597 of the $460,000
goal set for fiscal year 2001/2002, or 39% of goal. Elizabeth urged all Friends
to support our faith community.
Minute # 3. Financial Stewardship Budget Proposal
The clerk offered her sense that the pruning of an orchard was a useful
pattern for us to consider in thinking about bringing our budget into line
with our income. That is, pruning may be difficult but is necessary if the
resources of the tree are to be focused to bring the best crop in season. Shaping
the budget of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting to best support our work and witness
can strengthen our lives together as a faith community.
Jackie Bowers (Falls), clerk of the Financial Stewardship Committee, then presented
for review a proposed 2003-2004 budget to be sent out to Monthly Meetings in
preparation for the March Yearly Meeting budget approval session. The proposed
budget is balanced, with both income and expenditures of $5,270,000. A document
was distributed to members of Interim Meeting listing for each of the five
Standing Committees the projects and services under their care, since these
make up the work of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting as shown in the budget.
At its December 7 meeting Financial Stewardship had to bring the budget
into balance. As Jackie has repeatedly reported to Interim Meeting over the
last several meetings, investment income of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting has
been decreasing at a precipitous rate because of problems in the general economy.
By the time of the Financial Stewardship meeting in December, a shortfall of
some $185,000 in income was projected for the 2003-2004 fiscal year which will
begin in July 2003. In order to provide a plan for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
under a smaller budget, the Standing Committees had tried very hard to trim
the areas of the budget related to their work. However, it was the first time
they had tried to do this, and the suggestions they made left a very large
gap left between projected income and expenses. The budget is complex, and
making an adjustment in some areas may seem to bring balance, but often actually
impacts other areas so balance is not achieved. Even so, Financial Stewardship
was as mindful as possible of Standing Committee suggestions for the budget.
Financial Stewardship asked Thom Jeavons (Swarthmore), the General Secretary,
to bring recommendations to their December 7 meeting based on the strategic
priorities which were approved by Interim Meeting in July, 2002. Thom had proposed
these priorities to Interim Meeting, being mindful of the input of Monthly
Meetings. These priorities are:
1. Creating more visible and more hospitable Meeting communities
2. Supporting religious education for children and adults
3. Enabling community service and witness that expresses what is best in our
faith.
Thom offered a budget to Financial Stewardship that includes staff cuts. Also,
Yearly Meeting in session was changed from residential to one that will be
held at Arch Street to save a large block of money. The written report on the
proposed budget states:
In the past PYM has tried in some ways to be 'all things to all people.' It
has tried to offer support to the leadings of many individual (and groups of)
Friends, whether those leadings were embraced by their Monthly Meetings or
not. But we can no longer afford to do that and still fulfill our primary mission.
Indeed, we can no longer afford to do some of the things we have done before
- even if they are good works - that do not directly support this primary mission.
The clerk asked for comments and also for questions which Jackie might answer.
Friends of Interim Meeting offered up the following:
Friends had several questions on income from non-designated funds. The proposed
balanced budget included some income from interest on non-designated funds.
Interim Meeting authorized this use in November. $36,000 will be diverted from
other programs for this purpose. Currently the income from non-designated funds
totals $959,000. All the use of this money has been established by Interim
Meeting or it's predecessor Representative Meeting. If Interim Meeting chose
to do so, any or all of that amount could be re-designated for purposes other
than the current ones. An example of the current use of non-designated fund
is the monies distributed by the Bequest Granting Group reported to Interim
Meeting tonight.
Friends asked about the proposed staff cuts. Chris Mahon reminded them that
a sheet had been mailed out in December showing these cuts. The interpreter's
position at Arch Street is proposed to be cut, and also one half of one of
the two library staff positions. Other smaller cuts are also included. When
possible, staff cuts will be made to coincide with staff planning to retire
or leave for other positions, to have less impact on individual lives.
A Friend asked if the Yearly Meeting Library was to be moved to the basement,
the book collection cut in size by one-third, and the staff cut from two to
one a half persons. The answer is yes, these cuts and changes are part of the
proposed budget.
Several Friends who are volunteers at Arch Street rose to speak to the need
for a staff person to lead and manage the interpreter program. These Friends
offered that if there is not someone in charge, the program will not go forward.
With the new historical exhibits recently added by the Park Service, the Arch
Street Meetinghouse can expect forty to fifty thousand visitors next year.
This is important outreach for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, and one of the
few ways that we speak broadly to the world.
The clerk of Interim Meeting stated that before someone speaks to the need
of avoiding a cut, that Friend must first propose a cut in another area that
will offset the cost of keeping the service or staff.
Friends offered up the following:
Some Friends offered that if income were increased sufficiently, then cuts
would not be necessary.
The Financial Stewardship Committee is not a fund-raising body. Individual
Meetings along with the Development Office and the Annual Fund are among those
who can support and increase funds coming into the Yearly Meeting.
The treasurer of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, Dennis O'Brien (Providence),
noted that if Friends want to do fundraising for the Yearly Meeting they must
coordinate those activities with central staff to avoid confusion. It is important
not to separate income and programs. It is great to enhance revenue. And it
is great to manage expenses. He would counsel Friends to look for income, and
to manage expenses. He reviews the budget of the Yearly Meeting every month.
It is his responsibility to do so. But it is the responsibility of Interim
Meeting along with other Friends and bodies within the Yearly Meeting to continue
to discern the mission of the Yearly Meeting. Visioning is an important responsibility
of Interim Meeting.
A Friend offered that we need a vision for who we are as Friends, and where
we want to go with our testimonies in the world. Then we can set priorities.
We need to move ahead so that we can do the will of the Divine.
The clerk of the Yearly Meeting, Arlene Kelly (Central Philadelphia), reminded
Friends that the budget being considered tonight will be acted on by the Yearly
Meeting in session in March. She suggested that while we need a budget for
2003-2004, we also need a process so that a year from now we will be in a stronger
position not only financially but especially in our unity on our financial
work together.
The clerk of Interim Meeting then asked whether Friends of Interim Meeting
would be willing to have the proposed budget, along with a copy of the sheet
showing proposed staff cuts, be sent out for review by the Monthly Meetings.
The last line of the covering letter would state that "the budget is offered
for the prayerful consideration" of Meetings, instead of saying that "it
has been approved by Interim Meeting and sent to Meetings for their consideration."
Friends approved distribution of the budget as proposed with this change in
the covering letter.
Fran Dreisbach (Lehigh Valley), clerk of the Support and Outreach Standing
Committee, noted that the "two lightening rods" in the budget,
referring to the elimination of the interpreter's position at Arch Street
and the move
to the basement and cuts in size and staff of the Yearly Meeting library,
both fall under the purview of Support and Outreach. That Standing Committee
will
take seriously the comments of Friends tonight in considering the proposed
changes.
A Friend on the Support and Outreach Standing Committee asked whether those
parts of the proposed budget could be changed by Support and Outreach. Jackie
Bowers noted that not all budget matters of the Yearly Meeting are under the
control of the Standing Committees. Certain basic things are instead under
administrative control. The General Secretary makes personnel decisions. The
Yearly Meeting says what work is to be done, and then the General Secretary
decides how the work will be done.
A Friend asked the question that he felt his Meeting would ask him on hearing
his report of the discussion at Interim Meeting tonight: "Is this a
done deal?"
Arlene Kelly, clerk of the Yearly Meeting, stated that we have a deep faith
that we can seek the best solution together. But the floor of Yearly Meeting
is not the place to negotiate the details of a budget
Several Friends expressed appreciation for the hard work and sincere effort
of those involved in drawing up the proposed budget.
A Friend offered that within his own Meeting sometimes Friends work hard and
sincerely, and still do dumb things. Is there another place where we could
negotiate the details of the budget that do not seem rightly ordered to us
or to our Meetings?
A Friend offered that if we go forward with this budget as proposed on
our regular schedule, we will have reverted to a top-down structure for the
important decisions of the Yearly Meeting. She asked Friends to consider having
one or more called meetings of Interim Meeting to deal with the budget in a
rightly ordered way.
Minute # 4. Report of the Nominating Committee
Rich Ailes, clerk of the Nominating Committee, reported the following nominations: