Interim Meeting Minutes 2003-04-24

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
Interim Meeting
24 April 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 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 welcomed the following new members, alternates and visitors. New representatives were: Andrew Anderson (Arch Street), Paula Cell (Yardley), Esther Darlington (Media), and George Harrison (Haddonfield). Substitutes were: Marie Maille (Reading) and Suzanne Ruch (Reading). Guests were Fred Carrier (Haverford), Gretchen Castle (Doylestown), Ed Dreby (Mt. Holly), Frances Dreisbach (Lehigh Valley), Alice Gilbert (London Grove), Philip Gilbert (London Grove), Ruth Johnson (Camden DE), Hollister Knowlton (Chestnut Hill), Gary Lapreziosa (Gwynedd), Howard McKinney (Haddonfield), Margaret Mansfield (Mount Holly), Harold Miller (London Grove), and Tom Unkefer (Arch Street).

The clerk reminded Friends that Interim Meeting had been cancelled in February due to a severe snow storm being forecast. The clerk asked Friends of Interim Meeting to be sure that Connie Blood has for each of us current email or phone information. Connie is the Yearly Meeting staff member who provides support for Interim Meeting. She needs this in order to contact each of us readily in an emergency such as the cancellation of this meeting due to snow. In case we need to update our contact information from what is listed in the 2002-2003 Directory of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, her email address is connieb@pym.org and her phone number is 215-241-7211.

The clerk then asked Friends to be disciplined in our work this evening so that we can get through the lengthy agenda in a rightly ordered fashion.

Minute # 2. New Business

A. Information on Having Residential Yearly Meeting in 2005.

A minute was received from the Administrative Group concerning the decision on whether to have a Residential Session of Yearly Meeting in 2005. The Administrative Group is made up of the clerks of Yearly Meeting, Interim Meeting, Financial Stewardship, and the Standing Committees, along with the General Secretary and the staff directors. The minute encourages the Sessions Planning Group to make a recommendation as soon as possible to the General Services Standing Committee on whether we wish a Residential Session of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting in 2005. Also, to do so in time for the General Services to bring that recommendation to Interim Meeting in June, 2003, if they are so led.

Both securing a place for a Residential Session and planning for a Residential Session in our budget for 2005-2006 will be greatly facilitated if this schedule is met. It was noted that the Sessions Planning Group is actively working on gathering information on which to base this decision.

Friends of Interim Meeting approved asking Sessions Planning Group and General Services Standing Committee to complete their work and bring a recommendation on whether to have a Residential Session in 2005 to our June meeting, God willing.

B. Announcement of Called Session of Yearly Meeting on May 22, 2003

The clerk reminded Friends that there will be a called session of Yearly Meeting on May 22, 2003. Interim Meeting has used a shortened schedule of meetings this year, and there was not a session of Interim Meeting scheduled to be held in May, so the fourth Thursday was open for the called session. This session will focus on the budget of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting for July 2003-June 2004. A budget was proposed at Yearly Meeting in session in March, but was not approved at that time. Gretchen Castle (Doylestown), who is the new clerk of the Yearly Meeting, will clerk this session. All Friends of our Yearly Meeting are encouraged to attend. Dinner will be provided at 5 p.m., as is the practice for Interim Meeting. Members of Interim Meeting were encouraged to ask as many Friends from our home Meetings to attend as possible, and to attend ourselves.

C. May 17 Gathering

Sandy Heath (Moorestown), alternate clerk of the Yearly Meeting, reported on the gathering to be held at the Arch Street Meetinghouse on May 17. The topic will be "Improving the Relationships between Yearly Meeting and Monthly Meetings", and is based on a lively session held on Friday evening at Yearly Meeting in session in March. Current perceived difficulties were grouped under six headings:

1. New members and young people are not adequately oriented to the function and value of PYM.
2. Monthly Meetings feel self-sufficient and either feel that they do not need Yearly Meeting or only need Regional Staff, or don't feel a reciprocal need in the relationship.
3. Monthly Meetings are not sufficiently aware of the purpose, services and offerings that PYM has available for Monthly Meetings.
4. Monthly Meetings do not identify with PYM because of a variety of factors including, but not limited to distance, role of regional staff, and PYM's lack of focus on issues that concern them, e.g. peace and concerns.
5. Members who are active in PYM don't share with their Monthly Meetings the value and satisfaction of such participation.
6. There is poor communication both ways between PYM and Monthly Meetings.

Sandy asked Friends present to indicate which of these six areas they found to be most significant, and he found that numbers three and six were of special interest, numbers one, two and four of medium interest, and number five of the lowest interest.

A number of obstacles were also identified, such as distance, busy lives, and lack of appropriate communication at all levels. Finally, a number of concrete next steps were suggested.

Sandy strongly urged all members of Interim Meeting to attend this session, and to encourage those in our home Meetings to participate as well. He suggested that there should be at least one member of every Meeting within our Yearly Meeting in attendance to best work on the issue of the relationship between Monthly Meetings and our Yearly Meeting. The goal of the session will be to address as many of the six areas of concern as possible, and to come up with a concrete decision about what is to be done, who will do it, and a time frame, to improve our corporate lives together in the Spirit.

Minute # 3. Continuing Business

A. Report of the Naming Committee

Will Bowers (Falls), reported for the Naming Committee. Other members of that committee are Rich Dow (Lehigh), Elizabeth Thomas (Woodbury), and Cheryl Veith (Falls). The Naming Committee report had been scheduled to come to Interim Meeting in February, but that meeting was cancelled due to snow. The Naming Committee reported that the following Friends had agreed to serve Interim Meeting during 2003-2004: Chris Mahon (Woodstown) - clerk; Christopher Nicholson (Germantown) - alternate clerk; Susan White (Princeton) - recording clerk; and John B. Walz (Mt. Holly) - alternate recording clerk. Friends of Interim Meeting approved.

B. Discussion on Mechanism for Setting Priorities in the Future

At the July 2002 Interim Meeting Friends approved the following priorities for staff of the Yearly Meeting: (1) Creating more visible and more hospitable Meeting communities; (2) Supporting religious education for children and adults; and (3) Enabling community services and witness that expresses what is best in our faith.

The clerk reminded Friends that in January of this year our Ad Hoc Group to Recommend Ways to Establish Future Priorities for the Yearly Meeting recommended to Interim Meeting that:
Interim Meeting is the appropriate body to review and suggest changes in priorities for the Yearly Meeting. The clerk of Interim Meeting should be charged with asking the Friends of Interim Meeting on a regular basis, perhaps annually, if the priorities currently set are still appropriate for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.

The clerk asked Friends to help in discerning when our priorities should be reviewed, and exactly how that process should take place. She noted that several Friends have approached her to suggest that Interim Meeting annually appoint a small group to review the priorities and report back to Interim Meeting.

Friends offered up the following:

A Friend offered that Interim Meeting as a whole should be the body to review the priorities, not a small group. The Ad Hoc Group was clear in this recommendation.

A Friend asked why we were setting priorities. Couldn't we just let the Spirit lead us?

A Friend offered that brevity is essential to priorities and goals. If we couldn't write them on the back of a business card, then we don't really have them in a meaningful form.

Friends also focused on the value of input from our Monthly Meetings:

What are our assumptions about the connection between representatives to Interim Meeting and what our Monthly Meetings think?

We would want to engage our Monthly Meetings in helping us review the process. We should engage ourselves, and then go to our Monthly Meetings to work and then be prepared to come back to Interim Meeting. It is critical that we discuss with our Monthly Meetings present and proposed priorities.

Every year Interim Meeting has a large body of minutes that come from Monthly Meetings. We should incorporate the messages from those minutes into our priorities.

When a session of Interim Meeting is going to review priorities for the Yearly Meeting, it will be important that we know in advance that this work is planned. That way, we can ask our Monthly Meetings for input to strengthen our process.

A Friend reminded us that we are not representatives of our Monthly Meetings in the conventional sense. Rather, after we have seasoned ourselves by the input of our Meetings, we come to sessions of Interim Meeting and work as the Spirit leads us.

Friends of Interim Meeting then approved that Interim Meeting is the appropriate body to review and suggest changes in the priorities of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.

Friends then examined a number of elements to suggest a schedule for review:

When would we review priorities? Perhaps in January? Would that schedule enable us to benefit from input from the annual survey of priorities from Monthly Meetings done by the Financial Stewardship Committee?

Could we review the priorities every second year, but ask the clerk on an annual basis to check for concerns to be sure there was not some problem which could fester if left unattended.

A Friend reported that he was upset when he saw in the minutes that the priorities were to be reviewed annually. The General Secretary has asked us to set priorities so that he can make the best use of our resources and staff to do our work. Philadelphia Yearly Meeting is a big business. Changing priorities frequently could make the management of our affairs difficult and disjointed.

Howard Cell, (Yardley), clerk of Peace and Concerns Standing Committee, suggested that it would be helpful to have more than a year to carry our programs forward.

The General Secretary offered that priorities should last for longer than a year to be effective management tools. They should last for two or three or even four years. However, he affirmed that we would certainly need to discuss any issues about the priorities that came up during this time.

Friends then approved charging the clerk of Interim Meeting with reminding Friends on an annual basis that we have priorities for the work of the Yearly Meeting, and being sure that the priorities are brought up for review every second year.

A Friend suggested that when annual reports are made to Interim Meeting, the priorities should be referenced so that we can see how they relate to our corporate work and witness. Another Friend offered that since the priorities are so general, it is difficult to understand what they really mean. Annual reports framed in this way would be helpful to our discernment in knowing whether priorities continue to be appropriate.

Friends then approved asking the clerk to work out a way to ask those making annual reports to Interim Meeting to reference the priorities set for the Yearly Meeting.

C. Returned Travel Minute from Ramallah for Arlene Kelly

In January, Friends of Interim Meeting joined in a letter of greeting from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting for Arlene Kelly as she traveled to Ramallah Friends Meeting with a delegation of Friends United Meeting. The clerk reported that this travel minute has now been returned to us, with a warm message from Jean Zaru, clerk of Ramallah Friends. Jean noted that Ramallah Friends are "grateful for the fellowship, partnership, and service of Friends of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting." A report from Arlene about her trip is now on the Yearly Meeting web site. She is also preparing an article for the PYM News describing her travel to Ramallah and surrounding areas. It was also noted that the new roof has been completed on the Ramallah Friends Meetinghouse, and that the finishing work is being done to complete repairs to the building.

D. Report from Structure Evaluation Committee

Bob Dockhorn (Green Street), presented a report from the Structure Evaluation Project Group. This group was appointed by Interim Meeting to carry out the planned evaluation of the new structure of the Yearly Meeting five years after it was put in place. Feedback on the new structure has been gathered in several ways.

A major survey questionnaire was sent out to those active in the Yearly Meeting. These included those working on Standing Committees, Working Groups, people active in governance at monthly and quarterly Meetings, staff and regional staff, Interim Meeting, Financial Stewardship, Nominating Committee, clerks / officers of the Yearly Meeting and to everyone via the PYM News. There were 625 responses to the survey. Also, forty Meetings were visited, and conversations were held with individuals.

Bob reported that through quantitative and qualitative analysis of the data and comments, the Structure Evaluation Committee will draw conclusions and create a report on the strengths and weaknesses in the current structure. The Committee plans to have the full report ready for the June Interim Meeting. It is estimated that it will take an hour to present the report. Friends of Interim Meeting approved taking a major part of our meeting in June to receive the report of the Structure Evaluation Committee.

There will also be a special called session of Yearly Meeting on Saturday, October 11, 2003, to consider the full report and invite comments from everyone present.

Minute # 4. Minutes from Meetings

A. Western Quarter

A minute of I, 19^th, 2003, was received from Western Quarter which says in part:
Western Quarter has struggled to come to terms with the budget crisis being faced by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. We are startled by the prospect that much of what we hold dear may be laid aside. We are reminding ourselves of financial stewardship, and brainstorming potential solutions. We urge caution with the pruning knife.

Friends of Interim Meeting received the Minute from Western Quarter.

B. Haverford Quarter

Friends of Haverford Quarterly Meeting on I, 29^th, 2003, joined in two minutes:
1. Their commitment to the Peace Testimony, based on their faith in the "virtue of that life and power that takes away the occasion of all wars."
2. Their thanks to the Friends Committee on National Legislation for their work on peace around the world.
Friends of Interim Meeting approved asking the clerk to write to Haverford Quarter expressing our appreciation for their work towards peace as expressed in these two minutes.

C. Chester Quarter

Chester Quarterly Meeting on II, 4^th, 2003, "minuted a concern that PYM take into consideration the current increased need for information for our young people on Selective Service issues when making budget cuts."

Friends of Interim Meeting approved asking the clerk to acknowledge this minute from Chester Quarter, with appreciation for their concern. Also, to let those Friends know that we will forward this minute to the Peace and Concerns Standing Committee so that they can take note of this concern in planning their work and budget.

D. Burlington Quarter

Burlington Quarterly Meeting on II, 9^th, 2003, minuted a reaffirmation of "our spiritual testimonies of opposing all war because it is the ultimate offense against God and God's creation, and that we seek to discover that of God in everyone and to hold all life sacred." The minute continues to detail the "untold suffering to the Iraqi people" which a war would bring, and points to "the military legacy of misery which includes the United States citizens who fight the war." The minute concludes with statements that are headed "In the end, war only sows the seeds of future wars."

Copies of the original Monthly Meeting minute, which arose from Little Egg Harbor, were sent to the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary of State, Senators Corzine and Lautenberg, Representatives LoBiondo and Saxton, the Friends Committee on National Legislation, the American Friends Service Committee, and to seven local newspapers.

Friends of Interim Meeting approved asking the clerk to acknowledge this minute from Burlington Quarter and Little Egg Harbor, and state our appreciation for their concern and actions.

Minute # 5. Report of the Nominating Committee

Sue Makler (Abington), clerk of the Nominating Committee, reported the following nominations:

Nominations

Meeting

Quarter

Panel Year

Education Standing Committee

George Crispin*

Woodbury

Salem

2006

Peace & Concerns Standing Committee

Jacqueline Hurley

Swarthmore

Chester

2006

* = first term

Resignations

Support and Outreach Standing Committee

Dana Kester-McCabe

Wicomico River

Southern

2004

Friends approved the nominations presented, and accepted the resignations.

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

Minute # 6. Financial Stewardship

Jackie Bowers (Falls), clerk of the Financial Stewardship Committee, reported that Financial Stewardship is now working simultaneously on three budgets. The first is the current budget which closes at the end of June. Is it on target for this year? Secondly, the budget for the coming year, July 2003 through June 2004, which was not approved at Yearly Meeting in session in March.

The third budget being prepared by Financial Stewardship is for the year July 2004 through July 2005. This is now in the planning stages, with the Financial Stewardship questionnaire going out to all Monthly Meetings to seek their sense of the most important priorities for the Yearly Meeting. There are three questions being asked. First, how important would it be to reinstate Residential Yearly Meeting? The second question is on the use and importance of the Arch Street Meetinghouse. And the third is on electronic communication, email, and the use of computers among our Meetings and members in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Only half of our Monthly Meetings respond to this annual survey; it is hope that a higher percentage will come back this year since there is so much interest in the budget across the Yearly Meeting.

Jackie then made a more detailed report on the budget for 2003-2004. It will be considered again at the special called session of Yearly Meeting on May 22. In preparation for that meeting, Financial Stewardship sent a mailing to all Monthly Meetings. It states that the budget did not pass, what the areas of concerns were from the floor of Yearly Meeting in session, and also inviting Monthly Meetings and individual Friends to make contributions to more fully support the work of the Yearly Meeting. Also, Standing Committees have each been asked to submit a list in priority order of what areas cut from next year's budget should be restored, if new funding becomes available.

Friends then expressed concern that specific contributions from Monthly Meetings and individual Friends come with a clear understanding of the import of programs being supported. Several Friends noted that there were only two areas of disagreement on the proposed budget, cuts to the library and to the Interpreter's position at the Arch Street Meetinghouse.

Minute # 7. Business of the Standing Committees

A Peace and Concerns Standing Committee

Howard Cell, (Yardley), clerk of the Peace and Concerns Standing Committee, reported for that committee.

(1). Nonviolent Peaceforce. Members of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting continue to be involved in the work of the Nonviolent Peaceforce.

(2). International Outreach Granting Group. Panels for membership have been established for the International Outreach Granting Groups follows:

March 2003 Panel
Neil Hartman (Moorestown), (end of service)
Amy Kurkjian (Green Street), (end of service)
Kathy Paulmier (Germantown), (end of service)

March 2004 Panel
Randy Quinby (Unami), (end of service)
Kitty Mizuno (Haddonfield), (end of service)
JoAnn Seaver (Green Street), (may be reappointed)

March 2005 Panel
Alice Andrews (Medford), (may be reappointed)
Roberta Foss (Chestnut Hill), (end of service)
Margaret Fraser ( Newtown Square), (may be reappointed)

(3). Abolish Nuclear Weapons Working Group.
Peace and Concerns brought to Interim Meeting a minute dated V, 8^th, 2003 from the Abolish Nuclear Weapons Working Group endorsing the statement "For People of Faith: An Urgent Call - End the Nuclear Danger". It was created by the Churches' Center for Theology and Public Policy in Washington, DC. The full statement, endorsing process, and supporting information can be found readily on the website of the Nuclear Reduction / Disarmament Initiative at www.nrdi.org, or from any member of the Abolish Nuclear Weapons Working Group.

Friends of Interim Meeting approved the minute supporting the "Urgent Call - End the Nuclear Danger" statement, and also approved Susan Campbell, co-clerk of Abolish Nuclear Weapons, sending the information on this statement to Monthly Meetings so that they can be aware of our actions, and take action to approve or otherwise to work for nuclear peace in whatever ways they are led.

(4) Margaret Mansfield (Mt. Holly), is one of the ten members appointed by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting to Friends Committee on National Legislation. She brought a Minute in Support of the work of FCNL against violence and for peace in the world. Friends of Interim Meeting approved this minute, and also approved sending the minute with a covering letter to Monthly Meetings within Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and to the FCNL Executive Committee and Staff. The minute from Haverford Quarter in support of FCNL will be used as the basis for our letter to Monthly Meetings.

Friends of Interim Meeting also considered the annual financial contribution of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting to FCNL. The General Secretary reported that this and all contributions of our Yearly Meetings to outside organizations have been brought under the direction of his office, and will be made each year at a common date, probably in June. Previously these contributions had been spread out among the Standing Committees, and had been unevenly administered. Friends of Interim Meeting approved that a proposed amount for each of these contributions now come before Interim Meeting for approval.

(5) War Tax Concerns.
Gary Lapreziosa (Gwynedd), reported that he
attended the 9^th International Conference on War Tax Resistance and Peace Tax Campaigns, held near Berlin, Germany in early September, representing PYM’s Working Group on Conscience, Militarism and War Tax Concerns. At this Conference, over 100 people from 18 countries gathered for five days of workshops, panel discussions, prayer sessions, and a post-conference program in Berlin, under the theme of “War, Money, and Conscience”. The general concern was Conscientious Objection to Military Taxation (COMT) – legislative and legal campaigns to grant Conscientious Objector status to taxpayers whose conscience forbids them to pay for war.

Gary further noted that others attending the conference, most of whom are war tax resistors, were at times exercised over the serious matters being considered. But they reported that "the gentle presence of the Quakers added to the conference."

(6). World Summit on Sustainable Development
Hollister Knowlton ( Chestnut Hill) reported on her attendance at the World Summit for Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg, South Africa in August and September 2002. This was the ten year follow-up to the landmark world conference on the environment held in Rio in 1992. Hollister is a member of the Environmental Working Group and also the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Representative to Friends Committee on Unity with Nature. Hollister expressed concern about the emphasis on fossil fuels of the U.S. delegation, and their lack of interest in alternative energy sources. Hollister stated that she has amazing slides and Powerpoint presentations, and is available to speak about the World Summit to any Monthly Meeting or other Friends group which would like to invite her. She has also created a flyer "Can we live sustainably?" which she distributed to members of Interim Meeting. A Friend suggested that Hollister would be an especially appropriate speaker for groups of young Quakers. Hollister can be contacted by phone at 215-247-0718, or email at hknowlton2@aol.com.

B. General Services Standing Committee

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

(1) Properties of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. A report on the four properties of the Yearly Meeting, the "four houses", was made to Yearly Meeting in session. These included Friends Center, with the proposed major upgrades and renovations previously brought in detail to Interim Meeting; Arch Street Meetinghouse, where various uses are being explored; PYM Workcamp house at 840 North 42nd Street; and Burlington Conference Center including the High Street adjacent property, which is being considered for sale

(2) January Report of the Chace Fund Granting Group. This was to have been given at the
February Interim Meeting which was cancelled. Since it was not available for this meeting, it will be presented in June.

(3) Progress report on the Annual Fund.
The General Secretary reported on the progress of the Annual Fund. We are further ahead in contributions than we were at this time last year, but we still have a lot more ($136,791) to raise to attain our budgeted goal of $435,000 for the current year. Thom challenged members of Interim Meeting to go back to our Monthly Meetings and raise the money necessary to support our budget through the Annual Fund before June 30.

(4) Questions About Your Meetinghouse. Anne reported on a workshop held at Yearly Meeting in session which focused on "Questions to Ask About Your Meetinghouse - Inside and Out." There is a checklist available asking model questions and also information about insurance and hold harmless agreements with other groups using our meetinghouses.

(5) Designated and Restricted Funds. The Financial Oversight Working Group has done thorough research on designated and restricted funds. They are also looking at which funds might make a contribution to the renovations at Friends Center.

C. Support and Outreach Standing Committee

Fran Dreisbach (Lehigh Valley), clerk of the Support and Outreach Standing Committee, reported that two gifts have been offered to support the Making New Friends project. One is for $20,000 over two years, from the Snade Foundation, and the other is $25,000, over two years, from an anonymous donor. Friends of Interim Meeting accepted these two restricted gifts.

Fran asked Betsy Appelbaum (Newtown), to make a further report. Betsy noted that Support and Outreach had minuted appreciation for the work of Allen Reeder with the publications of the Yearly Meeting. Betsy further reported that the question of funding for appropriate library services was being actively examined by Support and Outreach. A Friend asked whether the Membership Development Support Fund still provided grants to Meetings. The answer is Yes.

D. Education Standing Committee

Debbie Lyons, (West Chester), clerk of the Education Standing Committee, reported for that committee. The Education Committee is asking Interim Meeting if they can write a letter of appreciation to the Philadelphia Policy Department for their care and concern to our young people in several recent peace demonstrations in the city.

The proposed letter is addressed to Sylvester Johnson, Commissioner of Police of the City of Philadelphia. It states in part:
The Education Standing Committee of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends expresses its appreciation to you and to the officers of the Police Department of the City of Philadelphia for the care and professionalism shown by police officers during a number of recent peace-related rallies and marches. In particular the peace march on 2/15, the Friends Schools Day of Peace march on 2/23, and the peace vigil held by Philadelphia Quakers on 3/29.

The letter concludes:
We hope you will accept and convey to your officers our thanks for their dedication and service.

Friends of Interim Meeting approved the sending of this letter and thanked the Education Standing Committee for the suggestion.

Minute # 8. General Secretary's Report

Thom Jeavons reported that as General Secretary of our Yearly Meeting he will be attending a national summit of religious leaders in Chicago, on April 29 and 30, focusing on peace and war. This meeting has been organized by Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches. Some seventy-five Muslim, Christian, Jewish and other faith leaders from across the United States will meet together to address the humanitarian, spiritual and civil costs of war and its ramifications here at home. It is hoped that the summit can issue a set of principles to lead toward a peaceful future. Thom noted that these are religious leaders who in many instances have not been in the same room before.

A Friend expressed appreciation for the report that Thom shared with us on the Paris peace initiative he participated in during February of this year. The report was sent out immediately via email, and then in printed form with materials for the February Interim Meeting. Could Thom do the same with this national interfaith peace summit? Thom will do so.

Friends took note of the work that Bob Edgar has done in organizing this upcoming summit, the Paris peace delegation Thom was a part of in February, and earlier meetings of religious leaders with Congressional representatives which Thom participated in. Friends of Interim Meeting minuted appreciation of all the work that Bob is doing to put religious people in the forefront of the peace movement.

Thom supplied written reports which were sent to members of Interim Meeting for the snowed-out February Meeting and also for this meeting. In those reports, he notes that he continues to visit Monthly Meetings, twelve during this time period, and work with Yearly Meeting staff and with Friends from across the Yearly Meeting on problems and issues arising from the current budget situation. Thom noted in February that "this continues to be a time of considerable disquiet and anxiety among our staff. It may well not be possible to resolve these problems as long as we are facing budget, program, and staff reductions." In April, he reports that he has "spent an enormous amount of time on the phone or on email sharing information with members" about the budget situation. Thom expresses concern about Friends who do not study an issue before speaking in a business meeting, and about those who "spread information that is not true." Thom concludes this report by challenging all Friends in our Yearly Meeting, and especially members of Interim Meeting, "to uphold what is best in the Quaker process - seeking truth, prayerful reflection, honesty, openness, plain speaking, and compassion."

Minute # 9. Clerk's Correspondence.

A. Travel Minute for Karen Paarz-Roosi.
The clerk read a travel minute from Seaville Monthly Meeting and Salem Quarterly Meeting for Karen L. Paarz-Rossi as she travels to the Man to Man Northern Ireland 4 Phase Peace Reconciliation and Restorative Justice Project. Friends of Interim Meeting united with this travel minute.

B. Harrisburg Friends Meeting Statement on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.
The clerk read a statement on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict adopted by Harrisburg Friends Meeting on February 23, 2003. The statement says in part “We are engaging in dialogue with our Jewish, Islamic and Christian friends, relatives, and neighbors in efforts to forge bonds of understanding. We urge our own government and other parties to address the root causes of the continuing violence, and to work toward a true peace in that historic land.”

Friends of Interim Meeting asked the clerk to send a letter to Harrisburg Friends expressing our appreciation for their work towards peace as expressed in this statement.

C. Letter of Appreciation from the Friends World Committee on Consultation.
The clerk read a letter from the Friends World Committee on Consultation expressing appreciation to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting for support in both funds and Friends for the Guilford Peace Conference which they organized. The conference was called “Peace Witness in a Time of Crisis: A Friends' Consultation.” It was held at Guilford College in Greensboro, NC from January 17-20, 2003. Philadelphia Yearly Meeting provided financial support and sent delegates to the conference. Some 250 persons attended, representing all Yearly Meetings in the United States and Canada. Between a quarter and a third of those attending were young Friends.

Minute # 10. Minutes of 23 January 2003

Friends approved the minutes of Interim Meeting for January 23, 2003 with the following correction:
Minute # 3, page 4. First inset paragraph which begins: “Friends had several question on income…” “Non” is removed from the phrase “non-designated fund” so that it reads in all instances in this paragraph “designated funds.”

Minute # 11. Adjournment

Friends settled into worship and adjourned near the hour of 9:15 p.m. We shall meet again, God willing, on 26 June 2003.

Chris Mahon, clerk
Susan White, recording clerk

Last modified: 20/05/03 10:25 PM

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