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Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
Interim Meeting
25 September 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. In the silence of opening worship, a Friend offered that if we want to be the people of God, we need to do everything we do by first turning to God, and seeking divine wisdom, not because it is "what we do", but rather that in a real sense it is "what we are".
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: Vivian Carlson (Valley) and Cindy Shultz (Harrisburg).
Substitute was: Doreen Velnich (Frankford).
Guests were Annette Benert, (Lehigh Valley), TylaAnn Burger (Green Street), Mario Cavallini (Mickleton) – Meeting on Worship and Ministry, Ed Dreby (Mount Holly), Alice Gilbert, (London Grove), Phil Gilbert (London Grove), Carol Hey (Plumstead), Ruth Johnson (Camden), Paul Kester (Newtown), Cathy Robert (Third Haven), Norval Thompson (Third Haven), Tom Unkefer (Arch Street), Carol Walz (Mt. Holly), Lillian Willoughby (Central Philadelphia) and Ralph Young (Third Haven).
The clerk reminded Friends that for all representatives who have email, it is very important that Connie Blood have their email address. It is especially helpful in an emergency situation, such as when we decided on whether to have the September 18 meeting based on weather conditions as they developed. Connie is the Yearly Meeting staff member who supports our work in Interim Meeting. Friends can send their email address to Connie at connieb@pym.org. If we did not get two email notices about the September 18 meeting from Connie, it means that she does not have our email address, and we should send it to her. The clerk also reminded Friends that it is important to sign at the registration table since this is where we get the list of names we include in our minutes and records of who attended.
Minute # 2. Continuing Business
A. Report of Thom Jeavon's Annual Performance Review
Gretchen Castle, clerk of the Yearly Meeting, reported on Thom Jeavon's annual performance review. Others in the evaluation group were Chris Mahon, clerk of Interim Meeting, Chris Nicholson, alternate clerk of Interim Meeting, and Paula Cell, clerk of the Personnel Services Group.
Gretchen began by noting what a remarkable staff serves our Yearly Meeting, and she asked staff present to stand. She further suggested that the role of Interim Meeting as the Board of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting is to support the chief. Those carrying out the evaluation met with Thom, and asked him to reflect on his work this year. They then solicited input from staff members, from all Standing Committee clerks, selected working group members, and a few others who have worked with Thom. They got 16 responses, which they felt was a low number.
The evaluation then focused on two areas:
1. Thom richly deserves the unanimously positive reviews he got from all of the volunteers who replied. They noted warmly his ability to speak for us to the outside world, as a fund raiser, and in writing about our Yearly Meeting, among other things he does for us. The way in which he has handled the whole IRS situation is to be commended.
2. There is unusually low morale on the part of some staff. Contributing elements may include the budget crisis, the departure of one long serving director, and a sense that some staff would like Thom to reach out to them in a more personal way. The report made several suggestions to address this concern, including asking Thom to work more fully with the administrative team staff. They can carry more fully some of the leadership role for the organization.
Other recommendations included noting that Thom is working more hours than he should. In the coming year he plans to make special efforts to prioritize and to delegate. The evaluation group also stated that this is a difficult organization to run. We work by consensus with a strong volunteer component, so there can be confusion about where authority lies.
A Friend rose to offer a concern that he has seen an increasingly shrill tone in Thom's monthly reports in the last year. Thom seems to be expressing an increasing irritation with Interim Meeting.
Another Friend reminded us that the Peace and Concerns Standing Committee has minuted a concern that statements from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting should come not just from the General Secretary, but also from the clerks of Yearly Meeting and Interim Meeting. Gretchen responded that she has made statements to the press on two occasions when Thom was not available. However, she prefers to defer to Thom about the IRS case because he so knowledgable about it complexities.
2.B. General Secretary's Report
The General Secretary's Report for September 2003 is entitled "Crisis, Creativity and Hope: Looking to the Year Ahead". Thom begins by quoting from Isaiah 43: 18-19, "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old; Behold I am now doing a new thing…" He offers that it is "human nature to struggle with and often to resist change." He continues that "in the last two or three years we have seen transformation of the economic and political environment that are making some of us very unhappy and uncomfortable. Many of us feel increasingly at odds with a public culture marked by growing social inequality, increasing consumerism and militarism, and an expanding political conservatism." He suggests that "this may be a critical juncture in the life of this Yearly Meeting. It is a moment in our shared life as a community that we can enter with openness, flexibility and hope, or with fear, rigidity and resentment." He states that with "significant decline in the income from investments, we face further cuts in staff and operations." He suggests that inadequate financial support from our members "may be a judgment on PYM as an organization for failing to serve its members well enough, or communicate with them effectively enough, to earn their support."
Thom then asks, "where is the opportunity in all this?" Our Yearly Meeting is "an organization bound up in traditions, conventions and restrictive assumptions. But also an organization with many smart, creative, faithful people, and one with very significant material and financial resources… More importantly, we are an organization that espouses the core Quaker conviction in continuing revelation." He concludes by observing that "our world is changing, and surely our ways of operating will have to change sometimes, too."
Several Friends then rose to speak in support of the challenge Thom offers us.
A Friend noted that he liked the report because he feels that we have a responsibility to meet the future half-way and not just in a reactive way.
Another Friend was especially appreciate of the stories Thom included about other faith communities. We need to hear stories like this in these broken times.
A Friend liked the emphasis on maintaining who we are at the core, and not keeping things only for their sentimental value. If we are not to be last remnants of Quakerism in the Philadelphia area, we will need to make the distinction between what we have a sentimental attachment to, and what is at the core of our being as Friends.
2.C. Progress Report from the Structure Evaluation Project Group
Gretchen Castle, clerk of the Structure Evaluation Project Group, reported that the group is looking forward to the called session of Yearly Meeting on October 11 when the full report on the Structure Evaluation will be presented. The day's schedule will begin with coffee at 8:30 a.m. and the opening session at 9 p.m. Lunch will be provided, and the session will conclude by 4:30 p.m.
Friends offered the following questions and comments on the preliminary report.
A Friend offered that among the Friends of her Monthly Meeting there is a strong sense of serious structural flaws in the Yearly Meeting, but the outline for the Called Session does not allow an opportunity for input, so those Friends wonder why they should attend. They are asking, Why should we come if there are not clear opportunities for input?
Gretchen replied that the Structure Evaluation Group will consider their concern.
The clerk of Interim Meeting raised a concern about the great number of times within the plan when a matter is designated to be forwarded to Interim Meeting for action or solution. She wonders how such a plan could work given the already full agenda of Interim Meeting, and asked, Is the best solution in so many instances? She encouraged Friends of Interim Meeting to attend the October 11 session and participate in the discussion.
Gretchen suggested that everything would be threshed for an entire day at the Called Session.
Another Friend commented that she was comfortable with the report since everything she had suggested had been included.
2.D. Ad-Hoc Group to Review PYM Donations to Outside Organizations.
The clerk reminded us that it is the responsibility of Interim Meeting to decide on an annual basis how much Philadelphia Yearly Meeting should contribute to outside organizations which we support. She has appointed the following Friends to an Ad-Hoc Group to review these amounts: Marcia Boone (Wilmington), Charles Jackson (Hockessin), Alison Levie (Goshen), and Tom Swain (Middletown - Concord Quarter).
2.E. Carrying Information About Interim Meetings to Our Home Meetings.
The clerk asked Friends to share experiences and strategies in carrying information about the work of Interim Meeting back to our individual Monthly Meetings.
Several Friends offered that having a brief summary of each Interim Meeting would be helpful, since it could be used to report in our business Meetings, offered to our newsletter editor, and so on. The recording clerk offered to write a one page summary of each month's minutes, if Friends would find it useful. Friends approved.
Another Friend said that she makes notes of the points of most relevance to her Meeting directly on the Agenda as each Interim Meeting progresses, and then uses those notes to report back to her Monthly Meeting.
A Friend noted that he had turned down being clerk of his Meeting so that he could continue being the representative to Interim Meeting. He makes sure that he attends each Interim Meeting, or that an interested substitute comes in his place. He takes Interim Meeting seriously, and so does his Meeting. They feel connected to Interim and to our Yearly Meeting.
A Friend suggested that what works best in her Meeting is that she takes special note of issues and concerns for particular members of her Meeting, and gathers extra materials for those people, being sure to distribute what she has as soon as she sees them. Interim Meeting becomes a personal interest for a number of Friends in her Meeting who do not actually attend.
A Friend offered that so much of his Meeting is on email that he sends brief information about Interim Meeting to all those Friends electronically. If he had the summary of Interim Minutes in electronic format, he could send them out to most of his Meeting.
Another Friend said that he begins his reports on Interim Meeting with a little sense of drama, including some of the personalities or special concerns he observed.
Friends agreed that having an Interim Report always on the agenda of our Monthly Meetings for business, and always near the beginning of the meeting, was very important. And that having gotten there, it was essential to be brief and not tire Friends with too much detail.
2.F. What Interim Meeting Documents Should be Posted On the Web?
A question has come up about what is appropriate to post on the PYM web site of the documents of Interim Meeting. Friends from across the Yearly Meeting find value in having as many documents posted as possible. Not all Friends have access to the Internet, or routinely use the web. But a sizable number do so, and it helps our efforts to broaden our communication to have as many supporting documents of Interim Meeting as well as our Minutes posted on the web. Thom Jeavons suggested that the only documents we should exclude from such wide posting should be those of a financial or legal nature where we have sought the counsel of outside financial or legal professionals. Friends approved this policy. Rich Ailes, who is responsible for posting to the PYM web site, will implement the policy and post it on our web site.
2.G. Question of Future Residential Yearly Meeting Sessions.
In June Interim Meeting had agreed to appoint an Ad-Hoc Group to study the value and feasibility of future residential sessions of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Friends pointed out that plans for a residential session have to be put in place at least two years ahead. Even with 2007 designated previously as the first year we would consider having a residential session, it is important to begin considering this question now. The clerk asked if Friends wanted to volunteer to serve on such a group?
Friends considered the matter, and agreed that the issue of whether to have a residential session was too broad to be assigned to a small group. Instead, we will have a portion of a session of Interim Meeting set aside for all of us to consider the matter. An hour or more would be allotted. After such a threshing session to consider the broader issues, we might ask a smaller group to work on more specific issues. The business to be handled at future sessions will be weighed, and a meeting designated and announced well in advance so that interested Friends can plan to attend in addition to the members of Interim Meeting. The clerk will plan for this in one of our upcoming meetings during the next few months.
Minute # 3. Business of Standing Committees
A. General Services Standing Committee
Anne Moore, clerk, reported for the General Services Standing Committee.
1. Revised Guidelines for the work of the Chace Granting Group had been distributed for the June Interim Meeting. However, a crowded schedule did not permit Interim Meeting to consider the recommendations. Since the document was not re-distributed for this meeting tonight so we do not have them in hand, Friends of Interim Meeting were not comfortable dealing with the matter. Any Friend who wishes a hard copy can sign up with the clerk tonight, and the document will be posted on the web for us to download and consider before October Interim Meeting. We will plan to consider the revised Chace guidelines at that time.
Carol Walz (Mount Holly), staff for Chace, commented that since the Standing Committee had already approved the new guidelines, they are now being used by the Chace Granting Group.
2. Paul Kester, (Newtown), clerk of the Financial Oversight Group, brought forward from that group a Revised Procedure on Restricted Gifts. Suggested changes in this policy are of two types. One brings the amounts of money which are the thresholds for various actions by bodies of the Yearly Meeting into line with a sense of monetary values in the present time. These include that
Gifts less than or equal to $1,000 may be accepted by the Accounting / Development Office; (previous had been $500).
Gifts greater than #1,000 but less than $10,000 may be accepted by the appropriate Standing Committee, (previous had been $500 to $5,000).
Gifts equal to or greater than #10,000 must be accepted by Interim Meeting or Yearly Meeting in Session (previous had been $5,000).
Another type of change suggested by the Financial Oversight Group was in the language concerning where there is no current project or body. Some Friends in Interim Meeting were uncomfortable with the new language suggested, and asked that Paul do further work on it in consultation with other concerned Friends. Paul will report back to us on this matter.
Friends of Interim Meeting approved changing the time for review of dollar thresholds to be "at least" every five years rather than "every five years."
3. Kathy Reilly (Westtown), staff for Financial matters, reported that the Treasurer's Guide of several hundred pages has been sent out to each Treasurer of Monthly and Quarterly Meetings within the Yearly Meeting. Other interested Friends can purchase a copy from the Friends General Conference Bookstore.
4. Anne Moore reported that the General Services Standing Committee and the Education Standing Committee have agreed that the Children and Young People at Yearly Meeting Group be moved from the care of General Services to the care of the Education Standing Committee. Friends of Interim Meeting approved.
B. Education Standing Committee
Debby Lyons, clerk, reported for the Education Standing Committee.
Debby reported that there are some great pictures and content on the Education Standing Committee web site. She recommended that Friends of Interim Meeting take special note of them as a way of following the dynamic work going on with our young people.
The Education Standing Committee is also looking for Friendly Adult Presences for Young Friends and Middle School Friends activities. They are of course careful about who works with our children, so that there is a clearance process for Friends who want to be a Friendly Adult Presence. Debbie passed out to those attending Interim Meeting applications for signing up to be cleared and then registered to work with our children.
C. Peace and Concerns Standing Committee
Howard Cell, clerk, reported for the Peace and Concerns Standing Committee.
C.1. The Peace and Concerns Standing Committee has made the following appointments:
Fund for Sufferings Granting Group
Suzanne Day Westfield Monthly Meeting Haddonfield Quarter
Mark Fulton Yardley Monthly Meeting Bucks Quarter
Pendle Hill Peace Network
Howard Cell Yardley Monthly Meeting Bucks Quarter
Joe Elliott Providence Monthly Meeting Chester Quarter
C.2 Howard introduced Joan Broadfield (Chester), the newly appointed Peace and Justice Coordinator. Howard noted that in this new position Joan will now be doing a number of interesting things for Monthly Meetings. Friends warmly welcomed her in this new role
C.3. Howard announced that the Middle East Working Group is sponsoring a conference on Peace-Making in the Tradition of Friends: It will be held at Friends Center on Saturday, November 8 from 9:15 until 3:30.
C.4. Howard brought forward the following Minutes of Appreciation:
(a) Minute of Appreciation for Lawrence Sigmond.
Lawrence has served Philadelphia Yearly Meeting for the past three years as the Meetings Initiatives Coordinator, which was renamed to be the Peace and Justice Coordinator. He has encouraged and supported many individual Friends with strong leadings; he has visited a number of monthly and quarterly meetings, and/or their peace and social action committees, and has helped to develop a network of those with concerns about issues of peace and justice; he assisted in organizing the Yearly Meeting response to 9/11, and in organizing the FWCC peace conference in February, 2003; he established and maintained an interactive website and email option for those interested in sharing information and concerns in relation to our Testimonies; and, most recently, he contacted every monthly meeting clerk in PYM to discuss the implications of the Minute on Iraq adopted at annual sessions in March, 2003. Lawrence is deeply committed to the work of implementing Friends Testimonies, and we know that he will find new ways to further that work. We are grateful for his service to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.
Friends of Interim Meeting joined in this Minute of Appreciation.
(b) Minute of Appreciation for Judy Van Hoy.
Judy has served Philadelphia Yearly Meeting in various capacities for some 21 years, but primarily as the coordinator of the workcamp program. She has truly said of herself that she ‘actively seeks: to bring about racial and economic justice; to help people of all ages and from different backgrounds to work, learn and laugh together; to help people question and refine their own values, and find better ways to live in harmony with their deepest held convictions; and to help people feel welcome in Philadelphia.’ We are confident that she will continue to be an activist and a seeker, and also a warm, funny lady with great integrity who will always make a difference in people’s lives. We are truly grateful for Judy’s many contributions to our Yearly Meeting.
Friends of Interim Meeting joined in this Minute of Appreciation.
(c.) Minute of Appreciation for the Peace and Justice Taskforce.
The Standing Committee on Peace and Concerns minutes its deep appreciation to the Peace and Justice Taskforce and the staff who assisted them for the dedicated work they have done and the inspiring report that has been produced. This Taskforce carried out a special job of visioning for future work for the Peace and Concerns Standing Committee.
Friends of Interim Meeting joined in this Minute of Appreciation, and asked to
have the names of those who served on the Taskforce recorded in our Minutes.
They are: Andrew Anderson (Arch Street) - clerk, Nancy Benson-Tarquini (Central
Philadelphia), Amy Taylor Brooks (Arch Street), Ed Dreby (Mount Holly), Patricia
Finley (Old Haverford), Phil Gilbert (London Grove), Alfred Griffin (Central
Philadelphia), Hollister Knowlton (Chestnut Hill), Phil Mullen, (Central Philadelphia)
- staff, Julian O'Reilly - Pendle Hill, Will Richan (Chester), Theodor Swanson
(Gwynedd),
and Kathy Reilly (Westfield) - staff.
C.5. Ed Dreby (Mount Holly), clerk, reported for the Environmental Working Group. An open gathering was held at Pendle Hill in June which had as its purpose "to examine economic policies and Friends testimonies in an ecological context". A letter "To Friends Everywhere" was drafted at that gathering, which includes questions about ecological concerns and how they relate to Friends testimonies, formed as a set of queries. Copies of the letter were provided to those attending Interim Meeting. Also distributed were postcards seeking an environmental contact within each Monthly and Quarterly Meeting, and the September issue of "In the Works", the newsletter of the Environmental Working Group describing current projects.
These projects include sending the To Friends Everywhere ecological concerns letter to Monthly Meetings and Friends organizations, in order to spread this statement as widely as possible. The Environmental Working Group also plans to produce a study / discussion guide "Quaker Eco-101", modeled on Quakerism 101, by early 2004. In addition, they are working on creating a Quaker Research Institute on environmental issues
Minute # 4 Report of the Nominating Committee
Sue Makler (Abington), clerk of the Nominating Committee, noted that the Nominations Committee now has only 21 members from 47 which are possible. It is the Quarters responsibility to fill these slots, and our work in the Yearly Meeting would be improved by having the broadest representation in our nominations process. Sue then reported the following nominations and resignations.