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Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
Interim Meeting
25 September 2003 - Arch Street Meetinghouse, Philadelphia
Summary of Minutes
Minute # 1. Worship and Opening Exercises
The meeting settled into worship at 6:00 p.m.
The clerk welcomed two new members, one substitute, and fifteen guests.
Minute # 2. Continuing Business
2.A. Report of Thom Jeavon's Annual Performance ReviewMinute # 3. Business of Standing Committees
Gretchen Castle, PYM clerk, Chris Mahon, Interim Meeting clerk, Chris Nichols, Interim Meeting alternate clerk and Paula Cell, Personnel Services clerk carried out the annual review which focused on two areas: 1. Positive reviews from volunteers for speaking and writing about us to the outside world and as a fund raiser. 2. Low staff morale. Thom should work fewer hours and delegate more.
2.B. The General Secretary's Report for September 2003 "Crisis, Creativity and Hope: Looking to the Year Ahead". Thom says we have to accept change. With "decline in the income from investments, we face further cuts in staff and operations…Our world is changing, and surely our ways of operating will have to change sometimes, too."
2.C. Progress Report from the Structure Evaluation Project Group
The full report will be presented at the Called Session of Yearly Meeting on October 11. Friends raised serious concerns about whether input would be allowed at that called session, and asked whether too much was being sent to Interim Meeting.
2.D. Ad-Hoc Group Appointed to review PYM Donations to Outside Organizations.
2.E. Carrying Information About Interim Meetings to Our Home Meetings.
Friends shared experiences and strategies for carrying information about the work of Interim Meeting back to our individual Monthly Meetings. The recording clerk will write a one page summary of each month's minutes.
2.F. What Interim Meeting Documents Posted On the Web? All except financial or legal from professional counsel.
2.G. Future Residential PYM Sessions? Interim Meeting will consider by prior announcement sometime soon.
A. General Services Standing Committee Anne Moore, clerk, reported
A.1. Revised Guidelines for Chace Granting Group will be considered at next Interim.B. Education Standing Committee Debby Lyons, clerk, reported. Check out the Education Standing Committee web site. They also need Friendly Adult Presences for Young Friends and Middle School Friends. Application forms are available.
A.2. Financial Oversight Group,. Paul Kester brought new dollar thresholds for how we handle gifts.
A.3. New Treasurer's Guides have been sent out to Meetings. Other copies can be bought through the FGC Bookstore.
A.4. Interim Meeting approved moving the care of Children and Young People at Yearly Meeting Group from General Services to the Education Standing Committee.
C. Peace and Concerns Standing Committee Howard Cell, clerk, reported
C.1 New appointments were made to the Fund for Sufferings Granting Group and the Pendle Hill Peace Network.Minute # 4 Report of the Nominating Committee Sue Makler (Abington), clerk reported 14 nominations and 2 resignations. Nominations Committee now has only 21 members from 47 which are possible from Quarterly Meetings.
C.2. Joan Broadfield is the newly appointed Peace and Justice Coordinator
C.3. Conference on Peace-Making on Nov.8 at Friends Center sponsored by Middle East Working Group .
C.4. Minutes of Appreciation for Lawrence Sigmond, .Judy Van Hoy, and the Peace and Justice Taskforce. Friends of Interim Meeting joined in these Minutes.
C.5. Environmental Working Group has three new initiatives on ecological concerns and Friends testimonies.
Minute # 5. Financial Stewardship Jackie Bowers, clerk brought a recommendation that the capital reserve fund for each of the buildings we own be combined into one fund.and the Woolman bequest of $450,000 be added . Friends approved.
Minute # 6. Clerk's Correspondence Friends joined in a Minute of Support for the peace program of Falls Friends Meeting at George School’s Meetinghouse on October 19, 2003, at 7 p.m.: “What’s Really Going on in Iraq Now?" with internationally known speakers. Also, a letter was received from FWCC thanking us for Minutes for the Triennial.
Minute # 7. Minutes of 26 June 2003 were revised and approved.
Minute # 8. Announcements and Adjournment Next Meeting October 23.
Friends settled into worship and adjourned at 9 p.m.
Chris Mahon, clerk
Susan White, recording clerk