 January/February 2001 (XXXIX 1) |
“Is Using a Computer Right for Your Monthly Meeting?” is the topic for the next gathering scheduled by the Treasurers Planning Group. The session is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, January 27, at the Fourth and Arch Street Meeting House in Philadelphia. Snow date is February 3.
This session is not for treasurers only! Monthly and Quarterly Meeting newsletter editors, recorders, clerks, recording clerks, treasurers, finance committee members and other interested Friends are invited to attend this gathering, share their knowledge, and learn about computerization for our Meetings. Childcare will be available. If you need childcare please notify Kathy Reilly at 215-241-7214* or <kathyr@pym.org> before January 12.
The first part of this gathering will involve a discussion on using computers for maintaining membership records, producing Meeting newsletters, creating Meeting websites, generating labels, and other record-keeping and word-processing activities. The second part will focus on utilizing computers to maintain the financial records of the Monthly or Quarterly Meeting. The workshop will include information on the costs of hardware and software for the record-keeping, word-processing and financial tasks of the Meeting and suggestions on how to obtain the funding needed.
In April, the Treasurers Planning Group of PYM’s Financial Services Group and Friends Fiduciary Corporation will sponsor a hands-on session for Meeting treasurers to work directly with Quicken or QuickBooks software and to develop a computerized chart of accounts that will meet their own Meetings' needs. This session will be held at a Friends school with a computer lab.
The topics for the 2001 gatherings came from a survey of Monthly and Quarterly Meeting Treasurers conducted last spring/summer. The survey was prepared by Helen File of Byberry Meeting (PA), Jack Childs of Germantown Meeting (PA), Bob Crauder of Radnor Meeting (PA), Ed Dunlop of Willistown Meeting (PA) and Laura Blaetz of Medford Meeting (NJ). Les Hopton of Moorestown Meeting (NJ) analyzed the results. A copy of these results may be obtained from Kathy Reilly or Connie Brookes (see below).
The Treasurers Planning Group has been sponsoring gatherings since the summer Residential Yearly Meeting of 1999, when the first group of Monthly and Quarterly Meeting treasurers met to discuss issues and concerns.
At our most recent session in September, 47 Friends met to hear brief presentations and hold lively discussions about issues concerning financial record-keeping, accounting systems and reporting to our Monthly Meetings. Presentations on these topics were prepared and given by Bob Richardson of Swarthmore Meeting (PA), Rachel Winslow of Middletown Meeting (Concord Quarter, PA), and Peter Franck of Hockessin Meeting (DE). Judy Kashoff of Buckingham Meeting (PA) spoke about restricted, unrestricted and endowment funds. After a short refreshment break, Nancy DeMis of Media Meeting (PA) and Steve Berryhill of Haddonfield Meeting (NJ) informed us about issues regarding employees, independent contractors, and workers compensation. Copies of the handouts from this gathering were mailed to all Meetings who were unable to send a representative. Additional copies may be obtained from Kathy Reilly at Philadelphia Yearly Meeting <kathyr@pym.org> or Connie Brookes at Friends Fiduciary Corporation <cabfidcorp@aol.com>
Kathy Reilly
Westfield Meeting (NJ)
PYM director of finance
Last modified: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:18 AM