 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2002 (XXXX 4) |
A called session of PYM Interim Meeting was held on July 25. After an extraordinary time of worship, prayerful listening, discussion and discernment, three programmatic foci (priorities) were approved for the work of PYM staff. The three foci are:
- creating more visible and more hospitable Meeting communities;
- supporting religious education for children and adults;
- enabling community service and witness that expresses what is best in our faith.
The three programmatic foci had been put forth in May by General Secretary Thom Jeavons. They were developed with the staff management team in light of priorities expressed by Monthly Meetings in annual surveys conducted by the Financial Stewardship Committee.
Thom wrote: “We propose the following priorities as those around which PYM should organize its work for the coming year — and longer — eschewing initiatives and interests that do not fit very clearly within these areas in order to focus our collective efforts and resources to the greatest positive effect. In naming the things we commit ourselves to, we envision activities and services done whenever possible with the guidance of, with participation from, and even at the site of various Monthly and Quarterly Meetings.”
The three-hour special session of Interim Meeting was held in the summer, when meetings do not usually take place, to address the request that PYM set priorities. Interim Meeting also saw the need to establish a mechanism to set and review priorities in the future. Work on determining the specifics of that process was deferred until September.
Last modified: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:18 AM