|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
The Meeting assembled at the appointed hour and settled into open worship. The Clerk and Alternate Clerk read announcements.
- Minute 10: Welcome to Visitors
The Clerk welcomed a visitor, Jacqueline Stillwell of Monadnock Monthly Meeting, New Hampshire, New England Yearly Meeting, Friends General Conference visitor to our Yearly Meeting, who spoke of her background, her work with FGC and The Friends School in New Hampshire (where she is Head), and her feeling of fellowship and continuity from joining us both at Residential Yearly Meeting in 2001 and now at Yearly Meeting.
Those on the facing bench introduced themselves: Presiding Clerk Arlene Kelly (Central Philadelphia), Alternate Clerks Richard Bernard (Hockessin) and Dudley “Sandy” Heath (Moorestown), Recording Clerk Kimberly Haas Diliberto (Uwchlan), and Howard Cell (Yardley) and Odie LeFever (Newtown) who were present to assist in our review of the proposed revision to Faith and Practice.
- Minute 11: Epistle
The Clerk introduced Dana Kester McCabe (Wicomico River) of the Epistle Project Group, who read an incoming epistle from Yearly Meeting of the Friends Church in Cuba, which asked us to join them in preparing new leaders to continue the work of Friends. They celebrated the re-opening of a mission that had been closed for forty years.
- Minute 12: PYM Bylaws for Incorporation
The Clerk gave a brief history of earlier steps PYM has taken for incorporation:
Incorporation was approved by Interim Meeting in late 2000.
The first presentation of Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation was given at our one-day Session in March of 2001, resulting in feedback on the work done and leading to the appointment of a task group.
A presentation at our Residential Session in 2001 led to approval of the Articles of Incorporation and all Articles of the Bylaws except Article V. There was not time in July 2001 to deal with this thoughtfully.
Thus, the work in front of us today was action on Article V. The Clerk introduced Sam Swansen (Gwynedd), Yearly Meeting Counsel, who reviewed the creation of the proposed Bylaws.
Sam explained the purpose of Article V: to protect officers, staff and meeting members from liability in the course of their work for Yearly Meeting. This language, however, will not address Friends who refrain from paying taxes in objection to support of war efforts, nor protect Friends from liability in criminal conduct.
Friends asked for clarification of several points in the definition of “Participating Members” (Article V, §1).
Sam Swansen explained the indemnification provision, or “to hold harmless” its members from legal actions taken against PYM. Kathy Reilly (Westfield), Finance Director of PYM, reminded Friends that PYM already has liability insurance for volunteers.
The Clerk summarized that Friends have requested a fuller analysis of the positions included under “Liability Protection” and “Indemnification” and a report back. Specifically identified for consideration include volunteers who work with children, appointees to other organizations, and others as appropriate. Meeting approved Article V of the bylaws as presented. Meeting also approved the filing of appropriate incorporation papers, with the understanding that the concern regarding what positions are included under “Liability Protection” and “Indemnification” will be researched and reported to Interim Meeting.
Sam Swansen and others as appropriate will review and report to the General Secretary and Interim Meeting. Sam Swansen thanked the committee that created the Bylaws.
- Minute 13: Faith and Practice Revision
The Clerk introduced Jim Harrington (Birmingham), who explained the background of the proposed Faith and Practice revision. The revision reflects PYM’s restructuring. Revisions require presentation at two consecutive Yearly Meetings. It had its first reading at Residential Yearly Meeting 2001, so we are asked to give final approval this year.
The Clerk explained this revision does not relate to any changes of substance regarding either our faith or our practice, and such reflections are outside the focus of our work today.
For various reasons, the most important of which is to not cause confusion with the edition already published, this revision has been put together in a way to essentially not change pagination.
The Clerk posed these questions:
Does the revised text, as proposed, accurately reflect our new structure?
Does it clearly describe that structure, e.g., will a person new to Friends be able to read this and understand our structure from the text offered?
A Friend asked whether we could approve the revision without going through it step-by-step. Another Friend suggested inclusion of an organizational chart of PYM. After discussion, the Clerk suggested we ask the Publications Service Group to consider whether a useful chart could be included, that wouldn’t become dated. Friends declined.
After re-insertion of an omitted line in Section A, Friends approved the revision with the proviso that a final editing for punctuation and spelling would be done.
In response to Friends’ objections to an organizational chart, a concern was raised that our structure is confusing to all but those most involved in Yearly Meeting. Friends pointed out existing publications and suggested other ways to explain and update this information.
- Minute 14: Interim Meeting Annual Report
The Clerk called on Chris Mahon (Woodstown), clerk of Interim Meeting, who recognized the members of Interim Meeting present and gave the annual report of that body, and the report of the Evaluation Working Group to Interim Meeting.
Chris gave examples of Interim Meeting’s work over the past year, described their process and the involvement of many Monthly Meeting members, and painted a vivid picture of this body’s ongoing hard work in support of Yearly Meeting.
Friends thanked the members of Interim Meeting for their work.
The minutes were read, improved and approved, and announcements given. Then, after a brief period of worship, the Meeting adjourned, to reconvene at 7:00 p.m.
Kimberly Haas Diliberto, recording clerk
Last modified: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:19 AM