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After an opening period of worship, the clerk welcomed us and asked those present from other Yearly Meetings to introduce themselves. Loida Fernandez of Ciudad Victoria Meeting, General Reunion of Mexican Friends, introduced herself for the first time. She is staff to Friends World Committee for Consultation, Section of the Americas. Also present this morning were Elizabeth Duke, Aotearoa/New Zealand Yearly Meeting, and Jean Zaru, Ramallah Friends Meeting, Middle East Yearly Meeting.
- Minute 30: Nominating Committee
Our Clerk Arlene Kelly then announced that Chris Mahon, clerk of Interim Meeting, would handle the nominations portion of this session, and she and Assistant Clerk Dudley (Sandy) Heath left the room. Rich Ailes, clerk of Nominating Committee, noted that complete lists of committees are available in the lobby. Then he drew attention to the list of those to be appointed today to the panel of 2005 for each of six standing committees [including Financial Stewardship Committee]. The body of the meeting approved the names brought forward. Then Friends approved the names brought forward for Coordinating Council of Friends Peace Teams, Evaluation Working Group of Interim Meeting, Friends Fiduciary Corporation, Friends Pension Plan Board, and the following positions to serve the Yearly Meeting: Recording Clerks, Alternate Clerk, Clerk and Treasurer. These were approved.
Concern was expressed by several Friends that our Treasurer, Dennis O’Brien, is entering his final term and that an Assistant Treasurer needs to be appointed to serve two years as Assistant to learn the nuances of the Treasurer’s work.
The meeting joined the clerk of Nominating Committee in wishing to minute deep appreciation for the service of all those who have been on Standing Committees and served as clerks of Yearly Meeting, and to especially lift up the service of the following Friends: Mario Cavallini and Stephan de la Veaux, our recording clerks, and Elizabeth Marsh, outgoing clerk of Peace and Concerns Standing Committee. Chris Mahon withdrew and Arlene resumed serving as clerk.
- Minute 31: Epistle
Epistle Group member Stephen Gulick introduced the other three members who have labored and enjoyed their work: Thomas Swain, Dana Kester-McCabe, and Janny Sterrett. He then read the outgoing epistle for Friends’ consideration. In addition to expressing appreciation for the words read, several improvements were offered. Steve made some adjustments for approval at this time and then the group withdrew to prepare a final draft.
- Minute 32: Next Yearly Meeting Dates
Future dates of Annual Sessions were offered by the clerk: Third Month 29, 2003, at the Arch Street Meeting House is definite. Seventh Month 22-27, 2003, is proposed with both the dates and the place of the latter less than definite at this time.
- Minute 33: Review of Referrals
The clerk then offered and the body appreciatively affirmed the following List of Referrals from Yearly Meeting Sessions:
By Laws and Incorporation
Clerk and General Secretary will work with legal counsel to implement appropriate filing of papers.
Clerk will collaborate with General Secretary and Yearly Meeting Counsel to ensure that we have identified all categories of persons carrying out work on behalf of PYM and ensure that an analysis of protection for those persons is provided to Interim Meeting. Interim Meeting will review and, if necessary, take remedial action.
George School and Westtown Incorporation
The Clerk will collaborate with the Clerk of Interim Meeting to ensure that the documents guiding our decision to approve incorporation of the schools are consistently reflected when Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws receive final review by that body.
The Clerk will collaborate with Tom Hoopes and possibly the Annual Sessions Planning Group to ensure that we find effective ways to hold in front of us our commitment to maintain an active relationship with the two schools under our care.
Call to the attention of the Agenda Planning Group Friends’ interest in exploring more deeply the meaning of membership. This referral can also include the question of membership status of younger Friends in transition, lifted up in our Saturday evening session.
Communicate to Friends World Committee for Consultation, Section of the Americas, our endorsement of FWCC’s call to pray for peace and call to join in a Consultation on Peace Building which is in the process of development by FWCC. Also, refer to the Peace and Concerns Standing Committee the desire of the Yearly Meeting that it explore, on behalf of PYM, the range of opportunities for our right involvement in that Consultation.
Yearly Meeting’s Desire to Offer Support to Ramallah Friends Meeting, financial support and, if possible, partnership in their work for peace.
Clerk will collaborate with the General Secretary to both ensure proper transfer of the funds approved and to explore options for involvement of Friends both within and outside of PYM to participate in further fund-raising efforts on behalf of Ramallah Friends Meeting.
Ensure that immediate steps are taken to share with PYM Friends not present at these Sessions the sense of leading.
Collaborate with Peace and Concerns Standing Committee, the Middle East Concerns Group, relevant PYM staff and others to ensure coordination of discernment of opportunities we hope will open for partnering with Friends in Ramallah and opportunities which are rightly ordered for pursuit here in our Yearly Meeting.
Follow up with Young Friends on Yearly Meeting’s endorsement of the April 20th march in Washington and their encouragement of broad participation.
Any other items determined by the Clerk after careful review of the minutes of the Sessions.
These minutes were read and some suggestions received, then approved with the directive to incorporate some indications of the program brought by the younger people which followed.
- Minute 34: Children and Young People
Following a powerful meeting for worship, the body of the meeting stretched, then settled to welcome Claire Wilson (Chester Meeting), clerk of Children and Young People at Yearly Meeting. With the facing benches filled with participants, she acknowledged the staff and the volunteers who had brought consistency to the three-day program. Each age group then brought forth a reflection from their time together with this year's theme: Loss and Healing.
A puppet show was offered by the tiniest ones. Young children considered transitions through the life cycle of plants and creatures. The next oldest group told what they do to feel better when they are hurt. Fourth and fifth graders brought a skit representing emotions. Middle school had taken several trips, cleaned parks and gardens, and learned about the children’s movement against child labor. Young Friends had been at Arch Street for many sessions and also at Burlington Meetinghouse.
Following the reunion of parents and children, the Epistle Group read the result of their labors and the outgoing epistle was approved for signing by our clerk, translation into Spanish, publication in the PYM News, and for wide distribution.
Suzanne Rie Day, recording clerk
Last modified: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:19 AM