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Meeting gathered at the appointed time and settled into worship. Clerk was Arlene Kelly and Recording Clerk Susan White. Interim Meeting Clerk Chris Mahon joined the clerk’s table, since Alternate Clerk Dudley Heath has an interest in a matter to come before this session and has stepped down so as to be able to speak on that issue..
Minute 9: Clerk’s Welcome
Clerk welcomed Friends and introduced those on the facing bench. Friends welcomed those Friends who are attending Yearly Meeting for the first time this year. Friends also recognized Karen Hallowell (Gwynedd Meeting), Clerk of the Annual Sessions Planning Group, and also the members of that group, for the effective work they all have done in preparing for these sessions of the Yearly Meeting. There was a short time to make preparations, since our original plan had been to have a Residential Yearly Meeting in the summer. The budget did not permit a Residential Yearly Meeting this year, and the Planning Group did stellar duty in making our current sessions function so well.
Minute 10: Epistle
Mae January Sterrett (Westtown Meeting), a member of the Epistle Committee, read an incoming epistle from Ohio Yearly Meeting (Conservative), “How Can We Continue to Rejoice?” The epistle begins with asking “How can we continue to rejoice” in several instances, such as in the face of atrocities committed in the name of God at home and abroad, and “when our neighbors and friends wave flags in support of war as if preparing for a football game.” The epistle goes on to answer that we rejoice in God’s presence in our midst, and that “the power of love is and always will be over the power of evil and strife.”
Minute 11: Action On The Budget For Fiscal Year 2003-2004
Clerk summarized the main points made in the morning session regarding the budget, and noted changes made after the budget was sent out to Monthly Meetings. Economies and changes for the library include cutting the space occupied by the library by one third, looking for less expensive space, and reduction of a staff member to three-fifths time instead of one-half time to protect the paid benefits of that staff member. Also, the Arch Street Meeting House will be kept open after July 1, and the interpreters program will be maintained for the present time with the details to be worked out.
Clerk then invited Friends of the Yearly Meeting in session to ask questions and to offer perspectives on our proposed budget. A lively discussion ensued for some two and one half hours. While some Friends supported the budget as proposed, others felt that the cuts were inappropriately made. The Meeting was at times acrimonious; there were suspicions. Friends cautioned that we needed to use words carefully to move the Meeting forward and also to respect the will of Meeting.
Some of the comments and concerns lifted up are highlighted here.
The clerk of Financial Stewardship Committee, responding to a point made, indicated that the annual survey of priorities sent by Financial Stewardship to every Meeting within our Yearly Meeting is intentionally brief. Meetings better answer a short survey. In the five surveys done so far by Financial Stewardship, only about half of our Meetings responded.
A Friend asked how much of the shortfall in the budget was made up by cutting the interpreters position at the Arch Street Meeting House. Some $50,000 to $60,000 is a typical cost for a staff member, including benefits.
The Bequests Committee will have $36,000 less to use in making grants in the 2003-04 fiscal year, since this amount was transferred from their use in Designated Funds to the General Fund for current budget expenses.
A Friend on the Financial Stewardship Committee noted that there is a thick notebook with full details of the budget and the budget process which is in the next room during this Yearly Meeting in session. It is also available from Kathy Reilly on the Yearly Meeting staff at other times. Any member of the Yearly Meeting is invited to study that volume.
Clerk invited Willman Spawn, clerk of the Monthly Meeting of Friends of Philadelphia, to read a Minute of Third Month 23, 2003, from that Meeting. It focused on the concern of that Meeting about the proposed cut of the interpreter’s position at the Arch Street Meeting House. It states that the Friends of Arch Street are “dismayed that the Quaker outreach program at Arch Street Meetinghouse must end on June 30” and will “stretch their resources to help pay the cost of this Quaker ministry in the coming year.”
Clerk reminded Friends that Interim Meeting has specific guidelines for accepting restricted contributions to the Yearly Meeting. Clerk also reminded Friends that Interim Meeting is responsible for adjustment to the budget for the coming year. If we have more money, we have a process in place to receive those funds and to adjust funding for programs as way opens.
A Friend from Medford Meeting reported that Medford has held three business meetings on the Yearly Meeting’s budget situation. Medford has minuted making an additional gift of $10,000 to the Yearly Meeting, and suggested that the Yearly Meeting needs to be more bold in our fund-raising activities. Several Friends there with long experience in other Yearly Meetings think we could do a lot better and ask for a lot more in our fund-raising. The Friend went on to challenge us to think of raising tens or hundreds of millions of dollars to support innovative new projects we might wish to undertake. He suggested that possibilities could include providing free universal early education for all children in Philadelphia, creating a true Peace Center for our Yearly Meeting, and making a Historical Center where we could gather all our past artifacts, so that our meetinghouses could be used for the current life of the Society of Friends.
A Friend offered that since education of children and adults is one of the three working priorities of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, the library should also be included as a priority since it is essential to religious education teachers at all levels.
Not all discussion was harmonious. Friends throughout the afternoon asked questions and stated concerns especially focusing on the proposed loss of the Arch Street interpreter’s position and the proposed cuts in the Library. Questions were raised about the situation of Yearly Meeting employees, and whether funds contributed for the library and the Arch Street Interpreters Program would go directly to those programs. The General Secretary stated firmly that any gift that comes to the Yearly Meeting with restrictions will have those restrictions honored exactly, once the gift has been accepted. Other staff members took strong exception to the suggestion that a restricted gift would not be used exactly as it is intended. A Friend asked whether restricted funds might be applied to the stated purpose, but other funding for that project might be shifted away, so that the intended effect of the gift would not be met. Another Friend offered up that she was distressed that some of the comments this afternoon suggest that there are two standards of truth among Friends, and guarantees are being asked for truth spoken.
Clerk had tested several times in the afternoon suggestions for unity among Friends present on the proposed budget of the Yearly Meeting for July 2003-June 2004, and none had found unity. Those suggestions had focused on whether Friends were willing to approve the budget in principle and leave to Interim Meeting responsibility for adjustments which might be possible in the next several weeks as a result of further income being received. After much discussion as has been highlighted here, the Clerk offered the following:
We are not today prepared to approve this budget.
We are wrestling mightily with cuts that have been made.
We have expressed appreciation for the work of the Financial Stewardship and Standing Committees in trying to create a budget for our Yearly Meeting.
We are looking for new income sources to alleviate budget cuts.
We need to build greater and deeper trust among ourselves.
We have an energy among us today that brings us closer together.
Given these factors, we are still not in unity on this budget today, but will have a Called Session of Yearly Meeting at a time to be determined, allowing for seasoning of opportunities, but before the time that the new budget must be in place for July 1.
Friends approved.
A Friend offered that we went through an afternoon of our own Quaker process, and that it was very difficult and very beautiful. It was an “up” experience for us to do that.
Clerk then asked Friends present to go back to our Meetings and engage others in the budget process before coming back to the Called Session. She challenged all present to commit to attendance at the Called Session. We are also encouraged to bring any other Friends from our Meetings whom we can encourage to attend. Clerk noted that we worked mightily throughout the afternoon, but the way did not open for unity on the budget process.
Minute 12: Reports From George School And Westtown School
Clerk introduced Nancy Starmer, Head of George School, and John Baird, Head of Westtown School, who in turn introduced David Bruton and Bruce S. Haines, clerks of the committees for George School and Westtown, respectively. Clerk acknowledged those on the facing bench, who were members of the school committees and also the members of the Standing Committee on Education. In making the introductions, the Clerk reminded Friends that these are the two schools under the care of the Yearly Meeting. At last year’s session when separate incorporation of the schools was approved, Friends expressed concern that we continue to be diligent in attending to our relationship with the schools.
Nancy Starmer made a report for George School. She noted how important it is to have the special relationship that we have between George School and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. George School this year is doing a comprehensive curriculum review project, for the first time in 20 years. It is seeking to better understand what it means to be a Quaker school today, and also learning the most exciting new tools and perspectives available to educators and students in the present time.
George School sent out work camps to many countries again this year, though not as many due to the situation in the world. The reports coming back with the students reflect their learning much about the complexities of the world, and of an enhanced experience of being a Quaker. In terms of dealing with the world situation, the events of September 11, 2001, created a new framework for international understanding. George School has invited a series of key speakers to address the changes in the world, both from a Quaker and from a non-Quaker perspective. Students and faculty have been encouraged to speak honestly and respectfully about their different perspectives, in the spirit of truth-seeking. The Young Friends group on campus has organized a number of peace activities, including participation in the Friends School Day of Peace and marches in Philadelphia, Washington and New York.
John Baird, Head of Westtown School, next reported to the Yearly Meeting on work and witness at Westtown, focusing on the peace testimony. John grew up in the Delaware Valley, and was drawn to the Society of Friends through interest in the peace testimony. Now, after some twenty years as a Quaker educator, he has returned to this area as Head of Westtown School.
John began his report by stating the value of the continuing connection between Westtown School and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. He talked about how Westtown is responding to the situation in the world involving conflict, military action, and war. He went on to state how important it is to help our young people find their own voices for Friends testimonies and concerns, especially those focusing on peace. As an example of such work at Westtown, he reported on a Peace Day held in late February of this year. It was planned by the students themselves, and had a large number of students, teachers, and interested Friends from Quaker schools, and also from Quaker families where children do not attend a Friends school. Attendees were drawn from the local area including Westtown and George School, and also from a considerable distance, with some coming from other states.
In the morning, at Friends Select School in Philadelphia, seventeen different workshops were held on the theme of peace and the peace testimony. Workshops took various forms including discussion, talks, drama, and art. They were worshipful, and yet playful.
In the afternoon, a very large and peaceful peace march was held, moving from Friends Select School, around City Hall under the statue of William Penn, and down through the historic district. Marchers represented many national origins, and the march was intergenerational with a wide range of ages participating. Tourists standing in line for historic attractions waved and exchanged greeting with those demonstrating for peace. The march ended up at the Arch Street Meeting House, where the West Room overflowed with young people. There was powerful vocal ministry, especially from the young people present, and a strong sense of the Spirit moving among both the new and the older generations seeking to work for peace.
John concluded his remarks by reminding Friends of the prophecy in Isaiah, that a child shall lead us to the peaceable kingdom.
The reports from George School and Westtown School were warmly received by the Yearly Meeting in session. Friends asked to have the minutes record our special continuing interest in the work of these two schools. Friends also noted that the two schools working together is a powerful metaphor for other Friends groups to find ways to achieve a common purpose.
Clerk apologized for the delay in not receiving the other reports planned for this afternoon. These are on the Four Houses of the Yearly Meeting, on the work of the Structure Evaluation Project Group, and on the work of Interim Meeting during the past year. The written Annual Report of Interim Meeting had been distributed to Friends attending this Friday afternoon session. Friends approved appreciation for the work of those bringing forth these reports, which will be heard later in the Yearly Meeting session as way opens.
Minutes were read, corrected and approved. Announcements were given. After a brief period of worship, Meeting adjourned with an intention to reconvene in the evening at 7:00 p.m.
Last modified: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:19 AM