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The Meeting assembled near the appointed hour and settled into open worship. Clerk Arlene Kelly introduced herself. Also at the clerk’s desk were Suzanne Day (Westfield MM) , recording, and Dudley (Sandy) Heath (Moorestown MM), Alternate Clerk
Minute 13: Welcome To Visitors
When Friends from other Yearly Meetings were invited to introduce themselves, Caroline Balderston Parry of Ottawa Meeting in Canadian Yearly Meeting identified herself. The Clerk welcomed those from PYM attending Sessions for the first time, asking them to rise for a special welcome and encouraging Friends accustomed to Sessions to meet them.
Minute 14: Epistle
The Epistle of Baltimore Yearly Meeting held Eighth Month 2002 was read by Stephan de la Veaux (Wilmington MM). The epistle reflected specific activities which addressed joyful community building, prayerful attention to hope in the presence of trauma, deep concern for peace and civil liberties.
Minute 15: Staff Recognition
Those on the facing benches were introduced and then the Clerk called on Paula Cell of Yardley Meeting, Clerk of Personnel Services Group. Paula said she was pleased to have the opportunity to recognize the cheerful and dedicated staff of our Yearly Meeting who she introduced by having all of them present stand for recognition and appreciation. She then turned to General Secretary Thomas H. Jeavons of Swarthmore Meeting who read certificates of appreciation for three staff persons who have served our Yearly Meeting 25 years or more:
Helen J. File of Byberry Meeting, Director of Arch Street Operations
Elizabeth R. (Betsy) Balderston of Goshen Meeting, Coordinator of Aging Programs
Phillip W. (Phil) Mullen of Central Philadelphia Meeting, Director of Projects and Services
The fourth to be recognized, Ralph (Cookie) Caldwell (Wrightstown MM), is working with Young Friends tonight. Arlene Kelly added her own experience of being very well served by the willing and helpful staff.
Minute 16: Our Yearly Meeting In Times Of Uncertainty: Working Together To Find The Way Forward
The Clerk then explained tonight’s problem-solving agenda on working together to find a way forward in times of uncertainty. If Yearly Meeting and our Monthly Meetings are to be in better relationship a year from now, then we need to set ourselves on a path toward improvement. With the help of a sheet of prepared questions we were asked to address communication between Monthly Meetings and Yearly Meeting: What are the obstacles? What would reduce the obstacles? What concrete steps might we take?
Immediately, Friends set to these challenges in small groups and then shared responses which were instantaneously typed for display on the screen at the front of the room. The technology team, which worked together quietly, were Robert L. Barnett (Atlantic City Area MM), William T. Frysinger (Kennett MM), Sara Palmer (Central Philadelphia MM), with Viv Hawkins (Central Philadelphia MM), Director of Business and Information Services. Their record of our brainstorming preserves the results for reflection and action. (click here for list)
Friends approved their own commitment to bring these considerations for improved communication to their own Monthly Meetings for attention and action. Our Religious Society of Friends functions with the efforts each of us make. Prayer and corporate worship may deepen the understanding among individual Friends of the Monthly Meeting, Quarterly Meeting and Yearly Meeting levels of our Society and what membership in each requires of us.
The clerk summarized the themes for next steps as of two types:
• Foundational – the reason why we do these structural things is to move toward a right relationship with God.
• Technological – our channels of communication need to be appropriate to the users; some do not use computers and others yearn for our web site to become more interactive and up to date.
An immediate way that we attending this session can assist our Monthly Meetings to improve communication with the Yearly Meeting is by being sure our Meeting responds to the Budget Survey this spring.
The minutes were read, refined and approved. Following announcements and invitation to enjoy a reception in the East Room where the exhibit of meetinghouse architecture “Silent Witness” is on display, we ended the session in worship to reconvene Seventh-day morning at 9:00 AM.
Last modified: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:19 AM