PB 22-35: Opening Worship
Friends opened with a period of worship.
PB 22-36: Clerk’s Welcome
The PB Clerk provided updates on the health of several Yearly Meeting Friends, inviting prayers for their health and welfare.
PB 22-37: Roll Call
The recording clerk called the roll:
Leslie Manning, PB Clerk, Susan Davies, PB Recording Clerk, Travis Belcher, Hannah Zwirner Forsythe, Martin Zwirner Forsythe, Chris Gant, Beth Hansen, Ian Harrington, Frances Lightsom, Christopher McCandless, Jean McCandless, Bob O’Connor, Carole Rein, John Reuthe, Aaron Sakulich, Martha Schwope, Sara Smith, Elizabeth Szatkowski, Will Taber, Diane Weinholtz, Donn Weinholtz, Kathleen Wooten, Mary Zwirner
Ex-Officio: Jeremiah Dickinson (M&C Clerk); Scot Drysdale (Finance Clerk); Noah Merrill (YM Secretary); Elizabeth Reuthe (Secretary’s Supervisor); Robert Murray (Treasurer)
Regrets: Bruce Neumann (Presiding Clerk), Rebecca Leuchak (Rising Presiding Clerk), Morgan Wilson, Peter Bishop, Ed Mair, Nia Thomas, Kimberly Allen, Darcy Drayton, Gina Nortonsmith
Visitors: Susanna Schell (microphone spacer), David Coletta (Technical Support), Polly Attwood, Melody Brazo, Elizabeth Hacala, LouAnn MacDonald, Mey Hasbrook, Janet Hough, LVM Shelton, Jackie Stillwell, Diana White, Honor Woodrow, Kim West, Sarah Gant, Kristina Keefe-Perry
PB 22-38: Approval of April 2, 2022, PB Minutes
The minutes from the April 2, 2022, meeting were distributed in advance documents for review.
Friends approved.
PB 22-39: Report from the Naming Committee (report appended)
Donn Weinholtz, co-clerk of the Naming Committee brought the first reading of three names, to serve on the YM Nominating Committee as members of the class of 2025:
- Beth Morrill (Hartford Meeting)
- Anna Lindo (Framingham Meeting)
- Sara Smith (Concord Meeting)
The second reading will take place at YM Sessions 2022, for final approval at Sessions.
PB 22-40: Nominating Committee Report to Permanent Board (report appended)
Jackie Stillwell, clerk of Nominating Committee, brought the Sessions draft of YM committee nominations, and committee openings; and brought one name to Permanent Board for approval, to begin immediately: second reading—Michelle Wright Putney Meeting), for Clerk’s Table Reading Clerk
Friends approved
PB 22-41: Noticing Patterns Debrief Report from April 16, 2022 (written report only, appended)
PB 22-42: Presiding Clerk's Report (written report only, appended)
PB 22-43: Coordinating and Advisory Recommendations (report appended)
Noah Merrill, YM Secretary presented the report on three recommendations to Permanent Board from Coordinating and Advisory (C&A). The Presiding Clerk’s written explanation of recommendations is appended. Noah explained that processes pertaining to these recommendations have been underway for a long time and they have been affirmed by Friends involved. Comments from Permanent Board members and visitors included questions about YM’s oversight of self-organized resource groups of Friends but who are not recognized as representatives of YM. Noah Merrill explained C&A’s reasoning that it is helpful to clearly distinguish those entities that do represent YM from those groups of Friends that do not.
- PB 22-43.1: Recommendation to lay down the Development Committee, with the appointment of an ad-hoc Development Advisory group, which will be available as needed for consultation with staff. Friends approved.
- PB 22-43.2: Recommendation to lay down the Racial Social and Economic Justice committee. Friends approved.
- PB 22-43.3: Recommendation, to be effective in 2023, to lay down the Earthcare Ministries committee; and that C&A will consider concerns raised about public activity of self-organized groups of Friends who are not representatives of YM, to report and bring recommendations to a subsequent meeting of Permanent Board. Friends were not clear to approve laying down Earthcare Ministries at this time. This recommendation will return to Coordinating and Advisory.
PB 22-44: YM Secretary's Report and Recommendations for Friends Camp
Noah Merrill, YM Secretary, expressed solidarity with those who have struggled with or succumbed to COVID. He has been ill with it for over 10 days. He acknowledged that though our hearts are broken by news of the world, yet there is an infinite Presence of Love that can hold us, and help us to know our own place, our own next steps, and how we are led.
Noah requested Permanent Board approval of the recommendation of the Friends Camp committee, the PB Clerk and the YM Secretary to appoint Mary Olin as Acting Friends Camp Director, in preparation for Camp Director Anna Hopkins Buller’s September 2023 sabbatical.
Friends Approved.
PB 22-45: Budget Approval (Second Reading)
Scot Drysdale, YM Finance Committee Clerk, brought the YM budget to be presented at NEYM Sessions 2022 for a second reading. The Finance Committee has received no suggestions for changes, and no concerns have been expressed after first reading (PB Minute 22-25, April 2, 2022).
Friends accepted/approved the budget to be sent to 2022 Sessions.
PB 22-46: Ministry Transition Team Report and Recommendations (report appended)
Jeremiah Dickinson, Interim Clerk of Ministry & Counsel, reported for the Ministry Transition Team (MTT), on a three-year process of discernment, as requested by the Permanent Board in November 2020, at the direction of Annual Sessions (NEYM Minute 2019-46) to: “explore the Yearly Meeting's support for ministry and spiritual life and offer recommendations for structures, practices and leadership roles that would best serve the current needs of Friends.”
Jeremiah introduced the guiding principles behind the MTT report and Noah Merrill, YM Secretary, summarized the detailed recommendations enumerated in their appended report. Pending approval of Permanent Board, the recommendations will be brought to Annual Sessions 2022 for approval.
In their report the MTT offered the following extract from Douglas Steere to introduce their key learnings and insights:
- Any forms [for] the cultivation of the religious life are in themselves always subject to change... they are scaffolding to be torn down and re-erected in new forms in accordance with the stage of growth of the [life] they seek to aid. To take them as an end in themselves is idolatry and blasphemy
Without practice, without discipline, without continuous devotion, without failure, correction, re-dedication, re-orientation, [there is] no growth in the religious life ... which is not an episode, or an event, but a life. (Douglas V. Steere, in Prayer and Worship, 1938)
Friends expressed gratitude for the faithfulness of the work. A Friend expressed concern about whether the recommendations for “new forms” for M&C were not, in fact, simply re-stating the traditional roles and responsibilities of M&C. Others inquired whether, with such a fundamentally different clerking role might it not then be important to change the name, “Clerk of Ministry and Counsel” to something different. The YM Secretary responded that if PB approves the recommendations in their appended report then the description of the role of M&C clerk would be revised prior to Sessions. He stated that the MTT views the process as an evolving direction, and it will be necessary to live into the changes. They envision the M&C clerk to be holding an eldership role for the wider Body as the transition evolves.
Jeremiah Dickinson has asked to be released from his work as Interim Clerk of Ministry & Counsel.
Friends approved the MTT recommendations.
PB 22-47: Salem Quarter Report and Proposals (report appended)
The report from the Salem Quarterly Meeting (SQM) presents the discernment process, background SQM minutes, and request for PB approval of two items pertaining to the Quarter’s proposed period of Sabbath.
- PB 22-47.1 PB approval is requested regarding the SQM proposal for the NEYM Legacy Gift Committee to administer grant funds that have been held and distributed by SQM, for a Sabbath period of 1 to 2 years, as described in the appended SQM report.
Friends approved
- PB 22-47.2 Additionally, during the Sabbath period, SQM requests approval from PB that the following essential functions of SQM be overseen by the Permanent Board:
- receiving and endorsing travel minutes
- lifting up and laying down meetings in the Quarter
- discerning and recording gifts of ministry brought by monthly meetings of SQM. In the case that a monthly meeting wishes to put forward a recording of gifts of ministry, this process will be under the care and oversight of the Permanent Board, ensuring consultation, participation, and significant involvement from meetings in the Quarter, and following the process in Faith and Practice as much as possible.
Friends Approved
PB will bring these requests from SQM to Sessions 2022 for approval.
PB 22-48: Travel Minutes (Travel minute appended)
- PB 22-48.1: The PB Clerk requests that PB unite in endorsing a minute for Callid Keefe-Perry, for travel outside the YM, brought to PB by Becky Phipps and Sarah Bansen, Co-Clerks of Fresh Pond MM. This minute is coming to PB directly. It was not brought forward to Salem Quarterly Meeting.
Friends approved
- PB 22-48.2: The PB Clerk requests that PB unite in endorsing a travel minute for Kathleen Wooten. Kathleen’s travel minute has been endorsed by Ralph Gentile, Clerk, on behalf of Lawrence/Andover Monthly Meeting. This minute is coming to PB directly. It was not brought forward to Salem Quarterly Meeting.
Friends Approved
Following this approval, a Friend noted that PB just approved two travel minutes that did not go through the Quarter—yet the previous item of business (PB Minute 22-47) affirmed that PB did not have sole authority over changes to Quaker process in Salem Quarter and those Salem Quarter procedures should go through Sessions for approval. The PB Clerk responded that these travel minute approvals represent PB’s endorsements of the work of the monthly meetings, even though it may not seem to be in good order to be assuming this responsibility. Another Friend noted that a PB working group was appointed some years ago to look at the YM process for approval of travel minutes and there is precedent for PB to receive these directly from MMs.
PB 22-49: Connecticut Valley Quarter Minute on Ending War in Ukraine
Minute is appended.
PB 22-50: Right Relationship Report (report appended)
Sara Smith reported for Right Relationship Resource Group. Their report is appended.
Friends expressed appreciation for the tender attention and humility being brought to this work. A pattern of faithfulness within the resource group was noted, as well as acknowledgement of the long pattern of oppression by those of us who are complicit in the colonizing culture.
PB 22-51: PB Clerks Report and Updates (report appended)
The PB Clerk expressed gratitude and appreciation to YM Presiding Clerk, Bruce Neuman, whose service will conclude at the end of Sessions 2022. The PB Clerk also expressed gratitude for the service of several Friends whose term of service on PB is ending.
The PB Clerk reported that the Fund for Sufferings has made a distribution to support the costs of legal fees and fines incurred by “a Friend causing good trouble.”
PB 22-52: Proposed Charge for Anti-Racism Consultation WG (report appended)
The PB Clerk noted the charge in the attached report—no questions were raised.
Friends approved the charge for the Antiracism Consultation Working Group as presented.
PB 22-53: Cuba Delegation Report (report appended)
Mary Hopkins reported for the delegation to Cuba.
Friends expressed gratitude for Mary’s faithfulness to Cuba Friends and NEYM.
PB 22-54: Memorial Minutes from Quarters (Memorial minutes from three quarters are appended)
Memorial minutes for the following Friends were distributed to PB in Advance Documents:
Falmouth Quarter: Anne Harwood, Portland Friends; Arthur Fink, Portland Friends; Linda J. Lyman, Southern Maine Friends Meeting; Edward Anthony Robinson, Portland Friends
Sandwich Quarter: James Gould, E. Sandwich Preparative Meeting
Southeast Quarter: Jeanne Theis Whitaker, Providence Friends; Susan Sayer-Crew, Westerly Friends
Friends approved forwarding all submitted memorial minutes to Sessions (they were not read aloud.)
The PB clerk expressed it is unlikely it will be necessary to meet in July 2022 or at Sessions. It is all so different, but all so good. We have traversed some challenging places and we have made it together.
PB 22-55: Closing Worship
Friends closed with a period of worship.
Next scheduled meeting: September 17, 2022.