The meeting began with worship, during which a Friend mentioned the current situations in Cuba and Iran and shared words of Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee.”
PB 26-1 Roll Call
Frances Lightsom (West Falmouth), Recording Clerk for the Permanent Board, read the roll.
Present Permanent Board members:
Susan Davies (PB Clerk), Frances Lightsom (PB Recording Clerk), Travis Belcher, Elizabeth Hansen, Carolyne Jordan, Meg Klepack, Edward Mair, LouAnne McDonald, Allison Randall, Martha Schwope, Newell Isbell Shinn, Liesa Stamm, Willa Taber, Palma Vaccaro, D. Morgan Wilson, Kathleen Wooten, Mary Zwirner
Present ex-officio members:
Phillip Veatch (YM Presiding Clerk), Noah Bishop Merrill (YM Secretary), Marian Dalton (YM Treasurer), Douglas Keith (Clerk of YM Finance Committee), Sadie Forsythe (YM Nominating Committee Clerk), Janet Hough (YM Ministry & Counsel Clerk), Sarah Gant (Clerk of Meeting Accompaniment Group), Jacqueline Stillwell (YM Secretary’s Supervisor)
Absent members:
Kimberly Allen, Thomas Brenner, Connie Kincaid Brown, Darcy Drayton, Martin Forsythe, Rebecca Leuchak (Immediate Past YM Presiding Clerk)
Visitors present:
Elizabeth Hacala (Operations Manager), Leslie Manning (Durham and Three Rivers), Frederick Martin (Accounts Manager and Beacon Hill meeting), Karen Reixach (Keene), Nia Thomas (Northampton), Carl Williams (Plainfield), Maille Wooten (Lawrence)
PB 26-2 Permanent Board Clerk’s Comments
Susan Davies (Vassalboro), clerk of the Permanent Board, encouraged Friends to spread the word about Quarterly Meeting Visioning Day on April 11 in Haverhill, MA. The clerk also thanked those who faithfully prepared business for this meeting, especially Leslie Manning who was invited to report from the Israel-Palestine Resource Group, which is under care of Permanent Board; and Karen Reixach, clerk of the Legacy Gift Committee which is renamed to the Gift Committee, whose updated Purpose, Procedures and Composition document is for approval today.
The clerk lifted up Marian Baker’s faithfulness in ministry to Friends in East Africa, reading endorsements to Marian’s travel minute from African monthly meetings and from Robert Wafula, Principal of the Friends Theological College in Kaimosi, Kenya.
Friends approved a note of appreciation for Marian Baker’s ministry.
PB 26-3 Travel Endorsements
The clerk presented a travel minute for Bruce Hawkins (Northampton), for traveling beyond the yearly meeting to foster dialogue among those who seem to be in opposition. The minute has been found clear by Northampton Monthly Meeting and Connecticut Valley Quarterly Meeting.
Friends expressed concern about the vagueness of the statement of the call to travel. Travel to whom is not clear. In addition, the meaning of “us” when it is used in the minute is unclear. It could mean an “us versus them” attitude and imply that the conflict being addressed is with Quakers, that Quakers all have the same perspective, or that those with different opinions are wrong. Friends suggest that opposition is much larger. In the travel minute, as much clarity as possible would encourage faithfulness to the call.
Friends approved entrusting the Permanent Board clerk to reach out to the monthly meeting and quarterly meeting clerks to see if the travel minute could be corrected and brought back to Permanent Board.
Friends did not approve endorsement of the travel minute for Bruce Hawkins.
The clerk presented a travel minute for Benigno Sanchez Eppler (Northampton and Puente de Amigos Committee), who has a strong leading to visit Cuban Friends in this time of blockade and hardship, to acknowledge their affliction and share in it. Cuba Yearly Meeting has formally invited Benigno to visit; his travel is expected to occur in March 2026. The clerk advised Friends that they will hear more about Cuban Friends’ situation in the YM Secretary’s report.
Friends approved endorsement of the travel minute for Benigno Sanchez Eppler, attached.
PB 26-4 Approval of Minutes.
Friends approved the Permanent Board minutes from the September 27, 2025, meeting.
Friends approved the Permanent Board minutes from the December 13, 2025, meeting.
PB 26-5 Yearly Meeting Secretary’s Report
A written report from Noah Bishop Merrill, Yearly Meeting Secretary, is attached. In his spoken report, he called attention to the following areas of his work.
- An update on the lawsuit concerning New England Friends’ witness for religious freedom and humane immigration policies. A preliminary injunction is still in place which stated that the suit is more than likely to prevail. Although the trial is being delayed, plaintiffs’ standing and the validity of the trial have been maintained. Related witness goes forward among New England Friends. NEYM can provide meetings with materials and information through the website, regularly scheduled phone calls, and direct contact with Noah. More details from attorneys are expected soon.
- Gratitude for the new NEYM Ministry and Eldership Resource Group, which is starting by listening to Friends across New England and taking intentional initial steps.
- Continuing progress on the full revision of the NEYM Personnel Policy, which is not yet ready for review and approval. With awareness of the wisdom of not rushing at the end, the revision will now include clarification of policies that relate to Friends Camp and the Camp’s future needs. Noah expects the policy will be brought to the Permanent Board at a subsequent meeting.
- Gratitude to Elizabeth Hacala for completing a contract with Mount Holyoke College for hosting NEYM 2026 Sessions. Much preparation work is continuing.
- The April Quarterly Meeting Visioning Day to support quarterly meetings’ important roles in many threads of NEYM work, including discernment, maintaining relationships, and youth ministry.
- Noah’s participation, with New Hampshire State Council of Churches and AFSC-New Hampshire, in testimony before the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee of the New Hampshire House of Representatives in opposition to reinstating the death penalty, and in supporting the work of Friends United Meeting and Friends World Committee for Consultation.
- Progress of the work of the Living Stream Travel Team, which plans to complete visiting nine local meetings before Sessions and to continue afterward. The Team is listening and learning, nurturing relationships with and among local meetings.
Noah also expressed a particularly urgent concern of both FUM and FWCC, and for many in our Yearly Meeting and others: Searching for guidance and support in how we can collaborate to strengthen our presence with and care for Friends in Cuba as they seek to live their faith in a profoundly uncertain and harrowing time. After the United States cut off all oil supplies to Cuba, Cuban Friends report the “worst conditions since the Cuban revolution.” A recently announced adjustment to allow some oil to be imported has not yet helped. Cuban Friends fear an invasion and are suffering the lack of both transportation and food; Cuban YM will suspend its annual sessions this year. Friends’ organizations are discerning what is within our strength and what is given us to do, to support Cuban Friends spiritually as well as financially.
Friends briefly held Cuban Friends in Spirit.
When asked how individual meetings could help financially, Noah advised directing donations through NEYM with a designation of “Puente” or “Puente de Amigos.”
Friends asked, considering the Quaker history of travelling in ministry, whether it is an infraction of our free exercise of religion, for our government to limit travel between NEYM and Cuba. Noah agreed to bring this question to the new NEYM general counsel for advice on acting as “wise as serpents and gentle as doves.”
PB 26-6 Update on Friends Camp Financial Status
The Yearly Meeting Secretary presented a Statement of Functional Expenses of Friends Camp during FY2025, attached. The report is a new format that clearly separates funds with and without restrictions. The report highlights strong financial performance during the year and contributions to the newly established Campership Endowment Fund. The Camp needs to have a financial surplus to be able to respond to potential needs to care for buildings.
Friends accepted the Friends Camp financial report.
PB 26-7 Update on NEYM Budget and Financial Status
The Yearly Meeting Secretary was joined by Marian Dalton (Brunswick), Yearly Meeting Treasurer, to present a detailed record of our FY2025 financial outcome and a summary of finances for the first quarter of FY2026, attached. Their spoken report emphasized priorities and events affecting NEYM finances, including a contract with a CPA for advice on bookkeeping and financial practices; NEYM staff examination of the costs of offering year around programs; and relationship building activities of the Living Stream Travel Team. The Finance Committee has only begun to work with staff in developing a FY2027 budget, so it was not shared at this meeting.
Marian provided an explanation of the current NEYM financial report.
The full FY2025 financial report provided in the advanced documents for today has only incidental changes to the provisional budget vs actuals report that was presented to Permanent Board in December. But today’s report is not final in the sense that, while the numbers shouldn’t change, the layout of the report that will be presented to Sessions may change somewhat as a result of consultation with our contracted accounting firm on the best way to present certain aspects of our finances.
To represent the overall health of our finances, in recent years we have been monitoring the value of our “reserves” which are available to support annual work. On the last page of the FY2025 report in the advance documents, the reserves value is $56K, which is double that at the end of FY2024. But the FY2025 reserves increase is nearly entirely the result of the $51K we received in Federal Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) funds last year.
Since the pandemic, we have shared concern about our operating financial results. We have not yet recovered a balance between operating income and expenses, despite increases in reserves resulting from one-time influxes of cash. The net negative operating income for NEYM was $‑63K in FY2023, $-62K in FY2024 (despite that being the first year of not sending donations to organizations of which we are members), and $-22K in FY2025. Reduced attendance at Sessions for several years contributed to these deficits, but the financial reports suggest other factors.
- We have budgeted increases in individual fundraising that haven’t materialized: not that donations haven’t been going up, but that they haven’t reached the levels we budgeted.
- Monthly meeting donations have exceeded budgeted amounts for the last two years, reflecting the better predictions possible with more adequate data.
- Retreat program fees have not met budget for three years.
- Travel reimbursement for NEYM representatives to annual conferences has been fully covered in the past but may need to be reduced in order to fit within budgets.
- Staffing costs are about 60% of our budget, including healthcare, retirement, disability, etc. Staff wages increase based on the federal COLA rate, but our income may not increase at the same rate. Our budget has not included putting aside funds for sabbatical pay.
- Preparing for Sessions is a large financial commitment, taking about a third of staff time in recent years. In addition, we have offered about $30K per year in discounted fees to Sessions attenders who fill key roles.
As a result of our concern about deficits, NEYM took actions both last year and this year to address recognized budget challenges.
- Knowing that the location of last year’s Sessions at UMass Amherst was an expensive option, as a precaution, we approved releasing approximately $60K from the Future Uses Fund to cover Sessions losses. While it was a necessary move, this was not new income.
- To focus on new income, we began working with a development consultant (Michael Wajda). We have seen encouraging trends in individual donations to date, which are up $19K over this time last year.
- NEYM staff have been evaluating youth retreat fees, which have not changed in some time, to discern a level that is sustainable.
- The Living Stream Travel Team is on the road reaching out to local meetings with a goal to both communicate what the Yearly Meeting provides and to listen to what local meetings need.
- On the expense side, a new Sessions location was found, and an abbreviated Sessions schedule is being developed for this year in hopes of reducing expenses and increasing attendance.
- Changes in the structure of NEYM staff may provide efficiencies.
In the present FY2026 fiscal year, at about the time of the December Permanent Board Meeting, NEYM General Division and Friends Camp unexpectedly received the last of the ERTC pandemic era federal government payments we had applied for: NEYM received around $52K, and the Camp another $110K. Earlier this month, in light of this payment from the IRS to cover pandemic expenses, the Camp Committee approved returning to NEYM $20K that NEYM gave to the camp during the pandemic to help them cope with the camp shutdown at that time. This generous surprise, on top of our own refund, is a very welcome boost to this year’s finances.
In summary, the treasurer asked us to continue paying attention our financial situation. This year, receiving the ERTC funds and the gift from the Camp provides one more year with a financial buffer. The actions already taken may also provide some relief. Starting in FY2027, we truly need to have dealt with the ratio of our operational income to expenses. The Finance Committee is putting together the budget for FY2027 now; If you have any suggestions for actions we can or should take, please contact someone on the Finance Committee or Doug Keith, clerk.
Friends expressed gratitude for the treasurer’s financial work and detailed report. Friends noted that Friends Camp and schools and youth programs, beyond retreats, are an investment in the future. These may need restructuring and fine-tuning, but inclusion of youth is an important part of witness and ministry. Friends asked about plans to reopen the question of contributions to other organizations. How do we continue to be clear in communicating with the other organizations? If not a question for our 2027 funding priorities, this is a concern to remember.
Friends asked if the increase in donations covered the cost of the consultant. We were assured that the increase was more than the cost. The consultation was an investment in new skills that will bear more fruit in the future and was paid through the NEYM Future Uses Fund.
PB 26-8 Recommendation on NEYM Financial Priorities
The NEYM Secretary introduced financial recommendations from the Coordination and Advisory Committee by lifting up key elements of our current situation. Since the pandemic, New England Friends have come to expect a tapestry of year-around NEYM events that link resources to, and among, local meetings across the region, as well as NEYM support services under the guidance of Spirit that include the meeting accompaniment group and support for local youth ministers. In this context, work to balance income with operating expenses has sought to increase income from annual contributions of individuals, households, and monthly meetings, as well as major gifts, potential income from use of our property, reviewing suggested program fees consistent with a pay-as-led approach, and the connection-building work of the Living Stream Travel Team. Reduced expenses are sought through savings in operations and administrative costs, for example office space and staffing assignments, and through a new site for Sessions that enables site expense to better scale with attendance.
For FY2027, the budget recommendations from the C&A Committee can be summarized as “Stay the Course”:
- Maintain staffing levels to carry out existing plans, including cost increases consistent with NEYM policy for healthcare, cost of living, etc.
- Use the Future Uses Fund to continue approved support of development efforts and to support early transition to a new staffing model to enable operating cost savings.
- Hold in prayerful awareness our yearning to increase financial support of other organizations, including Friends groups with which we are affiliated, and the new needs for welcoming, religious education, spiritual formation, and mentoring that are resulting from an increase in newcomers arriving in many local meetings.
Friends affirmed this direction.
PB 26-9 NEYM Presiding Clerk Report
A written report from Phillip Veatch, presiding clerk of NEYM, is attached. In his spoken report,
he called attention to planning for Sessions 2026, which will be held at Mt. Holyoke College. The theme is, “Spring forth O well and make us whole.” Planning for the schedule is in progress, and potential speakers have been invited. Adria Dicapua has accepted the invitation to speak for Bible Half Hours. The opening ceremony will be on Saturday morning, August 1, with some activities offered for early arrivers on Friday, including an opportunity for extended worship similar to last year’s worship event. We are actively searching for new coordinators of childcare and Junior Yearly Meeting because the previous coordinators are unable to continue.
PB 26-10 Israel-Palestine Resource Group Report
Leslie Manning (Durham and Three Rivers) presented a written report from the Israel-Palestine Resource Group, attached. In her verbal report she emphasized the following items.
Today’s US-Israel bombing of Iran could make the travel recommendations in the written report no longer operable. US has recalled American citizens from Israel. The American Friends Service Committee intends to continue its work in Gaza, despite Israel’s expulsion of foreign representatives, because AFSC funds local people.
Because there is censorship of information about the human rights situation, people in Israel and Palestine ask us to show up, witness, and speak when we can. Live connections between NEYM and Friends in Ramallah are very important.
The Resource Group remains committed to facilitating discussion and discernment about Palestine and Israel, and is clear to seek ways for NEYM to provide support for travel to the region. The written report provides detailed information about multiple opportunities to learn about current situations in Palestine and Israel, including details about groups and programs that organize travel to Palestine and Israel for solidarity, witness, and support.
Friends asked for clarification about actions other than travel. Leslie strongly recommended the weekly AFSC Action Hour for Palestine which sends a recap with recommended actions https://afsc.org/events/action-hour-palestine. Some possibilities are working for divestment, apartheid free communities, and maintaining relationships with legislators that build on our faith connection.
Friends affirmed the direction being taken by the Resource Group.
PB 26-11 Coordinating and Advisory Committee Report
A written report from Phillip Veatch, clerk of Coordinating and Advisory Committee, is attached. In his spoken report, he
- called attention to clarified procedures for quarterly meetings to submit memorial minutes to be read at Sessions including an email address to use;
- reported that C&A reaffirmed the existing practice that clerks of committees are appointed by the Nominating Committee in consultation with members of each committee;
- reported that C&A is starting to clarify NEYM committee requirements for membership in monthly meetings.
In addition, he asked Permanent Board to consider the question of changing the size of Permanent Board.
Friends expressed awareness that people are busy and tired: is Permanent Board a good use of Friends’ time? Providing new Board members with more mentoring and clarity about Board member responsibilities might make 3-year terms possible and reduce the term commitment required. Would a smaller Permanent Board be more responsible?
Friends addressed the balance between small size for a workable board and large size to enable greater representation. Visitors and observers are already welcome. Could quarterly meetings be a way of ensuring representation and communication?
Friends observed that new members joining the Board helps the Board and is a way of bringing Friends into the workings of the Yearly Meeting. Yet a Friend’s membership in Permanent Board grows from a prior relationship among local Friends and NEYM. The technical requirements for hosting a hybrid meeting reduce the number of local meetings who can host a Board meeting and reduces the number of Friends who feel a connection to the Board. Are Zoom meetings a problem or a solution?
Board consideration of the topic resolved with a shared realization that NEYM structure was formed decades ago: we need a structural review and that is not the nominating committee’s job. What is the problem we’re trying to solve—representation? What is the purpose of Permanent Board—conduits of information or discernment? It is time for Friends to review the Purpose, Procedures and Composition document for Permanent Board.
PB 26-12 Purpose, Procedures, and Composition of Gifts Committee
Karen Reixach, Gifts Committee clerk, introduced a Purpose, Procedures, and Composition (PP&C) document for the Gifts Committee. Following the ten-year review of the Legacy Gift Funds, in 2024 Sessions approved consolidating the funds into a single fund called the Witness and Ministry Fund. This Purposes, Procedures and Composition document provides updated guidance to a re-named Gifts Committee. In addition to the change in name, the new document addresses the additional funds that the Gifts Committee allocates and the difference in restrictions on use of those funds.
Friends expressed concern about specific mention of the Salem Quarter Fund in the PP&C. After some discussion, Friends concluded that it was appropriately given as an example of funds that NEYM may ask the Gifts Committee to care for in the future.
Friends approved the attached document on Purpose, Procedures, and Composition of the Gifts Committee.
PB 26-13 Purpose, Procedures, and Composition of Conflict Response Team
Phillip Veatch and Janet Hough, clerk of Yearly Ministry and Counsel, presented a proposed Purpose, Procedures and Composition document for the Conflict Response Team, attached. The document responds to NEYM Annual Sessions Minute 2023:42. Janet highlighted the history of the Team and the use of web addresses in the document. The document doesn’t answer all questions about how the Team will work; the Team does not respond to all conflicts.
Friends asked for clarification about how confidentiality and transparency are addressed in the document.
Friends approved the document on Purpose, Procedures, and Composition.
PB 26-14 Recommendation for a Retrospective Restorative Justice Working Group
Phillip Veatch presented the Coordinating and Advisory Committee response to Permanent Board’s request for recommendations regarding how the yearly meeting should work on retrospective restorative justice for communities other than Indigenous communities. His presentation began by noting that in spurring the Yearly Meeting to take up this work at this time, Hal Weaver offered both an important impetus, and through The Black Quaker Project, an important resource.
C&A’s recommendation is that the Board endorse the creation of a working group modeled after the NEYM Quaker Indigenous Boarding Schools Resource Group with an overarching goal of enabling meaningful reflection among Friends across NEYM in a way that positively impacts the choices we are making today. There is a historical part to this work that should consider the involvement and actions of New England Friends in chattel slavery and systemic racism. This includes the involvement of individual Friends as well as involvement of NEYM institutionally (as evidenced in our minutes, committee structures, and finances). A review of current and previous efforts towards reparations would be part of the group’s charge. The Working Group would be asked to provide an overview, not something book length, with a goal of making the information accessible to New England Friends of different ages and backgrounds. The group would be charged with reaching out, in a listening mode, without presumptions, to affected communities to learn their understanding of what retrospective justice requires, and bringing possibilities for meaningful action back to the yearly meeting. If the Permanent Board endorses this approach, C&A will draft a more complete Purpose, Procedure, and Compositions document for consideration at the May Permanent Board meeting.
Friends observed that Friends are interested in the personal and institutional history of New England Friends’ participation in racial injustice and in the question of what retrospective justice requires for our future action.
Friends affirmed the direction of the C&A approach to NEYM action on retrospective restorative justice.
PB 26-15 Nominating Committee Report
Sadie Forsythe (Putney) presented the report from the Nominating Committee, attached.
This meeting is the second reading of the following nominations:
Clerk of Permanent Board: Liesa Stamm (Hartford Monthly Meeting) to begin after Sessions in August 2026, class of 2029, after a 6-month period of working with the current clerk.
Representative to Friends World Committee for Consultation, Section of the Americas: NiaDwynwen Thomas (Northampton Friends Meeting), to begin immediately, class of 2029.
Friends approved these nominations.
PB 26-16 Report from Friends Committee on National Legislation
Scot Drysdale, NEYM representative to FCNL, presented a report, attached. In his spoken report he showed the FCNL website. He also summarized changes in meetings of the FCNL General Committee in order to reduce costs; new bylaws to reorganize NEYM governance; plans for the Friends Changemaker Weekend; the success of advocacy teams lobbying in all 50 states, a new FCNL policy statement on artificial intelligence; and the opportunity for local meetings to participate in a process, currently underway, to set FCNL priorities for the 120th Congress.
PB 26-17 NEYM Program Director Report
Nia Thomas, NEYM Program Director, gave a spoken report on upcoming programs. She spoke of retreats, gatherings, and opportunities for Friends in different life stages; monthly online gatherings of Friends who share interests and challenges; and the annual cycle of NEYM Saturday gatherings in different parts of the region. In planning these programs, goals of the program staff are to complement and enrich local meetings, benefitting communities, not just individuals; to honor capacity limits and leave space to respond to Spirit; to foster mutual accompaniment, conversation and wisdom sharing among individuals; and to respond to the reality of new people coming to our meetings.
PB 26-18 Memorial Minutes
Friends received nine memorial minutes for approval at this meeting: Cynthia West Reik (Hartford), Joan Austin (Cambridge), Christine Connaire (Cambridge), Ghanda DiFiglia (Cambridge), Joan Griscom (Cambridge), Patricia Hogan (Cambridge), Lynn Lazar (Cambridge), Mehmet Rona (Cambridge), and Roger Webb (Cambridge).
Twelve additional memorial minutes are available for first reading. These are memorial minutes from Friends Meeting Cambridge for Hugh Barbour, David Bonner, Robert Carter, Elisabeth Cotton, Russell de Burlo, Jr., Malcolm Forbes, Walter Lenk, Everett Mendelsohn, Lita Newdick, William Watson, Marilee Wheeler, and Charles Woodbury.
Friends accepted the memorial minutes for Cynthia West Reik, Joan Austin, Christine Connaire, Ghanda DiFiglia, Joan Griscom, Patricia Hogan, Lynn Lazar, Mehmet Rona, and Roger Webb for Yearly Meeting Sessions.
Respectfully Submitted,
Frances Lightsom, Recording Clerk