As the title implies, these are draft minutes. Friends are encouraged to send corrections to Presiding Clerk Philip Veatch, [email protected].
Opening Ceremony, Saturday Morning, August 1, 2026, 9:00
Opening
Presiding Clerk Phillip Veatch (Fresh Pond) welcomed Friends to the 366th New England Yearly Meeting Sessions, July 31 through August 4, 2026, with Friends attending virtually and on the Mount Holyoke College campus in South Hadley, Massachusetts.
Members of the Clerks’ table introduced themselves to the body:
Reading clerks Sarah Bickel (Beacon Hill) and Jesse Pradhan (West Richmond Friends Meeting)
Recording clerks Mark Conley (Providence) and Frances Lightsom (West Falmouth Preparative, Sandwich Monthly Meeting)
Kim West (Friends Meeting at Cambridge) read an Indigenous Land Acknowledgement, appended to these minutes (see page XXX).
Roll Call
Friends in the room were encouraged to rise as able, with Friends attending virtually also raising hands to wave, as the reading clerks introduced each quarterly and local meeting.
Visitors
The Presiding Clerk invited visitors from other yearly meetings and representatives from organizations to introduce themselves. The list in this minute includes all who introduced themselves over the course of business meetings at Sessions 2026.
Richard Andersen, Baltimore Yearly Meeting
Keith Barton, Sierra Cascade Yearly Meeting of Friends
Hope Bastian, Havana Monthly Meeting
Ethan Birchard, Friends Fiduciary
S.Y. Bowland, Morningside Monthly Meeting, New York YM; BBIPOC
Laura Boyce (Providence), American Friend’s Service Committee
Abigail Burford, Chatham-Summit Monthly Meeting, NYYM
Francisco Burgos, Pendle Hill Conference Center
Roger Catlin, Friends Meeting of Washington
Margaret Cooley, Woolman Hill Conference Center
C. Wess Daniels, First Friends Meeting, Greensboro, NC; Guilford College
Adria DiCapua, Chatham-Summit Monthly Meeting. New York YM
Megan Fair, Right Sharing of World Resources
Craig Foor, Everence Financial Services
Jim Fussell, Langley Hill Monthly Meeting, McLean, VA, Baltimore Yearly Meeting
Sara Gada, Friends Publishing Corporation
Tom Gates, Lancaster Friends Meeting, Philadelphia YM
Elizabeth Gates, Lancaster Friends Meeting, Philadelphia YM
Charlee Gorham, Twin Cities (MN) Friends Meeting
Isaiah Grace, Friends Meeting of Washington
Katie Green, Clearwater (FL) Monthly Meeting
Dario Gulizia, New York Yearly Meeting
Nancy Haines, Eno Friends Meeting, Piedmont Friends YM
David Haines, Durham Friends Meeting, North Carolina Yearly Meeting, Conservative
Angela Hopkins, Ithaca Monthly Meeting, New York YM
Ken Jacobsen, Stillwater Meeting, Ohio Yearly Meeting
Karla Jay, Friends United Meeting
Michael Jay, New Association of Friends
Autumne Kirkpatrick, New York YM
Rania Maayeh, Friends United Meeting, Ramallah Friends School
Laura MacNorlin, Atlanta Friends Meeting, SAYMA; Quaker Religious Education Collaborative
Lyle Miller, Everence Financial Services
Bridget Moix, Friends Committee on National Legislation
John Murphy, Honolulu Friends
Audrey Nefores, Friends Center for Children, New Haven, CT
Jennifer Newman, Beacon Hill Friends House
Kirenia Criado Perez, Cuba YM
Cai Quirk, Rochester Monthly Meeting, New York YM; Friends General Conference
Diane Randall, Friends Meeting of Washington
Leo Robertson, Friends Meeting at Cambridge
David Saonopolis, Cuba YM
Phil Stone, Clearwater (FL) Monthly Meeting
Katherine Titus, Moses Brown School
Curt Torell, Quaker House and Quaker Religious Education Collaborative
Jon Watts, Central Philadelphia Friends Meeting
Erik Wilker, Moses Brown School
After the welcome to visitors, Nahar Keefe-Perry (Fresh Pond) led the body in song with “Spring Forth O Well” and “River of Light.”
Worship
Kristina Keefe-Perry (Three Rivers) spoke to the theme of this year’s sessions: “Spring Forth, O Well and Make Us Whole.” Friends in the room were given the opportunity to write an intention for our time together: “What stream do you hope will flow through us?” After Bible Half Hour, there was a place for these intentions to be collected for display during Sessions.
The body then entered into a period of waiting worship.
Closing
Kara Price (Storrs) came forward to send the children forth to their yearly sessions.
The children were sent forth by Kristina Keefe-Perry (Three Rivers) leading the body in singing “It Is Well with My Soul.”
Saturday Afternoon, August 1 at 1:15 p.m.
Opening
Meeting for Business sessions reconvened, with the reading clerks making announcements.
The presiding clerk noted that he had not found an opportunity to introduce himself at the opening ceremony. He did so at this time: Phillip Veatch, Fresh Pond Monthly Meeting.
Faith and Practice Revision Committee Report
For the Faith and Practice Revision Committee, Phebe McCosker (Hanover) provided a report concerning the chapter on Testimony. The full report may be found in the Appendix on page XXX. Friends attending Sessions were reminded of the opportunities in the coming days to provide feedback.
Request from the Recording Clerks for Retention of Transcript for Minutes
When writing minutes, it can be helpful to refer to a saved record of the auto-generated text transcripts of our business. Sometimes recording clerks miss a detail such as a name or a date in notetaking.
Friends approved the recording clerks’ request to temporarily retain transcripts from Sessions meeting for business for review until the 2026 minutes are finalized.
Unity Agenda
The Presiding Clerk presented the items on the Unity Agenda which were in the Advance Documents. He asked if any of the items should not be on the Unity Agenda. As Friends had no suggestions for change, the Unity Agenda will return for approval Monday afternoon.
A Message from the New England Yearly Meeting Secretary
New England Yearly Meeting Secretary Noah Merrill (Putney) delivered a message to the meeting, the full text of which is available in the Appendix on page XXX. Noah reminded Friends of the discernment practice of offering and yielding: listen to spirit for what the body needs to hear, offer it, and release it with trust that spirit is at work in the gathered body.
After the report, a Friend requested information about some quantifiable details regarding matters in the Yearly Meeting that might only be known by staff. The Presiding Clerk stated that he will take this request under consideration.
Epistle
Rebecca Leuchak (Providence) and Henry Wilhelm (Mt. Toby) reported as the writers of this year’s Yearly Meeting epistle. As part of the writing of this year’s epistle, they expressed a desire to compile short impressions of movement of the Spirit in the body, extending an invitation to enter into a collaborative process in the creation of this year’s epistle. Friends were provided with means of contact so that those so moved might be able to offer contributions.
Testimony on Friends’ Leadings
In advance of Annual Sessions, three Friends were asked to consider five questions concerning their leadings:
1) What have you been led to do?
2) What led you to this particular calling?
3) Do you have anything to say for those of us who feel we only have a little to give? Perhaps, if this feeling of not doing enough also affects you, how do you handle it?
4) What joy do you get out of your service?
5) What else would you like to share with us?
Melissa Foster (Framingham) spoke on her work for Casa de Trabajadores, Connie Baxter (Amesbury) on following her leading to work for Friends Center for Children, and Shelly Randall (Durham) on her assistance to immigrants being detained.
In speaking of their various leadings, they spoke of ways in which time and persistence can bring us to clarity in what we are called to do. Above all, don’t let fear of not doing enough keep you from doing what you can do.
Worship
Friends entered into focussed worship to close the meeting, considering the state of the world, our place in it, and what we are led to do.
Sunday Morning, August 2, 9:30
Opening
Meeting began with a period of centering worship,after which the Presiding Clerk outlined the agenda for this morning’s meeting. The Presiding Clerk noted that the Yearly Meeting Secretary’s words at the previous meeting for business were a message on the state of the yearly meeting. The quantifiable details requested after his message can be found in the Advance Document staff and budget reports.
The Reading Clerks then delivered announcements to the body.
The Reading Clerks read the epistle from Jordans (U.K.) Young Adult Friends Gathering of 2025
E.C. Piper (Mt. Toby) then led the body in “We Let it Be,” by Ricky Byers, followed by a further period of waiting worship.
Grants for Supporting Indigenous Relations
Jonathan Vogel-Borne (Cambridge) and Karen Reixach (Keene), clerk of Gifts Committee , presented a minute regarding grants for supporting those in the Yearly Meeting who are building relations with Indigenous Peoples. After consideration, Friends approved the following minute:
The Gifts Committee may consider grants to persons or local meetings that are building relations with Indigenous Peoples, in efforts to heal harms done by New England Friends. The grants may be used by the grantee to provide funding for the work of any Indigenous Peoples, regardless of a Peoples’ recognition by any government entity. When requested by the meeting or individual, and where the laws of gift-giving allow it, the Gifts Committee may fund gifts instead of grants.
Specifically, we are trying to live in the light of New England Yearly Meeting minutes 2013-52 and 2024-62, among others. The Gifts Committee will utilize its current processes and rely on the income as received at present.
First Reading of Nominations
Sadie Forsythe (Putney), clerk of the Nominating Committee, joined by members of the committee (and one potential member), reminded Friends of the slate of nominees as presented in the Unity Agenda, with one addition:
Carol Forsythe (Putney) is nominated to serve on the Board of Managers of Investments & Permanent Funds for one year, class of 2027.
The clerk of Nominating Committee directed Friends to speak with any member of the committee with any questions, concerns or leadings regarding the slate of nominees or the function of the various committees of the Yearly Meeting.
The clerk also expanded on the Committee report in the Advance Documents by highlighting the work of Nominating Committee members who serve as shepherds for other committees, as well as the availability of Nominating Committee members to talk with Friends who are concerned to identify their gifts and possible ways of serving NEYM.
Discernment of Living into our Commitments to Repairing Relations with Indigenous Peoples
Suzanna Schell (Beacon Hill), clerk of the Indigenous Relations Resource Group, introduced members of the Group, and along with Gordon Bugbee (Beacon Hill) gave a presentation on the history of the relationships among New England Yearly Meeting and Indigenous Peoples in New England and Oklahoma (please see Appendix, pg.?).
After the presentation, the Presiding Clerk invited those present to break into small groups to discuss the following queries:
How can I/we as individuals and families acknowledge concretely the reality that we all live on land that was once the homeland of Indigenous People? (Reminder: no one is asking us to vacate our homes and return to the lands of our ancestors.)
How can Friends Meetings and the Yearly Meeting go beyond land acknowledgements and statements of support?
Can we imagine giving some of the principal from the sale of the New England Friends Home (currently the Witness & Ministry Fund) to Native People as a form of retrospective justice?
Following these small group discussions, the Presiding Clerk proposed the following minute:
The Presiding Clerk is asked to send these queries on to our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings and ask them to discern what we are led to do in response. It is anticipated that at our 2027 Sessions, minutes may arise from the discernment process that will further our relationship building with Indigenous People.
Friends present suggested multiple changes to the three queries. Meeting for business recessed for lunch with an intention to return to this question.
Sunday Afternoon, August 2, 3:00
Opening
The Afternoon Meeting opened with the Presiding Clerk inviting us in our time together to live up to, in the words of Mary Oliver, “our wild and precious life.”
After announcements, and in lieu of an epistle, the Meeting saw a video from Jorge Luis Peña, Presiding Clerk of Cuba Yearly Meeting.
Minute on Queries Concerning Indigenous Relations
The body returned to the final item of the morning’s Meeting for Business. Friends approved the following minute:
The Presiding Clerk is asked to send the following queries on to our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings and ask them to discern what we are led to do in response. Local meetings are encouraged to decide if these queries are the proper starting point for their discernment or if they find other questions to be more pertinent.
It is anticipated that at our 2027 Sessions, minutes may arise from this discernment process that will further our relationship building with Indigenous people.
How can I/we as individuals and families acknowledge concretely the reality that we all live on land that was once the homeland of Indigenous People? (Reminder: no one is asking us to vacate our homes and return to the lands of our ancestors.)
How can Friends meetings and the Yearly Meeting go beyond land acknowledgements and statements of support?
Can we imagine giving some of the principal from the sale of the New England Friends Home (currently the Witness & Ministry Fund) to Native People as a form of retrospective justice?
Living Stream Visiting Team
Donn Weinholtz (Hartford) introduced the Living Stream Travel Team purpose and members. The Team visits local meetings and hopes to continue to visit more, to share information about NEYM activities and to learn about the strengths and concerns of local meetings. Two Friends reported on their meetings’ different experiences of a Travel Team visit.
Report from Permanent Board
Susan Davies (Vassalboro), clerk of the Permanent Board, presented a report for that body. She gave examples of four major tasks of the Permanent Board: carrying forward work charged by Sessions, supporting and advising faithfulness in service, attending to human and material resources of NEYM, and overseeing corporate implementation of our understanding of God’s leadings. The full report can be read on page xxx.
Report from NEYM representatives to Friends United Meeting
Kristina Keefe-Perry (Fresh Pond) reported as one of two New England Yearly Meeting current representatives to Friends United Meeting. There is room for a third representative, should a Friend be moved to consider this service. Kristina highlighted the people FUM connects us with: Friends at Ramallah Friends School, Cuba Yearly Meeting, Friends Theological College in Kenya, peace builders across the world, and the international family of Friends worshiping in many ways. Kristina mentioned NEYM’s history in FUM and discussed the FUM current cash-flow emergency, the opportunity for change, and the importance of NEYM participation. The report of our current representatives can be found on page XXX.
Treasurer’s report
Marian Dalton (Brunswick), NEYM Treasurer, started her report with the NEYM Visions Statement, “We envision a growing network of transformative, witnessing local faith communities in the Friends tradition across New England.” Marian noted that finances ensure available resources to allow this vision. Friends make NEYM activities happen by contributing our money and gifts. Marian showed pie charts for 2025: operational expenses, the use of staff time, and operational income. Fiscal year 2025 operational expenses were greater than operational income. Fiscal year 2026 is not over yet, and we still have financial conundrums. Operational reserves are too low and operational income will need to increase faster than the cost of living. The full report and additional financial details are in the Advance Documents.
First reading of 2027 budget
Doug Keith (Hartford), clerk of the Finance Committee, showed a proposed budget for fiscal year 2027. In writing the budget, the committee considers the risk that today’s financial decisions could limit our ability to respond to tomorrow’s events and opportunities. Despite some reasons for optimism, too much is unknown so the committee was very cautious in writing the budget and NEYM staff are finding ways to cut expenses. An opportunity to ask questions will be held at dinner today. Friends on Zoom can email questions to [email protected]. Details and a commentary on the proposed budget are in the Advance Documents.
Report from Friends Committee on National Legislation
At the invitation of the Presiding Clerk, Bridget Moix, General Secretary of Friends Committee on National Legislation, came to us to report on the current activities of that organization. She summarized the work of FCNL as acting with faith and hope and love. Faith sustains FCNL work in Washington, especially lobbying in solidarity with immigrant leaders, which needs to continue. Hope persists in Washington, where FCNL lobbying and advocacy try to end current wars and prevent the start of future wars. Love endures through FCNL’s training for lobbying grounded in love, on many different issues. The message of FCNL to Friends now is “Thank you” to those who have participated or contributed financially over the years, and “Join us” to those who are not yet familiar with the work of the organization.
Monday Morning, August 3, 9:30
Opening
After a period of centering silence, the Reading Clerks shared the announcements of the morning.
The Presiding Clerk introduced the interpreters and technology team. Friends serving as interpreters were: Martha Maylen Basulto, Judy Goldberger, Mary Hopkins, Susannah McCandles, and James Rider (with Naren Roy supplying subtitles for a talk). The tech team included Neil Blanchard, Naren Roy, Sadie Greene-Sims, Seth Cable, Steve Schwartz, Lianna Tennal, Willard, Peabody, Don Peabody, Alice Mae Peabody, S.Y. Bowland, and Madeleine Vaché.
The Reading Clerks read an epistle from The Gathered Friends at the Tending the Fire of Sacred Queerness Retreat, held this year at the Woolman Hill Quaker Retreat Center.
Friends Camp
Anna Hopkins (Wellesley), Friends Camp director, presented the report for the camp, which is not separate from but is an extension of NEYM’s spiritual life. The camp season is almost over, but financial results are not available yet. This summer has featured beaded lizards, soccer, sewing machines, expanded counselor in training program, and a visit from Karenia Criado Perez last week. The camp experience also includes the challenges of living in community. At this point, the Campership Endowment Fund is a year old and on its way to meeting the goal for this year, although matching funds for new donations are still available. The report may be found on page xxx.
How We Work Together: Committees, Resource Groups, Working Groups
Liesa Stamm (Hartford), rising clerk of Permanent Board, presented a report on forms of service within the Yearly Meeting, explaining the differences between committees, resource groups and working groups.
Noting that service from members of the Yearly Meeting is crucial to the ongoing work, the rising clerk urged Friends to consider joining the 61 who serve Sessions at the coordinator level, and the 140 Friends who serve on committees, resource groups and working groups.
Awareness and Reflections on Retrospective Justice Working Group
The Presiding Clerk presented the charge of the Retrospective Justice Working Group, which includes a report to be delivered to Sessions in 2027. The hope is that the Yearly Meeting will be able to consider further action based on the work of this group in the coming year.
The Clerk then invited Friends to share reflections on this charge for the committee, which will be shared with the working group, once it is constituted.
Awareness and Reflections on Conflict Response Team
Ministry and Counsel Clerk Janet Hough (Cobscook) provided a report on the recently formed Conflict Response Team, as described in the Advance Documents. The vision for this group is to be available in times when local pastoral care is not enough and when conflict emerges within a quarterly meeting or at Sessions, to try to find a restorative effort. Those present were invited to share hopes for and reflections on this group, to be passed on to the members of the team after they have been approved by Permanent Board, we hope by September 26 of this year.
Closing
The body closed with waiting worship.
Monday Afternoon, August 3, 3:00
Opening
The afternoon meeting began with centering worship, followed by announcements from the Reading Clerks.
The epistle read at this afternoon’s Meeting for Business came from the Friends World Committee for Consultation Asia West-Pacific Section Annual Gathering of 2025.
Budget
The Presiding Clerk asked the body if Friends approved the budget for Fiscal Year 2027 as presented in the Advance Documents.
After sharing regret about the important ministries we are realistically unable to fund, Friends approved the budget as presented in the Advance Documents (see page xxx).
Unity Agenda
The Presiding Clerk asked if Friends were ready to approve the Unity Agenda (page ref?). Friends approved.
Faith and Practice Preliminary Approval of the Chapter on Testimony
In bringing forward the chapter on Testimony, the Presiding Clerk explained to the body that our approval today is preliminary, as final approval will come after Faith and Practice has been presented in its entirety.
For the Faith and Practice Revision Committee, Phebe McCosker (Hanover) spoke to concerns that had come to the committee over the course of Sessions, and the ways that the committee plans to address these concerns.
There was one text change made to the chapter this week. In the second sentence of the chapter, the phrase “which we know in worship” was inserted. The sentence now reads: “Being open to the Spirit, which we know in worship, may bring us to see the world and our actions in new ways, prompting changes in how we live our lives and interact with others.”
Friends gave preliminary approval to this revised version of the Faith and Practice chapter on Testimony.
Final Approval of Faith and Practice
During consideration of the chapter on Testimony in Faith and Practice, a Friend raised a question about the opportunity to make changes when preliminary approved chapters come back for final approval. In the ensuing worship, Friends brought forward examples of some topics Yearly Meeting may wish to reconsider in the future.
Although there was uncertainty, some Friends present clarified that final approval of Faith and Practice rests with Sessions, not Permanent Board. Before that time for final approval comes, monthly meetings have been and will continue to be asked to use the preliminarily approved chapters and see if they are useful. If there are problems, they should be passed on to the Faith and Practice Revision Committee as soon as possible. This early work by the monthly meetings is essential for the revision process.
In the course of our discernment together, it became clear that, as we begin to reach the end of the preliminary approval process of Faith and Practice, Friends would appreciate an explanation of the steps involved in the final approval process, as well as what opportunities for final changes will exist in that process.
Report on Cuba, Palestin,e and Immigration
Karla Jay, Global Ministries Coordinator of Friends United Meeting, spoke of the ways FUM invites us into relationships with Latino Friends and other immigrants and about the challenges and successes of FUM efforts to send aid to Cuba. Kirenia Criado Perez of Cuba Yearly Meeting told of the dire situation in Cuba, and how Cuban friends share the resources that Quakers send them. Rania Maayeh, Head of School at Ramallah Friends School, spoke of the dangers and difficulties faced by Palestinians on the West Bank. She emphasized that the school expresses hope by achieving academic success.
First Reading of the Epistle
Rebecca Leuchak (Providence), Henry Wilhelm (Mt. Toby) and Merrill Kohlhofer (North Shore) reminded Friends that the Sessions Epistle is sent to other Friends to share our experience of Truth and how the spirit moved among us during Sessions. They read a first version of the Epistle, noted reflections offered during Meeting, promised to make the draft Epistle available online and to accept further suggestions by email and in the dining hall at dinner.
Tuesday Morning, August 4, 9:30
Opening
The Presiding Clerk opened the morning’s meeting by noting that after 65 years Cambridge Friends School has closed. The clerk asked Friends to hold the school’s board in the Light as they discern a way forward in offering Friends education.
The Reading Clerks shared announcements with Friends, followed by a reading of the 2025 epistle from the Illinois Yearly Meeting.
Ministry and Counsel Activities
Janet Hough (Cobscook), Ministry and Counsel clerk, presented the activities that care for the concerns of the yearly meeting’s previous Ministry and Counsel committee. Ministry and Counsel may not be a gathering in physical space, but rather in all our meetings and worship groups connected in Spirit, and also through care of worship at Sessions by a coordinator; the nurturing of gifts in ministry and eldership by a resource group; the State of Society report process with a Meeting for Listening that gathers Friends to consider themes we are seeing across New England; a Meeting Accompaniment Group which is a resource to monthly meeting ministry and counsel committees and clerks; spiritual care and religious education at Meeting Care Day, Living Faith, and Meeting for Listening, which are opportunities during the year for Friends to gather; as well as prayerful holding of the body by participants in a prayer list and by pastoral care at Sessions.
In the space of worshipful reflection after this report, Friends spoke to the felt need across the history of our faith for a discerning group of ministers and elders to serve the larger body. There was an expressed desire for a regular meeting of Friends carrying the concern of ministry and counsel instead of a committee charged with a list of tasks to do. Friends expressed gratitude that the subject was being addressed at Sessions, with the hope that this topic will continue to be one of prayerful discernment at the Yearly Meeting.
Consideration of the Roles of Quarterly Meetings
The meeting considered the interactions of Quarterly Meetings among themselves and with Yearly Meeting. In small groups, those in attendance considered three queries:
What does your quarterly meeting do that you appreciate? (for Salem Quarter, this can be aspirational)
Is there a topic that you would hope all quarterly meetings could talk about this year?
What might be ways that quarterly meetings could share ideas between themselves during the year?
The groups recorded their responses on paper, which was collected for return and sharing with Permanent Board and the Presiding Clerk.
After returning to worship as a full body, the Presiding Clerk proposed a minute for consideration:
Permanent Board is asked to work with the quarterly meetings to develop ways for quarterly meetings to share ideas with each other in between the annual gatherings.
As discernment continued, Friends lifted up the value of quarterly meetings and expressed a wish to support them. While recognizing that some quarterly meetings are very active and others may need some assistance, Friends were not clear that the proposed minute delineated the way to move forward. The Yearly Meeting will look to hear more about the work and health of the quarterly meetings at the next Annual Sessions. Permanent Board will continue with its charge to promote the health of quarterly meetings.
Acceptance of Epistle
After a reminder from the Presiding Clerk that the Yearly Meeting accepts an epistle rather than approves it, the writers read the final draft of the epistle for New England Yearly Meeting’s 2026 Annual Sessions. (The epistle appears on page xxx.)
Friends accepted the epistle as read, acknowledging the careful work of the authors.
It is with deep sorrow that we note we are unable to send our epistle forth to the world along with that of the Cuba Yearly Meeting as has been our tradition, since Friends in Cuba were unable to hold their annual sessions this year. We purpose to include an explanatory sentence, holding our Cuban Friends in the Light during their time of suffering.
Report of Operations Director
Elizabeth Hacala, Yearly Meeting Operations Manager, presented the numbers of Friends attending 2026 Sessions in different categories: Total attendees (518), staying on campus (375), commuting (70), joining by Zoom (73). Youth age groups (71) included 10 Under-5s, 36 in Junior Yearly Meeting, 10 in Junior High Yearly Meeting, and 15 in Young Friends. She also noted the large number of volunteers who made the gathering possible. Elizabeth ended her report with an announcement that work has started on agreements to return to Mount Holyoke College for Sessions in 2027 and following years. Gathered Friends joined Elizabeth in expressing appreciation for the Mount Holyoke staff who hosted our gathering.
Closing
The body closed with waiting worship.
Tuesday Afternoon, August 4, 1:15
Opening
Meeting opened with announcements from the Reading Clerks.
Financial Update
The Presiding Clerk called up Yearly Meeting Accounts Manager Frederick Martin (Beacon Hill) and Yearly Meeting Secretary Noah Bishop-Merrill (Putney), who shared encouraging results on financial contributions and noted that Sessions has met the budget goal for net income. In thanking Friends for contributions, they noted that staff stress would be reduced if intended additional contributions could be sent before the very end of the fiscal year. Noah ended by stating that “miracle” is what we do together.
Epistles
Friends heard Epistles read from each of the youth meetings of New England Yearly Meeting:
Under 5s, presented by Lynn Taber (Fresh Pond) and Carol Baker (Westerly)
Junior Yearly Meeting, presented by Emmeline Roberts Haineswood (Putney).
Junior High Yearly Meeting, presented by Ula (Burlington) [last name withheld] and Abigail Catherine Haineswood (Putney).
Young Friends, presented by Nahar Keefe-Perry (Fresh Pond) and Newt Barletta.
Closing
After joining in the songs “Spring Forth O Well” and “River of Light,” Friends present on campus formed a large circle to hear the words of our Presiding Clerk:
I am thinking of words that were shared this week:
Be agents of grace—be a gathered people.
Go forth with a joyful and encouraged heart.
Go forth believing that the world is about to turn!
Go forth knowing that you are held in the hands of the loving God.
After these words, the Presiding Clerk declared the 366th Session of New England Yearly Meeting to be closed, purposing to meet again, God willing, on August 6, 2027, at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts.