19-22: Opening Worship
Friends opened with a period of worship
19-23: Welcome
The clerk spoke of the importance of a welcoming spirit—in our meetings, and in our work together. The basis of that welcoming spirit is our awareness of, and dependence on the Spirit of Christ. Leslie Manning welcomed us to Durham Meeting. The meeting house was built in 1829 (succeeding the first, wooden house, the first building in what was at the time called Royalston). Durham Friends were the seeds for the Quaker settlements and meetings up the Kennebec Valley reaching as far as the Vassalboro region. Leslie noted that the meeting is one of the founding partners of the Kakamega Friends Orphanage work, continuing the meeting's grateful service over the decades at home and abroad. Durham Friends open their worship with an open hymn sing and invited us to try it.
19-24: Roll Call
The recording clerk called the role. Present: Sarah Gant, Clerk; Travis Belcher, Peter Bishop, Darcy Drayton, Chris Gant, Ian Harrington, Elizabeth Kantt, Rebecca Leuchak, Christopher McCandless, Carole Rein, Will Taber, William Waulkauskas, Rosemary Zimmermann
Ex-Officio: Noah Merrill (Secretary); Bruce Neumann (Rising Presiding Clerk); Shearman Taber (Treasurer); Fritz Weiss (Presiding Clerk)
Guests: Susan Davies, Brian Drayton (Substitute Recording Clerk), Eleanor Godwin, Anna Hopkins, Phebe McCosker, Louanne McDonald, Betsy Muench, Sue Reilly, John Reuthe, Sukie Rice, Sarah Sprogall, Jacqueline Stillwell, Nia Thomas, Honor Woodrow, Kathleen Wooten, Arthur Zimmermann
Regrets: Kimberly Allen, Hannah Zwirner Forsythe, Martin Zwirner Forsythe, Ben Guaraldi, Ed Mair, Jean McCandless, Gina Nortonsmith, Anna Radocchia, Sara Smith, Phil Stone, Mary Zwirner
19-25: Minutes
The minutes from the February meeting were approved during the meeting, but if there are additional corrections or additions, please send them to the Clerk and Recording Clerk by May 18th.
19-26: Presiding Clerk's Report
Fritz Weiss, Presiding Clerk, invited responses to his report, included in the advance documents. He reminded us that one of the markers of white culture is the reticence to provide affirmation to speakers; Friends responded with warm encouragement. He then directed our attention to the revised Purposes, Procedures, and Composition statement of the Racial, Social and Economic Justice Committee. Friends approved forwarding it to the Yearly Meeting.
19-27: Secretary's Report
Noah Merrill, Yearly Meeting Secretary, encouraged us to be aware that we are not alone in our struggles to identify and respond to deep questions about our condition and our work for the future. He has heard similar concerns and hopes for renewal in his recent travels both in Cuba and Ireland Yearly Meetings. We can draw strength from, and offer strength to our Friends around the world in our longing for present, living faithfulness. His visit to Ballytore Friends burial ground, where Job Scott was buried, reminded him of the importance of the work of welcoming and nurturing gifts among us, for the strengthening of the whole.
Friends were invited to speak to Noah's report, appended to these minutes. Questions were asked about the disposition of the North Fairfield Meeting's property, now owned by the Yearly Meeting (YM) since the meeting was laid down. At present, the property needs to be surveyed (including the burial ground), before any further action can be taken. Questions were also raised about the relationship between Everence and the YM's pooled funds; the Secretary and Treasurer told us that this has not been discussed.
19-28: Proposal to Support the Ministry of Publication
Noah Merrill, Yearly Meeting Secretary, presented a proposal from Coordinating and Advisory Committee (C&A) for support for the Ministry of Publication. He noted that this is designed to be adaptable as new opportunities for this ministry emerge in the future. Some concern was expressed about the possible burden of time and responsibility for the Office Manager. Noah pointed out that the proposal, developed in consultation with the Office Manager, envisions the Office Manager as part of a network of collaborators with different expertise in the shaping and production of publications. Still, attention should be paid to the workload this may generate. Noah further pointed out that this is an experiment in hope, and many practical matters of time, labor, and costs will need to be identified and addressed as it unfolds. Friends approved this proposal.
19-29: Mosher Book & Tract Fund
Noah Merrill, Yearly Meeting Secretary, spoke on behalf of Coordinating and Advisory Committee (C&A), which has been considering how best to use and oversee the Mosher Book & Tract Fund (MB&T). The total funds available each year is in the neighborhood of $3,000/year. C&A requests further clarification about how to proceed: Given that we have approved a process for the support for the ministry of publications, how shall MB&T fund be administered in that context? The Permanent Board (PB) currently holds the responsibility for the Fund at the present. The PB Clerk proposes that the Finance Committee be authorized to approve the use of such funds upon request from the Friends overseeing the ministry of publication, when there is a project in mind, consonant with MB&T's guidelines. Friends spoke of the tension between the need to encourage Friends to follow leadings to write, and the need to discern carefully when a project is publishable on our behalf. There is concern also that MB&T, a gift to the Yearly Meeting, is nevertheless perhaps too small a responsibility for a separate standing committee. Other questions arose about where discernment might best be done. Clearly more reflection needs to be done. The clerk of PB will take the question back to C&A, bringing a refined proposal to this body in future.
19-30: Friends Camp Director’s Report
Anna Hopkins, Friends Camp Director, spoke to the Friends Camp report. She shared some highlights about the Camp's current year. This year has seen the most campers ever (we are near capacity!), with a full staff. This year saw the first counselor-in-training program as well. The Camp is closely tied to the youth program—for example 25 % of the counselors grew up in the YM's program, and 75% of the JHYM children this year registered for Friends Camp this year. There is a new cabin at the camp, and new work being done on the historic meetinghouse. Finally, there is a new "campership" (scholarship) campaign under way. In that connection, she noted that the camp is participating in Level Ground, a new partnership among 13 camps in Maine to offer scholarships to "new Mainers" —that is, immigrant children.
Anna also noted two topics important for the future.
- The need to invest finances and perhaps staffing in renewing our aging buildings and infrastructure
- Should we expand the number of campers? The persistent waiting list in recent years suggests that this question may require attention in the near future—and since the camp is mostly at capacity (both in terms of facilities and staffing) this will present new challenges for fundraising and planning.
19-31: Noticing Patterns of Oppression and Faithfulness Working Group
Honor Woodrow, Clerk of Ministry & Counsel (M&C) spoke to the report from the Noticing Patterns of Oppression and Faithfulness Working Group, included in the advance documents. This report is the result to date of M&C's work as requested by the 2018 Yearly Meeting (YM) to undertake this work. Friends expressed appreciation for the thoroughness, wisdom, and tenderness of this report. Friends approved forwarding it to Yearly Meeting. Honor Woodrow brought forward the names of three "noticing elders" for the 2019 YM Sessions: Melissa Foster (Fram), Eppchez Yes (Philadelphia YM), Polly Atwood (FMC). Friends approved these names, with one Friend standing aside.
19-32: Working Group to Examine NEYM Clerking Structures & Practices
Nia Thomas spoke to the report from the Working Group to Examine NEYM Clerking Structures & Practices (CS&PWG), included in advance documents, reminding us that the CS&PWG was set up to help us work toward more inclusiveness in our leadership. She described the way the CS&PWG went about its work, and raised up some highlights.
The biggest challenge facing us, in hoping to open the major leadership positions in the Yearly Meeting to the fullest possible participation, is our hugeness, complicated by structural, financial, geographical, and cultural factors that reduce the number of Friends with appropriate gifts who can participate. For example: The complexity of our internal processes, and the ambiguity of communication patterns contribute to this sense of hugeness, as does the large number of administrative/logistical tasks attending upon many of our activities. The amount of travel and face-to-face time needed by our processes also add to the hugeness; so also does the "accountability gap"—leaders are visible and therefore more easily held accountable, but their effectiveness is often dependent upon others' work who are not visible to accountability. Other challenges include examining and clarifying pathways to leadership, including the challenges of nominating, which are deep and of long-standing, and thus not amenable to quick fixes. In short, our condition presents us with the need, and opportunity, for imagination, creativity, persistence, and prayerful engagement with our hugeness, for the release, stewardship, and use of the gifts among us. The report makes a series of practical recommendations for possible next steps in this journey. Friends received this report with gratitude, and agreed to forward it to Yearly Meeting sessions.
19-33: Faith & Practice Revision Committee
For the Faith & Practice Revision Committee (F&PRC), several of whose members are present in our meeting today, Phebe McCosker presented the revised text for the sections of the F&P chapter on membership dealing with dual membership and affiliation with other faith communities, the revisions reflecting the discussion at the last Yearly Meeting Sessions (the revised text included in the advance documents for this meeting). She asked for comments on this text. After some searching discussion, Friends expressed gratitude for the committee's thoughtful and discerning work, and agreed to forward it on to the Sessions of Yearly Meeting.
19-34: Yearly Meeting and Social Media
Kathleen Wooten, after inviting comments on the reports on the Yearly Meeting's social media activity, included in the advance documents, provided a quick tour of the YM's digital presence—including of our Facebook page and YouTube channel, which are rapidly becoming among the most important Quaker voices on the Web.
19-35: Treasurer's Report
Shearman Taber, Treasurer, spoke to the income statement included in our advance documents. He directed our attention to a transaction which is common, but may not be well known, which is the Yearly Meeting's (YM) role in accepting certain kinds of gifts to local meetings, which are then passed on to the local meetings. This enables donations to be tax-deductible under the YM's tax-exempt status. This is a service the YM performs often during the year.
Shearman then spoke to a proposal to open an Everence bank account, which will enable the YM to bank locally in Castleton, VT during sessions. The proposal and background information are included with the advance documents. This action will also be useful when Sessions move to different venues, as Everence, a credit union, has reciprocal relationships with many other credit unions and banks across our region. Friends approved the resolutions which enable the Treasurer to open the proposed Everence account.
19-36: FY2020 Budget
In his presentation of the FY2020 budget, Noah Merrill, Yearly Meeting Secretary, reminded us of financial priorities discussed and approved by the Permanent Board in November: leadership, communication, support for financial management, and child care during sessions. An additional consideration is the provision of adequate funding to help representatives attend the FUM Triennial in Kenya in 2020. The budget presented for our consideration today reflects these priorities.
Shearman Taber, Treasurer, invited questions or comments relating to the proposed 2020 budget, which the Finance Committee will bear in mind as it finalizes the budget.
19-37: Challenging White Supremacy Working Group
Susan Davies spoke to a report from the Challenging White Supremacy Working Group
(included in advance documents). Much of their work now is in outreach to individual monthly meetings. They have been having good communication with the RSEJ Committee. It was noted that there is a need to help Friends active in the many strands of related work at local meetings be better aware of each other.
19-38: Reparations Working Group
Leslie Manning spoke for the Reparations Working Group. They are under the weight of the need to understand what "repair" or "restoration" mean. Native peoples are telling us that though they encourage well-meaning people like Friends in their work on reparations, it is not on the Native peoples to do that work. So we need to look at ourselves, and to ourselves, to understand where healing and repair must take place, such as the work on "decolonizing Quakers" currently taking shape—understanding and reckoning with all dimensions of Quaker relations with native peoples.
19-39: Legacy Gift Committee
Sarah Gant, Permanent Board Clerk, gave a brief report on the Legacy Gift Committee, reminding Friends to be aware of the contributions already made by this program, as well as the continued opportunity offered by the program. Christopher McCandless spoke to us about a recent grant made to Burlington Meeting for their work on "right relationship" with native Americans, the funds being contributed to the Vermont Abenakis' Deep Time project.
19-40: Fund for Sufferings
Sarah Gant, Permanent Board Clerk, reported on the expenditure of $1,500 from the Fund for Sufferings to an individual this past year. This is the first disbursement since the Legacy Gift Committee's $25,000 gift to the fund. She reminded us of the Fund for Sufferings framework included with the advance documents for this meeting.
19-41: Sessions Site Selection Plan
The Permanent Board has been asked to nominate two people to participate on the Sessions Site Selection Committee. The Clerk nominated Jonathan McCandless as one of our representatives to the committee. Friends approved this appointment.
19-42: Internal Nominating Committee
Will Taber presented the report of the Internal Nominating Committee (report included with the advance documents):
Reappointments:
Debbie Humphries, Clerks Table Nominating Committee, class of 2023
Amy Lee Viera to the Friends Camp Nominating Committee, class of 2021
Friends approved these appointments.
The committee nominates Leslie Manning as clerk of the Permanent Board for the next 3 years. Friends approved this nomination
Friends approved the nomination of Leslie Manning to Permanent Board, in the class of 2024, to be brought to Yearly Meeting. 19-43: Moses Brown School
There are two nominees to the board of Moses Brown School.
Arianna Steele (Providence FM)
Rebecca Leuchak (Providence FM)
Friends approved these appointments.
Dawn Tripp (Allen’s Neck Meeting) is nominated as Clerk of Committee for Nurturing Friends Education.
Friends approved this nomination.
19-44: Travel Minutes
Permanent Board heard and approved travel minutes for Susan Davies, Jay O’Hara, Benigno Sanchez-Eppler, Orianna Reilly, and Minga Claggett-Borne. These minutes are included in the advance documents.
We are reminded that the Clerks of Ministry & Counsel and Permanent Board have been asked to examine our process for travel minutes. A report from the working group will be forthcoming.
19-45: Memorial Minutes
Permanent Board heard memorial minutes for the following Friends: Paul Cates, Eileen Cummings, Ann Cates Higgins, Paul Emerson Hood, Stephen Gale Perrin, Kenneth Gale Potee, Elizabeth Poynton, Robert Thomas Seeley, Patricia Shotwell, Shirley Feigel Stafford, Gudrun Helga Weeks, Noa Hall Williams. These minutes will be forwarded to Sessions.
19-46: Closing Worship
Friends closed with a period of worship.