Permanent Board minutes | March 12, 2011

11-20 Opening Worship: We opened in waiting worship.

11-21 Roll Call: The Recording Clerk called the roll.

Present: Edward Baker, Holly Baldwin, Susan Davies, Jeremiah Dickinson, Sarah Gant, Andrew Grannell, Dorothy Grannell, Galen Hamann, Jan Hoffman, John Humphries, Sandy Isaacs, Mary Knowlton, Allan Kohrman, Christopher McCandless, Sarah Sue Pennell, Suzanna Schell, Patricia Shotwell, Carolyn Stone, Phil Stone

Regrets: Jennifer Baily (Personnel Committee Clerk), Aimee Belanger, Debbie Block, Judy Goldberger, Beth Gorton, Ben Guaraldi, Rebecca Leuchak, Dwight Lopes, Donald Mick, Karen Sanchez-Eppler, Ruah Swennerfelt, Jane Van Landingham, Donn Weinholtz, Carl Williams, Rosemary Zimmermann

Ex-Officio: Travis Belcher (Finance Committee Clerk), Linda Jenkins (YM Presiding Clerk), Ed Mair (Treasurer), Jonathan Vogel-Borne (YM Secretary)

Guests: Kristna Evans, Jacqueline Stillwell

11-22 Minutes of 1/22/2011 were approved with corrections.

11-23 Report from YM Presiding Clerk: YM Presiding Clerk Linda Jenkins reported on plans for 2011 Sessions, which will have the theme “350 years of NE Friends; Called to Heal a Broken Earth.” Programming will start on Friday with an optional trip to the Great Meetinghouse in Newport, RI, that will include volunteer opportunities at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Community Center across the street, where we will use meeting space. Linda reported that we will see the return of Bible Half Hours, and Steve Chase of Putney MM will present a plenary focused on activism. A second plenary is being developed through collaboration between Peace and Social Concerns Committee, Racial, Social and Economic Justice Committee, and Quaker Earthcare Witness. There will also be a two-day committee fair to allow more space and visibility for committees.

Linda also discussed responses to the Minute of Sending Forth (YM Minute 10- 30). One response, received from Worcester MM, will be printed in NE Friend, highlighting their concern about the wording in the quotation from an anchor group that was incorporated into the YM minute. Linda will also compose a letter about how meetings and individuals are working with and responding to the concerns in the Minute.

11-24 Recommendations Regarding YM Governance Structure: Linda Jenkins then reviewed a document from Coordinating and Advisory (C&A) Committee titled “Recommendations Regarding Yearly Meeting Governance and Structure” (provided as an advance document), drawing upon previous discussions and earlier proposals for restructuring; the proposal was drafted in response to the request by PB for C&A to provide a report on the various recommendations which had been discussed (Minutes 10-81 and 11-04). The Committee recommends a three-year experiment with a springtime mid-year gathering, building on the experience of the mid-year gathering in 2009 and on this year’s plans for a Day of Discernment. One key difference, however, is that this recommendation explicitly addresses the question of authority by proposing that the gathering be an open joint session of PB, YM Ministry & Counsel, and YM Finance Committee, which the broader YM community would be encouraged to attend. Due to PB’s role as the decision-making body between Sessions, such a gathering would be able to conduct some YM business. The Committee also recommends changing the structure of PB to include two types of members: those nominated and appointed by the YM and those named by MMs and QMs (similar to the current structure of YM Ministry & Counsel). If the experiment proves fruitful, the YM could then decide to transition to a new permanent structure that includes a role for an “Interim Session.”

A lively discussion ensued, covering a variety of concerns and reflections:

• PB, Ministry & Counsel, and Finance Committee can make a decision to meet jointly without any formal action by Sessions.
• Faith and Practice needs to have a clear description of governance structure and how the legally responsible body of NEYM is formed. Any change in governance structure should be included in the F&P revision.
• The Clerk of NEYM Ministry & Counsel Committee spoke of her trust in a representative body, speaking from her experience as clerk of a committee composed of MM representatives and at-large and ex-officio members.
• Will representatives of MMs and/or QMs have the same level of commitment to and understanding of the YM to effectively participate in conducting the business? How could we design a representative structure that protects and nurtures the institutional memory that provides the foundation for sound decision-making? The work of PB is very different from the work of Ministry & Counsel.
• A more representative PB structure might increase the engagement of MMs in the life of the YM, and it could provide a formative experience for MM representatives who have had less engagement with the YM.
• Could MMs be asked to appoint representatives to five-year terms, just like the YM appointees? Should QMs have a role in approving representatives appointed by MMs?
• We need to think carefully about the terminology: “interim” may not accurately or transparently communicate the function of the “Interim Meeting” or “Interim Session.” (Interim is sometimes interpreted as “temporary” or “short-term.”)
• We need to remember that the continuing legal entity for the YM must be clearly defined for banks and other institutions.
• We need to recognize that we are reaching for a vision of PB and the YM that we have not yet fully named. How do we embrace and articulate a vision for the PB that will inspire MMs and individuals to want to be part of it? We should seek a vision, policies and practices that move us in that direction.
• We need to maintain a concern for the growth and vitality of the YM at the center of these discussions. How do we create a structure that celebrates who we are—our powerful history—and strengthens our voice and witness in the world? How do we raise up the next Mary Dyer?

Friends approved the following minute:

Jan Hoffman, Holly Baldwin and Edward Baker will serve as an ad hoc committee to develop some concrete proposals that are brought back to PB for further consideration.

Friends encourage this ad hoc committee to include the proposal for a mid-year gathering within the scope of its work.

11-25 Treasurer’s Report: Ed Mair, YM Treasurer, presented the year-to-date financial report (as of March 9, 2011). He noted that income in every month this fiscal year has been lower compared to the previous fiscal year, while our expenses have been roughly the same as last year. Recognizing that last year’s gap was closed by an unexpected $40,000 donation late in the year, Ed expressed concern that we will face a significant shortfall at the end of this year.

11-26 Finance Committee Report: Travis Belcher, Clerk of the Finance Committee, reported that the Committee’s preparations for the “Funding Our Vision” gathering on April 2 at Concord (NH) Meeting are going smoothly. The agenda now includes a presentation about the NEYM Pooled Funds. Travis encouraged every MM to send a representative. He also said the Committee would be pleased to have all MMs start their fiscal year on October 1 to match the YM’s fiscal calendar, and they want to encourage MMs to consider making monthly contributions to the YM.

11-27 Recommendation for Sessions regarding Contributions to FUM: Linda Jenkins, YM Presiding Clerk requested that PB seek unity on a recommendation to Sessions about whether to continue the process approved at Sessions in August 2009 and renewed in August 2010, regarding contributions to FUM (YM Minute 09-54 and YM Minute 10-12). Roughly ten MMs have taken advantage of the process, and Friends affirmed a sense that there is value in continuing to labor with this issue at both the MM and YM levels. Some Friends suggested recommending that the process be continued for two more years to allow more time for MMs to address this issue and to pursue healing.

Friends approved recommending to Sessions that the YM continue the current practice for two more years.

11-28 YM Secretary Report: Jonathan Vogel-Borne, YM Secretary, reported that he is celebrating Minga’s return from Bolivia after seven weeks away. He also spoke of the wonderful experience of helping to staff the recent JHYM retreat, which had a theme of “Works in Progress.”

Friends United Meeting – The recent meeting of the General Board was the last one before the upcoming Triennial. Following the Triennial, there will be a 40 to 50% turnover in board membership, including several new superintendents of FUM YMs. Jonathan shared his sense of the turmoil in some of the YMs, where the tone seems to be that membership is declining because FUM is not pure enough and is “yoked with unbelievers.” At the recent board meeting, the personnel manual was on the agenda. The only section of the manual that has ever been formally approved is the section dealing with personal ethics, which was approved separately in 1988. NEYM’s FUM committee wrote a letter to the FUM General Board, asking them to reaffirm an earlier statement that the personnel policy does not condone acts of violence. They did, and they expanded the language to encompass all violence. When the personnel manual came up on the agenda, there was an attempt to open up the whole issue related to support for gay and lesbian leadership. Instead, a footnote was added to the section on personal ethics that the General Board, in February 2011, was not in unity with this section. Deanna Chase and Will Taber are rotating off as NEYM representatives to the General Board. Jonathan will continue on the General Board. There is value in being at the table.

Pastoral Meetings – NEYM’s pastoral meetings are in a challenging place. Daphne Clement is the new minister at Durham. But Smithfield was unable to sustain the pastorate, and Marnie Miller-Gutsell has chosen to retire. Pam Cole has finished her interim service at Smith Neck, and they have no replacement, yet. Allen’s Neck is still without a pastor, but Jonathan says they have experienced lengthy transitions before and are doing OK.

Staffing changes – Allie Hersey has resigned as YM Accounts Manager, effective June 30, 2011, as her husband will not be coming home from the nursing home, and she needs more time to be with him. Marnie Miller-Gutsell will be leaving her position as YM Archivist at the end of April and moving to Virginia. Thankfully, the YM Archives Committee is thriving at the moment and even considering the possibility of moving the YM archives to a new location. Jonathan reported that he is one of three finalists for the position of Executive Secretary for FWCC Section of the Americas. They need someone, starting May 1. This summer will mark 20 years of service to NEYM for Jonathan. In participating in the FWCC search process, he has become clear that he expects to find a new calling by the end of 2012, even if he is not selected for this position.

11-29 Request for Support from New England Friends Home Committee: Jonathan read a letter addressed to PB from the New England Friends Home Committee, articulating a number of concerns and making some requests of PB. The Home and Committee have struggled in recent years with transitions in the director position. The current director, Barbie Rugg, has resigned, effective March 30, 2011. Laura Levanthal has been hired as the new Director. The Committee has found it challenging to reach unity in how they should deal with some of the issues related to facilities and personnel in recent years, and they have asked PB and the YM “to help define the role of the Home within Yearly Meeting, our Committee’s role in the oversight of the Home, and how to express Quaker values in the operation of the Home.”

Jonathan reviewed some of the history of the Home and the property, which was donated to the YM by Polly Thayer Starr, the mother of Dinah Starr. Dinah currently serves on the Friends Home Committee and her sister still lives next door to the Home. Friends discussed the need to look into questions related to legal obligations and questions related to whether the YM still feels called to this ministry. Friends were clear, however, that the most significant and immediate need is to provide care and attention to those who have been serving on the Committee.

Friends approved appointing an ad hoc Friends Home Care Committee. Friends who have agreed to serve are Jeremiah Dickinson (Wellesley), Ann Kriebel (Fresh Pond), and Dave Baxter (Framingham). Jonathan will convene the committee, and he anticipates recruiting one or two additional members.

The Care Committee is charged with caring for the New England Friends Home and Friends Home Committee during the current leadership transition, and it will also look at the bigger questions around NEYM's relationship to the Home. The Committee will work throughout the coming spring and summer, preparing a report to be presented at the November 2011 meeting of the Permanent Board. Action items resulting from that report will likely be the responsibility of a new subgroup of the Permanent Board.

​​​​​​​11-30 Purpose and Procedures for Permanent Board: The Clerk noted that the Personnel Committee has been working on revising its Purpose and Procedures document, as requested by PB, but the Committee has not had a meeting, yet.

The Memorial Minutes Committee has drafted the following language for consideration: