14-1 Opening Worship: Friends from Permanent Board and NEYM Ministry and Counsel gathered together for worship. During opening worship, the clerk of Ministry and Counsel reminded us that as we gather, we carry with us our Meetings and our larger communities. She challenged us to contribute to the vitality of Quakerism in New England. We also shared, out of the worship, concerns for individuals and Monthly Meetings.
14-2 Welcome: The clerk of Permanent Board welcomed the gathered group, recognizing us all as friends of the Yearly Meeting. John Bach, Resident Friend at Cambridge Meeting, welcomed us to their facility.
14-3 Sharing: we spent time in pairs, sharing reflections on the Query: “What is something you’re growing into in your spiritual life?”
14-4 Yearly Meeting Secretary Report (Part 1): Quoting Habakkuk 1:5, Noah Baker Merrill shared some of the life he sees as he travels among Friends: “This is an exciting time to be a Quaker in New England!” We heard about New Meetings Day in Framingham, a joint presentation by NEYM and FGC’s New Meetings Project, which explored support for new meetings and small meetings. We heard about the faithful work of Vassalboro Quarter, which is exploring its structure. We heard about the YAF midwinter retreat, where Friends wrestled with issues of stress and overwork. And we heard about the dedicated and faithful work of a small group overseeing the transition to a new database.
14-5 Roll Call: After the adjournment of Ministry and Counsel, the Recording Clerk called the roll:
Present: Holly Baldwin, Travis Belcher, Deana Chase, Susan Davies, Jeremiah Dickinson, Justice Erikson, Sarah Gant, Ben Guaraldi, Galen Hamann, Jan Hoffman, Leanna Kantt, Mary Knowlton, Allan Kohrman, Christopher McCandless, Jean McCandless, Bruce Neumann, Suzanna Schell, Patricia Shotwell, Sara Smith, Becky Steele, Carolyn Stone, Philip Stone, Hannah Zwirner.
Regrets: Aimee Belanger, Nancy Isaacs, Sandy Isaacs, Rebecca Leuchak, Rocky Malin, Elias Sanchez-Eppler, Karen Sanchez-Eppler, Donn Weinholtz, Fritz Weiss, Rosemary Zimmermann.
Ex-officio: Muriel Farrar (Gonic, co-clerk of Finance), Noah Baker Merrill (Yearly Meeting Secretary).
Visitors: Katherine Fisher (Beacon Hill), Janet Hough (Cobscook), Emily Neumann (Beacon Hill), Kathleen Wooten (Lawrence).
14-6 Minutes: The minutes from our November 23 Meeting were considered and, with a minor change, Approved.
14-7 Yearly Meeting Secretary Report (Part 2): Noah referred us to his written report in the Advance Documents, which details progress on a number of developments, including the website, the new database, Archives, and Sessions planning. Noah asked if there were any questions. One Friend, noting that things seem to be going well, wondered if there were large issues we had not heard about. Noah pointed to continuing concerns about our financial condition, some Friends’ sense of disconnection, and our relationship with FUM as issues that C&A continues to consider.
Another asked for clarification on how Equalization will work this year, with the revised method of determining payment (PB Min 13-124). We understand that more information will be forthcoming, but Sessions will be continuing to request contributions from individuals and monthly meetings, to support the attendance of those who need financial assistance.
14-8 Priorities Process Budget: Speaking about the Priorities Process Budget, Noah observed that this is part of our effort to think more than one year in advance. The document shares the current state of thinking both about what might be cut if necessary, and what could be added if possible. After further seasoning, this document will be employed at a meeting on March 15, where Finance, Personnel, Development and Coordinating and Advisory Committees will meet to produce a first draft of the 2015 budget. Some discussion ensued regarding one option listed for reducing expenses, that of reducing contributions to FGC, FUM, and FWCC. One Friend wondered if those organizations had been made aware of this possibility. Noah reminded us that it is not our plan to make those cuts, and that he is in regular communication with the directors of all three organizations. We heard that the algorithm for arriving at the amount of our donations was set up at a very different time in NEYM history, and wonder if it is time to revisit the formula.
14-9 Presiding Clerk Report: hearing that our Presiding Clerk is in Cuba with other New England Friends, we were encouraged to read her written report and send her questions by email.
14-10 Structural Review Committee: Janet Hough shared that the committee is still primarily in information gathering stage: visiting meetings, preparing a survey which will be widely distributed, and poring over a variety of documentation, looking for input and perspective. They also expect that several SR members will attend the next Committee Day to engage in dialogue with some committees.
While they do not expect to bring a final recommendation to Sessions 2014, they will bring a report, which may include initial conclusions and a sense of direction.
14-11 Legacy Discernment Committee: For the Legacy Discernment Committee, Suzanna Schell presented their recommendations, formulated after a lengthy process of seeking input, and discernment about what they heard. The proposal incorporates three separate initiatives:
- Given the number of suggestions which included Friends Camp, and a desire to reinforce the financial status of our one remaining institution under our direct care, the Committee recommends giving $100K to Friends Camp, money which will retire their mortgages and provide for infrastructure improvements.
- The Committee proposes that another $750K be set up as the Legacy Restricted Fund, which would be invested in the Pooled Funds. The proceeds, including interest and value increase, would be distributed annually as grants.
- The balance of these funds would become the Legacy Unrestricted Fund which, while the funds would also be invested initially in the Pooled funds, would be available in their entirety for grants or loans.
The committee recommends that these Funds not be restricted in perpetuity, allowing periodic review of the program and the potential for reallocation. The Funds would require the establishment of a granting body, the Legacy Gift Committee, which would initially be responsible for developing guidelines and procedures for the grant process, and would be responsible for awarding grants and loans. Grants would be expected to benefit the ministries of NEYM. While the Discernment Committee suggested that this granting committee be appointed by PB, Friends wondered if it was more appropriately a YM committee.
With great enthusiasm for the life this proposal may support, Friends endorsed this set of proposals. We asked the Legacy Discernment Committee to refine the proposal, to include consideration of how the committee will be formed and maintained (YM or PB), and more description of how the guidelines will be established and approved. Approval of guidelines might occur by PB, after the new committee has discerned them.
14-12 Travel Minute: The clerk read a minute from the Puente Committee, recommending approval of travel to Cuba by Susan Furry (Northampton) and Bruce Kay (Storrs). She notes that while Susan has a supporting minute from her monthly meeting, Bruce does not. Hearing the background, Friends were comfortable, and approved the clerk endorsing their Travel Minute.
14-13 Clerks Nominating: for the Clerks Nominating Committee, Alan Kohrman presented a recommendation that NEYM begin naming the next Presiding Clerk a year before they begin their term. They offer this summary:
A Rising Clerk will be called and approved at Sessions before the last year of service of each Presiding Clerk. This modification in the appointment process provides for the future Clerk the fullest sense of a year’s cycle, a seasoned sense of leadings and concerns that the yearly meeting may be discerning, as it also provide for the Body advanced awareness of the future leadership.
This is explicitly neither a co-clerkship nor an assistant clerkship. The learning opportunity does not extend to actually serving as Clerk during the year of shadowing. During the year of shadowing the Rising Clerk is expected to observe the current Clerk at work, and to deepen his or her capacity to listen for the condition of the Body, and to listen for sense of the meeting. There will be conversations between the outgoing and the raising clerks, but most of the learning will be done in the observations.
Friends approved establishing this practice.
14-14 Memorial Minute: During our worship following lunch, the clerk read a Memorial Minute for Alice Blades Lacy. During discussion after worship, we noted that, while a fascinating person, she had not been involved in the Yearly Meeting and declined to forward the minute to Sessions, but to thank Midcoast Meeting and Vassalboro Quarter for sharing Alice’s life with us.
14-15 Treasurer’s Report: Referring to his written report, Ben Guaraldi informed us that income is slightly ahead of usual, while expenses are normal. We heard that the Development Committee is encouraging individual donors to move to the Give Monthly program.
Ben presented a package of budget revisions, including changes to the Sessions budget, the addition of training for the new database, and staff coverage during the Communications Director’s paternity leave. While the bottom line changes very little, we are required by current policy to have changes approved by PB. Friends approved the changes.
Ben also requested help for himself and the finance committee in identifying a new Assistant Treasurer, who might help with the work load, and cover for the treasurer if he is away.
Noah voiced his appreciation both of the long hours Ben has been spending, and for his insight and knowledge.
14-16 Finance Committee: For the Finance Committee, Muriel Farrar reported that the committee continues to do much of its work through 3 subcommittees: on Policy and Procedures, Education and Support, and Budgeting process. We understand that they are recommending that we lay down the Peace Tax fund, but this will come to our attention as a separate agenda item.
They forwarded the budget revisions to PB with some reluctance, recognizing that we may have a larger than anticipated deficit.
14-17 Letter from Climate Working Group: We considered a letter we had received from the Young Adult Friends Climate Working Group, requesting clarity on the Board of Managers’ investment policy as regards firms dealing with fossil fuels. We also have received a letter from the BoM, requesting assistance in answering a series of questions about investments in related industries. Katherine Fisher and Emily Neumann, both of YAFCWG participated in the discussion.
We recognize that this concern lies at the intersection of two spiritual issues: our increasing awareness as a Society that our contributions to climate change are a spiritual issue, and awareness that how we use (invest) our money is also a spiritual issue. Friends were supportive of further exploration, with a view towards possible refining of the BoM investment policy, and perhaps increasing our awareness of our own complicity in the current economic/ecologic paradigm. Friends agreed that we would like more clarity on what the current policy is.
Friends also encourage YAFCWG to engage in discussion with the BoM, either at their workshop at 2014 sessions, or perhaps by arranging a separate opportunity . Ben Guaraldi offered to coordinate these efforts. We hope to hear a report in the fall, regarding what has been learned.
14-18 Student Aid Revisioning: For the Student Aid Revisioning committee, Galen Hamann presented their preliminary proposal. These Friends are suggesting that we designate Student Loan funds, both current balance and future repayments, as an endowment. Rather than loans, the endowment would pay $1000 grants to Friends needing support for educational pursuits. Note that they suggest no age limit or restriction on educational opportunity. They do recommend that applicant have an existing relationship with NEYM, and in their application, reflect on how this grant may deepen their faith and relationship to Quakers.
The program would require a grant committee to consider applications and award grants.
The committee hopes that PB would apply to the Legacy Gift Committee for more funds to support this endeavor, and suggest that the granting committee might also consider fundraising to increase the endowment.
While Friends expressed some concern about increasing our structure, they were encouraging about the impact on applicants’ lives, and appreciative of the relative simplicity of awarding grants, compared to the challenges of tracking loans and overseeing repayment. One Friend wondered if a single granting committee might oversee both Legacy Gift and Student Aid grants.
We thanked the committee for their work and look forward to a final proposal.
14-19 Internal Nominating: Internal Nominating proposed the name of Fran Brokaw (Hanover) for Clerks Nominating Committee, Class of 2017. Friends approved.
14-20 Sessions Committee: Carrying a specific concern from Sessions Committee, Jean McCandless spoke about an initiative encouraging Monthly Meetings who have not sent representatives to Sessions in recent years, to do so. She is looking for PB volunteers to visit some of these Meetings and encourage Sessions attendance, and to be a welcoming presence at Sessions.
14-21 Good Governance of Friends Camp: Jeremiah Dickinson spoke about the work of the committee exploring the governance of Friends Camp. They expect to bring a panel of proposals to our May meeting, including changes to the nominating process, incorporating the Camp budget into the YM budget, specifying more clearly the relationship of the Camp Director and the YM Secretary, and possibly changing the name of the oversight group from “Committee” to “Board.”
14-22 Next Meeting: The clerk advised us that agenda items for our May 10 meeting will be due by April 25, and reports will be expected by April 30.
14-23 Closing Worship: We closed in worship, with prayers for those who would be driving home in the snow.