19-62: Roll Call
The clerk called the roll:
Present: Leslie Manning, Clerk; Travis Belcher, Peter Bishop, Chris Gant, Ian Harrington, Rebecca Leuchak, Ed Mair, Jean McCandless, Gina Nortonsmith, John Reuthe, Sara Smith, Phil Stone, Will Taber, Tom Vargo, Rosemary Zimmermann, Mary Zwirner
Regrets: Kim Allen, Darcy Drayton, Hannah Zwirner Forsythe, Martin Zwirner Forsythe, Ben Guaraldi, Betsy Kantt, Christopher McCandless, Anna Raddochia, Elizabeth Szatkowski, Bill Walkauskas
Visitors: Sarah Gant, Phebe McCosker, Emily Provance, Jackie Stillwell, Kathleen Wooten
19-63: Nominating Committee Report
Jackie Stillwell, Clerk of Nominating Committee, presented a brief nominating committee report. Nominating Committee asks approval for several appointments.
Craig Jensen for reappointment to Legacy Gift Committee, Class of 2022
Bruce Kay and Honora Spicer to Puente de Amigos, Class of 2022
Kathryn Olsen to Ministry & Counsel At-Large, Class of 2022
Hal Weaver to Friends World Committee for Consultation, Class of 2022
Friends approved.
Jackie noted that we are still looking for a new treasurer and a new clerk of Sessions Committee; friends are encouraged to bring names forward.
19-64: Sessions Committee Convener
A Friend is needed to convene the first Sessions Committee (SC) meeting of the year. Leslie Manning, outgoing SC Clerk, will not be in attendance. We ask the clerk of nominating to consult with the former Sessions Committee clerk and Yearly Meeting Secretary to appoint a convener for Sessions Committee.
19-65: Update on Bequest
Shearman Taber, Treasurer, reported that when the Yearly Meeting (YM) received the check for the recent bequest (see Permanent Board minute 2019-52), it was accompanied by a letter requesting that the funds be deposited in the equalization fund rather than in the quasi-endowment, as originally understood. The treasurer and the YM Secretary therefore request that the board rescind the action in minute 2019-52 in order to place the funds in accordance with the donor’s wishes.
Friends approved.
19-66: Faith & Practice Request
The “Structures and Procedures” chapter of Faith & Practice (F&P) is hopelessly out of date, and given the rapidity with which our structures and procedures can change, F&P Revision Committee feels that this chapter should be pulled out of F&P and become its own manual, to be written under the care of the Permanent Board (PB).
In fact, this work is already being done by a working group charged in PB minute 2019-15. This group reports to PB twice a year, and will report next in November.
19-67: Sessions Minutes
Fritz Weiss, outgoing Presiding Clerk, asked for approval of the remaining minutes from business sessions. Friends approved.
Permanent Board also asked the Presiding Clerk, in consultation with appropriate others, write a “cover letter” to be distributed along with the FUM-related minutes.
19-68: Minute of Appreciation for Fritz
Friends at Permanent Board expressed their appreciation for the service of Fritz Weiss in his role as Presiding Clerk over the last four years. As he transitions out of that role we are grateful for his careful listening, his role in guiding our corporate work of discerning how the structures and practices of the Yearly Meeting supports the life of Friends in New England, and his humility as we all learn together how to be more faithful. We are grateful for his openness and his example of how faithfulness in the small things opens the way for greater faithfulness together.