21-49: Opening Worship
Friends opened with a period of worship. The clerk reminded us of the anniversary of the Stonewall Riot this weekend and of the importance of finding a faith community that is welcoming and affirming of the LGBTQIA+ community. We continue the work of becoming a welcoming community to all seekers and we celebrate the presence of those Friends who might not feel welcome elsewhere.
21-50: Roll Call
The recording clerk called the roll:
Present: Leslie Manning, Clerk; Hannah Zwirner Forsythe, Recording Clerk; Peter Bishop, Deana Chase, Darcy Drayton, Chris Gant, Beth Hansen, Ian Harrington, Rebecca Leuchak, Fran Lightsom, Ed Mair, Christopher McCandless, Jean McCandless, Gina Nortonsmith, Bob O’Connor, Carole Rein, John Reuthe, Martha Schwope, Sara Smith, Will Taber, Bill Walkauskas, Diane Weinholtz, Donn Weinholtz, Morgan Wilson, Kathleen Wooten, Tom Vargo, Mary Zwirner
Ex-Officio: Scot Drysdale (Finance Clerk); Noah Merrill (Secretary); Bob Murray (Treasurer); Bruce Neumann (Presiding Clerk); Elizabeth Reuthe (Secretary’s Supervisor)
Visitors: Polly Attwood, Gail Charpentier, Marian Dalton, Susan Davies, Sarah Gant, Elizabeth Hacala, Mey Hasbrook, Janet Hough, Becky Jones, Kathy Malin, LouAnne McDonald, Aaron Sakulich, LVM Shelton, Diana White, Honor Woodrow
Regrets: Kim Allen, Travis Belcher, Martin Zwirner Forsythe, Anna Raddochia, Elizabeth Szatkowski
21-51: Approval of the May Minutes
The minutes from the May meeting were distributed for review. With small corrections the minutes were approved.
21-52: Presiding Clerk’s Report
Bruce Neumann, Presiding Clerk, submitted a written report with updates on his recent work. The report is appended.
21-53: Recommendations on Yearly Meeting Secretary’s Sabbatical
Bruce Neumann, Presiding Clerk, brought a recommendation from Coordinating and Advisory (C&A) on the guidelines for the YM Secretary’s sabbatical. That recommendation is appended. It includes three proposed actions for the Permanent Board’s consideration:
- Authorize payment of the YM Secretary’s full salary during his sabbatical (expected to occur during FY22). This may require drawing on reserves.
- Suggest that the Personnel Resource Group consider a formal and permanent recommendation to this effect.
- Suggest that the Finance Committee incorporate a line item such that funds for the fully-supported sabbaticals are accumulated over a period of year.
Given current reserves, the treasurer believes this proposal could be funded without negative impacts to the YM.
Friends asked questions about the ways Noah might spend his time on sabbatical and were overwhelmingly supportive of this proposal, and of Noah taking a sabbatical.
Friends approved this proposal.
21-54: Sessions Committee Purposes, Procedures, and Composition
Bruce Neumann brought a rewritten Purposes, Procedures, and Composition (PPC) document for the Sessions Committee. That document is appended. In the process of rewriting, Coordinating and Advisory looked at the structure of the Sessions Committee and how the planning process for Sessions can best be served by the committee. This rewrite significantly restructures the Sessions Committee in the hopes of being both more efficient in the various aspects of planning, and more faithful in listening to the needs of our community. Though the document is more detailed than the previous PPC for Sessions committee it is not intended to describe all of the work that goes into the planning for Sessions.
Friends raised a number of concerns with a common theme of inclusion: the role of volunteers is paired down in this PPC document, the role of Noticing Patterns of Oppression and Faithfulness working group is not named as part of the planning process, and how we plan for accessibility at our events is also not named.
We heard clearly the need for all to feel included in the planning process for our events. We are also reminded that this document is not intended to name all participants in the planning process or all tasks to be completed. Sometimes there is work going on that isn’t described and laid out in full. That doesn’t always mean that something has been forgotten.
Given the concerns raised, further consideration of the Sessions Committee PPC is postponed until a later meeting.
21-54: Moses Brown Report and Nominations
Dawn Tripp, clerk of the Committee for Nurturing Friends Education at Moses Brown (CNFEMB), shared a brief report about the last year of the committee's work with Moses Brown.
Dawn presented an update to the Moses Brown bylaws which allows for remote participation in Moses Brown Board meetings. The details of this change are appended. Friends approved the change to the Moses Brown bylaws.
Dawn presented a nomination to the Moses Brown Board and several nominations for the CNFEMB. These nominations are made by the committee and have been approved by the Moses Brown Board, pending approval from the Permanent Board.
- Zona Douthit as the Friend Nominee to be a Trustee of the Moses Brown Board
- Zona Douthit to serve on CNFEMB
- Megan Smith to serve on CNFEMB
Friends approved these nominations.
Dawn also presented a recommendation about the clerkship of the committee. David Bourns has agreed to serve as the new clerk of CNFEMB but has requested to ease into the position. Dawn has agreed to continue serving as clerk of the committee, with the assistance of Mike McGuigan (the outgoing Friends Coordinator), while David transitions into the role as clerk.
Friends approved David Bourns as the new clerk and of the transitional period in the clerking role.
21-56: Friends Camp Update and Nomination
John Reuthe, clerk of Friends Camp Committee, updated the Permanent Board on activities at Friends Camp. Children were welcomed to camp this week and though the structure of camp will look different this year we are thrilled to be running the Camp in person this year.
Natalie Bornstein was introduced as the nominee for Assistant Clerk of the Camp committee. The role of Assistant Clerk was created to allow for the training and orientation of the next clerk before they assume the full clerking role.
Friends approved this nomination.
21-57 Secretary’s Report
Noah Merrill, YM Secretary, shared an oral report on his work since our last meeting.
After 16 months of sprinting through the worst of the pandemic, Noah reflected on discussions about how to rest. He is encouraging the staff to take time off and thinking about his upcoming sabbatical. As we reenter the world changed by the experience of the pandemic we need to find ways to “return to normal” while giving ourselves space to breathe.
Noah brought an informal request to take a sabbatical beginning somewhere after Oct 1, 2021, to return sometime in February 2022, being gone for about 4 months. A formal request including details about the exact dates of his absence and who will be responsible for the various parts of his work are being discussed and will be shared at our next meeting.
Friends approved the date range for Noah’s sabbatical.
21-58: Challenging White Supremacy Working Group Report
Susan Davies, clerk of Challenging White Supremacy Working Group (CWS), spoke to the written report from the meetings of CWS with members of Noticing Patterns of Oppression and Faithfulness Working Group (NPWG) and the Permanent Board. That report is appended.
CWS does not propose specific actions at the moment; their report is a reflection on the conversations the group has had, their observations on the condition of the Yearly Meeting and noticed patterns of oppression and faithfulness working in the YM.
CWS requested to be laid down in their report to the PB at the March meeting. Our limited discussion on the report from CWS revealed a longstanding tension in discussion of challenging topics in the YM between wanting to take action and not wanting to push the YM beyond its compass. We seek not to outrun our guide but also not to wait for a comfortable invitation to a conversation that requires a level of discomfort.
21-59: Board of Managers of Pooled Funds Report
Kathy Malin, clerk of the Board of Managers of the Pooled Funds, shared an update on NEYM assets in the pooled funds.
The Board of Managers continues its work on transparency in reporting and sharing information about how our funds are invested.
There are many openings on the committee and the Board of Managers hopes that a more diverse group of Friends will consider joining the committee.
Friends had the opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns.
21-60: Proposal on Endowment Funds
At the May Permanent Board meeting Bob Murray, Treasurer, shared a proposal to amend the Funds Policy for the use of rollover income from our endowment funds.
The Treasurer requests that the Permanent Board approve a change to the Funds Policy to remove this statement dealing with endowment funds:
and replace it with:
In accordance with proper procedure, this proposed change was given preliminary approval at the May meeting and returned to this meeting for final approval, allowing time for discernment and for concerns to be raised. There being no objections the Permanent Board approved the change to the Funds Policy.
21-61: Laying down of Working Group on Call to Urgent Loving Action
In the advanced documents the Permanent Board received a report from the working group on the Call to Urgent Loving Action. That report is appended. The working group believes their task is complete and that continued work on the Call to Urgent Loving Action is best done in the monthly meetings. The working group requests to be laid down.
Friends approved laying down the working group with appreciation for the ways they have supported discussions on this topic throughout the Yearly Meeting.
21-62: Memorial Minutes
The memorial minutes received by the Permanent Board over the course of the year will be forwarded to Sessions for the Memorial Meeting. Friends approved.
21-63: Closing Worship
Friends closed with a period of worship. We will meet again on July 17th via Zoom.