PB 22-15: Opening Worship
Friends opened with a period of worship.
PB 22-16: Clerk’s Welcome
The PB Clerk welcomed all to the Spring Edition of Permanent Board 2022, recalling the sacramental nature of Spring: a time of listening for God’s will for our community. The Clerk encouraged participation in the practice of Noticing, noting that the Noticing Patterns of Oppression and Faithfulness is a working group, but it is also a practice, that benefits from our practice of using the sentence stems:
“I feel...“; “I hear....”. “I see....”; “I know…”; “I wonder...”;
PB 22-17: Roll Call
The recording clerk called the roll:
Leslie Manning, PB Clerk; Susan Davies, PB Recording Clerk; Kimberly Allen, Deana Chase, Darcy Drayton, Chris Gant, Beth Hansen, Ian Harrington, Frances Lightsom, Ed Mair (present part time), Christopher McCandless, Jean McCandless, Bob O’Connor, Carole Rein, John Reuthe, Aaron Sakulich, Martha Schwope, Sara Smith, Elizabeth Szatkowski, Will Taber, Donn Weinholtz, Morgan Wilson, Kathleen Wooten,
Ex-Officio: Jeremiah Dickinson (M&C Clerk); Scot Drysdale (Finance Clerk); Rebecca Leuchak (Rising Presiding Clerk); Noah Merrill (YM Secretary); Robert Murray (Treasurer); Bruce Neumann (Presiding Clerk); Elizabeth Reuthe (Secretary’s Supervisor);
Regrets: Travis Belcher, Peter Bishop, Hannah Zwirner Forsythe, Martin Zwirner Forsythe, Joyce Gibson, Gina Nortonsmith, Anna Raddochia, Jackie Stillwell; Bill Walkauskas, Diane Weinholtz; Mary Zwirner
Visitors: Polly Attwood; Melody Brazo; Beth Collea; Paul Kerr (AFSC, At Large); Marion Dalton; Sarah Gant; Mey Hasbrook; Janet Hough; Becky Jones; Frederick Martin; LouAnn McDonald; Lucy Meadow; Beth Morrill; Kathy Olsen; Scott Rhodewalt; LVM Shelton; Nia Thomas; Peter Woodrow; Eleanor Warnock; Diana White John Wojtowicz;
PB 22-18: Approval of January 29, 2022 PB Minutes
The minutes from the January 29, 2022 meeting were distributed in advance documents for review.
Friends approved the minutes.
PB 22-19: Noticing Patterns of Oppression and Faithfulness working group (NPwg) report (report appended)
Friends accepted the NPwg report of the February 7, 2022, PB debrief meeting.
PB 22-20: Presiding Clerk's Report (report appended)
In the Presiding Clerk’s oral report he requested Sarah Gant share news of Yearly Meeting’s involvement, with New York YM (NYYM) in a court case concerning religious freedom to worship and conduct business in Green Haven Correctional Facility. The Quaker meeting for worship was started in Green Haven Correctional Facility by Quaker members of an Alternatives to Violence program. Because the NY Department of Corrections was prohibiting inmates from conducting Meeting for Business for their small meeting NEYM recently joined an amicus brief with NYYM to petition for their religious freedom to do so. The case is likely to eventually go to the Supreme Court, with much excellent legal work having been done by lawyers from our Yearly Meeting and NYYM.
The PB Clerk asked that PB hold these Friends in the Light as they faithfully uphold the witness of Friends. In the spirit of “noticing a pattern” a Friend expressed gratitude for this example of tremendous work preparing excellent reports that inspire PB.
PB 22-21: NEYM Secretary’s report (report appended)
The PB Clerk warmly welcomed Noah back from his sabbatical.
Noah greeted us with words given to him by Rich Holtschuh, a member of the southeast Vermont Abenaki community, when speaking about having a relationship to place. Rich said in the Abenaki language for the European phrase “I am grateful”, is “To be in the natural way”. Noah aligned his return to his work as NEYM Secretary with this sentiment. Sharing some of the wisdom gleaned from his time away he cautioned that we need to try to learn the wisdom of “Do Less”.
The PB Clerk recused herself from discernment about a potential role for Permanent Board regarding a bequest left to Durham Friends Meeting, of which she is a member. The Presiding Clerk, Bruce Neuman clerked this item of business.
Noah Merrill explained that PB is the YM body authorized to deal with bequests. The Yearly Meeting Board of Managers (BoM) has asked that PB discern its potential role to see to disposition of a bequest left for Durham Friends Meeting (DFM). A member of Durham Friends left a generous bequest for DFM with the request that the BoM serve as trustees of the bequest. The BoM concluded they are not legally empowered to serve as trustees and suggested that DFM hold the funds directly.
The Yearly Meeting Secretary requests that PB approve to have the YM Secretary and NEYM General Counsel determine if and how to transfer the bequest for Durham’s use. The request for approval is for the YM Secretary and YM General Counsel to prepare and execute an agreement to change the trustee from the BoM to DFM.
Friends approved.
The YM Secretary expressed gratitude to Erik Philbrook, Rising Clerk of the BoM, for faithful stewardship of this question.
PB 22-22: NEYM Treasurer’s report (report appended)
Robert Murray, YM Treasurer, reported that the 1st Quarter “looks fine”. Revenues and expenses of YM vary from Quarter to Quarter. The Treasurer explained that some funds were previously approved to be released from reserves for support of volunteer leadership activities, and to support backfill for Secretary’s sabbatical. Additionally, the 2nd federal Paycheck Protection Program loan was forgiven thus freeing YM from this debt. Some of these funds will go to the Operating Division, and some will go into the Friends Camp budget.
PB 22-23: Update on Reserves (report appended)
Some years ago, there were concerns in YM about insufficient reserves. YM articulated the goal to have the reserve fund to hold ¼ of Yearly Meeting yearly expenses. Due to two significant positive infusions (forgiveness of the federal PPP loan, and a premium return of insurance expenses) the YM is now in the good position of having some excess reserves. YM proposes to use $15k of the excess reserves for the Antiracism consultation. Additional “excess reserve” funds of approximately $50k provide an opportunity to discern use of these funds.
A Friend expressed gratitude for clarity and simplicity of the reports and expressed appreciation for Catherine Clark who encouraged the Yearly Meeting to go with Friends Mutual Health, which this year, returned a sizable premium to the YM. The Treasurer expressed appreciation to Frederick Martin, Accounts Manager, who led the task of preparing the reports.
PB 22-24:PB Clerk’s pause for noticings
Polly Attwood, clerk of the Noticing Patterns working group, posted the sentence stems in chat:
Core Sentence stems…
- I feel…
- I hear…
- I see…
- I know…
- I wonder . . .
Several Friends expressed specific appreciations and calls for prayer.
PB 22-25: NEYM Finance Committee report (report appended)
Scott Drysdale, YM Finance Committee Clerk (FCC), presented the first reading of the proposed budget with the announcement that we have a balanced budget.
Proposed Budget, first reading: This is a first reading of the budget. It will be coming back for approval.
The FCC reported that much of the budget is a carry-over of assumptions from last year. The appended report itemizes assets released to and from reserves and indicates proposed new expenditures such as honoraria for volunteer positions, support of ministry in local meetings, and a 3.6% Cost of Living adjustment and a small merit increase for most staff.
PB 22-26: Financial Contributions WG Report- Lucy Meadows, on behalf of Financial Contributions wg (report appended)
Reporting for the Financial Contributions working group (FCwg), Lucy Meadows explained that the Financial Contributions Working Group was formed by Permanent Board to “study the contributions we make as part of the annual operating budget.”
The FCwg provided suggested queries and detailed recommendations in their appended report.
During the discussion some Friends expressed concern that the proposed recommendations may result in a less transparent record, without the detail of contribution line items in the budget. Other Friends pointed out that the proposed new approach is helpful in that it disentangles the conundrum of allocation of funds away from the budget, and proposes that another body make the contribution decisions. It is also helpful in that it proposes regular, specific times to engage around the question of contributions. Queries raised during the discussion included:
- “What does it mean to be a member of these other organizations?”
- “How can Friends flexibly respond to needs in the world?”
- “What percent of our budget do we give away?”
- “Who do we feel called to give it to?”
- “Who are ‘we’ that are the people doing the giving? Are there Friends and neighbors close at hand who desperately need our help?”
The YM Secretary clarified important parts of the work–it is important to disentangle “the budget” from “what really matters to us?” If we did that work well it could add weight to why the budget looks like it does. The YM Secretary proposed that this year we carry over last year’s contributions but appoint another group to try to address these fundamental questions. YM has an opportunity at Sessions to invite Friends into spacious reflection on “What matters here?”. After that, PB could shepherd the more specific conversation through the coming year.
The PB clerk released the FCwg, at its request, with gratitude for its work.
Friends affirmed release of this working group.
The PB Clerk articulated a path forward for this work:
- Request that at Sessions the Presiding Clerk make an opportunity for a spacious discussion about some of the queries raised, e.g., “What does it mean to be members of other organizations?”
- Further, PB might consider holding a consultation about our stewardship of contributions to other organizations.
The PB clerk asked whether the PB affirmed this approach.
Friends agreed that PB should continue work on this concern and requested that the Presiding Clerk consider making a spacious time for deep reflection on the concern for how we use our financial resources.
Frederick Martin, the YM Accounts Manager, articulated a technical concern: how to present something that disengages the budget conversation from the deeper contributions question–but there’s a technical question about what “the details of the budget, to be presented at Sessions, will look like.”
PB clerk affirmed this question is important and will be addressed after the PB clerk and the Presiding Clerk check in with key participants.
PB 22-27: Sessions Waiver Request- Proposal to support family participation in Sessions 2022 (proposal appended)
Nia Thomas, YM Quaker Practice & Leadership Facilitator, presented information about the proposal to waive fees for children and youth under the age of 18. Nia reported that Sessions planners, staff, and Coordinating and Advisory (C&A) have been consulted in drafting the proposal. Main points of the proposal:
- Waive any fee for youth through high school
- If this results in a big impact to the budget we currently have reserves to help
- The focus of this year’s sessions is intergenerational
- This year brings a significant youth ministry staff transition making strong youth participation especially important to encourage a successful year
- Can we afford it? Relatively speaking, this year minimizes the financial risk
- We’re already investing in a lot of new volunteer orientation
- Messaging transparency, equalization is important– this is a message of welcome to families
- This is an investment- if kids come 1x they are very likely to want to return.
Friends enthusiastically approved the 2022 Sessions fee waiver for youth.
Reports from working groups and YM representatives to other organizations
PB 22-28 AFSC Report (report appended)
Peter Woodrow reported for the YM AFSC representatives. Peter acknowledged that there are some internal struggles in AFSC about “what the work is.” The representatives report and AFSC’s current strategic plan proposal are appended.
Following the oral report, some Friends expressed confusion about the nature of the “internal struggles.” The PB Clerk stated that it is important to be aware, but not to fix; we are called to hold AFSC in the Light. NEYM holds a powerful concern for the work of AFSC and its loss of operations throughout New England.
One Friend expressed the fervent hope, as YM sends representatives out to other organizations, that they carry some of the faith and practice that we embody here in NEYM, into the other organizations. Some of the lack of trust regarding AFSC reflects a concern for the spiritual grounding of the work, and a concern for YM involvement in AFSC to release a revitalization of the Life of the Spirit in that work.
PB 22-29 Friends United Meeting YM Representatives (oral report only)
Kristina Keefe-Perry reported for the three YM representatives to Friends United Meeting (FUM) board from NEYM.
FUM Program highlights–
- Ramallah has a new head of school who is dynamic and effective;
- Shawn & Katrina McConaughey have returned to North America, handing over partnerships to African staff;
- The North American field office is organizing assistance to the African diaspora, helping them find Quaker worship that is more aligned with the African style they are used to
The FUM Executive Board has met twice since these YM representatives were appointed. The meetings are short to take in many time zones from all over the world. YM representatives charge is to convene a mtg of representatives from other YMs to FUM, to plan for wider intervisitation and to encourage conversation to help move the board to change the personnel policy. Both a letter from YM FUM Representatives, and a YM letter from Bruce Neuman, YM Presiding Clerk, were brought up at a recent FUM board mtg. These communications asked the FUM Executive Board to grapple with how to create a real dialogue. FUM replied promptly, indicating that they plan to bring this subject to an upcoming Executive Board meeting and that they would be open to having a meeting between the FUM North American Clerks and NEYM Reps and the Presiding Clerk. They indicated they welcomed conversation, and they offered someone who wants to visit NEYM. The YM Representatives have also been in dialogue with a Friend who deeply understands the theological and FUM-cultural concerns. They are hoping to initiate an informal mtg with FUM reps from other yearly meetings, to “get to know them”
Friends expressed thanks to God for the indications of possible openings.
PB 22-30: Moses Brown including Nominations (report and slate of nominees appended)
The PB clerk asked for specific concerns about any of the nominees, asking if PB was ready to approve.
Friends approved the names offered in the report.
PB 22-31: Renewal of the Moses Brown Ground Lease
The PB Clerk asked for PB’s assent to carry over consideration of The Moses Brown Ground Lease until it could be considered at the June 2022 meeting of Coordinating and Advisory.
Friends approved C&A addressing the Moses Brown lease.
PB 22-32: Proposal to Permanent Board regarding The Freedmen's Fund (report appended)
Bob Murray, in his role as YM Treasurer, reported on a proposal regarding the Freedman’s Fund. He noted previous concerns about endowments disbursed from the Freedman’s Fund. A small, ad hoc group was formed (Joyce Gibson, Leslie Manning, Beth Morrill, and Robert Murray), to develop appropriate protocols for disbursement of the fund, and for transitions in those charged with disbursement. Their recommendations are appended.
Friends approved the proposal by the ad hoc Freedman's Fund committee.
PB 22-33 Memorial Minutes (memorial minute appended)
Memorial Minute for Marjorie Hancock from Mt Toby Friends Meeting, Connecticut Valley Quarter, was submitted in the advance documents.
Friends approved the memorial minute to be sent to Sessions.
22-34: Closing Worship
Friends closed with waiting worship.