Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, 3.9.13 Interim Meeting
Report to Third Haven Friends Meeting
Introduction
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) Interim Meeting (IM) now meets 5 times a year and performs the governance functions of PYM between the PYM annual sessions. Information and materials are emailed to monthly meeting IM representative before the IM. The Third Haven IM representatives are: Tom Corl, Robert Gladney, Dee Rein and Robert Wieland. Representatives attend IM make an oral report to the Third Haven meeting for business and prepare a brief written report for the minutes following each IM. Those Friends who want additional or complete IM information, can go directly to the IM page on the PYM website—PYM.org/interim-meeting. On 3.9.13, Tom Corl went to the 4th and Arch Street Meetinghouse for IM.
Selected Highlights
- In his report to IM, General Secretary Arthur Larrabee indicated the he will retire in next year (~9.2014) after 7 1/2 years of service to PYM.
- A great deal of the IM was spent on 3 separate monthly meeting minutes and a 2008 PYM minute on gun violence. Eventually, IM "accepted" the 3 monthly meeting minutes, asked a group to combine these with the 2008 PYM minute, prepare a new minute on gun violence and recommend a plan of action.
- A minute on human trafficking was approved. There is a PYM webpage on human trafficking.
- Meeting Enrichment Services (formerly the Center for Deepening and Strengthening Our Meetings), a subcommittee of the Worship and Care Standing Committee, has planned a census of attendance at meeting for worship and First Day School in all 103 PYM monthly meetings on 4th month 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th. Connie Lewis is the Third Haven point of contact for this census. I will coordinate with Connie Lewis and Robert Shattuck on this.
- The Worship and Care Standing Committee is soliciting responses to Arthur Larrabbee's paper on Core beliefs. I talked with Benjamin Lloyd, Clerk of that Committee. I will send our 11th month 2012 minute on this and our 4th month 2010 Third Haven "Essence of Our Quaker Faith and Practice" to the Worship and Care Standing Committee.
- Ron Ploeg, PYM Treasurer, presented the PYM fiscal year end 2012 (FY12) report, based on audited results. Based on changes in leadership, significant staff reductions, a 3-year sustainable budgeting and other changes in 2011-12, PYM ended FY 2012 (6th month 2012) with a net (positive) income of $183,112. All the funds "borrowed" from restricted funds for "operations" have been "paid back," using $1.489 million (M) of the $2.414 M requested. The 3-year sustainable budget planning continues in FY14. The Financial Oversight Working Group (FOWG) established a $200,000 "impressed balance" operating account from the FY12 surplus. FY12 cash flow was mostly "underwater," FY13 mostly above water.
- Andrew Anderson, Clerk of FOWG, presented the proposed FY14 unrestricted PYM budget. The restricted fund budget will be presented in 5th month. The budget will be approved at PYM Annual Sessions. FY12 income was $2.881 M and expenses $2.709. FY12 contributions budgeted at $1.720 M came in at $1.950 M. Contributions income has been projected (conservatively flat) at $1.720 M FY12-14. The IM approved the transmittal of this the proposed FY14 unrestricted PYM budget, to monthly meetings for consideration.
- I left at 1:15 before the IM ended.
Respectfully submitted,
Tom Corl
Interim Meeting Representative
Third Haven Friends Meeting