INTERIM MEETING REPORT JUNE 12, 2010:
Friends gathered at 9:30 am for opening worship and welcome.
GENERAL SECRETARY REPORT: PYM is Vital and Growing
Arthur Larrabee introduced the new Associate Secretary for Finance, Lola Georg.
He reported that he met with a group of Young Adult Friends who have gone to Palestine/Israel this week. They will probably be giving a report at the summer session. Arthur also went to a "Friends in Business" dinner that meets two times a year and heard a very spiritual speaker.
A new museum called "Envision Peace" is being planned in Philadelphia. A group of 80 people met to plan this, and only 6 of the 80 people were Quakers. Arthur stated that "Peace is not a Quaker franchise".
Moorestown Meeting had a Peace Fair. Media Meeting just finished 6 weeks of Quaker Quest. They had 18 different presenters from their meeting and the depth of sharing was amazing!
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting reported a gift from a member of $10,138.88 which had been requested by the donor to go to the School of Spirit.
As the gift was over $10,000.00, it was necessary that it be approved and accepted by Interim Meeting.
3RD AMENDMENT TO FRIENDS CENTER AGREEMENT:
There are two changes to this from the 1972 Friends Center Agreement:
- A change of address in the original Articles of Incorporation from 1515 Cherry Street to the true business address of 1501 Cherry Street and;
- Language that specifies the new composition of the Board: a group of nine directors (formerly 12) comprised of three representatives each selected by the three Equity Partners. The proposed Minute was approved.
DEVELOPMENT & ANNUAL FUND: STRATEGIES & STATUS
Wright Horne, Associate Secretary for Advancement and Communications spoke on Fundraising 101-Some Basics. To date $330,000. has been raised with 170,000 to go. Traditionally 40% of gifts come in in the last few weeks.
SUMMER SESSIONS:
Lou Ann Merkle, Sessions coordinator, and Bill Heineman told about plans for the Sessions to be held July 28th to August 1st at DeSales University in Center Valley, PA. A packet with this information was made up for each representative to take back to his or her meeting. A pamphlet on Prophetic Witness School was enclosed. This is about how to act, speak and walk in the spirit with effectivness. FRIENDS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REGISTER ONLINE.
MINUTES OF JANUARY 2010 AND MAY 2010:
New corrected minutes will be posted on the PYM Website on these two meeting minutes. They were approved as corrected.
PEACE AND CONCERNS STANDING COMMITTEE:
Pat Findley introduced two speakers, Kate deRiel and Elizabeth Koopman, from the Indian Committee/Peace and Concerns Standing Committee, and said this was nothing that needed attention today but just for our information. The speakers talked about the United Nations Declaration on the Right of Indigenous Peoples and renunciation of the Doctrine of Discovery. The Doctrine of Discovery was the justification of European Monarchs to send royal representatives, explorers and colonizers forth in a conquering manner to take over new land and then to enslave, kill , or subjugate the Indigenous Peoples they encountered. The Indian Committee requests of Interim Meeting that it support us by minuting Philadelphia Yearly Meeting's disavowal of any claimed validity of the Doctrine of Discovery, and also requests Interim Meeting to minute its endorsement of the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
As this was the first time this subject has been presented to Interim Meeting and as the Peace and Concerns Standing Committee had not been ready to give its approval, action was postponed to a later date.
The meeting adjourned.
Respectfully Submitted,
Connie Lewis and Marsie Hawkinson