ADVANCE REPORTS New York Yearly Meeting of the Religious
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
2017 ADVANCE REPORTS New York Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends Prepared for Summer Sessions July 23–29, 2017, Silver Bay, NY Please use the documents of this book through- out the week in preparation for business sessions, committee meetings, and the special meetings being held this year. THIS COPY BELONGS TO ......................... i NEW YORK YEARLY MEETING ADVANCE REPORTS The documents of this publication were printed in advance of the 2017–2018 Yearbook for consideration at sessions of New York Yearly Meeting in July of 2017. Please note that the budgets and expenditures of many committees may be found in the Treasurer’s Accounts, page 81. Committees that have their own financial clerks submitted financial reports as part of their committee’s Advance Report. All financial reports are for the 2016 calendar year. Minutes of Yearly Meeting Sessions Fall 2016.................................................................................1 Spring 2017 ......................................................................... 36 Finances 2017 Operating Budget ........................................................76 Treasurer’s Accounts ...........................................................81 Funds Report ...................................................................... 85 Reports of Yearly Meeting Committees, Resource People, and Representatives to Affiliated Groups Meetings for Discernment Meetings for Discernment Steering Committee ................ 88 Ministry Section State of the Society Report ................................................. 89 Ministry Coordinating Committee ..................................... 89 Advancement Committee ....................................................91 Committee on Conflict Transformation ..............................91 Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee .............................. 92 Committee to Revise Faith and Practice ........................... 93 Spiritual Nurture Working Group .......................................95 Committee on Sufferings .....................................................95 Committee on Worship at Yearly Meeting Sessions ...........95 General Services Section General Services Coordinating Committee ........................ 96 Audit Committee..................................................................97 ii Communications Committee .............................................. 99 Development Committee .................................................... 99 Financial Services Committee ........................................... 101 Committee on the Expenditure of the H.H. Mosher Fund . 101 General Secretary’s Report ................................................102 Lindley Murray Fund, Trustees .........................................106 Nominating Committee .....................................................107 Personnel Committee ........................................................107 Yearly Meeting Staff Reports .............................................108 ARCH Staff ....................................................................108 Children and Youth Field Secretary ..............................111 Administrative Associate ...............................................117 Associate Secretary ....................................................... 118 Communications Director ............................................120 Young Adult Field Secretary .........................................122 Records Committee ...........................................................122 Sessions Committee ...........................................................122 Supervisory Committee for the General Secretary ...........125 Trustees, New York Yearly Meeting ..................................126 Trustees Financial Report ............................................128 Nurture Section Nurture Coordinating Committee .....................................129 Committee on Aging Concerns .......................................... 131 Epistle Committee .............................................................133 Friends General Conference Representatives ...................133 Friends United Meeting Representatives..........................134 Friends World Committee for Consultation Committee ..136 Junior Yearly Meeting Committee ....................................136 Oakwood Friends School ................................................... 137 Powell House Co-Executive Directors ...............................139 Elsie K. Powell House, Inc. ................................................140 Young Adult Concerns Committee ....................................144 Youth Committee ...............................................................145 Witness Section Witness Coordinating Committee .....................................146 Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP), Inc. .....................148 iii Witness Section (cont’d) American Friends Service Committee– Northeast Region ..........................................................154 Barrington Dunbar Fund for Black Development ............ 157 Black Concerns Committee ...............................................158 Bolivian Quaker Education Fund ......................................160 Committee on Conscientious Objection to Paying for War .......................................................... 161 European American Quakers Working to End Racism Working Group ....................................163 Friends Committee on National Legislation Representatives .............................................................166 Friends Peace Teams Representatives .............................. 167 Indian Affairs Committee ..................................................170 National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund & Peace Tax ..................................................................174 National Religious Campaign against Torture .................. 174 New Jersey Council of Churches ....................................... 175 New York State Council of Churches ................................. 175 Prisons Committee ............................................................ 176 Right Sharing of World Resources .................................... 179 William Penn House .......................................................... 179 Committee on World Ministries ........................................180 Liaison Committee ............................................................182 Leadings & Priorities Support Working Group.................183 iv NEW YORK YEARLY MEETING FALL SESSIONS November 11–13, 2016 Ethical Culture Society, White Plains, New York Saturday morning, November 12, 2016 Lucinda Antrim (Scarsdale), Clerk Jeffrey Aaron (New Brunswick), Assistant Clerk Karen Way (New Brunswick), Recording Clerk Robin Mallison Alpern (Amawalk), Reading Clerk 2016-11-01. The meeting opened with silent worship. 2016-11-02. The clerk welcomed Friends, introduced the clerks’ table, and thanked those holding the meeting in the Light. She announced that a group journal is available for recording experiences during the weekend. We then entered into worship to hear a message from Christopher Sammond (Poplar Ridge) on the impact of our nation’s political situation. 2016-11-03. Christopher Sammond, general secretary, spoke of the communion of Friends seeking to live out our lives in accordance with God’s will, whether Republican, Democrat, or any other political affiliation. With that in mind, Christopher addressed the trauma experienced by many Friends with the election of Donald Trump. Christopher named many fears: irreversible climate change, racism, religious persecution, gender discrimination, and others. But Christopher turned to what he realized he can trust—God’s presence and availability, the power of love and compassion to overcome fear, hatred, and bigotry and the power of non-violence and the willingness to suffer to soften people’s hearts. Christopher referenced a famous quote, reminding us that the arc of the universe does indeed bend toward justice. In facing the challenges ahead, we are called to endure a “baptism of fire” that will shake us and temper us. Christopher affirmed that we have the resources to face this time, and ended with a query: “In what do you trust?” Friends divided into small groups to discuss this query and the issues that prompted it. The discussion time concluded with a song led by Jeffrey Aaron, “A Song of Peace.” 1 Christopher’s complete message will be attached to these minutes (see page 11). 2016-11-04. The reading clerk read the roll of monthly meetings and worship groups. Friends stood in response. 2016-11-05. Jeffrey Aaron (New Brunswick), co-clerk of the Meetings for Discernment Steering Committee, described the value of extended worship for Friends in the past and the present. Comments from those attending the Meetings for Discernment at Summer Sessions spoke of deeper experience and growing community. The committee is working on issues of scheduling and on the nature of the queries that are offered at the begin- ning of a Meeting for Discernment. Friends were reminded that regions and local meetings can volunteer as hosts for future Meetings for Discernment. The winter Meeting for Discern- ment will be held at Poplar Ridge Meetinghouse on March 4, 2017. [Editor’s note: this date was subsequently changed to March 11, with snow date of March 18, 2017.] Friends received the report. 2016-11-06. Dennis Haag (Old Chatham) reported for himself and Regina Haag on their first 120 days as co-executive