New York Quarterly Meeting, Religious Society of Friends

New York Quarterly Meeting, Religious Society of Friends Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business Flushing Meeting House, Flushing, NY 28th day, tenth month, 2018

AGENDA

READING:

Approval of interim clerk for the day, Beth Kelly

Agenda review

Dates for NYQM in 2020: January 19th: Brooklyn Friends Meetinghouse April 19th: Fifteenth St. Friends Meetinghouse July 18th: Saturday, Quaker Cemetery, Prospect Park October 18th: Flushing Meeting

M&C report on threshing sessions

Nominating Report and consenus slate

Audit and Budget update report

Brooklyn Friends School Annual Report

Manhattan Monthly Meeting Report

Flushing Monthly Meeting Report

Morningside Monthly Meeting Report

Staten Island Meeting

BREAK:

READING:

Brooklyn Monthly Meeting Report

Fifteenth Street Monthly Meeting

Downtown Allowed Meeting Friends Seminary Board of Trustees reply to July QM minute 2018.07.07 (FSBT will do their annual report in January).

…(6) request clarification of what processes Friends Seminary is committed to leading up to a decision to fire a faculty member for cause, and how these processes are consistent with the EPPPs, (7) request processes of care for the Quaker members of the Friends Seminary Board of Trustees (FSBT) so they may report back to the meeting regarding FSBT decisions, (8) whether Quaker members of FSBT season responses to the Quarterly Meeting community, and whether those who stand aside are minuted, (9) clarity about who makes FSBT decisions and how FSBT decides who communicates them, (10) requests a copy of the contract that is the basis for arbitration of Friends Seminary labor disputes.

Care Relationship Committee responds to the following July QM minute:

2018.07.09 The meeting invites Mark Doty and the rest of the CRC to the threshing session noted above to further address the following concerns, Mark’s initial responses to which the meeting hears and appreciates: (1) the CRC’s discernment regarding discourse on the alumni page and the meeting of Robert Lauder with the students, (2) when the CRC prefers relationship-related concerns in writing as opposed to meeting in shared worshipful discernment, (3) requests that expressions of relationship-related concerns from the Quarterly Meeting community go to the complete FSBT, (4) requests clarification of the nature, mission, spiritual foundation and processes of the CRC.

Worship Sharing

CLOSE OF MEETING

Recording clerk: Beth Kelly

Friends Seminary Board of Trustees report is held over until January 2019 Friends in the City Report is held over until January 2019

2019 NYQM dates: January 20th: Brooklyn Friends Meeting, Brooklyn April 21st: Fifteenth Street Meeting, Manhattan July 13th: Quaker Cemetery, Prospect Park, Brooklyn in case of rain, meet at Brooklyn Friends Meeting October 20th: Morningside Meeting, Riverside Church, Manhattan New York Quarterly Meeting, Religious Society of Friends Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business Flushing Meeting House Flushing, NY 28th day, tenth month, 2018

ADVANCE AGENDA

Time: 11am-12pm: all are welcome to join Flushing Meeting for worship 12-1pm: potluck and fellowship (please bring something if so moved), childcare provided. 1 pm: Quarterly Meeting

*The following order of agenda items may be changed prior to the Meeting. *Reports received prior to the Meeting will be posted to the website during the business day they are received. *Please bring two signed copies of your report for the clerks table. Any corrected final reports can be emailed to the clerk and the assistant clerk immediately after the meeting. *No further reports will be scheduled going forward.

Dates for NYQM in 2020: January 19th: Brooklyn April 19th: Fifteenth St. July 18th: Saturday, Quaker Cemetery, Prospect Park October 18th: Morningside Monthly Meeting

-Fifteenth Street Monthly Meeting Report

-Flushing Monthly Meeting Report

-Staten Island Meeting Report

-Manhattan Monthly Meeting Report

-Morningside Monthly Meeting Report

-Brooklyn Monthly Meeting Report

-Downtown Allowed Meeting

Brooklyn Friends School Annual Report

Education Fund

Nominating Report and slate *the slate is posted on the website and has been available and distributed since early October Handbook Cmte (?)

FSBT will reply to QM July minute (FS will do their annual report in January):

2018.07.07 Elizabeth Enloe offers responses to the following expressed concerns: (1) priorities of adherence where there are apparent conflicts between the guidance of the arbitration procedures with the Friends Seminary Teachers’ Association (FSTA) and the Essential Principles Practices and Procedures (EPPPs) agreed to as a condition for separate incorporation, (2) whether the confidentiality currently upheld during the process of binding arbitration will still be upheld when the arbitration decision is rendered, (3) whether the Trustees of the Quarterly Meeting and the Care Relationship Committee can be included among the parties privy to the confidential details of this labor dispute, as per the EPPPs, (4) whether Friends Seminary considers restorative justice processes an option—even if not a procedural obligation—when there is a labor dispute, (5) requests that a response be made to 15th Street with regard to their minutes 2018.4.11 and 2018.6.14, (6) request clarification of what processes Friends Seminary is committed to leading up to a decision to fire a faculty member for cause, and how these processes are consistent with the EPPPs, (7) request processes of care for the Quaker members of the Friends Seminary Board of Trustees (FSBT) so they may report back to the meeting regarding FSBT decisions, (8) whether Quaker members of FSBT season responses to the Quarterly Meeting community, and whether those who stand aside are minuted, (9) clarity about who makes FSBT decisions and how FSBT decides who communicates them, (10) requests a copy of the contract that is the basis for arbitration of Friends Seminary labor disputes.

CRC responds to the following July QM minute:

Friends in the City Report is delayed until January 2019 New York Quarterly Meeting, Religious Society of Friends Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business Flushing Meeting House, Flushing, NY 28th day, tenth month, 2018

Present: Nancy Britton, clerk. Beth Kelly, acting recording clerk Attendance: 15th Street—11; Brooklyn—14; Flushing—5; Manhattan—0; Morningside—7; Staten Island—1. Visiting: New Paltz MM—2; Ithaca MM—1; Beaufort (SC)—1; FS Trustees—1; BFS Trustees —1; QM Staff—1.

2018.10.01 New York Quarterly Meeting gathers in worship at approximately1:00pm. Out of the silence, the clerk reads the following:

"Our gracious Creator cares and provides for all his creatures. His tender mercies are over all his works; and so far as his love influences our minds, so far we become interested in his workmanship and feel a desire to take hold of every opportunity to lessen the distresses of the afflicted and increase the happiness of the creation. Here we have a prospect of one common interest from which our own is inseparable – that to turn all the treasures we possess in to the channel of universal love becomes the business of our lives." John Woolman, 'Plea for the Poor', in the Journal and Major Essays, p 255.

2018.10.2 Today's recording clerk, Beth Kelly, is approved.

2018.10.3 The agenda is distributed and approved.

2018.10.4 The clerk proposes the following dates and locations for New York Quarterly Meeting's regular Meetings for Worship with a Concern for Business in 2020: January 19th: Brooklyn April 19th: Fifteenth St. July 18th: Saturday, Quaker Cemetery, Prospect Park (BMM as rain location) October 18th: Flushing Monthly Meeting Friends accept these dates.

2018.10.5 The clerk reads a brief report by Steven Monroe Smith, clerk of Ministry and Counsel, on the Threshing Sessions held on the 19th and 26th of Ninth Month, 2018, to consider the relationship between NYQM and Friends' schools. The report, including the Call to Threshing and roll, is accepted and attached. 2018.10.6 Jim Morgan of Brooklyn Meeting announces a conference based on query "What would it take to achieve a world in which every human being can live a decent and dignified life?" The conference will take place on May 4, 2019 and will focus helping people understand the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Persons in attendance, including local youth, will explore issues of justice and participation. The event, called "Yes, Another World Is Possible," is being cosponsored by Brooklyn Meeting, NYQM African Education Committee, and NYQM Committee on M&C. Jim Morgan requests NYQM endorsement. Discussion follows. The request for endorsement is approved.

2018.10.7 Elizabeth Powers of the Nominating Committee presents a report from the committee. Discussion follows. Friends accept the report, which is attached.

The following Friends have requested release from service: Barbara von Salis BFS Trustees Janet Soderberg Cemetery Committee Caroline Harting African Great Lakes Education Committee

Friends accept these requests for release and direct the Nominating Committee to seek new members to serve if they have not yet done so. Elizabeth Powers presents the consensus slate of nominees for NYQM positions. The slate is accepted; the new committee roster is accepted and appended.

2018.10.8 David Garrity, clerk of the Audit and Budget committee, presents a requested report updating Friends about the current and projected financial state of the Quarter with and without the Friends Seminary contributions which are currently in escrow. Clarifying discussion follows. Friends accept this report, ongoing budget attached.

2018.10.9 Steve Burwell, Ed Oliver, and Seth Phillips present the annual report for Brooklyn Friends School. Clarifying discussion follows, particularly addressing concerns around diversity and inclusion, and strengthening of Quaker values within the school. Friends request that future reports include the number of Quaker faculty/staff. Friends accept this report, which is attached.

2018.10.10 Andy von Salis reads the clerks' report for Manhattan Monthly Meeting, submitted by Gloria Thompson. This report is accepted and attached.

2018.10.11 There is no periodic report from Flushing Meeting.

2018.10.12 Pamela Wood presents the clerk's report for Morningside Monthly Meeting. This report is accepted and attached. 2018.10.13 Ted Lochwyn presents the clerk's report for Staten Island Monthly Meeting. This report is accepted and attached.

2018.10.14 Andy von Salis gives a verbal report for Downtown Manhattan Allowed Meeting. The written report is attached.

2018.10.15 The clerk calls for a brief recess at approximately 2:30pm. The body returns to waiting worship at approximately 2:50pm. Out of the silence the clerk reads the following:

"Live adventurously. When choices arise, do you take the way that offers the fullest opportunity for the use of your gifts in the service of God and the community? Let your life speak. When decisions have to be made, are you ready to join with others in seeking clearness, asking for God's guidance and offering counsel to one another?" In Quaker Faith and Practice: The Book of Christian Discipline of the Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, 1995.

2018.10.16 Jim Morgan reads Ted Ehrhart's clerk's report for Brooklyn Monthly Meeting. This report is accepted and attached.

2018.10.17 The assistant clerk reads Glenn Josey's clerk's report for 15th Street Monthly Meeting. This report is accepted and is attached.

2018.10.18 Caroline Lane presents the annual report for the Educational Fund which is attached.

2018.10.19 Elizabeth Enloe and Matthew Annenberg, co-clerks of Friends Seminary Board of Trustees, offer a verbal report with notes attached regarding the current state of relationship between FS Trustees and NYQM. This is response to the concerns raised in minute 2018.07 (NYQM Minute 2018.07.07). They note the restrictions placed on FS Trustees during arbitration and report that FS has accepted the arbitrators' decision and is working with Ben Frisch to move forward now that the arbitrators' decision has been rendered. FS Trustees wish the QM to know that they operate by finding unity amongst themselves in all things. They are working on several initiatives to highlight Quaker values at the school and to better engage members of the wider Quaker community. Friends accept this verbal report.

Per previous consultation with the NYQM clerk, Friends Seminary Trustees will present its annual report in First Month, 2019.

2018.10.20 Mark Doty and Travis Combs, co-clerks of the NYQM-15th Street-Friends Seminary Care Relationship Committee reply to concerns raised at the 7th Month Quarterly Meeting for Worship with a concern for business (NYQM Minute 2018.07.09). They note that the CRC has 2 new members and the current committee plans to meet tomorrow after having deferred meeting until the new members were seated. They further reviewed the “Essential Principles, Practices and Procedures” (EPPP) documented guidelines and the CRC's supplemental guidelines for any member of the Quarter or the FS community when bringing concerns to the CRC, which include a request for concerns about potential FS violations of EPPP's to be submitted in writing. They note that they are now forwarding their findings about such concerns to the full FS Board of Trustees. Friends hear and accept the verbal report.

2018.10.21 The clerk summarizes several concerns regarding the relationship between FS and NYQM. She suggests a year of sabbath but notes that our structure requires us to continue certain business. The clerk asks Friends to consider what tools we might have at our disposal to discern as a community how we want to move forward.

After an extensive period of vocal ministry, the clerk observes that Friends are willing to seek a way forward in healing relationships. The clerk directs M&C to consider the messages shared, season how we can use them, and tenderly propose ways forward as they discern. Notes from the preceding period of ministry are attached.

After a final period of waiting worship, the Meeting rises at approximately 5pm, to meet again on the 20th of First Month at 1pm at Brooklyn Monthly Meeting, 110 Schermerhorn Street.

ATTACHMENTS: Audit and Budget interim report Brooklyn Friends School annual report Education annual report Ministry and Counsel Threshing Sessions report Nominating Committee report Nominating Committee’s nominations Brooklyn Monthly Meeting report Downtown Allowed Meeting report Fifteenth Street Monthly Meeting report Flushing – no report this month Manhattan Monthly Meeting report Morningside Monthly Meeting report Staten Island Meeting report New York Quarterly Meeting, Religious Society of Friends Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business Flushing Meeting House, Flushing, NY 28th day, tenth month, 2018

2018.10.22 Attachment from Worship Sharing

During NYQM Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, the clerk invited proposals and comments aimed at finding Way Forward in the relationship among the Quarterly Meeting Community and the Friends Seminary Community (with the acknowledgment of overlap between the two). Below are the first attempts at suggestions, to be seasoned by NYQM's Committee on Ministry and Counsel. These are not formal proposals or even a complete record of the messages shared. Rather, they are a sketch of the breadth of ministry, to the best of the Recording Clerk's ability to type.

- Please put call for discernment in writing to all 500 members of QM - Friends request reports generally be submitted to QM in writing - We need to examine structures and current practices (especially: re-visioning Nominating and Friends led to serve on FS Trustees) - Demanding things in writing feels legalistic and not in keeping with being Friendly (implies mistrust) - Build trust by building community: a suggestion constituents (FS Trustees, CRC, 15th Street members, others?0 spend a weekend together getting to know each other in order to build trust and keep soul in the work. - A reminder that some Friends prefer written reports due to easier visual versus auditory processing - Friends suggest seasoning concerns with M&C to see if there's a thread that would be important to communicate - Emphasize the importance of face-to-face communication – interpersonal communication that permits relationship-building between FS and QM members has not been part of our structure and expectations. - Do we trust our appointed Trustees? Can they have necessary conversations with QM members and with FS Trustees? - Do we make formal Clearness processes available to FS administration or Trustees? - Hope that the CRC might not just adjudicate but season concerns and hopes and bring them to appropriate committees such as M&C and FS Trustees - Why is the communication process "so absurdly difficult"? Friends perceive Head of School is acting not in the manner of Friends; desire that QM minute a request that FS not renew Head's contract. - How wonderful it would be to take a Sabbath year, settle back into our work together after it's done. - A worry that we do not yet fully understand the structures that already exist—CRC is "learning itself into existence". Maybe have a map of current structures and name what different structures are meant to accomplish/what people are charged to do to make things work. - Relationship care and self-care, both needed - Computing is not Communing—need to speak face-to-face as much as we can, attend to each other rather than our devices/the documents. - Friends have felt "called to the principal's office" when QM minutes questions to committees, and especially questioning the spiritual grounding of committees' work. - Need to move energy away from feeding the "vortex of negativity" and spending so much energy in the MM (15th Street especially) and QM on concerns re: FS. - This community needs all the members of the community to be participating – not to be in a blob of stymieing, but of healing. Listening, letting go, transparency. "You don't have to like the people you work with, you have to trust them." Need to figure out how to trust each other or we can't move forward. - How can we bring our Quaker message to a world that needs us right now more than ever before—and we can't do this if we're all fighting with our neighbors - Outsiders do not see a difference between FS and Quakers in general. We need to set a better example. - As long as we call anyone "the devil incarnate" we will never heal. We cannot trust if some friends use such language—it demonstrates a lack of willingness to see That of God. Also, it forecloses open communication because the one called a devil will never trust us enough to seek our counsel. - FS is still a deeply Quaker school! Still teaching values, bringing families to the Society, teaching children Quaker values and processes parents haven't taught them yet. - Step up to your best game, and let that "best game" be dealing only from love - There's a toy finger trap that if you try to tug hard to get your fingers out, gets tighter. If we try gently pulling fingers rather than tugging them, we'll be able to find release by coming closer— each might ask, what would it take for me to not pull so hard? - How can each of us endeavor to be more trustworthy? - We need to keep holding in the Light: Ben Frisch, FS trustees, FS community, NYQM - How can I not care about what's important to you? This is an important question for each of us to ask of ourselves when in disagreement with others. - Community shows up - It's an act of resistance to manifest love/care about how we are with one another - We have an opportunity to practice and model how to love and be the best we can be even when the world is showing us people getting killed. - How else are we to take things but personally - Sometimes we act like all we care about is winning - Need for kindness in how we treat each other - Felt like all the little things [sic; these include AVP trainings, dinners, festive occasions] to encourage good relationships were washed away by recent controversy - Quaker decision making among FS board "as close to revelation that I have ever experienced in my life" - Let's try looking for the things we share in common (FCNL-style) - Restorative practice – why aren't we talking about it? Friends should be making as much use as we possibly can. PROJECTIONS OF EXPECTED NYQM SURPLUS/DEFICITS OVER TIME: (Annualized (Actual) (Actual) (Actual) (Actual) (Actual) (Budget) tru Sept. 2018) (Projection) (Projection) 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Expenses: Personnel 728,987 763,931 796,651 823,326 832,880 941,691 926,879 974,179 1,007,789 Property 282,252 288,435 272,785 292,444 313,330 395,000 389,409 430,945 470,161 Other 62,131 70,656 386,365 1,772,436 346,333 154,440 173,656 166,795 180,139 Capital 334,207 102,678 199,713 185,574 193,549 2,527,510 986,721 567,718 576,911 Distributions 327,255 118,375 167,697 152,773 131,949 132,000 122,707 134,640 137,333 Total 1,734,832 1,344,075 1,823,211 3,226,553 1,818,041 4,150,641 2,599,372 2,274,278 2,372,332

Income: Operations & Contributions 1,119,851 1,006,581 1,065,611 1,230,840 1,239,706 2,263,762 1,323,307 1,745,892 1,794,218 Investments 692,800 717,441 733,536 765,647 722,026 761,993 514,036 500,000 500,000 Reserve Fund (15th Street) - - - - - 441,875 - 183,859 188,455 Total 1,812,651 1,724,022 1,799,147 1,996,487 1,961,732 3,467,630 1,837,343 2,429,751 2,482,673

Surplus/(Deficit): 77,819 379,947 (24,064) ### 143,691 (683,011) (762,029) 155,473 110,341 Cumulative total 77,819 457,766 433,702 (796,364) (652,673) ### ### ###

* Memo: Expected surplus/(deficit) without Friends Seminary contributions. (998,509) ### Cumulative total ### ### (Projection) (Projection) (Projection) 2021 2022 2023 Notes / Assumptions

1,042,557 1,078,525 1,115,735 3.45% annual growth 512,946 559,624 610,549 9.1% annual growth 194,550 210,114 226,923 8% annual growth not including attorney fees and visioning study 586,334 595,992 605,892 Reserve Fund Contributions from FS/QM plus $200K for Brooklyn 140,079 142,881 145,739 2% annual growth depending on investment returns 2,476,466 2,587,136 2,704,838

1,843,963 1,939,301 1,992,803 FS and DoE rent income only 500,000 500,000 500,000 Flat due to recent draw downs for attorney fees and capital expenses 193,167 197,996 202,946 2,537,130 2,637,297 2,695,749

60,664 50,161 (9,089) ### ### ###

### ### ### ### ### ###

EDUCATION FUND COMMITTEE Report October, 218

The Education Fund Committee meets 3 to 4 times a year to fulﬁll our purpose of making

Grants to Quaker children attending Brooklyn Friends School or Friends Seminary. The funds used come from the income of bequests made to New York Quarterly Meeting some of which stipulated that preference should be given to minority children.

This year we awarded assistance to three (3) Friends Seminary students and twelve (12) students attending Brooklyn Friends School. Almost half were minority children. We awarded grants totaling $52,000 in assistance to these students.

Respectfully submitted,

Caroline Lane, Clerk, Flushing Meeting

Travis Combs, 15th Street Meeting

Barbara Kuesell, Brooklyn Meeting

Glenn Josey, 15th Street Meeting

Michael Phillips, Brooklyn Meeting Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) 15 Rutherford Place

New York, NY 10003

New York Quarterly Meeting

Ministry and Counsel Committee (NYQM M&C) 10.28.2018

Report on Threshing Sessions

T0 the Clerk, New York Quarterly Meeting;

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Steven Monroe Smith. Clerk ot‘NYQM Ministry and Counsel Committee

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New York Quarterly Meeting Quarterly Nominating Report to New York Quarterly Meeting

Dear Friends,

“As Quakers we are part of community rooted in the experience of transformation. This transformation is inward, it is personal, and it is collective.” – Ben Pink Dandelion, Open for transformation

As the quarterly nominating committee, we strive to enable all three levels of that transformation through our nominating process. Over the past year, we read the Strawberry Creek Nominating Process and felt led to commit ourselves to much of that process. We listen for where the spirit leads us in nominations and we follow those leadings, seeking to match gifts and needs of individuals with the needs of the Quarter. We do not pursue nominations as an administrative exercise but as a deeply spiritual and spirit-led practice that aims to serve New York Quarterly Meeting as a body and to enable the spirit to do its work through the body. Sometimes, it is not entirely clear why we are led to a specific nomination, but if our collective discernment holds true, we trust that the nomination will serve to transform both the individual and the quarter.

At our first meeting after last quarterly meeting, we were led as a group to share the moment when we each individually became in some way transformed by the spirit, in a way that called us to life as Quakers, a life lived in the Kingdom.

It is in this spirit that we make the following nominations.

For Audit and Budget,

• Kathy Stackhouse from Morningside Meeting for a partial term, ending in April 2020

For Brooklyn Friends School Trustees,

• At the April 2018 Quarterly Meeting, Ben Horner requested release from service from Brooklyn Friends School Trustees as of September 2018; he has subsequently discerned that he would like to finish out his term through September 2019. • Barbara von Salis, the nominee from Brooklyn Meeting, has requested release from her service on Brooklyn Friends School Trustees due to her move to Rhode Island. See attachment A

Nominations

• Robin Puskas from Brooklyn Meeting for a partial term, ending in September 2020 as the Brooklyn Meeting nominee for the Brooklyn Friends School Trustees. This is to fill the seat previously filled by Barbara von Salis. • Marie Hoguet from Brooklyn Meeting for a first term, ending in September 2021

For Cemetery Committee, Janet Soderberg has requested release from her service on the Cemetery Committee due to health reasons. See attachment B For Communications Committee,

• Steven Monroe Smith from 15th Street Meeting for a partial term to April 2019 • Lynn von Salis from Brooklyn Meeting for a partial term to April 2019 • Dave Britton from Morningside Meeting for a partial term to April 2020 • Ann Kjellberg from 15th Street Meeting for a partial term to April 2020 • Brian Oetell from Morningside Meeting for a first term to April 2021 • Dwight Huey from Manhattan Meeting for a first term to April 2021 – we would like to acknowledge a concern raised that our Friend Dwight Huey may not have time to fulfill his service on the committee due to being a Freshman in college. We have spoken with our Friend Dwight. He has energy and excitement about being involved. It is Nominating’s discernment to nominate Dwight despite this concern for the following reasons: o We hear a clear leading in his desire to serve o We are led to have a young person on this committee o Dwight is a member of Manhattan Monthly Meeting, which tends to be underrepresented on our committees and is not currently represented on the communications committee o People of color are currently underrepresented on the communications committee, as well as many of our other committees o Most importantly, this is an opportunity to keep an energetic and spirit-led young person integrated in the life of the Quarterly Meeting, at a time when many Friends’ participation wanes

For Educational Fund, Bryan Wigfall from Morningside Meeting for a first term, ending April 2021

For Great Lakes (Africa) Education Committee, Caroline Harting requests release from her service on this committee. See attachment C

For Handbook Coordinating Committee, Charles Sirey from 15th Street Meeting for a first term ending April 2020

For Quarterly Ministry and Counsel, Karen Taborn from Morningside Meeting for a partial term ending April 2019

For Quarterly Nominating Committee, Patty Frascatore from Brooklyn Meeting for a first term ending April 2020

For NYYM Nominating, Joe Garren from Brooklyn Meeting for a partial term to 2019

Lastly, there are no nominations over which we labor more than the nominations to Friends Seminary Board of Trustees. We wanted to hold nominations until after the threshing sessions about the relationship between the Quarter and the schools. Given our desire to post nominations well in advance of Quarterly Meeting, we are not led to bring any nominations at this time.

Quarterly Nominating met with Quarterly M&C on October 8th to season this leading and the concerns we carry about this committee: • The spiritual integrity of Friends on this committee seems to come into question immediately upon approval to serve • Many Friends on this committee seem to stop attending their monthly meetings at some point after being approved to serve • Our sense is that Friends have been reluctant to serve on the Friends Seminary Board of Trustees. As a result, until recently, the Quarter has accepted nominations suggested by the Governance and Nominating Committee of Friends Seminary Board of Trustees without actively seeking Friends in the Quarter to serve. • Friends speak of the school and its trustees in a way that implies or directly states that they cannot see that of God in them and have expressed an inability to forgive the individuals serving on the board of trustees. • We hear the sense of the Quarter being that there is not enough Quaker process alive in Friends Seminary. We hear an expectation that it lies on the shoulders of those nine Friends nominated to serve as Trustees of Friends Seminary to see to the presence of Quaker process in Friends Seminary. Friends have suggested names of Friends to serve on the Friends Seminary Board of Trustees with the belief that such Friends would be advocates for a specific agenda. Our sense is that the work needed is more than that of Trustees, but that of the whole community of Quakers. As we met with M&C we sought ways to rebuild the relationship between the school and the community of Friends of the Quarter. We found unity in recognizing a need for the Quarter to establish and maintain an ongoing direct conversation with the Friends we appoint to serve as Friends Seminary Trustees. We need to build trust through open communications, mutual accountability and clarity about our shared leadings and expectations. The Quarter is the community of Friends committed to providing the school with Quaker leadership and guidance as to acting in the manner of Friends. We need to ensure that those of us who serve as Trustees are supported and enabled by their Friends community as well as being accountable and effective in their school leadership service.

With the support of M&C we expect to meet with Friends to build a greater understanding of the work of the Friends Seminary Board of Trustees, and to get to know and support the members of the Quarter who take on this service. This will help us be more effective in finding those among us who are best suited for such work.

Quarterly Nominating continues to seek a way forward and hopes to bring nominations to the Quarter in first month 2019.

No one understood the power of service as an enabler of spiritual transformation more than our beloved committee member Naomi Paz Greenberg. We ask the body to hold her in prayer and remember her dedicated service to the Quarter through her work on Quarterly nominating.

Submitted in Friendship,

New York Quarterly Meeting Nominating Committee

David Britton Elizabeth Powers, clerk Carol Summar Charles Sirey

Attachment A – Barbara von Salis request for release from Brooklyn Friends School Board of Trustees

Hello Elizabeth,

I would like to request release from the Brooklyn Friends School Board of Trustees, effective the school year of 2018-19,

In Friendship,

Barbara

Attachment B – Janet Soderberg request for release from Cemetery Committee

Hi Elizabeth,

This note attests to my leaving the cemetery committee because of health concerns. I'm also the clerk of Friends in Unity with Nature. One committee is enough at this point in my life.

In Friendship, Janet Soderberg

Attachment C – Caroline Harting request for release from Great Lakes Region Education Committee

Hi Elizabeth,

I realized that I do not have the bandwidth to be a member of the NYQM Africa Education Committee, so I asked to be taken off. I actually decided to do this last year, and I thought Jim had contacted you, but I think I was mistaken. I think I also forgot to contact you myself. Sorry about that!

Could you take me off the committee officially? Thank you!

Someone who was supposed to come off the committee didn't, so I believe there isn't a gap in committee members. Marna, is that correct?

I have been doing work for them with their newsletter email and will continue to help the committee out with emails and possibly a website.

Cheers, Caroline

- 1 - APPROVED AT QUARTERLY MEETING 28TH DAY OF 10TH

NEW YORK QUARTERLY MEETING NOMINATING COMMITTEE ROSTER 28TH DAY OF 10TH MONTH, 2018 - APPROVED

‘c’ denotes current clerk of committee; ‘cc’ denotes co-clerk; ‘r‘ denotes recording clerk; all terms ending in April unless otherwise indicated

OFFICERS: Term: 1 yr; max tenure: 5 consecutive terms

Nominations Who Nomin? Current Name Office Meeting Term NYQM Nancy Britton Clerk Morningside 1 NYQM Ian Hansen Asst Clerk 15th Street 2 NYQM Lynn von Salis Treasurer Brooklyn 2 NYQM Bart Dominus Asst Treasurer Morningside 2

NY QUARTERLY MEETING TRUSTEES: 9 members; term: 3 yrs; max tenure 2 consecutive terms

Nominations Current Name Meeting Term End Yr

Glen Josey 15th Street partial 2019 Wade Black Brooklyn partial 2019 Bart Dominus Morningside 1 2019 Bill Parrott Brooklyn 1 2020 Lynn von Salis Brooklyn 1 2020 Michael Phillips Brooklyn 2 2020 Sheila O'Hara Brooklyn 1 2021 Pat Donahue 15th Street 1 2021 c Katherine Alford Morningside 2 2021

AUDIT AND BUDGET COMMITTEE: 6 members; term: 3 yrs, max tenure: 2 cons terms

Nominations Current Name Meeting Term End Yr

partial 2019 Paul Flint Brooklyn 1 2019 Nancy Hadley Jaffee 15th Street 1 2019 c Dave Garrity 15th Street 2 2019 Kathy Stackhouse Morningside partial 2020 Martha Hyde Brooklyn 2 2021

BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL TRUSTEES COMMITTEE: 9 members; term: 3 yrs, ending Sept; max: 3 cons terms; nominations needed in April; 1 Bklyn MM nomination

Nominations Current Name Who Nomin? Meeting Term End Yr

Lakisha Grant NYQM Brooklyn partial 2019 Audrey Jayne NYQM Montclair partial 2019 Ben Horner NYQM Downingtown, PA 1 2019 Robin Puskas Bklyn Mtg Brooklyn partial 2020 Willie Mae Watkins NYQM Brooklyn 1 2020 c Ed Oliver NYQM Brooklyn 1 2020 Adam Rashid NYQM Brooklyn 1 2021 Gustav Peebles NYQM Brooklyn 2 2021 Marie Hoguet NYQM Brooklyn 1 2021

CEMETERY COMMITTEE: 6 members; term: 3 yrs, max tenure: 3 cons terms

- 2 - APPROVED AT QUARTERLY MEETING 28TH DAY OF 10TH

Nominations Current Name Meeting Term End Yr

John Major Brooklyn partial 2019 cc Mary Owen Brooklyn 3 2019 Janet Soderberg 15th Street 1 2020 cc Suzanne Stout 15th Street 2 2020 Chris Roddick Brooklyn 1 2021 Linnea Capps Brooklyn 2 2021

CMTE FOR DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN ALLOWED MTG:4 mem; term: 3 yrs, no maximum tenure

Nominations Current Name Meeting Term End Yr

Richard Schmidt Morningside partial 2019 Tom English Flushing 3 2019 c Sally Campbell Morningside 5 2020 Barbara Kuesell Brooklyn 3 2021

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE: 6 members; term: 3 yrs, max tenure: 2 terms

Nominations Current Name Meeting Term End Yr

Steven Monroe Smith 15th Street partial 2019 Lynn von Salis Brooklyn partial 2019 Dave Britton Morningside partial 2020 Ann Kjellberg 15th Street partial 2020 Dwight Huey Manhattan 1 2021 Brian Oetell Morningside 1 2021

EDUCATIONAL FUND: 6 members; term: 3 yrs, max tenure: 2 cons terms

Nominations Current Name Meeting Term End Yr

Barbara Kuesell Brooklyn partial 2019 Glenn Josey 15th Street 1 2020 c Caroline Lane Flushing 2 2020 Travis Combs 15th Street 1 2021 Marc LaRiviere 15th Street 1 2021 Bryan Wigfall Morningside 1 2021

FRIENDS IN THE CITY: By-laws require 60% appointed by NYQM, 40% appointed by the Lantern Group. At this time, the committee works well with five people serving, three of whom are appointed by NYQM. 3 members appointed by NYQM term: 3 yrs, max tenure: 2 cons terms

Nominations Current Name Meeting Term End Yr

Carol Jackson 15th Street partial 2019 Steven Monroe Smith 15th Street 1 2020 Frederica Azania Clare 15th Street 2 2021

- 3 - APPROVED AT QUARTERLY MEETING 28TH DAY OF 10TH

FRIENDS SEMINARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES COMMITTEE: 9 members; term: 3 yrs, ending Sept; max: 3 cons terms One 15th Street MM nomination

Nominations Current Name Who Nomin? Meeting Term End Yr

NYQM 15th Street partial 2019 NYQM 15th Street 1 2021 Ben Smith NYQM 15th Street 2 2019 c Elizabeth Enloe NYQM 15th Street 3 2019 Isaac Henderson NYQM Paulina, IA 1 2020 Liz DiGiorgio NYQM Flushing 3 2020 Carol Warner NYQM 15th Street 3 2020 Buxton Midyette 15th St. 15th Street 1 2021 Mark Doty NYQM Brooklyn 2 2021

GAY PRIDE PARADE COORDINATORS: 2 members: 3 year terms, no max terms

Nominations Current Name Meeting Term End Yr

William Carr Brooklyn 1 2020 Ernie Buscemi Morningside 2 2021

GREAT LAKES REGION (AFRICA) EDUCATION CMTE: 6 members; 3 yr terms, no max terms

Nominations Current Name Meeting Term End Yr

Caroline Harting Brooklyn partial 2019 Marna Herrity Brooklyn 4 2019 Margaret Mulindi Manhattan 5 2020 Tony Shitemi Nairobi Int’l 5 2020 Betty Williams 15th Street co-opted Rotating Margery Cornwell 15th Street 7 2021 Clerk Corona Machemer Valley 5 2021

HANDBOOK COORDINATING COMMITTEE: 3 members: 2 years; 2 consecutive terms

Nominations Current Name Meeting Term End Yr

______1 2019 Charles Brainard 15th Street 1 2020 Charles Sirey 15th Street 1 2020

- 4 - APPROVED AT QUARTERLY MEETING 28TH DAY OF 10TH

MINISTRY AND COUNSEL CMTE: 9 members; term: 2 yrs; max tenure: 3 terms

Nominations Current Name Meeting Term End Yr

Karen Taborn Morningside partial 2019 Margery Cornwell 15th St. partial 2019 Joan Malin Brooklyn partial 2019 c Steven Monroe Smith 15th St 1 2020 Julie Finch 15th St. 3 2020 Dan Truman Flushing 1 2020 Jim Morgan Brooklyn 1 2020 Robert Wilber Stillwater OH 2 2020 Beth Kelly Brooklyn 2 2020

NOMINATING COMMITTEE: 7 members; term: 2 yrs; max: 3 cons terms; all members nominated by mm's

Nominations Current Name Who Nomin? Meeting Term End Yr

M'hattn Mtg Manhattan 2020 Flushing Mtg Flushing 2020 Carol Summar 15th St Mtg 15th Street 1 2019 c Elizabeth Powers Bklyn Mtg Brooklyn 1 2019 David Britton M'side Mtg Morningside partial 2019 Patty Frascatore Bklyn Mtg Brooklyn 1 2020 Charles Sirey 15th St Mtg 15th Street 2 2020

RELIEF COMMITTEE: 7 members; term: 3 yrs, max tenure: 3 cons terms

Nominations Current Name Meeting Term End Yr

Nancy Adelman 15th Street 3 2018 Emmanuel Mulindi Manhattan partial 2019 Jolene Festa Brooklyn 1 2020 Julie Glynn Brooklyn 1 2020 John Slater Morningside 2 2020 Andres Colapinto Brooklyn 1 2021 c Nancy Hadley Jaffe 15th Street 2 2021

NYYM MINISTRY COORD CMTE: term: 3 yrs; max 2 terms, must be a member of one of the monthly meeting ministry and counsel/oversight committees at the time the appointment is made

Nominations Current Name Meeting Term End Yr

Hugo Lane Flushing partial 2019

NYYM NOMINATING CMTE: 3 appointees; term: 3 yrs, ending in April; max tenure: 2 terms

Nominations Current Name Meeting Term End Yr

Joe Garren Brooklyn partial 2019 ______partial 2019 ______partial 2019

BROOKLYN MONTHLY MEETING Of the Religious Society of Friends

110 Schermerhorn Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 PO Box 26123 Brooklyn, NY 11202-6123 www.brooklynmeeting.org

Report of Brooklyn Monthly Meeting New York Quarterly Meeting, Twenty-eighth of Tenth Month, 2018

Brooklyn Monthly Meeting worshiped every First day at 9:00 and 11:00 am, as well as, on Third day at 6:30 pm. Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business was held this past quarter on Second of Ninth Month & Seventh of Tenth Month Fourth of Third Month. We did not meet in Eighth Month.

We learned of the death of Maureen Burns a member of Friendship Friends Meeting, Greensboro, North Carolina. Maureen and her husband Alex were members in Brooklyn in the 80’s. For those who remember Maureen, she had a rapid progression of illness in June and died 7/4/18. Beth and Jacqueline were at her side, and she died in peace. Her ashes will be buried in Prospect Park. We accepted into membership Eli Blood-Patterson who transferred his membership from Middletown Monthly Meeting, Lima, Pennsylvania. We were heartened to learn that our member Ben Frisch would be entitled to return to Friends Seminary should he choose to do so. The meeting approved a request from our peace and social action committee to support a leading from Jim Morgan to hold a conference to focus on the query “What would it take to achieve a world where every human could lead a decent and dignified life?” (Minute 2018.10.09).

We have enjoyed a busy Fall. The 1st day school committee had a pancake breakfast to begin their school year, the welcoming committee hosted a pot luck dinner for the meeting, and we co-hosted with Brooklyn Friends School an Indigenous People’s Thanksgiving Celebration at the meeting house. We continue to have hymn singing the First Day of the month, on the second First Day we have worship sharing on a spiritual text, on the third First Day we have an adult religious education worship, and on the last we have a community dinner for our neighbors.

For Brooklyn Monthly Meeting,

Ted Ehrhardt, clerk

The Downtown Manhattan Allowed Meeting Annual report October 28, 2018

This year we met for worship every one of the 22 Thursday evenings from the beginning of May to the end of September. There was one rainy day but even then two people attended.

There are 5 regular attenders: 2 from Morningside, 2 from Brooklyn and 1 from 15th Street Meeting. We had visitors from Puerto Vallarta Mexico, Washington DC, and Twin Cities Minnesota. The last of these was inspired to suggest to her meeting that they have an outdoor meeting.

We are no longer surrounded by vegetable gardens but wild flowers and bushes. There even a few delicious wild berries we have found and shared.

Since the gate is open and the labyrinth is visible, we have had folks coming in to walk it, as well as picnickers, dog lovers and once even a film crew.

FIFTEENTH STREET MONTHLY MEETING RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS 15 Rutherford Place, New York, NY 10003 Telephone (212) 475-0466 [email protected] http://fifteenth.quaker.org/

October 28, 2018

Dear Friends,

In the last quarter, Fifteenth Street Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends met every First Day for two Meetings for Worship, one at 9:30AM and the other at 11AM. We continue to hold First Day School every First day at 11AM. We also have Bible Study every second First day at 11AM. We continued our new time and transition from Meeting for Worship to Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business starting at 12PM holding meetings on September 9, 2018 at 12 PM and October 14, 2018 at 12PM. We did not hold a Meeting for Worship to Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business in August.

Since our last report, we transferred the memberships of Jon and Suzanne Stout to Palm Beach Monthly Meeting. On Saturday September 22, we held a Memorial Meeting for Beatrice Markowitz. We also held a Meeting for Worship with a concern for Marriage for Ian Hansen and Tammy Ching Ching Wu on Saturday September 15th.

Our active Peace & Social Justice Committee continues to raise money for several witness activities including the New Sanctuary Coalition and refugees through sandwich sales. We also sent a minute to Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer regarding the abolition of cash bail.

We also agreed to sponsor the December 1st session of the Young Adult Spiritual Nurture Series. The series, led by Marissa Badgley gives young adults the opportunity to look at how our faith interacts with their lives.

In October, we heard a moving report by Friend Emily Provance on her travels in the ministry and we renewed her travel minute for the coming year. Friends may follow her travels in the ministry by reading her blog at https://quakeremily.wordpress.com.

In Friendship,

Glenn Josey Clerk, Fifteenth Street Monthly Meeting, 2018

2018-7-10: In an effort to clarify the purpose of the meeting’s minutes from April and June in relation to the Ben Frisch situation, we renew our request for replies from the Friends Seminary trustees. The April minute is as follows: 2018-4-11: The Clerk reads aloud a five-page summary of the Friends’ Seminary Care Relationship Committee’s deliberations and explorations around the dismissal of Brooklyn Friend Ben Frisch as well as minutes from the Friends’ Seminary board of trustees’ executive committee, and the Morningside and Brooklyn Monthly Meetings. The meeting understands the difficulty of all involved. We note that the Care Relationship Committee and the Friends’ Seminary board of trustees are comprised of many members of the Friends community and work with all members of the school community to institute Friends’ values at the school. In an effort to support the employment of our values at the school, we shall hold a meeting for worship. We invite students, parents, faculty, and quarterly-meeting members to attend the worship, and we wish to build ties between our communities. We invite those in support of Ben as well as those who feel victimized by the event to attend. We note the difficulties that have preceded the relationship but wish to work to improve it. We ask members of the meeting to work to strengthen as well as follow the procedures to address concerns. We also ask members of the Friends’ Seminary board of trustees, especially the Friends on the board, to attend the New York Quarterly Meeting next week to best explain the Ben Frisch release from employment and tangential events around the matter to the quarterly meeting. We ask the Friends’ Seminary board of trustees to ensure that the students, faculty, and alumni petitions are heard and responded to in a timely manner, noting that many students will graduate and become alumni in two months. We ask the Friends’ Seminary board of trustees to articulate guidelines for how self-expression may be fostered without injuring others and now those statements will be governed if broken but to ensure restorative justice and reconciliation practices employed before releasing students from service and from school. We ask all members of 15th street, the quarterly meeting, and the school community to be cautious of how we speak so as not to slander and injure others. We ask all members of the meeting and the school to hold each other and Ben Frisch in the light. We join with Morningside and Brooklyn to rehe Care Relationship Committee in a confidential manner the rationale and underlying additional facts justifying the release -from-service of Ben Frisch. It is our expectation that the Friends’ Seminary board of trustees exercise the appropriate oversight for major decisions in accordance with Friends’ values and the Essential Principles, Practices, and Procedures. The meeting notes that there are concerns that the Friends’ Seminary board of trustees have not been able to exercise the oversight necessary for the the implementation of Friends’ principles and practices. We ask for the full board to be strengthened and charged with the oversight of the actions of the school administration. We ask that the Friends who are members of the Friends’ Seminary board of trustees be empowered to share with the community the actions of the board for greater transparency within the Friends’ Seminary board of trustees and with 15th street and the quarterly meeting. We encourage individual Friends to follow the Essential Principles, Practices, and Procedures to have their concerns heard.

The June minute is as follows: 2018-6-14: One Friend says that we and other groups of Friends have written to the Friends' Seminary trustees and the Care Relationship Committee about Ben Frisch's firing and have not received a reply. She wonders if the Care Relationship Committee has been able or even allowed to consider the matter. We ask the clerk to write to the School Trustees and the Care Relationship Committee to ask them for an update on the concerns that this meeting has written to them about Ben Frisch's firing, quoting this monthly meeting's April minute #2018-4-11. We ask the clerk, as well, to speak with the clerks of those committees. We ask for replies by the time of the next monthly meeting (8th July). We ask the clerk to send this minute to the quarterly meeting in order to take up the matter there. We ask Travis Combs, co-clerk of the Care Relationship Committee to attend the next monthly meeting and report on the matter. The meeting expresses concern about the open-ended approach of consideration by the Care Relationship Committee. There is also concern that Friends who are following the Essential Principles, Practices, and Procedures of the Care Relationship Committee are not being heard.

It is the understanding of the monthly meeting that the Care Relationship Committee will facilitate communication. The Care Relationship Committee must be able to take concerns - not just outright violations of the Essential Principles, Practices, and Procedures - to the School Trustees. If not, the process is not functioning. We do not feel that the Care Relationship Committee has to conclude that the school violated the Essential Principles, Practices, and Procedures before forwarding concerns to the School Trustees. Not allowing concerns to go forward from the Care Relationship Committee to the School Trustees is in itself a violation of the spirit of the Essential Principles, Practices, and Procedures. We feel that by not letting the School Trustees consider these concerns, the Care Relationship Committee is not allowing the school the opportunity to live into its Quaker values. Nancy Hadley-Jaffe stands aside from this minute. We ask the clerk to forward this minute to the New York Quarterly Meeting.

Manhattan Monthly Meeting Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) 15 Rutherford Pl. New York, NY. 10003

Pastor: David Herendeen CoClerks: Margaret Mulindi & Gloria Thompson

Quarterly Report October 26, 2018

Manhattan Monthly Meeting continues to meet on 1st, 3rd and 5th First Days at 9:30 am with 2nd first Day for Bible Study at 10am and 4th First Day visitation at Manhasset Monthly Meeting. We have had no new members just a steady stream of faithful attenders. During the quarter in review, members attended Yearly Meeting Summer Session at Silver Bay, New England Yearly at Castleton University, Vermont; Philadelphia Yearly Meeting at The College of New Jersey and Canadian Yearly Meeting at Georgian College, Barrie, Ontario. Our fund raising effort to complete three classrooms at Davanga Primary School in Western Kenya is ongoing as we are yet to meet the construction cost. We were able to provide uniforms to all orphans and extremely needy children at the school. We continue to have shared worship with 15th Street Meeting on the 1st First Day in each quarter and a common First Day School. Members of Manhattan Monthly Meeting continue to pray for a deeper personal relationship with God and spiritual discernment to reach more people.

Gloria Thompson CoClerk Report to the New York Quarterly Meeting October 28, 2018

1. Morningside Monthly Meeting continues to meet each First Day for Meeting Worship on the 12th floor of the Riverside Church Tower with Meeting for Children on the 13th floor. Meetings for Worship with a Concern for Business were held on September 9, and October 14, 2018. Bible study will begin again on the second Sunday of November. Our welcome breakfasts continue on the 4th Sunday of each month at 9:30 am, at the Riverside Café of Riverside Church. 2. On September 23, we continued our discussions of Deep Denial, which addresses the issue of continued White Supremacy in the United States. 3. We held this year’s weekend retreat, September 7-9, at the Stonypoint Center and reflected on Anger, Forgiveness and Love together.

Pamela Wood, Clerk Morningside Monthly Meeting