Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business

Sunday, May 4, 2014  

Germantown Monthly Meeting

Members and Attenders present:  Edward Rhodes, Paula Cell, Howard Cell, Tom Grabe, Pat Libbey, Gail Woodbury (Germantown Monthly Meeting); Andrew Anderson, Sita Rosado, Pamela Moore, Anne Gemmell, Robert Hernblad, Heath Meyers, Lynne Calamia, Andrew Thompson (Monthly Meeting of Friends of Philadelphia);  Mary Anne Hunter, Sara Palmer (Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting);  Jean Warrington,  George Garrettson, Patricia Walmsley (Chestnut Hill Monthly Meeting); Hollister Knowlton, Margaret Wood (Evergreen Worship Group);  Kenyatta James, Gabbreel James (Green Street Monthly Meeting), Miriam Schaefer (Radnor Monthly Meeting).

The Meeting opened with silent Worship

1. 1.      Welcome and introductions

Those in attendance introduced themselves.

1. 2.      Minutes

The Minutes of the  January Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business were approved.

1. 3.      Clerk’s  Report

The Clerk reviewed highlights of her written report, which was distributed.  She lifted up the announcement about the event called Revitalizing our Quarters Gathering  on June 7 from 10am to 3:30 pm  at Reading Meeting.  All members and attenders of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting are invited to attend.   Online registration is recommended and can be done at the following website: http://westernquarterquakers.org/June7/.

The Clerk also plans to set up a Google group, pending agreement from  meeting clerks,  for all clerks in Philadelphia Quarter to  have an online forum for ongoing sharing and questions.  She asked Friends to ask at their respective meetings whether it would be useful to have Google groups for clerks and members of committees  and let her know.

1. 4.      Proposed Topic for June Program Meeting at Arch Street  Monthly Meeting

Andrew Anderson proposed a topic for the June 1 Program Meeting to be held at Arch Street Monthly Meeting.  The idea is to have a worship sharing program on our longings, gifts and leadings, either individually or through a meeting or meeting committee.  He will ask the rising General Secretary, Christie Duncan-Tessmer, to attend with a listening ear.   He lifted up the term “appreciative inquiry” as the way we might listen to each other.   The Clerk asked Andrew write up a brief description and goal of the program and send it to all seven monthly meetings.  Several suggestions were made: (1)  invite the entities under  the care of the Quarter to participate; (2) include a clear description of the term ‘worship sharing’; and (3) frame the program as a follow up to the February Program Meeting, Cross Pollination.  Friends approved the proposal for the program, taking into account the suggestions made.

1. 5.      Marriage Equality Minute Update  

Howard Cell presented two minutes on Marriage Equality that might be adopted by the Quarter.

A question was asked whether the Quarter would send this out or ask the Yearly Meeting to do so. The intention was to do both.  Friends expressed discomfort with the phrase “as Quakers we believe”, and some alternative language was suggested. A Friend lifted up that it is the spirit of the letter that is important and it is timely to do so now.  The Clerk asked whether the Clerk’s table could refine this in the context of the comments that were made and send it out.  Friends approved. The Clerk asked people to go back to their monthly meetings and report that this is being done.

1. Nominating Committee Report

 Jean Warrington presented the Nominating Committee report. The Nominating Committee recommends the following names for approval as Quarter officers:

Clerk, Hollister Knowlton, CHMM for three year term to May 2017

Alternate Clerk Andrew Anderson, Arch Street Meeting, for three year term to May 2017

Recording Clerk, Pamela Moore, Arch Street Meeting, for one year term to May 2015

Alternate Recording Clerk, Sara Palmer, for one year term to May 2015

Treasurer, Edward Rhoads, Edward Rhoads, for three year term to May 2017

Assistant Treasurer, Bill Sanderson, one year to May 2015 (effective after completing his service on the PQM audit committee)

Audit Committee, Bill Sanderson, CPMM, Dan Evans, CHFM, for one year, to May 2015.  

Jean Warrington and Greg Barnes, the current Nominating Committee members, have served their three year terms and are stepping down.  They nominated Paula Cell, Germantown, as Clerk of the Nominating Committee for two years to May 2016.  The Quarter expressed its appreciation to Jean for her service and her contributions toward energizing the Quarter.

All of the nominations were approved.

The Nominating Committee needs members.  Individuals and meetings are invited to propose people for the Nominating Committee.  

In addition, the Quarter will send a letter to the current list of meeting representatives, asking them to confirm that they are willing to serve or ask the meeting to get someone else to serve as meeting representative. 

1. 7.      PYM Long Range Planning Group

Jean Warrington, of the Yearly Meeting Long Range Planning Group, presented the Yearly Meeting’s long range plan.  The group interviewed people throughout the Yearly Meeting and developed six priorities:

1. Connect local meetings to resources and services that help them be vibrant, Spirit-led faith communities.

2. Connect Friends through effective communications and technologies.

3. Develop and widely communicate messages about Quakers and PYM.

4. Simplify and strengthen governance and administration.

5. Increase participation at Yearly Meeting sessions and other PYM-wide gatherings.

6. Facilitate PYM-wide corporate witness and social action.

Jean showed a video with members of the Yearly Meeting talking about the new strategic direction from their own perspectives.  Jean and Andrew Thompson, also a member of the Long Range Planning Group, answered questions.

Click here for a link to the draft Long Range Plan.   Click here for a link to the video that was shown at Quarterly Meeting.  The Yearly Meeting also has a second video explaining the new proposed organizational structure.   Click here to see it.

1. 8.      Delaware Valley Friends School  (http://www.dvfs.org/about-our-school/index.aspx)

 Hollister Knowlton presented for the Delaware Valley Friends School.  She asked for approval for the following two new appointments to the Board: Hollister Knowlton, Margaret Inman Linn, who is a professor at Swarthmore College in Educational Studies.   Friends approved.

1. 9.      Historic Fairhill

Tom Grabe, volunteer gardener at Historic  Fair Hill, announced there will be a picnic at Fair Hill on July 12 from 3-9PM. The neighbors cook, there are games for children,  as well as music and dancing.  The picnic is co sponsored by the Quarter, and all Friends are invited.  He also invited Friends to come down and volunteer in the gardens.  He is there every Saturday.  He mentioned that this is a prime opportunity for food access and food justice via the gardens at Fair Hill.

1. 10.  Financial Reports

Edward Rhoads  presented the Treasurer’s report , including the budget for 2014 against revenues.  Revenues are very close to budget at this time.  Edward anticipates we will end the year with a $2000 deficit.  The Clerk and Treasurer are working on a solicitation to members of the Quarter, which should occur as soon as the contact list is completed.   Friends suggested that the Quarter publish to the monthly meetings what exactly  they need, so that members can pay attention to that when monthly meeting budgets are approved.

The budget for next year is almost the same, except for an increase in the amount for the Friends Journal listing.  Expenses for the Snave Grant are according to the planned schedule.   The Quarter is permitted to allocate up to $4000 for its own administrative tasks, but has not yet done so. 

The Clerk and the Treasurer are authorized to establish an account at Valley Green Bank and expect to do that in late May or early June.

1. 11.  Announcements

Friends shared  announcements about events in their monthly meetings and opportunities to get involved with projects.

1. Closing worship

The Meeting closed with silent worship.