Minutes of the Illinois Yearly Meeting
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MINUTES OF THE FIRST SESSION: Wednesday, July 30, 2003Jump to: Session 1 ... Session 2 ... Session 3 ... Session 4 ... Session 5 |
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| 1 | The 129th annual session of Illinois Yearly Meeting opened with silent worship. |
| 2 | We greeted visitors from Quaker organizations, including Elizabeth Duke, General Secretary of Friends World Committee for Consultation in London, England; and Susan Lee Barton of the FWCC Midwest Field Staff. |
| 3 | We welcomed first-time attenders from within Illinois Yearly Meeting. |
| 4 | The Reading Clerk shared epistles from Western Yearly Meeting (2002); Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting (2002); Ireland Yearly Meeting (2003); Japan Yearly Meeting (2002); North Carolina Yearly Meeting Conservative (2002); and Wilmington (Ohio) Friends Meeting (2002). |
| 5 | The Clerk shared corrections and clarifications from the spring 2003 Continuing Committee minutes. Greg Woods did not attend the FWCC Peace Conference. Julia Pantoga and David Westling were the Yearly Meeting's representatives. Bob Wixom also attended.
The Continuing Committee minutes noted that we accepted a letter from McHenry County Monthly Meeting concerning the Field Secretary Program. We appreciated receiving their concern, but did not necessarily endorse the letter's content. At our 2002 annual sessions, a committee was charged with writing a letter conveying the Yearly Meeting's support for HR 1186, the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Act. That letter was approved by Continuing Committee and sent to senators and representatives from the Yearly Meeting's constituent states. The Clerk read the letter as approved. |
| 6 | David Wixom will serve on the 2003 Epistle Committee, along with Reading Clerk Carol Zimmerman. One or two additional Friends are needed on this committee. |
| 7 | David Wixom and Michaelle Cooke volunteered to serve on the 2004 Epistle Committee. |
| 8 | The Clerk called for volunteers for the 2003 Exercises Committee. Since there were no volunteers at this time, we will revisit the membership of this group later in our sessions. |
| 9 | Jinny Laughlin, Clerk of Ministry and Advancement, asked that first-time attenders, members of the Welcoming Committee, and members of the Committee of Care make themselves known to everyone. |
| 10 | The Clerk reviewed the agenda as printed in the Advance Documents. |
| 11 | Friends were reminded that Ministry and Advancement will hold a feedback session on the Field Secretary Program at 4:00 on Thursday afternoon. |
| 12 | We closed with worship, intent upon our gathering theme, "Answering that of God in Everyone: Quakers Responding to Conflict." |
MINUTES OF THE SECOND SESSION: Thursday, July 31, 2003Jump to: Session 1 ... Session 2 ... Session 3 ... Session 4 ... Session 5 |
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| 13 | We welcomed the following additional visitors: Star Mary Castro, who joins us through the FGC Yearly Meeting Visitors Program. The Clerk read a letter from Deborah Fisch commending Star Mary to our care.
Mary Ellen McNish, the General Secretary of American Friends Service Committee. Mary Ellen will be available during the Friday afternoon workshop time to discuss the work of AFSC. Dave Miller, formerly of Illinois Yearly Meeting, now of Byberry Monthly Meeting, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. J.E. McNeil of Friends Meeting of Washington and Executive Director of the Center on Conscience and War. J.E. will be working with the High School Friends and presenting a workshop on War Tax Resistance, both on Thursday. Marshall Massey, who will be our Thursday evening speaker. Marshall worships with Fort Collins Monthly Meeting and Iowa Conservative Yearly Meeting. Peter Idwasi, of Quaker United Nations Office, New York, and a member of Nairobi Yearly Meeting. Peter will be sharing his gifts during the workshop time. The Clerk read Susan Lee Barton's traveling minute from Clear Creek Monthly Meeting, Richmond, Indiana, Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting. |
| 14 | Roy Treadway volunteered to serve on the 2003 Epistle Committee with David Wixom and Carol Zimmerman. |
| 15 | We welcomed first-time attenders from within the Yearly Meeting. |
| 16 | The Reading Clerk shared epistles from Alaska Friends Conference (2002), Australia Yearly Meeting (2003) and InterMountain Yearly Meeting (2002). |
| 17 | Marti Matthews reported for Quaker Volunteer Service, Training, and Witness Committee. The committee provides oversight for the Steering Committee of the Quaker Volunteer Service and Witness Network and for Project Lakota. In the past year, the committee has questioned its relevance. They are not comfortable with laying down the committee until the Steering Committee program is settled; however the Steering Committee has been inactive this year. Project Lakota has been successful and has expressed its appreciation for the oversight and support provided by QVSTWC. Marti also summarized Greg Wood's report to QVSTWC on Project Lakota. |
| 18 | We approved a letter read by the Clerk renewing our endorsement of Candy Boyd's work with Project Lakota. |
| 19 | Jinny Laughlin reported for Ministry and Advancement. Among the concerns considered by M & A this year are communication within the Yearly Meeting, committee membership terms, child safety, the Field Secretary Program review, and their continuing ministry of visitation among monthly meetings and worship groups. M & A suggests that an IYM monthly newsletter be posted to the web site with a hard copy sent to each monthly meeting and worship group. The committee is also creating a packet of orientation materials for new members of Ministry and Advancement. Friends were reminded that the committee will return during Saturday's session with a report on the Field Secretary Program. |
| 20 | Roxy Jacobs presented her Field Secretary's report, appended. In addition to those activities noted in the printed report, Roxy has shared her photographs and has carried on active correspondence with Friends of all ages. In her visitations, she sees her role not as an observer but as a fellow seeker with Friends and meetings to come to resolution on their various issues. |
| 21 | Carolyn Smith Treadway reported that Nominating Committee is still seeking an Assistant Treasurer for the Yearly Meeting, as well as Friends to serve as our representatives to AFSC and FCNL. Rachel Mershon's name was omitted from the Ministry and Advancement appointments listed in the Advance Documents. Nominating Committee will return with a final report later in our sessions. |
| 22 | The Naming Committee sought and received approval from the Spring 2003 Continuing Committee for Bill Brown to fill a vacancy on the Nominating Committee. In today's session, we approved Marlou Carlson and Janice Domanik as additions to the Nominating Committee. |
| 23 | The Maintenance and Planning Committee report was presented by Brent Eckert. M & P has had a very busy year, working closely with the Trustees and the Site Envisioning & Building Committee on numerous issues with the Meeting House and other IYM structures and grounds. Friends were reminded that Site Envisioning & Building was asked to conduct thorough evaluations of all buildings and services. Maintenance and Planning then worked to begin correcting deficiencies that these evaluations disclosed. Among the problems discovered were further water and termite damage to the Meeting House. Re-grading of the ground around the Meeting House is needed to improve drainage. M & P recommends that work on the termite and water damage begin next summer. The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency grants, for which IYM had applied to help fund some of this work, were not awarded this year due to State of Illinois budget constraints. $50,000 to $100,000 will be needed to address these repairs. The electrical deficiencies identified in the evaluations have been corrected, and work to bring the site into compliance with Health Department regulations is progressing. The Work Weekend was successful, with numerous improvements made to the kitchen and dining area among other tasks. A mini-Work Weekend was held in July to complete unfinished projects. Brent explained that the decision not to use the dormitory was based on a letter of concern from a monthly meeting and the results of the evaluations.
Friends appreciated Maintenance and Planning's article in the recent Among Friends detailing the problems with using the dormitory. We expressed our gratitude for the work of Maintenance and Planning in this year with an unusually daunting work load. |
| 24 | Marcia Nelson reported for the Peace Tax Fund Oversight Committee. She noted one change from the report printed in the Advance Documents. The interest on the Fund has not yet been distributed to the Quaker United Nations Office (New York) and the Chicago Fellowship of Friends. Marcia asked whether advocacy is a function of the Peace Tax Fund Oversight Committee or whether that is the purview of the Peace Resources Committee. The two committees are directed to review the minutes concerning the development of the current structure and to continue working together to clarify responsibilities. |
| 25 | The Youth Oversight Committee report was given by Ann Eckert. Young Friends are learning and living Quakerism through a variety of activities. Among these was the Martin Luther King Weekend Quake. Young Friends from Illinois Yearly Meeting, Lake Erie Yearly Meeting and Northern Yearly Meeting participated. Our Young Friends enjoy attending gatherings outside IYM and the opportunity to interact with other Young Friends. Youth Quake will be held this winter in Estes Park, Colorado. Katherine Trezevant is working with Dorothy Day to provide a stronger unprogrammed element to this conference. The FGC-sponsored Young Quakes Conference will be held near Nashville, Tennessee, in October. The Clerk reminded us that there are some funds available to help Young Friends attend these activities. |
| 26 | Dawn Amos reported for the Electronic Communications Working Group, referring Friends to the complete report in the Advance Documents. While the group did not meet this year, items continue to be posted to the web site, including Among Friends, Plummer lectures, Project Lakota, and registration forms. The group still needs to develop guidelines for publishing certain information such as photographs, email addresses and personal writings.
We approved the following recommendations from the group:
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| 27 | Daniel Hall read Northside Monthly Meeting's epistle concerning their Sabbath year. Illinois Yearly Meeting supports Northside in their work and we extend our offers of love and assistance. |
| 28 | The Clerk reminded us that Elizabeth Mertic of Lake Forest Monthly Meeting is currently serving as clerk of FWCC's Section of the Americas. We also have in our midst Elizabeth Duke, General Secretary of FWCC. The Triennial will be held in New Zealand during January 2004. Illinois Yearly Meeting's representatives are Liz Oldham and Nancy Wallace. Elizabeth Duke asked us to consider, "What is important in the life of the Yearly Meeting and its members?" We settled into worship on this query with several Friends sharing their thoughts. The Clerk then asked if a committee comprised of David Finke, Bill Howenstine and Ann Eckert would prepare a letter for our representatives to the Triennial to carry to the gathering. This committee will bring the letter back to us by Sunday morning. |
| 29 | David Wixom reported for Religious Education. The committee met twice this year. They will soon be distributing to all monthly meetings a copy of Meeting Safety, published by Britain Yearly Meeting. |
MINUTES OF THE THIRD SESSION: Friday, August 1, 2003Jump to: Session 1 ... Session 2 ... Session 3 ... Session 4 ... Session 5 |
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| 30 | We welcomed Bonnie Nicholson of West River Monthly Meeting, Indiana Yearly Meeting, who is among us representing AFSC. Bonnie has brought information packets on the Emergency and Material Assistance Program. There is a packet for each monthly meeting. AFSC has infant quilts for sale here, the proceeds from which go to the Literacy Program for Afghan Women. There are other resources available in the display area. Bonnie will be presenting a workshop tomorrow on the Emergency and Material Assistance Program. The clerk read a traveling minute for Bonnie from West River Monthly Meeting. |
| 31 | We welcomed first-time attenders from within the Yearly Meeting. |
| 32 | The Clerk read a letter from the FWCC Section of the Americas Visitation Planning Committee announcing the participation of Susan Lee Barton and Elizabeth Duke at Illinois Yearly Meeting. |
| 33 | The Clerk read a response from U.S. Senator Russell D. Feingold (Wisconsin) to our letter concerning the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Act, conveying his appreciation for our correspondence. |
| 34 | The Reading Clerk shared epistles from Pacific Northwest Women's Theological Conference (2002); North Pacific Yearly Meeting (2002); the 3rd Annual Quaker Consultation on Peaceful Prevention of Violent Conflict held in Burundi (2002). We also heard an email from David Westling, Columbia Monthly Meeting, who is performing volunteer service in Burundi. |
| 35 | The Clerk read letters of introduction for Mary Ellen McNish and David R. Miller from Byberry Monthly Meeting. |
| 36 | Ann Eckert was brought forward by the Naming Committee to serve as clerk of Nominating Committee. We approved this appointment. |
| 37 | The Clerk clarified that the Yearly Meeting did accept the laying down of Thorn Creek Monthly Meeting at last year's sessions (see Minute #30, 2002). Ministry and Advancement is taking custody of the records from Thorn Creek. |
| 38 | We approved the Minutes from Thursday's session. |
| 39 | Tom Paxson, acting clerk of Faith and Practice, reminded Friends that there are four documents
in the Advance Documents pertaining to this issue. Two were requested by Continuing Committee.
The first recounts the consideration of and support for devising and adopting a Faith and Practice
for Illinois Yearly Meeting. The second is a brief history of the Illinois Yearly Meeting experience
with books of discipline.
The two sections of a book of discipline being brought forward for the Yearly Meeting's
consideration are the Introduction
and a section on Membership.
Faith and Practice proposes a five year, interim adoption of these sections to see if they fit the Yearly Meeting's needs. Tom reminded us that a Faith and Practice is not a static document and will continue to change as we follow God's leadings.
Tom read the Introduction. After much prayerful discussion, we approved instituting this section provisionally for the recommended five years. |
| 40 | Tom then began reading the Membership section, including parts on Attending Meeting, Applying for Membership, and Membership of Children. Friends raised concerns as well as expressed agreement about these parts. We particularly lacked unity over Membership of Children. After much prayerful consideration, we decided to delay further discussion of the Membership section until Saturday's session. Friends were invited to attend a "threshing session" this evening to continue the discussion of Membership for Children. The Clerk clarified that as we begin to adopt sections of our own Faith and Practice, these sections will supplant corresponding sections in the current edition of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice. For those sections not yet accepted into an Illinois Yearly Meeting book of discipline, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice will continue to be our guide. |
| 41 | Roger Laughlin presented the Treasurer's report. Roger pointed out that the balance on hand reflected in the Advance Documents is less than last year because at the point the report was created several meetings had not yet made their annual contributions. The report to be printed in the Minute Book will be adjusted to show the contributions that have been made since the original report. |
| 42 | The Finance Committee report was given by Cathy Garra. Among the issues dealt with this year were interest-free loan arrangements, additional insurance, updating the travel policy to reflect the increased allowable mileage rate to $.36, and incorporation. We approved the following recommendations by the Finance Committee;
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| 43 | Cathy Garra then reviewed the proposed budget for the coming year, noting some slight adjustments from last year. We will return to the budget on Saturday. |
| 44 | Bill Howenstine reported for the Site Envisioning and Building Committee. Bill expressed the committee's thanks to Chip Rorem who served as an architectural advisor to the committee. The committee perceives that there are two visions for the future of Illinois Yearly Meeting. One vision is of growth and endurance; the other is of maintaining the status quo or perhaps a decline. The committee has chosen to espouse the first vision.
Bill reviewed the committee's work from 2001/2002. (See Committee report, pp. 38-39, 2002 Minute Book). As charged last year, the 2002/2003 committee carried out:
In response to the guiding principles put forth at IYM 2002 and the committee's continuing work, Site Envisioning and Building recommends the following:
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MINUTES OF THE FOURTH SESSION: Saturday, August 2, 2003Jump to: Session 1 ... Session 2 ... Session 3 ... Session 4 ... Session 5 |
| 45 | The Reading Clerk shared epistles from Lake Erie Yearly Meeting (2002), the Religious Society of Friends in Britain (2003), and the Monteverde Monthly Meeting (2002). |
| 46 | The Clerk asked Carol Bartles, Bill Brown and Patricia McMillan to serve as this year's Exercises Committee. We approved these appointments. |
| 47 | We approved the minutes from Friday's session. |
| 48 | The Clerk asked that we minute our appreciation to Clear Creek Friends. Not only did they help with preparation of the site for this year, they also provided dry bedding for Friends whose bedding was soaked in yesterday's storm. |
| 49 | Peter Lasersohn continued the report for Faith and Practice Committee. Arising from last night's "threshing session," Faith and Practice proposed the following minute:
Given the disparate policies on children's membership currently employed by the various monthly meetings across Illinois Yearly Meeting, we recommend that the Yearly Meeting embark on a process to explore the possibility of coming to a unified understanding of children's membership. To this end, we suggest that a committee be appointed to meet with the monthly meetings, consider this issue, and make a recommendation to the Yearly Meeting within four years. The Membership section of Faith and Practice could then be revised at the end of the five-year provisional period, to reflect any decision made by the Yearly Meeting. Friends suggested that Ministry and Advancement serve as this committee, with the support of Faith and Practice. We approved that Ministry and Advancement explore with meetings over the next four years the issue of child membership and participation, and bring a unified policy on child membership to the 2007 session for our consideration. |
| 50 | We approved the adoption of the section on Membership
for the provisional period of 2003-2008, with the following changes (changes in italics): To Membership of Children, the second paragraph; Parents who are members may request membership for their children. Some monthly meetings consider children to be full members. Others consider them to be associate members. Still others offer parents the choice of either full or associate membership for their children. Associate membership differs from full membership in that it does not extend indefinitely, but must be re-affirmed by the individual at some point. Illinois Yearly Meeting has not felt clear about setting any particular age at which associate membership is dropped, and leaves this difficult matter to the discretion of monthly meetings. Meetings are responsible for continuing a caring relationship with associate members as they mature, and for encouraging them to apply for membership when they are ready, whether before or after the end of associate membership. To Sojourning Members, Transfer of Membership, Isolated Friends, the last paragraph: Both members and persons interested in Friends sometimes live too far away from a meeting to attend regularly. The mere fact of living at a distance from one's meeting does not alter membership. Options for such persons include establishing a relationship with a meeting near enough to visit periodically, participation in Quarterly and Yearly Meetings and conferences of various kinds, and forming a small worship group with others of like mind in the area. Many of the monthly meetings of Illinois Yearly Meeting began in just this way. Friends are reminded to hold our Faith and Practice Committee in the Light as they continue their difficult work for us. |
| 51 | Carolyn Wilbur Treadway presented her Pastoral Counselor's report. The Reading Clerk read the Pastoral Counselor's report from Beth Burbank. We continue our endorsement of their work. |
| 52 | Jinny Laughlin reported for Ministry and Advancement on the Field Secretary Program review. Ministry and Advancement recommended wholeheartedly that the Field Secretary position be continued. The position should be filled by an Illinois Yearly Meeting Friend, and will only be filled if we find that someone is truly called and committed to serve Illinois Yearly Meeting in that capacity.
Ministry and Advancement also asked us to consider that the Field Secretary position is budgeted for one-fifth time (or 33 1/3 hours monthly), but our current Field Secretary is putting in at least twice that amount, occasionally up to 105 hours per month. The position currently is paid $5600 annually. Ministry and Advancement feels that the current hourly allotment is insufficient. The work of the Field Secretary is an important complement to the work of Ministry and Advancement and to Illinois Yearly Meeting in general. Ministry and Advancement recommended that Finance Committee study the need for an increase in hours allotted to the Field Secretary position to more accurately reflect the time spent on behalf of the Yearly Meeting. After some discussion and clarification, we approved that Ministry and Advancement will consult with Finance Committee on hours to be worked by the Field Secretary and appropriate compensation for those hours and report back to the Yearly Meeting at its next annual session. We also approve the continuation of the Field Secretary position, within the parameters suggested by Ministry and Advancement. |
| 53 | Bill Howenstine, from the Site Envisioning and Building Committee, reviewed that committee's recommendations from Friday's session (see Minute 44). Friends raised several concerns and asked for clarifications on some issues. We heard concern that we prioritize our monetary needs for our facilities. We received a suggestion to increase the proposed architect fee to $20,000. We were asked to keep the presence of God in the midst of this process. We heard expressions of excitement for the plan and the vision. And we heard serious reservations about the wisdom of moving the second floor of the dormitory. After much discussion we settled into worship where we considered "How is God leading us to prepare for the future of the Yearly Meeting." We then approved the following:
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| 54 | Cathy Garra reported for the Development Committee. The Property Improvement Fund approved in Friday's session will provide an extremely flexible fund for receiving gifts designated for the maintenance and improvement of the property. The committee is in need of fund raising expertise, either volunteer or paid. The committee requests permission to promote individual giving among Friends, and is considering the advisability of conducting a feasibility study to identify the capacity to raise the suggested $1,000,000. In the coming year, the committee will develop materials that may be distributed to prospective donors providing information on how to give to Illinois Yearly Meeting and what our financial priorities are. They will also be meeting with meetings and individuals. |
| 55 | Carolyn Smith Treadway presented the final Nominating Committee reports, with additions and corrections. We approved the report which will appear in its final form in the Minute Book. Nominating Committee will name one more person to serve as a representative to AFSC. We agreed that Nominating could contact this person as soon as the decision is made so that he/she may make arrangements to attend the Corporation meeting the end of October. Continuing Committee will formally approve that appointment at its October meeting. |
| 56 | We regret that we had no time to hear the report of the new Peace Resources Committee. Friends are asked to review the report of that committee in the Advance Documents. We express our deep thanks to those who have served on the committee this year and for their excellent work. | MINUTES OF THE FIFTH SESSION: Sunday, August 3, 2003Jump to: Session 1 ... Session 2 ... Session 3 ... Session 4 ... Session 5 |
| 57 | Sandra Huntley brought the following proposal from the Finance Committee: In consultation with the clerk of Ministry and Advancement and the Treasurer, the Finance Committee recommends the following:
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| 58 | We received the epistle from the high school Friends. |
| 59 | Roy Treadway shared the Illinois Yearly Meeting epistle. We approved the epistle with some minor changes and expressed our thanks to the Epistle Committee. |
| 60 | The Clerk read the epistle from the 6-8 year-olds. |
| 61 | Alicia Holmes shared the epistle from the 3-5 year-olds. |
| 62 | The Clerk read the Exercises. Several suggestions were made and we then approved the Exercises with thanks to the committee. |
| 63 | We received the epistle from the Junior High Friends. |
| 64 | We joyfully received an epistle from the newly reconstituted Adult Young Friends group. |
| 65 | David Finke read the letter which our representatives will carry to the FWCC Triennial in New Zealand next January. We approved this letter. |
| 66 | We approved the minutes from Saturday. |
| 67 | We approved the minutes from Sunday. |
| 68 | Fall Continuing Committee will meet Saturday, October 18, 2003, in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois. The 2004 Annual Sessions of Illinois Yearly Meeting will be held July 28 through August 1, near McNabb, Illinois. |
| 69 | We closed our 2003 sessions with silent worship. |