1999 PACIFIC YEARLY MEETING

MOUNT MADONNA CENTER, CALIFORNIA

1. Signed travel minute for Carlie Numi and Richard Whitham
2. Hosting visiting FWCC Friends from other countries
3. Transfer from reserve
4. Criteria for PYM contributions to other Friends organizations
5. Stop arms trade and support Friends Peace Team
6. New members and clerk of the Nominating Committee
7. Change term for representative to Friends House Moscow
8. PYM Recording Clerks will record Representative Committee
9. Nominating Committee Report
10. Sites for 2000 and 2001
11. Treasurer�s Report
12. Budget
13. Funding travel to Peace Teams Project meeting
14. Children�s Religious Education

L. Nominating Committee Report

M. Unity with Nature Committee Quotations and Queries

N. Preschool Epistle

O. Upper Elementary Children�s Epistle

P. Junior Yearly Meeting Epistle

Q. Young Friends Epistle

R. PYM Epistle

1999 PACIFIC YEARLY MEETING

MOUNT MADONNA CENTER, CALIFORNIA

Attachments marked "A" through "R"

Pages in minutes are numbered, e.g., III-2 (second page of third plenary)

Addresses of meetings and worship groups J

"Affluenza," Claremont Meeting Minute on I (attachment), IV-3

Attenders at PYM Separate enclosure

Brinton Visitor G, IV-1

Budget A, II-1, IV-2, VII-1

Commemorative Book Project E, III-2

Discipline IV-1

East-West Relations III-2

Epistles N, O, P, Q, R, VI-1

Epistle--PYM R, IV-2, VII-1

FCNL- Friends Committee on National Legislation IV-1

FWCC- Friends World Committee II-1

Faith and Practice Revision IV-1

Finance A, II-1, VI-2

Friends Bulletin D, E, III-2

Junior Yearly Meeting P, I-1

Latin American Concerns III-2

Memorials V-1

Ministry and Oversight II-2

Native Americans IV-2

Nominating L, III-1, IV-2, VI-1

Pacific Friends Outreach Society--PFOS F, IV-1

Peace and Social Order IV-2

Peace Teams H, III-2

Registrar K, VI-1

Right Holding of Yearly Meeting B, C, III-1

Roll Call I-2

Sites III-1, IV-2, VI-2

Statistical Report J, VI-1

State of Society II-2

Treasurer A, III-1, VI-2

Unity with Nature M, IV-3

Welcome I-1

Young Friends Q, I-1, VII-1

The session began at 7:15 p.m. with silent worship. Carin Anderson, Reading Clerk, read epistles from Australia Yearly Meeting and from the six-to-eight year olds of Illinois Yearly Meeting. Margaret Mossman, Presiding Clerk, introduced PYM clerks at the front table.

Janet Leslie, Assistant Clerk, read the names of PYM meetings and worship groups. The following meetings answered the roll call: Apple Seed, Berkeley, Big Island, Chico, Claremont, Davis, Fresno, Grass Valley, Honolulu, Humboldt, Inland Valley, La Jolla, Marin, Marloma/Long Beach, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa-Sonoma, Orange County, Orange Grove, Pacific Ackworth, Palo Alto, Redding, Redwood Forest, Reno, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Santa Monica, Strawberry Creek, Visalia, Whitleaf, and Central Coast Preparative Meeting (which includes Atascadero, Los Osos, and San Luis Obispo). These worship groups were present: Atascadero, Los Osos, Southern Humboldt, Conejo Valley, Bishop, and Ojai.

Brajesh of Mount Madonna Center described the site and its programs, welcomed PYM attenders, and offered opportunities to learn more about the Center and to participate in some of its activities.

The following visitors introduced themselves: Aura Kanegis from Friends Committee on National Legislation, Dorothy Ackerman from Friends General Conference, Marion Stamler-Bowers from Gila Monthly Meeting in New Mexico, Carlie Numi from Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, Dick Whitham from Charleston, West Virginia (attending Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting), and Pablo Stanfield from University Monthly Meeting (North Pacific Yearly Meeting).

Sue Torrey and Peggy Thompson, Arrangements Clerks, and John deValcourt, Registrar, explained some PYM logistic arrangements.

Kim Lacey, Children�s Program Committee Clerk, discussed their schedule, which includes structured mornings and free play afternoons. Tom Farley is the Children's Program Coordinator.

Alan Edgar, JYM Committee Clerk, discussed this year's JYM program. JYM co-clerks are Aimee Sunshine-Hill, Anna Morgan, and Jean Boling.

Sue Farley, Co-Clerk with Josh Vura-Weis, discussed this year's Young Friends activities.

Rachel Fretz discussed arrangements for Worship-Sharing Groups. Margaret Mossman announced the following Affinity Groups: 12-Step; Artistic Quakers; Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans-gender, and Questioning; Meeting Clerks; Men; Mental Health; Quakers of Color; Universalist Quakers; Women; and Young Friends.

The session closed at 9:00 p.m. with silent worship.

Faithfully submitted,

Gale Lederer, Recording Clerk Margaret Mossman, Presiding Clerk

The session began at 10:30 a.m. with silent worship. Carin Anderson, Reading Clerk, read excerpts from the epistles from Nebraska Yearly Meeting, the Yearly Meeting of the Church of Friends in Cuba, and Baltimore Yearly Meeting. Friends may consult the book of epistles if they wish to read those for which there is not enough time during plenary. Visitors Nancy Sunshine of Flushing, NY, and Ken Larsen of Friends Committee for Legislation of California introduced themselves.

Ernest Bicknell, Convenor, presented an initial report from the Ad Hoc Naming Committee asked to suggest new members and a clerk for PYM Nominating Committee. Introducing other Naming Committee members, he announced their recommendation that Joe Magruder serve as Clerk of Nominating Committee for the coming year.

Gary Wolff, Clerk, presenting the initial Nominating Committee report, highlighted new nominees and other changes. Two action items -- to lay down the Religious Education for Children Committee, and to extend the term of our representative to Friends House Moscow Board to three years to match that organization's bylaws -- will be considered at a later plenary.

Eric Moon, Clerk, introduced the Sites Committee. Members of the Committee will approach Friends with a survey about their needs and expectations in a site, and to ask at which times Friends would be willing to meet during the summer. The Sites Committee recommends California Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo for next year. This site has many good features and has been discussed as a possible site for many years, but is available next summer only the week of August 14-19. Friends had a number of questions and concerns.

Marilee Eusebio, Ministry and Oversight Committee Clerk, reported that the Committee has laid down its Subcommittee on Right Holding of Yearly Meeting, as Ministry and Oversight Committee has been reorganized in such a way as to undertake many of the Subcommittee's functions. Jane Mills, Subcommittee Clerk, gave the Subcommittee's final report [Attachment B], which includes a proposal of five criteria for PYM contributions to other Friends organizations. Discussion ensued.

PYM 99-4 We approved the Right Holding of Yearly Meeting Subcommittee's five criteria for

CRITERIA FOR PYM CONTRIBUTIONS TO OTHER FRIENDS ORGANIZATIONS

1. Needs of Friends� projects that grow out of PYM work should be given particular consideration, especially in the early stages.

2. Friends� groups which rely on Yearly Meetings for contributions and policy guidance should be considered for support.

3. A one-time gift should not mean continuing support.

4. Friends� groups under the care of a Monthly or Quarterly Meeting should normally look there for support rather than to the Yearly Meeting.

5. Friends� groups should normally serve the entire Yearly Meeting, not only California.

The Subcommittee also reported results of a 1998 survey on how long PYM sessions should be [Attachment C]. Unfinished subcommittee business includes proposed changes in Representative Committee, questions about how the Pacific Friends Outreach Society (PFOS) and PYM will work together, and issues concerning the financial support of Quaker organizations. The Right Holding of Yearly Meeting Subcommittee hopes that its work will not be lost.

Anthony Manousos, editor of Friends Bulletin, presented a report from the magazine's Board of Directors [Attachment D] and encouraged Friends' comments on the magazine. He also presented a report on the Book Project, to commemorate the seventieth anniversary of Friends Bulletin [Attachment E]. The project, which so far amounts to over two hundred manuscript pages, needs more histories of Friends who have played significant roles in the lives of our Meetings. Anthony invited us to a discussion and celebration of the project this evening, which will include cake and balloons.

Brian Vura-Weis, Clerk, spoke about some of the Committee's activities, introduced Committee members, and said that information on volunteer opportunities in Latin America will soon be available. Committee member Carin Anderson spoke about her experiences working in El Salvador, emphasizing her hope that we go into this work with deep humility and a recognition of our Latin American Friends' deep spiritual gifts. She then sang a song about the experiences of two El Salvadoran young people.

The Guatemala Friends Scholarship Program has raised $65,000 a year over the past several years for scholarships for approximately 85 students a year. Over 700 students have received scholarships since Friends first started the program in 1974. Miguel Angel Costop from Guatemala reported that the scholarship program has helped many Mayans such as himself to help themselves and others in their communities.

The session adjourned at 12:30 after silent worship.

Faithfully submitted,

Gale Lederer, Recording Clerk Margaret Mossman, Presiding Clerk

Margaret Mossman, Presiding Clerk, opened the meeting at 10:30 a.m. with worship. Carin Anderson, Reading Clerk, read excerpts from the 1998 epistles of North Pacific Yearly Meeting and German Yearly Meeting. The Clerk invited visitors from other yearly meetings and Quaker organizations to introduce themselves. Brian Fry, of John Woolman School, and Lauren DeBoer, editor of Earthlight magazine, were welcomed.

Shan Cretin, Clerk of the PFOS Board, told us they have met often and sought guidance from many Friends, as work continues toward establishing a conference site useable by Pacific Yearly Meeting. A written report [Attachment F] and other information has been provided for Friends' perusal, and means have been provided for expressions of Friends' views. It is hoped that Friends will visit the prospective site -- Quaker Oaks -- in Visalia, California, during the coming year. An "allegorical play in one part" was performed by PFOS Board members with participation by PYM preschoolers and Junior Friends, to help us appreciate the potential of this site, with its life-affirming natural environment. Mark Koenig interpreted the allegory and asked for support and assistance as PFOS proceeds to develop the site.

Laura Magnani reported on the Committee's work. (Lincoln Moses, Committee Clerk, is traveling in Africa.) The Committee has held eight weekend meetings this year and has a manuscript ready for editing this fall by Claire Gorfinkel. A preliminary edition is expected to be ready when the Representative Committee meets in March 2000. Friends will be asked to read and discuss this draft. It will include a placeholder for selected Quaker quotations which Friends are asked to recommend.

Joan Johnson, Subcommittee Clerk, brought their report [Attachment G]. Robert Griswold, of Mountain View Monthly Meeting in Denver, will begin his travels as the 1999-2000 Brinton Visitor in October, 1999, with a visit to College Park Quarterly Meeting at John Woolman School, after which he will visit monthly meetings and other Friends' gatherings. With long experience among Friends, he is well versed in the writings of George Fox, and adept at problem-solving. The Brinton Memorial Visitor Subcommittee solicited suggestions for the next Brinton Visitor.

Nominating Committee

Gary Wolff, Committee Clerk, informed us of Friends added to the slate of nominees since the Committee's initial report.

Aura Kanegis, Associate for Native American Affairs of the Friends Committee on National Legislation, summarized the history and work of FCNL. She told us how the 1999 gathering of Friends on Native American Affairs originated, producing a call for more attention to issues of importance to native peoples. This is a period of crisis and opportunity on these issues, she said, encouraging Friends to educate themselves and respond.

Ernest Bicknell, Convenor of the Naming Committee, brought the names of three Friends to complete the Nominating Committee: Kate Carpenter, Chuck Orr, and Joy O'Connell.

Eric Moon, Committee Clerk, reported the Committee had heard from a number of Friends unable to attend PYM if our year 2000 gathering were held August 14-19, the only summer period available to us at California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo. July 31-August 5, 1999, is open to us at Mount Madonna Center as an alternative. Friends were asked to speak to any member of the Sites Committee concerning this alternative. We were again asked to complete the survey the Sites Committee has prepared.

Walter Sullivan, Convenor of this year�s Epistle Committee, introduced Committee members (Jeannie Graves and Lowell Tozer) and read the first draft of the 1999 PYM Epistle. The Committee's goals have been to convey who we are spiritually¾ not what we have done¾ and to be brief. Epistle Committee members will be available to receive comments. The epistle will be presented for approval at our final plenary session.

Peace and Social Order Committee

Trudy Freidel, Clerk of the Peace and Social Order Committee, opened the Committee's report period. David Hartsough spoke to us on the horrors of the recent war in Kosovo. He asked us to draw on this experience to address the challenge of finding responses to conflict conditions in the future which could lead to escalation into war without effective alternatives. We were offered the vision of creation of a standing international peace force for nonviolent intervention at the scene of a potential war, beginning with hundreds and growing to become thousands committed to monitoring, interposition between antagonists, and nonviolent direct action. [Attachment H] The initial cost is estimated at $5 million -- about what the world now spends on war and preparation for war in just four minutes. Friends were asked to consider personal involvement to bring this vision into reality, sponsorship of individuals through monthly meetings, and contributions of funds and skills.

Kay Anderson, PYM Representative to Friends Peace Teams, told us that Friends Peace Teams has sent two delegations this year to the Great Lakes Region of Africa. It now intends to send two small teams to Burundi and Uganda for two-year periods of service. Suggestions of Friends who may wish to serve on these teams are welcome. The Peace and Social Order Committee seeks to develop the idea of "Every Meeting a Peace Center," another Peace Teams concept, and brochures on the proposal are available.

Stephen McNeil brought us the Peace and Social Order Committee's proposed minute on stopping arms sales to Africa. After discussion, we approved the following revised minute:

• Pass in Congress the "Code of Conduct on Arms Transfers" provisions, especially in bill H.R. 2269;
• Support the work of the Commission of Nobel Peace Laureates for an International Code of Conduct on Arms Transfers; and
• Become involved locally in the new International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) campaign announced at the Hague Peace Conference.

Trudy Freidel directed Friends' attention to several additional matters of importance:

• Edith Cole has brought us Claremont Meeting's minute [ Attachment I ]on "affluenza" (excessive affluence in purchases of consumer goods).
• Nancy Lynch asks our involvement in the year 2000 millennial gathering at the Nevada nuclear test site.
• Joe Franko reminded us of the minute Pacific Yearly Meeting approved in 1996 on equality of marriage rights, and of its current relevance to the Knight Initiative which would forever deny legal registration of same-sex marriages in California. This initiative will come before California voters in March 2000.
• Thomas Leo told us that the U.S. House of Representatives has voted within the past few days not to fund the Army's School of the Americas. Friends were asked to thank U.S. Representatives who voted in this way and to write immediately to ask U.S. Senators to vote likewise.
• Last PYM, we approved a minute calling for an end to U.S. economic sanctions against Iraq, but these sanctions are still in place. We were asked to communicate with U.S. legislators on these issues.
• David Hartsough will take to the Livermore Laboratories the thousand origami cranes we are folding at this gathering as symbols of hope for nuclear disarmament.

These minutes were read and approved during the plenary session.

Faithfully submitted,

Jamie Newton, Recording Clerk Margaret Mossman, Presiding Clerk

We gathered in our traditional way to celebrate the lives of the members and attenders of our constituent Meetings who have died since our last memorial session. Many here have also had personal losses of friends and family members whose memories we hold in our hearts today.

Members of the Ministry and Oversight Committee each read one of the following short selections, and then a list of names. In the interspersed worship, Friends were led to minister, recounting stories and characteristics of departed Friends.

Their work is done, their joys accomplished, but the sharing of their lives continues in the memories of others.

--Walter Jones

Duane Abrams (Berkeley)

Ralph Semons (Berkeley)

Frances Fallgatter (Berkeley)

Barbara Nelson (Berkeley)

Melvin Koch (Berkeley)

Sunset and evening star and one clear call for me.

And may there be no moaning of the bar when I put out to sea.

--Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Charles Kallender (Apple Seed)

Peggy Gonzales (Claremont)

Frances Thomas (Berkeley)

Almena Neff (Davis)

Andy Williams (Davis)

Every exit is an entrance somewhere else.

--Tom Stoppard

Tina Emerson (Fresno)

Ruth Fukuda (Honolulu)

Marietje Fuller (Honolulu)

Marie Parker (La Jolla)

Marta Silberman (La Jolla)

We are but tenants, and shortly the great landlord will give us notice that our lease as expired.

--Joseph Jefferson

Glenn Crosby (San Jose)

Bea Burch (La Jolla)

Leo Pach (La Jolla)

John Howe (La Jolla)

Denis Flagg (San Diego)

They that love beyond the world cannot be separated. Death cannot kill what never dies. Nor can spirits ever be divided that love and live in the same Divine principle: the root and record of their friendship. Death is but crossing the world, as friends do the seas; they live in one another still. --William Penn

Mildred Adams (Monterey Peninsula)

Leta McKinney-Adler (Orange Grove)

Dorothy Pinney (Orange Grove)

Arthur Currier (Palo Alto)

Nancy Harjan (Palo Alto)

Charles Cooper (Santa Barbara)

No seed shall perish which the soul hath sown. --John Addington Symonds

Allen Norris (Palo Alto)

Catharine Newton (Palo Alto)

Jane Scott (Redwood Forest)

Naomi Binford (Redwood Forest)

Wilma Gurney (Redwood Forest)

To die is the great debt and tribute due unto nature. --Laurence Sterne

William Scott (Redwood Forest)

Elaine Schwartz (Redwood Forest)

Robert Noble (San Diego)

George Wayland (San Jose)

Phyllis Warner (Visalia)

Additional names of departed Friends mentioned during the Meeting for memorials but not written on the placards mounted on the walls of the meeting room or announced by Ministry and Oversight are listed below.

Steve Dunn (Berkeley)

George Vincent (San Fernando)

Faithfully submitted,

Gale Lederer, Recording Clerk Margaret Mossman, Presiding Clerk

Margaret Mossman, Presiding Clerk, opened the meeting at 10:30 a.m. with worship. Carin Anderson, Reading Clerk, read from the 1998 epistle of New York Yearly Meeting, and from a letter written by New York Yearly Meeting adults to the young people of their Yearly Meeting.

The Clerk announced that plenary would not hear reports from our Statistical Clerk and Registrars, and she asked Friends' permission to attach these to the minutes [Attachments J and K].

Naming Committee

Gary Wolff, Clerk of the Nominating Committee, presented the Nominating Committee's final report [Attachment L]. In addition to the slate of nominees, the Nominating Committee brought three recommendations.

The Nominating Committee earlier recommended that the Religious Education for Children Committee be laid down, due to inactivity and insufficient interest. We heard expressions of concern about the implications of this recommendations for Pacific Yearly Meeting's stewardship of our children's spiritual growth and their personal well-being. Friends spoke fervently of a need to integrate younger Friends more fully into the central activities of this Yearly Meeting, and of a need for greater adult involvement with our children. One suggestion was that PYM establish a mentoring program for younger Friends, who would serve with PYM officers and committee clerks. Vanita Blum, a former clerk of the Religious Education for Children Committee, will convene a discussion today on religious education of children. This matter will be included in the agenda of our next plenary session.

Eric Moon, Clerk of the Sites Committee, thanked Friends who have offered their views on a site for next year's gathering. The Committee brings the recommendation suggested yesterday, that we return to Mount Madonna one more year, with the firm intention of meeting elsewhere in August 2001.

PYM 99-10 Pacific Yearly Meeting approved authorizing our Arrangements Clerk to negotiate

PYM asked Sites Committee to continue working with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to hold PYM there early in August, 2001, concurrently working to identify other sites (south of San Luis Obispo if possible) should Cal Poly not be available then. PYM authorized Sites Committee to consider alternative dates if early August, 2001, should prove unavailable. Friends asked Sites Committee to try acquiring sites four or even five years in advance.

Shan Cretin, PYM Treasurer, explained differences between her initial report and the final report, which accompanies these minutes [Attachment A].

Harry Bailey, Clerk of the Finance Committee, reminded Friends of our past decision to give special consideration to contributions to organizations that have grown out of PYM, especially in their early stages. Therefore, the Finance Committee recommended a contribution of $1,000 to the Pacific Friends Outreach Society.

The Presiding Clerk reminded us that although PYM has not yet decided whether we will use a permanent site, Pacific Friends Outreach Society (PFOS), an organization which we created and nurtured, is exploring a site we might use.

A Friend asked what spiritual benefits we expect from the site under consideration, and whether this is the best use of the world's resources. One Friend told us that in his opinion development of this site will cost approximately $7 million, and we were advised to consider the energy this prospect represents in the context of an economy that is not sustainable. Another Friend envisioned the site being explored by PFOS as a year-round center for development and expression of Friends' values and practices. We did not find unity on the Finance Committee recommendation to add this contribution to our budget.

Harry Bailey noted changes in the final budget proposal, which would not require an increase in our $28.00 assessment, but would need a modest increase in transfer from reserves.

Martha Hunkins, Clerk of the Unity With Nature Committee, opened the Committee's report period. We heard minutes and queries from several Friends' bodies on stewardship of the environment, including quotations from esteemed individual Friends [Attachment M]. Worship followed.

These minutes were read and approved during the plenary session. The meeting closed at 12:45 p.m. with worship.

Faithfully submitted,

Jamie Newton, Recording Clerk Margaret Mossman, Presiding Clerk