Twenty-eight QUIP members met at Twin Rocks Camp in Oregon April 27 to 30, meeting in Pacific Woods Lodge. The annual meeting rotates between continents where there are QUIP members. Those present found it both inspiring and professionally useful (see comments below).

First QUIP co-operative publication: George Fox's Book of Miracles will be ready for the FGC Gathering the first week in July and will sell for $17.

Future Meeting Dates and Agendas: The 2001 annual meeting will be March 22-25 at Pendle Hill Confrence Center in Philadelphia, and will center on the concerns of periodicals. The 2000 midyear meeting at which the annual meeting program will be planned, will be September 30 in Philadelphia

We met at Powell's Books (A city block of Used and New Books) in downtown Portland for a presentation by Michael Powell on the difficulties and opportunities of selling books today. Sales in the stores are not growing, whereas sales over the web are. Our business sessions at Twin Rocks were largely concerned with hearing reports of successful projects: this Web site, the database, and our first publications under the QUIP imprint. Our distributors report that they do get orders as a result of the Web site and database. We have not yet identified our next project.

Pacific Woods Lodge is the most modern of the many buildings at Twin Rocks Camp and has a large room for meeting and very comfortable accomodations. We were treated to a panel discussion on New Methods for Discerning the needs on which we base planning, publishing, marketing and distribution. by Bob Baird, bookseller and small publisher in Corvallis, Salem and Albany, Oregon and former member of North Pacific Yearly Meeting, and Dick Sleeper, small publisher and distributor and member of North West Yearly Meeting. There were further discussions of electronic marketing.

Some Friends received instructions on the stitches used in the QUIP panel for the Quaker Tapestry, which is beginning to take shape.

Comments from those attending this and earlier annual meetings:

As a first-time attender at a QUIP gathering, I found it not only extremely useful, but very exciting and spiritually uplifting. After all, how often do Evangelical, universalist, FUM, liberal, and independent Friends from the US and "across the pond" gather together for worship and business? I was utterly delighted by the warmth and depth of sharing on all levels. I am looking forward to participating in future gatherings of this outstanding and important Quaker organization.

I left the QUIP annual meeting with a new co-publishing agreement, a co-operative promotion with a trade publisher, and leads on two potential manuscripts for Friends United Press. A wonderful opportunity for business and fellowship permeated by a deep sense of worship.

An opportunity to have my ministry heard by a loving and doing community where I feel the spirit of the ministry will fall on fertile ground.

As an author attending a QUIP conference for the first time I was delighted to have the opportunity to hear so many publishers, editors, and other book-trade professionals speaking of their interests and concerns. This was very helpful to me. I was also grateful to be able to talk to them informally about my work. I would recommend this to any writer or would-be author of articles, pamphlets, or books.

Sharing both information and laughter, renewing friendships and making new ones. Ideas, inspiration, and a renewable hope to continue with QUIP, publishing, finding authors, topics, funds, and a leading. Thank you.

The QUIP meeting tells me that Quaker publishing is in good hands. The level of competence and good sense is impressive!

Coming to QUIP has been a most profound experience as God's presence was so real to me. It was wonderful to feel the deep fellowship and loving support of members of the group as we worked together with the Holy Spirit to discern a way forward. The opportunity to "visit" with Friends on our walk on Saturday afternoon gave the meeting an added dimension for which I am well pleased.

The QUIP meeting at Charney Manor, Oxfordshire managed to be both leisurely and rigorous, full of fellowship and fun. There was a good balance between meeting new people, renewing acquaintances and deepening friendships. There was a lot of business, camaraderie and the food was excellent. The most novel idea that came from the meetings for me was to think about FGConnections as a Quaker publication and have QUIP publicize it as such.

The worship during QUIP is not only deep and gathered, but well timed. It comes at the end of each day and thus allows us to taste a small part of the fruits of our spiritual labor rather than only the seeds.

This page last changed May 18, 2000