Budget and Finance
Committee
The Meeting finances remained sound despite
several financial shocks, including decreased revenues from Jumble Sale and
rentals, increased utility bills, and a serious lag in contributions through
the first ten months of the year. When the extent of the deficit was
publicized, members and attenders responded generously, so that a deficit that
seemed almost insurmountable at the beginning of November was closed by the
beginning of January. However, the budget that was finally met included
reduced levels of contributions to community and social action groups compared
to previous years, a cutback that was agreed on at the beginning of the year
in anticipation of an inability to maintain previous funding levels. We see
2009 as another challenging year and are determined to keep Meeting members
better informed about financial issues, in hope that we will not end the year
so perilously close to a serious budget shortfall.
Care and Counsel
Committee
Our Committee
Meetings are enhanced by sharing personal happenings and, often, much
laughter. Though more that half of our members are newly appointed, they
bring much to the mixture. Care and Counsel’s outreach this year included
outreach to Young Adult Friends, older youth who have moved away from the
Meeting, and being aware of new attenders. The Committee sends birthday cards
to members over 75-years-of-age with all our signatures on each card. And, we
presented books to High School graduates. In September we hosted the
reception for Swarthmore College students. We have telephoned people who have
been out of contact for a year.
We welcomed
eight new members this year. The Committee, primarily thanks to the intense
work by a few members, developed an Access database of Meeting members and
attenders – a huge job much needed.
Looking forward,
our goals include re-strengthening the Visiting Committee, establishing a
network of contacts for those who live alone and need a helping hand. We are
trying a new outreach – the Friendly Presence will personally contact
attenders who sight the Guest Book. We will continue urging members, along
with the guidance from the Memorial Committee, to file last wishes with the
Meeting Office. We plan to continue reaching out to Young Adult Friends.
Fellowship
Fellowship is
now under the care of Worship and Ministry Committee, and continues its very
welcome and generous ministry of offering beverages and goodies after Meeting
for Worship. This precious gathering time helps us build community, share
news, and laugh together. We are continuing our monthly potlucks. One
devoted family hosts weekly breakfast for college students.
First Day School
Committee
The number-one
concern of the First Day School program continues to be the decline in
families with children. Our average total attendance across all ages has
dropped to around ten children on a given Sunday. There are usually fewer than
three children under 8 years old, so the future of the program is seriously in
question.
There is better
news from the upper grades. The third- to fifth-grade group has two new
teachers, with a number of fresh and creative projects. In the current
middle-school group, attendance is not steady, but when they do come, they
enjoy lively, provocative discussions, games, and fellowship. A small high
school group meets about one a month, often in the childcare room. Teens from
four families are responsible for childcare during Meeting for Worship. This
is working out very well: not only does it satisfy the need for childcare, it
also keeps the teens (and their families) coming to Meeting.
House and Property
Committee
This was a busy year for the House and Property
Committee. A key project was designing and building the half wall in the
Whittier Room, with space for the folding tables and chairs, and removing the
former stage area. New floor tiles were also installed in the kitchen and
hall. There were also repairs to the roof, and to various parts of the
building, including a door to the nursery school, which was damaged during a
break-in.
Painting was
done in some interior areas. Planning is under way to improve the lighting in
Whittier House. One major change was the selection of a cleaning service
(rather than hiring a custodian) for 2008. The committee is also working on a
plan for guidelines for the use of rental area. The Committee sponsored a
community work day, to address a number of maintenance projects. Finally, the
Committee would like the Meeting to know that we have been wee-supported, in
many ways, by the Swarthmore College Facilities group.
Jumble Sale Committee
2007 was a transition year for the Jumble Sale
with numerous changes driven primarily by dwindling resources. We anticipated
that sellable goods would be somewhat less due to the new procedure for
drop-offs, and in fact they were. The up side was that we found set-up and
tear-down to be much easier, and we ended-up saving money on the leftovers,
95% of which were recycled rather than discarded. This year’s sale generated
$7,500, and the Committee was generally pleased with the results. Dwindling
resources were also reflected in the loss of Pat Wolff and Tom Korn as
department managers, as well as Mary Lou Parker and Gary King as Co-Clerks.
Tom, Mary Lou, and Gary will help in some capacity, but in greatly reduced
roles.
Memorial Committee
The Memorial Committee completed a checklist to help members plan for
end-of-life issues. The Committee urged all members to familiarize
themselves with this checklist and to use it.
Nursery School
Committee
The Committee
supports the Nursery School as it continues to have solid enrollment and to
provide wonderful care and education to all of their students, including
several special-needs children who could not necessarily attend pre-school
anywhere else.
The Committee
helped to facilitate connections between the Meeting and Nursery School,
through, for example, joint fund-raisers with the First Day School, attendance
at Meeting for Business and Clerks’ Meetings, and hosting tow potluck
brunches.
The Committee
devoted much work trying to straighten out some legal and tax issues that
arose form being incorporated separately from the Meeting and from hiring a
new payroll service.
The Committee
continues to feel somewhat “stretched” despite joyfully welcoming a couple of
new members.
Peace and Social
Concerns Committee
The Committee
continued its very active ministry in many areas: participation in several
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting initiatives (e.g. Middle East Working Group, Peace
and Social Concerns Standing Committee, Earthcare Working Group), feeding the
homeless, Tri-County Peace Week, Quaker Quick Notes, maintained the bulletin
board in the Meetinghouse hallway, arranged several forums and benefits,
sponsored several Minutes, contributed to local social action initiatives, as
well as many other activities.
The Committee
minuted its appreciation of the service of members cycling-off the Committee
and welcomed new members.
Personnel Committee
A revitalized
Personnel Committee initiated an Annual Office Assessment, encouraging the
feedback from al Meeting Committees. Based on the feedback, the job
description of the Meeting Secretary will be more clearly defined. The
database and printing of a current Meeting directory were given high
priority. Upon resignation of our custodian, and in consultation with the
House and Property Committee, the Meeting hired a professional cleaning
service.
Worship and Ministry
Committee
Worship and
Ministry continued its rich offering of adult religious education, with the
discussion of several Pendle Hill pamphlets, and the presentation of several
members’ spiritual journeys. The well-attended Seekers’ Sessions and a series
on the Fundamentals of Quakerism, both of which are under the care of the
Committee, have much enriched our spiritual lives. In the fall the Committee
began a discussion of eldering, considering its many virtues and potential
risks. The Committee is also exploring the possibility of the Meeting
participating in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting’s Deepening and Strengthening
Program.