New York Yearly Meeting
of the
Religious Society of Friends

Fourth Edition

Handbook

of
Yearly Meeting Organizations
and Committees

2000

With subsequent revisions as approved

PREFACE

A New York Yearly Meeting Handbook was first prepared in response to a minute approved by the 1965 sessions of Yearly Meeting. Revisions were made from time to time, and the Handbook was rewritten in 1974 and 1984. This issue reflects some changes in the committee and section organization, changes in Faith and Practice, and staff responsibilities. It does not change or supersede the authority of the book of Faith and Practice of the Yearly Meeting.

The Handbook spells out the present practice of New York Yearly Meeting with respect to the following areas:

1. the officers and staff of the Yearly Meeting and their duties, method of appointment, and terms of office

2. the organization of Yearly Meeting concerns, functions, and committees into sections; the section coordinating committees and their place and functions in the operation of the Yearly Meeting

3. a description of each committee, board, or related body, including its specific functions, its size and method of appointment, and, in many cases, some historical background

4. the principles of financing the operations of the Yearly Meeting

5. information about the funds and bequests held by the Yearly Meeting, particularly with respect to their history and method of administration

6. a statement on the nature of the corporate search in regard to conducting business after the manner of Friends, decisions of the Yearly Meeting, and advices to committees and persons appointed for service to the Yearly Meeting

Notes:

1. In this Handbook, the term "regional meeting" is used to mean quarterly, half-yearly, and regional meeting; the term "monthly meeting" is used to mean monthly and executive meetings.

2. Yearly Meeting business is conducted during the summer at Silver Bay and during the two Representative Meeting weekends. Thus, "Yearly Meeting" usually means business sessions at any of these times.

Revision: A committee, with approval of their coordinating committee, may revise their Handbook section. General Services is responsible for Part 2, with suggestions of the other committees. The Yearly Meeting in business session must approve changes in Purpose and Objectives, Functions and Activities, and other major revisions (Faith and Practice, page 77 [pages 105–6, 2001 edition]). The approved changes are forwarded to the Yearly Meeting office and included in the master copy showing approval dates.

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THE CORPORATE SEARCH

A meeting for business within the Religious Society of Friends should be a meeting for worship with a concern for business. The primary objective is a search for truth, for the right decision. We believe Friends should be sensitive to their knowledge of the feelings of those who may be absent but they must also be sensitive to the Light as it develops in the meeting, and it should be this Light that guides the final decision. Friends should proceed in a constant search for truth without unduly pressing any preconceived point of view. It is a common experience that the united efforts of a group proceeding in this way can, and often do, "discover truth which will satisfy everyone more fully than did any position previously held."

Suggested references for study include:

1. New York Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice (2001)—General Business Procedure

2. L. Hugh Doncaster, Pendle Hill Pamphlet #181—pp. 15–16

3. Howard Brinton, Friends for 300 Years—chapter 6, pp. 99–117

4. A. Neave Brayshaw, The Quakers—chapter 11, pp. 167–73

5. Michael J. Sheeran, Beyond Majority Rule

6. Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, "When Friends Attend to Business," Thomas S. Brown

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PART 1, ORGANIZATION

STRUCTURE OF NEW YORK YEARLY MEETING

1. Organization

The legal aspects of the New York Yearly Meeting are described on page 23 [of previous Handbook] (Corporation and Trustees).

The Yearly Meeting is organized and conducts its business affairs under the guidance of the book of Faith and Practice of New York Yearly Meeting. Its essential organization is suggested in Section B of Faith and Practice but not spelled out in great detail.

The following officers are regularly appointed annually:
Clerks - A presiding clerk and an assistant clerk
    Two or three recording clerks
    Two or three reading clerks

Treasurer and assistant treasurers

Some committees are specifically established in Faith and Practice (Practice and Procedure section), and other committees may be appointed as circumstances warrant. It is largely through committees that the Yearly Meeting meets its responsibilities.

2. Terms of Service

All appointments to Yearly Meeting committees or other bodies are made for a specific term (three years in most cases). Terms commence at the time of appointment, usually at the close of Yearly Meeting summer business sessions, although the Representative Meeting may make interim appointments to fill vacancies. A record of all committees and their membership is published annually with the proceedings of Yearly Meeting sessions in the Yearbook.

Committee members who have served six consecutive years or two consecutive terms, whichever is longer, ordinarily are not renamed without an intervening period of one year. Committee members or other appointees who resign before completion of their terms do so by letter to the clerk of the Yearly Meeting, care of the Yearly Meeting office, with a copy to the clerk of the committee.

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3. Appointment & Duties of Officers

a.Clerks—The clerks are appointed for one-year terms by the Yearly Meeting at its summer business sessions upon the recommendation of the Nominating Committee. Their terms of office begin at the close of the Yearly Meeting sessions at which they are appointed, except that a retiring clerk is responsible for the proper recording of the minutes of the Yearly Meeting just concluded, and may be called upon to sign documents approved for sending by the Yearly Meeting and to provide extracts of the minutes and attest to their accuracy.

The clerk presides over the annual sessions of the Yearly Meeting and Representative Meetings, presents the various items of business or introduces those who will present them, and gathers the sense of the meeting with respect to the business presented. The clerk may be called upon in various ways to represent the Yearly Meeting between sessions but has no power to act in the name of the Yearly Meeting except as specifically authorized by minute.

The clerk is a member ex officio of the General Services Coordinating Committee, the Liaison Committee, the Sessions Committee, and the Central Committee of Friends General Conference.

The assistant clerk may conduct business sessions at Yearly Meeting and performs such other duties as the clerk may assign. The assistant clerk is a member ex officio of the Sessions Committee and the General Services Coordinating Committee.

The recording clerks record the actions of the Yearly Meeting as determined by the clerk and prepare a transcript. They share this responsibility in such a way as to be mutually acceptable to them and to the clerk. The recording clerks are members ex officio of the Sessions Committee and the Liaison Committee.

The reading clerks read letters and other communications written to the Yearly Meeting. They share this responsibility in such a way as to be mutually acceptable to them and to the clerk. The reading clerks should have good speaking voices and be familiar with Friends' vocabulary and the pronunciation of individual Friends' names. The reading clerks are members ex officio of the Sessions Committee.

Guidelines for clerks are to be found in Part 2, pages 71–72 [of previous version].

b.Treasurers—The treasurer is appointed to a one-year term by the Yearly Meeting upon the recommendation of the Nominating Committee, but the term of office begins at the first of the calendar year next succeeding the appointment, thus corresponding with the fiscal year of the Yearly Meeting. The treasurer receives and disburses funds of the Yearly Meeting, has responsibility for the bank accounts in the name of the Yearly Meeting, and may make deposits and sign checks without counter signature. The treasurer is a member ex officio of the General Services Coordinating Committee and the Financial Services Committee.

The assistant treasurer is appointed for a one-year term by the Yearly Meeting upon the recommendation of the Nominating Committee, but the term of office begins at the first of the calendar year next succeeding the appointment, thus corresponding with the fiscal year of the Yearly Meeting. The assistant treasurer has authority to assume the duties of the treasurer, should it become necessary. The assistant treasurer is a member ex officio of the Financial Services Committee. The Yearly Meeting may appoint a second assistant treasurer at its discretion.

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4. Yearly Meeting Staff

Responsibility for the Yearly Meeting's life and activities is carried out by its members; however it has been desirable to employ salaried staff to carry out some functions. The staff supplies specific skills and a consistent level of attention to routine as well as continuity, experience, and breadth of view. A Yearly Meeting office is maintained in New York City.

In fostering the spiritual life of the Yearly Meeting, staff members visit meetings and develop and share understanding of common problems within the Yearly Meeting. Frequently the staff can suggest approaches to solving problems by sharing personal experience and the experience of other monthly meetings. This sharing between meetings and the ongoing attention of staff members supplement the work of the Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Counsel and nurture the life and health of the Yearly Meeting.

In addition, the staff maintains Yearly Meeting records (Sharing Fund, address lists, bookkeeping, and the like). It also carries out specialized work (writing and preparing Spark, the Yearbook, and other publications). The staff provides clerical work in support of the Yearly Meeting Clerk.

The Personnel Committee develops job descriptions (which are available in the Yearly Meeting office). The Yearly Meeting upon recommendation of the Personnel Committee appoints the staff for terms of service specified in the minute of appointment. Staff persons are employees of the Yearly Meeting and are paid by the Yearly Meeting treasurer.

The present job titles are available from the Personnel Committee.

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5. Yearly Meeting Sessions

The Yearly Meeting meets three times a year to transact business. Since 1947 our principal residential sessions have been held in July at Silver Bay, New York. Additional sessions called Representative Meeting, usually held over a weekend, are conducted in December and April. In addition to the business sessions and meetings for worship, Friends meet in worship-sharing groups, committee meetings, interest groups, and Bible-study groups, and to hear invited speakers. During summer sessions, Junior Yearly Meeting provides a program for young people prekindergarten through high school age.

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6. Spring and Fall Sessions (formerly called Representative Meetings)

The Representative Meeting acts on behalf of the Yearly Meeting as described in the Representative Meeting section of Faith and Practice.Any business session of Representative Meeting is a session of Yearly Meeting.

It may act for the Yearly Meeting in all matters when that body is not in session, except that it may not make changes in Faith and Practice nor issue any statement of faith.

It provides for an annual budget needed for the operating expenses of the Yearly Meeting and assigns approved proportional shares to be raised in each regional meeting.

The Representative Meeting transacts business for the Yearly Meeting between its annual sessions. It also carries out instructions given by the Yearly Meeting and performs such services as are delegated to it by the Yearly Meeting.

Membership

All members of New York Yearly Meeting are members of Representative Meeting. In order to encourage participation that reflects the body of the Yearly Meeting as a whole, monthly meetings are asked to name representatives. During the spring quarter, each monthly and executive meeting shall appoint at least one representative for a term of three years. Additional appointments are made in proportion of one representative for each seventy-five members of the monthly meeting. In addition, the Yearly Meeting appoints not more than forty members at large upon the recommendation of its Nominating Committee. The term of appointment is three years, beginning with the closing of Yearly Meeting July sessions, with about one-third appointed each year.

An information sheet entitled "On Serving As a Named Representative" appears here [page 73 of previous version]. If a named representative is unable to represent the appointing meeting, that meeting should name a replacement as soon as possible. Meetings are also asked to name alternates if named representatives are unable to attend a particular session of Representative Meeting. Names of the alternates should be sent to the Clerk, care of the Yearly Meeting office, in advance of the sessions.

A tabulation of the numbers of named representatives for each monthly meeting is printed in the Yearbook and should be updated by the Clerk in cooperation with the Yearly Meeting office at appropriate intervals.

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Meetings

Meetings of the Representative Meeting are held at least twice a year, at such time and place as the Yearly Meeting may determine, and may be continued by adjournment. In recent years, Representative Meetings have been held in April and December. The places to hold the Representative Meetings have been deliberately varied, and invitations from regional meetings prepared to provide the necessary services are encouraged.

Special meetings may be held upon the call of any five named representatives upon ten days' notice by mail, telephone, or telegram to all named representatives. (Faith and Practice, page 80 [page 109, 2001 edition].)

Finances

The Representative Meeting has no separate budget, but named representatives may request travel assistance from the Advancement Committee, which administers funds available for this purpose.

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7. The Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Counsel and the Sections

The activities of the Yearly Meeting are carried out by four specialized sections:

The Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Counsel exercises general care of the ministry and spiritual life of the Yearly Meeting; it assists in pastoral care; it organizes conferences of Friends for sharing its concerns; and it conducts other activities to foster spiritual growth.

The General Services Section provides the main administrative, financial, and reporting services of the Yearly Meeting, including the operation of the Yearly Meeting office.

The Nurture Section provides for the advancement of the principles of Friends, for educational and nurturing services of the Yearly Meeting, and for relationships with a number of the wider bodies of the Religious Society of Friends.

The Witness Section makes visible both the traditional testimonies and newer concerns of Friends in ways that extend beyond the Society of Friends. Its work attempts to express beliefs in action.

Each section includes all those named to its constituent committees and its coordinating committee. The Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Counsel (see page 7 [of previous version]) includes persons named by each monthly meeting and regional meeting, all recorded ministers, pastors, and meeting secretaries, and those named to its constituent committees.

Functions of Each Section

1. to develop and coordinate services and programs and to implement them directly or through committees, task groups, staff, or volunteers. To adapt services and programs to changing needs and interests of Friends and to resources available; this may involve establishment, consolidation, and laying down of committees
2. to explore new ways of service and to respond to concerns of individual Friends and monthly and regional meetings, including:
3. 1. communicating effectively with constituent meetings and individual Friends by written publication, visitation, or other methods
   2. working toward decentralization of services and programs and full participation of monthly and regional meetings
4. to recommend for Yearly Meeting action any major change of activity within its general area of responsibility
5. to work with the Sessions Committee in development of programs for Yearly Meeting and Representative Meeting sessions

Each section has a coordinating committee, composed of representatives chosen by its constituent committees and groups plus members at large appointed by the Yearly Meeting. In addition, the Coordinating Committee for Ministry and Counsel has representatives named by the regional meetings.

The coordinating committees are enabling bodies. They consider the activities within the sections in relationship to each other, assist in their coordination, and help allocate the resources of people, time, and money. They coordinate the preparation of the section budgets, are responsible for their overall administration, and participate in preparation of the Yearly Meeting Operating Budget. They assist constituent committees and others to prepare business coming before Yearly Meeting sessions, and with presentation of business for the consideration of Friends.

The coordinating committees meet from time to time throughout the year to receive reports, suggest courses of action, and advise or act on concerns that come from meetings and individual Friends as well as from groups within their own sections.

Liaison Committee

The Liaison Committee provides for communication among the Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Counsel and the other three sections. It identifies and assigns to a particular section or committee inquiries and concerns coming to the Yearly Meeting. It serves in an advisory capacity to the Yearly Meeting and the Yearly Meeting clerk as needed. It meets daily during Yearly Meeting sessions and at Representative Meeting sessions, and at other times as needed.

The committee is composed of the Yearly Meeting clerk, assistant clerk, and the clerks of the four coordinating committees. The past clerk of the Yearly Meeting may be asked to serve.

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8. Committees and Task Groups

The Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Counsel and the sections carry out their activities using committees, Yearly Meeting appointees to Friends bodies, ad hoc committees, task groups, and individual Friends.

Yearly Meeting Committees

The Yearly Meeting may establish or discontinue committees according to need. When a committee is established, it is the duty of the Yearly Meeting to approve a statement of its purpose and functions. All appointments are to be made for a specified time.

A record of all committees and their membership is published annually in the Yearbook. Terms of service are discussed on page 3 [of previous version].

In general, New York Yearly Meeting committees are suggested by a coordinating committee after the need has been determined. This Handbook is printed to describe the functions of the Yearly Meeting committees and Yearly Meeting appointees to Friends' bodies. Each committee and appointee is responsible, through its section or the Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Counsel, to meet its purposes, objectives, functions, and activities. They are expected to relate their activities to the expectations of the Yearly Meeting for the specialized group of which they are a part. (See "Committee Members" [was page 78].)

Task Groups

One of the functions assigned to coordinating committees is to welcome and nourish new concerns. A task group provides one way of accomplishing this. It provides a way for individuals in the Yearly Meeting to explore their concern more fully and to invite others to join them as they assess the extent of interest among Friends. A task group may grow to become a Yearly Meeting committee, or its members may find their concern best served in another way. A task group will be formed with one particular focus and for a specified period. It can be continued beyond that time if its task is still felt to be important. The members of a task group will be appointed by the appropriate coordinating committee, and financial support will come through funds allocated to the coordinating committee. The task group will be responsible to the coordinating committee, with access to it for support and advice.

Ad Hoc Committees

For a specific task that is outside the responsibility of an existing committee or that may be wider than the activities of one section, the Yearly Meeting may establish an ad hoc committee. Such committees are established for a specific period, usually one or two years, and may be continued until the task is completed. The members of an ad hoc committee are appointed by the Yearly Meeting on recommendation of the Nominating Committee.

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Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Counsel

(being restructured, 2007)

Purposes & Objectives

The Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Counsel is a consultative and exploratory body of the Yearly Meeting. It is more for the weighing of issues than for the making of decisions. Its membership is as representative as possible to make its consideration of the areas of concern and responsibility laid out in Faith and Practicemore valid. Its executive body is the Coordinating Committee for Ministry and Counsel.

Functions & Activities

1. to consider subjects having to do with the spiritual needs of the membership of New York Yearly Meeting
2. to receive reports of concerns from the local, quarterly, regional, and half-yearly meetings, through the Coordinating Committee for Ministry and Counsel
3. to refer concerns that require action to the Coordinating Committee for Ministry and Counsel
4. to consider and approve recommendations for recording gifts in ministry

Organization & Method of Appointment

1. one representative appointed by each monthly meeting
2. recorded ministers, pastors, and meeting secretaries
3. all members of the Coordinating Committee for Ministry and Counsel, and constituent committees, ad hoc committees, and task groups

The clerk of the Coordinating Committee for Ministry and Counsel also serves as clerk of the Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Counsel.

Meeting Times & Places

The Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Counsel meets twice yearly, at summer sessions at Silver Bay and at Representative Meeting in December.

Finances

Any expenditures incurred by the Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Counsel are accommodated in the budget of the Coordinating Committee for Ministry and Counsel.

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Purposes & Objectives

The purpose of the Coordinating Committee for Ministry and Counsel is to exercise general care of the spiritual life of New York Yearly Meeting, to provide pastoral care of the membership, and to listen to the concerns of the Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Counsel and meet them with appropriate action.

Functions & Activities

1. to respond to requests for counsel and spiritual leadership received from monthly and regional meetings
2. to exercise care over the work of the constituent committees of the Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Counsel
3. to respond to needs for mediation and reconciliation from monthly meetings and other groups in the Yearly Meeting
4. to coordinate functions with the Advancement Committee as needed
5. to receive special reports on concerns of monthly and regional meetings
6. to address epistles of advice and instruction to monthly meetings and to expedite a program of visitation to meetings
7. to appoint one or more persons to receive State of the Meeting reports from monthly meetings and to prepare a summary for presentation to the Yearly Meeting sessions as the State of the Society Report
8. to organize general meetings and conferences for sharing its concerns, to foster spiritual growth, and to strengthen the religious life of the membership
9. to plan for the Yearly Meeting sessions:
10. 1. to arrange meetings for worship
    2. to provide leadership for activities such as Bible study, worship-sharing groups, and interest groups designed to broaden and enrich the life of Yearly Meeting
    3. to name an oversight committee to serve as liaison among Yearly Meeting, Junior Yearly Meeting, and the Silver Bay Association to deal with problems and stressful situations arising from behavior at summer sessions
11. to receive minutes concerning proposed recording of ministers from monthly meetings, to appoint clearness committees regarding these minutes, and to take recommendations to the Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Counsel for approval
12. to administer the Stevens Fund

Organization & Method of Appointment

The membership of the Coordinating Committee consists of

1. one appointed representative from each regional meeting (except that Farmington-Scipio Regional Meeting names two) for three-year terms
2. fifteen members at large appointed by the Yearly Meeting for three-year terms, one-third appointed each year
3. one named member from each constituent committee of Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Counsel for one-year appointments

The Coordinating Committee appoints clerk(s), recording clerk(s), a representative to Junior Yearly Meeting, and several subcommittees of the Coordinating Committee, to carry out its work. The clerk, or another appointee, represents the Coordinating Committee on the Sessions and Liaison Committees.

Meeting Times & Places

July sessions at Silver Bay, December Representative Meeting, a one-day meeting in the fall at a time selected by the Committee, Coordinating Committee Weekend at Powell House in the spring, and other times as needed.

Finances

Expenses of Ministry and Counsel are provided for in the Operating Budget.

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Purposes & Objectives

1. to disseminate widely an awareness of the faith, practice, and testimonies of Friends and to encourage their observance by monthly, quarterly, and regional meetings and by members of the Yearly Meeting
2. to reach out to seekers
3. to knit Friends and Friends meetings more closely together
4. to encourage outreach and growth in existing meetings, to undergird and strengthen weak meetings, and to help new worship groups

Functions & Activities

1. to promote intervisitation among meetings
2. to arrange for conferences, seminars, and similar activities for study and consideration of Friends' principles by members and attenders
3. to find or prepare articles, leaflets, or books by and about Friends and to make them available to meetings and individuals
4. to assist in the organization of new monthly meetings
5. to arrange meetings and to speak to interested groups outside the Society about Friends' principles and concerns
6. to distribute funds made available by the Yearly Meeting Trustees, the Yearly Meeting Operating Budget, and New York Quarterly Meeting, for repairing meetinghouses, for training meeting workers, and for assisting Friends to attend sessions of Yearly Meeting, Representative Meetings, and other Friends' gatherings

In addition to the functions and activities of the committee as a whole, there is an individual responsibility of members to nurture their own local and regional meetings and to travel in the Yearly Meeting and to groups of seekers with Friends' message of peace, love, and healing.

Organization & Method of Appointment

The committee appoints a clerk, an assistant clerk, a treasurer, a literature clerk, and a representative to the Nurture Coordinating Committee. The committee comprises from eighteen to twenty-one members appointed by the Yearly Meeting for three-year terms, with approximately one-third appointed each year.

Meeting Times & Places

The committee meets during Yearly Meeting sessions and at the time of December Representative Meeting. Other meetings may be held at other times during the year.

Finances

The work of the Advancement Committee is financed in part by the Operating Budget and in part by the income from certain trust funds. The committee is responsible for distributing the income of the following trust funds:

1. Martin Leach Fund - This is for the general work of the committee.
2. Lafayette Avenue Meeting House Fund - This is for training present or potential meeting workers. This fund comes from part of the proceeds of the sale of the Lafayette Avenue Meeting House in Brooklyn, New York. The trustees of New York Quarterly Meeting distribute this fund to the Advancement Committee.
3. Lockport-Brinkerhoff Fund - This is for the repair and maintenance of meeting properties. The Advancement Committee receives requests from meetings and makes recommendations to Representative Meeting for its final approval.
4. Women's Fund - This fund is to help women attend Yearly Meeting sessions.

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Purposes and Objectives
To provide an education in the spiritual basis and skills of Friends' conflict transformation and to facilitate the transformation of conflicts within New York Yearly Meeting. It will use the June 2003 report of the Task Group on Conflict Transformation to inform and shape its work.

History
Minute 30 of the 2003 Yearly Meeting sessions approved the formation of the Committee, which evolved out of the work of the Task Group on Conflict Transformation laid down the same year.

Functions & Activities

1. The Committee's work is under the care of the Coordinating Committee for Ministry and Counsel, to whom they report regularly throughout the year.
2. The Committee encourages active engagement of the Yearly Meeting and its monthly and quarterly meetings in exploring effective ways to lift disagreements into the light of opportunity for growth and closer community.
3. The Committee provides workshops for learning skills and deepening understanding about conflict and its transformation, ranging in length from three hours to five days. All workshops encourage participation of the Spirit as the key ingredient in resolving conflict and healing from its negative fallout.
4. The Committee makes itself available at times of conflict, acting in confidence, to provide a neutral presence, to listen and to encourage healing dialogue, for the Yearly Meeting and its committees and equally for monthly and quarterly meetings and their committees.
5. The Committee is actively creating a historical record of conflicts and methods that it helped resolve and heal.
6. The Committee provides bibliographies and literature of its own on conflict transformation.

Organization & Method of Appointment
The Committee has from six to eight members appointed by the Yearly Meeting for staggered three-year terms. Two to three are appointed each year as members rotate off. The Committee appoints its own clerk and recording clerk and a representative to Ministry and Counsel Coordinating Committee. These positions are held for a one-year term, which may be renewed.

Potential nominees should have characteristics such as mediation/negotiation/eldering skills, spiritual centeredness helpful in conflict situations, an ability to maintain confidentiality and neutrality, and ability to engage in skills education for Yearly Meeting Friends.

Meeting Times & Places
Meetings of the Committee are held at Yearly and Representative Meetings. At least two, and frequently more, additional day-long meetings are held during the year as called by the clerk, as well as occasional telephone conferences. Insofar as practical, committee meetings alternate between the Albany area and the metropolitan downstate area.

Finances
Funds are provided by Ministry and Counsel Coordinating Committee, which considers for approval an annual budget proposed by the Committee.

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Purposes & Objectives

To revise the Yearly Meeting's Book of Discipline according to the direction of the Yearly Meeting. This direction comes in minutes of the Yearly Meeting in session, from the written suggestions of individual Friends, and from minutes of monthly meetings.

History

The Yearly Meeting referred the task of rewriting the section on the membership of children to an appropriate committee, to be determined by the clerk, in 1977. That fall, the Representative Meeting appointed members for a one-year term to a committee to revise the Book of Discipline.

The committee found additional areas where material needed to be changed or added: sexist language, prison reform, troubled marriages, separation and divorce, death and dying, and human sexuality. The committee also considered how to make sure that references to Christ remained in a faith that the committee recognized ranged from Christian to an unspecified universalist. Friends, individually and in suggestions from monthly meetings, called on the committee to consider most sections of the book. The second part of the book, Practice and Procedure, received final approval in July 1987; the first part, Faith, in July 1995. The most recent edition was approved in July 1998.

Functions & Activities

1. The committee's work takes place under the care of the Coordinating Committee for Ministry and Counsel, to whom the committee reports. Ministry and Counsel may offer any guidance and counsel for the committee's work and any help in gaining Friends' understanding of committee proposals for the revision.
2. The committee meets as needed to consider updating and rewriting ideas, paragraphs, and sections of Faith and Practice. Between committee meetings, members write suggestions for new sections or for changes in sections already published.
3. The committee presents draft proposals directly to the summer sessions of Yearly Meeting. (Friends must consider and approve these proposals at two consecutive yearly meetings before they may be published.) (Faith and Practice, page 104.)
4. The committee is on call to speak about suggested revisions and to listen to Friends' thoughts and concerns.

Organization & Method of Appointment

For the first twelve years, the Yearly Meeting appointed committee members to one-year terms. The Yearly Meeting considered the committee to be ad hoc and therefore not subject to the limits of successive appointments. Since 1988, the Yearly Meeting has appointed members for three-year staggered terms, with about one-third of the members having their terms end each year. The Yearly Meeting's limit of two successive terms now applies to appointees. The Yearly Meeting's Nominating Committee recommends appointments. The committee selects its own clerk and recording clerk for one-year terms and names a representative to the Coordinating Committee for Ministry and Counsel for a one-year term as well. The committee currently has six members.

Meeting Times & Places

Prior to the 1995 publication of Faith and Practice, the committee often met once a month for a day-long meeting, sometimes with an overnight at a weekend, usually in New York City but occasionally out of the city. The committee in session sets future meeting times. The committee may meet during the Yearly Meeting sessions and has held open meetings from time to time.

Finances

The expenses of the committee are met by an appropriation in the Operating Budget. Sales of Faith and Practice cover the costs of printing.

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History

Minute 74 of the 1971 Yearly Meeting sessions marked the initiation of the Fund for Sufferings under the Peace and Social Action Program. The Fund, raised through voluntary contributions, is meant to provide assistance to those who are suffering because of fidelity to Friends' testimonies. In the sessions of 1975, a Committee on Sufferings was established to administer the Fund, and a budget appropriation was placed in the goals of the Sharing Fund to continue until the Fund reached $10,000.

Purposes & Functions

1. To administer the Fund for Sufferings to provide aid and assistance to those who are suffering because of fidelity to Friends' testimonies.
2. To determine that the witness to which the suffering is attributed speaks to Friends generally relative to a common heritage and tradition.
3. To consider applications for assistance from a Yearly Meeting member wherever that person resides and from any who are faithful participants in worship and action in local meetings. Normally, an application will be forwarded by a local meeting with the anticipation that the Fund will supplement the meeting's financial resources in the matter. In lieu of this, a Yearly Meeting committee may endorse and forward the application.
4. The rendering of assistance rests on evidence that the applicant and any dependents have been diligent in self-help and in the search for alternate resources, particularly local meetings. Such assistance should be a decent level of support, especially when extended to the dependents of applicants.
5. Where religious witness involves challenges to authority, legal support must be limited to modest defensive moves and should not include the payment of fines or other financial penalties.

Organization & Method of Appointment

The Committee on Sufferings consists of nine members serving for terms of three years. The Yearly Meeting appoints one-third of them each year upon the recommendation of the Nominating Committee. The committee selects its own clerk and treasurer and names a representative to the Coordinating Committee for Ministry and Counsel.

Meeting Times & Places

The committee meets at such times and places as are necessary to process applications for assistance, to oversee the Fund for Sufferings, and to report on its status each year.

Finances

Appropriations are received from the Sharing Fund. Whatever is not drawn from the accumulating Fund for Sufferings is invested to increase further the size of the Fund. Committee expenses are available from these sources.

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GENERAL SERVICES SECTION

Purposes & Objectives

The General Services Coordinating Committee (GSCC) functions as an enabling body of the General Services Section, which comprises those committees that provide the primary administrative, financial, and reporting services of the Yearly Meeting, including the operation of the Yearly Meeting office. They are:

• Audit Committee
• Financial Services Committee
• Committee on the Expenditure of the H.H. Mosher Fund (as of 2007)
• Junior Yearly Meeting Committee [transferred to Nurture CC 2007]
• Nominating Committee
• Personnel Committee
• Publications Committee
• Records Committee
• Sessions Committee
• Trustees of New York Yearly Meeting
• Trustees of the Lindley Murray Fund

Functions & Activities

GSCC supports and oversees the work of committees in the General Services Section, as well as their relations with others in the Yearly Meeting. It forms task groups when needed, coordinates preparation of the section budget, and participates in the preparation of the Yearly Meeting Operating Budget.

Organization & Method of Appointment

GSCC is composed of the clerk or a named designee of each of the committees within this section, the clerk, assistant clerk, and treasurers of the Yearly Meeting, and six to eight members at large. The latter are appointed by the Yearly Meeting upon recommendation of the Nominating Committee for three-year terms, approximately one-third each year.

The clerk of GSCC or a named designee serves on the Sessions Committee and is a member of the Liaison Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

GSCC meets twice at Yearly Meeting sessions, at Representative Meeting sessions, at the coordinating committee weekend at Powell House in the spring, and at the call of the clerk as needed.

Finances

Expenses approved by the committee are provided for in the Operating Budget.

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History

The Audit Committee was established at Representative Meeting held December 6, 1980. Its purpose was to provide an annual review of the financial records of each Yearly Meeting committee. At Yearly Meeting sessions in 2001, a new Audit Committee was named and asked to articulate a new statement of purpose, which would reflect several changes in the Yearly Meeting's fiscal management and reporting practices. These changes included a sharp reduction in the number of Yearly Meeting committees that maintained their own accounts and records, and a decision by the Yearly Meeting that all its financial accounts and records should be professionally audited.

Purposes & Objectives

Working with the Yearly Meeting treasurer, the treasurer of the Yearly Meeting's trustees, and the clerks and treasurers of any Yearly Meeting committees maintaining their own accounts and financial records, the Audit Committee will assure the Yearly Meeting that its financial accounts, records, procedures, controls, and reports are periodically reviewed and audited by competent, outside professionals in the field of accounting, and will interpret the findings and recommendations of the resulting accountant's or auditor's report(s) to the Yearly Meeting.

Functions & Activities

The Audit Committee will:

1. advise the Yearly Meeting on the recommended schedule and scope of review or audit activities
2. recruit and recommend an appropriate firm or individual professional to carry out the services recommended
3. review and advise the General Services Coordinating Committee on the appropriate engagement letter or contract
4. coordinate the planning and execution of the accountant's or auditor's work with the treasurers, bookkeepers, and other fiscal officers whose accounts, controls, or procedures are being examined
5. receive and review a draft of the professional's findings and recommendations
6. advise the General Services Coordinating Committee on the timing and method of reporting to the Yearly Meeting (It is anticipated that custom will be followed in reporting an auditor's findings or opinions to the full governing body-in our case the membership-and that the widest practical exposure among those affected will be given to the auditor's recommendations to management.)
7. advise the General Services Coordinating Committee on the release of payment for professional services under the terms of the engagement
8. evaluate the performance of those engaged for professional accounting or auditing services and advise on their suitability for future retention
9. help interpret professional findings and recommendations to the treasurers, bookkeepers, other fiscal officers, and others whose work may be affected by those recommendations.

The General Services Coordinating Committee retains its authority to contract and compensate professional services as recommended by the committee or, at its own discretion, to request or act on another recommendation. It also retains its responsibility for the ongoing oversight of financial policies, plans, operations, controls, and systems within the Yearly Meeting organization and for overseeing the adoption and implementation of any recommendations arising out of a financial review or audit.

Organization & Method of Appointment

The Audit Committee should consist of no fewer than three members, appointed one each year by the Yearly Meeting at the recommendation of the Nominating Committee for rotating terms of three years. No member of the Audit Committee should concurrently serve as a trustee of the Yearly Meeting, as treasurer or assistant treasurer of the Yearly Meeting, as a member of the Financial Services Committee, or as an officer or trustee of any board or committee whose accounts and records are subject to a direct review or audit supervised by the Audit Committee. Members of committees whose work focuses on the allocation or distribution of funds for which management is not under their direct control are not precluded from serving, but they may want to consider the potential for conflict before agreeing to serve.

While not a requirement for appointment, it would be helpful if members of the committee brought some previous experience working with business, nonprofit, or public-sector audits, as well as some familiarity with the Yearly Meeting's management and fiscal operations.

The Audit Committee will appoint its own clerk, as well as name a representative to the General Services Coordinating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

The committee should expect to meet not more than two to three times per year, as needed to plan, oversee, and review the results of audit activities affecting the Yearly Meeting. Whenever practical, these times should coincide with the times of Yearly Meeting sessions or of Representative Meeting.

Except as face to face meetings are needed to weigh and make decisions, much of the committee's work can and should be carried out by consultation and delegation among the members. Some of this work will include meeting with the auditor, as well as with the various trustees, officers and committee representatives responsible for the financial management and operations of the Yearly Meeting. As far as possible, the number of such meetings required each year should be kept to a minimum.

No special budget provision has been made for the work of audit committee. The expected costs of proposed professional services should be budgeted annually as "audit expense" under General Services. Out of pocket expenses incurred by Yearly Meeting officers and committees during the course of a review or audit should be charged to their own expense lines. To the extent that may be agreed upon in advance, out of pocket expenses for travel by Audit Committee members in connection with committee business may be presented for reimbursement to the clerk of General Services from coordinating committee expense.

GSCC 03/02/02

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Purposes & Objectives

To serve the Yearly Meeting in matters relating to financial needs and resources.

Functions & Activities

1. To prepare annually a budget based upon the recommendation of the coordinating committees and to propose methods for collecting the necessary funds.
2. To determine the part of the overall budget that covers the administrative costs of the Yearly Meeting and its committees and contributions to other Friends' bodies, together known as the Operating Budget, and to recommend the proportional assessment of this Operating Budget to be assigned to each regional meeting. The committee is charged with the responsibility for a continual review of these allocations, making such adjustments from year to year as are appropriate and desirable.
3. To aid in programs of education and information that communicate to Friends the requirements and opportunities provided by the Yearly Meeting, its outreach projects, and the larger Friends' bodies with which it is associated.
4. To review regularly the financial position of New York Yearly Meeting with the Yearly Meeting Treasurer and determine any actions required to keep expenses and income in balance.
5. To serve in an advisory capacity to the Yearly Meeting, its committees, and regional and monthly meetings on all matters involving financial needs and resources, other than those assigned to the Trustees. Specifically, to inform clerks and treasurers of meetings and regions of the proposed budget and Proportional Shares prior to Representative Meeting in December.

Organization & Method of Appointment

The committee comprises twenty-four appointed members serving three-year terms, one-third appointed each year, plus all regional treasurers, ex officio. Appointments are made by the Yearly Meeting on the recommendation of the Nominating Committee. The Treasurer and assistant treasurers of the Yearly Meeting are members ex officio.

The committee appoints its own clerk, assistant clerk, and recording clerk, and names a representative to the General Services Coordinating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

All meetings are held at the call of the clerk, and there are no stated times thereof. The committee has been meeting during Yearly Meeting sessions to prepare reports for presentation, review the financial state of the Yearly Meeting, and discuss those matters that have arisen since Representative Meeting. At the final meeting the committee will make appointments for the following year for clerk, assistant clerk, and recording clerk.

Finances

Expenses incurred by the committee are provided for by an allocation in the General Services Coordinating Committee operating budget.

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History

The Mosher Fund derives from a bequest of $13,100 received by New York Yearly Meeting in 1875 from the estate of a New York Friend, Henry H. Mosher. The Yearly Meeting assigned the execution of this bequest to the Committee on the Expenditure of the H. H. Mosher Fund, which was to disburse the income received from the trustees, who hold the principal, according to their best judgment of the spirit and intent of the gift.

Around the year 1937, the Yearly Meeting asked this committee to take over the additional function of maintaining a book table at Yearly Meeting sessions. About $300 was transferred to the Mosher Fund Committee at that time, and it has continued to be used as a revolving fund for this purpose.

Purposes & Objectives

The committee's purpose is to use the income of the fund guided by the directive of Henry Mosher for "circulating books and tracts inculcating and developing the principles of the Christian religion as preached and promulgated by the early Friends. "

Functions & Activities

The committee distributes books and pamphlets written by and about Friends and concerning Friends' principles. Lately, the selections have been broadened to include books on religion and related subjects and on other topics pertinent to Friends. Literature is distributed mostly to Friends' Meetings in New York Yearly Meeting and to affiliated Friends' institutions, but also to individuals who make their books available to others in the course of their work on behalf of Friends. Books are also given to visiting Friends at Yearly Meeting.

The book table at Yearly Meeting sessions is operated by the committee with a view to promoting sales of literature of the same general type as that of the Mosher Fund distribution. Committees and individuals are asked to recommend suitable publications for the book table.

Organization & Method of Appointment

The Yearly Meeting appoints two members each year for five-year terms. The committee chooses a clerk and a treasurer and appoints a member to serve on the Nurture Coordinating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

The committee usually meets twice a year at the times of Representative Meeting, and occasionally at other times and at Yearly Meeting. Most of the activity of the committee is concentrated in the period before and after Yearly Meeting sessions.

Finances

The committee receives no funds from the Operating Budget. The income of the Mosher Fund pays for the distribution of literature. The income and profit from sales of books are used as an operating fund for the book table.

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Purposes & Objectives

To search for and to propose, for the approval of the Yearly Meeting, the names of Friends to serve as officers and on the committees of the Yearly Meeting.

Functions & Activities

The Nominating Committee ordinarily proposes all nominations for Yearly Meeting officers and committees for approval to the Yearly meeting, as follows:

1. Yearly Meeting Clerks, treasurer and assistant treasurer of the Yearly Meeting, Trustees of the Yearly Meeting and of the Lindley Murray Fund
2. members of all other standing committees of the Yearly Meeting and such special nominations as the Yearly Meeting may direct, with the exception of appointments to the Nominating Committee itself

When resignations or other vacancies in any of the appointments normally made by the Yearly Meeting require replacement before the next session of Yearly Meeting, or if membership is needed for a new committee established by the Yearly Meeting or Representative Meeting, nominations are proposed to Representative Meeting.

Organization & Method of Appointment

Each regional meeting is entitled to name one member to the Yearly Meeting Nominating Committee for each 200 members of the regional meeting or fraction thereof, with at least one member for each regional meeting. The terms are adjusted so that approximately one-third of the total appointments are made each year for three-year terms. Appointments should be made by the regional meetings before Yearly Meeting sessions each year, and the Yearly Meeting office should be notified. Members should not be named for a second three-year term without an intervening year.

The committee appoints its own clerk and secretary at an organizational meeting at the end of Yearly Meeting sessions after the new appointments are known. It also names its own representatives to the General Services Coordinating Committee and to the Sessions Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

The committee meets at the time of December Representative Meeting to begin the work of the year. To establish a pool of willing potential nominees, individual members are then assigned committees for which they are responsible. A full weekend meeting is held at Powell House in May or June to bring together all nominations and to set up committee slates. The committee meets daily during Yearly Meeting sessions to finalize nominations.

Finances

The Nominating Committee has an appropriation in the Operating Budget to cover clerical costs, telephone charges, some committee travel, and other miscellaneous expenses.

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History

The Yearly Meeting established the Personnel Committee in 1975 to undertake many of the functions of the previous Executive Committee having to do with office and field staff. Before the existence of the Executive Committee, the Secretaries Committee concerned itself with many of these tasks.

Purposes & Objectives

The Personnel Committee annually recommends staff appointments to the Yearly Meeting. In response to Yearly Meeting directives, it gives general guidance and support to the staff and helps in the Yearly Meeting's relationships with the staff. The committee is asked to attend to working conditions, to performance, and to needs of the Yearly Meeting staff.

Functions & Activities

The Personnel Committee provides guidance and support by listening, encouraging, and recommending changes. As it is able, it nurtures staff's relationships with Friends in the Yearly Meeting with a view to helping create an atmosphere in which people will wish to work, perhaps for a number of years. A major function is to listen to staff concerning any difficulties they have on their jobs, and possibly to help resolve these difficulties.

The committee writes, reviews, and amends the personnel policy and the various job descriptions. It makes and revises a salary guide and an annual salary schedule. It attempts to understand the needs of the employees and, when appropriate, to express these to the Yearly Meeting; and to balance these needs with the needs of the Yearly Meeting. It helps secure and supervise medical, disability, and retirement benefits for employees. The committee annually evaluates the work of the Yearly Meeting staff.

The Personnel Committee proposes a budget to cover the personnel expenses of the Yearly Meeting

Organization & Method of Appointment

The committee consists of ten to twelve members, appointed for three-year terms, approximately one-third appointed each year. All appointments are made by the Yearly Meeting upon the recommendation of the Nominating Committee. The committee selects its own clerk and recording clerk and names a representative to the General Services Coordinating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

The Personnel Committee meets at Yearly Meeting sessions and at least three additional times each year, generally in New York City, at the call of its clerk.

Finances

The Personnel Committee proposes a budget to cover the personnel expenses of the Yearly Meeting (salaries, benefits, etc.). The committee may authorize unusual expenses necessary in the operation of the office and may authorize the Treasurer to pay such expenses up to the amount provided in the budgeted contingency reserve without prior approval of the yearly or representative meeting. The committee itself has no budget.

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Purposes and Objectives

The committee serves the Yearly Meeting in matters relating to communication of New York Yearly Meeting business and activities of other Friends' bodies that would be of general interest to New York Yearly Meeting members. Such communication includes gathering and sharing regional and monthly meeting news and concerns and distributing information pertaining to wider Quaker groups (e.g., FGC, FWCC, FUM, AFSC) as appropriate. The functions and activities required for communications are carried out in the main by the staff; the committee sets policies, provides guidance and advice, and helps out as way opens.

Functions and Activities: Staff

1. The staff edits and produces Spark, the online newsletter InfoShare, this Handbook, and the Yearbook, including the Advance Reports. Staff makes sure these are issued in a timely manner and makes them available to Friends in various media as required (including Internet versions). Spark, the Yearly Meeting newsletter, is published five times a year (in January, March, May, September, and November). InfoShare is issued six times a year (in February, April, June, Summer, October, and December) to provide a vehicle for "late- breaking" news and additional material.
2. The staff maintains and updates Faith and Practice on the Web site and takes care of typesetting and printing of new editions.
3. The staff is responsible for the Yearly Meeting membership database and maintains distribution lists for communications it sends out. The database includes e-mail addresses.
4. The staff sends out global messages in accordance with guidelines approved by the General Services Coordinating Committee. The staff interprets their application as necessary so that all widespread communications are coordinated by a single committee (staff may consult with the Communications Committee if they wish).
5. The staff updates the electronic version of the Handbook and sends printed change pages to Handbook owners as soon as changes are received from the coordinating committee for the section. The Handbook is a living document distributed to Monthly Meeting clerks, Yearly Meeting officers, and clerks of all Yearly Meeting committees. Committees change their entries with some frequency, and changes need to be made promptly. The Handbook exists in print and in electronic form on the Web site.
6. The staff cooperates with other Yearly Meeting committees to improve communications and, upon request, consults with them in such areas as editing, production, and distribution (including posting on the Web site).

Functions and Activities: Committee

1. Committee members are asked to help find material from their local meetings and to encourage people to submit material for the Web site and the newsletters.
2. The committee reviews the information for Spark and consults with staff about submitted material where there is a question of suitability or considerations of space. The committee reviews and approves printing of Letters to the Editor. The committee members also consult with staff on suggestions for improvements and additions to Spark and other documents. When needed, committee members sometimes do proofreading or copyediting.
3. The committee suggests material for InfoShare and advises on distribution questions. It promotes knowledge and use of InfoShare within the members' local meetings.
4. The committee advises staff on editorial needs, production, and possible methods of distribution of new manuscripts submitted, and in determining the potential value of such manuscripts to the Yearly Meeting.
5. The committee advises staff on content and use of the membership database and receives and reviews requests for it. Final authority lies with the General Services Coordinating Committee.
6. The committee regularly reviews the number of changes to the Handbook and when necessary approves printing a new edition.
7. Faith and Practice is updated whenever the Faith and Practice Committee directs staff to do so, and the Communications Committee decides when to issue new editions or reprints.
8. Requests for staff consultation with NYYM groups or requests for printing or reprinting materials are reviewed by the committee, which recommends priorities and approves guidelines and deadlines.

Organization and Method of Appointment

The committee is composed of six people plus, ex officio, the Spark editor and Web site coordinator. Members are appointed by the Yearly Meeting for three-year terms upon the recommendation of the Nominating Committee, two being appointed each year. Members of the committee are expected to be familiar with some aspect of communication: electronic, print, or other media.

The committee appoints its own clerk and recording clerk and a representative to the General Services Coordinating Committee. It may create subcommittees for special projects and may coopt members as needed.

Meeting Times and Places

The full committee meets at the call of the clerk of the committee, usually about four times a year. It meets at Yearly Meeting sessions, at Representative Meetings if required, and from time to time at the NYYM office.

Finances

The committee receives an appropriation in the Operating Budget for printing and distributing the Yearbook, a separate appropriation for printing and distributing Spark and the Handbook, and an appropriation for the Web site and support of electronic mail. Special appropriations may be requested for other projects and requirements.

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Purposes & Objectives

To assure that minutes, membership records, manuscripts, and other suitable documents of New York Yearly Meeting, its constituent regional and local meetings, and the predecessor meetings (now laid down) are preserved.

To make these records accessible to the meetings and to individuals or groups doing historical and genealogical research.

Custody of the Records

At New York Representative Meeting Fourth Month 8, 1995, Friends approved transfer of the minutes and other archives then preserved in the Haviland Records Room, 15 Rutherford Place, New York NY 10003, to the Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081, contingent on microfilming the documents and making the microfilms accessible in libraries located within the confines of New York Yearly Meeting. During 1997, transfer of the records was accomplished. As of Twelfth Month 31, 1997, the Haviland Records Room was closed and the part-time services of the Keeper of the Records were discontinued.

Beginning in 1998, all permanent records of the Yearly Meeting and its constituent meetings are to be maintained by Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College. Friends Historical Library agrees that ownership of the documents is retained by the originating meeting or its successor and that such documents will be released to the owners upon proper authorization. (See Access to Records, page 82 [of previous version].)

Functions & Activities

The Records Committee is responsible for establishing guidelines for recordkeeping in all meetings and for facilitating timely deposit of minutes, membership registers, and other selected documents in Friends Historical Library.

The committee monitors transmission of records to Friends Historical Library and the microfilming of the records. It maintains up-to-date information about access to the records in the custody of Friends Historical Library and of microfilms at depository libraries within the confines of theYearly Meeting. (See Access to Records.)

The committee provides Membership Sheets and makes them available to monthly meetings for registration of individual members.

The committee is responsible for seeing that copies of the Yearbook, containing the printed minutes of Yearly Meeting and Respresentative Meeting sessions, are signed by the concurrent clerks, bound in hard covers, and made part of the permanent records deposited in Friends Historical Library.

The committee encourages meetings to preserve significant documents, such as memorial minutes, tape recordings of addresses, talks about local Quaker history, and transcripts of oral history interviews. Meetings may appoint historians to do research on the local history of Friends and develop collections of documents, and to record voice tapes of interviews with members and videotapes of events.

Organization & Method of Appointment

The Yearly Meeting appoints nine to twelve members for a term of three years upon recommendation of the Nominating Committee, about one-third of them being appointed each year.

The committee names its own clerk, recorder, and treasurer.

Meeting Times & Places

Meetings are convened at Yearly Meeting sessions and sometimes at Representative Meeting sessions. An all-day meeting is usually held in the fall. Other meetings may be convened at the call of the clerk.

Finances

The activities of the committee are supported by a line item in the Operating Budget of the Yearly Meeting. The amount of the budget and justification for it is subject to approval by the General Services Coordinating Committee.

The Yearly Meeting Operating Budget also includes an item for annual support of Friends Historical Library, to be used toward maintenance of the Yearly Meeting archives.

Income from the Irving B. Rymph Fund and the John Cox, Jr. , Memorial Fund held by the Yearly Meeting Trustees is contributed to the Friends Historical Library.

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History

The current Sessions Committee evolved from the former Administrative Committee.

Purposes & Objectives

The Sessions Committee has general responsibility for the sessions of Yearly Meeting and Representative Meeting.

Functions & Activities

For Yearly Meeting sessions and for the two Representative Meeting sessions held each year, the committee

1. arranges suitable locations
2. sets up programs (speakers, topics, etc.) and schedules
3. handles such operational details as
4. 1. negotiating contracts, fees, and other services to best accommodate those attending
   2. providing suitable living arrangements for Yearly Meeting sessions attenders and working with local host meetings to provide suitable arrangements for Representative Meeting
   3. arranging for printing and distributing advance publicity
   4. taking responsibility for inviting guest speakers and arranging for their hospitality and other needs
   5. overseeing the appropriate use of funds from registration fees and the Operating Budget

The Program Subcommittee has five or more members, including the Yearly Meeting Clerk. It develops, under the guidance of the whole committee, the overall program for Yearly Meeting sessions, reviews the schedule, and invites speakers.

The Silver Bay Arrangements Subcommittee, which has four or more members, works with Silver Bay Association regarding food, space, and equipment requirements; checks registration forms in cooperation with the Spark editor and Junior Yearly Meeting coordinators; assists, when needed, the Liaison Committee (see page 6), food liaison persons, and the audiovisual coordinator. (This subcommittee would have similar tasks wherever the Yearly Meeting sessions were held.)

Organization & Method of Appointment

The membership of the Sessions Committee includes the Clerk and assistant clerk of Yearly Meeting; reading clerks and recording clerks; one or two Yearly Meeting staff; the Junior Yearly Meeting coordinator(s); the Junior Yearly Meeting high school clerk(s) and coordinator; the clerk of, or a representative from, the Nominating Committee of Yearly Meeting; representatives from an organized young adult group whenever such exists; one representative each from General Services, Ministry and Counsel, Nurture, and Witness Coordinating committees; and seven at-large members. The latter are appointed by the Yearly Meeting for three-year terms, approximately one-third named each year, upon the recommendation of the Yearly Meeting Nominating Committee.

All members of the committee, both those serving by reason of their office and those appointed as at-large members, are expected not only to attend meetings of the entire Sessions Committee but to serve on one or more subcommittees as well. It is a large committee of thirty to thirty-five members.

The Nominating Subcommittee has two or more members and should be named at the first meeting at Yearly Meeting sessions. It recommends Sessions Committee clerk, treasurer, other officers as desired, and appointees to General Services Coordinating Committee and Junior Yearly Meeting Committee.

For service during the July residential Yearly Meeting sessions, the committee appoints an editor for the NYYM Minute, an office assistant, an off-campus liaison person, a medical coordinator, a display coordinator, a questionnaire committee, an audiovisual coordinator, a music coordinator, a food service liaison, and two or three reporters to Quaker periodicals. These need not be members of Sessions Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

The committee meets in early fall to appoint its subcommittees, to evaluate the past Yearly Meeting sessions and begin planning for the next one, and to plan for the December Representative Meeting. In mid-January, it may meet at Powell House for a weekend to review and coordinate all plans for the upcoming Yearly Meeting sessions and to plan for the spring Representative Meeting. The committee meets at both Representative Meeting sessions, and may hold an additional meeting in early June. At Yearly Meeting sessions, the committee meets at least three times, usually at noon, to attend to details and questions as they arise.

Finances

The committee is funded from the Operating Budget.

Expenses covered include: fees; room, board, and travel for invited guests to Yearly Meeting sessions; room and board for staff members at Yearly Meeting; office expenses relating directly to Yearly Meeting sessions; expenses for Representative Meeting sessions; and committee travel.

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History

In 1836, the original principal of the Lindley Murray Fund was established with the residue of the estate of Lindley Murray, who died in 1826. Six trustees were named in the will to hold this principal in trust and to apply the income thereof yearly in perpetuity for all or any of a variety of purposes, including:

1. to liberate Black people from slavery and give them, their descendants, and other Black persons suitable education
2. to promote the civilization and instruction of the Indians of North America
3. to purchase and distribute books tending to promote piety and virtue and the truth of Christianity
4. to assist and relieve the poor in any description and in any manner that may be judged proper

The description of purposes is a considerable abbreviation of the will's exact terms. The will also specified that the trustees should have the advice and direction of the New York Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, which was given the power to reappoint the trustees and to establish such regulations and limitations as should seem proper and most likely to promote the ends the legator had in view.

When the $42,700 fund came into possession of the trustees in 1836, two of the originally named trustees were deceased, so the Yearly Meeting appointed successors and also named a seventh trustee. The Yearly Meeting currently names seven trustees.

Over a period of nearly a century and a half, ten Friends made additional contributions to the Murray Fund, either through bequests or through direct donation. These donors usually placed special emphasis upon one or more Murray goals. Prominent among their objectives were needs of Indians and Blacks, relief of the poor and needy, promotion of Christianity, and the peace principles of the Society of Friends. One found "religious, educational and charitable objects" suitable language. As a result, the original Murray Fund more than doubled, reaching $91,577 by 1975, in direct gifts and bequests. In 1915, Murray Fund trustees accepted the responsibility of managing the $7,500 principal fund of the New York Female Association and forwarding the income to the association for distribution. Known for initiating free education in New York City in 1800, the Association is an independent organization ministering to "benevolent needs."

Functions & Activities

The historical account makes clear that the trustees of the Lindley Murray Fund are responsible for:

1. the care and proper investment of the trust funds in their possession
2. the collection of income from these investments
3. the disbursement of the income in accordance with their best interpretation of the terms of the bequests

Organization & Method of Appointment

The seven trustees are appointed by the Yearly Meeting upon the recommendation of the Nominating Committee for five-year terms, one or two being appointed each year. The trustees name their own officers and a representative to the General Services Coordinating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

Trustees determine number, time, and place of meetings needed to properly fulfill the responsibilities laid on them.

Finances

The trustees report annually on their care of the capital funds, the income received, and the disbursement thereof. This report is usually given to the spring Representative Meeting.

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Purposes & Objectives

New York Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends is organized and conducts its business affairs under the guidance of the book of Faith and Practice of New York Yearly Meeting. It is incorporated under Section 15 of the New York State Religious Corporation Law for the purpose of holding title and administering properties, both real and personal, belonging to the Yearly Meeting or subject to its direction and disposition. All members of the Yearly Meeting are members of the corporation, and any business meeting of the Yearly Meeting or of its Representative Meeting constitutes a meeting of the corporation.

Functions & Activities

The Yearly Meeting assigns to a Board of Trustees all business matters relating to property transactions, including specific management of bequests and deeds of trusts received by the Yearly Meeting in a fiduciary capacity. It has adopted By-laws for Trustees (see Faith and Practice, page 105), which prescribe the duties of trustees and general regulations for conduct of their business. These include appointment of their own officers, consisting of a clerk/president,* a secretary, and a treasurer of trustees, and the appointment within their number of an investment committee for interim supervision and decisions concerning the investment of funds.

Organization & Method of Appointment

The Board of Trustees is composed of a minimum of five and a maximum of seven trustees with individual terms of five years, and rotating dates of termination, so that one or two trustees are appointed each year. Recommendations for these appointments are made by the Yearly Meeting Nominating Committee, and they are approved by the Yearly Meeting. Any meeting of Representative Meeting or Yearly Meeting may fill vacancies as they occur. Trustees are eligible for two successive appointments of five years each. Officers are appointed as described above. The trustees name a representative to the General Services Coordinating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

The Trustees meet annually, usually on the first Saturday in April, and they frequently hold one or more additional meetings during the year, according to need. They report annually, usually to the summer session of Yearly Meeting, concerning the status of funds under their care and the disbursements of income to the several beneficiaries of the trust funds. They may be asked to make interim reports to any session of the Representative Meeting or Yearly Meeting.

Finances

Custodial fees, bookkeeping, and other expenses, except costs of securities transactions, are paid out of the income from the pooled trust funds.

*It is believed that the title "President" must be retained for the presiding officer of the Trustees for legal reasons.

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As noted in the section on the New York Yearly Meeting Corporation, various trust funds are administered by a Board of Trustees appointed by the Yearly Meeting. These trust funds, for the most part, consist of a number of bequests or donations made to the Yearly Meeting to be used for particular purposes which were specified by the testator or donor. Also included are similar funds which have been entrusted to the Yearly Meeting for investment by constituent meetings or committees. In some cases, trusts have been created by the Yearly Meeting or the Representative Meeting out of otherwise unrestricted funds according to circumstances surrounding acquisition of the funds or particular needs prevailing at the time of receipt.

The funds held by the trustees are primarily those in which the conditions of trust require that the principal be invested and only the income from these be distributed for the purposes named. Where no restriction is made concerning use of principal, funds are usually distributed as soon as practicable to the designated beneficiaries. The trustees are responsible for interpretation of the conditions of trust and for administration according to their best judgment of the purposes and intent of the original creator of the trust.

All the trust funds held for investment are administered as a common fund with proportionate distribution of income. In earlier years, distributions were made in direct proportion to the original principal amount of each trust fund. More recently, due to a broadening of the investment policy to include some equity securities in addition to those of fixed income, it became necessary to recognize capital appreciation in determining the basis of distribution. This led to adoption of a unit plan in which each new fund is assigned a number of "shares" in the common fund proportionate to the amount of new principal added versus the current asset value of shares in the existing common fund at the time of the addition. Distributions of income are now made on the basis of the number of shares assigned to each fund.

For convenience in administration and reference, the trust funds have been grouped into four general categories, and they are so grouped in the descriptions which follow.

1. Educational funds relating primarily to educational uses at secondary school levels but including a few broader uses of an educational nature.
2. Evangelistic funds concerned primarily with activities designed to extend knowledge of Friends' principles generally within the geographic limits of the Yearly Meeting. This group includes some funds designated for support of persons engaged in ministry or other services on behalf of Friends, and for support of particular meetings or weaker meetings in general.
3. Missionary funds relating to religious and benevolent concerns of Friends, generally beyond the limits of the Yearly Meeting in home or foreign lands.
4. Other funds concerned with work and interests of Friends but not directly assignable to the foregoing categories.

The following descriptions of funds indicate the sources of the several funds and the purposes for which each is intended to be used. Personal names associated with the titles are the names of testators or donors unless otherwise indicated in the text. The headings include notation of the year of receipt of funds by the trustees, the amount of the principal, and the number of shares assigned under the unit plan. With minor exceptions, the sequence of fund descriptions is based on order of first receipt within each group. Of necessity, these descriptions are condensations of more complete information maintained in the files of the trustees.

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*For principal amount, contact Trustees.

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*For principal amount, contact Trustees.

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*For principal amount, contact Trustees.

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*For principal amount, contact Trustees.

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NURTURE SECTION

Purposes & Objectives

The Nurture Coordinating Committee (NCC) functions as an enabling body of the Nurture Section, which is composed of those committees, separately incorporated Yearly Meeting institutions, and representatives to certain wider Quaker bodies, all of which are concerned with advancement of Friends' principles, with education, and with the provision of nurturing services within the Yearly Meeting. They include:

    Committees:

• Advancement
• Disability Concerns (laid down)
• Epistle (as of 2007)
• Friends World Committee for Consultation/New York
• Junior Yearly Meeting (as of 2007)
• Mosher Fund (transferred to General Services CC, 2007)
• Religious Education (laid down)
• United Society of Friends Women/New York (inactive)
• Women's Concerns (laid down)
• Young Adult Concerns

    YM Institutions:

• The McCutchen (McCutcheon Friends Foundation for the Aging as of 2007)
• Oakwood Friends School
• Powell House

    Affiliated Bodies:

• Friends General Conference
• Friends United Meeting
• Friends World Committee for Consultation/Section of the Americas
• New Jersey Council of Churches
• New York State Council of Churches
• YouthQuake Planning Committee
• Friends World Program Council of Overseers

    Unaffiliated:

• Friends Council on Education

Functions & Activities

The Coordinating Committee provides advice and guidance to the constituent groups and considers the activities of these groups in relation to each other, assisting in their coordination. It functions as a clearinghouse for nurture

concerns, forms task groups for exploring these concerns, and lays the groups down when the tasks are accomplished. It arranges for the reporting of nurture section concerns to Yearly Meeting and Representative Meeting, coordinates preparation of the section budget, and participates in preparation of the Yearly Meeting budget.

Organization & Method of Appointment

Each group in the section appoints a representative to the coordinating committee. Nine members at large are named by the Yearly Meeting upon the recommendation of the Yearly Meeting Nominating Committee, three each year for three-year terms. NCC appoints a clerk and a recording clerk. The clerk (or another appointee) represents NCC on the Sessions and Liaison committees.

Meeting Times & Places

NCC meets during Yearly Meeting sessions for budget preparation, annual organization, and other business as needed. It holds an all-day fall meeting and meets during December Representative Meeting, at the spring coordinating committees weekend at Powell House, and additionally if needed.

Finances

The Yearly Meeting Operating Budget provides money for office and travel expenses of NCC, as well as funds for task group activities not otherwise provided for.

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History

The Disability Concerns Committee began in 1985 as a task group under the Nurture Section after Shrewsbury and Plainfield Half-Yearly Meeting proposed that New York Yearly Meeting establish such a group. The proposal grew from a concern originating in Rahway and Plainfield and New Brunswick Meetings that was brought to the Half-Yearly Meeting.

The task group, like the committee, was composed of persons knowledgeable, through either personal experience or concern, about a wide variety of issues related to disability within and outside the Society of Friends.

As defined by the task group, disability is "a difficulty severe enough to set one apart from the majority of persons' way of being, learning, and doing things. Disabilities can be of a physical, emotional, mental, and learning nature."

Purposes & Objectives

1. to raise the consciousness of Friends that we all are among the "temporarily able" or disabled
2. to educate ourselves and others as to the experiences, concerns, and needs of persons with a variety of disabilities
3. to make available to New York Yearly Meeting, its monthly meetings, and its other related organizations and committees concrete advice and information about how to provide real access* to all persons
4. to provide support for those within the Society of Friends who are personally affected by disability

Organization & Method of Appointment

At least nine and as many as twenty members may be suggested by the committee to the Nominating Committee for appointment to three-year terms, one-third each year. It is hoped that the committee will be composed of persons whose experience or knowledge corporately represents a wide variety of disabilities.

The committee appoints its own clerk and a representative to the Nurture Coordinating Committee. The clerk may appoint a recording clerk or act as such.

Meeting Times & Places

The committee usually meets in the fall and spring as well as at Yearly Meeting. Sometimes meetings are also scheduled at Representative Meeting.

It is the committee's commitment to hold its meetings in facilities that are physically accessible to all persons.

Finances

Committee expenses are submitted for budget allocation under the Nurture Coordinating Committee.

*Access = having ease of entry to and full participation in the shared life of the human community; having the capability of transversing any existing architectural, attitudinal, occupational, legal, or personal barriers often met by persons with disabilities.

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Purposes & Objectives

1. prepare an annual epistle "To Friends Everywhere," conveying the greetings, spirit, and spiritual concerns of the Yearly Meeting in annual session to other yearly and general meetings of Friends
2. receive, digest, and select epistles or excerpts from other yearly meetings of Friends for reading during Yearly Meeting sessions

Functions & Activities

1. After reading the epistles addressed to New York Yearly Meeting from other yearly and general meetings as they are made available, note the items of interest to our Yearly Meeting for presentation at the beginning of business sessions.
2. As way is identified by the clerk of the Yearly Meeting, during the opening of each business session, read selected epistles, portions, or related excerpts from a group of epistles.
3. Designated members attend selected sessions of the Yearly Meeting, taking notes of business and messages. During the committee meetings, the members compile the material gathered into an epistle for a first reading at the appointed July session of Yearly Meeting. Members present at the session take note of proposed changes and rework these and other materials into the epistle for its final reading near the close of the July Yearly Meeting sessions.

Organization & Method of Appointment

On the recommendation of the Nominating Committee, the Yearly Meeting appoints four to six members each year to serve two-year terms. The committee names a clerk to coordinate its activities and a representative to the Coordinating Committee for Ministry and Counsel.

Meeting Times & Places

The committee meets daily during the July sessions of Yearly Meeting. Any necessary activities between sessions (such as exchanging epistles) are generally conducted by correspondence.

Finances

The expenses of the committee are met by an appropriation in the Operating Budget.

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The Friends Council on Education is an organization of Friends' schools and colleges in the United States and of representatives of many yearly meetings. The council sees its strength in trying to enhance the continuum of deeply felt religious values through all its member institutions, not for the parochial advantages of those involved in them, but for the common good and public purpose they serve.

The council maintains an administrative staff to serve member schools. Its activities and resources include:

• conferences, seminars, and training sessions for teachers, administrators, trustees, and schoolstaff
• consultants who travel to schools to present special programs and give guidance to teachers
• limited scholarships through the Clark Foundation and special funds to provide for visiting Quakers to Quaker boarding schools through the Towe Foundation
• an orientation program each fall for teachers new to Friends' schools
• teacher referral service for Friends or those who have had backgrounds in Friends' schools or colleges

New York Yearly Meeting no longer appoints a representative to this body. Friends are encouraged to contact the council directly for information regarding their activities.

Meeting Times & Places

There are two General Council meetings held each year on Fridays—a fall meeting in the Philadelphia area and a spring meeting at one of the schools.

Finances

A contribution to the Friends Council on Education is provided in the Operating Budget.

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Friends General Conference (FGC) is an association of fourteen yearly meetings and several monthly meetings in the United States and Canada. It is dedicated to gathering Friends together to share ideas, information, and spiritual strengths.

Its goals are to draw together the resources for outreach and education of the constituent meetings, to proclaim the universal availability of continuous Divine revelation for dealing with the issues of personal, group, and international life, and to reach out to seekers and aid small or new worship groups.

In addition to conducting the Gathering, a week-long annual conference for 1,500-2,000 Friends, FGC publishes religious education curricula and outreach materials, sponsors lectures and workshops, communicates with other religious groups, and through the Friends Meeting House Fund, provides consultation and assistance for development and expansion of meetinghouses.

Its policymaking group is the Central Committee, which meets annually, and an Executive Committee for interim decisions.

Administrative committees are Advisory, Development, Finance, Nominating, Personnel, and Property.

Programs are carried out by program committees: Advancement and Outreach, Christian and Interfaith Relations, Long Range Conference Planning, Publications and Distribution, Ministry and Nurture, and Religious Education.

Functions of Representatives

Representatives attend Central Committee meetings and serve on one or more of the Program or Administrative committees. They carry New York Yearly Meeting concerns to the conference and provide opportunities to open channels of communication by sponsoring interest groups at Yearly Meeting sessions and informing Friends about FGC programs and publications. They also submit an annual report on their work.

Organization & Method of Appointment

New York Yearly Meeting appoints twenty-one members to the Central Committee for three-year terms, one-third each year. These representatives function as a committee within the Yearly Meeting and appoint a clerk and a representative to the Nurture Coordinating Committee. The Yearly Meeting clerk is an ex-officio member of the Central Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

In addition to the meetings of the Central and other FGC committees, the New York Yearly Meeting representatives themselves meet at Yearly Meeting sessions and at other times, occasionally, if necessary.

Finances

The Operating Budget includes an annual contribution to Friends General Conference and an allocation for the expenses of the representatives.

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Friends United Meeting (FUM) is composed of yearly meetings, twelve in North America (including New York Yearly Meeting), plus others in Jamaica, Cuba, and East Africa. These are joined in a covenant of cooperation to carry out a broad spectrum of ministries both to their own constituencies and to the world.

FUM's many activities and concerns include:

• efforts to improve the spiritual life of meetings
• missions that provide support for Friends' work in Uganda, Kenya, the Middle East, South America, and Jamaica
• support for community workers in an inner city area of Chicago
• focus on family life
• publication of Sunday school materials and Quaker Life, a publication issued ten times a year
• planting and supporting new meetings

FUM is governed through its triennial sessions, which met most recently in 1999, and through its General Board. Triennial sessions are held, usually in July, anywhere in the United States. The General Board meets in March and October in Richmond, Indiana.

Functions of Representatives

Representatives carry New York Yearly Meeting concerns to FUM, provide reports of the work of FUM to the Yearly Meeting, and take other opportunities to open channels of communication between the two bodies.

Organization & Method of Appointment

Representation to the board is related to the size of the yearly meeting. New York Yearly Meeting is entitled to the following:

     Three—General Board
     Nine—Triennial Sessions

Appointments are for three years. Replacement of any appointee is only for the remaining period of the triennium.

Since the General Board may meet after the triennial sessions adjourn, the Yearly Meeting should include among its representatives to the sessions those who are being named to the board for the next triennium. Appointments are made at the Yearly Meeting sessions just preceding the next triennial sessions. New York Yearly Meeting names an equal number of alternates in case some named representatives are unable to attend.

The New York Yearly Meeting representatives choose a clerk or convener and a representative to the Nurture Coordinating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

In addition to the FUM meetings, the New York Yearly Meeting representatives meet during Yearly Meeting sessions and, occasionally, at Representative Meeting sessions.

Finances

The Operating Budget provides an annual contribution to FUM. Other contributions received from Yearly Meeting trust funds are administered by the Committee on World Ministries.

The Operating Budget also includes a sum for an accumulating travel pool, which helps to pay the costs of representatives to triennial sessions and an allowance for expenses (travel, room, and board) of representatives serving on the General Board.

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History

The Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) was established by the Second World Conference of Friends held at Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania, in 1937. This organization is the principal channel through which Friends in different countries meet and share beliefs, experiences, concerns, needs, and hopes. Most of the yearly meetings around the world have affiliated.

The goals adopted by the 1979 Triennial of Friends World Committee for Consultation are:

• to facilitate loving understanding of diversity among Friends while we discover together, with God's help, our common spiritual ground
• to facilitate full consideration of our Quaker witness in response to our peace testimony and today's issues of social justice

Yearly meetings are assigned representation in the Section of the Americas (which includes North, South, and Central America) and in the worldwide organization on the basis of membership.

Functions & Activities of Representatives

The representatives act as liaison between the Yearly Meeting and FWCC. They carry Yearly Meeting concerns to FWCC and report back to the Yearly Meeting. This includes an annual written report.

Representatives should attend the annual meeting of the Section of the Americas. Each one is asked to serve on one of the section's committees, which meet at the time of the annual meeting and at other times, as necessary. Representatives should attend and help in the planning of the annual regional conference to which all interested Friends are invited. They are asked to participate in fundraising among individuals in the Yearly Meeting.

Those Friends appointed to attend the triennial meetings should be prepared to report their experiences to groups in the New York Yearly Meeting area and others within reasonable travel distance.

Organization & Method of Appointment

New York Yearly Meeting is entitled to appoint six members of the Section of the Americas. Terms of office begin with the calendar year next following Yearly Meeting appointment, but representatives are encouraged to attend any functions of the Section of the Americas between Yearly Meeting appointment and the first of the year. Appointments are made by the Yearly Meeting on the recommendation of the Nominating Committee for three-year terms, and two representatives are appointed each year.

The representatives name a convener, and the convener or named designee is a member of the Nurture Coordinating Committee.

New York Yearly Meeting is entitled to appoint three people from among its representatives to attend the triennial meetings. If the Nominating Committee is unable to find three of the representatives able to attend, it may nominate other suitable Friends. These appointments are made a year in advance, and names are forwarded to the FWCC London office.

Meeting Times & Places

The annual meeting of the Section of the Americas is held during the spring in North America. At some time, it could possibly be held in South America. New York Yearly Meeting is grouped with New England, Philadelphia, and eastern Canada yearly meetings for an annual regional conference, usually held in the spring.

The representatives, along with former FWCC members and FWCC-co-opted members from New York Yearly Meeting, meet at the time of Yearly Meeting and Representative Meeting sessions. Triennials are held every three years in different parts of the world. The 1994 Triennial was held in August in New Mexico; the 1997 session in Birmingham, England; the 2000 session in the United States, in New Hampshire, in July.

Finances

New York Yearly Meeting provides an annual contribution to FWCC, Section of the Americas, in the Operating Budget. The Operating Budget also includes an amount for an accumulating travel pool to aid some of the representatives to the triennial sessions, and there is an item for expenses of representatives to the Section of the Americas.

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Purposes & Objectives

1. to orient representatives from New York Yearly Meeting to Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC), particularly the Section of the Americas
2. to orient New York Yearly Meeting Representatives to triennial gatherings and world conferences
3. to communicate the purposes, activities, and financial needs of FWCC to New York Yearly Meeting
4. to develop a group of Friends within New York Yearly Meeting who are knowledgeable about Friends' concerns and issues worldwide

Organization & Method of Appointment

The Yearly Meeting Nominating Committee recommends twelve members in three classes, to serve three-year terms. It is expected that these appointments will represent different aspects of the Yearly Meeting, such as age, geography, etc. Each class shall contain at least two people who have been previously appointed as representatives to FWCC-Section of the Americas or who have attended FWCC functions. It is expected that at-large members will be considered for appointment by the Yearly Meeting to FWCC Section of the Americas and/or as representatives to triennial and world conference gatherings in the future.

The committee appoints its own officers, as the need indicates.

Meeting Times & Places

At the times of residential sessions and Representative Meetings.

Finances

A budget will be prepared annually for the Nurture Coordinating Committee, which shall include: participation in the Section of the Americas, a contribution to the work of the World Committee, and expenses of committee members, including some assistance for travel to section meetings.

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Purposes & Objectives

To ensure that nurturing sessions with Quaker content are provided for all young people, toddlers through high school, who attend the annual residential sessions of New York Yearly Meeting in July.

Functions & Activities

1. to establish policy for Junior Yearly Meeting (JYM)
2. to appoint Junior Yearly Meeting coordinators
3. to support Junior Yearly Meeting staff and coordinators
4. to develop and manage the Junior Yearly Meeting budget

Organization & Method of Appointment

The committee consists of sixteen members: nine at-large members appointed by the Yearly Meeting upon recommendation of the Nominating Committee, one-third appointed each year for three-year terms; two representatives each from Sessions Committee and Religious Education Committee; one representative from Ministry and Counsel; and two youth members. Coordinators are members ex officio and are expected to attend committee meetings. The committee appoints a clerk, a treasurer, and a recorder each year. A nominating committee is established as well to suggest names to the Yearly Meeting Nominating Committee. A representative to the General Services Coordinating Committee is named.

Meeting Times & Places

The committee meets as needed, generally at Representative Meeting sessions and always during Yearly Meeting sessions. Committee members are encouraged to spend additional time as needed on committee business to become acquainted with JYM staff and to take on responsibility for support of staff and coordinators.

Finances

JYM receives an allocation from the Operating Budget. A grant has also been received from the Lindley Murray Fund in some years. The budget is prepared by the treasurer working closely with the coordinators. Funds are used to cover program supplies for JYM, some staff housing costs at Silver Bay, coordinators' expenses, and most of the cost of the staff planning weekend at Powell House.

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Yearly Meeting Friends Home (the McCutchen) is a not-for-profit corporation organized under the laws of the State of New Jersey to operate a home for elderly men and women. The residence is the McCutchen Boarding Home; the Margaret McCutchen Nursing Home and the Varian Apartments are annexed to it. Applicants who are Friends receive preferential consideration when a vacancy occurs, but there are no restrictions as to religion or race.

Title to the property is held by the corporation, and the active management thereof is vested in a board of trustees, eighteen in number, who are also the members of the corporation. At least one trustee must be a resident of New Jersey.

In general, operating expenses are largely met by fees charged for room and board and contributions from interested and concerned non-Friends, in addition to some funds realized from members of New York Yearly Meeting through an annual appeal. Rates are kept as low as possible and compare very favorably with those charged by other homes in the area.

Functions & Activities of Board Members

Members are expected to attend board meetings regularly and to serve on additional committees of the McCutchen. They act as liaison with New York Yearly Meeting and submit an annual report.

Organization & Method of Appointment

Members of the corporation must be members of the Religious Society of Friends. They are selected by the McCutchen Nominating Committee for approval of the board. The names are then sent to the Yearly Meeting Nominating Committee with a request that they be submitted to the Yearly Meeting for approval. Six members are appointed annually to serve for terms of three years. Three members may be appointed by the Princeton, New Jersey, Meeting, at the invitation of New York Yearly Meeting. Officers of the board are president, vice president, treasurer, assistant treasurer, secretary, and assistant secretary. One member is chosen to represent the board on the Nurture Coordinating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

Members of the corporation hold an annual meeting in April. The Board of Trustees meets at least once in each quarter of the calendar year and at other times as designated. (In actual practice, the board meets every month except in July and August, or more often if need arises.) Meetings are held at the McCutchen.

Finances

The McCutchen is not included in the Yearly Meeting Operating Budget or the Sharing Fund. Interest from the Dietrich Fund, held by the Yearly Meeting Trustees, is given to the McCutchen.

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In 1974, New York Yearly Meeting approved the appointment of Friends from monthly meetings in the state of New Jersey to the New Jersey Council of Churches.

The Council consists of member religious denominations in New Jersey who act together to do what cannot be done separately. It provides a forum for addressing statewide challenges such as ministering to farmworkers, enforcement of state laws on affirmative action, expressing religious viewpoints on proposed legislation, and addressing the moral implications of public issues.

The Council is served by a professional staff working under the direction of a governing board and by three standing commissions. The latter are the Commission on Theology and Interreligious Relations, the Commission on Mission Planning and Strategy, and the Commission on IMPACT and Public Witness. Friends may serve on the governing board and on any or all of the three commissions. The Yearly Meeting is entitled to name two persons to the governing board and to each of the three commissions.

Functions of Representatives

Representatives bring Friends' testimonies and concerns to the work of the council and submit an annual written report to the Yearly Meeting.

Organization & Method of Appointment

New York Yearly Meeting, on recommendation of the Nominating Committee, names one person to the governing board, one to the Commission on IMPACT and Public Witness, and others to fill our allocated quota as interest and availability of concerned members allow. Terms on the board are for two years and on the commissions for three years. One of the Yearly Meeting representatives is a member of the Nurture Coordinating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

The governing board of the Council meets once annually in general assembly to elect officers and review the overall work of the Council and its commissions, and at least two other times during the year. The commissions each schedule a series of meetings and events during the year, relating to their goals.

Finances

The Operating Budget provides an annual donation to the Council.

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New York Yearly Meeting has been part of the New York State Council of Churches since 1935. In 1997 this organization changed its structure and was renamed the New York State Community of Churches, Inc. The old Council of Representatives has been laid down and replaced by several new bodies.

The Collegium consists of the bishops and executives (or equivalent persons) of the statewide Protestant denominations or judicatories. Representatives from each denomination plus those from local councils of churches form the Community Stewards, a group that oversees programs. There are two mission groups: Public Policy and Chaplaincy. Within Public Policy there are working groups on campaign-finance reform, criminal justice, racism, and economic justice. There are several other administrative committees.

Functions of Representatives

Representatives bring Friends' testimonies and concerns to the work of the Community and make an annual written report on the Community to the Yearly Meeting.

Organization & Method of Appointment

New York Yearly Meeting appoints the Clerk (or his/her representative) to the Collegium and one person to the Community Stewards. Representatives may also be named to the Public Policy and Chaplaincy mission groups, and to working groups as appropriate. The terms are for two years. The person appointed to the Community Stewards serves as a representative to the Nurture Coordinating Committee, and the person serving on Public Policy reports to the Witness Coordinating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

Meeting times and places vary for the different groups.

Finances

The Operating Budget provides an annual donation to the New York State Community of Churches.

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History

Oakwood Friends School's roots go back to 1796, when a group of Quakers, prompted by the desire to provide "useful and necessary" learning to both sons and daughters, opened Nine Partners Boarding School in Millbrook, New York. After some years, the school began to decline, and it was laid down as a Yearly Meeting school shortly before the Civil War.

Soon thereafter, western New York Friends opened a Yearly Meeting boarding school, Oakwood Seminary, at Union Springs on Lake Cayuga. In 1920, faced with waning enrollment and a disastrous fire, its board and the Yearly Meeting decided to move and rebuild the school in Poughkeepsie.

A coeducational boarding and day school for students in grades seven through twelve, Oakwood is incorporated under the Board of Regents of New York State. Friends' philosophy shapes the purposes and guides the life of the school. The school brings experience of silent meeting for worship and the application of Quaker values.

It is the purpose of Oakwood Friends School to educate students for success and fulfillment as ethically and spiritually sensitive individuals. "The mission of the school is to fortify young people with the courage to commit themselves to acts of conscience, conviction, and compassion . . . and with competence to be effective. "

Functions of Board Members

The Board of Managers is responsible for the oversight of the school. Members attend board meetings and serve on committees. Board members also provide a means of communication between the school and Friends and local meetings. The board makes an annual written report to the Yearly Meeting.

Organization & Method of Appointment

The Board of Managers is made up of twenty-five persons, selected by the following groups:

1. The New York Yearly Meeting appoints a minimum fifteen members of the Religious Society of Friends and up to a maximum of twenty when needed to fill the full complement of twenty-five managers. Usually three will be appointed each year for three-year terms. Seven of these individuals are appointed to concurrent terms on the school's board of trustees.
2. The Board of Managers appoints up to five persons as at-large members, from among those who have sincere interest in the school; they need not be Friends.
3. The Oakwood Friends School Alumni Association nominates up to five persons who are alumni of the school and who need not be Friends to be alumni managers. The board approves the appointment of alumni managers. Usually one will be appointed each year for a five-year term.

All appointments, by law, must be confirmed at the next meeting of the board. No member may serve more than two consecutive terms without retirement for at least one year. Information about persons appointed by the board will be forwarded directly to the Clerk of Yearly Meeting.

The trustees of the school, appointed by New York Yearly Meeting, have the power to sell, mortgage, lease, or otherwise use and dispose of the property and of the corporation as they shall deem best suited to the purposes of the Board of Managers. A trustee's term expires with the expiration of his/her term as manager.

The Board of Managers makes its own bylaws and operates by them. It appoints its officers and committees and designates a member to represent Oakwood Friends School on the Nurture Coordinating Committee. All meetings of the Trustees and of the Board of Managers and of its committees are conducted in the manner of Friends.

Meeting Times & Places

The regular meetings of both the trustees and the managers are held as follows:

1. the annual meeting, including the selection of officers, on the final weekend of September, at Oakwood Friends School
2. on the last weekend in January, at Oakwood Friends School
3. on the last weekend of April (next-to-last weekend if Easter is the last weekend), at Oakwood Friends School
4. at Yearly Meeting sessions, at a time designated by the Sessions Committee of Yearly Meeting or by the president of the board

Special meetings of managers and trustees may be called by the president, as provided in the bylaws. At a meeting of trustees, four shall constitute a quorum, and at a meeting of managers, eight shall constitute a quorum.

Finances

An annual contribution to Oakwood Friends School is provided in the Operating Budget. In addition, the school is the designated beneficiary of certain trust funds administered by the Yearly Meeting trustees.

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Powell House is a Quaker conference center. It was established by New York Yearly Meeting in 1960 as the result of a gift of residential property from Elsie K. Powell Sr. This property, with subsequent additions and improvements, now consists of a main house, Pitt Hall, capable of accommodating conferences with thirty-five overnight guests, the Anna Curtis Center with conference and dormitory facilities for forty-two overnight guests, a director's residence, a youth directors' residence, and fifty-seven acres of land with a campground and two wildlife ponds. Staff quarters and office space are in Pitt Hall.

Powell House is used primarily for religious conferences and similar gatherings of members and attenders of meetings belonging to New York Yearly Meeting. It is also used for meetings of Yearly Meeting committees or conferences sponsored by them. The programs include a wide variety of educational, inspirational, and organizational activities for youth and adults related to the religious, benevolent, and social concerns of the Religious Society of Friends. The facilities are available for use by affiliated Friends' organizations and other religious or educational groups having interests compatible with those of Friends. Short-term sojourners may sometimes be accommodated.

Functions & Activities

Members attend Powell House Committee meetings and serve on subcommittees such as Fiscal Management, Personnel, Adult Program, Youth Program, Property, and Fundraising. They serve as channels of communication between Powell House and the Yearly Meeting and their own local and regional meetings. An annual written report is made to the Yearly Meeting.

Organization & Method of Appointment

Powell House is managed by a membership corporation, Elsie K. Powell House, Inc. Members of the corporation, usually called the Powell House Committee, are appointed by the Yearly Meeting for terms of five years with approximately one-fifth named each year. Under the bylaws of the corporation, membership is held to no fewer than twenty and no more than forty persons. A few youth are co-opted to represent youth conference participants at meetings of the corporation.

The corporation appoints from its membership a Board of Directors, not fewer than nine nor more than fifteen persons, who function as trustees in the management of the property and as an executive committee in directing the affairs of the corporation. The corporation also appoints a president, a vice president, a secretary, and a treasurer. It may appoint an assistant treasurer. The president and vice president are required to be members of the Board of Directors, and they serve as chair and vice chair (as legally required) of that board.

The committee names a representative to the Nurture Coordinating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

An annual meeting of the corporation is held, usually at Powell House, in the spring before June 1. Usually, a meeting is held in the fall at Powell House and another during Yearly Meeting sessions. The Board of Directors meets annually as called.

Finances

Sources of income for Powell House are guest fees, contributions solicited from supporters and Yearly Meeting members, the Yearly Meeting Operating Budget, and Yearly Meeting trust funds. Other income is derived from investments and rent from Old Chatham Monthly Meeting.

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Purposes & Objectives

The fundamental purpose of the Religious Education Committee is to nurture the response of the whole person to God's spirit in all of life. In order to move toward this purpose, its aim is to help persons of all ages within the Yearly Meeting to deepen their own spiritual lives by:

• providing opportunities for religious experiences
• encouraging Friends in an understanding of and commitment to the principles and practices of our Society
• suggesting outreach of religious education to the community
• supporting participation in wider Quaker activities

Functions & Activities

• to conduct conferences for First Day school teachers and intergenerational conferences for youth program facilitators
• to maintain contact with Religious Education Committees of monthly meetings and providing them with a network of support
• to arrange for sale of curriculum and other religious-education materials at Yearly Meeting
• to maintain contact with Friends General Conference, Friends United Meeting, and other groups that provide services in the field of religious education, and attending religious-education conferences, institutes, and workshops for exchange of information and development of teachers and leaders
• to issue periodically a religious-education newsletter called The Net
• to support young Friends in participating in national and international Quaker conferences and events
• to conduct conferences for adults
• to maintain a reference collection of religious-education materials
• to provide coordination in visiting and assisting monthly meetings and First Day schools, to consult on problems and to help in obtaining leadership for local activities as well as to help obtain training for teachers of programs for adults and children
• to create and seek out curricula as needs arise

Organization & Method of Appointment

There should be no fewer than two or three members appointed from each Quarterly/Regional Meeting, plus three persons appointed from Junior Yearly Meeting. They are appointed by the Yearly Meeting for three-year terms, one third of the membership each year.

Members are expected to serve on at least one subcommittee. Subcommittees may include: Membership, The Net, Adult Education, Curriculum Development, Reference Collection, First Day School Support, NYYM Book Table, and Youth Services.

Officers, chosen annually, are clerk, assistant clerk, recording clerk, treasurer, one representative to the Nurture Coordinating Committee, one to Ministry and Counsel, and two to the Junior Yearly Meeting Committee. The Executive Committee consists of the officers and two other members of the committee.

Meeting Times & Places

The activities of this committee require dedicated effort by all members. The committee meets at least twice during Yearly Meeting sessions and at the time of Representative Meetings in December and in the spring. Two other day-long meetings may be called by the clerk. An effort is made to meet in different parts of the state. Subcommittees meet as necessary. The committee meets in retreat periodically. Childcare is provided during meetings called by the committee.

Finances

Funds from the Operating Budget and a grant from the Lindley Murray Fund are received annually.

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Purposes & Objectives

The United Society of Friends Women International was founded to enlist and unite all women Friends in fellowship and service, to share in the development of Christian living at home and abroad, to stimulate their spiritual development, to cultivate Christian stewardship, and to increase knowledge about the Christian world mission and Friends' part in it among our membership.

Functions & Activities

The society's activities are correlated as much as possible with the Yearly Meeting Committee on World Ministries, the program of the Yearly Meeting, and Friends United Meeting. The work of the society is organized into the following departments:

1. Children and Youth Missionary Education
2. Adult Missionary Education
3. Stewardship
4. Peace and Christian Social Relations
5. Literature and Reading Course
6. Christian Service

The national organization issues a program plan, "Blue Prints," for local use, an occasional newsletter, and a bimonthly publication, The Advocate. Books on the United Society's literature list are available at the book table at Yearly Meeting sessions and may be requested by local societies from the Mosher Fund. At its annual meeting, the Yearly Meeting chapter, whenever possible, hears reports from women who have been active in or who have visited mission fields.

Organization & Method of Appointment

Membership originates in the local meeting societies, of which there are six: Adirondack, Collins, Farmington, Perry City, Poplar Ridge, and Unadilla. Women too distant to participate in a local group may join as members at large.

The officers of the New York Yearly Meeting chapter, who form the Executive Committee, are president, vice president, recording secretary, and treasurer, appointed for a term of two years during an annual business session of the society. They are recommended by a nominating committee comprising one member from each local society. One additional person is named by the Executive Committee to act as clerk. The president, or some other designated person, serves as a contact with the Nurture Coordinating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

The annual meeting of the New York chapter is held at the time of residential Yearly Meeting sessions. The National Society of Friends Women International meets in triennial sessions in widely scattered places throughout the United States.

Finances

Annual membership dues and local fundraising events help support the work of the national, state, and local socie-ties. The Operating Budget includes a sum for expenses of the Yearly Meeting chapter.

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History

The Women's Rights Committee was established as a standing committee of the Yearly Meeting during the sessions of 1973. The name was changed to Womens Concerns in 1997.

Purposes & Objectives

1. to provide the Yearly Meeting with information about concerns relating to women's rights and to bring to the attention of the Yearly Meeting specific inequities and injustices to which women are subjected
2. to provide emotional and other forms of support to women in the Yearly Meeting
3. to witness to the right of every woman to say No to violence: against her person; against her family; against her community; against the world

Functions & Activities

The committee sponsors:

1. women's worship groups at Yearly Meeting sessions
2. one or two interest groups at Yearly Meeting sessions
3. a spring weekend at Powell House, open to all women
4. a fall retreat, open to all women

Organization & Method of Appointment

The Yearly Meeting appoints approximately twelve members to the committee for three-year terms, one-third each year, on the recommendation of the Nominating Committee. The committee appoints its own officers and names a representative to the Nurture Coordinating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

The committee meets three times a year: at Yearly Meeting residential sessions, at Representative Meeting in December, and after the Powell House women's weekend in the spring.

Finances

An item for committee expenses is included in the Operating Budget.

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Purposes & Objectives

To be a center of community for all Young Friends, that is, Circle of Young Friends (CYF). To help Junior Yearly Meeting (JYM) graduates, young adult seekers, and young members of monthly meetings gain the confidence and energy to become active members of the Religious Society of Friends.

Functions & Activities

The committee:

• provides a place of continuity between JYM and New York Yearly Meeting
• encourages young seekers through the building of community
• facilitates the organization of CYF gatherings
• produces and circulates the CYF newsletter
• provides outreach to young Friends within and outside of New York Yearly Meeting
• solicits and distributes money for the CYF Fund
• provides valuable experience and information on Quaker process through committee work

Organization & Method of Appointment

Members are nominated from those who are out of high school and from eighteen to thirty-five years of age. There is a maximum of twelve members, each serving a two-year term—two classes, six members each. At least two-thirds of the committee total must be Friends. Receiving membership in a monthly meeting is encouraged. The officers include clerk, assistant clerk, recording clerk, treasurer, and historian. Representatives are chosen for Nurture Coordinating Committee, Sessions, Religious Education, and JYM (either staff or committee). Subcommittees include: CYF Fund, Outreach, and CYF Newsletter. At each spring CYF gathering, a nominating committee is appointed to handle all necessary nominations. Those nominations are then brought to New York Yearly Meeting Nominating Committee for consideration.

Meeting Times & Places

The Committee meets at least five times a year: at both Representative Meetings, at Yearly Meeting residential sessions, and at the spring and fall CYF Gatherings.

Finances

The New York Yearly Meeting Operating Budget provides funds for committee expenses. The CYF Fund is designated specifically to provide scholarship aid to the wider body of CYF.

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YouthQuake is a national triennial conference for young Friends ages fourteen to twenty-one. It was started in 1975 by Billy Lewis, then of California Yearly Meeting. Starting with the 1991 conference, NYYM has been a sponsor and has participated in the planning process and encouraged participation by NYYM young Friends.

Purposes & Objectives

The purpose of YouthQuake is to encourage young people in their spiritual growth, to celebrate the Quaker heritage and present-day witness, and to build a community based on love, respect, truth, and understanding across the breadth of Friends.

Functions of Representative

This is a three-year appointment of one person, beginning during the year after a YouthQuake conference and continuing through the next conference and a follow-up evaluation meeting. The representative is a member of the YouthQuake Planning Committee, publicizes the conference, recruits youth participants and adult sponsors, coordinates transportation for NYYM participants, participates in running the conference, and coordinates reporting back to NYYM.

Organization & Method of Appointment

The representative to the YouthQuake Planning Committee is appointed by the Yearly Meeting for a three-year term, on recommendation of the Nominating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

The representative must attend all meetings of the Planning Committee. Traditionally this has included a fall meeting in year 1, one or two meetings in each of years 2 and 3, and a spring meeting following the conference. Conferences are planned for December of 2000, 2003, 2006, etc. YouthQuake is held December 27 to January 1 in a variety of locations.

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WITNESS SECTION

Purposes & Objectives

The Witness Section comprises those committees and representatives to Quaker bodies which try to make visible the traditional testimonies and newer concerns of Friends in ways that extend beyond the Society of Friends. Its work attempts to express beliefs in action. The Witness Coordinating Committee (WCC) functions as an enabling body of the section.

The Sharing Fund, a coordinated annual giving appeal under the care of Witness Coordinating Committee, assembles funds for the use of committees whose primary functions are in the area of projects of outreach sponsored by New York Yearly Meeting. Witness Coordinating Committee establishes goals for the Sharing Fund based on the recommendation of its constituent committees and exercises general oversight of the fund.

Committees
     Alternatives to Violence Project, Inc. , Committee
     Committee for the Barrington Dunbar Fund for Black Development
     Friends Committee for Black Concerns
     Indian Affairs Committee
     Latin American Concerns Committee
     Peace Concerns Committee
     Prisons Committee
     Committee on Right Sharing of World Resources
     Sharing Fund Committee
     Committee on World Ministries

Representatives
     American Friends Service Committee
     Friends Committee on National Legislation
     Friends Peace Team Project
     National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund
     William Penn House

Functions & Activities

The Witness Coordinating Committee supports and oversees the work of committees of the Witness Section, as well as their relations with others in the Yearly Meeting. It considers concerns brought by individual Friends, monthly and regional meetings, and other groups within and outside the Society of Friends. It fosters communication among those with related concerns and tries to help in clarifying issues and in facilitating their presentation to Friends (see queries related to proposing minutes, page 76 [of previous version]).

The Witness Activities Fund is administered by Witness Coordinating Committee in accord with the guidelines that appear on page 52 [of previous version].

Witness Coordinating Committee appoints task groups as needed.

Organization & Method of Appointment

The Witness Coordinating Committee is composed of one representative from each of the groups forming the Witness Section and twelve members at large. The members at large are appointed by the Yearly Meeting for three-year terms, one-third being named each year, upon the recommendation of the Nominating Committee.

The clerk of Witness Coordinating Committee serves on the Liaison Committee, and the clerk or a named designee serves on the Sessions Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

Witness Coordinating Committee meets during Yearly Meeting sessions, at Representative Meeting sessions in December, at the coordinating committee weekend at Powell House in early March, and other times as needed.

Finances

Expenses of the coordinating committee are provided for in the Operating Budget, as are administrative expenses of the Witness Section committees. Program expenditures of the Witness committees are provided for in the Sharing Fund. The committee administers the Witness Activities Fund, a participant in the Sharing Fund.

Guidelines for Witness Activities Fund Loan and Grant Process

1. Funds shall be applied to projects that advance Friends' testimonies.
2. Proposals for interest-free loans, such as for monthly meeting peace center start-up costs, or for loans or grants for other projects or programs, will be considered.
3. Proposals may be submitted by New York Yearly Meeting committees, individual Friends, or monthly meetings. Funds are not to be applied to projects appropriate to other Yearly Meeting committees or to ongoing administrative expenses.
4. Whenever possible, proposals should have been reviewed by and come with the recommendation of a monthly meeting.
5. Proposals should be as specific and concise as possible with reference to purposes, means of accomplishment, the period in which the project is to be completed, potential for subsequent benefits, complete budget including any other funds on hand or expected, as well as source and schedule for payback of loans.
6. A final report shall be provided within two months of scheduled project completion, emphasizing results and information suitable for publication. Interim reports should be scheduled where appropriate.
7. Proposals will be received and acted upon by an oversight committee consisting of the Witness Coordinating Committee clerk or the clerk's designee, the Witness Coordinating Committee assistant clerk, and the Witness Coordinating Committee's recording clerk. A person requesting funds will not sit on on the oversight committee.
8. Proposals of over $1,000 shall be approved by the Witness Coordinating Committee.

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History

The Alternatives to Violence Project, Inc. (AVP) is an outgrowth of the Subcommittee on Nonviolence of the Peace Action Program, set up at the first Peace Institute in 1962. This subcommittee was established to demonstrate that the Friends' peace testimony of 1660 can be applied to resolve conflicts in the modern world without resort to violence. It later became known as the Quaker Project on Community Conflict. This committee had a long history of effective nonviolent actions and, in 1971, began to be invited into the prisons of New York and New Jersey to train inmates in the techniques of nonviolent conflict resolution.

In 1975, a group of prisoners from Green Haven Correctional Facility, seeking ways to deal with the violence in their lives, contacted the local Quakers for some help. Together they developed the first AVP workshop. Today we are active in forty states nationwide and in more than fifteen countries around the world. Six Friends appointed by NYYM to its AVP Committee serve on the twenty-one-member board of AVP-NY, a not-for-profit corporation. Approximately 20 percent of the annual budget comes from the New York Yearly Meeting Sharing Fund.

Within the last few years, AVP people in New York City have established the Landing Strip, a support group for people who have taken AVP workshops in prison. Plans are underway for Landing Strips in other communities as well.

Purposes & Objectives

The Alternatives to Violence Project is a multicultural organization of volunteers offering experiential workshops that empower individuals to liberate themselves and others from the burden of violence. Its fundamental belief is that there is a power for peace and good in everyone and that this power has the ability to transform violence.

AVP builds upon a spiritual base of respect and caring for self and others, working both in prisons and with groups in various communities.

Functions & Activities

The project conducts three-day experiential workshops on community building, cooperation, communication, affirmation, and problem solving. It offers two courses, Basic and Advanced, for groups of up to twenty persons, led by teams of trained volunteer facilitators. A Training for Facilitators course is offered, to teach workshop-facilitating skills.

Organization & Method of Appointment

Local activities are carried on through area councils covering different geographical areas of the Yearly Meeting. Each is represented on the Board of Directors, which handles matters of training, education, and program.

The Board of Directors consists of the six committee members whom the Yearly Meeting appoints to the AVP Committee on the recommendation of the Nominating Committee. The Board appoints a clerk, an assistant clerk, a recording clerk, a treasurer, and various committees.

An annual membership meeting is held, to which all facilitators, as well as area council and board members, are invited. This meeting reviews the year's accomplishments, approves the budget, considers problems, sets goals for the coming year, and appoints officers for the coming year.

Meeting Times & Places

The annual membership meeting is generally held in September. Statewide Board Council meetings are also held in February, May, and November in various locations in New York State. Board members are expected to attend all Board Council meetings and to serve on at least one committee of the board.

Finances

The project has three main sources of income: an annual allotment from the Sharing Fund, grants from Friends' funds and outside foundations and corporations, and the proceeds of an annual appeal to non-Yearly Meeting individuals known as Friends of AVP. There is also some income from community workshops and literature sales.

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The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a contemporary expression of Quaker faith and practice, attempts to relieve human suffering and to seek nonviolent solutions to conflict, personal, national, and international.

The AFSC is guided by a corporation composed of no fewer than 120 nor more than 180 members. No fewer than 60 nor more than 90 of these members are to be nominated by the yearly meetings of Friends in the United States. No fewer than 60 nor more than 90 Friends are chosen at large by the Nominating Committee of the AFSC. Of these, up to 33 are chosen to serve as the Board of Directors. The clerks of the nine regional offices sit as ex-officio members of the corporation.

Each yearly meeting appoints from two to five members. The number of Friends to be appointed from each yearly meeting is generally based upon the size of the yearly meeting and is determined by the AFSC. In addition, New York Yearly Meeting appoints representatives to the Executive Committee of the New York Metropolitan Regional Office and one to the Middle Atlantic Region as well as one to the Syracuse office of the Middle Atlantic Region.

Functions & Activities

The appointees to the corporation act as liaison between the yearly meeting and the AFSC. They are expected to make every effort to attend and represent the yearly meeting at the annual meeting of the corporation. This meeting may require attendance for two or three days. They carry yearly meeting concerns to the AFSC and report back to the yearly meeting. This includes an annual written report.

The regional executive appointees are expected to attend the regional office's monthly executive meetings and function as full members of those committees.

The appointees are encouraged to participate in the activities of the AFSC regional offices in the New York metropolitan region and in Syracuse and to encourage similar participation by members of local monthly meetings.

Organization & Method of Appointment

Currently, New York Yearly Meeting is asked to appoint five members to the national corporation. The appointments are made by the Yearly Meeting on the recommendation of the Nominating Committee for three-year terms, with about

one-third appointed each year.

The group names a convener and a representative to the Witness Coordinating Committee. The group includes regional executive representatives as well as Yearly Meeting members appointed at large by the national office.

Meeting Times & Places

The annual meeting of the corporation is normally held in November in Philadelphia. Representatives may also meet at Yearly Meeting sessions.

Finances

Corporation members often pay their own expenses, but some financial aid is available from the monies set aside for Friends under appointment.

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History

The Black Development Fund was established in 1969 as the response of New York Yearly Meeting to the needs of the Black and Puerto Rican communities within the area of the Yearly Meeting. There was originally a goal of $50,000 per year, and it was provided that the fund would be administered by a committee of Friends, the majority of whom would be Black. While the original goal has never been reached, funds in the range of $15,000 to $20,000 per year have been contributed and used for a wide variety of projects. The name was changed in 1978 to recognize the work of Barrington Dunbar for the Yearly Meeting.

Purposes & Objectives

The committee has a twofold objective:

1. to educate Friends on the needs of the Black and Latin American sectors of the community and to stimulate Friends' concern and cooperation in responding to the needs of the wider community
2. to administer the Black Development Fund as the money is made available to the committee

Functions & Activities

The committee has used the funds contributed to provide seed money to maintain or expand the services of a variety of projects, including scholarships for disadvantaged students at high school and college level; to assist in community- development projects aimed at helping preschool children, youth, and aged who are victimized by the adverse conditions of poverty and racism in their communities; to provide legal aid, rehabilitation of offenders, and bail bond projects; to provide job training, repairs, and fixing up of housing facilities; and many other projects of a like nature.

Organization & Method of Appointment

The committee to administer the Barrington Dunbar Fund for Black Development comprises seven members appointed by the Yearly Meeting for one-year terms on the recommendation of the Nominating Committee. It is provided in the original minute of appointment that the majority of the members of the committee shall be Black.

The committee selects its own clerk. Disbursements are made by the committee.

Meeting Times & Places

Meetings of the committee are to be held at the call of the clerk, usually three or four times a year.

Finances

The Barrington Dunbar Fund for Black Development is a participant in the Sharing Fund of New York Yearly Meeting, from which it receives most of its financial support.

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History

New York Yearly Meeting has had committees in these areas of concern under different names at various times in the past. In December 1965, such a committee was reestablished as the Race Relations Committee, and the initial appointments were made in 1966. The change to the current committee name occurred in 1980.

Purposes & Objectives

1. to broaden and deepen communication among all ethnic groups
2. to develop among Friends a keener awareness of the violence of racism
3. to stimulate involvement of Friends, as individuals and as members of meetings, in today's racial crisis
4. to stimulate Friends as individuals and as members of meetings to be creative in working with all ethnic groups to overcome the handicaps of the past and to achieve political rights, educational excellence, economic opportunity, and social dignity
5. to increase awareness among Friends of the history and contributions of Blacks and other ethnic groups both within and outside the Religious Society of Friends
6. to support, enhance, and deepen the multiracial character of the family of Friends

Functions & Activities

1. to act as a resource to suggest programs, speakers, and other resources dealing with interracial relations and Black concerns for inclusion in Yearly Meeting programs
2. to serve as a clearinghouse to collect information concerning projects on interracial relations and Black concerns undertaken by Friends' meetings, committees, and individuals in the Yearly Meeting and to report on these matters to the Yearly Meeting
3. to serve in a consultative role on interracial relations and Black concerns to Friends' meetings in planning programs and projects
4. to serve as the administrator of any funds provided by or under the direction of the Yearly Meeting to enable disadvantaged youth
5. 1. to attend youth programs such as junior and senior high school programs at Yearly Meeting ses-sions, Powell House conferences, national institutes, and work-camp programs
   2. to continue their education in school or college
6. to serve as the administrator of funds to stimulate adult projects in interracial relations and Black concerns

Organization & Method of Appointment

The committee comprises about thirteen members appointed by the Yearly Meeting for three-year terms on the recommendation of the Nominating Committee, with four or five appointed each year.

The Committee appoints its own clerk and such other officers as seem desirable. It names a representative to the Witness Coordinating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

Meetings of the committee are held at the call of the clerk or as agreed upon by the committee. The committee attempts to meet eight or ten times a year.

Finances

The Friends Committee for Black Concerns is a participant in the Sharing Fund of New York Yearly Meeting, from which it receives substantially all its financial support.

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History
A subcommittee of Peace Concerns Committee was formed in the late 1990s out of the work of Witness Coordinating Committee in developing an amicus brief in support of Rosa Packard’s tax witness. In addition to support of individuals, the subcommittee circulated a survey to monthly meetings and issued a gentle guide to tax witness. In April 2006 the Yearly Meeting adopted a minute acknowledging that paying for war violates our conviction in the Power of the Living Spirit to give life, joy, peace, and prosperity through love, integrity, and compassionate justice among people and approved preparation of an amicus brief in support of the case of Jenkins v. IRS. In 2007 that amicus brief was submitted, the subcommittee sponsored two conferences as part of a planned series on conscientious objection to paying for war, and continued to be a vehicle for helping individuals find clarity and act on issues of conscientious objection.

Purposes & Objectives
The purpose of the committee includes being vocal about the failure of violence and the blessing of nonviolence, as well as exploring with Friends in our Yearly Meeting the multiple avenues of being true to our consciences in not paying for war.

Functions & Activities

• increase the body of written and video resources on conscientious objection to paying for war
• promote preparation of statements of conscience by Friends
• bring together Friends from meetings and regional meetings within NYYM and Friends from outside our yearly meeting who are working on issues of conscientious objection to paying for war
• advocate for governmental accommodation to conscientious objection to paying for war through support of legal challenges to military taxation and legislative efforts to change taxation laws
• be a visible and helpful presence in meetings and the Yearly Meeting as we strive for integrity in our lives

Organization & Method of Appointment
The Yearly Meeting appoints up to nine members to the committee on recommendation of the Nominating Committee. Members are appointed for three-year terms, with about one-third appointed each year. The committee appoints its clerk and other officers as desired. It names a representative to the Witness Coordinating Committee. Subcommittees may be formed as needed.

Meeting Times & Places
Meetings are customarily held at the call of the clerk during the sessions of the Yearly Meeting and Representative Meeting and at such other times and places as the clerk may find desirable. The committee may organize occasional conferences as well.

Finances
The work of the committee is currently supported through the Witness Activities Fund and would become a separate line item in the Sharing Fund.

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The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) is guided by the General Committee, members of which are appointed by those yearly meetings who wish to participate in its services. These services are primarily twofold:

1. keeping Friends and other interested persons informed on legislation before Congress on issues of concern to Friends so that Friends can respond in an informed and timely manner on their own behalf
2. presenting to members of the Congress views with respect to current legislation based upon legislative policy as established by the General Committee

The FCNL has suggested that yearly meetings with membership up to five thousand name up to six representatives. Reappointments at the end of their terms are left to the discretion of the yearly meetings. The Nominating Committee of FCNL may appoint members at large, who cannot be more than one-third of the total committee.

Functions of New York Yearly Meeting Representatives

The representatives attend the annual meeting of the General Committee. They organize interest groups on FCNL priorities at Yearly Meeting sessions in order to deepen the understanding of FCNL and its work. They may also assist in fundraising and in encouraging contacts within local meetings to further FCNL work. They report to the Yearly Meeting, including an annual written report.

Organization & Method of Appointment

New York Yearly Meeting has six representatives, two appointed each year for three-year terms. These appointments are made by the Yearly Meeting on the recommendation of the Nominating Committee. The representatives name a convener and a representative to the Witness Coordinating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

The annual meeting is held in the Washington, D.C., area in November.

Finances

The Yearly Meeting contributes to an expense fund in the Operating Budget for representatives attending the FCNL annual meeting.

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The Friends Peace Teams Project Coordinating Committee, a network of Friends representing yearly meetings that have united with it, seeks to connect Friends with existing service and training opportunities in peacemaking, conflict resolution, and nonviolent direct action. By this means, we seek to identify a pool of experienced Friends whose knowledge and skills can help bring into practice a culture of peace.

Friends World Committee for Consultation, Section of the Americas, accepted Friends Peace Teams Project as an affiliate group in 1996. A minute was approved in 1997 to encourage yearly meetings to inform their members about Peace Teams work being done by Friends and others in situations of conflict, and to request each yearly meeting to send accounts of their discernment, activities, and vision regarding Peace Teams work to Friends Peace Teams Project.

Friends Peace Teams Project has established the Elise Boulding Scholarship Fund to help Friends who have been accepted to serve with peace teams approved by Friends Peace Teams Project. It has encouraged the Quaker Volunteer Information Center to provide national information about training and service opportunities. In 1998 Friends Peace Teams Project has a partnership agreement with Christian Peacemaker Teams and with Peace Brigades International. Friends Peace Teams Project is affiliated with Quaker Volunteer Service. Friends Peace Teams Project publishes a newsletter four times a year.

Functions of the Representative

"The named representative(s) from each yearly meeting are expected to request an oversight committee for their work with us and with their yearly meeting, and, if needed, a support committee from their monthly or yearly meeting according to good order as understood by their yearly meeting. Representatives will act as a catalyst in their yearly meeting for Friends Peace Teams Project's current priorities and will also report to the Friends Peace Teams Project Coordinating Committee the ways in which their yearly meeting has been interpreting and living out the mission statement they endorsed. Representatives of yearly meetings are expected to serve on a committee, participate in scheduled conference calls and attend the annual meeting. " Minutes of Friends Peace Teams Project Coordinating Committee, May 1996.

Organization & Method of Appointment

New York Yearly Meeting regularly names a representative to the Friends Peace Teams Project Coordinating Committee for a term of three years on the recommendation of the Nominating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

The coordinating committee has scheduled two meetings a year in differing locations across the country and has regular conference calls.

Finances

A contribution is requested from Peace Concerns Committee. The named representative has a budget for travel and administrative expenses under the Witness Section.

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Purposes & Objectives

1. to inform Friends and others of the present problems facing Native Americans
2. to aid in improving ways and means by which our American society treats its Native American members

Functions & Activities

1. The committee receives information on pending legislation affecting Native Americans and shares this information as widely as possible.
2. The committee cooperates with the Associated Committee of Friends on Indian Affairs, the Indian Rights Association, and other Native American interest organizations.
3. The committee provides scholarship aid to Native American students.
4. Committee members provide resources for individuals and groups on Native American affairs.
5. The committee cooperates with other Yearly Meeting committees on Native American projects and arranges programs for the purpose of spreading information on Native American affairs.

Organization & Method of Appointment

The Yearly Meeting appoints about eighteen members to the committee on the recommendation of the Nominating Committee for three-year terms, on a rotating basis.

The committee appoints its own officers, presently consisting of clerk, assistant clerk, treasurer, and recording clerk. From time to time, the committee also names individuals to carry forward special projects. It names representatives to the Witness Coordinating Committee and the Sharing Fund Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

Regular meetings of the committee are held at the call of the clerk, customarily at least once during the sessions of Yearly Meeting and in December in conjunction with Representative Meeting. Meetings may be held at other times as necessary.

Finances

The committee is a participant in the Sharing Fund of New York Yearly Meeting, from which it derives its major financial support. It also receives some support from trust funds under the care of the Yearly Meeting. It may encourage participation in projects of the Associated Friends Committee on Indian Affairs.

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History

Friends with special interests in different Latin American countries gathered during Yearly Meeting 1982. At the request of a group of concerned Friends, the Witness Coordinating Committee established a Latin American Concerns Task Group in December 1982. The task group met regularly, organized interest groups, prepared minutes for Yearly Meeting, distributed a newsletter, and kept current with monthly meetings that were providing sanctuary for refugees from Central America.

Recognizing that the concerns that led to the creation of a task group had intensified, the Latin American Concerns Task Group requested committee status from the Witness Coordinating Committee on April 12, 1986. The request for such status was forwarded to the Yearly Meeting on July 31, 1986. Because of the events in Central America and the United States involvement, the Task Group had focused on Central America. The name Latin American Concerns was retained, however, with the intent of being open to concerns arising among people in any country south of the United States border or in the Caribbean, as well as people residing in the United States who have roots in those regions.

Purposes & Objectives

The overall purpose is to constitute a coordinating group that at any given time can help to determine priorities and focus for the several objectives and functions that have been identified as Latin American concerns. The objectives of the Latin American Concerns Committee are:

1. to contribute to Friends' awareness of the developing threats to peace and justice in Latin America by gathering and disseminating information about the implications that events in Latin America have for North Americans
2. to seek ways in which we can help Latin Americans to solve the problems to which they give priority, such as hunger, genocide, intervention by the United States, and violent repression
3. to recommend relevant actions that are consistent with Friends' testimonies and to offer support to individual Friends and monthly meetings involved in such activities
4. to provide outreach and liaison with others in the Yearly Meeting who are working on related concerns
5. to offer opportunities for learning about the cultural diversity among Latin Americans
6. to keep in touch with the problems that Latin Americans encounter in the United States

Functions & Activities

Communication - The Latin American Concerns Committee receives communications from networks of Friends and other religious people involved in specific activities related to Latin America and Latin Americans, such as the sanctuary movement and the Friends' Peace Center in Costa Rica, and actively gathers and disseminates such information through a newsletter, interest groups, audiovisual materials, and other appropriate means. The committee provides a liaison with others in the Yearly Meeting who are involved with related concerns in other Friends' organizations, for example, the Peace Concerns Committee, the Indian Affairs Committee, the Committee on Right Sharing of World Resources, AFSC, FWCC, and FCNL.

Legislation and Government Policy - The Latin American Concerns Committee works for legislative opposition to military involvement in Latin America, for policies that protect refugees from Latin America, and for fair immigration laws and policies.

Education - Through visitors, displays, audiovisual materials, workshops, and cultural exchanges, the committee seeks to increase understanding between North American and Latin American people. A second educational emphasis is on political events in the United States that relate to Latin America.

Support - The committee seeks ways to offer support to Friends and Friends meetings involved in specific activities in Latin America or activities in the United States that relate to Latin America or Latin Americans. This support may include assistance with fundraising, problem solving, and networking, as well as the preparation of minutes for matters requiring approval by the Yearly Meeting.

Organization & Method of Appointment

The Yearly Meeting appoints about fifteen members to the Latin American Concerns Committee for three-year terms on the recommendation of the Nominating Committee, with one-third appointed each year. The committee appoints its own clerk and other officers as desired. It names a representative to the Witness Coordinating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

Meetings are customarily held at the call of the clerk during the sessions of the Yearly Meeting and Representative Meeting and at such other times and places as the clerk may find desirable.

Finances

The work of the committee is supported through the Sharing Fund.

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The ability of a government to wage war now relies less on conscripted soldiers and more on drafted dollars to pay for advanced technology. Advanced weapons wreak incredible destruction and death when used to kill in war or in a policy of so-called deterrence. These weapons also kill in another way by denying resources to those most in need.

For more than fifty years, conscientious objectors have been exempt from combat service; however, they are still required to pay taxes to support the military establishment.

The National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund (NCPTF) is a nonprofit advocacy organization working to pass legislation that would establish a way for conscientious objectors to channel their taxes into nonmilitary purposes.

Components of the Campaign include a professional lobbyist, activist networks, a newsletter, and other publications. Associated with the Campaign is the Peace Tax Foundation, whose purpose is educating the public about conscientious objection.

The New York Yearly Meeting is recognized by the Board of Directors of the National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund for our endorsement and support of the Campaign and is asked to send a representative ex officio to the board.

Functions of the Representative

The representative attends board meetings and participates in the discussions.

The representative endeavors to inform interested Friends of the relevant issues and state of the progress of the Campaign.

Some vehicles for this are displays at Silver Bay and at Representative Meetings, interest groups and programs at Silver Bay and at Quarterly, Monthly, or Regional Meetings, articles in Spark, and responses to inquiries.

Method of Appointment

One representative to the board is appointed by New York Yearly Meeting for a three-year term.

Meeting Times & Places

Twice each year, in the spring and in the fall, the board meets for a two-day session in the Washington, D.C., area.

Finances

The Operating Budget includes a line for the expense of the representative.

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History

For many years prior to 1966, when it was merged with the Peace and Social Action Program, a Yearly Meeting Peace and Service Committee had brought peace-related concerns to the Yearly Meeting for consideration and action. This function was assumed and expanded through various projects of the Peace and Social Action Program from 1966 to 1980.

When the interests of the Peace and Social Action Program were absorbed into the Witness Coordinating Committee by action of the Yearly Meeting in 1980, it was felt that a separate committee should be charged with responsibility for peace concerns.

Purposes & Objectives

Because of the expressed need of many local meetings for a network of support, sharing of experiences, and coordination of efforts, the committee is charged to stimulate and to lead, to explore new and revolutionary ideas, to intervisit and to act, to spread ideas, and to support and uphold Friends in their peace work.

Functions & Activities

• to listen to and encourage local meetings' peace concerns and activities
• to be aware of and assist peacemaking activities in the regions of New York Yearly Meeting
• to seek out appropriate peacemaking information so that communications covering peace and social-action issues can be sent out
• to seek out opportunities to facilitate regional gatherings with emphasis on exchanging information and experiences on peacemaking activities
• to respond to New Call to Peacemaking ideas and plans.

Organization & Method of Appointment

The Yearly Meeting appoints about fifteen members to the committee on recommendation of the Nominating Committee. Members are appointed for three-year terms, with about one-third appointed each year. The committee appoints its own clerk and other officers as desired. It names a representative to the Witness Coordinating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

Meetings are customarily held at the call of the clerk during the sessions of the Yearly Meeting and Representative Meeting and at such other times and places as the clerk may find desirable.

Finances

The work of the committee is supported through the Sharing Fund.

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Purposes & Objectives

The Prisons Committee is involved with the witness of Friends concerning criminal justice. The objectives of the committee are:

1. to provide spiritual development and Quaker studies for Quaker prison meetings, and isolated prisoners, through Friends providing prison ministry
2. to provide support and a focus for the activities of monthly meetings, Quaker prison meetings, isolated prisoners, and individual Friends in the field of criminal justice including legislation
3. to provide outreach and liaison with others in the Yearly Meeting area who are working for the improvement and humanization of the criminal justice system, and with the authorities responsible for administering the system
4. to educate Friends, the general public, and our public officials on criminal-justice issues

Functions & Activities

1. assist the Quarterly/Regional or Monthly Meetings who oversee prison worship groups
2. develop guidelines for spiritual advisors and ongoing training for volunteers in prison worship groups
3. provide financial support for educational and spiritual materials for prison worship groups and contributions and liaisons to organizations working in the criminal justice field
4. assist in the establishment of college-level programs in prisons
5. study selected criminal justice issues and legislation pertaining to criminal justice and alert Friends of appropriate action

Organization & Method of Appointment

The Yearly Meeting appoints about twelve Friends to the committee for three-year terms on the recommendation of the Nominating Committee. The committee appoints its own officers. It names representatives to the Witness Coordinating Committee and some criminal justice organizations in the community.

There are three subcommittees: Prison Worship Groups, Prison Educational Programs, and Criminal Justice Issues.

Meeting Times & Places

The committee meets during Yearly Meeting and Representative Meeting sessions, and other times as arranged.

Finances

The Prisons Committee receives substantially all of its financial support from the Sharing Fund.

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History

A concern for the right sharing of the world's resources was taken up by the Friends World Conference at Guilford College in 1967. This was carried forward by the Friends World Committee for Consultation with a goal of giving "One Percent More" of income after taxes toward international development. The concern was endorsed by New York Yearly Meeting in 1968 and carried forward under the guidance of the Peace and Social Action Program. In 1972, the Yearly Meeting approved a request that an independent committee be established with the name Committee on Sharing the World's Resources. For 29 years the Right Sharing of World Resources program was under FWCC. In May of 1999 it became independent.

Purposes & Objectives

The primary objectives of the committee are to interpret what is meant by international development in our increasingly interdependent world and to help Friends find their role in responding to the widening gap between rich and poor nations.

Functions & Activities

1. The committee encourages Friends to examine their own use of resources and to share through contributions for development work abroad. Friends can make such contributions through the Sharing Fund of New York Yearly Meeting.

2. The committee administers funds contributed in response to the concern. One major recipient of these funds has been the Friends College in Kenya, which grew out of the vision of members of East Africa Yearly Meeting and which exemplifies many of the ingredients of the philosophy of assistance to developing nations. Starting in 1973, funds were sent through the Friends World Committee for Consultation, Section of the Americas, for allocation by its Right Sharing of World Resources program.

Organization & Method of Appointment

The committee comprises about twelve members appointed by the Yearly Meeting for three-year terms, approximately one-third appointed each year, on the recommendation of the Nominating Committee. The committee appoints its own clerk and names a representative to the Witness Coordinating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

Meetings of the committee are held at the call of the clerk, usually at Yearly Meeting and Representative Meeting sessions.

Finances

The Committee on Right Sharing of World Resources receives substantially all its financial support from the Sharing Fund.

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History

The Sharing Fund Subcommittee was established at Yearly Meeting sessions in 1972 as a subcommittee of the Financial Services Committee. In 1991, the Sharing Fund Committee became a committee of the Witness Coordinating Committee. It was felt that coordinated appeals for support of Yearly Meeting witness would reduce costs, reduce confusion to members who had previously received a large number of appeal letters from various committees, and provide a simpler method of oversight.

Purposes & Objectives

To solicit, through mailings and other means, funds from New York Yearly Meeting Friends, and act as a channel for these funds to be distributed to Yearly Meeting outreach committees in accordance with predetermined rules approved by the Financial Services Committee in the past, and by the Witness Coordinating Committee now.

Functions & Activities

The Sharing Fund Committee provides oversight of the fund, preparing appeal letters, reporting to Yearly Meeting, providing liaison with the recipient committees, and distributing the incoming funds to the member committees on a regular basis.

The Sharing Fund begins each fiscal year with only a small, necessary carry-over to provide continuity of operation. The goal is a compilation of the requests of all of the participating committees, which are reviewed and approved by the Witness Coordinating Committee. The Sharing Fund Committee adds a request for funds necessary to finance its work during the year.

Organization & Method of Appointment

The Nominating Committee appoints two members at large. Representatives to the Witness Coordinating Committee are also representatives to the Sharing Fund Committee. The treasurer for the committee is the assistant treasurer of the Yearly Meeting.

Meeting Times & Places

The committee meets at the call of the clerk and at Yearly Meeting sessions. Meetings have been held quarterly and as needed.

Finances

The funds for mailings as well as incidental office expenses are paid out of Sharing Fund receipts.

In 1996, it was decided that expenses of clerks of committees in the Witness Section would be paid from the NYYM Operating Budget.

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William Penn House is a Quaker seminar and hospitality center on Capitol Hill. It has a unique role in the Quaker outreach in our nation's capital. The small professional staff has developed a wide acquaintance with people in government and helps to educate Quakers in how they can relate to and influence our government. In addition to its seminar and educational functions, it also serves as a hospitality center for Friends and others interested in visiting Washington.

The William Penn House property is owned by the Friends Meeting of Washington, and its operations are under the direction of a board made up of Washington area Friends. Guidance on policy is provided by the National Consultative Committee, composed of representatives of the endorsing yearly meetings, of which New York is one, and related organizations.

Functions of the Representative

The representative attends the annual meeting. The representative is responsible for bringing the work of William Penn House before the Yearly Meeting, including the writing of an annual report, and maintaining contact with the Witness Coordinating Committee.

Organization & Method of Appointment

New York Yearly Meeting regularly appoints one member to the National Consultative Committee for a term of one year, on the recommendation of the Nominating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

William Penn House holds its annual meeting in Washington in the fall.

Finances

A contribution to William Penn House is included in the Operating Budget. Presently, the representative is responsible for travel and any other expenses.

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History

The Home and Foreign Missions Board of New York Yearly Meeting (Five Years Meeting affiliation) was started June 4, 1889, with representatives from each quarterly meeting. The first projects involved assistance to schools in Victoria, Mexico. This work continued until terminated by the Mexican government. In the meantime other projects had been assumed, and the work led into cooperation with the Mission Board of the Five Years Meeting (now Friends United Meeting). With the reunion of the two New York Yearly Meetings, the Mission Board continued as a body of the united Yearly Meeting. The broader concept of wider ministries adopted by Friends United Meeting led to the name's being changed in 1971 to Committee on Wider Ministries, and later to Committee on World Ministries.

Purposes & Objectives

To provide a means whereby members and meetings can encourage and support programs of world ministries of New York Yearly Meeting, Friends United Meeting, and other Friends' groups.

Functions & Activities

The committee administers the income of trust funds bequeathed to New York Yearly Meeting for "mission purposes."

The committee has occasionally sponsored interest groups at Yearly Meeting sessions. It has provided financial support for special projects from time to time.

Funding Policies

1. Grants are generally made to organizations or committees rather than to individuals. The committee prefers the accountability and oversight a larger supporting body can offer, as well as the advice and experience available in a larger body of Friends.
2. Levels of funding for major programs should not be changed suddenly, as this makes it difficult for programs to run smoothly. Annual review of current and past funding should take place.
3. Grants can be made either for the general program of an organization or committee or for specific programs or requests.
4. Scholarship aid, if given, should go to schools or other organizations that can screen individual students, assess their needs, and offer nonmonetary support.
5. Grants are not generally made to individual meetings for the construction of meetinghouses, as there are other sources of funding for this, either in their yearly meetings or through Friends Extension Corporation. Exceptions have been made for meetings with no other source of help, especially in areas in crisis or where Friends' witness is needed.
6. Travel support has been given in the past for mission workers going to or from the field, New York Yearly Meeting members traveling on concerns related to this committee's area of interest, and mission workers visiting our Yearly Meeting sessions.
7. Most funding decisions are made at regular sessions of the committee; in time of crisis or in the face of an urgent need, approval has been obtained by phone poll or letter.
8. Full and continuing information is vital, and personal contacts with Friends on the spot are essential. The committee does not want to simply put checks in the mail and forget about the people! It is strengthened by the experience of Friends who have "been there." At the same time, the committee must be careful not to allocate funding only to the "pet projects" of our own members.
9. Given the funds at its disposal, the committee looks for places where a small amount of money can make a large difference. Seed money has often been given to projects that later became self-sustaining and to pilot projects in new areas of concern.
10. The committee is looking for new ways to help, new doors that are standing open, and new uses for its funds.

Organization & Method of Appointment

The Yearly Meeting appoints about twelve members to the committee for three-year terms, one-third appointed each year, on the recommendation of the Nominating Committee.

The committee appoints its own officers, presently consisting of a clerk, a secretary, and a treasurer. It names a representative to the Witness Coordinating Committee.

Meeting Times & Places

Meetings may be held at the call of the clerk but have been regularly held at Yearly Meeting sessions and at the time of both Representative Meetings.

Finances

The committee depends on three sources for its income:

1. The income from trust funds held by the Yearly Meeting trustees and designated for "mission purposes" is administered by the committee. Most of this money is forwarded to Friends United Meeting for its programs of world ministries, but some of it is used for related concerns coming before the committee.
2. The Committee on World Ministries also seeks funds from the Sharing Fund of New York Yearly Meeting, not only for the work of Friends United Meeting, but also for other projects of interest to New York Yearly Meeting.
3. The Lindley Murray Fund has also contributed to the work of the committee.

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PART 2, COMMITTEES, FUNCTIONS, ETC.

(NOTE: Some of this material, including the Events/Deadlines Calendar and Clerk and Committee Guidelines, has been revised. The new versions may be found in HTML, PDF, and RTF formats in the Publications section of this Web site.)

YEARLY MEETING EVENTS/DEADLINES CALENDAR

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GUIDELINES FOR CLERKS

See note, above, for current information on this section.

Developed in 1973, revised in 1984 and 1998

(Note: the term Meeting is to be understood as referring to both Yearly Meeting and Representative Meeting business sessions unless otherwise specified.)

1. Before each session begins, the presiding Clerk should provide the recording clerk and reading clerk with an agenda, which should include the names of all persons who are likely to be recorded in the minutes: the person reading the epistle, Friends to be introduced, and those who will be presenting reports. The reading clerk should likewise give to the recording clerk all material after it is read: travel minutes, memorials, nominations, and so on.

2. The day, date, time, and number in attendance of the session appears at the beginning of the minutes but does not have to be a separately numbered minute.

3. Each minute is separately numbered and covers a single identifiable topic. It is important that numbers be carefully kept in sequence, and for this purpose recording clerks must be mindful of their responsibility to inform the clerk who is recording the following session of the exact number of the minute with which that session will begin. (Remember to include and number the last minute: "The minutes of this session were approved.")

4. Minutes record primarily the formal actions of the Meeting. Routine matters are recorded succinctly, reports are normally abstracted rather than repeated verbatim, and discussion from the floor is summarized so as to do justice to the general flavor of the points of view expressed, but in a concise form. The names of individuals expressing particular opinions are not recorded in the minutes. Announcements are not minuted.

5. The first minute normally records the worship that begins the session: "The Meeting opened with a period of worship." "The 297th session of New York Yearly Meeting opened with songs of praise."

6. Introduction of visiting Friends: "The following Friends were introduced: . . ." The Clerk should provide the list of names, along with the Yearly Meeting, organizational affiliation, or other appropriate identification of each Friend.

7. Travel minutes: "The reading clerk read minutes of travel for . . . The Meeting instructed the Clerk to endorse these minutes of travel." All such travel minutes read at the same time should be recorded as a single minute.

8. Epistles: "Dorothy Livingston read the Epistle from Intermountain Yearly Meeting . . ." followed by a phrase or sentence (perhaps directly quoted) expressing a major point or two of the epistle.

9. Memorials: "The reading clerk read a memorial minute for . . . This minute will be filed with New York Yearly Meeting records." The minute should include the Monthly Meeting of the deceased Friend, the meeting forwarding the memorial (the two may be combined if identical), a brief extract from the memorial, and a note of the response of the Meeting, if significant.

10. Nominations: "Nominations for the following committees were approved: . . . (See Friends under Appointment.)" Individual Friends are not named in this minute: The slates as submitted by the Nominating Committee are appended to the minutes. Only when an appointment represents an addition to a committee for which appointments have already been added is the name noted separately (this is the normal case at Representative Meeting). Nominations are usually presented at the session at which the committee is scheduled to report. However, if the slate is not complete, it is better to postpone the presentation until it is. It is vital that the slate include the name of the meeting in which each nominee holds membership. If a nominee is not a member of New York Yearly Meeting, this fact must be stated, and the Meeting must approve that individual separately: "The Meeting specifically approved the appointment of Dwight Spann-Wilson, of New England Yearly Meeting, to the Prisons Committee."

11. Resignations: "The following resignations were accepted: . . ." (not "approved").

12. Reports of committees or other groups are normally summarized concisely rather than reproduced verbatim. In abstracting such reports, it is extremely helpful if the recording clerk can obtain a written copy of the report from the person presenting it, preferably in advance.

13. The minuting of the report is sufficient evidence that it has been presented. The minutes should never record that a report was received, approved, or noted "with appreciation." If it is used for some reports only, it signifies that we do not appreciate the others.

14. Interim financial reports are summarized like any other. Final financial reports are normally included in the minutes verbatim. Such reports are normally already printed, and a copy can simply be attached to the minutes.

15. Budget requests arising from the Meeting itself (and not in conjunction with the annual budget as approved at December Representative Meeting) are usually minuted as requests and not as directives: "The Yearly Meeting asked the Financial Services Committee to consider an increase in the contribution to . . ." There are exceptions when the Meeting "directs the treasurer to pay out of contingency funds the sum of. . ." or "asks the Financial Services Committee to provide a means of paying travel expenses for . . ." but these are relatively rare.

16. Texts of proposed minutes are not recorded in their draft form, but only in the form in which they are finally approved: "The Prisons Committee presented a proposed minute on capital punishment, which was discussed at considerable length [a summary of the discussion may be included], amended, and approved as follows: . . ."

17. Each action of the Meeting is minuted separately. In exceptional circumstances where actions are closely related, they may be numbered, for example, 7A, 7B, 7C.

18. The minute of each Yearly Meeting action should normally include all the following information:

1. source: committee letter, individual
2. subject: including discussion, if pertinent
3. sense of the meeting: approval, agreement, support without approval, referral, postponement, rejection
4. action authorized: clarity is absolutely essential
5. who is to act: committee, clerk, staff, individual
6. when action is to happen: deadline
7. where to send it: if other than back to the Meeting

19. The draft minutes of each session are read at the end of the session for corrections and final approval. The clerks should be sure that corrections (where substantive) have the approval of the entire meeting and are not just the whims of vocal individuals. Technically, drafts do not become minutes until they are approved.

20. Promptly at the end of each session, the recording clerk will prepare printed copies of the minutes. The recording clerk is responsible for verifying that all documents referred to in the minutes (nominations; financial reports and other reports that are to be published in full; epistles of Yearly Meeting, Junior Yearly Meeting, and High School; and so on) are physically attached. Copies of travel minutes should be given to the Clerk for endorsement.

21. As soon as the minutes of a session are printed, the reading clerk for that session will review them and identify decisions of Yearly Meeting calling for action by individuals or committees. The reading clerk will give copies of such minutes promptly to the individual or committee clerk responsible for action. The reading clerk will provide this information for "list of action minutes."

22. Before leaving Silver Bay, the Clerk and the recording clerks will jointly review the entire set of minutes for proper numbering, removal of duplication, correction of typographical errors and misspellings of names, and misinterpretations that persist in spite of Meeting approval. The clerks should agree on any change made to assure that rewording does not in any way change the sense of the Meeting's decisions. All clerks then sign the original copy of each session's minutes, which becomes the official record of action of the Meeting. This signed copy and corrected disc are delivered to the Yearly Meeting staff for publication. The copy is kept by the Clerk as a backup.

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ON SERVING AS A NAMED REPRESENTATIVE

(Note: This section also applies to those named by the Yearly Meeting to other Friends' bodies.)

Representative Meeting transacts business for the Yearly Meeting between its annual sessions. In order to encourage participation that reflects the whole body of the Yearly Meeting, monthly meetings appoint named representatives, and a number are appointed by the Yearly Meeting also. All Friends are encouraged to attend Representative Meeting whether or not they are named representatives.

Representative Meeting carries out instructions given by the Yearly Meeting and continues work on the business of the Yearly Meeting. It may act for the Yearly Meeting on any matter, except that it may not make changes in Faith and Practice or issue a statement of faith. At its December meeting, it provides for an annual budget for the Yearly Meeting and assigns proportional shares for collection from Regional Meetings.

For a number of years Representative Meeting has been held the first weekend in December and usually the second weekend in April (if not Easter). The December meetings are held in the metropolitan New York City area, the April ones elsewhere. Each session begins with a meeting for worship, which allows everyone to settle into the sense of one body gathered to worship, with a concern for business matters. There are usually two or three plenary business sessions. Many committees take the opportunity to schedule meetings at the time of Representative Meeting, and others are welcome to sit in. Sitting in on meetings is a way to keep in close and sympathetic touch with the committees of the Yearly Meeting, which is one function of Representative Meeting.

Business sessions at Representative Meeting are conducted according to Friends' practice, in worship, as a search for the Light of God in each situation. Spiritual and practical preparation are important, as is openness to new insight and understanding. The usual guides to participation are helpful: Be ready to speak if needed, once to an item; be ready not to speak; help to maintain the quiet of worship so that truth can be heard.

All present participate in searching and finding the sense of the meeting. There is an expectation that named representatives will be well acquainted with the spirit and attitude of their own meetings. It can be helpful to the whole body to hear differences articulated in the course of a search for unity. It is important, however, to make a clear distinction between Friends' representative system and a delegate system. In a delegate system a duly appointed delegate is empowered to speak and vote for her or his local group, and delegates can be instructed ahead of time how to vote on an issue.

In the Friends' representative system, the primary purpose of the business meeting is to seek and to discover the Yearly Meeting's response to God. No decisions are predetermined, by a hierarchy or by local meetings. Representatives may usefully report discussion of issues or minutes adopted by local meetings, but they are not there to "vote" on behalf of nor to represent the interests of their meetings. The allegiance of all Friends is to the truth.

The best interest of all Friends is served by paying attention to God. We conduct our business by engaging in corporate worship and opening ourselves to instruction by that of God in ourselves and others.

Named representatives have particular responsibilities:

• to attend Representative Meeting, or see that their Meeting appoints an alternate
• to prepare and participate in business sessions as a seeker after truth
• to serve as a link between local meetings and the wider body of the Yearly Meeting, including reporting at home on what happened at the sessions

To carry out these responsibilities, a named representative needs to have a copy of the current Yearbook.

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See note, above, for current information on this section.

COMMITTEE GUIDELINES

A. CLERKS

It is not intended that there be any rigid pattern of committee organization to which all committees are required to adhere. Nevertheless, experience has suggested certain guidelines.

Officers

Committees have a clerk and a representative to their section coordinating committee (who may or may not be the clerk), and usually a recording clerk. A few have a treasurer and other appointees for whom experience has shown a need. Some have representatives to other committees such as Sessions or the Sharing Fund.

In advance of Yearly Meeting sessions, the Yearly Meeting office sends each committee clerk a form indicating appointments to be made by that committee and asking for names and phone numbers of the appointees.

Selection of Officers & Other Appointees

Some committees, often those representing separately incorporated bodies such as Oakwood Friends School or Powell House, decide on officers for the next year at a designated annual meeting. All others usually have a meeting at Yearly Meeting sessions for the specific purpose of organizing for the new year and including new members just approved by Yearly Meeting. It is helpful and time-saving to appoint an internal nominating committee in the spring that will report at Yearly Meeting sessions and make recommendations for clerk, representative to the coordinating committee, and as many other appointees as possible. The Yearly Meeting office should be informed of the names of officers before the end of Yearly Meeting sessions so that this information may be included in the Yearbook.

In some cases, committees may find it useful and desirable to delegate specific parts of their responsibilities to subcommittees that may be able to act effectively and quickly in the areas assigned to them.

Responsibilities of Clerks

The duties, organization, and usual meeting times and places of each committee are described in this Handbook. Responsibilities of the clerk not indicated there are outlined below:

Committee Records and Expenditures

1. The clerk sees that committee minutes, records, and resource materials, including a copy of this Handbook, are maintained in a form that can be transmitted to succeeding officers. The clerk sends copies of all minutes to members, to the Yearly Meeting office, except when clearly inappropriate, and to the coordinating committee clerk.

2. The clerk (or designee such as treasurer) authorizes expenditures of funds allocated to the committee. Reimbursement forms are available from the Yearly Meeting office. The Yearly Meeting treasurer advises committees on bookkeeping procedures. (See specific guidelines on committee financing and travel expense, pages 76–77 [previous version], and the Finances section of committee descriptions.)

Representation of the Committee

The clerk is:

1. invited to attend the Sessions Committee planning weekend and/or communicate with the Sessions Committee

2. expected to attend the March weekend meeting of all coordinating committee members of all sections, in addition to the committee representative

3. encouraged to attend the budget weekend

Yearly Meeting Sessions at Silver Bay

In March, each clerk is asked by the Yearly Meeting office to respond to certain questions or requests:

1. committee meetings at summer sessions: number and time

2. interest groups at summer sessions: number, topic, and responsible person

3. annual report of the committee: due by May 1 for Advance Reports

4. annual financial report of committee: due by April 1, for Financial Services Committee

5. budget for next year: draft budget request for Coordinating Committee weekend, preliminary budget request due in July

Representative Meeting Sessions

Clerks are asked well in advance if they wish to have a committee meeting at the time of Representative Meeting sessions.

Yearly Meeting Resources Available to Committees:

Space in Yearly Meeting Office

Clerks wishing to use the office at 15 Rutherford Place for evening or weekend committee meetings should consult Yearly Meeting Office Use, page 81 [earlier version].

Staff Services

Staff services may be available for specific section projects. Contact the associate secretary [formerly called the administrative secretary].

Yearbook

The Yearbook is published in the fall of each year. It contains the minutes of the most recent Yearly Meeting sessions and two Representative Meeting sessions, annual reports of committees, lists of committee members and their addresses, and names and addresses and officers of all monthly and regional meetings as well as of the Yearly Meeting.

Coordinating Committee

Coordinating committees and their clerks are available to advise and support the committees within their respective sections.

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B. COMMITTEE FUNCTIONS

Representation at Section Coordinating Committee Meetings

Since the coordinating committees must make broad decisions that affect the whole section, it is essential that each committee be represented at all Coordinating Committee meetings.

The Spirit of the Committee Meeting

Clerks should try to foster a religious fellowship within the committee. Wherever possible, meetings should begin with a time of worship and sharing rather than a token momentary silence. Committees should meet regularly and as often as their duties require. In this way, they will be able to consider their business responsibly and their members, through regular opportunities for work and worship together, can come to "know one another in that which is eternal. " Committee membership should be large and broad enough to reflect the Yearly Meeting as a whole. However, even when a committee is small, its work should reflect the thought and leadings of several Friends and should not be the work solely of its clerk.

A clerk should not be reluctant to recommend that a committee be laid down if its work is done or if its members have lost interest. When a clerk finds that committee meetings are poorly attended, this should be taken as a warning that something is wrong, and guidance should be sought from the Coordinating Committee.

All action of Yearly Meeting committees should be the result of a corporate seeking of unity in the manner of Friends, under guidance of the Spirit.

Criteria to be Applied in Considering Action

1. Does this project have its basis in the spirit and teaching of Friends? Is it something we are led to do by the Spirit and that we are committed to?

2. Is this something that needs to be done by New York Yearly Meeting rather than by a monthly meeting or some other Quaker group? Does it fall within the committee's functions as defined by the Yearly Meeting? Is there any other Yearly Meeting committee that would more appropriately carry out the project?

3. To what extent does the project have the possibility of receiving support and participation from monthly meetings of New York Yearly Meeting and of Friends outside the committee?

4. Is this something that will help and educate others?

5. Is this something that is realistic, given our resources? Are people available who are willing to carry out the concern?

6. Is there a clear plan of action?

When hesitations on these questions are expressed, the appropriate coordinating committee should be consulted before the project is undertaken.

Forethought and judgment are also important in another area. Communications from a committee may be mistakenly interpreted as coming from all Friends or reflecting the position of the Yearly Meeting. Therefore, whenever such misinterpretation might be possible, a committee should seek the advice of its coordinating committee.

(Note [1973 decision]: All correspondence from New York Yearly Meeting outside the Yearly Meeting is sent by the Clerk. "Committees of the Yearly Meeting are intended to be instruments of the Yearly Meeting and not independent operation entities. Their principal functions are to help implement approved action of the Yearly Meeting and to propose for Yearly Meeting consideration areas where action seems indicated.")

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C. PROPOSING MINUTES

Many meetings and committees have concerns they wish to bring to the Yearly Meeting in the form of a proposed minute. The following queries can help clarify a group's thinking before offering minutes to a coordinating committee for submission to Yearly Meeting or Representative Meeting sessions.

1. Did the subject engage the monthly meeting, committee, or regional meeting?
   • Has it been circulated widely?
   • Did it generate discussion or enthusiasm?
   • Has it been discussed with Friends who may disagree?
2. What are the objectives of this minute?
   • Do you wish to encourage broader consideration?
   • Do you want the Yearly Meeting to thresh this through?
   • Are there alternate methods?
   • Have you considered the time pressures of Yearly Meeting sessions?
   • Are you asking for corporate witness?
   • How will this minute support the work of others?
3. What resources are needed?
   • Do you want help from other Friends?
4. How does this relate to previous Yearly Meeting activities?
   • What follow-up activities or responsibilities are anticipated?
5. Copies of proposed minutes, reports, etc., are given in advance to the presiding clerk's table. It is suggested that proposed minutes be distributed to all in attendance at the business session.

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D. FINANCING

1. Committee Financing

It is suggested that committees operate from the Yearly Meeting treasurer's accounts and not have their own bank accounts. However, each committee needs one person to be responsible for its funds.

1986 Decision: "Any uncommitted funds from the Operating Budget in excess of $500 remaining in a committee's treasury at the end of the fiscal year will be used to reduce its next year's operating budget allotment by that amount. "

a. Budget

For a spring meeting of the committee, the clerk or designated person prepares a proposed budget for the next calendar year using the budget request form. Budget request forms will be sent to committee clerks early in each fiscal year, for use during the following year. They will be sent out by the clerk of the Finance Committee with a letter covering the budget-planning timetable and guidelines for committee clerks. The committee approves this request or a revised asking budget. A budget is a plan. It is sent, with a short written explanation, to the Coordinating Committee for consideration before or at the beginning of July sessions at Silver Bay. The Coordinating Committee considers it with other committee requests. The Coordinating Committee looks at its overall preliminary budget and may adjust the asking to allow changes in priorities of the Section. The Section's preliminary budget is sent to Financial Services Committee so that an overall preliminary budget can be reported to a business session.

After budget approval at December Representative Meeting (Sharing Fund goals are reported in July), the committee, with coordinating approval, may adjust the individual terms so that the approved line items equal the anticipated expenditures.

b. Spending

All expenses, especially travel expenses, must be approved in advance by the appropriate committee person. Funds are limited.

Committees may reallocate expenses within their approved budgets. The committee clerk notifies the Coordinating Committee clerk immediately. If the entire budget has been spent, approval must be sought from the Coordinating Committee for using funds of another committee in that section. A committee or section cannot spend more money than is in the approved budget. Overall spending should be kept under the actual receipts of the Yearly Meeting. The transfer of funds is to be reported to Financial Services Committee and the next business session of the Yearly Meeting.

c. Reimbursement

1. A voucher system has been set up to assure that all payments are properly charged. For any payment, completely fill out a copy of the section's voucher. After approval by the clerk, the voucher is sent with an original bill, copy of a minute, and/or other substantiating information. (Bills will not be paid without a completed voucher.) If the payment is a donation to another organization, attach a transmittal letter or the check will be sent to the clerk to forward. See Guidelines for Travel Expense Support (page 79 [of previous version]).

The bookkeeping service prepares checks bimonthly. Vouchers should be in the office by the 1st or 15th of each month.

2. All payments from a committee's budget are authorized by the committee clerk.

3. Vouchers for payment of expenses and instructions for their use are available from the Yearly Meeting. The appropriate vouchers for each committee are sent to committee clerks.

All correctly processed vouchers received in the Yearly Meeting office by the last business day of the month will be processed and a check mailed by the 15th day of the following month. Those received by the 15th day of the month will be processed and a check mailed by the last business day of the month.

Vouchers must be approved by the person with the spending authority for a particular account. However, individuals may not approve their own expenditures. Thus the clerk of a subcommittee must either submit with the voucher a minute from the committee authorizing the expenditure or obtain approval on the voucher from the appropriate coordinating committee clerk.

4. Periodic financial reports are prepared by the bookkeeping service and will be sent regularly to committee clerks.

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2. Funding from Outside Sources

This is a policy statement approved by Representative Meeting in 1980, on Requests by Yearly Meeting Committees for Funding from Sources Outside the Yearly Meeting. It is applicable to all Yearly Meeting committees except for those that are separately incorporated, such as Oakwood Friends School, Powell House, and The McCutchen, which are encouraged to develop their own guidelines for seeking outside funding.

Friends are committed to expressing faith in action. We show our commitment by putting our own time, our own energy, and our own money into activities that demonstrate our beliefs. New York Yearly Meeting funds its concerns in part through the Yearly Meeting Operating Budget and trust funds of the Yearly Meeting, and the rest from the Sharing Fund. When an emergency exists, or a significant opportunity for a contribution to human welfare appears that is beyond our financial resources at the time, outside funding may be considered.

Because of the danger that seeking outside funding may become an end in itself and the possibility that projects funded by such grants may become primarily interested in their own survival, it is important that there be clear guidelines for the grant applications. The following considerations should precede requests for outside funding:

1. A clear definition of the project should be developed by the originating group, showing the aims, the amount of money needed (according to budget categories, not just total), the time for the project's completion, and the disposition of the project once the portion to be funded is completed.

2. Friends should be clear on the nature of the organization from which funds are being requested.

3. Grants should be requested in the name of New York Yearly Meeting. They should be administered in such a way as to maintain the project's Quaker origin, character, and identity and to be thought of as New York Yearly Meeting projects.

4. For any staff to be added as a result of project expansion due to outside funding, the Personnel Committee of the General Services Section shall review and must approve the proposed job descriptions, supervisions, salary, etc. , for consistency with the Yearly Meeting personnel policies.

5. It is suggested that in any one year, total grant requests from any section not exceed the total section budget for that year.

6. Certain projects supported by Yearly Meeting funds may be encouraged to seek independent status or other affiliation, in order that they may continue to grow and that the way may be open for Yearly Meeting committees to venture forth into other areas of endeavor. Such modifications should be made by the originating group in consultation with the section coordinating committee and the Financial Services Committee.

7. The proposal developed in accordance with the guidelines above shall be considered by the appropriate section coordinating committee. It shall be considered first on its merits, then for its relationship to other funding interests of committees in the section and for the appropriateness of seeking outside funding. If the coordinating committee approves, the proposal will be considered in its financial aspects by the Financial Services Committee in relation to grant applications from other sections and to the Yearly Meeting financial status. Clearance by Financial Services Committee is needed for any grant request that exceeds $5,000.

8. All money from grants will be held by the Yearly Meeting treasurer in a Grants Budget. The treasurer will have the responsibility for proper administration of these funds. An audit will be required after the project's completion.

9. Responsibility for oversight of the funded project rests with the committee that originated it, and its general oversight with the section coordinating committee.

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E. GUIDELINES FOR COMMITTEE MEMBERS

You were asked if you would serve as a member of a committee of the Yearly Meeting for a stipulated term, and after reading the description of the committee and its responsibilities and considering your other obligations for that period, you agreed to serve if nominated and appointed.

Now you have been appointed by the Yearly Meeting. If you are at Yearly Meeting sessions when nominations to your committee are approved, take note, consult your schedule, and attend the organization meeting of the committee. You will also receive a notification card from the Nominating Committee and, in the fall, the Yearbook, which includes the Yearly Meeting proceedings, an annual report of your committee, and a list of committee members and their addresses. All committee members should refer to the Yearbook, the Yearly Meeting Handbook, and Faith and Practice.

Your committee clerk will inform you of the meeting times of the committee. It is your responsibility to attend, or to send regrets if unable to attend, and to participate in activities and decisionmaking of the committee. If you find yourself unable to be a contributing member of the committee, consider resigning so that another Friend who can be more active may be named. Letters of resignation go to the clerk of the Yearly Meeting, in care of the Yearly Meeting office, a copy to the clerk of the committee, and a copy to the clerk of the Nominating Committee. According to Yearly Meeting decision, Friends may be renominated for a second term on a committee but not for a third term without at least one year intervening. Such a practice allows for both continuity and the opportunity for new members to contribute to the work of the committee.

Most committees have some funds for expenses, but membership on a Yearly Meeting committee will probably require financial outlay for travel, telephone, and the like.

What, beyond attendance at meetings, makes a good committee member? Here are some of the characteristics:

• personal interest in the assignment of the committee
• understanding and assumption of the role of the committee, as expressed in the charge by the Yearly Meeting
• capacity to give guidance to the Yearly Meeting as a whole on possible changes in the role of the committee
• ability to see the place of the committee in the overall work of the Yearly Meeting

Committees exist to carry out the will of the Yearly Meeting. In so serving, committee members find fulfillment.

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GUIDELINES FOR TRAVEL EXPENSE SUPPORT

POLICIES

Friends are reminded that no one should be prevented from doing the work of the Yearly Meeting because of financial limitation. Indeed, one of our current needs is to find enough people to do the work in a way that encourages younger and newer members to work with seasoned members, and does not overuse a few.

However, New York Yearly Meeting's funds need to be used frugally and equitably. It is important to be mindful that every dollar spent for committee work has to be raised from individuals' contributions to monthly and regional meetings and the Yearly Meeting.

Friends who are able to pay their own travel expenses, wholly or in part, are expected to do so. Friends are encouraged to document their unreimbursed expenses for the purpose of deducting them on their income tax returns.

Committees are expected to organize their business so that costs in money and time are kept reasonable, to encourage full and satisfying member participation. Committee clerks are encouraged to explore new methods of communicating and accomplishing committee work, such as conference calls, fax, and e-mail, as they become available.

PROCEDURES

Section Clerks will oversee all travel expenses within their sections. They will be responsible for:

1. assisting committee clerks in budgeting travel expenses

2. approving all specific requests and forwarding them for payment

3. denying requests when total costs are over budget or when guidelines are not met

4. approving travel advances in exceptional situations

For budgeting purposes, section clerks are to provide committee clerks with forms for developing their proposed budgets for the next year, along with copies of these travel policies and any other relevant material.

Committee clerks are responsible for reviewing needs for travel reimbursement with all committee members (especially new members). Committee clerks are also responsible for ensuring that each committee member receives a copy of these policies and guidelines, and understands them. Committee clerks should also ensure that members needing reimbursement are provided with copies of the reimbursement form and that members are encouraged to practice austerity in incurring expenses.

Before the end of Yearly Meeting sessions, the section clerks collect the proposed budgets, discuss them with the committee clerks as needed, and provide a compiled section budget (including travel costs) to the clerk of the Financial Services Committee.

GUIDELINES FOR REIMBURSEMENT

Reimbursement of expenses incurred by Yearly Meeting committee members to attend Yearly Meeting sessions, and by named representatives and committee members to attend Representative Meeting sessions:

1. The representative or committee member should seek financial aid from the monthly meeting he or she represents. If that meeting is unable to meet the financial need fully, the meeting can request additional funds from the Advancement Committee to make up the difference.

2. At-large members of Representative Meeting may request reimbursement from the Advancement Committee.

Reimbursement of expenses incurred by a committee member to attend committee meetings of a Yearly Meeting committee, a task group, or an ad hoc committee, not held at Yearly Meeting or Representative Meeting sessions:

1. The committee member is to obtain approval from the clerk of the committee (or other designated person) prior to traveling, when possible. (This will prevent overspending the travel budget for the committee.) After the travel has been completed, the member submits an itemized expense report to the committee clerk for authorization to pay the amount previously approved. The committee clerk will then forward the report to the section clerk for approval and payment.

2. Travel funds may be advanced prior to the travel at the discretion of the section clerk.

3. Reimbursable expenses are the cost of travel at the most reasonable fare and the cost of reasonable meals and lodging (including Powell House) when necessary. Reimbursement for automobile travel is at the rate of 15 cents per mile (as of April 15, 2005).

Reimbursement for expenses of New York Yearly Meeting representatives who are appointed to organizations outside New York Yearly Meeting:

These reimbursements will be approved by the Nurture or Witness coordinating committees and administered by the section clerk or designated person.

Reimbursement for expenses of New York Yearly Meeting officers:

Funds are budgeted to cover these expenses. The officer is to obtain approval from the Yearly Meeting Clerk, when possible, prior to the travel. Following the travel, an itemized expense report is to sent to the Yearly Meeting Clerk for authorization to reimburse the expense.

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APPOINTMENTS

A. NOMINATING COMMITTEE

The regional meeting appoints Friends to the Yearly Meeting Nominating Committee for three-year terms. The appointments are usually made at a spring meeting, to start in August. However, when vacancies occur, the Regional Meeting should fill them during their next session, with service to start immediately.

The Nominating Committee organizes during the July session at Silver Bay, welcoming new appointees from the Regional meetings. Its calendar is:

• At December Representative Meeting, individuals are asked to find Friends willing to serve on specific committees.
• At a May meeting at Powell House, bring together all nominations and set up committee slates, seeking to include all regions.
• At Silver Bay, approve final committee and officer suggestions. Proposed nominations are posted prior to presentation to business session to permit Friends to question individual suggestions.

B. INDIVIDUAL COMMITTEES

New appointments to a committee are usually approved during sessions at Silver Bay and begin immediately.

Larger committees may find it necessary to have a nominations procedure for assistant clerks, treasurer, etc. Such committees will appoint a nominating committee at April Representative Meeting. This committee reports back to the committee with their recommendations during Yearly Meeting sessions at Silver Bay.

C. RESIGNATIONS

Resignations are made by writing the Clerk c/o the Yearly Meeting office with copies to the committee clerk. Friends should resign when they find they cannot participate in the work of the committee. This permits the Yearly Meeting Nominating Committee to find people to fill the vacancy.

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OFFICE GUIDELINES

A. YEARLY MEETING OFFICE USE

The following guidelines were developed in order to ensure that Yearly Meeting office space and equipment are most effectively used by both committee members and the Yearly Meeting staff.

The use of the office and the Yearly Meeting committee rooms is encouraged, but the office must be notified in advance so that the space can be scheduled. This is necessary to avoid conflicts on the calendar, and because custodians, who have responsibility for the building, are not permitted to open the office without advance notice.

Priorities for the use of the facility are as follows:

1. Yearly Meeting committees, including ad hoc groups

2. New York Quarterly Meeting

3. occasionally, outside groups—but only if a Yearly Meeting Friend accepts specific and full responsibility for security and cleanup

The space is available primarily evenings and weekends.

When the task or meeting is completed, the area that has been used should be cleaned up, with papers and other articles put away. You are welcome to bring food or beverages, but food in the cabinets or refrigerator belongs to others.

Please do not abandon leftover food. Dishes are to be washed and put away. Detergent and paper towels are provided. It is important to keep the facilities as neat and clean as possible in order to discourage nonhuman visitors and inhabitants. Therefore, Friends are encouraged to take food items and garbage with them or, if that is not possible, to place them in the covered garbage container in the kitchen.

B. USE OF MAILING LIST/LABEL REQUESTS

Committee clerks may obtain mailing labels for their committees from the Yearly Meeting office. Monthly Meeting clerks may obtain mailing labels for their meetings also from the Yearly Meeting office. At least one week's notice is appreciated.

Requests for use of the mailing list should be directed to the General Services Coordinating Committee. Use of the mailing list is limited to a single mailing, and a fee may be charged for supplying the list or the labels. Use of the list is restricted to Friends, Friends organizations, and closely related groups. All use must be approved by GSCC.

C. RETENTION OF OFFICE PAPERS

The Yearly Meeting office retains committee minutes, committee reports, financial reports, and newsletters of subordinate meetings for at least ten years. The materials are then sent to Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College. A full file of Yearly Meeting publications, such as Spark, is offered to the Friends Historical Library, which may preserve them on paper or by other means.

Minutes of Yearly Meeting, Representative Meeting, and Ministry and Counsel are also deposited in the archives of Friends Historical Library

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GUIDELINES FOR MONTHLY AND REGIONAL MEETINGS

A. RECORDKEEPING

1. Guidelines for Recordkeeping

Though the Records Committee recognizes its responsibility to see that records of the meetings are preserved regardless of format or condition, the preservation of the records is made more certain by using durable paper and storage in archival-quality binders. It is advised that meeting minutes be typed on acid-free paper, 8.5 by 11 inches. Both bond paper (for use on one side or photocopying) and heavier ledger paper (for typing and copying on both sides) may be bought from stationery suppliers. When minutes have accumulated to the thickness of not more than two inches, they should be collected in chronological order and placed in good-quality binders, labeled with identification of the originating meeting and dates covered.

At intervals of five to ten years, the volumes of local and regional meeting minutes should be sent or delivered to Curator, Friends Historical Library, Swarthmore College, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081-1399. The Curator will provide receipts to the originating meeting and to the Yearly Meeting Records Committee. A duplicate set of minutes can be retained by the meeting for reference when the originals have been deposited in Friends Historical Library.

Newspaper clippings, programs, pamphlets, and other items should not be attached to the minutes or bound with them, but may be kept in scrapbooks for meeting archives if copies are made on acid-free paper (necessary in case of newspapers, which are printed on paper that readily deteriorates). No staples, pins, metal clips, or any pressure-sensitive adhesives (such as Scotch tape) should be used on any records.

Monthly meetings are expected to name recorders, whose duty it is to maintain accurate membership registers. Such registers should be recorded on meeting membership sheets, one for each person, and kept in a loose-leaf binder. Meeting membership sheets will be supplied from the Yearly Meeting office, and may be duplicated on acid-free paper as needed by the recorder. When an individual's membership is ended by transfer, removal, release, or death, that membership sheet should be placed in a separate binder. Cumulations of terminated membership sheets should be sent to Friends Historical Library at ten-year intervals.

For clarification of procedures and practices, the committee recommends The Handbook on Records: Their Creation, Maintenance, and Preservation in the Meeting. This 61-page softcover booklet is published by Baltimore Yearly Meeting, 17100 Quaker Lane, Sandy Spring, MD 20860 ($6. 00, plus $3. 50 for shipping and handling).

2. Access to Records in Friends Historical Library

All official records transferred to Friends Historical Library remain the legal property of the depositing meeting or its successor body. From time to time, a meeting may need to request return of its original records for legal or other purposes. In such case, a request from the clerk of the meeting or the clerk of its trustees should be addressed to the curator of Friends Historical Library stating the need and citing formal action by the meeting. All records so withdrawn should be returned to Friends Historical Library as soon as the immediate need has been satisfied.

Meeting records will not be released to any party other than the meeting concerned but may be inspected by anyone at Friends Historical Library, or at depository libraries if the records have been microfilmed. Access to the Minutes of Ministry and Oversight committees is restricted for a period of seventy-five years from the date of creation, unless the relevant meeting has instructed Friends Historical Library otherwise.

As records in the custody of Friends Historical Library are microfilmed, copies of the film will be deposited in the following libraries:

1. Center for the Humanities, New York Public Library, New York, NY

2. Manuscripts and Special Collections, New York State Library, Albany, NY

3. Lockwood Memorial Library, State University of New York at Buffalo, Amherst, NY

4. Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgersthe State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ

5. Long Island Studies Institute, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY (for Long Island meetings only)

Cataloging of the minutes according to archival standards is in progress. Access to catalogue entries is possible through the World Wide Web on personal computers at http://tripod. brynmawr. edu.

Friends and others may direct inquiries to the curator of Friends Historical Library or to the clerk of the Yearly Meeting Records Committee concerning current status of the microfilming project and availability of the films at depository libraries.

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B. GUIDELINES FOR MONTHLY MEETING RECORDERS

Membership in the Religious Society of Friends is held in the monthly meeting. Each monthly meeting appoints a recorder, who maintains the official membership lists and records for every member of the monthly meeting.

Membership records should be kept on meeting membership sheets on acid-free paper, one for each member. When membership is ended by removal, death, or otherwise, that membership sheet should be removed to a separate binder. Cumulations of removals, appropriately designated, should be sent to the Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College at five- to ten-year intervals.

As the recorder is notified by the Monthly Meeting of changes in the status of any member of the meeting, these changes are duly noted in the meeting records and the appropriate form filled out and sent in to the Yearly Meeting office so the changes can be made in the Spark mailing list and for publication in the Notices column. This includes marriages, new members, transfers in and out, deaths, and address changes. Notices of births may be sent to the Yearly Meeting office for publication in Spark, whether or not the baby is a member of the meeting. Marriages are also announced at the wish of the meeting and the parties involved. Twice a year, a computer printout is sent to each Monthly Meeting recorder for changes and corrections.

The Monthly Meeting recorder is also responsible for the Statistical Report of the members of the meeting, based on the official records. The form for this annual report is mailed to the recorder by the Yearly Meeting office.

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C. DEADLINES FOR YEARBOOK ENTRIES AND CONTINUAL UPDATES

The meeting clerk should immediately notify the office in writing of changes, since information is continually updated. This permits lists and mailing label requests to be current.

May 1 - Your clerk is sent a form for information of your meeting and its officers.

May 1 - Your recorder is sent a printout of the Spark mailing list and a form.

July 15 - Deadline for forms to reach Yearly Meeting office, for information to be included in Yearbook.

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MISCELLANEOUS

NEW YORK YEARLY MEETING WEB SITE

Given the increasing importance of the Internet as a source of information, the NYYM Advancement Committee determined that a World Wide Web presence for the Yearly Meeting would be both a valuable outreach tool and a means by which seekers could more readily learn about Quakers and the Yearly Meeting's constituent Meetings. Consequently, Advancement Committee undertook the creation of a prototype site appropriate to the committee's outreach objectives.

At Representative Meeting in December 1998, NYYM agreed to designate the prototype Web pages, which had been available for Friends' review, as the official New York Yearly Meeting Web site.

The following terms and procedures, presented by the Advancement Committee to the Yearly Meeting, are understood to be the guidelines for management of the Web site:

1. Advancement Committee will pay for (out of income from the Leach Fund) and oversee the maintenance and timeliness of the site to be located at nyym. org.

2. Until the Yearly Meeting designates otherwise, new materials will not be added to the site without the approval of the Advancement Committee.

3. Only existing public documents of the Yearly Meeting that contribute to advancement purposes will be used.

4. A calendar of events will be maintained.

5. No addresses of individuals will be used.

6. The site will attempt to be minimalist. Though intending to provide basic information about Quakers and NYYM, it will primarily highlight links to individual Quarters/Regions, individual Meetings, and other Quaker Web pages.

7. Meetings that do not have their own Web pages will be represented by the information currently in the 1999 YM Directory (or an updated version thereof).

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A. Job Descriptions Available

Upon written request to the 15th Street office, a member of New York Yearly Meeting may receive a copy of the current job descriptions and/or salary ranges.

B. New York Yearly Meeting insurance coverage

The Yearly Meeting provides various forms of coverage for its employees, as follows:

• Health Insurance: Basic medical and major medical for all full-time employees.
• Disability Insurance: Standard New York State Disability benefits program for loss of pay.
• Worker's Compensation: Standard medical costs and loss of pay benefits program.
• Unemployment insurance: Standard unemployment program.
• Multiperil insurance: Various forms of liability and loss are covered.
• Pension: A percentage of employee's salary is invested each year.

In addition, the treasurers of the Yearly Meeting, the Yearly Meeting Trustees, the Sharing Fund, and the Advancement and World Ministries committees are bonded by the Yearly Meeting.

Details of the various coverages may vary year to year and are available at the offices of the Yearly Meeting.

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C. Publications available from Yearly Meeting committees or office

1. Yearly Meeting Office:

Faith and Practice—cost $6.00, $5.00 for ten or more copies (includes postage)

NOTE: Prices for F&P are different now.

Yearbook—sent to all appointees and meetings

Spark—sent to all member families, meetings, and Quaker organizations

Advance Reports—given to attenders at session at Silver Bay, part of Yearbook

Handbook—sent to each meeting and committee clerk

2. Ministry and Counsel:

Recording Gifts in Ministry—November 1992

Marrying under the Care of Friends—March 1988

3. Advancement Committee:

Some books and pamphlets are available from the committee's literature clerk.

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D. Forms available from Yearly Meeting office

1. Membership and Final Affairs forms, found at the back of Faith and Practice

2. Budget Request (see pages 88–90 [previous version])

3. Travel Reimbursement (see page 91 [previous version])

4. Expenses Incurred Doing Volunteer Work (see page 92 [previous version])

5. Recorder's forms—contact Yearly Meeting office

6. Vouchers for other expenses—contact Yearly Meeting office; may also be available electronically

HOW TO COMPLETE THE BUDGET FORMS AND EXPLANATION OF REQUESTS

The budget explanation will not only be used by Witness Coordinating Committee but will also be part of what goes to the Yearly Meeting. Explanations may be brief but should help others understand the committee's activities. If there are new items or major changes (either cuts or increases), please explain the basis for these briefly.

If a committee needs help in completing the request and explanation, please contact the clerk of Witness Coordinating Committee. Also Financial Services Committee has some ability to help committees with budgeting.

1. Administrative

1.1 Committee expenses

Examples of what to include:

Postage: Estimate number of pieces and cost per piece, based on actual outlays in the past. The explanation should contain this information.

Telephone: Based on previous actual, with explanation if there will be any major change.

Printing and copying: Estimate number of pieces and cost per piece.

Any other outlays such as stationery.

1.2 Clerk's expenses

This would include copying, postage, phone, and other expenses incurred by the committee clerk.

1.3 Yearly Meeting appointees' expenses (other than travel)

Expenses other than travel or donation to the organization. Show travel under 1.4 and donations under 1.5.

1.4 Travel

Explain purposes and basis for estimate. Use most reasonable mode (don't drive when flying is cheaper, for example). (Remember to complete a travel request form before making the trip, and to submit receipts and voucher for reimbursement afterward.)

1.5 Donations

This is for donations from the Operating Budget only and must be approved by the entire Witness Section. Other donations to Friends' groups or other groups are provided by committees through the Sharing Fund and are shown in sections 3 and 4. Currently only William Penn House falls in the category of Friends' groups for this purpose.

2. Program

2.1 Materials

Books and other resources. Explain the purpose.

2.2 Interest group leader expenses

If the committee plans to bring someone to Silver Bay and support their attendance, itemize the cost of doing so.

2.3 Powell House or other programs

Expenses associated with workshops or other programs sponsored by the committee. Aid for people to attend should be handled under 2.4, Scholarship aid.

2.4 Scholarship aid

This is assistance to individuals to attend programs such as Powell House, Pendle Hill, etc. Scholarships to educational institutions should be entered in section 5.

2.5 Aid to individual Friends or to monthly or quarterly meetings

Explain purpose and method for liaison.

2.6 Other

Please describe.

3. Support of Friends' Groups

Indicate whether support is for general operating or for a specified program. For example, under AFSC is the support to a national or international program, NYMRO, etc. Indicate method for liaison. Explain why the committee has chosen to work through another group and how this furthers the directions the committee is taking.

4. Support of Other Groups

Describe in a sentence or two the group or program and what the committee's donation would be used for. Indicate method for liaison. Explain why the committee has chosen to work through another group and how this furthers the directions the committee is taking.

5. Scholarships

List the individuals or schools receiving funds and a phrase or two about the recipients. Explain what process is used for selection and what liaison occurs.

6. Total

This is the sum of all expenditures, whether they are supported by Operating Budget, Sharing Fund, or other sources. This line should match the total line in the Income section.

Income

Trust Funds

A few committees such as Indian Affairs have income from trust funds over and above the funds received from the Sharing Fund and Operating Budget. Anticipated income should be shown.

Other Sources

Itemize anticipated income from grants, sale of material, memberships (in the case of AVP), payment for activities, and the like. Committees contemplating obtaining a grant should review the Handbook section on funding from outside sources.

Operating Budget Request

This is the sum of the items in Section 1 of expenses.

Sharing Fund Request

This is the sum of Sections 2-5, minus trust fund or other sources. If it is considerably larger or smaller than previous years, please indicate why.

Total

The sum of trust funds, other sources, Operating Budget request, and Sharing Fund request.

Balance

Use the balance for the committee shown in the Funds Held for Others report of the Yearly Meeting treasurer. These funds are available to be spent in the current year.

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NEW YORK YEARLY MEETING WITNESS COMMITTEES

BUDGET REQUEST

NOTE: This is a two-page form. Use p. 90 [previous version] for Explanation of Expenditures.

Committee ____________________________________________________ Date ___________________________

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EXPLANATION OF EXPENDITURES TO SUPPORT BUDGET REQUEST

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TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT FORM

New York Yearly Meeting reminds Friends that no one should be prevented from doing work of the Yearly Meeting for financial reasons. Yearly Meeting has funds available to meet travel expenses; however, those funds are limited. Friends who are able to pay their own travel expenses, either wholly or in part, are asked to do so.

Signature: ________________________________                                                                                    

Date: ____________________________________                                                                                    

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EXPENSES INCURRED WHILE DOING VOLUNTEER WORK
FOR A CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION

(Keep all receipts and attach to form)

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