December 9, 2009

Dear Friends in Monthly Meetings,

Each year, the Ministry Coordinating Committee asks you again to prepare a State of the Meeting report which, according to Faith and Practice, “should be a searching self-examination by the meeting and its members of their spiritual strengths and weaknesses and of the efforts made to foster growth in the spiritual life.” And each year we receive reports full of wisdom, spirit, and thoughtful interrogation of our faith and how we practice our faith.

We have prepared the following queries for your consideration, but I want to assure you that these are suggestions only. Faith and Practice also advises that “Reports may cover the full range of interests and concerns but should emphasize those indicative of the spiritual health of the meeting.” We will welcome your discernment about the state of your meeting in whatever form it takes.

The oldest query is the simplest: How has the Truth advanced among you? In responding to that query, we ask that you consider these categories:

1. In the past few years, there have been many openings and new tenderness in the yearly meeting on issues of race. How has your meeting experienced “the Seed cracked open” on these issues?
2. How are you led to minister to youth? What are your hopes for First Day school? Is your meeting called to minister to young people in colleges, universities, or other outside groups?
3. What is the financial health of your meeting? To what extent do members and attenders feel committed to contribute financially to the local and yearly meeting?
4. How is God shaping your meeting? What is your most hopeful vision of what your meeting could become?

Thank you for your faithfulness to this corporate exercise in discernment. Please mail or email your state of the meeting report to the Yearly Meeting Office (office [at] nyym.org). From there, it will go to all the members of the State of Society Committee and the Ministry Coordinating Committee, among others. We are eager to receive your report.

Julia Giordano
Clerk, Ministry Coordinating Committee
New York Yearly Meeting