Putney Friends Meeting

Image by Kristina Keefe-Perry

Friends,

More than 600 Friends attended NEYM Sessions. 58 of those were first-time attenders, and 120 of them were youth. Together we came to unity on:

Legacy Gift Committee:   The New England Yearly Meeting Future Fund and the NEYM Released Ministry Fund are now named and established. Application guidelines will soon be posted online. The first application deadline will be December 1, 2015 with disbursements to begin in February 2016.

Public Statements:  Hearing a hunger for Quaker public witness, Sessions approved a mechanism for the Yearly Meeting Clerk and Secretary to issue statements and take actions that align with Friends testimony and minutes. Monthly and Quarterly Meetings will be notified when any such statements are made, and meetings are encouraged to develop their own means to speak in a timely way.

Long-Term Financial Planning Committee:Sessions approved the core organizational purpose and priorities recommended by the Committee. The Committee begins its implementation phase.  See “We Need a Plan” for detailed information and for important background. LTFPC will now begin its implementation phase.

Archives:  Sessions approved moving the NEYM archives to a permanent home at the W.E.B. Dubois Library at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Structural Review Committee:  The Committee recommended increasing support for local meetings, providing more opportunities for Friends to gather and connect for worship and fellowship, and streamlining and making more accessible our committee structure and work. Permanent Board will carry forward this work.

Student Loan Committee:   After careful discernment, the committee has been laid down, its work now done. A sub-committee of Permanent Board will distribute remaining funds as grants.

Budget:   Sessions approved the fiscal year 2016 budget, projecting a reduced deficit over last year

Friends Camp:  Director Nat Shed reports that this summer’s campers were the most racially integrated in Friends Camp history.

Images of Covenant Community, a large- format picture display, is available to lend to monthly meetings. Contact Beth Collea, recoord@neym.org(link sends e-mail).

Details/recordings/minutes will be posted at neym.org/sessions