The Agenda Committee is under the weight of our Sessions agenda. FromJuly 24 through 28th we will gather again to share as a community our blessings, ministries, business and fellowship.

This year, like the last two, our Worship with Attention to Business will have an open agenda; a list of our business that will be addressed as the Spirit so leads us- allowing us to be faithful to the needs of the body, responsive to how we are being led, and respectful of the time and effort needed to bring forth well-seasoned business.   In order to aid this discernment and our preparations, the deadline for agenda items to be considered for Annual Sessions is July 3, 2013.  This will allow enough time for the Agenda Committee to make any additional inquires and discern the agenda, for staff to prepare, and for Friends to consider it before Sessions.  Please do not wait until the deadline to make your request known to the committee. The committee will try to be respectful of others’ time constrains in responding. We appreciate your care in the discernment process.  Agenda items MUST be in WORD format; no PDF’s, please.

To aid the Agenda Committee and the Recording Clerks, we ask the following questions be answered and submitted along with the request:
a. Presenting Body (Quarterly Meeting/Standing Committee /non-PYM body)
b. Item for Consideration
c. Name(s), title(s), monthly meeting(s), and method of contacting Friends presenting (phone and/or email)
b. List of All Action(s) Being Requested (Approval, Received, other)
e. Anticipated Timeframe Being Requested (not including discussion or questions)
f. Attachment of All Supporting Documents or Minutes

The Agenda Committee has a Google Group.  Please make all agenda requests to this email address: pym-clerks-agenda@googlegroups.com . All the members of the Agenda Committee are members of this Google Group. Emails sent this email account will be sent to all agenda committee members, at the same time, and allow for us to have a uniform place where agenda-related material will be housed.

Jada S Jackson, Clerk

London Britain Meetinghouse Opens Doors (click here).

Pennsgrove Meeting Welcomes Worshipers! (click here).

Western Quarterly Meeting’s Unified Budget is the method by which the Quarterly Meeting and its Monthly Meetings support the work of the Quarterly Meeting and that of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.

In 1994 the Yearly Meeting decided to no longer use the Quota system of assessing each monthly meeting based on number of members.  The Quota and the Annual Appeal, which had been a separate method of asking for contributions from individual members, would be combined into one budgeting process.  Each Quarter, with its Monthly Meeting treasurers, would determine how to provide for the Quarter’s work and its share of Yearly Meeting work.  Western Quarter, after consultation with its Monthly Meetings, in July 1994 agreed to experiment with this means of financing.

It began by taking the amount raised the previous year through the Quota system as well as the amount contributed through the Annual Appeal from Quarter members as well as the amount budgeted for the Quarter as a base from which to calculate what the total obligation might be for each Monthly Meeting.  Each year since then each Monthly Meeting after hearing what the Yearly Meeting and the Quarterly Meeting budget committees request, decides how much it wishes to contribute to the Quarterly Meeting and the Yearly Meeting to cover both PYM Monthly Meeting Covenant and Annual Appeal as well as Quarterly Meeting needs.  The treasurers along with the Quarter’s budget committee then meet to recommend to the Quarter the total amount to send to PYM.

This method of finance was approved as an experiment for five years.  In 2000 the Quarter affirmed its satisfaction with this method and the following year deleted the word “experiment” replacing it with “Unified Budget.”

There are at least two advantages to this method.  Monthly Meetings and individuals can considers the funding needs at one time of all three levels of meetings.  And Monthly Meetings as one family can take care of those individuals and Monthly Meetings that may be able to contribute less than others or who choose not to contribute.

If individuals wish to contribute more to PYM, they are free to do this either through their Monthly Meeting treasurer so that it comes from the Meeting rather than an individual; or they may send a check directly to PYM with the notation that it be credited to Western Quarterly Meeting.

Members of Western Quarter do not receive the regular mailings from Annual Appeal unless Monthly Meetings or individuals request them.

Frances N. Beer, Kendal Meeting

April 2013

Let us know you are coming! Any questions call Margaret Wood 267 536 9508 or email woodmargaret19@gmail.com

This weekend: Camping at Hickory Run State Park group site C, look for the bright green banner. Free registration here.

Next weekend is the culminating 250^th Anniversary of John Wolman’s journey to Wyalusing celebration and camping at the Wood homestead at Merryall PA. 3 miles from Wyalusing PA. Free registration here. Donations appreciated.