Western Friend

Wednesday afternoon, Friends from all over the Northwest began to show up in earnest in Tacoma on Pacific Lutheran University’s lush green campus. Many arrived early for Coordinating Committee, or for other responsibilities; NPYM’s Ministry & Oversight Committee wrapped up its day-and-a-half retreat feeling centered and ready to support the annual sessions.

After dinner, a brief introductory plenary session brought Friends together for a few housekeeping details and to join in some games designed to get everyone better acquainted. Friends were asked to arrange themselves in order month and day of birth- without speaking. This turned out to just be a warmup for everyone ordering themselves by year of birth without speaking. The sizable group of Friends born in the 1920′s won admiration and applause. Games were followed by an ice cream social, and all were invited to join in a round of Capture the Flag organized by the Junior Friends, though the total downpour and darkness considerably dampened enthusiasm for the game.

Thursday, 7/14/11

Friends with a stomach for daybreak gathered for early worship sharing, followed by breakfast and lively singing before the second plenary. Friends then heard a report on the activities of Coordinating Committee from the clerk, Elee Hadley. She spoke about the ways in which the restructuring of NPYM, initiated three years ago, played out with regard to decision-making, committee structure, and other aspects, and encouraged Friends to study the extensive self-evaluation conducted this spring by Coordinating Committee, posted on big boards in the hall outside. (The editor hopes that both the survey responses and Elee’s written report will be made available to Friends online at some future date.)
Friends also heard the Youth Committee’s first reading of a draft Youth Safety Policy. Developed by an ad-hoc committee over the past year, the policy is meant to address both legal liability and personal safety concerns regarding younger Friends. Eight pages in length, the document was emailed to Friends in advance; the committee invited Friends to meet with them to share suggestions and concerns before Saturday, when it will again be addressed in plenary.
As Clerk Janet Jump warned us at the beginning of the plenary, this Annual Session is weighted with many hefty topics! And so next on the agenda was a first reading of a minute on Population Stabilization, which Peace and Social Concerns has been seasoning throughout the yearly meeting during the past year. The draft minute reads:

WORLD population has been growing over 75 million persons per year, over 200,000 persons
per day, over 8,500 per hour. Previously, world food production managed to keep up with increases in human population. Now we are reaching or have exceeded the limits of arable land, ocean fish
populations, fresh underground water, fossil fuels, and other resources, and are crowding out the spaces and resources essential to other species. To accommodate the pressure of growing human population and consumption, forests are being cut down at the rate of 5,000 acres per hour, water tables are being drawn down at alarming rates, and wastes and poisons are polluting the air, water, and land at an increasing pace. Population growth is also a factor in persistent public health problems, poverty, crime, and wars.
In order to realize our Quaker vision of an Earth restored and a peaceful, just society, we must
seek ways to stabilize human population and consumption at levels that are sustainable for humans as well as other species.
To do this, we encourage efforts to end the structural inequalities that perpetuate poverty and
contribute to high birth rates, as well as voluntary measures to promote smaller family size and reduced consumption, including (1) adequate funding for family planning services worldwide, (2) raising the status of women, and better education for women and men, both of which are key to smaller families, (3)  support for those who choose adoption, shared childrearing, or celibacy, while honoring biological parenthood for those who choose that, (4) simpler lifestyles in high-consuming nations such as the United States, including fewer possessions, greater sharing, and more responsible choices in what we eat such as reduced consumption of meat, and (5) increased research on sustainable methods of food production, energy production, and other ways to meet human needs throughout the world without sacrificing the health of natural systems or the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
We believe that these and other voluntary approaches should be vigorously pursued now to avoid
the necessity of more coercive measures in the future to maintain a needed balance of resources between present and future generations of humans, and other species.
We urge Friends and others everywhere to join us in pursuing these and other population stabilization measures in our personal lives and in our local communities, states, and nations.

Some Friends expressed concern about some wording in the minute, raising the possibility that the minute might seem judgmental of those in developing countries, who are typically not Caucasian. The time for comments was brief, and Friends were asked to share their suggestions and concerns with the committee before it was brought forward on Saturday for possible approval.

The plenary closed with a brief introduction from the Epistle Committee.

Worship groups then met until lunchtime, considering queries relating to the organizing theme of the day, “Being practically spiritual in relation to myself.” One query was, “Which practices help me become- and which hinder me from becoming- more mindful of, more attuned to the workings of the Spirit in my daily life?”

In the afternoon, Friends chose from a half-dozen interest groups, ranging from a deeper discussion of the pros and cons of Friends General Conference affiliation to the concept of restorative justice. Plenary Three opened with singing, after which the ad-hoc committee charged with making a recommendation on FGC affiliation gave its presentation. Over the course of the past year, they learned more about FGC, and circulated this information among the monthly meetings and worship groups along with queries regarding affiliation. Ten meetings and worship groups replied, as well as a number of individuals. Responses in favor of affiliation expressed a sense that FGC reflects NPYM’s current identity, as well as a recognition that many in NPYM already benefit from FGC’s programs. Those with reservations raised concerns about resources of people and money (the committee estimates that a $4 increase in the NPYM assessment will be necessary to cover travel costs and the annual contribution to FGC), along with a valuing of NPYM’s history as an independent yearly meeting. Weighing the feedback they received, the committee recommended that NPYM affiliate with FGC- and also recommended that NPYM season the recommendation for another year. This issue will also return for further discussion during Saturday’s plenaries.

Friends also heard a report from the ad-hoc committee charged with considering affiliation with Quaker Earthcare Witness. The committee followed a process similar to that of the FGC committee (the procedure for affiliation with other organizations is detailed here) and received clear support for affiliation with QEW. This affiliation would likely require a $1 increase in the annual assessment.

The Nominating Committee then offered the first reading of the nominations slate. Though they have been hard at work, many vacancies remain on NPYM committees, including Epistle, Ministry & Oversight, Outreach & Visitation, and several others.

The Epistle Committee closed the plenary with readings from a half-dozen epistles. Each excerpt related to the question, “Who are you separated from? With whom do you long for reconciliation and connection?”

For the rest of the afternoon, Friends were free to walk or chat, or attend the meeting for representatives to other Quaker organizations, or stand in the very long line into the dining hall for dinner. Dinner was followed by an evening plenary, where the clerk introduced NPYM’s three representatives to the Friends World Committee for Consultation’s (FWCC) world gathering in April 2012 (Elinor Jordan, Joe Snyder, and Kate Jaramillo.)

Friends in Residence Micahel Birkel then spoke to the the Annual Session theme, “Being Practically Spiritual: The Integration of Inward Life and Outward Action”. A professor of religion at Earlham College, Michael has studied the writings of John Woolman and other notable early Friends forever three decades.  Originally invited to serve as NPYM’s Friend in Residence seventeen years ago, Michael was unable to attend then due to the birth of his son. Friends roared with laughter when the Friend introducing him said we were glad he could finally leave his son to join us. The laughter continued as Michel cracked several genuinely funny Quaker jokes.

He eventually turned Friends’ attention to practical spirituality- two words that can seem like a conundrum to many Friends, as there often seems to be a split in meetings between the mystics and the activists. Michael asked, “How can we integrate the inward life of prayer with an outward life of service?” Characterizing himself as a “guide to the attic” of Quaker history, he then shared examples from Margaret Fells letters and John Woolman’s journal, illustrating how each of them exemplified the integration of a deep spiritual life with the outward expression of their personal relationship with the Divine. His close readings of these texts drew out the richness of the language used by early Friends, and he asked those present to reach for the seeds of inspiration they offer even today by both example and word.

After Michael’s talk, campus fell quiet, with small groups scattered here and there in discussion, others in song. Almost the entire Junior Friends group- and a few very eager adult drivers/Friendly Adult Presences (FAPs)- went to a nearby theatre for an hours-long wait in line for the midnight premiere of the final Harry Potter movie.