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North Pacific Yearly
Meeting
XXVIII Annual Sessions 2000
Seventh month 2000, Corvallis OR
Plenary Session I (7/20 7:45 p.m.) Roll Call, Introductions
2000-01-01 Welcome
a. At the 28th annual sessions of North Pacific Yearly Meeting convened on the campus of Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon, 20 ,7th month, 2000, Meeting gathered with singing led by Mary Lou Goertzen and moved into silent worship.
b. Clerk's Minute:
Presiding Clerk, Jay Thatcher gathered our worship with the words: "More than four years before Fox climbed Pendle Hill, he preached to 3000 on Firbank Fell and gathered the people who became the Friends. He recorded his experience in his Journal:"
As I had forsaken all the priests, so I left the separate preachers also, and those called the most-experienced people. For I saw there was none among them all that could speak to my condition. And when all my hopes in them and in all people were gone, so that I had nothing outwardly to help me, nor could tell me what to do, then, O then!, I heard a voice which said, "There is One, even Christ, Jesus, that can speak to thy condition;" and, when I heard it, my heart did leap for joy. Then the Lord did let me see why there was none upon the earth that could speak to my condition, namely, that I might give him all the glory. For all are concluded under sin and shut up in unbelief, as I had been, that Jesus Christ might have pre-eminence, who enlightens and gives grace and faith and power. Thus when God doth work, who shall let it? And this I knew experimentally... (1647)
Under the theme of Knowing Experimentally -- Quakerism in a Scientific Age, he queried us:
• Are we ready to hear the Voice?
• Can our hearts leap for joy?
• When the Lord lets us, can our eyes see?
• When God works, will we prevent it or work with it?
• Are we prepared to know experimentally?
• Can we thank the Divine for all these gifts?
The presiding Clerk welcomed all to the Yearly Meeting.
2000-01-02 Introductions:
a. The Clerk introduced visitors from other Yearly Meetings. Present were ; Anthony Manousos, Friends Bulletin (Pacific Yearly Meeting); Asia Bennett and Lee Bennett, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting; Doris Ferm, Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting; Linda Farris, West Hills MM, North West Yearly Meeting; Liz Perch, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting; Alix Nussbaum; Christopher Sammond, FGC and Northern Yearly Meeting; Kenneth and Katharine Jacobsen, Olney Friends School (Ohio Yearly Meeting); and Jocelyn Burnell, Britain Yearly Meeting, Friend in Residence.
b. First-time attenders were invited to stand and members were asked to make them welcome. Anyone who wants a special welcome was asked to put a star on their name tags.
c. All present were asked to introduce others to as many previously unknown Friends as possible.
2000-01-03 Minutes
Opening minutes were read. Friends approved.
2000-01-04 About Community Night
Vena Rainwater asked Friends to help Jr. Friends prepare Community Night with interactive activities such as one they demonstrated, "A Great Wind Blows" [demonstrating their skill in "Encouraging Friends to Participate" (Quakerese for bossing people around), and the spread of AVP techniques].
2000-01-05 Roll Call
Friends were asked to stand to indicate their representation of Monthly Meetings and Worship Groups as the clerk read the list of the constituents of the Yearly Meeting.
2000-01-07 Children's program
a. Introduction and explanation: Joe Snyder and Ann Hess, clerks, introduced how Children's program is organized this year and the leaders of the different age groups. Parents were reminded to be prompt in picking up children at the end of each session.
b. Departure: The children gathered with their leaders and left for their own gatherings while we sang "This Little Light of Mine".
Meeting returned to worship in silence.
Plenary Session II (7/20 8:30 p.m.) Presentation of Seasoned Concern, Worship: Sharing of Spirit-Led Concerns
2000-02-01 The session began in silent worship.
2000-02-02 Presiding clerk, Jay Thatcher, introduced Pablo Stanfield, recording clerk, who read minutes from the preceding session. With correction of a word and leaving one name to the consideration of three Friends, the minutes of Plenary I were approved.
A word about the approval of minutes: Clerk pointed out that we will approve minutes as decisions are made or after several items of record. Minutes will not be re-read during following sessions. They will be posted on a bulletin board and available in the Yearly Meeting office.
2000-02-03 Presiding clerk welcomed Friends to the facing benches and invited others to join in forming the circle by sitting on the stage.
2000-02-04 Number registered: Kirby Urner, registrar, reported that about 400 persons are registered.
2000-02-05 A letter from the clerks of Central and Southern Africa Yearly Meeting expressing keen appreciation for the Peace Quilt and other gifts to their Yearly Meeting was read. (original attached to official minutes)
2000-02-06 Introductions: Clerk presented the members of:
- the Annual Session Planning Committee (Steve Wilson; Pablo Stanfield; Wayne Yarnall; Dave Fabik; Carol, Sheila & Helen; Kirby Urner, Ann Hess & Joe Snyder; Deborah Gottlieb Lewis; Jill Hoyenga; Steve Willey; Ted Etter & Richard Dunn; Meghann Willard & Sophia Snyder; Connie, Kathryn & Barry) and thanked them for their work. Clerk Jay Thatcher was asked to stand and be thanked also.
- Epistle Committee: Sakre Edson, Jay Penniman, Pan Tangible) who will compose our message to the world.
- Yearly Meeting staff: secretary Helen Dart.
2000-02-07 The minutes of the preceding acts were approved.
2000-02-08 Announcements: Jim Kimball, a.k.a. the Golf Cart Guru, explained the transportation service for those who need a lift around the campus. Access was explained by the clerk. Medical volunteers' instructions were announced.
2000-02-09 History of the concern about Iraqi sanctions within North Pacific Yearly Meeting
The presiding clerk introduced the concern to end the economic sanctions against the people of Iraq. He invited Friends to hear the first reading of the minute by Nancy First of Olympia MM and to season it at a meeting to be held on Sixth-day afternoon. It will be considered again at the Plenary V on Seventhday morning.
2000-02-06 Proposal of minute of concern
Nancy read from our Faith and Practice the queries concerning Civic Responsibility and our accountability for our government.
Proposed Minute
Today we are in the tenth year of U.N. economic sanctions against Iraq, the most complete sanctions ever imposed upon a country. The consequences have been devastating, causing an almost total breakdown in the fabric of Iraq civil society. In terms of lives lost, economic dislocation, the collapse of health care, and the inability to rebuild the educational, sanitation and water systems, sanctions have been a total success. There is one small group, however, that has not been harmed by sanctions -- Saddam Hussein and his elite, the very group sanctions were meant to force into compliance.
The United States government has been, and is, the primary instrument in keeping sanctions in place. Recognizing their total failure, and the total intransigence of the Iraqi government, we call upon all Friends and other communities of faith to petition our government to bring about the end of economic sanctions against the people of Iraq.
2000-02-07 The minutes of the preceding actions were approved.
2000-02-08 Kathryn Willard introduced Jr. Friends Yearly Meeting advisors and Concerns Clerks, Amber ______and _____ _____, who were wearing butterflies to indicate that they will hear concerns that Friends may have about Junior Yearly Meeting.
Deborah Gottlieb-Lewis, clerk, introduced the Committee on Worship and Ministry and invited Friends to note their purple symbols and their availability for consultation.
The presiding clerk invited Friends to take a break by imitating him in a rainstorm.
2000-02-09 Introduction of Worship for Concerns
Clerk introduced Steering Committee's request that we return to holding a session for expression of Friends concerns.
"Out of the worship-filled silence, please feel especially free to share ways that you have a leading, an intimation, or even an inkling that your gifts or our corporate gifts might be used to God's service. Your spoken contribution may be the first step in a process of discernment that could eventually involve other Friends. It may be limited to your sharing with this community how the Lord is leading you personally tonight to live in Peace and Justice. Friends, what concerns does the Holy Spirit have for us to begin thinking about this evening?"
2000-02-10 Worship: Sharing of concerns
Out of the deep silence that filled our worship, Friends shared their leadings about (1) the loss of our democracy to international corporations' control and the challenge to us to live in freedom and regain democracy, (2) the need for ethical sanctions, a modification to current procedure that would not leave the powerful still in control, but rather would convince dictators and governments that harm the people to reform rather than serve and protect only the elite, recognizing that this is part of deeper problems that marginalize people world-wide, (3) sharing of a minute approved VI-month, 2000, by Missoula MM to abolish the death penalty and asking Friends to work for restorative justice, (4) the suffering and problems of the homeless in our society, (5) the difficulties of facing unpopular challenges and the need to be ready to offer special skills.
2000-02-11 The minutes were read, clarified, corrected with the assistance of those speakers who wished to elaborate on their vocal ministry, and approved.
2000-02-12 The meeting concluded in expectant worship at 9:43 p.m.
Plenary Session III (7/21 10:20 a.m.) Friend in Residence
2000-03-01 Gathering: worship in song and silence
We sang several songs to center, beginning with a new song by Friend Gerre Hübbe, ending with "Open My Eyes that I May See", and began the session in silent worship.
2000-03-02 Epistles:
Excerpts from other Friends Yearly Meeting: Jay Penniman, Epistle Committee, read excerpts from the letters from Britain Yearly Meeting (peace testimony in application), North Carolina Yearly Meeting -- Conservative (allegiance to God's Kingdom and grace rather than the powers of this world), Nebraska Yearly Meeting (greater understanding to the right relationship with Indigenous Peoples and tenderness as they struggle with questions about gays and lesbians), Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting (deepening life in the Spirit and constant ministry in our community), Intermountain Yearly Meeting Sr. Young Friends (community based on participation), Young Friends of North Carolina Yearly Meeting -- Conservative (Quaker history and learning), and Illinois Yearly Meeting 3-5 year-olds (on discovery).
2000-03-03 Introductions:
The Presiding Clerk introduced representatives of AFSC, FGC, FCNL, FWCC
a. Jonis Davis, AFSC, Robert Alpern, FCNL; Gloria Kershner and Bob Barns, Right Sharing of World Resources (Pacific Yearly Meeting); Susan Segall and Michael Dooley, AFSC; Anne and Eileen Lomer, AFSC; Marie Gilstrap, AFSC; Christopher Sammond and Liz Perch, FGC
b. Jane Snyder, our representative to the Friends World Committee for Consultation Triennial in NH, spoke of her hopes and expectations in representing us there.
c. Travelling Minute: West Hills Friends (North West Yearly Meeting) commended Linda Farris to us with her concern for closer relations between our Yearly Meetings. Friends approved endorsement of her minute (copy attached).
2000-03-04 The preceding minutes were approved as corrected.
2000-03-05 Friend in Residence
Chris Cradler, FWCC representative, introduced Jocelyn Bell Burnell to us. She reflected on her friendship with Jocelyn and her reputation as a "rather good clark," and a renowned astrophysicist as well. She has been with our younger Friends already, who commend her to us as "kewl." We welcomed her.
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Jocelyn
brought us her "bag of useful things," like the bag of quilt-makings that
Elizabeth Fry sent with women sent to Australian penal colonies, to assemble
before us ideas that might offend, surprise, bore, or help us -- her reflexions
that are not yet a "whole quilt".
She challenged us to be prepared to share our pieces of the whole, to see how our insights might fit together. Thus she shared with us her life interests and how her Quakerism and science fit together, as well as other interests that fit less comfortably. She challenged us to find out our areas of concern and how many "bodies are in our bed." She noted that her Quakerism and her spirituality are separate: the hands and head differing from the intuitive heart and soul. Her science fits with her need to explain Quakers to other religions. Her spirituality focusses on her awareness of the numinous, the holy, the presence of God. Life works best when she takes heed of her prompting to let the spiritual be the strong core of her life, the central "body in the bed."
The Friend in Residence addressed the Problem of Suffering, reviewing some theological stands about why it exists. She revisited assumptions about God, rejecting them as a scientist. She is not willing to abandon her faith in a loving, caring God, but she tries the thesis that God stands back and lets unfortunate things happen. God then cannot be blamed for suffering -- nor coincidentally for good things either. Instead one can ask God to accompany us and support us in all our conditions.
She also looked at the controversy of the Creation of the Universe. Assuming that science will reach an accurate description of Creation, what does it mean if God is not the first creator? Many of us find God "in" nature; she cannot attribute the natural world's beauty to God, but she finds God "through" the cosmos, and described some natural processes that demonstrate our intimate connexion and part in the universe. Knowledge of God is mediated to us through the world as it is through other people. This led to her reflexion on the hostile nature of most of the universe and our ephemeral place in it -- eventually the universe will not support life.
With this background she asked, "What is Hope?" Vaclav Havel said: "Hope is not a [prediction of good things]; it is an orientation of the spirit, an orientation of the heart; it transcends the world... [It is] an ability to work for something because it is good, not just because it stands a chance to succeed."
She compared science and Quakerism, looking at our dependence on continuing revelation, because of our search for truth as found by ourselves, not on authorities. We also develop a provisional image of what is –– God or a star -- and we expect our knowledge to grow, not to get stuck in "a religious comfort zone." Both disciplines depend on group discernment to approximate the truth and avoid "the articulately deranged," but must be en garde against bandwagon effects and judgements of those who have dissident visions.
Finally Jocelyn Burnell shared her understanding of God and how she experiences the Divine. She believes in a God that is caring, empowering, and working through people. "God has no hands but ours." (Teresa of Ávila) She finds no contradiction between religion and science, but struggles with the relationship of science to spirit: in worship questions like "Who created the Universe?" float away as irrelevant. Prayer becomes wordless; all we must do is be here. Perhaps her theology has accommodated too much to her science, where there is no room for study of the Divine. But that which is beyond science is found in our community of Friends. She asked us to identify our own experimental understanding of God, making our own quilts, in patience and persistence.
Friends continued in expectant worship, sharing vocal ministry of thanks and of hope, because hope is part of human nature -- which transcends the material (as quantum science now implies) --, and because "this Friend speaks my mind." Our Life together transcends this life.
2000-03-06 Minutes were approved and the meeting concluded in silent worship.
Plenary Session IV (7/21 7:15 p.m.) AFSC Report, State of our Society
2000-04-01 Gathering: worship in song and silence
Gerre Hübbe led gathered Friends in two songs as we settled into worship, beginning the meeting in expectant silence.
2000-04-02 Epistles: Pan Tangible read excerpts from the epistles received from Northern Yearly Meeting (on seeking unity in the Spirit), Denmark Yearly Meeting (on conflict and peace in our individual lives), German Yearly Meeting (on depending on the Spirit while dealing with change in a materialist world), and Young Friends of Australia Yearly Meeting (on deep sharing).
2000-04-03 Letter of commendation:
Clerk read a letter from Grass Valley MM (Pacific Yearly Meeting) commending Gloria Kershner to our care. Clerk will endorse the letter and return it.
2000-04-04 State of Society report
a. Deborah Gottlieb Lewis, clerk of Ministry and Oversight, reviewed the structure of our Yearly Meeting. She reported the Memorial Meeting for Worship which was held this afternoon where we celebrated the lives of Roger Craven, Lois Bennett Elkinton, Helen Emerson, Estelle Corson Rosalie Champion Field, Mildred George Goertzel, Leonard William Holden, Sue Little, Lizanne Magraw, Ethel Nayadhu, Margaret Rumsey, Hilda Skott, Billie Vincent, Joe Wilkenning and Robert Wengert.
b. The complete reports on the State of the Meeting were made available. Linda Ellsworth read excerpts from State of the Meeting reports from Pacific Northwest Quarter that demonstrate how Friends support one another and share their spiritual journeys and their lives. Starshine read from reports from the Montana Gathering of Friends, reflecting their warm fellowship, gathered worship though small numbers and desire for contact with Friends from other areas. Jim Flory and Dave Fabik presented reports from Willamette Quarter, in which they displayed their dedication, concern, activities and spiritual growth in a diverse community.
2000-04-05 Minutes: Friends stretched their legs in a sharing activity, then the Meeting approved the preceding minutes.
2000-04-06 AFSC Report
a. Susan Segall, executive director of the Pacific Northwest Region of the American Friends Service Committee, thanked Friends for their welcome to her. She listed the different concerns and programs that the Region is addressing. She focussed the report on a new peace-making initiative, Compassionate Listening, based on work of Pacific Yearly Meeting Friend Gene Knudsen-Hoffman. The first program has been Alaskans Listening to Alaskans about Subsistence, helping to overcome differences about resource management, which has become deeply divisive among people in the north.
b. Jeff Smith, director of the NW Indian Program, a member of the Makah Tribe, reported on a Compassionate Listening project that has begun about the Tribe's resumption of traditional hunting of grey whales. His own background left him with mixed feelings about conservation, saving endangered species, and traditional pride and practices. Racism became part of the debate in the community and a number of different people, including peace and justice groups, met and discussed the issues, reaching consensus to address the racism. This led to two attempts to do Compassionate Listening, the second around Makah whaling, with the formation of the July 7th Coalition by AFSC. This technique has many advantages but it requires listening to hard feelings. Jeff outlined the three major steps of the process and invited Friends to an interest group the next day. He related some of the progress so far in the project as it leads to personal sharing. After the most recent meeting of persons from opposing sides, people stayed on talking after the discussion and departed with hugs. Ongoing trainings and opportunites are planned.
c. Susan invited Friends to visit the AFSC literature table and see the newsletters and reports on all their work. She also reminded Friends about the FOR/AFSC Campaign of Conscience to challenge the sanctions against Iraq and asked for signatures and contributions.
d. Clerk asked Friends who have worked with AFSC to rise and be recognized.
2000-04-07 Steering Committee Report
a. Ann Dusseau, clerk of Yearly Meeting's Steering Committee, presented the report of their work in the last year (copy attached to official minutes).
b. Steering Committee is considering problems in finding a sufficiently accessible site for future Annual Sessions. They will be considering these at the next meeting, tomorrow, and ask Friends input about priorities.
2000-04-08 Minutes were read, corrected and approved. Friends returned to silent worship and concluded the session at 9:04 p.m.
Plenary Session V (7/22 10:20 a.m.) Consideration of Seasoned Concern
2000-05-01 Gathering: worship in song and silence
Friends gathered in worshipful silence, from which they were led in song. After centering in silence, Friends turned their attention to the business of the Yearly Meeting.
2000-05-02 First Reading of Epistle
The Epistle Committee, Saker Edson, Pan Tangible and Jay Penniman, presented their first draft of the epistle, incomplete and awaiting further events as well as Friends' comments and concerns, which they invited.
2000-05-03 The presiding clerk then reviewed the agenda and the concerns about which we are asked to make decisions: the Minute to End Economic Sanctions against the People of Iraq, a Minute from Friends with a Concern for Sexual Minorities. He proposed that we take time at the end of the session for letter-writing and other follow-up and asked that Friends be succinct and focussed.
2000-05-04 Reading of proposed minute of concern
The Clerk reviewed the history of the concern for the Iraqi people in the Yearly Meeting and how it arrived at its present form. Following more than a year and a half of public vigils, frequent letter-writing and continuing efforts to find friends and others across the country to work on this concern, Olympia Meeting approved the Minute to End Economic Sanctions Against Iraq on April 9, 2000, to be forwarded to Pascific Northwest Quarterly Meeting for consideration at its meeting on April 29 in Ellensberg. There it was approved with a change of one word to be offered for consideration at the next Steering Committee meeting on May 6, 2000, in Portland. Approval was given there for presentation at Annual Session. Copies of the minute proposal and actions to follow up were handed out to all in attendance.
The recording clerk read the minute of proposal from Session II (2000-02-06). Nancy First read the revised minute as it had been published.
2000-05-05 Out of worshipful silence, Friends responded to the proposal. Some changes of wording and addition of phrases were made. One Friend suggested separating the text into two minutes in order to strengthen their effect; another asked that we add the Advice and Query from Faith and Practice concerning civic responsibility. It was proposed that the primary purpose of the water purification system was humanitarian: to relieve suffering, and secondarily to end the sanctions. The sense of the meeting was to accept the intent of the minute.
The clerk proposed and read a revised minutes hoping to reflect the sense of the Meeting.
Minute to End the Economic Sanctions against Iraq
We, the North Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) are united in the spirit of peace and justice. Our Quaker Testimony of over 350 years stands: there is that of God in every person. We are therefore led to oppose the devastating economic and military sanctions against Iraq and the unrelenting bombing of that nation, which have been led by the government of the USA.
The sanctions have already caused the deaths of up to a million Iraqis, many of them children, and continue to cause extreme hardship. The two most recent UN Coordinators of Humanitarian Relief Operations in Iraq, Denis Halliday and Hans von Sponeck -- those most knowledgeable about the humanitarian crisis -- resigned to protest the inadequacy of the relief effort and to call for the lifting of economic sanctions. The words of Máiread Corrigan Maguire, Nobel Peace Laureate, challenge us: "The next generation will ask us, 'What were you doing when the children of Iraq were dying?'"
We urge our government and the United Nations to end bombing and economic sanctions and to take alternative courses of action. These could include reopening a U.S. dialogue with the Iraqi government, encouraging citizen diplomacy, and helping rebuild the civilian infrastructure.
We are convinced this situation merits civil disobedience. We endorse the Campaign of Conscience for the Iraqi People led by the American Friends Service Committee and the Fellowship of Reconciliation. This Campaign will send water purification equipment to the Iraqi people without without US government approval in a nonviolent, humanitarian effort to relieve suffering.
We look forward to a new day of peace and reconciliation between the people of Iraq and the USA.
Corvallis, Oregon, 7/20 - 23, 2000
* * *
We urge individual Friends and Friends Meetings and Worship Groups to seek Light on this matter and act as led. Suggested actions include:
• Individually endorse and contribute to the Campaign of Conscience
• Visit and write the Administration and Congress on behalf of legislation such as the Humanitarian Exports Leading to Peace Act (HELP), HR 3825.
• Educate others using Campaign of Conscience presentations, videos and printed materials.
• Raise money to buy water purification equipment and machinery.
Other concerns resulting from separating the two minutes were raised, and we fashioned two forms of the same minute, one to political leaders and one to other Friends and religious groups. Feeling approaching unity, we approved referring the minute to a "jots and tittles" committee to bring back a finalized form to Firstday morning business session without discussion. Friends with concerns were asked to meet with Nancy First, Jonathan Betz-Zall and Ruth Yarrow.
2000-05-06 Proposed Minute in Support of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Persons and Their Children
a. Bonnie Tinker read the Minute in Support of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Persons and Their Children, which was also handed out in written form. She explained that its urgency was required by sudden events in Oregon. It is necessary to take action at this time before similar political actions are proposed in other states countering stands our Yearly Meeting has already taken supporting legalized, same-sex marriage. She gave other information about its effects and actions to be taken.
b. Friends expressed concerns about the free speech aspects of the minute and misinterpretations that might be made advocating ideas which are harmful. Differing options of re-wording were considered.
c. Friends united in approval of the following minute:
Minute in Support of Free Discussion of Public Issues in Schools
A Minute in opposition to OCH Ballot Measure which prohibits public school presentation of positive information about lesbian, gay and bisexual orientation.
For many years, Friends have struggled to grow in mutual understanding about issues relating to the lives of gays, lesbians and bisexuals within our Meetings, in our communities, and within our families. In our Meetings, we include sexual minority members, some of whom are in same-sex marriages, and we have shared times with each other's families. We have found evidence, once again, of the truth to which Friends have witnessed throughout the years, that there is that of God in every person.
North Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends believes that all children deserve schools which affirm them and their families regardless of sexual orientation. We believe freedom of speech is essential for education and the search for truth.
Therefore we oppose Oregon ballot measure [current title: "Prohibiting Public School Instruction Encouraging, Promoting or Sanctioning Homosexual or Bisexual Behaviors" Initiative number assigned by Oregon Secretary of State to be inserted here:] _______.
Al Anderson, Pima MM (InterMountain Yearly Meeting), sojourning with Eugene Friends Meeting, stood aside from the sentence permitting open speech as opening the gates to unacceptable positions.
The Meeting approved also issuing a press release reporting our action, authorizing the treasurer to collect funds earmarked for the Oregon Voters' Pamphlet, and endorsing the Basic Rights Oregon, coalition
Friends agreed to entrust Diane Hollister, Dorsey Green and Bonnie Tinker develop a title for the minute that can clarify its intent in appropriate language.
2000-05-07 Clerk invited Friends to use the letter-writing materials prepared beforehand, as well as other opportunities for follow-up to our concerns.
2000-05-08 Minutes were approved as read.
2000-05-09 After a few brief announcements, Friends settled into silent worship, from which some left for lunch and some used the time for writing legislators and planning further responses.
Plenary Session VI (7/23 10:20 a.m.) Reading of Epistle, Closing minute
2000-06-01 Gathering: worship in song and silence.
Mary Lou Goertzen gathered our worship with new verses to "Old 100th" and we settled into silence.
2000-06-02 The presiding clerk reviewed the agenda and how we would depart from it. He gave as advice on our traditional silence in place of applause while we hold all Friends in love for their contributions.
2000-06-03 Reading of Epistles
a. Rachel Travis and Jacob Hess read the epistle from our 3 - 5 grade Friends. (attached)
b. Michael Dooley, Liam Harry, and Malia Prescott presented the kindergarten through second-grade epistle. (attached) Friends accepted these letters with joy.
2000-06-04 Minute to end economic sanctions against Iraq
The clerk re-read the minute from yesterdayís meeting for worship for business referring to this item (2000-05-05).
Then he read the finalized version of the minute:
Minute to End the Economic Sanctions against Iraq.
We, the North Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), are united in the spirit of peace and justice. Therefore we oppose the devastating economic sanctions against Iraq and the unrelenting bombing of that nation, which have been led by the U.S. government. Our call to end the sanctions and bombing grows out of our Friends' testimony that there is that of God in every person.
According to UNICEF's best estimate, the sanctions have already caused the deaths of a million Iraqis, many of them children, and continue to cause death and extreme hardship. The two most recent U.N. Coordinators of Humanitarian Relief Operations in Iraq, Denis Halliday and Hans von Sponeck, resigned to protest the inadequacy of the relief effort and to call for lifting the sanctions. The words of Máiread Corrigan Maguire, Nobel Peace Laureate, challenge us: "The next generation will ask us, 'What were you doing when the children of Iraq were dying?'"
We urge our government and the United Nations to end bombing and economic sanctions and to take alternative courses of action. These could include reopening a U.S. dialogue with the Iraqi government, encouraging citizen diplomacy, and helping rebuild the civilian infrastructure.
We endorse the Campaign of Conscience for the Iraqi People led by the American Friends Service Committee and the Fellowship of Reconciliation. This Campaign will send water purification equipment to the Iraqi people with or without U.S. government approval in a nonviolent humanitarian effort. If our government refuses to allow such humanitarian shipments, our endorsement implies civil disobedience.
We deeply regret the suffering and death that the bombing and sanctions cause. We commit ourselves to work for a new day of peace and reconciliation between the people of Iraq and the United States of America.
[2000-06-04] Approved at Corvallis, Oregon, 7/23, 2000
* * *
We urge individual Friends and Friends Meetings and Worship Groups to seek Light on this matter and act as led. Suggested actions include:
• Individually endorse and contribute to the Campaign of Conscience.
• Visit and write Congressional representatives and write members of the Administration on behalf of legislation such as the Humanitarian Exports Leading to Peace Act (HELP), HR 3825.
• Educate others using Campaign of Conscience presentations, videos, and printed materials.
• Raise money to buy water purification equipment.
• Share this minute with local media.
North Pacific Yearly Meeting will send the Minute (first five paragraphs) to the U.N., including Kofi Annan and the Quaker U.N. Office; to the U.S. Government, including President Clinton, Secretary of State Albright, and Congressional representatives. NPYM will send the whole Minute to NPYM Meetings and Worship Groups, Northwest Yearly Meeting, Friends Committee on National Legislation, American Friends Service Committee, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Friends Journal, Friends Bulletin, and Quaker Life.
Friends approved the minute and the uses designated for it.
2000-06-05 These minutes were read and approved with corrections.
2000-06-06 Reading of Epistles
a. Central Friends (6th - 8th grade) epistle on their camp and yearly meeting was presented by Emil Harry and Ry Penniman. (attached)
b. Jay Penniman read the final version of our epistle to Friends everywhere. (attached)
These epistles were accepted and minutes were approved
c. Eileeen Thorsos read the epistle from our transitory Friends (those transitioning from Jr. Friends to adult life). She also read their minute of purpose: they don't want to disappear as other Jr. Friends have from the Yearly Meeting.
2000-06-07 An Appreciation
Vashon Friends offered a minute which the Meeting approved.
We wish to thank the Jr. Friends for an inspiring Community Night. It was well organized and well led. The audience participation and "Quaker!" calls magnified the joy of the celebration.
2000-06-08 Evelyn Trumbo led us in a "Song, Stretch and a Giggle." The minutes were approved. and we returned to expectant, unprogrammed worship.
Jr. Friends Yearly Meeting arrived and Megan Perry and Sage Anne Dilts presented their report on their camp and their epistle. They shared a finger-painting paper mural made by former and present Junior Friends.
After murmurs of appreciation for the sharing of this and the toddlers' and pre-schoolers' mural epistle, we settled again into silent worship.
Minutes were accepted as we ended our concern for business and prepared for our plenary closing worship.
2000-06-08 Clerk's Closing Minute
a. Friends experimented
• with registration forms on a website (www.npym.org) and outdoor worship sharing;
• with a participatory Community Night and the dangerous heights of window ledges;
• with home-grown songs and inter-generational finger-painting;
• with some minutes united on by all on the spot and others entrusted to a committee;
• with gasoline golf carts and stepping stones studded with stained glass.
b. Experiments in faith hold considerable risk. Some of our experiments are worth repeating, others we'd rather leave behind.
At times in this scientific age our hopes are gone--with nothing outwardly to help us. At times our hearts leap for joy. Our faith abides that when our hearts land, it will be in the lap of God, their true home.
c. We adjourn from Corvallis on Seventh Month 23rd, 2000. We expect to gather again the summer of 2001 in our true home.
Faithfully, in God's Peace,
Jay Thatcher, presiding clerk
D. Pablo Stanfield, recording clerk
Greetings to Friends Everywhere,
We send warm greetings from summer in the North Pacific where some 400 of us were asked, in the words of George Fox, to “leap for joy” as we explored our theme of “Knowing Experimentally: Quakerism in a Scientific Age.” After singing and introductions, our clerk began our 28th annual session with a reading of a letter of thanks from Central and Southern Africa Yearly Meeting for the peace quilt we sent them and the exchange of visitors between our Yearly Meetings. They sent us their traditional greeting of “peace, rain and prosperity.” We felt heartened to hear of the significant impact this simple project had.
In the rich silence, Friends spoke their hearts about concerns which we share with the larger world, whether for the loss of democracy, the ineffectiveness of economic sanctions, opposition to the death penalty or the dilemma of those without homes. Our ties were further strengthened as we read epistles from all corners of the world and found similar issues of concern. Reminded that we are united but not uniform, we ask ourselves what work are Quakers, collectively or individually, led to do? Are we truly ready, as we sang in the old hymn, to have the Divine Spirit “illumine” us?
Our Friend in Residence, astro-physicist, Jocelyn Bell Burnell came to us from Britain Yearly Meeting. She spoke with us about her personal journey, having felt a commitment at an early age to both Quakerism and science. The interplay of these identities has deeply affected her life. Science has empowered her to question basic assumptions of the Christian faith, such as the Creation of the Universe and the Problem of Suffering, while the welcome silence of Meeting for Worship offers her a place of respite from the conundrums of the rational scientific mind.
Jocelyn asked us to be mindful of the many, sometimes contradictory roles we play in life, with a special nod to the extra burdens that often fall to women. She offered us the symbol of quilting, and suggested that our life’s work is to stitch together these many parts of our identities into a unique pattern. She challenged us to be ready to show forth our personal quilt pieces, even if we feel they are unfinished or the colors clash with those of our neighbors, for all are necessary.
In a worshipful session, we grappled with the language to express our corporate leading that we must work to end the sanctions of mass destruction which are devastating the Iraqi people. We approved two minutes calling for the lifting of economic sanctions on Iraq, one to our public officials and the other to F/friends, urging specific steps through which informed leadings can be turned into action.
Arising from our ongoing concern to be a community inclusive of people regardless of their sexual orientation, we approved a minute opposing a proposed Oregon ballot measure. This measure would eliminate open discussion of sexual orientation, prohibiting public schools from supporting and affirming children and their families if their sexual orientation is not heterosexual.
Staff from American Friends Service Committee reported about various projects in the Northwest. Compassionate Listening is being used to help alleviate racism and anti-Indian sentiment which has risen in conjunction with the genuine concern for whales being hunted by the Makah Tribe.
Annual session was filled with song and worship. We forgot to bring hymnals but were able to borrow Mennonite hymnals which provided a new opportunity to gather for worship through song, Mennonites and Quakers together. Our singing throughout the session of Friend Gery Hubbe’s spirit filled musical compositions have ministered to children and adults alike.
Dear Friends in Meetings and Churches around the world, we want you to know that we treasure your epistles which illumine for us the Divine connection which links us all. We send you ours with Love and Peace.—Jay Thatcher, Presiding Clerk
Dear Friends,
The NPYM Junior Friends gathered on July 16th at Honeyman State Park, south of Florence, Oregon. With our theme of “Community Unity” we attempted to move on from tensions that had divided our group. Having only 58 people including all Junior Friends, adults, and our Friend in Residence seemed to be a great asset in that healing process, as it allowed us greater focus.
We supported and encouraged that theme with the physical setup of our campsites, locating all of our tents in a circle facing inward, and having a separate area for our meetings for worship and the ever emotional closing campfire. We also supported this theme through worship sharing, business meetings and lots of fun.
Though it is difficult to try and write down everything that occurred at this (like every) event, we feel that the following were some of our stronger and more unified gatherings. Throughout the week we went on several spontaneous trips to the sand dunes and a lake. On Tuesday we took a day-long trip down to the Pacific Ocean beach and had our work party of cleaning up the beach. Our efforts at service, however, were stymied by an obscenely clean beach, which none could have foreseen. We all had a lot of fun, which resulted in the majority of us getting very sandy. Between our late night trips to the lake and our extensive clothes trading we created a very large lost and found.
Thursday morning we packed up camp, got back on our horses, and hit the trail. We departed camp with a tear in our eye and a hope in our heart that the transition to yearly would be smooth one, continuing to maintain and strengthen the community and unity we had forged over our week together.
During the course of one of our business meetings, the decision was made to form an ad-hoc committee to help re-evaluate the internal structure of Junior Friends. This decision was made in an effort to strengthen the support network for Friends who may at times feel somewhat alienated from the group. The committee has not yet reached its completion, and will continue its work towards a system that will attempt to stop problems before they start at our half-yearly session.
Challenges to our internal process were raised by encounters with college policy and became the subject of strong emotions and much debate. In the end, however, an understanding of the extent to which actions can reflect on others and the difficulty that our advisors may be faced with in dealing with our decisions was refined. These events also served to strengthen our sense of community, and our belief in the value of all members to that community.
Annual session proved to be a challenge on many levels. From organizing community night, to reflecting on the change in responsibilities that our transition into adulthood brings, we found opportunity for growth on both personal and spiritual levels.
Kindergarten through 2nd grade epistle
Dear Friends Everywhere in the World,
When our group met we had quiet time and worship sharing. We also had fun playing games, dressing up, doing art, hearing stories, and playing with puppets.
It was fun playing outside. We ran races, rolled in a cloth tunnel, blew bubbles, played games. It was such nice weather we sang songs and played musical instruments and did balancing with older Friends.
We saw 4 trains go by and counted the cars. We had a great time at family night.
We hope you are doing well wherever you are.—Malia Prescott, Michael Dooley, Liam Harry
In the 3-5 group we learned lots of new things like that milk forms a skin if it gets too hot, that bird poop tears make a statue seem scary, and how to make paper boats to sail our wishes on. We also learned not to be disrespectful to our elders, youngers, and ourselves.
We made ice cream, played capture the flag, went swimming, and painted with pudding and paint.
Thank you for being here and for supporting us.
NPYM Transitory Friends Epistle
Despite the pathetic stirfry which greeted us upon arrival, our annual session was a success. Many of us found Jocelyn Burnell’s presentation on Quakerism, science, and the impermanence of life thought-provoking. Our discussion with her proved far-ranging. Her thoughts on young Friends in Britain helped give us perspective on our own group and experiences. We also met with Kathryn Willard and talked about her personal transition from being a Junior Friend to an active adult Quaker. Later, in worship sharing, we reflected on the multitude of ways that we define and experience simplicity. We found volunteer assignments an important opportunity to connect with Quakers of all ages. Amy’s sprained ankle limited the scope of our excursions, but an expedition to an Indian restaurant provided a gastronomical adventure. This annual session we drafted a Minute of Purpose to help explain our group to other members of the yearly meeting. Throughout our gathering we valued our time together in the face of the unknown future of our group and its fundamentally temporary nature.
NPYM Transitory Friends Minute of Purpose
Annual Session 2000
We are Friends transitioning from high school to the independence of adulthood. In naming ourselves the Transitory Friends, we recognize and embrace the reality that our lives are uncertain and that our addresses change frequently. Because our lives are in flux, we feel a need for a strong community within the yearly meeting. We often focus on different issues than the Junior Friends and those Friends with stable jobs and emergent families. When the Transitory Friends formed one and a half years ago, the Young Adult Friends were an active group at the yearly meeting level of what seemed to us rather settled adults. In the year since then, the Young Adult Friends have not gathered at Annual Session, but we have still created our own separate identity. We want to make a safe, comfortable space for Junior Friends to move into if they desire a community of peers in transition. We welcome Junior Friends to participate in our activities. We have noticed that most Friends leaving Junior Friends have also left the yearly meeting, at least for a time. We don’t want to disappear. In this vein, we are also trying to find our individual places in NPYM. Some of us thus choose to attend general worship sharing, plenaries, and interest groups.