Steering Committee

Heeding God’s Call: A Gathering on Peace

First Day, Third Month 2, 2008

Plymouth Meeting Friends Meeting

Unapproved Minutes

Present:  Judy Anderson, Michelle Armster, David Bates, Ted Brinton, Francis Brown, John Caughey, Aaron Crosman, Suzanne Day, Zac Dutton, Jonathan Evans, Pat Finley, Monica Haas, Robin Harper, Phil Jones, Fred Kauffman, Arthur Larrabee, Therese Miller, Marlon Millner, Elisha Morris, Katie Perch, Liz Perch, Peggy Pillard, Josh Sollenberger, Thomas Swain, Barbara Walker

Regrets: Jordan Blevins, Drick Boyd, Anne Bradley, John Bryer, Sam Caldwell, Gretchen Castle, Leo Hartshorn, Don Mitchell, Andy Peifer, Aldo Siahann, Jim Waddington

The meeting opened with worship led by Josh Sollenberger and Phil Jones from the Church of the Brethren. 

Therese Miller introduced a community building exercise in which all participated by engaging around these three questions:

• What does your faith tradition say about peace?

   

• What do you say about peace?

   

• How has God called you to work and witness for peace?

   

Those present introduced themselves, and new members were especially welcomed.

Reports from Task Groups:  To help with facilitating decision making among us, the clerk explained that we would distinguish between big decisions and small decisions.  Big decisions will need to come to the Steering Committee.  Smaller decisions can be made and implemented by task groups.  The Steering Committee asked that minutes from task groups be made available to all Steering Committee members and that each Task Group would report to the Steering Committee on activities and its decisions or considerations.  We may be able to this on the website. When there is doubt, bring a question to the Steering Committee of ask the Clerk.

Zac Dutton reported for the Worship & Community Task Group.  During a conference call, the group talked about what plenary sessions would look like, themes for the plenaries, and preachers.  Recommendations:

1.            Fluidity is important, thus specific designations for worship and non-worship time during plenary sessions is not necessary.  We recommend only that every plenary session include worship in some way, and for speakers or preachers to begin their presentation out of worship. 

2.            We recommend that there be a worshipful sense maintained throughout each plenary session.  We know this will increase the depth of spiritual grounding for those gathered in the plenary sessions, and we recognize this depth as imperative for the success of the conference.  We further recognize that the anchor/elder group may fill the role of helping to maintain a worshipful atmosphere during sessions. 

3.            We recommend that, tentatively, morning sessions should consist of longer worship periods, during which preachers may sermonize, and during which worship programming may occur.  After the worship period in the morning sessions, one, two, or several worship non-specific speakers may present. 

4.            We recommend that non-morning plenary sessions should consist of a shorter period of worship.

5.            We are in unity that unprogrammed worship is integral to the experience of many of the Quakers who will be in attendance, and so we recommend that some portion of the worship time during plenary sessions should be unprogrammed.

6.            We recommend, as before, to the steering committee that worship sharing happen on a daily basis during the conference.  We know that worship sharing would be integral to the meaningful participation of all those in attendance.

7.            We recommend, as before, that during the conference there should be a space continually open for worship, at any time in the schedule.  Anchors/elders for the conference might consider taking up this space as their worshiping “headquarters.”

Worship means different things in different traditions, particularly when we say we want to set aside a space for ongoing worship.  Quakers think of silence in this context.  The task group is open to all definitions of worship.  The Sterring Committee asks that the task group be explicit about what sort of worship is meant when necessary.]]

The task group believes that chosen speakers and preachers might choose their own style of worship out of which each would like to speak.  The speaker and the style of worship will have integrity. 

The Steering Committee was  in agreement that we want a worshipful attitude throughout and that the speakers will have some input into the style of worship. 

We want to have worship sharing/prayer groups each day.  Friends helped define “worship sharing:”  that there is some intention of all participants speaking.  It would be the same group on each day, giving participants an opportunity to become comfortable in a small setting. It might be called an “anchoring group” “support group or “prayer group.” 

Patricia Finley reported for the Outreach Task Group.  She distributed examples of potential logos.  The task group is eager to have some feedback to share with the graphic artist.  The Steering Committee asks the Outreach Task Group to make a decision as soon as possible, taking into account the reactions of the Steering Committee. 

Aaron Crosman reported further for the Outreach Task Group that the Gathering website has a permanent home.  We approved putting minutes on the website without password protection.  Committee members are encouraged to look at www.peacegathering2009.org.

Liz Perch reported for Invitation/Participation Task Group.  A letter has been written and accepted by Arthur Larrabee (Philadelphia Yearly Meeting,) Stan Noffsinger (Church of the Brethren) and Susan Mark Landis (Mennonite Church USA) who will all sign it.  This letter will be circulated to the full Steering Committee.  We are compiling a list of a list of denominations which will receive this preliminary invitation; the final will be attached to the minutes. 

Therese Miller reported for the Executive Committee: Working from recommendations from the Worship/Community task group, the Executive Committee is proceeding to narrow the pool of people who may be asked to be plenary speakers and panelist.  The Executive Committee will make final recommendations to the Steering Committee.  Worship/Community will select preachers.

Since it seems likely that we are going to have three plenary speakers, we suggest the there will be one for each of the three phrases of the purpose statement: Inspiring Hope, Raising Voices, Taking Action.  Therese presented the list of names that the Executive Committee was considering (see appendix attached to these minutes). 

The Steering Committee raised questions about the balance of race and gender in the list of names.  Other considerations the full committee suggested by given as the list was narrowed included:

• “Raising voices” might mean new voices, not just “the usual suspects.” Are there other ways to think about who is being selected?

   

• Do we differentiate between “insiders” and “outsiders?”

   

• Why would those from outside the Historic Peace Churches want to hear only from HPC peoples.  HPC has a history—without Quakers, Brethren, Mennonites, the Civil Rights struggle would have turned out differently.

   

• A “big name” speaker might not be needed to draw delegates

   

The Steering Committee approves beginning to contact potential speakers to assess interest and availability.  Further, the Executive Committee is asked to bring back a slate of three speakers, with a brief description of each, as well as information about who else was contacted and responses. 

The Steering Committee is asked to suggest additional names, particularly women and people of color.  Names immediately suggested were Shane Claiborne, Ruby Sayles, Vincent Harding. 

The clerk reflected that he did not sense a tension of within/without, because we will know when we have the right combination of people.

A committee member commented that the Gathering will be a success if everybody walks away inspired and energized.  This should be a criteria we use in thinking about presenters.

Aaron Crosman reported for the Budget Task Group.  A revised budget was distributed.    The Task Group asks that the entire Steering Committee assist with fundraising, to make this $460,000 budget a reality.  We believe that the money is out there.  The budget was approved.

New Task Groups Forming: New Task Groups will be formed for Workshop selection, Planning for Saturday Sessions, and Forming the Anchors/Elders group.  Details about these groups will be sent in an email.  We are open to asking people beyond the Steering committee to help work on these task groups. We think it is important to have some members of the Steering Committee on all of the task groups.  Please contact Liz Perch if you have names to suggest or if you wish to volunteer.

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting March Sessions: Philadelphia Yearly Meeting will have its annual sessions March 28-29.  All Steering Committee members are urged to attend.  We especially invite those from other traditions who are planning with us.

Next meeting:  Sunday, April 6, 2008, Plymouth Meeting, 3-6 pm.  Peggy Pillard will provide refreshments for the April meeting.  Arthur Larrabee will lead worship.

Respectfully submitted,

Liz Perch

Gathering Coordinator