Steering Committee

 

Heeding God’s Call: A Gathering on Peace

 

 

First Day, Fourth Month 6, 2008

 

Plymouth Meeting Friends Meeting

 

 

Unapproved Minutes

 

 

Present: David Bates, Jordan Blevins, Ted Brinton, Francis Brown, John Bryer, Gretchen Castle, John Caughey, Jonathan Evans, Patricia Finley, Robin Harper, Phil Jones, Fred Kauffman, Arthur Larrabee, Therese Miller, Marlon Millner, Don Mitchell, Serenity Mitchell, Kate Perch, Liz Perch, Peggy Pillard, Thomas Swain, Jim Waddington, Barbara Walker

 

 

Regrets: Judy Anderson, Michelle Armster, Anne Bradley, Sam Caldwell, Aaron Crosman, Suzanne Day, Zac Dutton, Monica Haas, Elisha Morris, Andy Peifer, Josh Sollenberger

 

 

Opening Worship

 

The meeting opened with worship, led by Arthur Larrabee, who offered a reflection on George Fox’s words, “This is the word of the Lord God to you all, a charge to you all in the presence of the living God; be patterns, be examples in all countries, places, islands, nations, wherever you come; that your life and conduct may preach among all sorts of people, and to them. Then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in every one; whereby in them ye may be a blessing, and make the witness of God in them to bless you: then to the Lord God you shall be a sweet savour, and a blessing.”  Worship sharing followed.

 

 

Introduction and Agenda Review

 

The clerk reviewed the agenda.  He asked that we add a calendar review just before adjournment.

 

 

Community Building

 

Therese Miller led a community building activity with the theme of hope and in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr on the 40^th anniversary of his murder in Memphis.  She introduced the exercise by giving everyone a small stone and read this quote from the I Have A Dream speech, “With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.”

 

 

Reports from Task Groups:

 

            Finance: Liz Perch reported. Grant applications to the Chace Fund ($15,000) and the Bequests Committee ($50,000) have been submitted.  An application will also go to the Shoemaker Fund. 

 

 

            Worship & Community: Gretchen Castle reported.  The task group had a conference call last week, and decided to create some smaller groups to do discreet parts of their work, specifically: Morning Worship; Small Groups; Extended Worship; Hymnal/Songsheets; Epilogue.  The task group would like to receive names of new people who might help with these tasks.  Please send names to Therese Miller and Zac Dutton. The minutes of the task group emphasize, “Worship is a bedrock of this conference, and thus we will regularly gather in smaller groups to debrief worshipfully, sharing out of silence what God has done for us in the time previous and in our lives.  During small groups there may be a set of topics we address with each other to help us to debrief or we may simply pray for each other, give thanks, or offer testimony.  Small groups will be essential to the community building of the conference, serving as an anchor in each participant’s experience, and we will ask all participants in the conference to regularly participate in a small group.  Friends also approved that ‘small groups’ will be the new working name for worship sharing, recognizing that a better way may arise later.”

 

 

The group approved a list of potential preachers (those who will offer a sermon or homily each morning.)  Liz will begin contacting them, as she has the speakers, to learn about availability, interest, and compatibility of our financial offering.

 

 

Participation/Invitation: Letters were mailed to 82 denominations during the week of March 17.  We have received replies from the Korean Presbyterian Church (affirmative), The Moravian Church (positive; needs to make official at board meeting), the Southern Baptist Convention (no) and the Assemblies of God (no.)  Liz will update the Steering Committee as replies come in.  Steering Committee members are invited to volunteer to make follow up phone calls, particularly if they have a connection to the denomination.

 

 

We’ll be sending letters to all [Quaker] yearly meetings in the US and Canada in the next few weeks, inviting them to send a specified number of delegates.  Liz is very willing to offer any practical assistance to the Brethren and Mennonite groups as they invite their 100 delegates, as well.

 

 

Outreach: Pat Finley passed around two revised logos and forms for providing feedback.  The Steering Committee authorized Pat to move forward with completing the logo and putting it into use.

 

 

Executive Committee: An in person meeting was held two weeks ago to address the question of the Interfaith aspects of the Gathering.  We cannot create the interfaith aspects of the Gathering without the input of those in the Interfaith community.  A new task group will be formed, with Christians, Muslims, and Jews, to plan this portion of the event.  Jon Evans and Arthur Larrabee are drafting a statement of intent for this task group, and will bring it to the Executive Committee to review. 

 

 

Planning has begun on Saturday Sessions.  Another new task group will begin work, even before decisions are made by the Interfaith group. 

 

 

The Executive Committee has agreed on Guidelines for Vendors and Exhibitors.  Copies are available on the clerk’s table.  The Steering Committee accepts the Executive Committee’s work on this document.

 

 

The Executive Committee has also reviewed the General Session plans and brainstormed names for new and expanding task groups.

 

 

Break

 

A member of the Steering Committee asked if we could have the intention of discussing outcomes at our next meeting.

 

 

During the break, with refreshments provided by Peggy Pillard, committee members were asked to note possible workshop topics on index cards.

 

 

General Session Plan, Draft 3 (attached, appendix 1)

 

Therese Miller circulated the revised General Session Plan.  She notes that this is continuous work in progress.

 

 

Therese has begun to look at the plan as a four day liturgy.  The intent is to bring people in and have them connect with each other’s real selves.  This will enable the group to leave together as a group, arms linked.  It will start from a place of humility and neediness, then fires will be lit and participants will go out the door ready to start something. 

 

 

Each day begins with worship.  Worship will include silence, singing, readings, and preaching.  Each day will close with a brief worship.  Three of the four evenings have plenary speakers.  We are looking at moderated panel discussions, mindful that these can sometimes be less engaging—we don’t want to be boring.  There are at least two sessions for concurrent workshops—there may also be a time for workshop leaders to talk with participants in an exhibit or “table topic” mode.  A “world café” is planned for one evening.

 

 

Therese is calling the Worship/Community task groups “small groups” “Anchor groups.”  These groups will anchor participants, give them a place to learn from each other and engage with each other. 

 

 

Thursday we should begin to identify areas of energy.  We are coming to the Gathering to do together what we can’t do alone.  This is not a conference where people are coming with their heads open to be filled, but with their hearts open to share.

 

 

Comments and questions from the Steering Committee:

 

o   Good flow

 

o   Is there a visual component?  Art work, participation.  This will create and maintain energy

 

o   Should we form a committee early in the gathering to have an overview? Create a Friday [Saturday?] plenary that reports what has happened?

 

o   This is not the right program if we expect to come together on a common statement

 

o   Someone will be “presiding” at every session.  Some assignments will be built in.

 

o   Organic quality that may allow a statement to come out.

 

o   How will the work/sharing from small groups be shared more broadly?  What kind of reporting out?

 

o   With 600-700 participants, there will be 25-30 small groups.  That’s a lot to hear from, but we don’t want them isolated, either.

 

o   Something could emerge from the group, but we should find out if it is going to emerge before we put it in writing.  We will need to be very open as to what may emerge.

 

o   Much more coherent.  Thanks to Therese for her work on this.

 

o   Movement is crucial.  We can’t predict exactly where we’re going to be moved, but we must be open to the movement.

 

o   Suggest a sort of overseeing group that meets daily and tests where we are; they can revamp as needed. 

 

o   We don’t know what the world situation will be next year.

 

o   We want notes from the sessions.

 

o   Will there be recordings of larger sessions available after the Gatheirng?

 

 

The clerk commented that one vision for Saturday would include a presentation of the work of the Gathering.  He envisions participants gathering in multiple locations for worship that morning, then walking to the venue, where there would be presentations, choirs, speakers.  Possibly some sort of witness. 

 

 

The discussion has been helpful and affirming.  Additional thoughts are welcome—this is a working document.

 

 

Calendar

 

The Steering Committee will meet at Plymouth Meeting on Sunday, May 4 at 3 pm.  The clerk suggested that we also agree to meet on Sunday, June 1, but this is a conflict for a few key people.  Liz will send an email to test an alternative date.

 

 

Although task groups will continue to work during the summer, we are proposing not to meet as a Steering Committee in July and August.  On SATURDAY, September 6, we will have an all day working retreat, 9:30-4:30.

 

 

The remainder of the meeting dates was agreed to be:

 

 

Sunday, October 5

 

Sunday, November 2

 

Sunday, December 7

 

Sunday, January 4

 

 

An evaluation and wrap up meeting will be held Sunday, January 25.  It was suggested that we might have some sort of clearness process for the future work coming out of the conference. 

 

 

 

Report from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting March Sessions

 

The clerk reported briefly on the spring sessions of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, to keep all informed on how we are working with our larger body.  We need their support and enthusiasm.  We need to do work in our own denominations.

 

 

Thomas also reported on the conference call with Bruce Birchard (Friends General Conference), Sylvia Graves (Friends United Meeting), Colin Saxton (Northwest Yearly Meeting, Evangelical Friends International), three members of the Steering Committee in addition to Thomas, Therese and Liz.  The recommendation from that call for the allocation of the 100 Quaker delegate positions was endorsed by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. (The allocation is one delegate per 1000 members, with any Yearly Meeting with less than one thousand having at least one delegate.)

 

 

The Yearly Meeting in session also heard from Fred Kauffman.  Fred spoke what was on his heart, and moved those in attendance.  A letter from Stan Noffsinger was read, and is available at the Clerk’s table.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Liz Perch

 

Gathering Coordinator