We also recognize that the greatest marks left by Friends in the world – from influencing the ideals of our country, to the abolition movement, to voting rights for women – have often been the work, passions and leadings of individuals, not committees.  What these individuals shared was a fire and a passion that could not be extinguished.  Knowing that their objectives would not be achieved in their lifetime, they remained undeterred in working towards how they envisioned the world should be.  Quakerism was often the source and inspiration of their work, and what emboldened them to take leaps of faith, to speak their truths, and as a result, the world is better.

As the 21^st century unfolds, however, we face new challenges – within ourselves as well as in the world.  Within this Yearly Meeting, we know that there are a great many good things happening in the name of peace.  Support for and active involvement in the works of African Great Lakes Initiative, the Zarembkas and Ann Riggs in east Africa; Bolivian Quakers; the work of the Intervisitation Committee and involvement with FUM are but a few of the things worth mentioning.  There are also the leadings of individuals within our Yearly Meeting, and some Monthly Meetings that are doing wonderful works in their community, too many to mention here.  At the same time, we recognize that some PSC Committees struggle and may even be inactive.  Just this week we heard, for example, that the Ad Hoc committee on gender and sexual diversity is laying itself down, and yet even in Friendly circles we hear people and things being called “gay” in a world where this kind of benign intent can do harm.  So while a committee’s work may be done, there is still work to be done.  While it is easy for us to look outside of ourselves and see fault, we must also seek to be ever-vigilant and increasingly conscious of our own blind spots.  As Moliere said, “it is not what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable.”

For this committee, we find it both important and challenging to harness our efforts so that we are greater than the sum of our parts and the world continues to be positively influenced by our presence.   We recognize that all things are connected.  Torture, hunger, and the fuel and energy we have all consumed to be here this week are connected.  We cannot shy away from this fact, but should instead be willing to embrace it.  A challenge for all of us is to take the learning, wisdom and passions we share to not only support the issues, causes and programs we care about and deem worthy, but to apply them in our daily lives so that in the communities where we live, eat, sleep and work, we can know that the world is ever so incrementally better for having had this day.  It is important to daily challenge ourselves to move in the direction of the world we seek.  Supporting programs and building relations in remote places – whether they be in prisons, in South America, on a Reservation, or inAfrica– is necessary, but if we do not also expand our circle of dance partners in our own backyard joyfully seeking that of God in all, we are missing something.  Issues help bring unity among like-minded people, but are also used to divide and conquer.  It is relationships – honest, genuine relationships that we live out every day – that bring unity to our global community.

As the Peace Testimony marks its 350^th year, this committee will be looking for more opportunities to create more dancers and partners, seeking to nurture the leadings of some while creating opportunities for others to explore the world in new ways, with new lenses, learning new ways to engage or to simply re-contextualize the issues.  Some examples of our work include:

• Prison Ministry.  We have members and attenders on the committee who do prison mediation, AVP and teach non-violent communication in the prisons.  There is also a pen-pal program.  These are not only opportunities to connect to prisons, but also to deepen these practices in oneself. There are opportunities for people to be trained in mediation, as well as to simply be a pen-pal.
•  Gleaning.  Every year, in all of our communities, thousands of tons nutritious food is wasted simply because it is not transported.  In an era when hunger and malnutrition is on the rise, this is unacceptable.  We will be embarking on an effort to organize a few days this year to have Friends go to an identified farm, pick crops and get them to our local foodbanks.  As an added bonus, because most gleaning programs are currently populated by Christian churches, this is an opportunity to build relationships among our neighbors whom we may not know and even hold judgment against without having known yet.
• Torture.  We have a member who is actively involved in programs and activities that educate and inform people about the practice of torture and a call to end the practice.  There will be a variety of opportunities throughout the year to engage and learn more.
• Workcamps.  We will be looking to develop a Workcamp somewhere in the region over the next year that will be an opportunity for people to perhaps see things anew, or with new energy or sense of empowerment.  These are also wonderful ways to bring community together across age, religion, culture and economic divides.  Once one has learned to build and cross a bridge, it is not where the bridge has landed but that one knows how to build a bridge that matters.
• HIV/AIDS.  As we continue to support the works in East Africa where AIDS is devastating, we must also recognize that the trends in theUSare not good.  However, a “game-changer” is in the works: self-testing for HIV.  When the FDA approves this (perhaps as early as spring 2012) we will be approaching Friends Meetings to embrace this as an opportunity to “lead by example” by nurturing this option.  There are those who say testing without education and support is dangerous.  Possibly, but even if so, support and education doesn’t have to happen in an office; it can happen in safe places where people know they are loved and informed.
• National and International legislation.  We will strive to have more effective pipelines with FCNL, AFSC and QUNO to provide guidance on issues, so we can get in a flow of discerning how to best use our voices while also becoming better educated and informed so we can reach into our own communities effectively.

To bring about the world we seek, many things are necessary, and none are sufficient.  It is our strong hope that Friends can find their piece of the puzzle – their gift, their voice, their leading – and to invite this committee to be a part of nurturing it and being nurtured by it.   Ultimately we are seeking to move towards the day when there are no destructive barriers of “us” and “them”.  In this world, there is only “us” – all of us.  Despite best intents, many of our movements of the past have become institutions of the present and do little to promote unity.  It is the artist, the creative spirit, the mystic and the visionary who can envision the world as it should be as well as the person who recognizes the problems of the world as it is that are a part of this dance.  We welcome people to attend our meetings with their ideas.  We encourage folks to join us on September 10 for our annual Networking Day, as well as at William Penn House for our Sunday, 9/11 potluck when we will be talking about what we can learn from this past decade that we can take into our future with meaning and purpose, rather than lamentaion.  We also ask that active PSC committees share with us their works.  Our desire is to add value as well as support innovative and new works.

Interim Meeting

October 16, 2010

Richmond MM

Agenda:

1.      Opening Worship

2.      Welcome/Introductions

3.      Review Minutes

4.      Old Business/Reports

a.       A minute, laid over from Annual Session, proposing that Baltimore Yearly Meeting provide funds for the administrative expenses of Friends United Meeting during fiscal year 2011

b.      Right Sharing of World Resources – Karen Grisez

5.      New Business

a.       Friends International Library (Janet Riley, Sandy Springs MM)

b.      Witness to Innocence introduction – Brad Ogilvie

6.      Discussion

a.       PSSC Committee Goals for next three years.  What does the committee envision its role to be within the Yearly Meeting?  For Monthly Meetings?  On issues of concern?

b.      What does the committee envision the role of the clerk to be?

c.       Social Networking

d.      Other

7.      Monthly Meeting Announcements

8.      Closing Worship

Our witness about gays, lesbians, and transgendered people among us.

We have been given the presence of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Friends who worship and labor as vital members of our Monthly Meetings and our Yearly Meeting. We testify that their presence is a gift among us. We are witnesses to the fruits of the Spirit that these, our treasured Friends, have so generously shared with us.

We stand steadfastly against any policies or actions that would diminish the innate human dignity or malign the deep spiritual integrity of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Friends. We look forward to the day when the moral arch of the universe—to borrow from Martin Luther King, Jr.—will bend toward justice and mercy for all God’s creation. In the meantime, we understand that Friends who have not shared experiences similar to ours will have difficulty with this, our testimony to the integrity of our experience and to our vision of equality, justice, and peace.

Our inability to come to unity in the past

For a number of years BYM has struggled to discern our role as a member of Friends United Meeting.  In 1988, the FUM General Board, with BYM representatives present, adopted a personnel policy which set the expectation that its staff and volunteers would restrict their intimate sexual relations to marriage, understood to be between one man and one woman.  Many BYM Friends find this policy, effectively excluding same-gender relationships, to be offensive and discriminatory.  As a consequence, in 2004, BYM continued its membership and continued to send Board members, but withheld our contributions to FUM while we sought discernment.  We felt torn:  many among us find a spiritual home in FUM and feel blessed by an opportunity to participate in its ministries; at the same time, many Friends have been uneasy as a matter of conscience about financially supporting an organization that engages in employment discrimination.

Also at 2008 Annual Session, an ad hoc Committee (the Committee of Four Committees), which had carefully considered the concern, recommended that we release funds to FUM.  Despite our love and tenderness toward each other, we were unable to reach unity (Y2008-63).  At the end of 2008 Annual Session, many Friends felt that we had faithfully labored with the concern, and we should wait for the way to open.

Though we have not sent our general financial contributions to FUM during this time, we have tried to continue fellowship with FUM in other ways. Our Intervisitation Program, started simultaneously with our withholding of funding, has built bonds of affection among us within FUM.   We continue to send dedicated and skilled BYM members to serve in positions of responsibility on the FUM General Board.  We have felt led to support financially several FUM projects.  The FUM Office does not receive any part of these contributions, so we feel that we are supporting the projects without paying for the personnel policy, and we are making a statement that BYM is willing to give financial support when not supporting the personnel policy. At the same time, the FUM General Board is involved in its own discernment process concerning possible reorganization. It has affirmed that FUM is an association of Yearly Meetings rather than a denomination, so there is no need for all FUM members to agree on how to be Quakers. The Spirit is moving among us, and we have faith that Divine leadings will be revealed in God’s time. (For a more complete statement of our status, see Interim Minute I2010-08.)

Recent contributions to FUM projects

In 2008 (I2008-11), we contributed $9000 to the Friends Church Peace Team Kenya to support peace initiatives. These funds came from money appropriated in 2008 for FUM, but set aside until a decision could be made. By the time the funds became available to the Peace Team, most material aid had been delivered; it appears our funds were used with others to prepare a Peace Curriculum for the many Friends High Schools in Kenya. An article on this effort appears in the July/August 2010 issue of Quaker Life.

In 2009 (I2009-28), we contributed $20,000 to support Ann Riggs as the Principal of the Friends Theological College in Kaimosi, Kenya. These funds came in part from the annual appropriation for 2009 but set aside until a decision could be made. The remaining money came from the accumulation of funds set aside in past years but not spent. Ann has made a significant contribution to the College, which serves Friends in Yearly Meetings beyond Kenya.

This year (I2010-08), Ann Riggs was asked to continue for a further year at FTC. Again the Yearly Meeting contributed to this effort from the annual appropriation that was set aside until a decision was made. For three successive years, the Yearly Meeting supported projects of FUM, but did them in such a way that none of the administrative costs of FUM were supported. By 2009, contributions by individuals and Monthly Meetings were at the level they were in 2004.

The financial withholding and other FUM Yearly Meetings

North American Yearly Meetings of FUM do not understand how a Yearly Meeting can continue to send members to serve on the General Board of FUM while refusing to pay any administrative costs. This includes Yearly Meetings that agree with our stance against discrimination.

Our commitment of withheld funds

In the course of our deliberations we have come to see that money is not really the issue.  We believe that an undue focus on money is getting in the way of the work we are called to, work which includes being present with lesbian and gay Friends in FUM-only yearly meetings, and engaging actively with the rest of FUM in working and witnessing for peace and equality. Money is a clumsy form of communication—a carnal weapon—that cannot convey the transformational power of our spiritual concern. We have come to trust that the Holy Spirit is working among us, for purposes that we do not yet fully understand. We know that it is not money but the Inward Teacher who transforms hearts.

Although we have spent some of the withheld funds there remain about $26,000 that has not been expended. We do not actually have the money, due to lax financial accounting. In the spirit of seeing our relationship with FUM, not as a problem, but as an opportunity to witness actively for peace, equality, and compassion, we approve the following minute:

We Friends in Baltimore Yearly Meeting, gathered for Yearly Meeting agreed to release to FUM the remaining monies withheld since 2004, $5,000 per year for five years, starting in 2012.

Our use of budgeted contributions

We will resume payment to FUM, with a portion sent unrestricted and an equal portion for a designated program of FUM, starting with the 2011 budget.

Present: Bill Mims, Mel Snyder (Langley Hill), John Ferrell, Sam Stayton, Donelda Stayton, Polly Scott (Patapsco), Betsy Meyer, Myra Wolcott, Roger Wolcott, John Salzberg (Sandy Spring), Margaret Stambaugh (Gettysburg), Alexander Barnes (Adelphi), Cynthia (Cy) Merriwether-deVries (State College), Michael Conklin, Anna Melton, Joe Izzo, Debby Churchman, Patty Murphy, Malachy Kilbride (FMW), Rich Thayer, Maria Brown (Stony Run), Phil Favero, Pat Schenck, Kit Hanley (Annapolis), Jim Wagner (Frederick), Brad Ogilvie (William Penn House).

Special gratitude to the hospitality of Sandy Spring Friends Meeting

Meeting convened in silence at 10:15AM after an hour of fellowship, bagels and coffee.

Speaker Nathan Harrington spoke about his journey into public education and developing an intentional community in southeast DC. 

Nathan told us his story, which is a fascinating account of a young man willing to witness his truths in his life, even when it is difficult, or uncomfortable.  He began with a description of a visit to a hospital ER, where after hours, he was not treated at all, and left to seek care elsewhere.  He said he “battled with the American health care system, and lost.”

This led to an examination of the disparities between the two sides in the Washington, DC area:  Those who are white and affluent, and those who are black and poor.

After finishing university, Nathan returned to the DC area to try to find a teaching job.  The only one he could find was in a DC school, where he quickly found that he was not qualified.  His lack of understanding of inner city black culture made so difficult for him to relate to his students, that he simply could not continue as a teacher there.  He learned, for example, that respect has to be earned there—it is not granted with a job title.

This led to several more teaching jobs in the P.G. county area.  He became a student of the trends in urban education.  He identified them as:

• A focus on remedying the “achievement gap
• A focus on standardized tests
• Authoritarian, top down management
• A tendency to blame the problems on teachers, and unions.

Nathan talked at length of what he learned in his several years of teaching in difficult situations, and how it led him to appreciate the Dorothy Day statement regarding comforting the afflicted, and afflicting the comfortable.  It led him to eventually purchase a house in Congress Heights, a formerly all white, and now all black neighborhood, east of the Anacostia River.  His purpose in doing this was to intentially “re-integrate” this neighborhood.  He is intentially getting to know his neighbors, by reaching out to them, giving them food from his garden, and being present in the neighborhood.  He is disturbed by the disconnect he sees between his housemates (mostly white) and the other residents of the neighborhood.

Monthly Meeting Reports

Adelphi – evaluates requests for funding; is involved with PG County Peace and Justice coalition.

Annapolis – Involved in running the Peace and Justice Center, including two projects:

• Short-term: raised funds and facilitated bringing Israel/Palestinian groups together around water rights.
• Long-term: create AVP/Annapolis.  To date, 80 people have been involved in trainings.
• Kit Hanley has been involved in AVP work in prisons.
• Holding a “Day of Peace Vigil” on 9/21/10, 6:30-9PM

Frederick – “All over the map”; looking at things from the perspective that the current system within which we live is “unsustainable”.  Participated in “Sustainability: Awakening the Dream”, focusing on environmental sustainability.  A Friend from Sandy Spring MM mentioned that H-Res 1553, a bill currently in congress, would give Israel the ok to use force against Iraq, and Rep. Bartlett (who represents Frederick) has co-signed the bill.  Frederick attender Kathy Ruud has also been actively involved in developing both writing and workshops around the “polarization of language”.

Friends Meeting of Washington –

• There will be a Peace and Social Justice concert November 5, 7PM, consisting of 2 folk duos.
• Karen Grisez had passed on information about the program “Right Sharing of World Resources”, which led to discussion about the importance of this program in providing opportunities for women in poor regions of the world to start businesses.
• Copies of the Environmental and Social Responsibility Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which is sponsored by the Network of Spiritual Progressives / TIKKUN, are available from Joe Izzo (of Friends Meeting of Washington) at jizzo@wwc.org or (202) 425-0496. This amendment was developed by Rabbi Michael Lerner and Peter Gable through two conferences of the N.S.P., to block the influence of corporations in the political process after the Supreme Court decision in U.S. vs. Citizens United, which allows corporations to spend as much money as they wish in the political / electoral process. Please ask your Senators and Representatives to support this Amendment

Gettysburg – calls itself the “Peace and Social Action” committee.  Among the activities:

• Sending letters to Obama
• Every 3^rd Saturday participating in a prayer vigil at the Gettysburg Center
• Participated in and supported the Peace Camp in June
• Participated in letter and pledge campaigns against the development of casinos in Gettysburg
• Members also went to the Joan Baez concert

Homewood/Stony Run – experimenting with working together as a joint “peace/social order” committee, including developing a name for the committee.  For the immediate future, the committee is looking holistically the extent they want to and can function as:

• A nurturing source for individuals to follow their leadings in peace/social order
• A source for education and as a conscience for the Monthly Meetings
• A body that can take collective action
• A support and coordinator/collaborator of similar efforts

Langley Hill – committee is referred to as the “Peace and International Outreach Committee.  Activities include:

• Friend Mel Snyder participated in the recent Triennial gathering in Kenya
• Co-sponsor of the Peace Award Scholarships given to local high school students
• Co-sponsor of the weekly prayer vigil at the US Capitol Building (NOTE: volunteers are needed for this)
• Active involvement with Council on American/Islamic Relations (www.cair.org), developing a deeper understanding of The Quran.

Patapsco –

• Developed a Mental Health ministry to support the local mental health hospital (i.e. a shoe drive for patients, while also organizing a community education/awareness/public policy event for the community, held Sept. 12.  It was mentioned that Maryland is one of 8 states in the country that does not have “post-hospitalization counseling” programs. An original skit about the legacy of Quakers and Mental Health will be performed. A recommended website for more information about this issue: www.mindsontheedge.org,
• Active in Prison Ministry in Hagerstown which has been a “powerful lesson in forgiveness”
• Involved in foodbank collections
• Active in “Citizens Against State Executions”

Sandy Spring –

• Holds the Lee Stern Peace Awards at 12 schools.
• Held an Israeli/Palestinian program on April 10, 2010, celebrating the 10^th Anniversary of the Ramallah Friends School.
• On September 26 will host 2 speakers talking about the National Solidarity Movement
• Submitted a letter to Obama denouncing the Israeli flotilla attack earlier this year.  This letter was adopted by Interim Meeting

State College –

• Participating in Christmas bell-ringing held by the interfaith council.  This at times has come to be viewed as an “anti-Salvation Army” holiday bell-ringing, but is not intended as such.
• Been participating in AVP programs in local prisons
• State College has greater diversity than many Friends meetings.  It was mentioned that “diversity” is achieved when we live in partnership in community.

William Penn House

• Holds Workcamps that create opportunities for participants to explore their own gifts in making a difference, and in seeing how so many of the issues of peace and justice are interconnected
• Will continue to promote that all Meetings within BYM have a message encouraging all members to get tested for HIV as a witness that HIV effects all people
• Brad Ogilvie will work with BYM central office to develop web-presence for the work of this committee

The committee will meet again at Interim Meeting, October 16, at Richmond Friends Meeting.

Meeting adjourned at 3:10 PM.

Baltimore Yearly Meeting, Annual Session

August 4 & 6, 2010

Attendance: Bill Mims (Langley Hill) Clerk, Leada Dietz (York) Recording Clerk, Alexander Barnes (Adelphi), Davis Balderson, Ann Solomon (Alexandria), Michael Conklin, Joan Gildemeister (FMW), Chuck Hedges, Lella Russell Smith (Goose Creek), Maryhelen Snyder (Langley Hill), Kathy Fox (Maury River), Ken Stockbridge (Pataspco), Carol Miller (Patuxent), Bette Hoover (Sandy Spring), Howard Fezell (Shepherdstown) Ellen Johnson Arginteanu (State College), Bob Goren, Dellie James, (Stony Run) Sally Keller (York)

We gathered in worship at 7:30pm on 8-4-2010 to consider three things:

1.  A draft letter to Barack Obama concerning a House Resolution supporting Israel’s use of any means necessary to eliminate nuclear threats posed by Iran.  There was agreement on the need for a letter, and after much discussion about the focus and wording, the committee approved a sub committee, Bill Mims, Bette Hoover, Mel Snyder, and Leada Dietz, to refine the letter for presentation to the gathered body during Peace and Social Concerns Committee report to Annual Session on 8-6.

Draft Letter from BYM to President Obama, and members of Congress.

Dear Mr. President:

We are writing to you out of our concern regarding proposed HR 1553 which voices support for Israel to use “…all means necessary…including the use of military force” to “eliminate nuclear threats” posed by Iran. We believe this could lead to another tragic war in the Middle East.

As members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) we are committed to resolving conflicts through nonviolent means.  We believe there is that of God in every human being and therefore the life of every person is sacred.  When you accepted the Nobel Peace Prize, you spoke of working toward peace throughout the world.   Now is the time to speak out against this misguided effort by some members of Congress, and to redouble your diplomatic efforts to resolve this situation without the use of military force.

An Israeli attack with U.S. supplied weapons, by a country with a “special relationship” with the U.S. and a history of mounting major military attacks with U.S. permission would be seen by much of the world as an attack by the United States. Iran, moreover, would likely retaliate against U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Persian Gulf as well as Israel. Our concern is that an Israeli attack on Iran could compromise Israel’s security and increase anti-American sentiment.  It could launch a war with horrific consequences for the peoples of the Middle East and U.S. interests.

We therefore ask you to oppose such a resolution, and to let your opposition be known to the Congress.  The world cannot afford, in any sense of the word, yet another terrible war in the Middle East.  We cannot afford it in terms of our young men and women in the military, in terms of actual money spent, and in terms of the spirit and soul of all nations involved.

2.  Dellie James from the Indian Affairs Committee requested some of PSCC time during Friday’s Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business to introduce their work advocating for US endorsement of the UN Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples, introduced in 2007 and ratified by 143 countries but not by United States nor Canada.  Her request was approved with some coaching on how to make her presentation as focused and succinct as possible since this is an introduction of a minute to be considered at October’s Interim Meeting.  The background information and the minute are copied below:

Background Information on the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

In September 2007, 143 countries voted in favor of the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We are sorry to say that the United States voted against it. The only other countries to do so were Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. The goal now is unanimous consensus.

The Declaration is a human rights framework that opposes discrimination and encourages protections for 3 70 million indigenous peoples.

It recognizes rights such as protection against dispossession of land and subsequent displacement, protection against forced assimilation, the right of retention of cultures and languages and resources, and the right of self-determination.

Indigenous peoples and Native Nations have disproportionate poverty, unemployment, environmental degradation, and other disadvantages that arise from the taking of their resources and prior treatment.

The Declaration raises government awareness of how they continue to be at risk if they have no control over decisions that can jeopardize their unique ways of life.

Rationale for President and Congress to Act Now

It is encouraging that the four countries that decided against endorsing the Declaration are in the process of reconsidering or have already changed their position. Our endorsement should happen this year because there is often a short window of opportunity for the U. S. to adopt international declarations and conventions. After that, the struggle to do so–even when almost every other nation has endorsed the document–often goes on for decades. For example, decades ago our government played an active role in drafting the Convention on the Rights of Children but has not ratified it. Somalia is the only other country that has not ratified it. Similarly the U.S. was active in drafting the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly, yet has not endorsed it.

Another reason to move ahead promptly is the expense to indigenous people in our country when crucial decisions are postponed. It is terribly difficult for people without resources to travel to places where decisions about’ their future are being made. Indigenous delegations have already participated in an interminable process of discussion and negotiation at the U.N. The fact that they stayed the course and continued to attend meetings for a quarter of a century, despite immense obstacles, illustrates how important the Rights Declaration was to their communities. It will continue to be time-consuming and costly for advocates if they must travel to Washington, DC to make the case for endorsement during one congress after another.

Finally, marginalized groups that are out of sight are out of mind must make a monumental effort to get on the agenda nationally or internationally. Then, all too soon attention can slip away. There is a life cycle of sympathies regarding human equality. Before the Declaration loses the spotlight and American Indians and Native Alaskans lose hope, our country should endorse it.

Wording of Minute calling for U.S. Endorsement

The Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends minutes its support for endorsement by our country of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We appreciate the U.S. State Department’s solicitation of public comments. Many Quaker organizations and individuals have written in support of the Declaration which affirms the worth of indigenous peoples and the importance of addressing their particular issues and challenges.

The Declaration sets international human rights standards and promotes the principles of fundamental freedoms and equality. In keeping with our belief that there is that of God in everyone, we welcome the opportunity to include marginalized communities in the global family. As a matter of justice, the federal government should heed the plea of American Indians and Alaska Natives who have labored diligently to reverse the U.S. government’s original opposition to the Declaration.

More information available from clerk of Indian Affairs, Pat Powers patricia_r_powers@yahoo.com or Dellie James at delliej@yahoo.com

Document available at http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/en/drip.html

3.  One committee member’s concern about a proposed minute to resume financial support of FUM.  After some discussion, it became clear there was no unity among those present to allow PSSC to voice a position on this question.  There has been a history of this committee requesting release of with held funds to support specific peace building actions in Kenya, and being asked to provide input on conflict resolution among the Meeting on this issue, but at present, the committee is divided on how to respond to this minute.

4.  A new concern was brought forward for future consideration—the UN’s Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the ongoing use of rape as a weapon of war.

_____________________________________

We gathered in worship again at 5:15pm on 8-6-2010 to reconsider the changes to the letter suggested by the Meeting this morning, and again approved the rewrite committee making the suggested changes to present to tomorrow’s Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business.  The revised versions follow, one addressed to the president and one for members of the House of Representatives:

Dear Barack Obama:

We are writing to you out of our concern regarding  House Resolution 1553 which voices support for Israel to use “…all means necessary…including the use of military force” to “eliminate nuclear threats” posed by Iran. This could lead to another tragic war in the Middle East.  Your administration has revealed both its vision and its skill in forwarding peaceful solutions whenever possible.  We believe this is a critical moment for taking a stand against the use of pre-emptive violence.

As members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) we are committed to resolving conflicts through nonviolent means.  We believe there is that of God in every human being and therefore the life of every person is sacred.  We believe that war is wrong.  When you accepted the Nobel Peace Prize, you spoke of working toward peace throughout the world.   Now is the time to speak out against this misguided effort by some members of Congress, and to redouble your diplomatic efforts to resolve this situation without the use of military force.

An attack on Iran would lead to further violence.  We believe that violence intensifies animosities and leads to even more violence. The U.S. and the wider world have viable alternatives for resolving conflicts and avoiding the catastrophes of war and nuclear proliferation.  We therefore ask you to oppose House Resolution 1553, and to let your opposition be known to the Congress.  The world cannot afford, in any sense of the word, to expand the terrible wars already going on in the Middle East.  We cannot afford it in terms of human suffering, in terms of money and resources spent, in terms of the spirit and soul of all nations involved, and in terms of the earth itself.

We write to you on behalf of the Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, (Quakers).  Baltimore Yearly Meeting represents Quakers in four states and the District of Columbia.  This letter was approved in unity by members meeting in worship.

Sincerely,

Howard Fullerton, Clerk

Baltimore Yearly Meeting

Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

Dear [member of Congress]:

We are writing to you out of our concern regarding  House Resolution 1553 which voices support for Israel to use “…all means necessary…including the use of military force” to “eliminate nuclear threats” posed by Iran. This could lead to another tragic war in the Middle East.

As members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) we are committed to resolving conflicts through nonviolent means.  We believe there is that of God in every human being and therefore the life of every person is sacred.  We believe that war is wrong.     Now is the time to speak out against this misguided effort by some members of Congress, and to redouble diplomatic efforts to resolve this situation without the use of military force.

An attack on Iran would lead to further violence.  We believe that violence intensifies animosities and leads to even more violence. The U.S. and the wider world have viable alternatives for resolving conflicts and avoiding the catastrophes of war and nuclear proliferation.  We therefore ask you to oppose House Resolution 1553.

The world cannot afford, in any sense of the word, to expand the terrible wars already going on in the Middle East.  We cannot afford it in terms of human suffering, in terms of money and resources spent, in terms of the spirit and soul of all nations involved, and in terms of the earth itself.

We write to you on behalf of the Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, (Quakers).  Baltimore Yearly Meeting represents Quakers in four states and the District of Columbia.  This letter was approved in unity by members meeting in worship.

Sincerely,

Howard Fullerton, Clerk

Baltimore Yearly Meeting

Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

We also reviewed the plans for Networking Day to be held at Sandy Spring on Saturday, 9-11-2010, from 10 until 3.  Lunch will be provided by Sandy Spring’s Hospitality Committee.  Speaker in the morning is Nathan Harrington, member of Sandy Spring and public school teacher who is creating an intentional community in the Congress Heights section of Anacostia in D.C. He is one of four people who have bought a house there and work together in the community on social justice issues.  It has been publicized by announcements to June’s Interim Meeting and Annual Session, a flier will be sent out to all the Meetings for inclusion in their newsletters and announcements, and by way of the PSCCS yahoo news group and the BYM website.

This is Bill’s last meeting as clerk and member of the committee, and we expressed our heart felt thanks for his leadership during the past four years.  Brad Olgilvie from William Penn House will assume clerkship as of the end of Annual Session, and will be present at Networking Day.

In the morning we will have a presentation by Nathan Harrington, a member of Sandy Spring Friends Meeting. Nathan is creating an intentional community in the Congress Heights section of Anacostia in D.C. There are four people who have bought a house there and work together in the community on social justice issues.  He also teaches in a challenging public school in Prince George’s County.

After his talk we’ll talk about our successes and challenges.

A breakfast snack and lunch will be provided by the excellent Hospitalitarians of SSMM.

Schedule

9:00—light breakfast-bagels, juice, tea, coffee, suggested donation $3.00

10:00—Presentation by Nathan Harrington

12:00—Lunch-vegetarian chili, salad, fruit and bread, suggested donation $5.00

1:00—Networking among Meetings about dealing with issues of peace and so-cial concerns. Attenders in previous years have found this enriching and inspir-ing, learning from each other and deepening their appreciation for what they have been doing. This is not limited to Peace and Social concerns committee members, any member or attender with interest in peace and social concerns is welcome to join us

Thanks to Sandy Spring Friends for the food! Please RSVP to Ellen Atkinson, mewa42@aol.com or 301-774-3636 by Tuesday 9/7 in order to adequately plan amounts

Dear Friends:

I’ve been in Zimbabwe a little over a month but so much has happened. I feel settled in my “second home”. I’m now interim coordinator as the outgoing coordinator, David Jobson, departed to South Africa several weeks ago. We’re in the throes of a financial crisis as the training numbers this term are not what we hoped for. We’re struggling to find creative solutions to this as we’ve got some great potential here, it’s just a challenge to find a way to make it generate an income, especially in the current environment in Zimbabwe where there is too little money chasing too many goods.

I’ve made several trips to Harare, the capital and largest city in Zimbabwe, one great thing is that we managed to track down a supplier for drip irrigation parts in Harare, something that we’ve been looking for about two years. Drip irrigation is a technique that is used in dry areas, you fill up a large trash can sized container with water and then a network of plastic tubing delivers the water right to the roots of the rows of crops, it’s a very efficient way to irrigate small to medium sized plots. Hlekweni has been very successful in training rural farmers on the use of drip irrigation, often where others have failed. Drip tubing does have a 3-5 year life-span and our drip irrigation project in Gwanda is older than that. So we need to get those farmers new drip tubing as a part of wrapping up our project. After that, we’ll supply farmers with replacements but we’ll charge them at cost out of the profits they’ve made from sales of produce.
I’ve also visited the small meeting in Harare and stayed with a Hlekweni board member, Richard Knottenbelt, who is also caretaker for the meeting. His wife Pushpa is a wonderful cook and has given me a couple lessons on making Indian curries. I’m enjoying experimenting with that.
Aside from Hlekweni, I’ve been involved in a couple other projects, one of them support of a couple Primary Schools. The appeal last year for textbooks for Samathonga Primary School was quite successful and the second shipment of textbooks arrived about two months ago. Samathonga is now rated second out of 94 schools in its district, in no small part through the assistance of US Friends. In addition to the benefit of having textbooks in the classroom, it’s given a big morale booster to the staff. The other school is Lochview Primary School which is on the outskirts of Bulawayo. I got connected with Lochview because one of the teachers at Samathonga quit and went to work at Lochview. I visited him there and saw that they had many needs. It turns out that Sipho, my buddy and the chair of the Hlekweni board, used to live in that neighborhood, we visited the school together on my last trip and she knew many of the people there. So we conceived the idea of helping the school. The school called a community meeting and they determined that the most urgent need was a lunch program as many of the students are receiving little food at home, many are HIV positive and are therefore especially in need of nutrition, and some are in child-headed households. So we’ve started a lunch program at Lochview, which has been going on for a couple weeks now. The food is being purchased and delivered with the assistance of Sipho, one of the teachers is heading up the coordination, and parents are helping out with the preparation and serving of food.
We have a deaf person on staff at Hlekweni who has never been around deaf people and is illiterate, can’t talk and uses crude sign language to communicate with a few of his coworkers. He works in the garden. There’s a school for the disabled called King George the 6th school in Bulawayo (you can google it, they have a nice website) and we’ve arranged for two deaf graduates from KG6 to come to Hlekweni for training in building. We’ve asked them to help us learn sign language so that we can in turn teach our deaf employee. It’s also giving these young men from KG6 the opportunity to learn a trade which they passionately want to master. It’s also a way of mainstreaming them as they’ve been among the deaf at KG6 their whole lives. The transition to the hearing world can be a daunting challenge but these guys are up to it, they’re really quite something.
We’ve also been working on support for Innocent Muleya, a final year medical student at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Bulawayo, and his classmates. NUST has been undergoing some turmoil because the administration is trying to extract additional funds out of the students. In June, the medical students went to go take their exams and they were informed that if they didn’t pay their exam fees beforehand, they couldn’t sit the exams. Prior times, they could sit the exams and then when they paid, the university would release the results. People have no money and the students were so fed up with being jerked around that they all quit and arranged a last minute transfer to University of Zambia. So they were looking around for last minute financial support for this decision. There are more layers to this which are too much to go into here, but that’s the thumbnail version. So my friend, Dr. Del Meriwether, of the Meriwether Foundation, agreed to pay the tuition and fees for all 10 or 11 medical students and I am assisting him to a small extent in this effort as well as helping Innocent with fees for his application for a study permit and his living expenses.
Finally, I’ve been liaising with the Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ), a human rights organization dedicated to providing a safe place for Gay Zimbabweans to socialize, get support for HIV/Aids, and advocating for equal rights for GLBT. A couple months ago, the police raided the Harare office of GALZ and arrested two people, the administrative assistant and the finance person. They are up on charges of harboring pornography and insulting the president and the trials are going on now. The charge of insulting the president is based on their having a copy of a resolution supported by Willie Brown, Mayor of San Francisco and passed by the San Francisco city council, supporting Gay rights and deploring victimization based on sexual orientation. The GALZ offices were closed for about 6 weeks and although they’re reopened, people are just slowly returning. This is a case of political intimidation connected with the constitutional process. One of GALZ’s problems is a slow, and often broken website that is impossible to update. With the help of the Friends Meeting of Washington’s web guru, Vonn New, we’re working on getting an internationally hosted website that can be updated by normal, non-techy people.
So how can you help? As I mentioned before, Hlekweni is undersubscribed this term. With financial assistance, we could bring in more trainees, which would assist more people to receive training and help Hlekweni continue to be financially viable. It only costs $210 per month to sponsor a trainee. If you can help, please consider sending a check to Friends Meeting of Washington, 2111 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008, and please indicate Hlekweni Trainees on the check.

1) Looking at your committee description in the BYM Manual of Procedure: What is the most meaningful, enduring or vital part of your committee’s charge? Where is the energy, the Spirit, in it?

Our Committee sees the “charge” to “stimulate and coordinate activities of Monthly Meeting Peace and Social Concerns Commitees regarding those issues that affect the fabric of society and on which Quaker testimonies can be brought to bear,” as very important, and even vital. This is where we can be of most use to the Yearly Meeting.

2) How does the Committee seek to accomplish this vital work? What vision does this move us toward?

We attempt to do this by various means. We hold an annual networking day, where members of Monthly Meeting PSCCs can share and learn from each other. We sponsor workshops and interest groups at Yearly Meeting. We season issues for the Yearly Meeting, and often bring issues for action to its consideration. We feel we sometimes give voice to the “conscience” of the Yearly Meeting on issues involving peace and social justice.

We hope that this moves us toward a vision of a more peaceful and just world, where our Quaker testimonies are accepted and used as spiritual guidelines for society as a whole.

3) What can we do best at this level, rather than at our monthly meetings or through national or international
organizations?

We can speak with one voice, encompassing over 40 Quaker meetings in four states and District of Columbia, and (4000?) Friends, on issues of state, national, and international concern.

4) How does the work of your Committee enrich, influence, or change Baltimore Yearly Meeting as a whole? Where do you see that work taking us as a Yearly Meeting?

We support Friends as they seek to apply our testimonies to their lives, individually, and corporately.

At the 2009 Yearly Meeting gathering at Frostburg State College, Peace and Social Concerns Committee, as its contribution, asked for the views of the gathering as a whole about what they as individuals have done, or seen others do, to take away the occasion for war and what they are eager to do to promote peace and social justice.

A quick overview of the cards indicated that we are a group devoted to taking away the causes of war and to collaboration in promoting peacemaking and social justice. Many work with others and collaborate with other faiths to this end but fewer were prepared to describe ways in which they put their beliefs into action. More than half were concerned with both the Local and the International/Global framework of our current situation as citizens and seekers of truth. As a group, those attending Yearly Meeting think globally and act locally.

Almost three quarters of responses reflected a serious concern for resolution of conflicts and contributing to social justice through peaceful means. Three of the ways in which members seek peace is to value it, be activists in seeking peace, and educate for peace within the family, community, nation and world. Those attending Yearly Meeting struggle mightily for peace, since responses provided evidence they support all three.

“Actions for peace”, were reported through participation in activities to lessen local injustice, bring about change for human needs, work for peace in organized ways, and extend concern to Africa and Asia, beyond the community and nation. Education and support for conscientious objection and counterrecruitment was mentioned by activists. Most agreed that education in conflict resolution, building schools abroad, preventing the outbreak of violence and promoting reconciliation and healing contribute to take away the causes of war and require energy and dedicated teachers. Specific support for FCNL and dismay at cuts in AFSC’s scope were noted by many. Attendees emphasized the importance of sharing assets, both spiritual and material.

Concern for right relationships with others and with the community was emphasized. There is value in sharing assets, both spiritual and material. Many commit to simplicity in order to free up energy and resources and some would be willing to accept higher taxes for human needs. Many connect with those in economic distress and in need of food through local agencies. Others work on energy policy and the need for alternative sources was noted by many. Some change their own consumption habits as well as decrease use of fossil fuels for heating and transportation, shifting to public transportation. Many linked energy alternatives and environmental stewardship. Responses were very diverse but followed the theme of changing consumption and awareness of environmental protection as an essential element of stewardship for the earth.

A third of attendees expressed a need to change themselves to deal more effectively with the challenges and changes they confront in their social, economic and political life. Personal changes most frequently mentioned by respondents were: acquiring listening skills, developing sensitivity to the needs of others, and adopting simplicity as a way of living.

In summary, a wide range of perceptions indicated ways in which Yearly Meeting attenders would take away the causes of war and actively promote peace. Many dedicate their lives to build a more just society and their activism is fueled by their belief in the power of faith. Some suggestions emerge: meetings might provide opportunities to support Quaker initiatives for peace and social justice at home as well as overseas. This support could be increasing knowledge and opportunities to act, not limited to financial donations. Some may feel more empowered to collaborate in specific, local issues, whereas others will choose to devote energy to focused programs like those of AFSC and Quaker led overseas programs. Yearly Meeting itself appears to promote ties between those led in particular directions. The wide range of workshops and presentations offer opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills which enable us to participate in a rapidly changing world. For some, feelings of empowerment are enhanced with group action. Others seek to increase their effectiveness in countering the forces of violence. Ways for individuals and groups to decrease their carbon footprints, decrease energy consumption, and become stewards of the earth also seem important. The survey indicated Quakers at Yearly Meeting are considering ways to use our resources in effective ways. Sharing and networking at the Yearly Meeting level seem essential to these efforts to meet the challenges of today.

We began this past year by challenging Friends at Annual Session to consider two queries:

• What have I done, or seen others do, that takes away the occasion for war?
• Where am I most eager to put my efforts in promoting peacemaking and social justice?

The Committee asked Friends to settle into silent worship, and consider these queries. Friends were asked to write their responses, as led, on index cards which were collected by the committee at the end of session. The responses to those queries were enlightening. A member of the Committee, Joan Gildemeister, did a scholarly examination of them, and wrote an excellent summary of her findings (attached). We hope that Friends will review these, to see how they might inform the work of Monthly Meetings in peace and social justice work.

In the fall, the Committee held its annual Networking Day at Sandy Spring Friends Meeting. Mary Lord spoke to us about her own journey in peace work, and described the current situation with regard to the peace “movement.” She talked about the history and the “life cycle” of movements. We learned about frustration, and about how, in times of war, “peace folk” tend to, “get in too late, and leave too early.” This helped us understand that much of our current frustration over the seeming lack of a peace movement is due to ourselves. She told us that we can be faithful to our values, in spite of history. It was a wonderful and uplifting message that Mary gave us, which led many present to renewed optimism and understanding.

At Interim Meeting in the fall of 2009, the Committee proposed that the Yearly Meeting send a letter to President Obama, who had been announced as the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009. We wrote as Quakers, fellow recipients of the Prize, who are guided by our Peace testimony. We asked him to reduce the presence of the US military in Iraq and Afghanistan, and increase humanitarian assistance to those two war torn countries. The letter was approved by Interim Meeting, and sent to the President. Betsy Meyer, Clerk of Interim Meeting, received a written response from the President. The response made no commitment to reduce our military presence.

The Committee formed an informal sub-committee on immigration issues. It will consider what action might be appropriate for us to recommend to the Yearly Meeting on this continuing and contentious issue.

In the fall, when President Obama announced that he would send more troops to Afghanistan, the Committee responded by asking BYM monthly meetings to consider holding a Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Peace. At least five such meetings were held. An article in the Interchange spoke to the reports of those meetings. Many Friends found them helpful, in dealing with their frustration over the expansion of war.

The Working Group on Right Sharing of World Resources, which is under the care of this Committee, has been active throughout the year, making itself available for presentations at any venue. Two of the members of the Working Group, Karen Grisez and Joan Gildemeister, have produced a DVD documenting their visit to India meeting with recipients of RSWR mini-loans. This DVD is available to anyone on line at www.rswr.org.

The Committee sponsored two workshops at Annual Sessions this past year. The first was on Appreciative Inquiry, a new and refreshing way to address internal conflicts, and was led by Brad Ogilvie, of William Penn House. Brad is an excellent speaker, and an authority on Appreciative Inquiry. It was offered by the Committee to the Yearly Meeting as a possible way to move forward in our internal struggle over our relationship with Friends United Meeting. The second workshop was on the Middle East, and was led by Helena Cobban, a renowned journalist who spent many years living and working in the Middle East. Helena has an extensive range of knowledge of the area, and her two day workshop was well attended.

The work of the committee continues to grow, and all are invited to take part.