Appendix D: Wider Quaker Organization Reports

American Friends Service Committee

American Friends Service Committee -- South East Region

Friends Committee on National Legislation

Friends Committee on Outworld Relations

Friends Committee on Unity with Nature

Friends General Conference

Friends World Committee for Consultation

	Right Sharing of World Resources

	YouthQuake

Dear SAYMA Friends,

The 2000-2001 year for the American Friends Service Committee has been filled with excitement.  There is a new Executive Director who has been working for almost a year. She is Mary Ellen McNish, a member of the Byberry, Pa. Monthly Meeting. Mary Ellen has worked for many non-profit organizations including the YWCA and Planned Parenthood.  She has also been the Executive Director for Development at Cornell Medical College and New York Presbyterian Hospital and Hahneman Medical School and Hospital.  Within Quaker circles Mary Ellen was the Assistant Presiding Clerk of Friends General Conference and Clerk of their Campaign Committee.  She stated that every professional, personal and religious experience in her life had been preparing her for this role.

Since being appointed Executive Director, Mary Ellen has visited all of the Regional Offices and has visited many countries to begin to understand more fully the work of AFSC and the challenges facing the organization.  To further the process of educating herself, she has attended many of the Yearly Meetings in order to meet and appreciate the concerns of Quakers regarding their service organization.  Perhaps the most important innovation that Merry Ellen has enacted is a series of visioning retreats, one with the Board and 4 others in different areas of the country.  The last one will be just outside of Atlanta the third weekend in June.  These retreats will help establish a collective vision and allow the organization to focus its work.

Concerns which were brought to AFSC last year regarding diversity and the lack of Quaker process within the organization have been addressed by the AFSC Friends Relations Committee.  The entire organization is concerned about these issues and will continue to address them. North Carolina Yearly Meeting which brought up these issues at the last Corporation Meeting  (1999) felt comfortable with the progress being made.  At the Meeting of the Corporation, it became obvious to Jonah and Sallie that Mary Ellen McNish and the leadership of the AFSC are very interested in reinvigorating channels of communication between Yearly Meetings and the Service Committee.

The AFSC also named Carlos Esteban Mejia director of the Emergency and Material Assistance Program.  His goals for the program include connecting emergency aid and long term assistance as well as expanding volunteer opportunities. (It was interesting to note that although there have been fewer volunteer activities during the last several years, there is a summer program in Mexico for young people that has been in place for 62 years.)

At the international level the organization has started an African Initiative.  Donald Gann, Clerk of the Board and the Corporation quoted Kofi Annan when he stated that a person could walk from one coast of Africa to the other without ever being in a country that was not a war.  The initiative has just started, but it is hoped it will include education within this country as well as activities in Africa and coordination with other like minded service organizations.  There is a relative large Quaker presence in Africa because of the Quakers in Kenya and because of the activities of the British Quaker Service Organization and other Quaker Organizations.   In Angola, a civil war has been in progress for 40 years.  We actually met with several leaders of the Angola peace movement at the Corporation Meeting.  Over the past year, peace-building efforts and material relief in Angola have been two of the main goals of AFSC.  There is much interest in the African initiative; however, commitments will not be make until the visioning process is complete.

The Middle East Program and Peace Building Unit has been working with greater urgency over the last several months.  The AFSC has an on going presence in the Palestinian territories and continues to work with and support Israeli and Palestinian peace organizations.  SERO also has a Middle East Peace Education Program, which is actively seeking to educate Americans and to change US Policy regarding the sale of  arms to the Middle East.  SERO staff is willing to present information and discuss ways in which individuals in the US might become more active in supporting peace in this area.

Within SAYMA, SERO has been involved in supporting Help Increase the Peace (HIP) projects.  There are many trained leaders who are actively working with Quaker and non-Quaker youth.

There is an on going concern that SERO still does not have a regional director.  The search has been intense and there is hope that a new director will be appointed in the near future.  The interim directors have provided direction and support to the staff.

Donald Gann who has been Clerk of the AFSC Board and Corporation will be stepping down next year.  There is a search committee appointed by the Board.  We hold them in the Light as they search for an individual who is led to serve in this important role.

Jonah McDonald and Sallie Prugh attended the Corporation Meeting in November.  Jonah had attended before and Sallie was the “new person on the block” with lots to learn.  It is an honor to represent SAYMA in the way.  We look forward to continuing in this role.  In addition, Jonah has been nominated to serve a two year term on the AFSC Executive Board.  He is very excited to be taking a more intimate role within the Service Committee.

Peace,
Jonah McDonald
Sallie I. Prugh

Report to 2001 Yearly Meeting by SAYMA representatives to American Friends Service Committee, Southeastern Regional Office, Executive Committee (AFSC SERO EC)

Background:
"The American Friends Service Committee is a practical expression of the faith of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).  Committed to the principles of nonviolence and justice, it seeks in its work and witness to draw on the transforming power of love, human and divine." 
	 from Organizational Principles and Guidelines for the AFSC 6/19/94.

AFSC is a Quaker organization which promotes peace and social justice and provides humanitarian assistance. 

Structure:
The organizational structure of AFSC includes a national office in Philadelphia, international programs outside the United States and nine regions within the United States.  Most of SAYMA lies within the AFSC Southeastern Region.  For this region, the primary office is located in
Atlanta, and additional program offices are located in Miami, Florida and in High Point, North Carolina.  

All of the members of the AFSC (national) Corporation must be Friends.  The Corporation, which meets each November, appoints the AFSC Board of Directors and has the overall responsibility for AFSC.  SAYMA appoints representatives as members of the AFSC Corporation.  About half of the members of the Corporation are yearly meeting representatives; the other half are "at large," nominated by the AFSC standing nominating committee. 

SAYMA also appoints representatives to serve on the Executive Committee of the Southeastern Regional Office (SERO EC) which is empowered by the AFSC Board with responsibility for the AFSC work in this region.  Additional SERO EC Quaker yearly meeting representatives are appointed by Southeastern Yearly Meeting and both the FUM and Conservative North Carolina Yearly Meetings.  The Quaker yearly meeting representatives comprise nearly half of the SERO EC.  The remainder of the EC includes Quakers among those who are nominated as "at large" members by the SERO EC Nominating Committee, or who are nominated as representatives by SERO program committees. (SERO program committees are composed of people, including Quakers, who implement SERO programs.) The SERO EC approves the regional budget, selects programs, and sets regional policy.  The SERO EC has four weekend meetings per year which
are attended by all committee members.  Additional meetings of SERO EC sub-committee meetings are also arranged as needed.  SERO EC members serve three-year terms with a limit of six continuous years of service.

This report was prepared by the latter group, the SAYMA representative members of the SERO Executive Committee: Jeremiah Gold-Hopton has been a SAYMA representative on the SERO EC since September 2000. Jeremiah is a member of the SERO Personnel Committee (which is a SERO EC subcommittee). Daryl Bergquist has been a SAYMA representative on the SERO EC since September 1996.  Daryl has been SERO EC co-clerk and SERO representative on the AFSC (national) Board since September 1998.

Regional Programs:
The work of AFSC in SERO is carried out by 6 programs in three locations:

The Central American Political Asylum Program (CAPAP) has been providing legal assistance to El Salvadoran and Guatemalan immigrants since 1984. This past year CAPAP has begun to serve Haitian immigrants also.  CAPAP is the region's largest program, employing seven staff.  Much of CAPAP'S work is funded by grants.  The office is located in Miami and serves South
Florida.  Amada Orendain has been the managing attorney of CAPAP for since 1993.

The Emergency and Material Assistance Program (EMAP) is the oldest program in SERO.  The EMAP center in High Point, North Carolina, has been in operation for over 40 years as part of a the national AFSC program which began in 1917.  While the EMAP program is continuing to provide clothing for international relief, it is shifting its emphasis to emergency or relief kits which help people survive a crisis.  EMAP designs particular types of kits to meet specific needs by making a list of items to be included in each kit.  Then, donations of kits containing these items are solicited from Friends Meetings and the wider community.  Peggy Baxter has been the EMAP
director since August 1999.

The Orita Program has been working with youth in the High Point, North Carolina area since 1995, and Orita interns are now leading workshops in Atlanta as well. (The name "Orita" is a word from the African Yorba language meaning "crossroads".)  Orita offers a range of activities in
conflict resolution, capacity-building, participatory skill development, consumer education, and entrepreneurial skills. Interns develop and implement programs at existing community projects. Orita's Literacy and Family Advocacy program empowers women through literacy education and
leadership development to build better lives, healthier families, and stronger communities.  By intensive networking, the Orita program helps organizations and people in the community work together to meet community needs.  Ann Lennon has been the Orita director since 1994.

The SERO Middle East Peace Education Program (MEPEP) was started in 1976.This program, which is based in the Atlanta office, focuses primarily on the Israeli-Arab conflict, particularly in relation to Israel and the Palestinians.  Recent work has also included education about the humanitarian crisis brought on by the economic sanctions on Iraq and concern for regional disarmament.  The program works to build support for resolving conflicts nonviolently as well as to inform people of the historical, social, political, economic, and cultural situations in the Middle East. The ultimate goal of MEPEP is to build community that brings together people of different backgrounds to support peace efforts and promotes a deeper understanding of the conflicts, then leading towards comprehensive peace in the Middle East. Ilise Cohen has been MEPEP director since 1995. 

The Southern Africa Peace Education Program (SAPEP) began in 1977 and is based in Atlanta.  Since the end of apartheid, the SAPEP emphasis has been on the deep economic and social justice issues facing the people of southern Africa.  The program educates and provides access to information for citizens in the southern U.S. about southern Africa and about what the desired role and policies of the US government is in southern Africa. The program encourages contacts between southern African peoples and American citizens, and the program works with African immigrant communities in the U.S.  Current work includes two AFSC-wide projects: AFSC support of the United Nations World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination,
Xenophobia and Related Intolerance; and the AFSC Africa Initiative.  Tejan Muata began as the SAPEP director in May 2001.

The Help Increase the Peace (HIP) Program, which is SERO's newest program, is also based in Atlanta. The SERO HIP Program began in 1998 as an expansion of the growing nationwide AFSC HIP network.  HIP is a modification of the successful Alternatives to Violence Program (AVP) for prison inmates developed by Quakers in 1975.  HIP uses the participatory group processes and philosophies of AVP in teaching conflict resolution skills to youth. HIP helps youth examine the root causes of violence in their lives and in their communities.  HIP also promotes and facilitates tolerance, alternatives to violence, and community building for middle and high school aged youth.  HIP currently has a grant for conducting an intensive two-year program with the students at Decatur High School (in metro Atlanta), and a grant for promoting HIP throughout Georgia for six months.  Benita Thompson has been the HIP director since 2000.

Staff Changes:
The sudden death in April of Winston Borge has been a shock.  As SERO's  accountant and business manager, Winston touched each of our lives, and he knit the region together in many ways.  For seven years, Winston kept SERO's finances in order, computers functioning, and morale up.  Winston's smile and laughter enlivened us all.  Winston and Ligia immigrated from Nicaragua to the U.S., where they were married and their children Lilliam and Winston,
Jr. were born.  Winston found solace in the mid-week Quaker worship at the Atlanta SERO office.  He developed an appreciation for Friends practices and processes through serving on and working with AFSC committees.  Memorial services for Winston were held at Atlanta Meeting, Southeastern Yearly Meeting, and this past weekend at the combined SERO staff and executive
committee retreat.  We celebrate his life, and we miss him.  

On May 14, 2001, Tejan Muata began as Program Director for SERO's Southern Africa Peace Education Program.  She has over 20 years of organizing, educational development, training and human rights experience both domestically and internationally.  She spent 10 years with the Peace Corps in the Inter-American Region, and in Africa,  including Burkina Faso and Togo.  She has over 10 years experience working with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), including coordinating a Francophone training program and directing an HBCU Study Abroad Resource Network.  As director of AFSC's only regional Southern Africa program, Tejan is taking a lead role in coordinating SERO's participation in the proposed AFSC Africa Initiative.

Marie-Georges Jean joined the Miami based Central American Political Asylum Program (CAPAP) in January.  In her role as outreach representative, she is helping CAPAP serve Haitian immigrants.   Originally from Port Au Prince, Haiti, Marie-Georges has been living in the U. S. for the past twenty years, and she has been working in immigration law for fifteen years.

Sandra Alvarado left the CAPAP staff at the end of May.  For the past three years Sandra assisted elderly and disabled immigrants who needed medical waivers in order to obtain citizenship.  She resigned from CAPAP in order to continue her education.   Her commitment to serving others has been fostered through her work with AFSC.  We are hoping she continues her connection with SERO by becoming the CAPAP program committee representative to the SERO
Executive Committee.

Bryan Hudson joined the staff of the Help Increase the Peace (HIP) program at the beginning of 2001.  She is serving for a six-month period as HIP outreach coordinator for Georgia.  Bryan's work has been enhanced by her knowledge of Friends, her connections with Friends Meetings, and her previous experience as a HIP trainer, volunteer with the program, and clerk
of the HIP program committee. The HIP Program is seeking funding to continue Bryan's work.

At the end of January, 2001, Frank Cummings ended his one year term as SERO's interim regional director and went to El Salvador.  Frank brought stability, open communication, and healing to the region.  Frank's position as interim regional director has been filled by Bert Skellie, who is another seasoned Friend from Atlanta Meeting.  Bert has served as clerk of both
SAYMA and of Atlanta Meeting.  Bert is guiding the region through its period of transition until a long-term regional director is hired.  We expect this transition to be completed by Fall 2001.

SERO Strategic Planning:
SERO engaged in a strategic planning process, which included soliciting input from various constituencies.  This input included queries, which were sent to all the monthly meetings in the region.  AFSC staff, committee members, and corporation members gathered for weekend meetings on November 19-20, 1999 and January 8-9, 2000 and developed a plan.  Three areas were identified for immediate attention: Growing into a Healthy SERO Community, Building Programs for a Just World, and Cultivating Community Support.  Task groups were formed to carry out the work in each of these areas.  Each person who was present at the meeting joined one of these task groups. 
The Growing into a Healthy SERO Community task group has undertaken a survey to gauge the current state of health of the region and to identify areas of current need.  Although the results of the survey are not yet in, as your representatives we can tell you based on our observations and feelings that SERO has come a long way toward its goal of growing into a healthy community.  When SERO staff and executive committee met the weekend before SAYMA at a conference center in Live Oak, Florida, we had a relaxed, and productive time together.  We celebrated Winston Borge's life, and we shared our appreciation with Sandra Alvarado for her work with us.  In an open and caring way, we discussed difficult issues such as the process of program
termination and how to incorporate racial justice into our programs and into our lives.  We enjoyed each other's company while we ate, played, worked and had unprogrammed Quaker meetings for worship together. 

National and SERO staff and SERO committee members have worked together to revise SERO's Program Development and Evaluation Plans with the related goals both of helping current programs evolve in the direction of priorities based on SERO's strategic planning work and of making the manual clear and user-friendly.  The process of the final writing of the first draft has been handed to the members of the SERO EC Program Committee.  The EC Program Committee will season the document and present it to the SERO Executive Committee for review and final approval.

SERO staff and committee members have worked together to produce the SERO Star, a newsletter for the region's constituents.  Copies of the first issue were sent to each monthly meeting in SERO, and many of SERO's donors.  A second issue is in process. An ongoing SERO communication and fundraising committee has been established.  This committee will include staff, EC members, and other people who have skills and interest in the work.

AFSC National:
SERO is part of the larger AFSC organization, so changes at the national level greatly affect the region.  As the new General Secretary for AFSC, Mary Ellen McNish is leading the organization toward becoming more focused, efficient, and effective.  She has reorganized the national office
structure, by delegating responsibility and significantly reducing the number of staff members who report directly to her.  This will enable her to be present in the wider world, including among Friends.  

Mary Ellen is leading the organization in a series of Spirit-led visioning retreats in a process of discerning priorities and focus for AFSC.  These sessions will occur at 5 different locations, including the weekend after SAYMA in Atlanta.  Results of this process will come to the AFSC (national) Board at its September meeting for action. The AFSC Board will meet in a special session for board evaluation the day before its regular June meeting at Pendle Hill.  Developing a stronger, more effective Board is one of Mary Ellen's priorities. 

The AFSC Board has been working to build a more unified organization, where units and programs work together in a synergistic way, using the talents and experience of each to inform and assist the others, and to develop and realize more fully the immense potential of this Spirit-led Quaker organization.  The Board has designated funds for the purpose of establishing short-term programs where different AFSC programs and units work together.  The first program being developed under these guidelines is the Africa Initiative, in which SERO with our Southern Africa Peace Education Program may well be taking a leading role, including the possibility of hosting a national gathering for developing the program proposal.

Summary:
It is our sense that AFSC SERO is alive and well and doing good Quakerly work in the world.  This sense is shared by all of the Quaker representatives to SERO (from SAYMA and other yearly meetings), even though many of us originally came to serve on the SERO Executive Committee because of the serious concerns which we had for the health of the organization,
because of what we had heard among Friends about AFSC.  It is with a great deal of pleasure and relief that we are able to give this report to you with this positive conclusion.

Daryl Bergquist  and  Jeremiah Gold-Hopton
6/6/01

The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) 

At last annual meeting of the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) in November, 2000, several former Representatives and staff of current Representatives complimented FCNL for our work.  They appreciate having a lobby group that speaks not from self-interest but from a spiritual base.  They encouraged us to keep working for peace and justice because there are too few voices advocating peace and justice in Washington.  

What did FCNL work on last year?  FCNL worked 
to promote global security, 
to shift budget priorities away from military spending and toward meeting human needs, 
to reduce the disparity between rich and poor, and 
to advocate on behalf of Native Americans.

Was there any progress?  Yes.  In particular 
Congress approved significant increases in spending for debt relief for the poorest countries and to support the struggle against AIDS and tuberculosis in Africa and elsewhere.
Congress agreed to pay US dues to the UN in full for this year.
Proposed funding cuts to children’s health care were blocked.
US nuclear weapons testing was temporarily stopped.

Is there more to do?  There certainly is.  At the meeting in November the hardest task we faced was narrowing down the list of priorities on which staff and activists should work.  After much prayerful consideration in meeting for business and work by the program committee and others outside of the business sessions, we did set priorities for the next two years (2001-2002).  That document is at the end of this report.

We need your help.  FCNL needs Friends to educate themselves on the issues, to write, call and/or meet with their Representatives and Senators, and to support FCNL with monetary help.  Charles Clive is helping on the Field Committee and would be interested in talking with Friends about lobbying their representatives.  Joe Taylor is helping on the Development Committee and would be interested in talking to those who would like to help FCNL monetarily and in other ways.  Or if you’d like to learn more about FCNL on your own, check out the web site www.fcnl.org. We have seen over the years that people in Washington can have a change of heart.  But it takes each of us doing our part.  

Charles Clive and Joe Taylor

Legislative Priorities for 107th Congress

The Friends Committee on National Legislation seeks to bring spiritual values to bear on public policy decisions. In a political atmosphere that has become increasingly partisan, we challenge ourselves to bring a witness of love to those we encounter in our political work. During the 107th Congress, we will promote dialogue and cooperation on the important issues facing our country. We hope that this dialogue will help create a greater sense of responsibility for good government. We will promote Quaker values of mutual respect, integrity, and a spirit of cooperation. 

FCNL has selected the following priorities on which to work during the 107th Congress:
Promote arms control and disarmament initiatives and oppose the expansion of military alliances 
Promote nonviolent dispute resolution and the peaceful prevention of armed conflict and genocide, through the United Nations and appropriate governmental and non-governmental organizations 
Shift budget priorities away from military spending and toward providing for human needs and a healthy environment at home and abroad 
Address economic, social, and racial disparity through such measures as adequate, comprehensive, and universal health care; progressive taxation; affirmative action; educational opportunities; a living wage; affordable housing; and assistance for and empowerment of the most vulnerable of society 
Reform the criminal justice system, emphasizing the principles of restorative justice and crime prevention, and eliminate the death penalty. 
FCNL will continue Friends' long-standing witness for the rights of conscience, and our historic commitments to Native American advocacy and to ending institutional racism. FCNL also will respond to Friends' concerns about the environment, as way opens. 
FCNL staff will work on these issues based on legislative opportunity, specific expertise and leadings, and time available. FCNL staff and Policy Committee have the flexibility, within the Statement of Legislative Policy, to respond to crises and important legislative opportunities. 
The General Committee calls upon its members, other Friends, and like-minded people to work on these issues. In addition to the issues which FCNL has the resources to address, many other deeply-held concerns will continue to receive attention from individual Friends, Monthly Meetings and Churches, Yearly Meetings, and other Quaker organizations. As we work to find solutions to complex problems, Friends seek divine guidance and ask for renewed strength and hope.

Approved by the General Committee, November 12, 2000

Friends Committee on Outworld Relations (FCOR)
SECOND ANNUAL REPORT TO SAYMA   JUNE 2001

Friends Committee on Outworld Relations (FCOR) continues to operate within SAYMA and FGC. The organization came into being in 1994, due to one Friend's conviction that our Earth has been visited for some time by extraterrestrial beings, with recent visits increasing in number and frequency. Coupled to this, other recent developments may compel us to face this reality, incorporating it as a significant factor in our thoughts and actions. 

Credible people throughout the world continue to frequently report encountering these visitors and seeing their ships. Some of the encounters take the form of visits to the homes of certain humans, or apparent bodily transportation to another place, usually an ET ship. Sightings of the visitors' ships by airplane pilots - sometimes uncomfortably close - add to the evidence. Up to now, news media and government have pursued a policy of ignoring and denial, which is why many people do not believe the visitors are real. This state of affairs may change before long, as will be explained presently. 

Shortage of personnel and lack of available time have caused FCOR to be rather inactive during the past year. However, the usual activities were pursued at the FGC Gathering at Rochester NY in the summer of 2000. A display table was set up, and a substantial amount of literature taken from it. The usual souvenir pins were offered, and about thirty sold. Six copies of Steven Greer's book were also sold: Extraterrestrial Contact; The Evidence and Implications. This is still offered as a meaningful statement of the present situation with the visitors. At Rochester, the usual signaling and watch demonstration could not be carried out because of the highly urbanized setting. The usual evening Interest Group was set up and conducted, attended by five people. FCOR considered the sparse attendance to be due at least in part to the remoteness of the assigned room. 
	
After the FGC Gathering, two more issues of the FCOR Newsletter were published, and then a temporary suspension announced. Resumption is scheduled for June 2001. It is encouraging to note that the Quaker Collection of Haverford College Library is anxious to continue receiving the newsletter, interruption or no. FCOR will continue to mail the newsletter to about 60 readers, and will be glad to add more Friends to this list on request. 

Another activity still in the future is an FCOR website. That, also, must await the availability of more work hours. 

As this report is being written, unfolding events may justify FCOR in maintaining a holding pattern. On May 9, 2001, a press conference is scheduled at the National Press Club in Washington DC. This will be the culmination of a long effort by The Disclosure Project, a group assembled by Steven Greer, Director of the Center for Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence (CSETI), and author of the book just mentioned. This news conference will feature a number of former military people plus some civilians, including scientists, who in past years have worked in classified projects on crashed or downed ET ships and their unfortunate occupants. These people have decided to take the risk of reporting developments hitherto kept secret. The information to be divulged relates to back-engineered ET technology: anti-gravity, and unlimited energy obtained by non-polluting geomagnetic science. Advance reports from the Disclosure Project state that working models now exist that perform these functions. Assuming these declarations are true, Friends will see the advent of social and economic turmoil unlike any of past experience. 
FCOR is already confronted with varying experiences and points of view of reputable UFOlogists. Doubt and tension may be standard fare for some time to come. One instance is the different point of view seen in the accounts of Steven Greer and John E. Mack, author of the recent book Passport to The Cosmos. Greer confidently builds his case on accounts of proactive outreach to visitors who offer warm friendship. John Mack, through his telling of hypnotic regression case histories, depicts a society of visitors who, while seeming to desire ultimate friendship and cooperation with humans, are unilateral and invasive in dealing with those humans they lay hold of, causing psychic trauma and upset. Some experiencers, however, change over later to a feeling of support and gratitude, with overtones of acquired environmental responsibility. Differences of this sort indicate clearly that FCOR must continue to seek out Truth. 
	
Appended to this report is a book list that Friends may find useful. Informational material for table displays is also available, plus a small selection of videos to loan. 
	
FCOR will continue to strive to be on hand and ready when Friends in large numbers recognize a need to address the challenge of citizenship in the Universe. If present developments take a favorable turn, that time could come soon.

Philip Neal, Coordinator, FCOR
2 Lookout Road
Asheville NC 28804 
828-298-0944
fcor@main.nc.us

FCUN Representative Report to Yearly Meeting – 2001

Friends Committee on Unity with Nature has continued to evolve in the last year. In an effort to become more inclusive for the North American community of Friends, a re-structuring is taking place. The FCUN bylaws are being changed to expand the steering committee from 25 to 50 members. Yearly meeting representatives will automatically become members of the steering committee, and at-large members will be named as needed. The executive committee will also be expanded to include the committee clerks as well as the four officers. These and other changes will provide for better representation and an influx of fresh ideas and faces.

Quaker Eco-Witness, which was formed independently early last year, has become a project of FCUN. QEW has been working to inform Friends (from a Friends’ perspective) of public policy issues related to the environment. This is being accomplished by regular issues of Quaker Eco-Bulletin and QEW News, and occasional Friendly Eco-Action Alerts. QEW now informs a national network of 350 Friends as well as the membership of FCUN. But QEW’s main efforts have been to work within the Friends community in the U.S. and with Friends Committee on National Legislation to enable FCNL to include legislative priorities relating to "an earth restored...." We feel we have been successful in this effort. QEW coordinators participated in the FCNL annual meeting last November and helped determine priorities for the 107th Congress. For the first time, FCNL legislative priorities include the word, “environment.” Not just once, but twice. 

The FCUN Population Concerns Committee has been active with the release of  new brochures on sexuality, abortion, and immigration, and has published a new book, “Population is People.” This book is a collection of articles by many different Friends on various aspects of the population concern. It is available either from FCUN or the yearly meeting bookstore.

Finally, FCUN has a website. Please take some time to visit www.FCUN.org. And to become part of the QEW network, send a message to QEW@FCUN.org.

Respectfully submitted,

Kim Carlyle
SAYMA FCUN Representative 

Sixth Month, 2001
Friends General Conference Report to SAYMA

FGC is a Quaker Organization in the unprogrammed tradition of the Religious Society of Friends which primarily served affiliated yearly and monthly meetings. FGC is governed by a Central Committee composed of 170 Friends, one-half of whom are appointed by affiliated yearly and monthly meetings. Friends, FGC Committees, FGC Staff and others have participated in an exciting and meaningful year.
	The FGC Nurturing Quakerism Campaign has raised about $1.5 million toward its $2.0 million goal.  The Campaign is supporting the FGC Traveling Ministries Program, the new Young Quakes Conferences, an expanded FGC Regional Conferences Program, and other new services in religious education and publications, including FGC's presence on the World Wide Web.  At its heart the Campaign is about strengthening meetings and following the leadings of the Spirit. Most of the funds received so far have come from individuals spread throughout FGC's fourteen affiliated yearly meetings.  As of the end of last fiscal year, individual SAYMA Friends had made gifts totaling approximately $50,000 to the FGC Campaign.  FGC is now approaching monthly meetings for a one-time special gift to the Campaign, and such investments in the future of Quakerism can be spread over several years. FGC will be contacting all meetings within the next six months and we hope SAYMA meetings will respond with generous commitments to FGC's work
	The Traveling Ministries Program--initiated in 1998--has become an extremely important and successful program of FGC.  In 2 1/2 years, the TMP has coordinated visits to more than 100 monthly meetings and worship groups in North America and Canada--including meetings in every one of our fourteen affiliated yearly meetings and all three independent western unprogrammed yearly meetings.  Almost all of these visits have been done by VOLUNTEERS. More than forty seasoned Friends have volunteered to be available to make such trips.  A few have traveled for several weeks or more at a stretch, spending substantial time with a number of meetings and worship groups in a particular area.  The TMP has also hosted a consultation on discerning and nurturing gifts of ministry for which affiliated yearly meetings appointed experienced Friends to attend, and a retreat for Friends who are traveling on behalf of FGC.  Both of these events were held at a retreat center near Nashville, Tennessee, and Penelope Wright was instrumental in arranging for and supporting both.
	FGC has expanded its work with young people.  In October, the Religious Education Program will hold the third in a series of annual "Young Quakes Conferences."  These provide an opportunity for serious study and discussion of both the Christian and universalist roots of contemporary unprogrammed Quakerism.  The first was held in 1999 in Maryland, the second in 2000 in Illinois, and this year's will be in Burlington, New Jersey.  FGC continues to provide very successful programs for young people at the Annual Gathering and also provides an annual week-end of training in clerking skills for several high school students as they prepare to clerk meetings for business in the Gathering's High School Program.
	FGC is committed to working with meetings and individual Friends to consider ways in which we persist in racist attitudes and behaviors. During the past three years, FGC's Central Committee has devote substantial time during its annual meeting to discussions and training sessions on racism and diversity within our Religious Society.  At its meeting of Fourth Month 27-29, 2001, FGC's Executive Committee, responding to a report from its new Committee for Ministry on Racism, minuted in part:   "We see FGC's work against racism as ministry--ministry to Friends and meetings.  Our work will include preparing individually and corporately for this ministry, as well as carrying it out.  At the center of our vision is divine love.  We see our work, and the work of FGC, as healing and transforming in the deepest spiritual sense.  FGC's work in this area should be characterized most by empowerment, not guilt..." Several FGC committees are involved in preparing work in this area.
	In the past few years, FGC has created several new and improved vehicles for communicating with Friends and meetings.  The FGC web site, at www.fgcquaker.org, is one of the best Quaker websites available in North America.  It includes extensive information, several hundred helpful articles and how-to guides that can be downloaded, printed and distributed in meetings, and on-line ordering service with the FGC Bookstore.  The FGC Newsletter comes out three times per year; each issue focuses on a specific concern, and any Friend can subscribe for free.
	With substantial grant income, the FGC Bookstore was able to purchase a powerful new computer/software system that has greatly simplified bookstore management and planning.  With this new system and very capable Bookstore staff, almost all phone and on-line orders are turned around within 24 hours of receipt.
	The "Quaker Press of FGC" is the new name for FGC's Publications Program. Several new books and pamphlets have been published.  A new edition of the "Directory for Traveling Friends" is in the works.
	Plans for the FGC Gathering in Blacksburg, Virginia, are nearing completion.  Nearly 1900 Friends from all over North America, and ranging in age from birth through at least 90, are expected to participate in this week of learning, sharing, worshiping, playing and fellowship.  Of this number,  approximately 450 will be children and teens.

John Geary, S Representative to FGC
Major contributors: Bruce Birchard & Michael Wajda

Friends Word Committee for Consultation
20th Triennial Meeting
July 22-30, 2000
Geneva Point, New Hampshire

Friends: a people called to listen, gathered to seek, sent forth to serve

Friends, 260 in number from 40 countries, came to worship and share together. We listened to what our Friends from around the world had to share: 

Our Russian Friend who is struggling to introduce the concept of God to a generation who have been raised atheist.

Our African Friends who each one had family members die of HIV/AIDS and know others who are living with this pandemic.

Our Guatemalan Friend who has begun radio broadcasts from a tower he and his Friends built.

Our Burundi Friend who needs help keeping their children from being sent to fight the wars of adults. 

Our Ugandan Friend who is principal of a Friend's school of 1,800 students with 13 teachers.

But along with listening to the pain in the world we also heard of those who have willing gone forth to serve:

The International Membership Committee now has in its care 57 individual members whom they keep in touch with mainly through correspondence and newsletters.

Philip Jenks who brought greetings to us on behalf of the 337 member communions of the World Council of Churches. Also our own Simon Lamb of Ireland who delivered the plenary address reminding us that listening has remained a major practice throughout Quaker history. He feels we cannot go out into service if we have not clearly heard the voice of God giving us direction but that listening without commitment can make us useless to God and to those God wishes us to serve.

Gwen Gosney-Erickson will act as an initial coordinator for a world gathering of young adult Friends being planned for 2003 and YM's are encouraged to appoint young adult Friends as representatives to FWCC.

We also held Interest Groups some of which led to action minutes brought forward on:

Peace Team work, population, Quaker work at the United Nations, clean water, human rights of children, year of Jubilee 2000, spiritual hands on healing among Friends, joining together to control the arms trade, and our relationship to science and technology.

The 21st Triennial will be held in January of 2004 in Auckland, New Zealand.

Respectfully submitted by Kathleen Burke and Rachel Weir, SAYMA representatives to FWCC

	Right Sharing of World Resources is growing as an independent organization.  It is exciting to be on the board as we work to strengthen the two arms of RSWR’s ministry—our grant making and educational work—in the coming year. We recently revised our budget upward by $50,000. The number of approved projects for 2001 is 47, totaling $197,990. This is a 140% increase over the amount disbursed during RSWR’s first year of autonomy. We will continue to approve grants at both spring and fall meetings.  The increased resources have allowed the funding of additional self-help projects and program staff (necessitated by our increased work in the world). This spring two grants totaling $5,750, for two special projects and grants, totaling $98,075, for 24 new projects were approved. I have been working with activists in the Himalayas for the past three winters and was excited that I was able to help them write a meaningful proposal for the people with whom they have been working and then get approval for it.  I hope to take a small group to visit this project and our more numerous projects in the South in December. 
	As much as anything, RSWR’s work is to help us all consider life in a different way. It is our mission to point people toward the abundance of God’s love, to consider the equitable use and distribution of world resources, and to build a new kind of community through a web of partnerships established around the world. We are working to be a vehicle by which Friends transform—not only their view of reality—but reality itself. An Education Coordinator will be engaged for 15 hours per week. The function of this position is to enhance the RSWR education ministry among Friends. An Administrative Assistant will be engaged for 7½ hours per week. The function of this position is to release the General Secretary for program development and fund raising activities. I, in addition to other board members, however, feel that activated volunteers are the backbone of both our education and fundraising.
	Martin Kunz, a German Friend living in London, who is deeply involved with the Fair Trade movement in Europe, joined the spring board meeting in Evanston.  RSWR is very interested in finding concrete ways to support and further the fair trade movement in the United States. At both board meetings we affirmed RSWR’s interest in funding projects with Friends in Kenya. We are actively seeking a satisfactory link.
	The RSWR website is now at <www.rswr.org>.  Electronic communication should still be sent to rswr@earthlink.net.  Our income from individuals and total income is slightly below a year ago, so if you haven’t contributed seeing the surplus in the fall, now is the time so that we will be able to fund the additional level of projects at our meeting in October.
	The Board engaged in a 3-hour visioning process.  Many themes arose from this.  The foremost was the particular mission of RSWR as a Quaker organization, mostly trying to focus on meetings, helping Quakers unite economic and spiritual values with regard to our relationship with people in the less developed world.  Our education mission should focus on activating Quakers into the transformative relationship that occurs when we know and care about people beyond our borders in tangible ways – creating encounters and animation.

Geeta McGahey, RSWR board member and SAYMA contact

RSWR
3960 Winding Way		   	513.281.4401 -voice
Cincinnati, OH 45229-1950		513.281.4340 - fax
rswr@earthlink.net

God calls us to the right sharing of world resources, from the burdens of materialism and poverty into the abundance of God's love, to work for equity through partnerships with our sisters and brothers throughout the world.

YouthQuake Planning Committee Report, June 2001

Dear Friends,
	My participation in the YouthQuake Planning Committee has been invaluable.  I have learned a great deal about the skills needed, the tasks to be completed, and other essentials for planning a large conference.  I was part of a unique and important spiritual community of Friends from widely different places on the spectrum.  YouthQuake itself went swimmingly; long-time committee members said it was the best one they'd ever seen.  Some committee members think it went so well because the attendance was smaller; others think it went well because each yearly meeting took great care in selecting Young Friends that were truly prepared and ready for this challenging conference.  Our last meeting this March was spent evaluating YouthQuake 2000, as well as writing the mission statement for YouthQuake 2003 (a copy of this should have been sent to SAYMA along with an invitation to re-join the Planning Committee).  The site for YouthQuake 2003 will be Estes Park, Colorado.  
	After my three-year experience with the Planning Committee, I am of two minds about whether SAYMA should re-join.  If SAYMA wishes to send another representative, I would encourage it, especially if a Young Friend (maybe one even younger than me when I began on the committee at 17) is called in this direction.  I think my singular presence as a younger person truly influenced the committee and the way things went at YouthQuake.  There was more up-front, on-the-stage participation by young people than ever before because a more conscious effort was made by the Planning Committee.  I do not believe another Yearly Meeting has the courage of SAYMA to let young people do this kind of thing; there is great distrust among many adults for Quaker youth.  We can continue to be a leader among Friends in this way; it is truly important.
	On the other hand, I can understand if SAYMA wishes to discontinue participation on the Planning Committee.  It costs a great deal of money to send a representative.  Registration and travel money for the Young Friends is also prohibitively expensive.  There were three SAYMA folks at the last YouthQuake: Jess Purvis (adult), Rooney Lamm (Young Friend), and myself.  The amount of money SAYMA has spent to get only one Young Friend to this event can be seen as poor stewardship of funds.  SAYMA can continue to send participants to YouthQuake 2003 even if we choose not to send a representative to the Planning Committee.  We will not be able to influence the planning of the event as a result, which is a loss.  It is clear, however, that most of SAYF is not interested in such an extremely Christ-centered event.  If SAYMA chooses not to send a representative to the YouthQuake Planning Committee, I encourage the Yearly Meeting to place their effort and resources in Young Quakes, an event begun whose seed was planted by Baltimore Meeting and is now under the care of the Religious Education Committee of the  Friends General Conference.  Young Quakes takes place this year on October 5-8 (Columbus Day Weekend); the registration fee is only around $85 and it is located in New Jersey this year.  Young Quakes is designed as a less shocking exploration of Quaker Christian roots.  The Young Friends who attend are primarily FGC-types; some come to the event and decide not to go to YouthQuake, while others find their curiosity sparked and do attend YouthQuake.  Perhaps this is where SAYMA's energy should be; it is a conference that can open people in SAYMA to exploring the Christian roots of Quakerism without being in quite so uncomfortable a setting.
	I have truly appreciated the opportunity SAYMA has provided for me.  I look forward to serving the Yearly Meeting in further ways.

   -Priscilla Ewen
    Atlanta Friends Meeting
    Guilford College