Meeting for Sufferings February 2011

At a Meeting for Sufferings
held in London
5 February 2011

S/11/02/ 1: Worship

Section 24.60 of Quaker faith & practice has been read in our opening worship, and we have remembered a former member of this meeting who recently died.

S/11/02/ 2: Reflection on our last meeting

We have reflected on issues considered at our last meeting.

S/11/02/ 3: Clerk of BYM Trustees report

Jonathan Fox, clerk of Britain Yearly Meeting Trustees, has reported on the meeting of Trustees held on 4 February 2011.

The Courtauld House lease has been surrendered, rents have been received, and the property is now vacant. A new lease of 125 years has been agreed which will be signed shortly.

The project for refurbishing the Large Meeting House will be drawn up by architects and considered by the Trustees in July 2011. The decision will then be taken whether to proceed with the project.

The Trustees have worked closely with the Acting Recording Clerk and Management Meeting to sustain the momentum of the central work following the resignation of Gillian Ashmore. We are grateful to staff for their willingness to undertake additional workloads in this period.

Some of the work in future will be taken forward by project teams. Cross-departmental work will be developed, and the Review Group report already guides the thinking on working relationships and methods of working.

Jonathan Fox has answered our questions:

On the development of Friends House by increasing the number of storeys:
This is an idea previously considered but was not central to our main objectives. The cost would have prohibited other work.
On the timing of our sale of BP shares, and the financial loss incurred:
The investments of Britain Yearly Meeting are in the care of an Investment Group answerable to Quaker Finance & Property Central Committee. Trustees are considering this delegated authority, and Trustees may be more closely and immediately involved in investment decisions.

Jonathan recognised our request for more easily understood minutes, and welcomed the reporting on Trustees' work to our area meetings.

The Acting Recording Clerk answered a question about the use of unpaid volunteers who undertake extra tasks, like mailing. We are aware that volunteers may not undertake work which is the responsibility of paid staff.
We are grateful to the Trustees for the responsible and careful way they conduct the work of BYM.

S/11/02/ 4: Boycott, divestment and sanctions (Israel/Palestine)

Further to minute S/10/12/8 ii a) of our meeting on 4 December 2010, we have received paper S/11/02/A comprising this minute and a paper prepared by Marigold Bentley, Assistant General Secretary of Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW), together with the Kairos Palestine Document A moment of truth (S/11/02/B), and the Quaker Council for European Affairs Discussion Paper entitled Responses to the call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (S/11/02/C).

Marigold Bentley has introduced this paper, which suggests that Meeting for Sufferings may wish to consider a number of actions in response to the request received from the Palestinian Churches in support of the campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions.

We need a spiritual faith-based response as we struggle between how the world is and how we want it to be.

We need to find strategies to challenge the violence and work to end it. We have strongly expressed our pain and outrage.

We want to change hearts and minds, and know that words, or actions, or both are needed.

Britain Yearly Meeting through Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) is already advocating boycott of settlement goods. It has advocated appropriate labelling of goods from the illegal settlements.

We are in unity in supporting EAPPI and its work on the issue of proper labelling of settlement products. We encourage Friends to study the subject of economic boycott using the documents we have had today. We ask them to consider further what action may be possible in our local and area meetings, recognising that there needs to be a 'challenge to political systems that deny the equality of Israeli Jews and Palestinians' (quote from open letter sent by Sandra Tamari to American Friends Service Committee ).

S/11/02/ 5: Minutes & Correspondence:

i Area Meeting Minutes

a) North Somerset & Wiltshire AM: new arrangements
Further to minute S/10/12/8 I c) of 4 December 2010, we receive minute 7 of North Somerset & Wiltshire Area Meeting held 16 January 2011 concerning the renaming of North Somerset & Wiltshire Area Meeting and formation of a new North Somerset Area Meeting for Western Local Meetings (paper S/11/02/mc i a).

We note the preparations for these new arrangements that have been put in place, and agree that as from this meeting, the name of North Somerset & Wiltshire Area Meeting will change to West Wiltshire & East Somerset Area Meeting, and its constituent local meetings, Claverham, Clevedon, Sidcot and Weston-super-Mare will form a new North Somerset Area Meeting.

We wish our Friends well as they implement these changes.

b) North Wales Area Meeting: Quaker concern for the abolition of
torture
We receive minute 8 of North Wales Area Meeting held 18 January 2011 concerning the Quaker concern for the abolition of torture (paper S/11/02/mc i b).

c) Wirral & Chester Area Meeting: Quaker concern for the abolition of
torture
We receive minute 11.19 of Wirral & Chester Area Meeting held 16 January 2011 concerning the Quaker concern for the abolition of torture (paper S/11/02/mc i d).

Further to minutes S/08/09/2 of 6 September 2008, and S/09/02/9 ii b) of 7 February 2009, we note that Quaker Peace & Social Witness Central Committee has responsibility for practical support for the Quaker Concern for the Abolition of Torture (Q-CAT) in its current initiatives.

We are grateful for the steadfast commitment of Friends from Bristol, North Wales and Wirral & Chester Area Meetings to Q-CAT and its work on behalf of Britain Yearly Meeting, and endorse the proposals for Q-CAT, which works to the area meetings that this concern was delegated to, to work with other churches and appropriate bodies in developing initiatives on this issue. We ask Q-CAT to liaise with the Quaker Committee for Christian & Interfaith Relations, which has the responsibility for work with other churches and faiths for Britain Yearly Meeting, through the staff link.

d) Southern East Anglia Area Meeting: How we speak out
We receive minute S/11/02/mc I c Southern East Anglia Area Meeting held 16 January 2011 concerning How we speak out (S/11/02/ mc i c).

We forward this minute to Quaker Communications Central Committee for their consideration and advice.

S/11/02/ 6: Meeting for Sufferings draft Annual Report

Further to minute S/10/12/06 of 4 December 2010, the clerk has introduced the revised draft of the proposed Annual Report of Meeting for Sufferings for 2010 (paper S/11/02/D).

We approve this draft, subject to amendments made in the light of our consideration today. The final version is to be forwarded to Yearly Meeting 2011, and circulated to members of Meeting for Sufferings for information.

S/11/02/ 7: Yearly Meeting 2011 agenda

Chris Skidmore, clerk of Yearly Meeting Agenda Committee has informed us of the plans for the agenda for Yearly Meeting 2011 focusing around the theme of Growing in the spirit: changing the way we live to sustain the world we live in.

The Yearly Meeting business will be integrated with the Yearly Meeting Gathering sessions. The agenda will contain required business much of which has come through Meeting for Sufferings:- revisions of chapters of Quaker faith & practice; BYM Trustees report; Meeting for Sufferings report, and the report of the Review Group for reviewing Meeting for Sufferings & BYM Trustees.

One of the main themes will be the topic of Economic Justice.

There will also be an opportunity for matters arising at the Gathering to be addressed in an 'as led' session.

S/11/02/ 8: Yearly Meeting Agenda Committee: pattern of Yearly Meetings

Further to minute S/09/04/8, Chris Skidmore, clerk of Yearly Meeting Agenda Committee has introduced a report on the future pattern of Yearly Meetings and Gatherings (paper S/11/02/E).

We agree to the recommendations from YM Agenda Committee as follows:

1) That in future:
a) residential Yearly Meetings be held every three years following the next, which has already been agreed for 2014 (minute S/09/04/8 committee minutes b of Meeting for Sufferings held 4 April 2009);
b) that thereafter there be a three-yearly cycle of Yearly Meetings with a London-based Yearly Meeting in early May in year one, a London-based Yearly Meeting in late May in year two and a residential Yearly Meeting Gathering in late July / early August in year three [this would align with the current plans for children and young people’s events being planned by Quaker Life].

2) We recommend to Yearly Meeting changes to the terms of reference of Yearly Meeting Agenda Committee as follows:
a) that the six members of Yearly Meeting Agenda Committee be nominated annually by Central Nominations Committee for appointment by Yearly Meeting direct, for a triennium commencing at that Yearly Meeting. This would replace the current system whereby 3 members are appointed by Meeting for Sufferings and 3 by Yearly Meeting. Interim appointments would be made by Meeting for Sufferings on behalf of Yearly Meeting where necessary;

b) that planning for residential Yearly Meeting Gatherings become the responsibility of a sub-committee appointed by Yearly Meeting Agenda Committee, having consulted with Central Nominations Committee and area meetings, and with terms of reference agreed by Yearly Meeting Agenda Committee;

3) that Church Government Advisory Group be asked to bring revised text for chapter 6 of Quaker faith & practice to put into effect these changes, to be forwarded by Meeting for Sufferings to Yearly Meeting in session for decision.

S/11/02/ 9: Membership and Appointments

a) Membership of Meeting for Sufferings
The following changes to the membership of Meeting for Sufferings are noted and proposed.

Deceased
Malcolm Dorrington Banbury & Evesham AM

Release
Diana Morrison-Smith Mid-Wales AM
Katie Venner West Somerset AM

Nomination
Dave Butler    Mid-Wales AM
Stella Clark    Northumbria AM
Sarah Freeman   West Weald AM
Kathy Gollin    West Somerset AM
Kate Green    North East Thames AM
Linda Murgatroyd   Quaker Life Central Committee

We duly appoint the Friends named and thank the Friends released for their service.

b) Central Nominations Committee
brings forward the names of the following Friends for service or release as indicated:

World Conference of Friends, Kenya, 17-25 April, 2012
To serve as BYM representatives to the sixth World Conference of Friends to be held in Nakuru, Kenya, 17-25 April 2012

Ken Bramhall                                        North Wales AM
Rosie Carnall                                        Sheffield & Balby AM
Bryony Elias                                          West Weald AM
Michael Eccles                                      Central England AM
Jasmine Perinpanayagam                     South East Scotland AM
Robert Maxwell                                      Gloucestershire AM
Leo Vincent                                            Brighouse West Yorkshire AM

Representative to Friends World Committee for Consultation
To serve from 1.1.2011 until 31.12.2013
Lee Taylor nomination Luton and Leicestershire AM

Representative to Ireland Yearly Meeting, 28 April-2 May 2011
Sue Buxton South East Scotland AM

Meeting for Sufferings Members Handbook Group
To serve from 1.1.2011 until 31.12.2013
Diana Brace nomination Devon AM

Quaker Committee for Christian & Interfaith Relations
To serve from 1.5.2011 until 30.4.2014
Mike Glover                            renomination                         Brighouse West Yorkshire AM
(appointed 2010, first renomination)
Richard Seebohm                  renomination                         South East Anglia AM
( appointed 2004, third renomination)
John Myhill                             nomination                            Norfolfk & Waveney AM
Linda Pegler                           nomination                            Central England AM
Alice Southern                        release                                  Meeting of Friends in Wales

Quaker Communications Central Committee
To serve from 1.4.2011.until 31.3.2014
Claire Edmunds renomination South East London AM
( appointed 2007, second renomination )
Nick Matthews renomination Leicester AM
( appointed 2008, first renomination).

Quaker Housing Trust
To serve with effect from AGM 2011 until the end of AGM 2014
Lucy Parker renomination Norfolk & Waveney AM
( appointed 2008, first renomination)
Dic Williams renomination North Wales AM
( appointed 2009, first renomination)

Quaker Peace & Social Witness Central Committee
To serve from 1.1.2011 until 31.12.2013
Daphne Glazer nomination Pickering & Hull AM

Yearly Meeting Agenda Committee
Meeting for Sufferings appointment
Paul Parker release Thaxted AM

We duly appoint the Friends named and thank the Friends released for their service.

c) Central Nominations Committee
brings forward the following name for release by Meeting for Sufferings acting on behalf of Yearly Meeting between sessions (to be notified to Yearly Meeting 2011):

Quaker Stewardship Committee
Ann Davis release Devon AM

S/11/02/ 10: Review Group for reviewing Meeting for Sufferings & BYM Trustees: final draft report

Michael Hutchinson (Acting Recording Clerk) introduced the final report of the Review Group for reviewing Meeting for Sufferings & BYM Trustees [PDF: 164kb - new window] which will be presented to Yearly Meeting for its consideration (paper S/11/02/F a and F b), and gave guidance for our Home Groups in their consideration of the report, in particular in considering the recommendations made for Meeting for Sufferings shown in italics, which are open for action without decision from Yearly Meeting.
We have considered and discussed the report in our Home Groups and have shared the results of our considerations in plenary session. The notes from the Home Groups will be circulated with the minutes.

S/11/02/ 11: Quaker faith & practice chapters 5 & 11

Further to minute S/10/12/07 of 4 December 2010 and comments received , we have received revised draft texts of chapter 5 of Quaker faith & practice concerning general meetings and other gatherings (paper S/11/02/G), and chapter 11 concerning membership (paper S/11/02/H) from the Church Government Advisory Group.

We now endorse these and forward them Yearly Meeting 2011 for adoption.

S/11/02/ 12: Quaker faith & practice chapter 16

Further to minute S/10/10/08 of 2 October 2010, we have received a summary paper and the latest revision of chapter 16 (Quaker Marriage Procedure) of Quaker faith & practice, from the convenor of the Church Government Advisory Group chapter 16 working group (paper S/11/02/I).

We now confirm this latest revised draft chapter 16 and forward it to Yearly Meeting 2011 for decision. We ask the Recording Clerk to advise Yearly Meeting over any further implications of the implementation of the Equality Act 2010 on the content of the chapter.

We ask Michael Bartlett, our Parliamentary Liaison Officer, to share this work with Lynne Featherstone of the Government Equalities Office.

Christine Cannon
Clerk