Minutes of a meeting held at Tempe Friends Meetinghouse on the second and third days of second month, 2018.

Minute #1-20180202: Our Recording Clerk Sarah Tie being great with child, Friends gratefully approve Dave Nachman’s service as acting recording clerk.

Worship Sharing

Penny Thron-Weber, Representatives Committee Clerk, led us into a period of worship sharing to deepen our mutual love and understanding. She offered this query: Is there a way that the Spirit is moving for you – particularly with regard to Yearly Meeting? Several Friends offered vocal responses from their personal experience.

Approval of Agenda

Minute #2-20180202: Friends approve the agenda as distributed.

IMYM Clerk’s Report

Molly Wingate, IMYM Clerk, presented her report (see attached) summarizing the positive comments, negative comments, and concerns expressed in response to the 2017 fall queries. This year’s queries stimulated a larger number of responses than we’d received in previous years.

Penny reminded us that Representatives Committee is charged to consider the responses, then discern and recommend ways forward to the yearly meeting for its decision.

Minute #3-20180202: Friends approve the IMYM Clerk’s report.

Arrangements Committee Report

Pelican Lee, Clerk, presented her report (attached), which also incorporated the report of the Program Working Group. As we experiment with Pay as Led, we can anticipate a larger number of newcomers. Arrangements Committee hopes that these Friends will be welcomed by experienced buddies. Licensed drivers at least 18 years old can drive golf carts. We need vans or SUVs to serve as shuttles to the mesa – golf carts aren’t allowed to take the steep road.

Please bring box fans for use in the Lower Pavilion.

Clearly, there has been distress over the unsuccessful communication about the responsibilities for Children’s Yearly Meeting (CYM) that recently fell to Boulder and Pima Monthly Meetings. Boulder realized after the fact that they should have been shadowing the coordinators at our 2017 gathering.

We were reminded that even when specific Meetings have responsibility for coordination, volunteers for children’s programs are welcome from anywhere.

Minute #4-20180202: Friends accept the Arrangements Committee report, with gratitude.

Nominating Committee

Allen Winchester, Clerk, read a report from the Nominating Committee (attached). Nominating Committee will help the Volunteer Coordinator find Friends to serve in several positions. The Nominating Committee recommends the Representatives Committee’s approval of:

Laura Peterson as Arrangements Committee Clerk, beginning at rise of IMYM 2018.

Sarah Tie for a second three-year term as Representatives Committee Recording Clerk.

Rosemary Blanchard to serve as the Ombudsman (previously Advocate) for Friends of Differing Abilities.

Peter Anderson to serve a second three-year term as Watching Committee Clerk

Gretchen Reinhardt to fill out a three-year term as Clerk of the Faith & Practice Committee, 2017-2020.

Minute #5-20180202: Friends approve the nominations, and express gratitude for this report from the hard-working Nominating Committee.

Announcement on Youth Program

Jane Kroesen reported that Arizona Half-Yearly Meeting has jointly accepted responsibility for coordinating the Junior Young Friends (JYF) program, with the work to be shared among the four Arizona monthly meetings: Pima, Phoenix, Flagstaff and Tempe.

Closing

The meeting concluded just before 8:30 PM with a period of settled silence, the following Friends having been present: Vickie Aldrich (Las Cruces, traveling in support of Tim Reed), Kay Bordwell (Flagstaff), Sandy Feitz (Gila, accompanying Tom Vaughan), Lisa Hobson (Tempe), Jan-Willem Jansens (NMRM), Sara Keeney (Albuquerque, Delegates), Jane Kroesen (Pima, acting rep, AHYM), Pelican Lee (Santa Fe, Arrangements), Vance Marshall (Phoenix, Finance), David Nachman (acting Recording Clerk), Jamie Newton (Gila, Peace & Service), Jerry Peterson (Mountain View, Treasurer), Laura Peterson (Arrangements), Will Reddig (Flagstaff, SYF), Tim Reed (Las Cruces), Gretchen Reinhardt (Tempe, Faith and Practice), Nancy Rice (Albuquerque), Becky Schroeder (Tempe), Kathy Snow (Colorado Springs, CRM), Barb & Leslie Stephens (Boulder), Penny Thron-Weber (Mountain View, Clerk), Nan Uhl (Durango), Carlos Valentín (Pima, SYF FAP), Tom Vaughan (Gila), Chris Viavant (Salt Lake), Allen Winchester (Santa Fe, Nominating), Molly Wingate (Colorado Springs, IMYM Clerk). Anastacia Eby sent regrets for this evening’s meeting – she hopes to see us in the morning when we plan to gather again.

Opening

The meeting opened with worship shortly before 9:30 AM on 3 II 2018, at Tempe Friends meetinghouse.

Announcements

Laura Peterson will assist Friends wanting help in posting to the Yearly Meeting website.

Roger Tyldesley, Archivist, asks committee clerks to send him a list of documents to be archived annually .

Nancy Dolphin, Interest Group & Workshop Coordinator, seeks responses to a questionnaire on how we are living our faith, and seeks Friends who will be willing to speak at our annual gathering about their lives as Quakers.

Treasurer’s Report

Minute #1-20180203: The Representatives Committee expresses its appreciation for Bob Schroeder’s extraordinary simultaneous service as Treasurer and Finance Committee Clerk.

Jerry Peterson, Treasurer, distributed and presented a financial report for the year ending 9/30/2017, a budget proposal for 2019, and an analysis of the finances of the annual gathering (attached).

Although IMYM is in good financial condition, we must monitor cash flow carefully around this time of year; we are about to make a large payment to Ghost Ranch. Jerry is still trying to master the accounting system and balance the Cash & Funds report. Vance Marshall, Finance Committee Clerk, pointed out that we’re sitting on considerable funds – IMYM is not short of cash – which we should keep in mind as we consider how to implement the Pay as Led approach.

Jerry recommended that we budget $1,500/year to support triennial travel by our delegates to Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) Section of the Americas meetings, but has not received Finance Committee approval of this item. Chris Viavant pointed out that our engagement with FWCC is much less than with FGC (to whom we send less money), and the once-active FWCC Youth Pilgrimage program is now moribund. He suggested that the Finance Committee give thoughtful reconsideration to the amount of our commitment to FWCC. Chris also pointed out that the recent $14 increase to assessments has gone straight to our surplus, and has not been used for support of Friends in the wider world. Leslie Stephens and Jan-Willem Jansens noted mathematical discrepancies in the report, which the Clerk suggested be brought to the Treasurer for resolution. Ana Eby pointed out an apparent formatting error on the balance sheet. Jerry promised to look at this as well.

Ana Eby questioned the accounting for the Mountain Friends Camp flow-through. Kay Bordwell raised a question about expenses for the Youth Program, and Pelican Lee answered: the cost of the Ghost Ranch staff involvement with our youth is subsumed under the Ghost Ranch general line item. Barb Stephens told us that there might have been additional expenses for the youth program that went unreimbursed. Carlos Valentín asked about FAP reimbursement for SYF snack food expenses, and was assured that reimbursement was granted whenever expenses were claimed. Friends discussed the proper uses of the budgeted Tim Shaw Fund, which is set aside to support travel at the discretion of the Senior Young Friends (SYF).

Tom Vaughan asked whether, in light of the current surplus, we should consider lowering the annual member assessment. Molly Wingate invited the Finance Committee to consider ways to use our surplus funds. The surplus may be needed to support the annual gathering operating under the Pay as Led assumptions, and we don’t know how long we’ll stay at Ghost Ranch. Becky Schroeder cautioned us that recent changes in the federal tax laws may well lead to a decrease in donations.

Minute #2-20180203: Friends accept the Treasurer’s report with the understanding that discrepancies would be mended.

Finance Committee Report

Vance Marshall distributed a report from the Finance Committee. The Committee is trying to understand the influence of the Pay as Led model we’re using. In advance of the summer gathering, Monthly and Regional Meetings are urged to send the Treasurer any funds they had earmarked for IMYM registration & travel support. If a set IMYM amount was not budgeted, Meetings are encouraged to discern a specific amount, and to consider whether they have capacity to cover a shortfall should that contingency arise.

Vance presented a recommended pricing table Finance Committee thought might appear in the 2018 registration materials. Friends had a lengthy discussion about the table. We noticed that the 13-18 year age group had been omitted. The form should make clear that amounts lower than the guidelines are perfectly acceptable – perhaps the form should give a range [e.g. $5 – $79/night], or a narrative about our experiment with the Pay as Led model. We aim to lower fiscal barriers to Friends’ attendance, so we should think about how the registration document advances that goal. One Friend expressed the need for us to make a clear statement on the true cost structure and not try to do a sales job. Ghost Ranch devised a price model based on our typical occupancy so we could calculate our expenses from a single price per person, independent of the room type. We can provide guidelines for Friends to consider prayerfully: zero dollars is an acceptable choice. One Friend cautioned us that some would be likely to complain if they paid more for less-comfortable housing. We need to consider and present all the costs of staging the gathering (insurance, childcare, etc.), not only the amount we pay to Ghost Ranch.

Friends agreed on the sentiment:

WHATEVER YOU CAN PAY, WE WANT YOU AT YEARLY MEETING!

Can we find a sincere and gentle way to communicate this sentiment? Boldface type can be off-putting. Can we find inviting language that simultaneously encourages generosity?

Minute #3-20180203: Friends charge the Finance Committee to craft the communication to appear with the registration materials.

After considering the Finance Committee’s procedural recommendation, Friends approved this Minute:

Minute #4-20180203: The Treasurer is inherently authorized to make expenditures up to the budgeted amounts for each line item or account. Upon joint approval by the Treasurer, Finance Committee Clerk, and Clerk of the Yearly Meeting, up to $7,500 beyond the budget can be spent. Expenditures beyond $7,500 above the budget will require approval by Representatives Committee.

Procedures Committee

The Clerk reminded Friends that the report of the Procedures Committee was distributed in advance, and encouraged those who are asked to provide descriptions of their roles to do so in a

timely fashion.

Minute #5-20180203:

CYM/JYF Program

In light of the continuing difficulty in finding volunteers to coordinate the Children’s Yearly Meeting and Junior Young Friends programs, Friends considered allowing the Youth Working Group to hire people to serve that role. Penny Thron-Weber will modify the CYM standing minute so it matches the standing JYF minute authorizing such hiring. We are facing a muddled situation this year, and feel grateful for the creativity and energy Friends have shown in making it work. To avoid a repetition of this year’s confusion, Friends approve this Minute:

Minute #6-20180203: The Clerk of the Youth Working Group will give the selected monthly meeting a year’s advance notice of their responsibility to shadow the coordinator and explain the need for background checks a year in advance.

Peace and Service Committee

Jamie Newton, Clerk, presented the attached Peace and Service Committee report. The Committee encourages IMYM to attend the next Border Convergence, which is usually scheduled for Veterans’ Day weekend. Jamie regaled us with a brief account of the life of Roy Bourgeois, founder of the School of the Americas Watch. Roy’s focus on militarism in the Americas, concern for the lives of poor people, and plain speaking about the situation for women in the Roman Catholic Church is inspiring.

The Committee recommends that the Nominating Committee assist the regional meetings in identifying representatives they would appoint to the Peace and Service Committee.

The Committee requests information from Meetings on peace & justice actions taking place in the IMYM region.

Minute #7-20180203: Friends accept the report of the Peace and Service Committee, with gratitude.

Affiliating with Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW)

The Clerk invited representatives to discern a recommendation to IMYM. Perhaps we need more information – if individual meetings feel clear to affiliate with QEW, we may learn from their experience. Concerns for QEW’s alignment with specific – scientifically ill-considered – solutions to the problems created by coal combustion for electricity generation, and their lack of commitment to Quaker process were raised. The resource costs could include member energy and financial expense, both of which are in limited supply.

Minute #8-20180203: Friends recommend a three-year exploration of affiliation with Quaker Earthcare Witness, providing financial support for two observers to help us answer our questions and concerns. We charge these observers (Dick Grossman and John Gallagher were mentioned) to report back annually to the yearly meeting on their experiences. We feel particular concern over QEW’s insistence on non-nuclear solutions to climate and energy problems, and the alignment of their decision-making process with Quaker practice.

Minute of Appreciation

Minute #9-20180203: Representatives Committee Friends express appreciation to Tempe Monthly Meeting for hosting, hospitality, and the use of the worshipful space in the Tempe meetinghouse.

Announcements

Helen Thorpe’s book The Newcomers was reviewed in the New York Times Book Review last week. Laura Peterson created the school program described in the book.

Interest Groups & Seminars Questionnaire

Please fill out the questionnaire for the Coordinator of Interest Groups & Seminars. She needs to know: How are Meetings and individuals living out lives of Quaker service?

Moving from Ghost Ranch

Friends shared personal perspectives on the move from Ghost Ranch Conference Center to Fort Lewis College. Kathy Snow of Boulder Meeting shared this poem:

Believe your childrenwhen they tell youwho they are and how it is to live in their world

Believe in their invisible friendsand their nighttime adventuresin other worlds and landscapes

We are the alchemistslook to transform the worldwith our love made visible.

Inspired by young Friends’ memories of IMYM and a guardian grandfather’s gratitude for a young Friend’s befriending of his granddaughter

2/3/18

We need to remember that Friends are called to gather in Spirit, not to a particular site. Though we will miss its beauty and isolation, and carry wonderful memories, the many limitations of the Ghost Ranch location make our choice clear – it is time to move. Friends come to be with one another.

IMYM, Inc.

The Representatives Committee held discussions on how to further our charge to create a legal corporation that will enable the Yearly Meeting’s activity in the world.

Minute #10-20180203: Friends authorize the Presiding Clerk to submit the Articles of Incorporation of Intermountain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends as distributed.

We agreed that if the full name can’t be made to fit on the legal form, we will shorten the name to Intermountain Yearly Meeting.

Friends discussed some of the issues raised since our 2017 annual gathering. Monthly meeting membership is important. Bylaws should reference Faith & Practice. Definitions need to be clarified. A statement of purpose should appear in a first article or preamble to the bylaws.

Minute #11-20180203: Friends approve Molly Wingate (convening), Jan-Willem Jansens, and David Nachman to work on revisions to the Bylaws and report back to the Representatives Committee in advance of its next conference call.

Faith and Practice Committee

Gretchen Reinhardt, Clerk, presented the Committee’s report (attached). All four regional meetings are now represented, as Jaimie Mudd of Pima Meeting in Tucson has come forward with a special concern for representing the Utah Friends Fellowship. The Committee will create a survey to inform their work and distribute it to the monthly meetings in the next few months. The Committee’s early work has been done by video conferencing, but as the continuing work would benefit from meeting face-to-face three to four times a year they will need IMYM financial support for travel.

Minute #12-20180203: Friends accept the report of the Faith and Practice Committee and approve funding for face to face meetings.

The Treasurer suggested that the Committee submit a request to the Finance Committee for addition of travel support to the IMYM budget.

Hosting Friends General Conference Gathering

Gila MM has no interest. Hosting the FGC Gathering might have an impact on the attendance at that year’s IMYM sessions. Involvement in the Gathering Committee could help engage younger adults in the Intermountain region. Because many Friends in our widely dispersed yearly meeting rely on IMYM for their only connection to the world of Friends, decreasing attendance at IMYM has potential serious impact on Utah and New Mexico in particular. We should survey the Friends who answered the query affirmatively to gather a sense of their enthusiasm and availability.

Representatives Committee approved the following recommendation to the yearly meeting.

Minute #13-20180203: IMYM Friends would welcome the chance to host the FGC Gathering in our region, but don’t feel we have the resources at present to make that possible.

Mountain Friends Camp

Anastacia Eby, Director, presented a report from Mountain Friends Camp (attached). Camp will partner with Collins Lake Ranch again this year, and feel more confident and comfortable with the arrangement. Collins Lake Ranch is a residential facility near Mora, New Mexico for adults with a variety of cognitive/neurological disabilities, and they welcomed the diversity and

youthful energy provided by our campers and staff.

Camp is looking for liaisons to the monthly meetings, Board members, staff for kitchen and programs, and financial support for camperships and other needs. Monthly meetings are invited to minute their support of camperships and travel expenses for member families. The Guide to Procedures could discuss the relationship of MFC to IMYM. Fall queries might focus on our continued relationship. Roughly 2/3 of young campers have a Quaker connection. One Friend expressed our profound thanks to the Eby couple, reminding us that Mountain Friends Camp is here because of the two of them.

Minute #14-20180203: Friends accept the Mountain Friends Camp report.

Racism/White Privilege Query - any next steps?

Exclusion based on the perception of race (a biological fiction, but a social reality) is a widespread injustice that continues to trouble IMYM Friends. Representatives charge the Peace & Service Committee to encourage monthly meetings and worship groups to continue to season the concern for racism among us and revisit the query with a report back to Representatives Committee in a year or two. Perhaps we could place a tab on the IMYM website [Racism/White Privilege/Misogyny/Bigotry/Treatment of the Other] which could both gather and present all of the actions and involvement of our meetings in one place for reference.

Moving- any plans?

The Clerk expressed the sense of this Committee – we need to recommend a move to a site other than Ghost Ranch ( this will be Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado since we minuted at the 2017 summer gathering that this would be our first choice). We may need to create and fund an ad hoc site-change committee to facilitate the move. This group will need to study the timing, contact both Ft. Lewis College and Ghost Ranch to establish a timeline for the move, consider financial and people-power ramifications, reserve a week, find out the resources available for housing, meals, worship, business meeting, campsites, and the children’s program (taking the place of the Ghost Ranch College Staff, on-site activities, etc.). We were advised against haste in making the transition, however our current negotiation with Ghost Ranch is for a two-year memorandum of understanding (MOU), covering sessions in 2019 and 2020, so we should move with all deliberate speed. Tom Vaughan will contact Ft. Lewis College to ask if our preferred dates are available.

This move gives IMYM Friends a chance for radical re-imagining of how we spend our time together. We can reconsider the role of Early Days, opportunities for interest groups, and other aspects of our annual gathering. Some IMYM Friends will grieve the loss of the connection to Ghost Ranch, and Representatives are encouraged to take back to their monthly meetings a sense of the unity this Committee feels for the necessity of the move for the sake of accessibility, safety, cost, and broader program opportunity.

Friends approved this:

Minute #15-20180203: Representatives Committee recommends to IMYM that we move our site from Ghost Ranch to Fort Lewis College with combined care and enthusiasm. We further

recommend the creation and funding of an ad hoc site-change committee to facilitate the move.

Conclusion

The meeting settled into silence with a sense of gratitude for the travel time and worshipful focus spent in supporting our business this weekend, the following Friends having been present: Kay Bordwell, Anastacia Eby, Sandy Feitz, Jan-Willem Jansens, Sara Keeney, Jane Kroesen, Pelican Lee, Vance Marshall, Jamie Newton, Jerry Peterson, Laura Peterson, Will Reddig, Tim Reed, Gretchen Reinhardt, Nancy Rice, Becky Schroeder, Kathy Snow, Barb Stephens, Leslie Stephens, Nan Uhl, Carlos Valentín, Tom Vaughan, Chris Viavant, Allen Winchester, Molly Wingate.

David Nachman, acting Recording Clerk Penny Thron-Weber, Clerk

Clerk’s Report for Representatives CommitteeFebruary 2-4, 2018 - Tempe Friends Meeting

• I want to thank Tempe Meeting for their hospitality in all its forms. You’ve made those of travelling from afar feel quite comfortable, and you’ve set us up for a productive meeting.

• Thanks, too, to Penny Thronweber, our clerk, for bringing us together with purpose.• This year’s annual gathering will be held at Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, New Mexico

starting on June 10 and ending June 17, 2018. I am excited for you will hear about our speaker and the inventive program for this year from Pelican Lee, our Arrangements Committee clerk.

• Our Finance Committee will tell you about its preparations for funding our annual gathering using Pay as Led. As this group recommended last year, IMYM adopted a new way of thinking about charging participants for attending the annual gathering. I am equal parts nervous and excited about bringing this Spirit-led method into practice.

• My task for this meeting is to read and report on our monthly meeting’s responses to the Fall Queries that this group devised. For the first time, I was able to send out a newsletter with the queries to everyone on our IMYM mailing list. We had responses from 13 monthly meetings, one preparatory meeting, and two individuals. We heard from monthly meetings in Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Texas.

Query #1: How is your Meeting engaging with issues of racism and white privilege? What is the best thing you’ve done so far. We hope to catalogue best practices.Only a few meetings stated the best thing they had done to engage issues of racism and white privilege. For two meetings the best thing was to introduce the ideas and agree to be uncomfortable with cultural racism and Whiteness.

Several meetings expressed their concern about the whiteness of their meetings and their desire to find direction on this issue. In that spirit, I have listed three types of responses monthly meetings reported for engaging racism and white privilege: Committees and Working Groups, Educational Programs in the Meeting, and Meeting Activities in the Community. I don’t think we have a list of best practices, but these lists will provide some ideas for each monthly meeting. They also show the range of activities Monthly Meetings are engaged in. Committees of various Monthly Meetings especially focused on racism and white privilege:

• Dismantling Our Racism working group raises awareness• A portion of every business meeting includes the issues of White Privilege• Formed a Whiteness Committee to give our considerations direction• Indigenous Peoples’ Concerns Committee• Issues of Race Working Group• Migration Action Committee

Educational programs held by Monthly Meetings:• Black Lives Matter discussions• Paula Palmer giving presentation on Native Americans and the Doctrine of

Discovery• Hosting a six-week course by White Awake Santa Fe “Exploring Whiteness:

Unlearning Racism and Understanding Privilege• Study group of Fit for Freedom, Not for Friendship learning the underbelly

of Friends’ history with racism.• Classes on racism and white privilege by Adult Spiritual Development

Committee• Showing the film, I am Not Your Negro

• Program Hours after worship on racism and related issues• Study and book groups• Art exhibit on 39 Questions with discussion of the questions even when

they were uncomfortable.• Colorado Regional sessions on White Privilege• Mini workshop with Quaker presenters, Deborah Marks of Strawberry

Creek Meeting sharing information from a Ben Lomond seminar on these issues and Thandi Seagraves of Santa Fe Meeting about her experience at the Gathering of Friends of African Descent.

• Themed Pop-up dinners for adults to consider these issues• Worship Sharing afternoon on White Privilege for entire meeting.

Organized by Peace and Social Concerns Committee of the meeting.

Activities of Monthly Meeting:• Support Mike Gray’s work with indigenous people in the US and Mexico• Provide a site for other groups to meet and discuss these issues • Held joint worship with AME Church after the Charleston Church massacre• Outreach to the Muslim community• Participate in the Iskashitaa Refugee Network dinner• Participate in the sanctuary movement (4 meetings)• March in local marches with Quaker banners• Cosponsored a forum on immigration

For queries #2 and #3, we asked questions that lent themselves to yes or no answers. I have tallied the responses so we can see something about the prevalence of a response, but this is not intended to be a record of a vote. As we consider how to answer FGC or what to recommend to IMYM, I hope this format will be helpful. Query #2 FGC has asked that IMYM consider hosting the FGC Gathering in 2019 or beyond. Does your meeting support hosting? How would people in your meeting participate?Nine monthly meetings are in support of hosting the FGC Gathering in our area and eight offered to help with the planning. One meeting was opposed and three had strong reservations about hosting. Below I have listed the Friends’ positive comments and the concerns raised by those in support and those opposed. The number in parentheses refers to the number of meetings reporting this comment.Positive Comments:

• We have had good experiences at FGC, enjoyed the gathering at Greeley, and a few members have said they would volunteer to help host. (5)

• We are willing to help (4)• It is a good way to keep Young Friends involved (2)• It is good to have FGC nearby, easier to participate (2)

Concerns• Can we collectively summon the resources to do a good job? (in various ways,

this question came up 3 times)

• Hard to find volunteers(3)• We can’t say more that a few would come and help(3)• Need more information(2)• It is difficult to for any in our meeting to stay or travel too far (1)• We should consider curtailing IMYM that year if we do host (1)• Not in the hot part of the west (1)• Not the same year we move – too taxing on IMYM annual gathering (1)• When are we hosting FWCC? (1)• Host in a place where people of color are welcome (1)

Query #3 Does IMYM wish to affiliate with Quaker Earthcare Witness?Ten meetings reported that they supported IMYM affiliating with Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW). Three meeting were opposed to affiliating and one had concerns. Below, I have listed the positive comments, the negative comments and the concerns. The number in parentheses indicate how many times the comments arose. Positive Comments

• Willing to donate to QEW (4)• Positive attitude toward QEW and have had positive experiences (4)• In keeping with our concerns with racism, indigenous peoples and women’s

issues. (3)• In line with our values (2)• QEW has been around for 30 years and was one of the first groups bringing

attention to the environment (2)• We are logical affiliates given the effects of climate change on our region and

the effects of the oil and gas industry. (1)• Supports the Kabarak Call (1)• Member of IMYM has been clerk of QEW and on steering committee

Negative Comments• Duplicates effective Quaker work already in place (3)• Their processes and decision making are not Quaker-based, not sure that

joining a group to change it is the way to go (1)• Concerned about how reliable QEW has been in gathering and using science-

based knowledge (1)

Concerns • Concerned about financing out affiliation because we have difficulty with our

existing affiliations. (1)• We can send delegates as we can afford to. (1)

Arrangements Committee Clerk's Report to Representatives Committee, February 2018

Intermountain Yearly Meeting's Arrangements Committee met January 12 and 13 at the Boulder Friends Meetinghouse.

• As with 2016, our Annual Gathering attendance in 2017 shrank noticeably in comparison to the previous year with 265 attendees, a decrease of 35 from 2016, and a decrease of 55 from 2015. Again, two-thirds came during Early Days. Only 6 did not stay for the entire week. Rumors of a large number of people coming only for Early Days are greatly exaggerated. We were able to house all who had mobility challenges on the lower level. As in 2016, ~45% chose the option to pay complete cost.

The theme for this year's annual gathering is Faith Into Practice: Living a Full Quaker Life. This theme will broaden from previous years’ explorations of leadings to recognize that Friends live their faith in all the ways they are in the world, and that we can strive to walk with the Spirit in our everyday roles and actions.

The Keynote will be given by Eileen Flanagan, a Philadelphia Friend who has written about tools and challenges to know and follow the Spirit. Three IMYM Friends who live full Quaker lives reflecting faith into practice in very different outward ways, will respond to the Keynote, reflecting on what Eileen has presented and how it applies to their own lives, followed by a conversation among Eileen and the panelists. These Friends, who represent three different generations, will be Anastacia Ebi (30’s), Gretchen Reinhart (50’s) and Leslie Stephens (70’s).

Seminars and Interest Groups this year will be focused on how our faith grounds our practice and faith-based service of our Meetings and individuals. Eileen Flanagan will offer a workshop on Implicit Bias, in the context of making Quaker Meetings more welcoming, on Tuesday evening. To provide an alternative to the evening programs, there will be one Interest Group offered each evening. Parallel to the evening Sing and Campfire, there will be an Intergenerational Game Night for adults and youth in the Cantina. Polly Washburn, our new web site clerk, will have an open house at the Ghost Ranch office lounge during the Dance so that people can familiarize themselves with the use of the new web site and offer suggestions about what they want to see there.

The Arrangements Committee reaffirmed that there will be no programming and no childcare on Early Days afternoons to allow for family free time.

Arrangements Committee recognizes that the position of Volunteer Coordinator is demanding, and asks Nominating Committee to provide for an overlap year for outgoing and incoming persons in the position. Last year we unexpectedly had no experienced volunteers in the registration process for Golf Cart Coordinator, producers of the Daily Bulletin, and someone to run the sound system at the Lower Pavilion. We scrambled to fill these positions, with varying results. It would be excellent if Daily Bulletin volunteers could serve for two years, to train those who follow them, and to have written instructions and templates for producing the Daily Bulletin.

Upon inquiry, Ghost Ranch has said that their current policy for age of golf cart drivers is at least 18 with valid driver’s license and no upper limit. Regular golf cart runs to and from the Campground were requested. Ghost Ranch has said that their vans cannot used (their liability policy will not cover it) to transport people to and from the Mesa and the Arts Building for Interest Groups and Seminars. Therefore we are seeking vans and vehicles among IMYM attenders with multiple passenger capability for this.

The FGC Bookstore no longer has a physical presence. It is a virtual presence run by volunteers, so we will see how that affects our IMYM Bookstore.

We discussed how Pay-As-Led could appear in on-line registration and did not find unity about what to present. One option is to give only the rate IMYM pays per person per day to Ghost Ranch as a "complete cost" number, a "125% of complete cost" number, and an "average paid by recipients of financial aid in the past" number, with NO breakdown by housing type. Another option is to give a "complete cost" number, a "125% of complete cost" number, and an "average paid by recipients of financial aid in the past" number for each housing type. We look to Representatives Committee for guidance about this.

Although IMYM minuted last summer that Boulder and Ft. Collins Meetings would staff the Childrens Yearly Meeting program, no one from those meetings has come forward. It seems that people from those meetings who have worked with children in the past are now doing other things for IMYM, and others feel like they don't know what to do. Eric Swanson, one of the Youth Working Group Co-Clerks, stepped up and made many phone calls. The result is that he and Emily Box will be lead CYM coordinators next summer, with hopefully some folks from those meetings stepping up to learn and be mentored.

Arrangements Committee minuted a request for additional funds for paying for Infant Care for children under age 3 or in diapers. There will be child care for children age 3 and up if out-of-diapers by Ghost Ranch College Staff during Early Days. Infant Care will start Thursday morning.

Junior Young Friends will run the Cantina for snacks Wednesday through Saturday from 6:30 to 9:30, to raise funds for scholarships to Mountain Friends Camp.

Senior Young Friends affirmed that the Listening Session is vital and important to them as a community. Because SYFs have been having a hard time finding enough leaders for Intergenerational Worship Sharing, this year adults will be assigned to groups on a first registered, first served basis. This year there will be both morning and afternoon worship sharing groups for adults. Adults will be able to choose morning or afternoon or both worship sharing times. Senior Young Friends will make a monumental effort this year to attend the Intergenerational Meeting for Worship.

Respectfully submitted,

Pelican Lee

Arrangements Committee Clerk

Nominating Committee Report

Financial Report

Balance Sheet

Budget

Annual Gathering Financial Analysis

January 24, 2018

Report from Committee on Procedures to Representatives CommitteeThe Guide: The Guide to Procedures describes procedures for the operations of Intermountain Yearly Meeting. As an administrative tool for operating the Yearly Meeting, the Guide stands in a supporting relationship to the Faith and Practice, which describes the fundamental principles of structure and practice for the Yearly Meeting. Overall, the Guide attempts to provide a description of what people in the Yearly Meeting have grown to expect from its officers and committees.

Progress on Guide Revision:

With consistent work from the members of the Committee and timely responses from those reviewing documents, we have made good progress on revising job descriptions. We were able to update our section of the new web site with the help of Polly Washburn and have posted the following revised job descriptions:

Clerk of the Yearly MeetingClerk of Representatives CommitteeRecording Clerk of Yearly MeetingRepresentatives CommitteeRecording Clerk of Representatives CommitteeProgram Working Group and ClerksClerk’s Advisory CommitteePeace and Service Committee

Job Descriptions being revised now:RegistrarsTreasurerClerk of Finance CommitteeVolunteer CoordinatorCoordinator of Worship SharingDelegates Committee and ClerkAFSC DelegatesFWCC DelegatesFCNL Delegates

Delegate to Board of Friends Peace TeamDelegates to the Corporation Board for Friends BulletinFinance Committee

It would be very helpful if people serving the Yearly Meeting would acknowledge our requests for them to review their job descriptions and send us their responses as soon as possible. It might seem like a big task, but we think most people will be able to review these documents and make comments in about an hour. If you would like to look at your job description go to imym.org and then to People & Positions>Guide to Procedures (position descriptions)Issues for Consideration by Representatives Committee:

We already submitted a financial concern to the Committee

Submitted on behalf of the Committee by:

Cynthia Smith, Clerk (Moab) 2016 - 2019

Other Committee members:

Pelican Lee (NMRM) 2016 - 2019

Laura Peterson (CORM) 2016 - 2019

Vickey Finger (AHYM) 2017 - 2020

MFC Report to IMYM Representatives Committee

February 2018

Dear Friends,

I am happy to report on our 2017 season and plans for 2018, our upcoming ninth summer Mountain Friends Camp. We have much to be grateful for, and plenty of opportunities for our IMYM community to engage and support our Quaker summer camp. Overall, our primary focus in 2017 was our new partnership with Collins Lake Ranch and the challenges of a two-location season, and I anticipate our 2018 focus will be on re-engaging our Quaker meetings and reaching out to new members of our camp community.

2018 plans: As we had two positive experiences, with a wide mix of pros and cons at both sites,

it was a difficult to decide this fall where to return for 2018. The logistical challenges were too steep to attempt a second split summer, though I was somewhat tempted. Our campers and staff had a mix of feedback, as did several parents after camp. Through discernment and discussion with both 2017 hosts, it became clear to our board that Collins Lake Ranch was our first choice for 2018. We heard that SFTHC was in the midst of transition and taking a break from actively bringing in youth groups, as they regroup with new staff and undertake renovation projects. The CLR management exceeded our expectations with facilities in 2018, installing two spacious yurts and a modern bathhouse for our group, and are constructing an additional program shelter for the campground this summer. They are also planning to expand their season and see MFC as a model for future partnerships.

Dates: July 2-6 staff orientation; July 7-14 Session 1; July 15-28 Session 2.

2018 Needs

Mountain Friends Camp needs more help then ever to thrive in 2018. We are reviving our camp liaisons program, asking for 1-2 committed supporters in every meeting across IMYM to take facilitating communication between your meeting and camp.

Recruitment: Our second and largest cohort of campers aged up last summer, ten 15-16 year olds who added so much leadership and joy to our program. In order to reach more families and young people, we are asking Friends to share information about camp with those in their meetings and communities.

Staff for program and kitchen leadership is essential as well, adults of all ages are encouraged to apply for 1-4 weeks this summer!

Fundraising: Our other biggest need is funds to continue operations. We rely on donations to keep costs affordable for families and welcome a young people from a diversity of backgrounds to camp. In 2017 over half of our campers received camperships, with $12,591 allocated (including $3,806 from Quaker meetings for specific campers).

2017 Season:

Last summer we held staff orientation and a two-week session at Collins Lake Ranch (CR), near Mora Mew Mexico, then packed up and moved to Santa Fe Tree House Camp (SFTHC). Please see the attached newsletters for description of our programs and lots of pictures, and in our December letter our first annual appeal written by a camper! Link https://us7.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=966810338727ca080a2774628 HYPERLINK "https://us7.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=966810338727ca080a2774628&id=336873c88d" HYPERLINK "https://us7.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=966810338727ca080a2774628 HYPERLINK "https://us7.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=966810338727ca080a2774628&id=336873c88d"& HYPERLINK "https://us7.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=966810338727ca080a2774628&id=336873c88d"id=336873c88d" HYPERLINK "https://us7.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=966810338727ca080a2774628&id=336873c88d" HYPERLINK "https://us7.campaign-

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Creating Community: Our new location brought operational challenges and abundant rewards. Collins Lake Ranch clients and staff added new dimension of diversity and community, through sharing their stories and joining us for activities on and off throughout our stay. I was particularly honored when the owner and two senior staff at CLR encouraged their children and extended family to join our camp. These young people, two counselors in training and four campers, added to the richness of our community and helped us connect with CLR. I was also pleased with the trust and openness to new experiences from all of our returning campers and those who joined for the first time in this untried location.

From Steve, CLR owner, “It was a pleasure to share our Ranch with the Mountain Friends campers. While there were a few minor glitches, there were so many more great moments of sharing and caring. The staff were so considerate and helpful and upbeat. But even more exciting was the enthusiasm and openness of the campers. Mature and intelligent well beyond their ages. Our residents were thrilled to be included in so many of your activities. It really brought a new level of energy to the place. Lots of ideas to make things even better in the future. You do a great job and it was a privilege to work with your entire group.”

Practicing Peace: The second session at Santa Fe Tree House Camp was beautiful, comforting to return to our beloved 2013-2016 location and the simplicity of having exclusive use of the site. Highlights, A museum trip into Santa Fe, a hike up to Shaggy Peak, and lots of visits from local Quakers, llama del sol, and Creativity for Peace. We appreciated the hard work SFTHC board and staff took on to keep the camp operational after Senta Hoge passed away last winter. At various points of the week we remembered and appreciated Senta, her strength, care, and deep connection with nature. On the last evening, after a boisterous Creativity Night, we gathered in what still felt very much like Senta’s living room for our traditional candlelit worship sharing.

Finances: See budget attached for fiscal year 2017 & 2018.