Committees, Project, and Working Group

Yearly Meeting Representatives

Visitation

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Reports of the Clerk and Staff

Attachment C: Report of the Clerk

Hollister Knowlton

It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as the clerk of this Steering Committee over the past two years.

As I look back at the beginning of this term, it is interesting to see that the part I dreaded the most —having to write a column for each issue of BeFriending Creation was not only easier than I had anticipated but also a gift that helped me grow. It forced me to write and in so doing to begin to find my voice. With that, and a Quaker Eco-Bulletin as my foundation, I have now had two articles published in Friends Journal, with another coming in the November issue.

Over the nine years I have served on this Steering Committee, I have had the joy of representing QEW (often also wearing the hat of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting’s Earthcare Working Group) at scores of Friends meetings and eight different yearly meeting annual sessions. This past summer, I was a plenary speaker at the annual sessions of Illinois, Ohio Valley, and Philadelphia yearly meetings and at the Friends General Conference Gathering.

It has made my heart sing to know the many members of this Steering Committee, an ever changing group, but one that has in common a deep love and reverence for the earth and a commitment to lifting up that reverence in their individual lives. It has been a joy to work closely with Ruah, who fills me with awe at her organizational skills and her energy and commitment to QEW and Earthcare. I would like say a special thanks to Roy Treadway, who has served as recording clerk these last two years, taking over from the able hands of John Payton. Roy’s faithful and supportive service has been a great help and I am grateful for his conscientious attention to all the work of our meetings – both of Continuing Counsel and the Steering Committee.

Many of you have become dear friends as well as wonderful colleagues, but want to especially mention my love and gratitude to Bill and Alice Howenstine and for the treasure that is Susannah McCandless. While Bill and Alice have not been able to attend these last two annual gatherings, I’m grateful for their continued involvement in QEW.

Susannah has been sorely missed while she had to pull away to work on her dissertation, and now she is in my heart and prayers, as I’m sure she is in each of yours, as she struggles with serious illness.

In addition to the joys, it has also been discouraging and frustrating to serve in this role.

I am dismayed at the rancor I witness; at the sense on the part of one or two that there is some conspiracy afoot; and at the inability of some key committees and working groups to accomplish their work between our biannual meetings.

Given the urgency of the state of the earth and its collapsing ecosystems, I am perplexed at the Steering Committee’s seeming contentment with simply nourishing ourselves and one another rather than taking seriously the need to develop a corporate vision of what this organization is and what God is calling it to be and do.

As a participant at the Atlanta annual meetings cried in worship, “The Earth is dying and what are we doing about it?”

I urge all of us on the Steering Committee to ask ourselves some questions, and hope we will have time during our business sessions to being that process. Those questions include:

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Attachment D: Report of the General Secretary

Ruah Swennerfelt

This has been a frustrating year. It seems that the Steering Committee cannot move forward with ideas, minutes, statements, approvals, or structure. It is often mired down in disagreement. Sometimes these disagreements are about technical issues and sometimes they are about philosophical issues. But nonetheless we don’t move forward. I think this has had an effect on the Steering Committee members and it certainly has had an effect on staff.

At this annual meeting 23 members of the steering committee are not present. And only two members of committees that are not on the Steering Committee are here. It’s hard to make decisions when half of the decision-makers are not present. I think there are several factors causing this absence. One is the argumentative behavior within our business meetings. People are tired of this. Two is the economy and many just can’t afford it. And three are just life circumstances that don’t let folks get away.

We have many opportunities to put the QEW name to statements to join with other religious groups speaking out about government issues. But there is a lack of trust in who the decision-makers might be that would lend our name to those statements or petitions. FCNL is often included, but QEW is not. How will we ever link arms with other organizations if no timely decision can be made?

Another frustration of mine is our lack of Quaker diversity among us. Can we truly be the organization for all Friends, no matter what “branch” they are from? We keep getting bogged down with language. We have those that are not comfortable with God language and those who are offended by the absence of the same word! How do we bridge this divide? We also have those who mistrust Friends from FUM. They are opposed to some of the policies within FUM, but are leaving out all those FUM members who care deeply about the earth. How can we support all Friends who are lead to Earthcare? How do we let go of our suspicions and prejudices?

And I said the following last year and it’s still true: “We also have the challenge to make sure that all YM representatives understand their roles. How can they be effective reps if they don’t attend their YM sessions, or don’t report to the YM about QEW’s work, or don’t make contact with the Monthly Meetings within their YM?” Or what happens if they don’t attend Steering Committee meetings? How do they help shape the policies and procedures of QEW if they are not present? How can we support them in their very important work?

Again said last year: “We are also divided about QEW’s main task. Some believe that certain inward transformations in terms of world view, spiritual condition, or attitudes are prerequisites for correctly discerning appropriate action. While others understand that need, they feel they are clear enough to act while continuing the inward work. How do we encourage these orientations to balance and complement each other? Are we open to each other’s leadings and callings? Are we opening our hearts and really listening to each other? “

I still get frustrated by the lack of response and involvement from some Steering Committee members. There’s always a lot of excitement when we are together, but there seems to be an “out of sight, out of mind” forgetfulness when they get home and busy with their day-to-day activities—and we’re all very busy!

Another area of frustration is lack of Steering Committee attendance at the FGC Gathering. There was just Hollister John Payton there in addition to Louis and me this summer. And Hollister was a main speaker! The center used to be run by all volunteers and now it’s mostly left up to staff. We spend a lot of money each to send the two staff people and all those displays. Do we want to continue to make this financial commitment? Are we going to re-write the job descriptions to not indicate coordination of the center, but fully staff it? How is QEW represented in the FGC Gathering Committee if only the General Secretary does that work? Do we fly her across the country to be part of that? Or do we once again find volunteers that are local to do the work?

This year Louis and I visited many Monthly and Quarterly meetings all by invitation to share our skit and QEW insights. Our last outreach with the skit was the weekend of September 25-28 in the Philadelphia area. We will make the skit available on our personal website and possibly video tape it for others to share, but it’s time that we let it go and get on to other things. I hope that more Steering Committee members will consider being ambassadors this coming year. It’s a great opportunity for outreach!

We have a lot of work ahead of us through the transition of my stepping down from General Secretary work and just keeping the bookkeeping and officer management piece. I want to see QEW soar! Who is going to do this work?

What do I love about my work? You may think it’s nothing from all the griping above. But I love the interaction with the many QEW supporters. I love speaking for Earth. I love encouraging people to make changes in their lives and take action in the world to help assure a healthy planet for the future. I love many of the Steering Committee members that I work with and admire their great commitment to QEW and Earth. I love reading BeFriending Creation and reading all the good reactions to it each month. I love working closely with my partner in life, collaborating, conspiring, and creating for Earth. Thank you for the opportunity to serve.

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Attachment E: Report of the Publications Coordinator

Annual Report 2009 October

Louis Cox

BeFriending Creation newsletter

QEW website

Other publications

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Reports of Committees, Project, and Working Group

Attachment F: Report of the Ann Kriebel/San Luis Project

Bill Howenstine

Two things dominate our concerns with Finca La Bella this year:

The first is the continuing struggle to achieve a viable land trust arrangement that will meet the needs of all the parties concerned. These include the parceleros of Finca La Bella, the Monteverde Institute, the Asociación de Desarollo de San Luis, the Coope Santa Elena, and the Monteverde Friends Meeting. When one issue becomes resolved, another seems to arise. An example is the need for easements (or direct ownership) to be provided to relevant government agencies for water systems, roads, health clinics, schools, etc. Another is to provide legal assurance for the continued use of two or three parcels (lots) by the associations that have been using them for the common good for years. The proposal currently under consideration is a contract providing that the Monteverde Institute would continue to hold the trust, the Association of Parceleros would own the land, and the parcelero families would be the beneficiaries. The land could not be sold, subdivided or mortgaged for 99 years. At the April meeting of the Steering Committee in Chicago, we gave some consideration to having a bilingual QEW representative or two travel to Monteverde/San Luis to meet with and provide encouragement to the groups involved in achieving resolution of all the issues. Although we have not yet accomplished this, our AK/SL Committee is still committed to help with legal costs connected with the land trust agreement.

Second, we hold in our hearts and minds our Project Coordinator, Susannah McCandless. The news of her serious illness, which came in August, was a blow to all of us in QEW, but especially to those of us who have been part of the AK/SL Project Committee over the years. Just days before that news came, Susannah had been e-mailing her thoughts about the legal challenges mentioned above. The AK/SL Project began in l992, and for most of the years since then Susannah has been intimately involved with it. Her fluency in Spanish, her knowledge of the Monteverde environs, her personal friendship with the families of Finca La Bella, her firm grounding in the Society of Friends, and her academic background, made her so indispensable for so long. We pray that she will regain her strength and energy soon, and be able to provide further guidance to this project of love transcending human boundaries in care of the earth.

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Attachment G: Report of the Continuing Counsel Committee

Hollister Knowlton

QEW’s Continuing Counsel Committee (CCC) is charged with a number of duties that include:

It is comprised of the Steering Committee’s clerk, alternate clerk, and recording clerk as well as the clerks of the following standing committees: Finance, Outreach, Nominating, Publications, and Spiritual Nurturance.

The CCC met three times by conference call and once, as required by the by laws, in a face to face meeting between the October 2008 and April 2009 QEW Steering Committee meetings. It has met 4 times—once each month—since the Spring meetings.

We have appreciated the addition of the Clerk of Publications to the CCC, and while scheduling and conducting calls gets more challenging the more people are involved, having Publications represented has been well worth it. (Note: the minute establishing the CCC was approved in October 2004 at the same time that parts of a proposal from Outreach were approved that made Publications a part of QEW’s Outreach effort. In practice that merger was impractical and never adopted, but the absence of the Publications clerk persisted until the by laws were changed in Fall 2008).

Minutes of each CCC meeting are circulated to the Steering Committee and sent to the Publications Coordinator for posting on the web site. The CCC welcomes comments and questions on the minutes or the work from Steering Committee members.

A list of the minuted actions/work of the CCC over the past year follows (roughly in chronological order):

1. Approved Nominating Committee’s recommendation of Donn Kesselheim as clerk of Sustainability Faith and Action to replace Dick Grossman, after Dick decided he could not serve as both alternate clerk and clerk of SF&A.

2. Approved the initiation of a practice of welcoming, by the GS, of new SC members with an electronic packet of files, which include the NC’s new volunteer information form and an inquiry about interest in being a QEW ambassador.

3. When distribution of the Fall 2008 epistle was delayed due to requests to make modifications, the CCC asked the clerk and annual meeting planning committee members Roy Taylor and eric joy to have a conference call with epistle committee member and publications coordinator, Louis Cox. The group agreed that the epistle was the work of the epistle committee, the work had been done faithfully, and it was not appropriate to amend it.

4. New Web Site Designers - The web person approved by the SC in April 2008 failed to produce any work (he had not been paid anything by QEW), so CCC authorized Louis and Ruah to seek another firm or individual. By March, they had identified V-Graphics – a husband/wife website firm - who agreed to do the update for the same $5,000 fee agreed upon earlier. Ruah sent a description of the proposed work to the Publications committee and the CCC, and publications committee approved. A down-payment was made and work commenced.

5. New QEW E-List or QEW-NEWS - As reported to the Steering Committee in April, the clerks of Publications and Outreach, along with the clerk and general secretary proposed creating a new QEW E-List as a way to expand the number of Friends we reach to invite to gatherings and share other news and announcements, such as mini-grants, new publications and resources. Noting that currently about 200 people receive an e-announcement when BeFriendingCreation is posted on the web site, the group recommended that we introduce the idea of the new QEW E-list to those on that list and then explore ways to invite and add other QEW supporters, MM contacts, etc as well. Outreach Committee has been asked to take on the oversight of that exploration. Eventually, it is hoped that the V-Graphics folks will help make these announcements more attractive. Outreach has been asked to take on the oversight of the expansion of the list:

6. Ruah’s Retirement in 2012 - In January, Ruah announced plans to retire by 2012 and proposed a way to transition to a new General Secretary. She is willing to separate her job into two parts on an interim basis, starting January 2011: a 1 day a week bookkeeper position, which she would retain, and a 3 day a week Interim GS taking on event coordination and outreach responsibilities. CCC approved the following:

CCC intended to bring the proposal for the Ad hoc committee to the SC at the April meetings, and, if approved, ask Nominating Committee to appoint members by the end of those meetings. Due to some confusion, the proposal was not brought forward formally. Therefore, to move the process forward, the CCC named members to be invited to serve and asked Dick Grossman to convene. Dick will report to the SC at the Fall meeting.

o The role of the Ad hoc committee on staff transition is envisioned as somewhat more than that of a search committee as it must look first at the workability of the proposed job split, the financial implications (salary and healthcare), lines of authority, and the transition from the interim to permanent arrangement, etc.

7. Sites of future annual meetings. For Fall 2010, a site in Houston, Texas, has been engaged.

8. QEW By-Laws Corrections. An area of inconsistency in the section on working groups was noted by a member of the SC at the Atlanta meeting. Where Article V, section 3 item c, says that members of a working/concerns group or project are appointed by the nominating committee, the CCC recommends that this be changed to “are self-selected” to reflect current practice. The CCC re-affirmed that it is the role of the alternate clerk to oversee the process of reviewing and updating the by laws. While we are noting the need to make the change, and will ask for SC approval, the formal change to the bylaws will not actually be made until Fall 2010.

9. Carbon Offsets and Reductions – The CCC discussed how QEW might act more personally to offset the carbon emissions we create in getting to meetings rather than purchasing offsets. A carbon reduction worksheet tool was developed and used at the FGC Gathering. The CCC refers this question to the SF&A for further exploration.

10. Minutes of SC and committee and working group meetings -In response to a concern brought to the CCC by the Publications committee, CCC reaffirms that committees and working groups make sure that minutes or reports are completed and submitted to the Publications Coordinator AND to the Clerk of the SC. Also, CCC recommended that, as time and finances allow, previous SC minutes, not currently available electronically, be scanned, converted to PDF format and posted on the QEW web site. It was also recommended that past issues of BFC be posted, again, as time and costs permit.

11. QEWORG – the CCC made some effort to try using QEWORG, but has had trouble getting up to speed on it. If there are other committees who want to try to use it, they are encouraged to help us all learn how.

12. QEWdiscussions listserv – The CCC received a complaint over use of the list for action alerts items. For some, the use of simple forwards of e-notices seems appropriate; others did not like such use. CCC asked Publications Committee to consider the use of QEWdiscussions in general, with input from Spiritual Nurturance and Outreach.

13. Statement / Minute on Copenhagen: The Ad Hoc Committee on the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change was unable to come to unity on a statement. The CCC asked the ad hoc’s convener, Roy Taylor, to contact QEW’s FCNL representatives about contacting Devin Helfrich, FCNL’s Energy and Environment Legislative Advocate, for advice on how to proceed. Roy Taylor subsequently raised the possibility of endorsing the Britain Yearly Meeting statement and will bring a proposal to the Fall meeting.

14. Development of the Fall meeting agenda – The CCC was not involved in developing the program portion of the annual gathering, but did review the agenda for the entire weekend and developed the annual meeting business meeting agenda. Although the agenda is full, time is allocated to continue the important discussion about the future of QEW’s face-to-face meetings (which began on the Earthcare and qewdiscussion lists) and of faithful conduct of business in a worshipful way between meetings (also raised on the listservs.) If possible, a compilation of the discussion to date on the list-servs will be prepared and made available at the Bellingham meetings.

15. Organization requests for endorsements, sign on, support. Approved a request from Rhode Island Interfaith Power and Light Conference in January 2009 for co-sponsorship at the $25 level and an additional $50 to have a QEW table at the conference (from travel budget).

16. Budget expenditure approvals and other matters:

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Attachment H: Report of the Finance Committee (excluding the FY 2010 Budget)

Steve McConnell 

QEW has had a difficult year financially but it has not required us to make drastic cuts. Following a lag in the spring and summer we should end the year in not too bad of position. The cash flow crunch required us to cash in our $10,000 CD and request to remove $10,000 of our $30,000 from New England Yearly Meeting Pooled Funds to put into our cash funds (coming in October). Our balance sheet is looking better now at the end of August, though, with two more months to go. Hopefully that money can go back into a long-term fund in the coming year. Having most of our money come from individuals has helped us better weather the economic turmoil than organizations that rely on foundation grants. We have written two grant proposals, one for $2,000 to help with printing pamphlets and one for $20,000 to help with catch up. We should know in October if we are receiving all or part of them.

We ended fiscal year 2008 in October 2008, with income a bit short of budget, having contributions of $84,150 rather than the $85,465 we had budgeted. We came close to the budget with an extra push at the end of the year, although it was more money than we had ever raised.

We continue to receive a substantial amount from monthly credit/debit card donations (more than $1,000 each month). This has been helpful in evening out our cash flow. We are adding, as a part of the new website, the ability to donate, purchase and make reservations on-line. This should make it much easier for individuals to make transactions and likely will increase giving.

We have made some cuts to our proposed budget for the coming year to reflect the current times. We believe these are prudent and should not affect our ability to function too much. Our staff, Ruah and Louis, have made sacrifices by giving more of their own money to QEW and forgoing raises for the coming year. We appreciate their hard work and dedication very much.

Thanks to our members for your continued financial support. There are many worthy organizations in need of money and we are appreciative of your gifts to QEW.

The proposed budget and line item descriptions to help with reading the budget are given in Attachment A.

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Attachment I: Report of Friends Testimonies and Economics (FTE)

Ed Dreby

In August, the third of a series of roundtable discussions on Fueling Our Future met for a weekend at Pendle Hill. It was co-sponsored by FTE, which received a grant from PYM’s Chace Fund toward the cost of the this gathering, and Quaker Institute for the Future (QIF), which took responsibility for publishing a report as its initial Circle of Discernment publication. FTE is grateful to Keith Helmuth who coordinated the Pendle Hill gathering, Elaine Emmi who helped meet its expenses, and especially to Judy Lumb who both edited (i.e., authored) and published the report. This became available commercially in March.

In the spring, Ed Dreby initiated consideration of a possible next phase for FTE, “Confronting the Growth Dilemma.” An invitation to participate was developed and circulated at QIF’s Montreal Symposium in May, at the FGC Gathering, and at a number of yearly meetings beginning in June. Russell DeForest of State College MM has become PhiYM’s second member of the project oversight group. And a member of PhiYM has developed both e-mail and internet capability for the project.

However, although considerable interest has been expressed verbally, to date there have been only two individuals who have specifically asked to join a Growth Dilemma Network. Yet the Peace and Concerns Standing Committee of PhiYM has identified Confronting the Growth Dilemma as an issue it intends to pursue, and a new interfaith working group, initiated by the Maryknoll Center in DC, is beginning its own project as a result of the distributing of the FTE invitation to Friends. In addition, PhiYM approved a minute at its annual session about communicating with the Obama Administration about the intersection between economic policies and ecological damage. So there are several “ways opening” about this issue.

Last winter the Continuing Counsel asked that FTE locate itself more clearly within QEW’s structure, so a proposal was presented to the Steering Committee recommending that QEW report through the FCNL project group. This proposal was not approved, and a number of procedural points were raised. A structure is already in place that is acceptable to PhiYM, that includes David Ciscel and Donn Kesselheim as part of the oversight group, and that enable the project to go forward as ways open, within both PhiYM and the wider body of Friends. So it seems the essence of simplicity to avoid spending more time on organizational controversy within QEW and for FTE to go forward as a PhiYM project.

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Attachment J: Report of the Nominating Committee

Rod Zwirner

Steering Committee membership, officers, clerks, and appointees (October 2009)

Ruah Swennerfelt, Gen. Sec. (appointed 2008)

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Attachment K: Report of Outreach Committee

Susan Swanstrom 

In Atlanta 2008, the Nominating Committee clarified that Susan Swanstrom will serve as Outreach Committee clerk and Marshall Gibson will serve as alternate clerk if Susan cannot serve, rather than both serving as co-clerks. Susan is author of this report. We held two conference calls in February and March 2009 before the spring meeting, and another before the fall meeting in Bellingham.

We attempted to form a more focused inreach program of phone conference calls with regional groupings of QEW Reps in order to create accountability, build relationships, provide support and promote QEW work throughout the year. These were to be facilitated by Outreach members (or others who feel led) and follow a specific agenda to maximize effectiveness. The few phone calls that occurred were enjoyable and informative, but the attempt was not completely successful as not all calls agreed to were actually made.

We formed an Ad Hoc Committee on electronic networking with David Millar, Rob Jones, Marshall Gibson and Bill Holcombe. The committee invited all Outreach members onto http://qewnet.ning.com. We wanted to try it first to see if it could work for us as Outreach members. Though Outreach did not work with it much, over the year, the network opened to FWCC Friends involved with climate change issues, all QEW SC members, and now is open to all Friends. There are currently 73 members from all over the world involved in discussions ranging across the Earthcare issues spectrum. Greater use of on-line resources is planned.

There was confusion on the committee between the two roles of Representative and Ambassador and we were delighted when Hollister and Ruah agreed, upon request, to clarify these by offering training at the April 2009 Steering Committee Meeting in Chicago. We were reminded that our job description as Reps is posted on the QEW website www.quakerearthcare.org (click on Outreach and then YM relationships).

Ambassadors are Friends who travel with a concern for the earth as well as information about QEW as an organization to YMs who do not have a rep. They listen and network and educate about affiliation with QEW so a rep can be appointed. In the past, it has been Outreach’s job to identify as many Friends as possible who might serve as Ambassadors to all un-affiliated YMs. This year, though Outreach worked on identifying Ambassadors, we challenged the idea that Ambassadors be “found” by QEW Outreach for every YM that does not have a rep, and instead ask that those who feel led to serve in this way of visiting other YMs contact us on Outreach. Maggie Knight, A YAF Canadian Friend wished to travel in this way to witness for Earthcare and QEW to North American Yearly Meetings during the summer of 2009. Though we were enthusiastic and agreed to train and offer to support her in this, we were sad to learn that Maggie was not able to do so after all for personal and financial reasons.

We lifted up the need for more discussion regarding engaging more EFI and FUM Friends in QEW’s work. To begin action on this we invited local EFI Friends to our gathering in Bellingham, as Northwest YM (EFI) and North Pacific YM (unaffiliated) have worked hard to create mutually enriching contacts between them.

We want to engage more young (and old) Friends and believe that on-line networking will help bring in the former especially. With Publications, we encouraged formation of an e-list of Friends; not only those who already receive BFC on-line, but others who sign up (gathered e-addresses by reps or on the new website) to inform them about QEW’s activities and gatherings. This list is slowly growing.

Outreach began this year to create a yearly focus or two for our work as QEW Reps to help clarify our efforts and conserve our energy. We hoped a focus would simplify communication about QEW in our YMs or as ambassadors to other YMs. This year (2009) we identified two foci:

Promotion of the mini-grants program. The mini-grants program is a powerful way to promote awareness, build community and inspiring activism. Ruth has prepared a PowerPoint slideshow for YM reps to share. (See below for the year’s grants awarded summary.)

Climate change. We proposed that efforts dovetail with FCNL’s legislative efforts first of all (through mid-May) and then the focus would switch to Copenhagen (the Kyoto Accord’s successor). QEW’s FCNL working group would provide a package of information for the legislative piece. The UN working group and publications (because the fall issues of BeFriending Creation will focus on Copenhagen) would pull together resources for us to use to inform our meetings in preparation for December’s gathering in Copenhagen. QEW approved in April signing on to the National Council of Churches postcard campaign to press our US delegation to act in Copenhagen. As of this writing, many hundreds of postcards have been distributed and already sent throughout QEW’s contacts.

Though we wanted to offer training in Bellingham in October to increase communication and activism in our YMs, and Joe Morris agreed to offer and organize this, miscommunication prevented it from occurring this fall. Perhaps in April?

Quaker Earthcare Witness awarded 10 mini-grants, of $250 matching funds each, to Friends meetings and groups throughout America. These grants were to support environmental projects and educational programming.

The funded projects are:

We are impressed with both the outreach and the practical applications of the Mini-Grants. Every project presented reflects a highly effective way to help our environment. We plan to continue this successful program and offer $250 matching mini-grants again in 2010. The QEW budget supports four grants and we are hopeful that donations will increase the number of grants offered. The deadline for the 2010 Mini-grants applications is May 1, 2010 and the application form is on QEW’s website.

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Attachment L: Report of the Personnel Committee

Jack Bradin

This is a brief report with one attachment from Ruah concerning 2nd Q 2009 GS [Ruah] and Publications Coordinator [Louis] activity.

The Heart of the report is the action Ruah and Louis have taken to reduce their salaries, benefits, and office rent in the light of QEW's contributory shortfall. Here is a brief explanation in Ruah's own words: " We're forgoing salary increases and I've changed my health insurance to have a higher deductible and no prescription or vision riders. Louis's Medicare will take a bigger chunk out of his check each month and as you know there's no increase in SS." This is an added burden in tough times as the committee views and supports their work for QEW. The Personnel Committee hopes the SC will agree to a mechanism to offset this loss to our staff, before they retire. Perhaps one avenue might be passing the hat over the next two years to make up for their sacrifice, as well as an additional amount representing our heartfelt thanks for the work they have done...!

Dick Grossman who is convening an ad hoc transition committee plans to say a few words on the search for a replacement for the GS position. The Personnel Committee will add for your SC information what has transpired on the Interim offer we received in the spring of this year at the Chicago meeting: Anonymous has withdrawn their offer to be interim GS despite Ruah's offer of an interim retirement option. The Personnel Committee is seeking and will review with any SC member or regular member the duties of an Interim GS. If any member of QEW, or its SC, feels led to perform the duties addressed in Chicago of an interim GS while Ruah continues as bookkeeper please contact the clerk of Personnel Committee.

Recently it has come to the personnel committee’s attention that Ruah may want to retire with no 'strings' to QEW. Personnel Committee is led to first seek replacements from amongst the broader QEW family.

Personnel Committee does not approve of a combination ad-hoc committee to search for a new GS, and too reengage a review of long term structural changes to QEW. They need in our understanding to be separate.

Personnel Committee is fully capable of conducting a search for an interim GS position mindful of Ruah's willingness to continue in the capacities she has requested and we sense would be welcomed; or if she has changed her mind that would be acceptable and a full search would get underway.

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Second Quarter, 2009, in Review for QEW Staff

Ruah

Louis

Summary of time off for staff for second quarter, 2009 and remaining time available going into July

Ruah

Vacation (23 days available) took 3 in May and 2 in June, 18 days available

Floating holidays (3 days available) took 0, 3 more available

Sick days (12 days available + 24 accrued days) took 0, so have 36 days available

Personal days (2 available) took 0, have 2 days available

Louis

Vacation (10 days available) took 2 in May and 1 in June, 7 days available

Floating holidays (3 days available) took 0, 3 more available

Sick days (12 days available + 24 accrued days) took 0, has 36 days available

Personal days (2 days available) took 0, has 2 days available

Plans for 3^rd quarter, 2009

Vacation (18 days available) plans are for 3 days vacation in July (using FCG comp time as well for trip to Charleston.

Comp time: Planning some days after FGC Gathering

Vacation (28 days available) plans are for 2 days in July (using FGC comp time as well for trip to Charleston.

Flex time: Planning some days after the FGC Gathering

Tentative plans for 4^th quarter

Ruah and Louis will spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with family

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Attachment M: Report of the Sustainability Faith and Action Working Group

Donn Kesselheim

2009 was an active year for members of the Sustainability: Faith and Practice Committee within Quaker Earthcare Witness. Some of these activities were:

The effort to “green FGC”—that is, to heighten ecological awareness on the part of those attending the 2009 Gathering of Friends General Conference—was led by Bob and Geeta McGahey, ably assisted by Hollister Knowlton, George Owen, and Traci Hjelt-Sullivan. Bob reports that the reduction in the total volume of carbon dioxide emissions offset at the Gathering came to just under 50 tons. This remarkably successful effort consisted of:

The tactic employed by Bob and Geeta was to ask attenders to make a commitment to move to new behavior, e. g., carpooling, buying a more efficient refrigerator, installing photovoltaic collectors, etc. (The form they designed apparently needs tweaking.)

Given this successful experience at one meeting, inevitably it suggests: how can we build on what we have learned?

One further consequence of the work initiated by Bob and Geeta is a very effective statement drafted by George Owen in October, describing the need for an initiative to define and disseminate a set of values that would lead us to nurture “the mutual flourishing of the whole commonwealth of life in which we live.” As way opens, we hope to build upon this statement.

Members of the Population Sub-group collaborated in bringing to publication a trifold, called "Seeking Clearness on Childbearing in a Crowded World." In its draft form, the new trifold was authored by Stan Becker. We now wish to bring this publication to the attention of as many people as possible. The Population Sub-group will next turn to the task of up-dating the abortion and adoption trifolds, and melding three earlier publications -- those dealing with human migration, human sexuality, and population growth -- into one pamphlet. Roy Treadway will coordinate this effort.

To date, only one person has applied for financial assistance to offset the expense of having a vasectomy, under the Men for Men project launched by Richard Grossman. The light response has caused us to consider whether Quaker males are the right target clientele for this project.

__ An alternative target group might be men who are about to be released from prison. It is not unusual for men in whose lives incarceration is a recurring theme to father 4-8 children, often with 2-3 different mothers. Indeed, this pattern may be played out over two or three generations. However, typically men in prison are proud of having generated multiple children. It is difficult to imagine an effective strategy for bringing about the necessary shift in viewpoint.

__ A more likely substitute target group might be the clientele of reproductive health clinics. Although they are primarily women, many such patients might well be at a point in their lives when they would be willing to broach the idea of limiting fertility to their present and future male partners. . . . If the Men for Men and Childbearing trifolds were to be placed into the waiting rooms of reproductive health clinics, it would probably be necessary to create secular versions of these tools.

Brad Ogilvie, Program Coordinator at William Penn House in Washington, D. C., has written to request QEW’s help in further development of their family summer eco-work camp. Donn Kesselheim has volunteered to be a resource person, if that would be helpful.

Warmest thanks to all who contributed to this forward movement!

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Reports of Yearly Meeting Representatives

Attachment N: Report of Canadian Yearly Meeting

David Millar 

The task of reaching our 1250 members scattered across 3000 miles has been further complicated by two resignations: our previous rep, Tracey McCowen, is now finishing various research projects and an MA at U. of Vermont; recession-caused cutbacks hindered her replacement Stewart Russell in his work as a wind energy consultant and QEW rep. The political situation in Canada is ominous: our Conservative government is run by Alberta right-wingers with policy copied from Bush Republicans. Prisons, pollution, Afghan war casualties and political payoffs to tar sands/oil/nuclear lobbies are doubling, while liberals of all kinds are in disarray. All this makes Friends' concerns more relevant than ever.

The QEAN (Quaker Environmental Action Network) listserv, clerked by Arnold Ranneris of Vancouver Island, helps mightily to keep us together. It organizes well-attended interest groups at our yearly gatherings. It won 2009 CYM approval to support Britain YM's Copenhagen minute, urge the Canadian government to action, and cooperate with other faith groups. CYM also asked every meeting and worship group to consider uranium and nuclear issues and a draft minute on "peaceful energy" before CYM 2010; it called for a moratorium on all new land leases for tar sands; and it approved plans to hire youth and religious educations coordinators, who will surely help QEAN and QEW activists in future work. Several Young Friends are organizing the PowerShift movement. In fact, despite our small numbers, Friends are highly visible in interfaith and environmental action across Canada.

Starting with Margaret Slavin's writings on her travel in the ministry to every Canadian meeting and worship group, there has been a dual effort both to reveal Friends' lives and concerns to each other, and at the same time reduce carbon emissions from travel, etc. Various methods are being explored: environmental proposals were included in the Consultation and Renewal (known as C'n'R) process, such as cutting travel and frequency of meetings, "greening" all aspects of our Yearly and Regional gatherings, new forms of publication and sharing (e.g. web-based archives of minutes, environmental blogs, Culture of Peace wiki), internet and phone conferencing, and investigating methods used by Australia YM. Individual leadings have led to Friends' action at local, regional, national and international levels. The experimentation continues.

Across Canada: Susan Holtz helped start the Ecology Action Centre in Halifax NS several decades ago and more recently has been a CIELAP and QIAP researcher, and rep on Kairos; Keith and Ellen Helmuth in NB have started a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) network as well as inspiring us with their writings; he was a featured speaker at a Kairos interfaith summit on Parliament Hill; Victoria, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto are greening their own or rented meetinghouses; our new CYM clerk Anne Mitchell has administered both QIF (Quaker Institute for the Future) and CIELAP (Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy), and is now helping plan a Canadian Council of Churches (CCC) - Biotechnology Reference Group workshop on Science, Religion and Technology in Dec 2009. The CCC is planning interfaith activity during the G20 meeting in Canada in 2010. Quaker International Affairs Program (QIAP) in Ottawa researched and published The Future Control of Food, available online at idrc.ca. Remedial biologist Dana Bush of Calgary MM led the Kairos church delegation reporting on the Alberta tar sands and its health effects on native communities. Bringing to fruition a project started by QIF in 2003, Montreal's Peter Brown, Geoff Garver, Keith Helmuth and others co-wrote Right Relationship: Building a Whole Earth Economy, and brought together in a symposium in May experts and Friends from many countries, with outreach continuing in Europe, Africa, US, and Australia-NZ. Videos and blogs may be found at moraleconomy.org. As a member of the Moral Economy Project, I helped develop outreach plans, contacts, and websites which are now contributing to environmental discussion and action;

A possibility emerging from such world outreach is the formation of a post-Copenhagen social movement composed of Jubilee churches, other faiths, environmental and human rights groups, and Third World organizations of all kinds, emphasizing not only science-based environmental action but spiritually grounded changes in life habits, right sharing of the global commons, peace, localization, and a moral economy. In a word, ecojustice.

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Attachment O: Illinois Yearly Meeting

Alice Howenstine and John Hackman

Illinois Yearly Meeting, centered in McNabb, Illinois, continues to be very involved with environmental issues. We have changed our yearly meeting date from August to June in order to reduce the need for air conditioning. So far, it has worked out well. We have a complete composting and recycling system set up during yearly meeting, with individual attenders taking materials home with them at the end of the session, since McNabb has no recycling program easily available for residents.

This year we were fortunate to have Hollister Knowlton accept our invitation to be a plenary speaker. She stayed for the entire YM, which made it possible for many folks to hold QEW- type discussions with her. ILYM misses the presence of Bob Wixom, who died in August and had served as the clerk of our Environmental Concerns Committee for many years. The ECC committee is now under the able leadership of Roy Treadway.

Many Friends turn out for the work weekends that Roy has organized and led at the McNabb campus. In June of this year, ILYM purchased an additional 6 acres of land (with buildings) adjacent to the property we already own on Quaker Lane. The ECC committee has actively worked to make any plans for proposed ILYM new buildings and renovations as “green” as possible.

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Attachment P: Report of Lake Erie Yearly Meeting

Al Connor

LEYM’s Earthcare Committee this year continued emphasizing taking action that would help restore and regenerate the two bioregions in which the yearly meeting is situated—Great Lakes and Ohio River Valley.

After email letters, meetings with the Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality staff and state legislators along with members of other faith-based environmental groups, the Michigan state government finally ratified the Great Lakes Compact. That enabled the Federal Congress to do the same. Whether our letters and lobbying were instrumental in that act, I don’t know.

Members of monthly meetings have become aware of the ecological positives and negatives of the watersheds in which they are located. A few members have become active in working for their sustainability and livability for all life forms. This has been most noticeable in work to regulate CAFOs in the Maumee River watershed and watersheds in central and southern Michigan.

We persuaded the Yearly Meeting to endorse the Earth Charter this year. It is hoped that Monthly meetings will endorse it also. Ann Arbor will consider it at its next meeting for worship for business. We showed the documentary, “The World According the Monsanto” at Yearly Meeting. Viewers were very concerned about Monsanto’s attempts to develop a monopoly for grain, cotton, and some oil seeds via genetic modification. The were also concerned about the company’s promotion of “bovine somatropin” (BST) to increase milk production in dairy cattle. Some studies have indicated that BST shortens cows lives and may have some deleterious effects on humans, especially babies that consume milk from such cows. BST is also known as bovine growth hormone (BHG).

Our workshop session at Yearly Meeting this year was a panel at which representatives of various meetings described what their meeting is doing to help restore the earth and regenerate and preserve local eco-systems.

Jim Crowfoot of Ann Arbor Meeting mentioned “Living Lightly” workshops a Michigan Friends Center near Chelsea and the high school group’s organic garden at the Ann Arbor center that provides food for the local “Food Gatherers” which supplies food banks. Two of our people have completed Transition Town training. Since we joined Michigan Interfaith Power and Light Inc. in 2002, the Meeting has reduced kilowatt electricity usage by 37 percent.

David Snyder, Oberlin meeting, noted that Oberlin College is one of the nation’s top rated green colleges. It plans to be carbon neutral by 2020. He discussed his involvement, not the Meeting’s. David, as a member of FCNL’s Policy Committee has been working with a subcommittee drafting a minute aimed at filling the gaps in FCNL’s statement on an Earth Restored. He is a member of three environmental organizations in the Oberlin area: The New Agrarian Center, Providing Oberlin with Efficiency Responsibility (POWER), and Interfaith Committee on Environment (ICE). The New Agrarians operate an organic farm that provides the college with fresh produce in season and a CSA. It has 14 distribution centers in three counties and supplies fresh produce to urban food deserts in Cleveland and Youngstown.

Most of the environmental work at Athens, OH meeting has been work to make the building it has bought to convert to a meetinghouse, environmentally efficient and flood secret, since it is located in a flood plain. It was a warehouse with storage on the ground floor and a drive to the storage area. Those two areas have been filled and the first floor is now above flood stage. CFL light fixtures, and Energy Star boiler and insulated and weatherized windows have been installed. A former coal town next to Athens has been mine-out and abandoned by companies. It has high poverty and unemployment rates. The meeting takes part in a Produce Giveaway program for feeding kids and a Plant Giveaway program to enable families to grow their own fresh and healthy food.

Mary Ellen Newport, who teaches at Olney Friends School at Barnesville, described the work going on at Olney to make it the first non-residential passive building in the USA. The new structure will be built to LEED specifications and shall include a gymnasium, greenhouse and classrooms. Heating and cooling will be geo-thermal. It will have an internal living wall with plants growing year round with a water retention and recycling system. The headmaster’s house has been remodeled and contains a solar greenhouse that provides most of its heat. A wood stove is available as an auxiliary heat source. The school participates in the Arthur Morgan Institute for Community Solutions program.

The Committee held a retreat at Greenfire Farm and Eco-village. That enabled us to deepen our spiritual relationship to the Earth and to one another.

The Earthcare Committee requested a change in LEYM policy, which would permit the Yearly Meeting to contribute to national Quaker organizations including QEW. We were not successful.

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Attachment Q: Report of New England Yearly Meeting

Mary Gilbert

New England Yearly Meeting’s Earthcare Ministry Committee met face-to-face 4 times during the past year, and twice by conference call.

Retreat: One of the meetings was a full weekend retreat at Woolman Hill, a Quaker conference center in Western MA. We found this to be enormously successful in building a sense of community and shared purpose, especially important to the committee because there were several new members, including a new clerk.

Committee travel: The retreat was conceived of as taking the place of our January Committee Day when most committees gather in one place. We hoped this would cut down on mileage. However less car-pooling was possible that would have been possible traveling to the regular Committee Day, so we think it more or less broke even. ( Also, not all of us recorded our mileage, and doing the math to figure each person’s share of mileage, in cars with different efficiency, and comparing that to hypothetical mileage in shared cars to Committee Day was perceived as a nuisance.)

Meeting through conference calls: We found that this was a horse of another color; requiring different planning from that for a full meeting. Genuine discernment wasn’t workable, but focused discussion including reports on progress from sub-groups and individuals, and productive brainstorming, could happen. The biggest problem that emerged was in getting recognized to speak. Without being able to cue our clerk visually, quick speakers predominated others didn’t get heard. We plan to investigate technology further, as we know the problem has been addressed in other groups.

We met in four “clusters” spread throughout our region, to find a compromise between being together and doing less driving. Some thought sharing silence on the phone before “meeting” was a good idea; some didn’t. Sharing silence in our smaller “clusters” was less successful than we had hoped (possibly because of novelty – we might do better in the future.).

Other YM-related travel: At our retreat we decided on a letter to our YM’s Permanent Board, asking them to make greener travel a YM-wide concern. We requested that sites convenient to public transportation be considered for gatherings. A portion of our letter was printed in the New England Friend, and a mid-year meeting for discernment was indeed held in a public transportation hub.

We also thanked the YM Administrative Office for on-line publication of a list to facilitate ride-sharing to committee days, and encouraged them to make this a more regular service with more notification to potential car-poolers. This is being done.

Travel to YM sessions: Also at our retreat we identified a “Fourfold Path” for travel, namely: walking, biking, taking public transportation, and filling your car. (The idea of limiting this to car-pooling was dropped because families with several children and all their gear might not be able to fit others into their vehicles.) Friends volunteered to coordinate efforts to travel by these various means to YM sessions. An artist on the committee designed badges to be given to arrivals who used these means. Since this was a first attempt, a steep learning curve was involved. Any future efforts of this kind will be better coordinated.

Support: We discovered that other committees share the concerns behind our travel experiment, and we will be engaged in ongoing consultation with them.

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Attachment R: Report of Northern Yearly Meeting

John Greenler and John Payton

After a process lasting several years, Northern's ad hoc Friends Committee on Unity with Nature laid itself down, having completed the work that meeting it had asked it to do, i.e., prepare a draft of a chapter on Earthcare for Northern's Faith and Practice. At Northern's annual sessions, held at the Lions Club Camp in Rosholt, WisI in May 2009, Friends met in worship sharing to finalize the chapter, which was subsequently approved in meeting for worship with attention to business. This chapter is now posted on Northern's web site (http://www.northernyearlymeeting.org/article/nym-faith-and-practice-chapter-care-for-the-earth).

In the display area at annual sessions, there was a QEW display with copies of several recent QEW brochures, the current issue of BeFriending Creation, and an opportunity for Friends to sign up for free 3-issue subscriptions to BFC. The supplies of all these materials were exhausted during the course of the week end. Also at annual sessions the number of Friends choosing to participate in the simple meals program grew considerably from the previous year. Annual Sessions Planning Committee continues to discuss with the Lions Camp food service Friends' interest in using more locally produced food.

During business meeting, John Payton and John Greenler were approved to serve as representatives to Quaker Earthcare Witness, and Payton gave a report on the spring QEW steering committee meeting in Chicago. He emphasized three QEW priorities approved at that meeting--QEW's mini-grant program, its support of FCNL's position on federal climate change legislation, and it participation in the National Council of Churches' Countdown to Copenhagen postcard campaign. With regard to these priorities, monthly meetings were urged to (a) watch FCNL's website for guidance on conducting letter writing tables in support of legislation that provides for immediate and deep cuts in greenhouse emissions; (b) participate in the postcard campaign; and (c) apply for a mini-grant.

In response, contact persons from 10 monthly meetings and worship groups signed up to coordinate Countdown to Copenhagen postcard signing campaigns in their respective meetings. Payton coordinated the distribution of cards to these meetings and published an article on the campaign in the summer edition of the yearly meeting newsletter to remind other meetings of this opportunity. He will follow up with meetings in the fall to assess their level of participation in this effort.

Subsequent to annual sessions we learned that QEW's mini-grant committee had approved an application from Milwaukee Friends Meeting to rehabilitate a portion of the land preserve on which their meeting house is located. This will involve removing invasive species of plants and replacing them with a native orchard, accessible walking path, and benches.

Northern continues in a discernment process regarding whether to establish a standing Earthcare committee.

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Attachment S: Report of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

Hollister Knowlton and Ed Dreby

At PYM’s January 2009 Gathering for Peace, two of the 16 focus groups to develop out of the week were related to Earthcare:

PYM’s Earthcare Working Group

• Two of the gatherings featured Ruah Swennerfelt and Louis Cox presenting “John Woolman’s Message for the 21^st Century”

• One focused on ecological and carbon footprinting.

3. set two objectives for the coming year:

4. Its Climate Action Project also met monthly by conference call and developed short items each month that were sent to all MM newsletter editors.

5. Members gave workshops and spoke at gatherings:

PYM’s 2009 annual sessions selected the theme of Right Relationship. Elements included:

Two minutes were passed in sessions:

§ Discern our message and our path for communicating with the Obama administration and possibly other political leaders.

§ Advise the YM on how and when communication with the Obama administration might be most fruitful.

§ Recommend how Monthly Meetings and the wider body of Friends might engage with these concerns in a meaningful way to inform them of the urgency, and to help sustain our focus.

§ Envision a path forward, including other actions we might consider involving the intersection of economic policy, ecological damage, and social injustice, and be better stewards of God’s creation.

A group of Friends, leaders in the YM in various aspects of Earthcare, economics, social change, right relationship have begun gathering to develop a strategy for harnessing the energies that emerged in summer sessions.

In summary, this has been a most exciting year for Earthcare and right relationship in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.

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Attachment T: Report of Southeastern Yearly Meeting

Jack Bradin, Mary Jo Klingel, Barbara Letsch

This past year we have been involved in a number of activities, both within our yearly meeting and in our communities.

Barbara has continued as clerk of SEYM's Earthcare Working Group. That committee is educating SEYM about ways that other Quaker Yearly Meetings and organizations are using carbon offsets for travel to their meetings. SEYM is in the process of discerning how members/attenders are led to do carbon offsets for YM travel. The committee also continued its tree planting on the grounds of our YM site.

Jack has been deeply involved in Greenpeace activism in South Eastern Fl. He is Greenpeace's lead FL activist organizing town hall meetings with Club Change, The Florida Coalition, Palm Beach Environmental Coalition, 350.org, Cool Cities [a Sierra Club project], and the Nuclear Information and Resource Service nirsnet@nirs.org; www.nirs.org. The later group, and FCNL [featured on FCNL's Website] have widely circulated the March 2008 Minute on Nuclear Energy approved by Palm Beach Monthly Meeting.

Jack and Barbara facilitated a workshop at PBMM on the book "Right Relationship: Building a Whole Earth Economy", and Jack plans to present a two day workshop @ SEYM in April 2010 on the book and related leadings.

Hollister Knowlton Clerk of QEW's Steering Committee provided two symposia on Pachamama's "Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream" at Sarasota and Orlando MMs this past spring. Both were very enthusiastically received. Members of Fort Lauderdale MM attended the symposium at the Miami Unitarian Universalist Church in May. St. Petersburg MM is planning to offer the symposium at their meetinghouse in November.

While we have worked to bring greater consciousness of the Earth's needs to our communities this past year, and to work with other local organizations, we recognize that there is much more to do, and look forward to another year of working together for the Earth.

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Attachment U: Report of Western Yearly Meeting

Marshall Gibson

Western Yearly Meeting Western Yearly Meeting spent much its time around a strong division between a majority of Meetings insistence over Jesus' divinity and blood atonement vs. actually working on living out testimonies on simplicity, peace, integrity, community, and equality. One monthly meeting has left the YM. Others seem to be planning a split or takeover. Earthcare is clearly on the minds of about two dozen of us. The program committee heard my request to make a presentation or workshop, but neither actually happened. I will try again for 2010. Again, some materials were taken from the display, for which table space was provided.

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Reports of Visitation

Attachment V: Report of Visitation to Great Plains Yearly Meeting

Rod Zwirner

This year’s sessions were held at Wichita Friends Church, June 4-7. The setting of Friends University dorms and full facility church with attentive servers provided the basics that allowed attendees to focus on what seems to be a slow motion transition for GPYM. Last years celebratory mood at the former Friends College in Central city gave way to a sober look at GPYM’s future and place amongst Friends. A minute from their M&C session stated their inability to unite behind continuing a young adult Friend’s apostolic ministry, while knowing that continuing in the present path leads to further attrition. (The Central City Meeting was closed down this year).

I was given a chance to lead a workshop this year that unfortunately was scheduled against a FGC presentation on YM growth. However, seven of us had a good session on “An Earth Restored.” My approach was to move from QEW’s connection to FCNL efforts on to Paul’s expressions in Romans 8 (3 translations were presented). I was aiming to make the connection that a full apostolic gospel needs to be part of a fabric of justice that includes all creation. Generally, GPYM is sensitive to such issues, but does not have a critical mass of energy to reach out and set what amounts to a counter culture in the heartland. Strong, vibrant, new agricultural entities could be the community basis for which they yearn. Of course, I show an eastern bias by thinking a right relationship to Creation should be at least as important as focusing on saving souls.

Visits to the QEW table were sporadic. I had a very good conversation with a Mennonite doing service in Wichita. Excellent entertainment was provided by a Mennonite family and it was good to see these connections. Jim Lynch, the new GPYM rep to QEW, works at a nearby Mennonite college and will be replacing Steve McConnell.

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Attachment W: Report of Visitation to Intermountain Yearly Meeting

Ruth Hamilton

I attended Intermountain Yearly Meeting at Ghost Ranch, N.M. meeting, June 9-13, 2009. This year, I made sure that I could present for QEW in the Meeting for Business by contacting Penny Thorn-Weber in Feb. 2009 requesting to be put on the agenda. As it turned out I was first on the agenda and very well received. I stressed what we could do for them by presenting the mini-grants and inviting those present to attend my workshop.

My workshop, “Answering Your Earth Calling” was a smaller group than last year but all were interested in my Power Point Presentation on the QEW Mini-grants.

IMYM approved the Senior Young Friends’ proposal to start a pilot program of an Intermountain Quaker Summer Camp. Consequently, Anatasia Easterling who clerks the camp committee applied for and received a QEW mini-grant for this summer camp. The camp will feature environmental programming and will offer scholarships for needy campers.

Since IMYM, I have been asked to present a workshop at three monthly meetings: Albuquerque, Las Cruses, and Denver. These meetings are all contacts that I made at IMYM. I look forward to presenting at these meetings. I also met Kathy Hyzy, editor of “Western Friend” and she asked me to write an article for the magazine. I have sent her an article with pictures of the Cebolla Wildlife project that Albuquerque Friends Meeting sponsored.

I would have been delighted if IMYM had decided to affiliate with QEW financially. This was a difficult financial year for this yearly meeting and their big agenda item was deciding to join FGC. Next year may be the year IMYM affiliates for now we have sponsored a mini-grant for them and have been faithful in sending QEW representatives.

As far as casual contacts with Friends at IMYM, this may be the most important work. I shared meals with dozens of Friends interested in work of QEW and who are doing great works on their own to contribute to their “Earth calling.”

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Attachment X: Report of Visitation to Piedmont Friends Fellowship Annual Retreat

Barbara Williamson

Report on Trip on May 8–10, 2009

On behalf of QEW, I attended the 2009 Piedmont Friends Fellowship (N.C.) Annual Retreat at Camp New Hope near Chapel Hill, N.C. The theme of the retreat was Quakers & Justice: Then and Now. On Saturday morning there was a workshop on the book Fit for Freedom, Not for Friendship and in the afternoon there was a workshop on our own personal enslavement to cheap non-renewable sources of energy. One of the leaders in the afternoon workshop was QEW Steering Committee member, Ruth Hamilton.

Piedmont Friends Fellowship Annual Retreat’s primary objective is sharing and fellowship. After spending time with individuals from monthly meetings across N.C., I was impressed with how engaged they are with environmental issues, particularly young Friends. Some Young Friends are actively engaged in helping their parents “green” their homes.

Since Ruth and Michael regularly attend the annual retreat and there is such a high level of interest and activity on environmental issues, I believe that it is no longer necessary for another QEW representative to attend the annual retreat. The annual retreat is a “treat” and an enjoyable weekend spent with Friends and I would encourage anyone to attend if within easy traveling distance (the retreat will probably continue to be at Camp New Hope for the immediate future).

Barbara Williamson
QEW Steering Committee

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Attachment Y: Report of Visitation to Southeastern Yearly Meeting

Rod Zwirner

One reason I appreciate the chance to represent QEW at SEYM is that it has a strong resemblance to my YM, yet there are distinct differences that help me to understand my YM better. Therefore, I see better how QEW can function in different settings. This years Sessions (always at Easter time) revisited their relationship to FUM which overshadowed featured presentations. The latter showed the urgency of financial crisis at AFSC and the need to evolve missions. This helped me put QEW’s activities in better context.

Elizabeth Watson’s presence was invoked in several ways and her QEW pamphlet “Healing Ourselves and the Earth” was very much in my mind. Her familiarity with Walt Whitman’s work was especially relevant to the FUM issues and desecration of the earth, but I doubt this was widely felt.

My short statement to the business meeting was weak, partially because I was very aware of the time needed for the FUM question. I did not have the charismatic touch to compete on the floor with a whole series of Friends groups in crisis. On the other hand, how many will remember the heartfelt statement about Friends Journal.

Our workshop presentation of QEW issues and resources was partially scuttled because some new folks showed up that needed to be heard. This often happens at SEYM because Florida’s crises are so obvious and there are always Friends stretched to the limit dealing with them.

SEYM has two talented YM reps to QEW that can offer wonderful workshops which are not asked for often enough. To me, that points to the need for grassroots connectivity that needs constant support and communication. An example was an SEYM member written article was on the front page of Befriending Creation and hardly anyone had seen it. Therefore, the challenge seems to be to expand such an event (presentation of the Awakening the Dreamer was another) by following up in different ways to a wider audience.

Part of the answer is to continue searching for monthly meeting contacts. Added to this, rather than form an Earthcare committee, there could be an effort to integrate Earthcare concerns with the SEYM’s excellent P&SC website. For instance, when AFSC’s Roadmap to Peace came up, there was no time to discuss the Earthcare weaknesses of its 5 principles. However, the Roadmap is on the website so ways to strengthen could be presented there.

In conclusion, I want to restate what an opportunity for visitation SEYM is. Since I am there anyway to visit family, maybe QEW could support another visitor.

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Attachment Z: Report of Visitation to United Nations’ Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)

Sally Merrill

May 5-15th, 2009

(Separate piece to be written by Mary Gilbert)

It was a lifelong dream for me, and I thank QEW for the chance! I always wanted to be a diplomat, and was even admitted to the Foreign Service School at Georgetown before I decided so much travel wouldn't lend itself to having a family, -I had lived with the daughter of Kuwait's ambassador in my freshman year at Skidmore College. I highly recommend the UN in May. (See in your mind’s eye: flowering dogwood, light green leaves, fresh, cool air, occasional light rain, and farmers markets near Katherine Hepburn park in the one full block between the Vanderbilt Y and the UN.)

Here are some high points that structured my first-time experience at CSD:

1) Free AquaAerobics classes at the Y, at 7 AM and noon some days…. “Alternative Energy!”(suffice to say the New Yorkers do it underground, and in deep water, while talking a lot!) Enjoy seeing lots of kids in lines and dogs on leashes all over the place.

2) Daily 9 AM Briefings by UN staff led by various Major Groups delegates, including Non-governmental Organizations (NGO’s –which we are one of), Indigenous Peoples, Women, Environmental Groups, Farmers, Science and Technology, Local Governments, Trade Unions, and Business (I met someone from the mining and metals association, who apparently succeeded in getting some language in the document about making farmers into miners so they ‘d have work, given the sad state of soils and desertification, lack of water- a troubling insertion in to the “reality” some see.) Women farmers were winners!

4) Following Briefings, many activities, and Side Events over lunch and in early evenings. Mary and I -and others, alternating, were Rapporteurs (taking notes and reporting back at the next Briefing) for Working Group I, -noting the torturous and important additions, bracketing, changes, etc., as all the countries of the world did what two Quakers did not even attempt for this “report!”: they WROTE a whole document together, in a huge room, line by line, paragraph by paragraph, from 17 initial pages to 93; after consolidating and eliminating duplications, etc., all had agreed to about 50 pages in the end. What fun it was to hear such phrases from African diplomats as: “We realize that the men have not been giving the women enough manure.” (ho, ho) Women produce 70% of the food in Africa, though men often control livestock and Western equipment. I saw oysters grown on sawdust in Ghana, and wonderful slides of women in South Africa growing spinach in recycled feed sacks. Having studied about Sustainable Agriculture since the 1970's, and visited the Land Institute in Salina, Kansas, when my ecologist/botanist husband, Gary Lane Smith Merrill and I were at Kansas State University nearby, I was gratified to see SA advocated in this forum! Defining "sustainable" is a problem, but specific organic methods were named in the agreement, and pragmatic, ecological agriculture will prevail. Even if Monsanto wants to use the term, they must pay the piper and admit that the former "Green Revolution" was an eco-disaster.

5) The world is in serious shape: maps documenting desertification and drought, in the excellent Soils workshop coordinated by the Czech Republic, are alarming— even if Spain is spending billions restoring its forests, with good effects. Africa is in crisis. Local, sustainable, small women-led projects are successful, and were targeted for aid. Water is running out! An alternative truly “Green” revolution is envisioned and structured by this agreement.

6) My only regret is that some of the diplomatic groups appear not to understand some of the complex interdisciplinary science involved: the G 77 group said they had no idea what “eco-system services” were, and only the Mexican plenary speaker and delegation mentioned oxides of nitrogen and methane, which trap heat at many times the CO2 rate.

7) Some of the most remarkable people in the world were there, most notably the man I would call the Nigerian and indeed Pan-African “Barack Obama:” Nnimmo Basso, of Friends of the Earth, who had known martyred Nigerian Ken Saro-Wiwa, anti-Shell Oil activist for the Ogoni Lands, and who signed my copy of his recent book of poetry We thought it was Oil but it was Blood, a treasure indeed; Father John Brinkman, of the Maryknoll Society, who discussed Eastern Philosophies with us; brave, fit Catholic sisters who are farming and leading women’s farming training schools; and a wonderful woman who raises goats and camels sustainably, who spoke on the panel at the luncheon sponsored by the NORDEN seedbank of the plants of countries wanting insurance against the loss of species to natural disasters (the Philippines lost 14 varieties of sweet potato after a hurricane damaged their former stocks; all the seeds molded or were destroyed.)

8) We should all affirm that we are very thankful to Mary for carrying on this witness so well, for maintaining so many contacts among like-minded groups. I want to go on with this process, to Copenhagen, Bonn, and the next UNEP sessions, but economizing and using less carbon is an important goal, too! Consensus is our process, too: it was beautiful and Earth-shaking to feel it working in a body like the whole United Nations, for shared Earthcare work.

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Attachment AA: Report of the Visit to Wilmington Yearly Meeting

Marshall Gibson

Wilmington Yearly Meeting Wilmington YM was held in various places south of Knoxville, Tenn. I was able to put materials out in the same informal manner that all the attending organizations did. There was no time for me to make a formal presentation. although I was able to talk with folks at meals. There was not much other time to meet with attenders as there was no centralized dwelling place. Some materials were taken. Not as many as were offered. The Tennessee meeting is every third year. The other two of three is held at Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio. There is a lot more time there to get and appear on the program, if I get a request into the YM Clerk and staff by, as Ruth suggests, February, and follow up in March, April, and May. Western Yearly.