About 20 friends from most of AQ's monthly meetings were present. After an interval of worship AQ clerk Amelia Diamond outlined the major points of PYM's proposed long range plan and presented a list of queries about it. Friends involved with Yearly Meeting activities spoke to their experiences of participation. One Friend reviewed PYM's history since 1955, observing that major reorganizations have occurred every 20 years on average, and this plan proposes yet another. Friends commented about the problem of active PYM committee or working group participation for members as far away as central PA or southern DE. Some of us felt "electronic participation" would be unfriendly to those not comfortable with computers. Another suggestion was to have these groups move around among different appropriate venues.

Many of us expressed reservations about the proposed "Quaker Life Council" that would oversee all PYM activities except property, finance & related operations which would fall under a proposed "Administrative Council". "Quaker Life" would have so many responsibilities that one friend suggested it would have to resort to sub-committees. A number of friends addressed the problem of "burn out" in such demanding circumstances. Instead of committees or working groups, the plan proposes a new lexicon of "sprint groups", "clusters", and "catalysts", presumably dealing with many of the same activities and issues that currently engage the efforts of PYM Quakers.

The plan would end Representative Meetings (aka "Interim Meetings"). Their original concept was to have a representative attend from each monthly meeting, but many meetings are so small or so far away that this ideal has never been fully realized. Friends were concerned that PYM's proposed plan may not incorporate a similar democratic ideal for governance. Other friends commented that the plan is too centralized and reliant on staff and the 15 member Quaker Life Council. Other friends expressed confidence that the spirit will move us in the right direction if we leave our fears and objections at the door.

The discussion came to a natural ending, without definite conclusions, but appropriately in prayer.

PYM's relevant documents and video presentations are at:

http://www.pym.org/long-range-planning-group/

The plan will be considered at PYM's annual sessions on Saturday morning, July 26, and prospectively "a decision" about it will occur in the Saturday afternoon session.