Manual of Procedure Committee Annual Reports

Every spring, each Committee of the Yearly Meeting is requested to prepare a report of their activities over the prior 12 months. These reports are gathered and shared during Annual Session, and then are printed in the Yearbook for that year.

2021 Manual of Procedure Committee Annual Report

No report received.

2020 Manual of Procedure Committee Annual Report

The purpose of the Manual of Procedure (Manual) is to describe and record how Baltimore Yearly Meeting (BYM) does its work. It is important that the Manual accurately reflect the various committees, groups and paid positions, and their inter-relationships, as a reference for Friends to be informed and to consider how their gifts can best be utilized within the Yearly Meeting. The basis of the committee’s work is to help the Yearly Meeting function better.

Members held virtual meetings on Sept 10, 2019, Feb 4 , Feb 25, and June 18, 2020 and we shared many emails. We continue to look for ways within the Manual to further the stated BYM goal of increasing cultural, racial and age diversity of committees, which we consider to be critical to BYM’s relevance in the coming generations. We strive for open language that clarifies BYM’s activities toward including all who want to explore the practical and spiritual framework of BYM within the Manual.

We have asked several committees to review their entries in the Manual for accuracy and completeness. This back-and-forth process continues to take longer than we expect. We hope that committees appreciate the benefits of accurate descriptions in the Manual and will share some responsibility for maintaining that accuracy. We have updated our committee work description to include the elements we want to see in descriptions of committees and organizations:

            What is the committee/organization and what is their purpose?
            What does the committee/organization offer to Friends or to BYM?
            What is the BYM representation to the organization, and what are the organization’s expectations from BYM?

We hope these details about how we work will ease each annual committee transition, especially in 2020 when only one current committee member will carry our institutional memory into the new MoP Committee. We have a handful of changes to the Manual under consideration, only one of which needs to take any of the compressed business time during BYM’s online 2020 Annual Session.

In the coming year, the Committee intends to meet by electronic means, as needed. We hope to be able to meet face-to-face at least once especially since most of the committee will be new after Annual Session. We will continue to consider changes that increase the accuracy and usefulness of the Manual of Procedure.

2019 Manual of Procedure Committee Annual Report

The purpose of the Manual of Procedure Committee (Manual) is to describe and record how Baltimore Yearly Meeting (BYM) does its work. It is important that the Manual accurately reflect the various committees, groups and paid positions, and their inter-relationships, as a reference for Friends to be informed and to consider how their own gifts can best be utilized within the Yearly Meeting. The basis of the committee’s work is to help the Yearly Meeting function better.

Members met once in person, on February 26, at the Westgate Panera in Manassas, Virginia. We also met by Zoom on October 1st and on May 21st and we shared many emails. We continue to look for ways within the Manual to further the stated BYM goal of increasing cultural and age diversity of committees, which we consider to be critical to BYM’s relevance in the coming generations.

We have asked several committees to review their entries in the Manual to ensure that it is accurate and complete. This back-and-forth process takes longer than we expected. We have completed a description of how this committee does its work, hoping this will ease each annual committee transition, and we are re-working the entry for the Manual of Procedure Committee in the Manual.

In the coming year, the Committee intends to meet again by electronic means, as needed, and plan to continue our face-to-face meeting in February. We will continue to consider changes which increase the accuracy and usefulness of the Manual of Procedure.

2018 Manual of Procedure Committee Annual Report

The purpose of the Manual of Procedure Committee (Manual) is to describe and record how Baltimore Yearly Meeting (BYM) does its work. It is important that the Manual accurately reflect the various committees, groups and paid positions, and their inter-relationships, as a reference for Friends to be informed and to consider how their own gifts can best be utilized within the Yearly Meeting. The basis of the committee’s work is to help the Yearly Meeting function better.

Members met twice in person, on February 6, at a Panera in Manassas, Virginia, and at 3rd month Interim Meeting in Charlottesville, Virginia. They have met by Skype and shared many emails. During the Feb meeting we got better acquainted, discussed the nature of the Manual of Procedure and its purpose. There was also general discussion about how committees and working groups are supposed to function, how to further the stated BYM goal of increasing cultural and age diversity of committees, as well as what changes need to be made to the actual Manual. We also explored how the Committee might best support all of those within the Yearly Meeting. At the conclusion of our first face-to-face meeting, there was a sense of connection and excitement about the work ahead.

At March Interim Meeting (IM), a report was presented with a few copy-edits and a few substantive changes. The report began with encouragement to all committees and working groups within the Yearly Meeting to try out, at least once, meeting by telephone or other electronic means. Our thinking was that these options potentially open committee service to a broader range of BYM Friends, and could help increase the diversity of committee members.

Changes to the Peace and Social Concerns Committee and Quaker House entries were approved by IM, as well as copy-edits. In addition, the MoP Committee had asked for the Manual to include a line about flagging IM minutes which require a change to the Manual. This issue was discussed, and the IM Recording Clerk agreed to try out the practice. The change will not yet, however, be presented for approval as an entry into the Manual.

We have some questions about a reference in the description of the Peace and Social Order Committee (pg 413-414) to recording individuals’ personal statements of pacifism. We wonder how this process is supposed to work and whether that needs to be spelled out? When was this process last used and where are these statements recorded? Please speak to a MoP committee member if you have answers!

In the coming year, the Committee intends to meet by electronic means, as needed. We will likely have at least one face-to-face meeting, as well. The plan is to continue to consider changes which increase the accuracy and usefulness of the Manual of Procedure.

2017 Annual Report

The Manual of Procedure Committee (MoP) members in 2017 are Alison Duncan (Adelphi), Peggy Dyson-Cobb (Maury River), Susan Kaul (Bethesda) (clerk), and Susannah Rose (Patapsco).

From the close of the 2016 Annual Meeting until the 2017 Yearbook is sent to press, MoP concentrates on copy-editing the Manual of Procedure and making sure the changes approved by the Yearly Meeting in Session are inserted correctly. During the remainder of the year we are available to interpret as needed.

Again this past year, the committee met once face-to-face at a Panera in Manassas, Virginia. This meeting was especially fruitful as we held each other in the Light and shared deeply. We consulted by phone and email, as needed, during the rest of the year.

The 2016-2017 work of the Committee to date may be seen in the minutes of Interim Meeting. Corrections and additions of a substantial nature (that which changes the meaning of the Manual), approved at an Interim Meeting are herewith forwarded to the Yearly Meeting. In addition, general copy-edits (non-substantive changes) were also made throughout the year and were reported as information to Interim Meeting.

The changes we recommend making this year fall into two general categories:
Substantive changes
Changes reflecting current practices

This is the second reading. Note that new material is underlined and old material struck through. The “clean copy” is indented below the redlined material for each entry:

A. Substantive Changes:
Page 6, Search Committee, first paragraph,
The Search Committee is composed of six persons, two appointed each year to serve a three-year term. They are nominated by an ad hoc Naming Committee and (appointed by Interim Meeting), and forwarded to the Yearly Meeting for approval. Their service begins immediately after the Annual Session of Baltimore Yearly Meeting. two appointed each year to serve a term of three years. These persons Search Committee members attend Interim Meeting. No person may serve for more than six consecutive years. The Committee may not co-opt additional members.

Search Committee
The Search Committee is composed of six persons, two appointed each year to serve a three-year term. They are nominated by an ad hoc Naming Committee (appointed by Interim Meeting), and forwarded to the Yearly Meeting for approval. Their service begins immediately after the Annual Session of Baltimore Yearly Meeting. Search Committee members attend Interim Meeting. No person may serve for more than six consecutive years. The Committee may not co-opt additional members.

Page 11-12: Camp Property Management Committee
The Camp Property Management Committee (CPMC) consists of six at least eight members nominated by the Nominating Committee and appointed by the Yearly Meeting. In addition, either the clerk or another member of the Trustees, Camping Program Committee, Stewardship and Finance Committee, and the Camp Property Manager are ex officio members. The Committee may appoint subcommittees as needed, which may include members from outside the Committee. The Committee will normally meet at least twice six to eight times per year. Members unable to meet face-to-face for committee meetings are encouraged to use other technologies. The committee works in coordination with Camping Program Committee.

The Committee is a governing committee that oversees the management of the present and any future properties the Yearly Meeting uses for Camping Programs, Retreats, Family Camp Weekends, and other similar activities. The Committee’s purpose is threefold: (1) to plan ahead for the long term needs of the camp properties; (2) to work collaboratively with the Camp Property Manager in prioritizing short and long term projects; and (3) oversee the content and direction of the Camp Property Manager’s work; and to support the Camp Property Manager with specific projects as needed. The Camp Property Management Committee, in cooperation with the Camping Program Committee plans and executes Family Camp Weekends held in the spring and fall. On site participation in camp activities or camp visits by committee members is an integral part of the work of this committee.

While the committee has full authority to carry out its tasks, the fiduciary responsibility for the Yearly Meeting properties rests with the Trustees. The Committee will manages the camp properties as one financial entity and will prepares its operating and capital budgets, which will be listed separately within the are presented to the Stewardship and Finance Committee and incorporated into the Yearly Meeting operating and capital budgets. For this purpose, appropriate accounts will be established, including a capital reserve account.

The committee will be is responsible for setting camp rental fees. the fees for the use of the properties. All income generated by the camp properties, including camp property rental, timber sales of natural resources, gifts and bequests will be available for the operation and development of the camp properties. Gifts and bequests may be received into the committee’s accounts. Financial statements will be prepared annually at the same time as the Yearly Meeting accounts, of which they will form a part.

The Committee will reviews and remains familiar with the content of the Youth Safety Policy (Appendix D) and other relevant Yearly Meeting policies in order to ensure that the practices of the Committee reflect the guidelines adopted by the Yearly Meeting. to promote the safety of our youth and youth workers. The Committee will provides any necessary CPMC staff and volunteer training and will insure ensures that programs and events are carried off held in compliance with policy guidelines.

Camp Property Management Committee
The Camp Property Management Committee (CPMC) consists of at least eight members nominated by the Nominating Committee and appointed by the Yearly Meeting. In addition, either the clerk or another member of the Trustees, Camping Program Committee, Stewardship and Finance Committee, and the Camp Property Manager are ex officio members. The Committee may appoint subcommittees as needed, which may include members from outside the Committee.

The Committee will normally meet at least six to eight times a year. Members unable to meet face-to-face for committee meetings are encouraged to use other technologies. The committee works in coordination with Camping Program Committee.

The Committee is a governing committee that oversees the management of the present and any future properties the Yearly Meeting uses for Camping Programs, Retreats, and other similar activities. The Committee’s purpose is threefold: (1) to plan ahead for the long-term needs of the camp properties; (2) to work collaboratively with the Camp Property Manager in prioritizing short and long-term projects; (3) to support the Camping Program Manager with specific projects as needed. The Camp Property Management Committee, in cooperation with Camp Property Committee, plans and executes Family Camp Weekends held in the spring and fall. On-site participation in camp activities or camp visits by committee members is an integral part of the work of this committee.

While the committee has full authority to carry out its tasks, the fiduciary responsibility for the Yearly Meeting properties rests with the Trustees. The Committee manages the camp properties as one financial entity and prepares its operating and capital budgets, which are presented to the Stewardship & Finance Committee and incorporated into the Yearly Meeting operating and capital budgets.

The committee is responsible for setting camp rental fees. All income generated by the camp properties, including camp property rental, sales of natural resources, and designated gifts and bequests, will be available for the operation and development of the camp properties.

The Committee reviews and remains familiar with the content of the Youth Safety Policy and other relevant Yearly Meeting policies in order to ensure that the practices of the committee reflect the guidelines adopted by the Yearly Meeting. The Committee provides any necessary CPMC staff and volunteer training and ensures that programs and events are held in compliance with policy guidelines.

Page 25 and 26: Friends House Retirement Community
Friends House, Inc. Friends House Retirement Community
ed. note: The governance of Friends House, Inc. is under review
Friends House, Inc., established in 1966, is governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of 12 members nominated by the Nominating Committee and appointed by the Yearly Meeting, four each year for three-year terms, plus seven members nominated by the Board of Trustees of Friends House, Inc. and also appointed by the Yearly Meeting for three-year terms, two each year in two years and three the following year. An Appointment begins with the next meeting of the Board of Trustees after the Yearly Meeting Session that made the appointment. A person may serve no more than two consecutive terms. All trustees are selected from the members of the Religious Society of Friends.

Friends House, Inc. and Friends Nursing Home, Inc. plan to merge into Friends House Retirement Community (“Friends House”) in the autumn of 2017. Friends House provides housing, health care services, and other services to persons 60 years of age or older. Friends House is governed by a self-appointed 14 to 19 member Board of Directors. At least 60 percent of the Directors must be members of the Religious Society of Friends.

Beginning in 2017, Baltimore Yearly Meeting may nominate one person each year for a three-year, once renewable term. A renewed term counts as that year’s nomination. No more than three directors will be BYM nominees at any one time. BYM nominees will be named at the Spring Interim Meeting. If approved by the FH Board, the approved Director would begin their term the following September.

BYM will not consider current FH Board Directors for nomination in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

Trustees Directors attend regular meetings of the Board, conduct business, participate on Board committees, and help keep the Yearly Meeting informed of the work of the Board in operating a retirement home Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) near in Sandy Spring, Maryland.

Friends House, Inc. and Friends House Nursing Home were originally established in 1966 and 1968, respectively.

Friends House Nursing Home.
ed. note: The governance of Friends Nursing Home, Inc. is under review
Friends Nursing Home, Inc., established in 1968, has the same 19 persons as their Trustees with the same conditions of appointment and of service as the members of the Board of Trustees of Friends House, Inc.

The Trustees operate Friends Nursing Home and keep the Yearly Meeting informed of its progress.

FRIENDS HOUSE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
Friends House, Inc. and Friends Nursing Home, Inc. plan to merge into Friends House Retirement Community (“Friends House”) in the autumn of 2017. Friends House provides housing, health care services, and other services to persons 60 years of age or older. Friends House is governed by a self-appointed 14 to 19 member Board of Directors. At least 60 percent of the Directors must be members of the Religious Society of Friends.

Baltimore Yearly Meeting (BYM) is invited to nominate three persons to be approved by the Friends House Board of Directors. Beginning in 2017, BYM may nominate one person each year for a three-year, once renewable term. A renewed term counts as that year’s nomination. No more than three directors will be BYM nominees at any one time. BYM nominees will be named at the Spring Interim Meeting. If approved by the Friends House Board, the approved Director would begin their term the following September.

BYM will not consider current Friends House Board Directors for nomination in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

Directors attend regular meetings of the Board, participate in Board committees, and help keep the Yearly Meeting informed of the work of the Board in operating a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Sandy Spring, Maryland.

Friends House, Inc. and Friends House Nursing Home were originally established in 1966 and 1968, respectively.

Page 28: Prisoner Visitation and Support, new language per the BYM Representative.
Prisoner Visitation and Support is an incorporated organization sponsored by more than 30 national religious bodies and socially­ concerned agencies. It seeks to meet the needs of prisoners in the United States federal and military prison systems through an alternative ministry that is separate from official prison structures.

Prisoner Visitation and Support is an interfaith visitation program that is authorized to visit all federal and military prisons in the U.S. Its visitors are volunteers who meet monthly with prisoners who have requested visits. Priority is given to those who are in solitary confinement, are on death row, are serving long sentences, or who do not receive other visits. The organization is nonprofit and separate from official prison structures.

Prisoner Visitation and Support
Prisoner Visitation and Support is an interfaith visitation program that is authorized to visit all federal and military prisons in the U.S. Its visitors are volunteers who meet monthly with prisoners who have requested visits. Priority is given to those who are in solitary confinement, are on death row, are serving long sentences, or who do not receive other visits. The organization is nonprofit and separate from official prison structures.

B. Changes Reflecting Current Practices:

Page 22: Under Young Adult Friends, delete the last two sentences of the entry regarding “Young Friends of North America,” because it no longer exists.

Young Adult Friends suggests names each year to the Nominating Committee for appointment by the Yearly Meeting of a young adult representative to Young Friends of North America’s regional meetings and annual conference. Travel support for this representative is included in the Yearly Meeting budget.

Young Friends of North America
Young Adult Friends suggests names each year to the Nominating Committee for appointment by the Yearly Meeting of a young adult representative to Young Friends of North America’s regional meetings and annual conference. Travel support for this representative is included in the Yearly Meeting budget.

Submitted,

2016 Annual Report

The Manual of Procedure Committee (MoP) members this year are Alison Duncan (Adelphi), Peggy Dyson-Cobb (Maury River), Susan Kaul (Bethesda) (clerk), and Susannah Rose (Patapsco).

From the close of our Annual Meeting until the Yearbook is sent to press, the Manual of Procedure Committee (MoP) concentrates on copy-editing the Manual of Procedure and making sure the changes approved by the Yearly Meeting in Session are inserted correctly. During the remainder of the Yearly Meeting year we are available to interpret as needed.

The committee met once face-to-face at a Panera in Manassas, Virginia in February. It consulted by phone and email during the year, as needed.

The 2015-2016 work of the Committee to date may be seen in the minutes of Interim Meeting. Corrections and additions of a substantial nature (that which changes the meaning of the MoP), approved at an Interim Meeting are forwarded to the Yearly Meeting. Several general copy-edits were also made throughout the year and were reported as information to Interim Meeting.

This year Interim Meeting in March approved forwarding the following substantive changes to the Yearly Meeting.

Substantive Changes:

• Amending the entry on page 1¹ to read: “I. Introduction: The purpose of this Manual is to provide a basis for the good order of the Religious Society of Friends within Baltimore Yearly Meeting by describing the current organizational structure of the Yearly Meeting, its officers and committees, and its relations to other Friends’ bodies. Changes that alter the meaning of this manual (substantive changes), are approved by Yearly Meeting in Session as described in article XI of this Manual.”
• We found the first portion of second paragraph on page 1, “Article I. Introduction” not descriptive of the Manual, but rather of the functions & responsibilities of the Yearly Meeting, that are described elsewhere, and we recommend deleting it. (“Certain responsibilities have traditionally been vested in Yearly and Quarterly Meetings by the members of the constituent Monthly Meetings. Establishment, laying down, consolidation, or division of Monthly Meetings, though initiated locally, is [are] subject to the approval of the Yearly and Quarterly Meetings, if any, to which such local Meetings report. Friends have granted the Yearly Meeting the power to determine its budget and to make apportionments thereof to the Monthly Meetings, either directly or through the Quarterly Meetings”).
• The last sentence in that 2^nd paragraph, we recommend retaining: “This Manual deals solely with the organizational structure the Yearly Meeting establishes to handle matters, which are entrusted to it by the constituent Monthly or Quarterly Meetings or by individual Friends.”
• On page 2, 4^th point, we again recommend amending for clarity: “to approve a budget and to determine apportionments thereof to....”
• On page 4, 2nd full paragraph, 8^th line (in light of a decision made at the 2015 Annual Session): “The Trustees arrange for a certified public accountant to audit the Yearly Meeting’s books and records in accordance with Yearly Meeting policy, and receive and review the auditor’s report (currently, an audit is done annually).”
• On page 5 and 6, we reordered the points 4 and 7 under the heading of “The functions of Interim Meeting are”:
  • new 4^th point: “to appoint from the floor a Naming Committee of two Friends to nominate Friends for appointment to fill the vacancies on the Search Committee.”
  • new 7th point, for clarification: “to make sure that adjustments are made in the number of trustees of any corporation affiliated with Baltimore Yearly Meeting to comply with their legal requirements (see Article VIII).”
• On page 6, we inserted a new paragraph coming after the final point, describing what had been the 5^th point, moved and edited from the list of points for stylistic integrity: “The Naming Committee is appointed on Spring Yearly Meeting Day, and serves for one year or until a new Committee is appointed. The Naming Committee usually presents its recommendations to Interim Meeting on Summer Yearly Meeting Day. At any time, the Naming Committee may present to Interim Meeting nominations to fill vacancies on the Search Committee that occur during the year.”
• On page 7, 7^th paragraph, 1^st line: “The Supervisory Committee also oversees the maintenance of the office property…”
• On page 11, at the end of the committee description of the “Advancement and Outreach Committee,” add “The Internet Communications Working Group is under Advancement and Outreach’s care.”
• On page12, at the end of the committee description of the “Camping Program Committee,” add “The Camp Diversity Working Group is under the Camping Program’s care.”
• On page 15, at the end of the committee description of the “Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee,” add “The following working groups are under the care of Ministry and Pastoral Care:
  • Intervisitation Working Group
  • Women’s Retreat Working Group
  • Working group on Racism”
• On page 16, at the end of the committee description of the “Peace and Social Concerns Committee,” add “The Right Sharing of World Resources Working Group is under the care of Peace and Social Concerns.”
• On page 17, on advice from P&SC, change the 5^th paragraph to: The Peace and Social Concerns Committee acts as the conscience of the Yearly Meeting in issues relating to prison concerns and the death penalty. The committee recommends to Nominating, as appropriate, one person to be approved by the Board of Directors of Prisoner Visitation and Support for a three-year, once renewable term. The Board meets in Philadelphia two or three times a year.
• On page 19, at the end of the committee description of the “Unity with Nature Committee,” add “The Right Relationship with Animals Working Group is under Unity with Nature’s care.”
• On page 28, the 4^th paragraph has been changed upon advice from P&SC: The Peace and Social Concerns Committee recommends to Nominating, as appropriate, one person to be approved by the Board of Directors of Prisoner Visitation and Support for a three-year, once renewable term. The Board meets in Philadelphia two or three times a year.

Non-Substantive Changes (general copyedits):

• On page 1, 5^th paragraph, we amended for clarity and active voice: “The Yearly Meeting appoints officers and committees necessary to carry out its concerns effectively.”
• On page 17, 3^rd paragraph, 2^nd line, to correct spelling of Meeting: “It seeks to challenge the Yearly Meeting and….”
• On page 25, for consistency with other Friends Schools: “Friends Meeting School, Inc.”
• On page29, to reflect actual practice: “Revisions to Faith and Practice are initiated by one or more Local or Quarterly Meetings….”
• On page 34 through 51: The Manual of Procedure Committee would like to suggest a “non-substantive change” for the different level of headings for the Appendices. For example, beginning on page 34, Appendix D, Youth Safety Policy, contains four sub-appendices. This becomes especially confusing when the “Appendix D, Youth Safety Policy, Youth Safety Appendix D” (p51) is then followed by “Appendix E, Guidelines for Embracing the Ministry of Friends.” We suggest numbering these sub-appendices thusly: Appendix D.1, D.2, etc.

This year, again, our committee met at a Panera, a chain restaurant we found to be familiar and comfortable. We recommend that geographically challenged committees may also find such facilities at mutually convenient locations helpful. Through trial and error, we have also found sharing cell-phone numbers in advance to be helpful.

Submitted,

Susan Kaul (Bethesda), clerk

¹All page numbers refer to the 2015 hard-copy Manual of Procedure of Baltimore Yearly Meeting.

2015 Annual Report

The Manual of Procedure Committee (MoP) members this year are Jennifer Brooks (Sandy Spring), Peggy Dyson-Cobb (Maury River), and Susan Kaul (Bethesda) (clerk).

From the close of our Annual Meeting until the Yearbook is sent to press, the Manual of Procedure Committee (MoP) concentrates on copy-editing the Manual of Procedure and making sure the changes approved by the Yearly Meeting in Session are inserted correctly. During the remainder of the Yearly Meeting year we are available to interpret as needed.

The committee met once face-to-face in Charlottesville, Virginia, in March. It consulted by phone and email during the year, as needed.

The 2014-2015 work of the Committee to date may be seen in the minutes of Interim Meeting. Corrections and additions of a substantial nature (that which changes the meaning of the MoP), approved at an Interim Meeting are forwarded to the Yearly Meeting. Several general copy-edits were also made throughout the year and were reported to Interim Meeting.

This year Interim Meeting in March approved forwarding to the Yearly Meeting:

• Amending the entry on page 10[1] to read: “The names of members and the dates of establishment of ad committees and working groups are listed in the 2012 Yearbook on page 143-44.”
• Amending the entry for the Advancement and Outreach Committee on page 11 to read: “The Committee works with the Publications Committee to assure that is responsible for the dissemination of useful information about Baltimore Yearly Meeting, its local Meetings, and the Religious Society of Friends, and that it is available from the Yearly Meeting web site and other Yearly Meeting publications.”
• Amending, on page 13-14, a portion of the entry for the Educational Grants Committee to read: “The Educational Grants Committee is composed of at least six members nominated by the Nominating Committee and appointed by the Yearly Meeting, plus the Treasurer of the Yearly Meeting, ex officio. The purpose of this committee is to help Friends secure pursue post-secondary education by providing grants, which may be applied to undergraduate attendance at accredited post-secondary educational institutions such as universities, colleges, professional, and vocational schools, either full or part-time by providing grants for undergraduate-level study. Monies and income from the Educational Fund, the Education Fund Income Fund, and the Fair Hill/Greist Education Endowment Fund, portions of the Consolidated Endowment Fund, and such other funds as the Yearly Meeting deems appropriate are used to provide post-secondary grants.”
• Amending, on page 3, duties of the Treasurer: “The Treasurer attends Interim Meeting, and serves as a member of the Trustees, and the Supervisory Committee and the Educational Grants Committee.”
• Amending, on page 22, the entry for Friends General Conference (FGC), to reflect current statistics: “Friends General Conference, established in 1900, is an association of some 14 15 Yearly Meetings and other regional Friends entities and eight 12 Monthly Meetings as of 2002 2015.
• Amending, on page 22, the entry for Friends United Meeting (FUM), to reflect current statistics: “Friends United Meeting was formed in 1902 as the Five Years Meeting of Friends, changing its name to Friends United Meeting in 1960. As of 2015, it is composed of Yearly Meetings, 20 as of 1999, and smaller Quaker Groups 12 North American Yearly Meetings, and 22 Yearly Meetings from the Carribean, East Africa, and the Middle East.
• Deleting the entry on page 28 for Young Friends of North America, as this Special Group no longer exists.

Interim Meeting in June approved:

• MoP will review Yearly Meeting Committee entries to insure that all Working Groups are appropriately listed and indexed.
• Until such a time when we have an approved, updated Faith and Practice, we will add the following third paragraph to the F&P entry on page 29, “X. Changes in Faith & Practice,” which will read:

For “Important Minutes” from prior years, please see the Draft 2013 Faith & Practice, pages 241-55 at http://www.bym-rsf.org/publications/fandp/

The Committee attempted to meet face-to-face once, but due to illness, only two of us met in Charlottesville. Once again, we met at a Panera, and we recommend that geographically challenged committees meet in such facilities because the coffee is a bottomless pot, there are adequate computer accommodations, and the restrooms are standardized. J We also advise sharing cell-phone numbers in advance. We corresponded frequently throughout the year.

Submitted,

Susan Kaul (Bethesda), clerk

[1] All page numbers refer to the 2014 hard-copy Manual of Procedure of Baltimore Yearly Meeting.

2014 Annual Report

The Manual of Procedure Committee (MoP) members this year are Jennifer Brooks (Sandy Spring), Susan Kaul (Bethesda), and Katherine Smith (Maury River).

From the close of our Annual Meeting until the Yearbook is sent to press, the Manual of Procedure Committee (MoP) concentrates on copy-editing the Manual of Procedure and making sure the changes approved by the Yearly Meeting in Session are inserted correctly. During the remainder of the Yearly Meeting year we are available to interpret as needed.

The 2013-2014 work of the Committee to date may be seen in the minutes of Interim Meeting, as the Committee generally only presents proposals approved by Interim Meeting to the Yearly Meeting.

This year Interim Meeting in March approved:

• allowing Trustees to take under their care the Youth Safety Working Group, even though Trustees are not technically a standing committee (see page 21).[1]
• adding the dates of incorporation of both Friends House, Inc. (1966) and Friends House Nursing Home, Inc. (1968) to their respective entries in the Manual (see page 25).
• using language to define substantive and non-substantive changes rather than simply citing a particular edition of the Chicago Manual of Style (substantive changes are those that change the meaning of the Manual of Procedure and require approval. Non-substantive changes, which do not alter the meaning of the passage, do not require approval) (see page 29).

Interim Meeting in June approved:

• adding the clerk of Trustees to the list of persons expected to attend Interim Meetings (see page 5).
• language describing the Youth Safety Policy Working Group, and who constitutes its members was added to the Manual as Appendix E.
• reflecting actual practice of how committees meet: “All committees are expected to meet at least once annually, either in person or using modern technology such as voice- or video-teleconferencing, and are expected to report annually” (see page 5).
• As in years past, the committee has diligently been searching out and correcting non-substantive copy-edits. This year we paid particular attention to the use of “should,” replacing that word with some form of “expect” (“is expected to,” “expects to,” etc.).

Friends Meeting School was taken under the Spiritual Care of BYM at the 2009 Annual Sessions (Y2009-61), but due to a variety issues, no entry has yet been entered into the Manual. MoP has been working with the school and hopes to be presenting an entry for approval at the August, 2014 Annual Session.

The Committee attempted to meet face-to-face once, but due to miscommunication on the part of the clerk, two of us met in Charlottesville in one location and another of us worked at another franchise of the same name, but at a different location in Charlottesville. Nevertheless, we recommend that geographically challenged Friends meet in such facilities because the coffee is ever-flowing, there are adequate computer accommodations, and the restrooms are standardized. We advise sharing cell-phone numbers in advance. We corresponded frequently throughout the year.

Submitted,

Susan Kaul (Bethesda), clerk

[1] All page numbers refer to the 2013 hard-copy Manual of Procedure of Baltimore Yearly Meeting.

2013 Annual Report

From the close of our Annual Meeting until the Yearbook is sent to press, the Manual of Procedure Committee (MoP) concentrates on copy-editing the Manual of Procedure and making sure the changes approved by the Yearly Meeting in Session are inserted correctly. It then rests until the beginning of the year.

The remaining work of the Committee to date may be seen in the minutes of Interim Meeting as the Committee generally only presents proposals approved by Interim Meeting to the Yearly Meeting.

This year Spring Interim Meeting approved adding clarifying language to the section on Trustees (page 4 of Manual of Procedure); correcting the name of the Steering Committee of Earthcare Witness (p. 20); adding the date Sandy Spring Friends School was established to reflect the practice in use for other Quaker organizations (p. 26); deleting references to the Mid-Atlantic Region of AFSC, since that body no longer exists (p.27); adding a clarifying phrase to the description of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) (p. 28); and also on page 28, amending Prisoner Visitation and Support, Quaker Earthcare Witness, and Quaker House, all to reconcile their descriptions with actual practice.

Summer Interim Meeting approved adding language to the entry for the Miles White Beneficial Society (p. 25-6) to reflect actual practice.

Friends Meeting School was taken under the Spiritual Care of BYM at the 2009 Annual Sessions (Y2009-61). No entry for the school was added to the subsequent Manuals. An effort was made this year to correct this oversight, but the language suggested was neither sufficient nor correct. The MoP Committee will continue to work with the school and Interim Meeting on this.

As in years past, the committee has diligently been searching out and correcting non-substantive copy-edits. This year we paid particular attention to the use of congruent language in describing our standing committees and other Quaker organizations affiliated with Baltimore Yearly Meeting.

The Committee met face-to-face once and corresponded frequently. The untimely death of Howard Fullerton (clerk) has, of course, been a great loss to the committee. The corporate history contained in his memory cannot be replaced. But more than that, we deeply miss our friend and colleague.

Jennifer Brooks (Sandy Spring) and Susan Kaul (Bethesda)

2012 Annual Report

From the close of our Annual Meeting until the Yearbook is sent to press, the Manual of Procedure Committee concentrates on copy-editing the Manual of Procedure and making sure the changes approved by the Yearly Meeting in Session are inserted correctly. It then rests until the beginning of the year.

The remaining work of the Committee may be seen in the minutes of Interim Meeting as the Committee only presents proposals approved by Interim Meeting to the Yearly Meeting. Part of this work may be seen in the minutes of Spring Interim Meeting as IM2012-8 and Appendix H to those minutes. These represented two changes: 1) to provide for appointing trustees to the Miles White Beneficial Society, and 2) streamlining the process of changing the Manual of Procedure.

At Summer Interim Meeting the Committee will propose the following two changes: 1) clarifying when the term of office for Trustees ends, and 2) changes in the description of the Youth Programs Committee to reflect the current practice of Young Friends.

The committee has been working on a listing of ad hoc Committees, Task Groups, Working Groups, and Special Groups active in the past twenty years. It is attached to this report.

The Committee met face-to-face once and corresponded frequently. We enjoy our meetings. The members are Jennifer Brooks (Sandy Spring), Howard Fullerton (Clerk, Sandy Spring), and Susan Kaul (Bethesda).

Howard Fullerton (Sandy Spring)

2011 Annual Report

The Manual of Procedure Committee consists of four (4) individuals, one of whom was out of the country this year and used email to actively participate in the Committee's work. A review of actions taken by Interim and Yearly Meeting that were not reflected in the Manual of Procedures (Manual) was needed since the Committee had been fairly inactive in recent years. To begin this work, we met face-to-face twice this year; one meeting was a day “retreat” where several sections of the Manual were reviewed. The Committee’s goal is to accurately reflect how our Yearly Meeting manages the business before it. When inaccuracies are found or stated procedures raise questions, our Committee attempts to bring these to the appropriate committees or people for resolution.

Recent reports of the Committee’s recommendations have been brought to Interim Meeting. This work continues and we expect to bring forward recommendations for our own Committee description and for the Yearly Meeting’s process for modifying the Manual next year.

Howard Fullerton, (Sandy Spring), Clerk