Annual Report of Newtown Friends Meeting

To Bucks Quarterly Meeting

Held at Quakertown Friends Meeting

November 21, 2011

In December, 2010 Newtown Meeting totaled 288 members. During 2010 we had a net gain of 16 members, 7 adults and 2 minors by application, 6 adults and 2 minors and 2 associates by transfer. We lost 3 members, 2 who passed away, and one by transfer to another meeting.

Thus far in 2011, we have lost a net of one member; one child and one adult joining by application, one incoming transfer, one birth, one resignation, four members who passed – Margaret Stytler, Helen Lovett, Jane Rae Millard and Ruth Augustine.

We continue to delight in our children and their involvement with their families and F/friends in the life of the Meeting. We are fortunate to have a thriving First Day School with 28-30 regular participants, and many more who attend occasionally, making a total of 88 young F/friends . We credit this success to outstanding and tireless teachers and to a continuing and excellent adult First Day programs that attract parents.

An active group of members are engaged in the work of our committees. More than 120 positions have been taken on more than a dozen Meeting committees, meeting delegates to Quarterly and PYM committees, as well as the officers of Newtown Meeting. Committees meet regularly, report often, both to Monthly Meeting and through our Meeting newsletter and help us to maintain our vitality as a community.

Led by Meeting children, we held two fund raisers during the year. One responded to a presentation from our member Sara Wolf who has been led to assist with relief work in Haiti sponsored by Amurt ($1433). The second benefitted Soles for Souls ($804). We find that these dinners not only provide valuable support to the organizations chosen, but assist members of the Meeting to become better acquainted in the process.

Following developments at PYM, at Annual Sessions as well as though our representative to Interim meeting, increased interest in developments surrounding our regional Quaker community and central organization was heightened in the past year. Many of our members have reached out to PYM, participating through committee activities, sending contributions and attending Sessions, particularly the developing situation with the PYM budget.

In May, the Meeting hosted about 30Young Adult Friends of PYM for a weekend retreat. The weekend included spiritual retreat, some social time, some good meals, and joining us on Sunday morning for worship. We are looking forward to the possibility of hosting a similar weekend event for young Friends again in the near future.

Also held in May was an attenders’ gathering, that was both responsive to needs and questions attenders may have, as well as encouraging to those we know well to apply, as ready.

The Meeting newsletter has begun be distributed more frequently by electronic means, with the majority of our members now receiving communications this way. Steps were originally taken to reduce costs in response to budget restraint needs, but we note that these electronic aids have become invaluable, quickly communicating significant matters within our community.

Our Financial Oversight committee designed a very successful $8000 challenge from three meeting families to the rest of the meeting, to incent successful completion of fund-raising to meet the budget target. We achieved surplus for the year! This follows a number of years when our budgeted contributions fell short and funds for needed maintenance and meeting activities had to be restrained, or postponed. The change has been welcome and expectations have been set to meet the revenue budget again this year, hopefully absent the need for additional fiscal stimulus! To that end, in part, the committee has set up individualized statements of members’ contributions activity that will periodically be distributed to each person as a reminder of their commitment to the community.

Also of fiscal note, the Meeting received three generous gifts during the year that have been added to our endowment. One of these was from the estate of a long time member, and by extension her deceased husband. Two others resulted from gift annuities established with Friends Fiduciary Corp., where our member, income beneficiary of both annuities, disclaimed his income interest. Consequently the remaining principal was paid to the Meeting, as stipulated in the annuity contract. We are most grateful for the careful and thoughtful attention given by these members for the future welfare of our meeting.

For a number of years, Newtown has maintained two healing quilts, given to those who may be sick or infirm. They contain squares, each with a signature of one of our members, children and adults alike. Our numbers have become large enough, and the use of the quilts has been active enough, that we held additional square signing events during the year and are about to receive two more completed quilts which will be put to immediate use. We are grateful for the caring and concern evidenced among our members for one another, in this, and in a myriad of additional ways!

Finally, we periodically make efforts to better understand ourselves and our needs as a community. This year, the Meeting’s Inreach/Outreach Committee surveyed our members and attenders. They received 75 responses (60 Quakers and 15 attenders) , and this was considered to be a good and a representative response. About 1/3 of respondents said the process of becoming a member was clear, transparent and that information was provided to them on a timely basis. Only 26 of 75 responded that someone had invited them to become a member. Many first attended as the result of a Friends school or college relationship, or because they saw the meetinghouse. The overall approval rating for the meeting was “very high” by 57 members. The committee felt that the information provided was very helpful and will endeavor to develop some recommendations for change as a result. A separate children’s survey showed that the primary reason children say they come to Meeting was the food!

We are very grateful for our growing, vibrant and spiritual community. Our meeting for worship remains central to who we are, individually and collectively. Our ministries to one another, spoken and in deed generally reflect the spirit within, at our core. We balance our enthusiasm with the recognition that we have work to do in order to continue to grow, to know God and to know one another better.

Respectfully Submitted.

Joseph M. Evans, Jr., Clerk

Newtown Monthly Meeting