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Program Committee Annual Reports

The text of recently received Annual Reports are below, with the most recently received at the top and older reports below. To jump to a particular report, simply click the year listed below.

2011 Report 2012 Report 2013 Report 2014 Report 2015 Report
2016 Report 2017 Report 2018 Report 2019 Report 2020 Report
2021 Report  

2021 Program Committee Annual Report

Program Committee is responsible for planning and arranging the program at Annual Session each year. The Committee consists of nine appointed members as well as ex-officio members including our Presiding Clerk, the General Secretary, Bookstore Manager, Registrar and representatives of Ministry and Pastoral Care, Junior Yearly Meeting, Young Friends, and Young Adult Friends. We work throughout the year to plan and implement a fun, dynamic and inspiring program. Our goal is to support and strengthen BYM through building community and offering opportunities for fellowship, learning and sharing, surrounding our meetings for worship with a concern for business, workshops, interest groups, and worship sharings.

The Committee identifies themes, invites speakers and plans plenary programs, oversees the JYM program, supports those responsible for the retreat and other worship opportunities, supports Young Friends and Young Adult Friends as needed, recruits workshop leaders, and plans and manages the Annual Session budget. Being virtual during AS in 2020, we recruited numerous tech hosts and taught ourselves and our community how to zoom using breakout rooms for “luncheons” and small group discussions instead of our more usual tasks of handling room and board logistics, managing meeting space and audio-visual needs, running the bookstore, and putting up lots of signs around campus.

In 2021, we again are holding a virtual only Annual Session. A decision had to be made in March in order to secure the Hood College Campus. After prayerful discernment, we realized that we could not ensure the safety of our community by late July, so we unified around a second fully virtual Annual Session. To address “online fatigue”, we have spread some programming into the week prior to Annual Session and tried to keep some of everything, from plenaries, to workshops, to Junior Yearly Meeting programs for children and youth.

This is our second year trying Pay as Led financing. We continued the suggested $100 donation, which worked out well last year, meeting our budget needs with some paying less and some more. This model, will be more of a challenge next year, as we, no doubt, will have hybrid elements in addition to our in-person Annual Session. Pay as Led is a testament to our faith that Friends will provide enough resources to meet our needs.

Program Committee have been thoughtful and diligent throughout the year in meeting the challenges. We take joy in our gatherings and in our service to BYM. Our hope is that you will find spiritual nourishment at Annual Session and leave refreshed to continue the work. We look forward to meeting again next year – in person.


2020 Program Committee Annual Report

Program Committee is responsible for planning and arranging the program elements at Annual Session each year. The Committee consists of nine appointed members as well as the Presiding Clerk, the Associate (now Acting) General Secretary, Bookstore Manager, Registrar and representatives of Ministry and Pastoral Care, Junior Yearly Meeting, Young Friends, and Young Adult Friends. We work throughout the year to plan and implement a fun, dynamic and inspiring program. Our goal is to support and strengthen BYM through building community and offering opportunities for fellowship, surrounding our meetings for worship with a concern for business.

Among other things, and with significant staff support, the committee: identifies themes, invites speakers and plans plenary programs, oversees the JYM program, supports those responsible for the retreat and other worship opportunities, supports Young Friends and Young Adult Friends as needed, recruits workshop leaders, oversees the bookstore, plans and manages the Annual Session budget, handles room and board logistics, manages meeting space and audio-visual needs, and put up lots of signs around campus.

In a typical year, the committee meets together in person four times, in addition to meeting daily during Annual Session. This was not a typical year. By March of any year, plans are well in place for the coming summer session, we are finalizing many details, and have started on planning for the following year. In mid-April, however, the committee made the painful but necessary decision to cancel the in-person gathering of our community, and move to an all virtual program, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Following our last in-person meeting in early March we met 8 times as a full committee over Zoom, and had numerous sub-committee Zoom meetings. In April we set up an online consultation with several other large yearly meetings, and with the Friends General Conference Gathering coordinators, to begin figuring out what the heck it meant to “go virtual.” Several on the committee participated in the call, as well as in two further calls convened by the Friends World Committee for Consultation, Section of the Americas.

This spring we had a lot of hard thinking, many challenges, and difficult decisions to make in a short time period. Every single part of our usual program had to be re-thought, and re-created for a virtual format. Members of the committee dedicated much more time than is typically required to planning for our Annual Session this year.

To address the very real problem of “online fatigue”, our daily program will be much shorter than usual. We have spread some programming into the week prior to Annual Session, a “pre-session” week. We have tried to keep some of everything, from plenaries, to workshops, to Junior Yearly Meeting programs for children and youth.

When Program Committee decided to cancel our in-person gathering, and turn to an all-virtual program, we united quickly on trying Pay as Led financing. This model, which we have been exploring over the last year, is a testament to our faith that there are enough resources to meet our needs.

Over the last year Program Committee began to explore a “Pay as Led” (PaL) method for financing Annual Sessions. A sub-committee of experienced Friends from around BYM met in person and over Zoom, considered budget and financing concerns, developed a FAQ sheet, and held conversations at several local meetings to share the idea and get feedback. Response to the general idea of PaL has been very positive, however, this discernment process was slowed due to the load of other Program Committee work. We look forward to continuing conversations about PaL with Friends in the coming months.

We took the opportunity this year at each meeting to read and reflect on the anti-racism queries. In particular, the second query, which focuses in part on inclusiveness, entered our thinking and decision-making about moving Annual Session online. We know that many Friends, of different ages and backgrounds, either do not have access to technology, or do not have the experience to use it to participate in virtual meetings. We are still considering ways we might support these Friends to join us, either by using cell phones (which allow for partial participation) or by connecting with others near them who could assist with technology use.

As far as we know, 2020 is the first time Annual Session has been cancelled since 1918, when Baltimore Yearly Meeting, Hicksite branch, was cancelled during the Spanish flu pandemic. Taking advantage of modern technology, we have the opportunity to conduct our business and our program online. Although some Friends will not be able to join us, we expect that many who typically don’t travel to Annual Session will be able to gather with us this year. Registration is open up to 2 hours before any individual program. Please encourage Friends in your local area to come to part or all of Annual Session this year.

Again this year we have had excellent attendance and participation in our meetings. We take joy in our gatherings and in our service to BYM. Our hope is that you will find at Annual Session some spiritual nourishment and go from Annual Session refreshed to continue the work of BYM. We look forward to meeting again next year – in person.

Barb Platt (Sandy Spring), Clerk

 


2019 Program Committee Annual Report

Program Committee is responsible for planning and arranging the program elements at Annual Session each year. The Committee consists of nine appointed members as well as the Presiding Clerk, the General Secretary, the Associate General Secretary, Bookstore Manager, Registrar and representatives of Ministry and Pastoral Care, Junior Yearly Meeting, Young Friends, and Young Adult Friends.

It is an active and practical committee that meets together in person four times a year, in addition to our infamous early morning meetings during Annual Sessions. In addition, every member of the Committee works outside of the full committee meetings, taking responsibility for one or more elements of the Annual Session program, either individually or as a subcommittee member. From “soup to nuts” we take on and plan for every detail of our week together. This includes the formal program as well as many technical and behind the scenes logistics such as registration, AV, space use for all meetings and groups, shuttle service, and working with food service. This year we have had good attendance and participation in our meetings. We take joy in our gatherings and in our service to BYM.

In 2019, we have again arranged a program with a mix of activities that we hope will allow all ages to enjoy being in community and learning from each other. Our theme “Quaker Tools for the Journey” will help us explore our faith and practice through plenaries, workshops, and a full Junior Yearly Meeting program. Our hope is that you will find at Annual Session some spiritual nourishment and go from Annual Session refreshed to continue the work and to meet again next year.

In addition to program planning, the committee regularly evaluates the facilities at Hood College, including the meeting spaces, food service, and our overall business relationship with the college. In particular, we thank Wayne Finegar for his staff work in negotiating contracts with Hood. Last year we learned shortly before we arrived that most of one main classroom building would be unavailable due to an elevator breakdown. This led us to spread out workshops and other small groups in other campus buildings. We are fortunate to have an excellent Hood staff member, Jim Haines, to work with us during the week.

During our spring site visit this year we discovered Brodbeck Hall, an historic music auditorium on campus. It has not been available other years, but seeing a stage, comfortable, moveable chairs, and lots of natural daylight we decided to move several programs to this space (including business and plenary sessions, coffee house, and hymn singing). As always, we will count on Friends filling out evaluation forms to let us know what you think of this space, and your other experiences at Annual Session this year.

Following a year-long exploration involving Friends from around BYM, Program Committee decided not to shorten the length of our Annual Session. We have, however, made some changes during the week, including “flipping” the Coffee House and Carey Lecture to nights scheduled in years past. Coffee House will be on Friday, and the Carey Lecture on Saturday night. This is one change we are making in hopes that more people will stay for the full closing weekend of Annual Session.

We continue to grapple with declining attendance. Despite a more central location and no increase in fees we had 98 fewer participants in 2018 than the year before. This is not a Program Committee problem but a larger concern about how individuals see themselves as part of the work and witness of BYM.

Program Committee provides financial aid by offering First Timer Certificates, which allow those attending for the first time or after 10 or more years away to attend 2 nights for free. All children below high school age also attend for free for the week.

As reported at June Interim Meeting, Program Committee is beginning to explore a “Pay as Led” method for financing Annual Sessions. Several other yearly meetings have instituted this in the last few years, with great success. Of note, attendance has significantly increased in some cases, particularly among first-time attenders and young adults. See the following report for more information.

In the coming year Program Committee looks forward to a wide exploration of this idea amongst BYM Friends. We will continue to gather information from other YMs. We will hold interest groups at Annual Sessions this August. We will consult with Stewardship and Finance, Development, and other committees. We expect to have a sub-committee made up of Program Committee members as well as other individuals we invite to help us further season this proposal. If you would like to talk with us about this idea, or perhaps serve on the exploratory sub-committee, please contact committee clerk, Barb Platt, jrbp47quaker@gmail.com.

Barb Platt (Sandy Spring), Clerk

 


2018 Program Committee Annual Report

Program Committee is responsible for the planning and arranging the program elements at Annual Session each year. The Committee consists of nine members as well as the Presiding Clerk, the General Secretary, Bookstore Manager, Registrar and representatives of Ministry and Pastoral Care, Junior Yearly Meeting, Young Friends and Young Adult Friends. It is a large and mighty committee that meets together four times a year. In addition, every member of the Committee works outside of the large meetings, taking responsibility for some element of the Annual Session program either individually or as a subcommittee member.

After experiencing two years of Annual Session at Hood College, we seem to be settling into the new surroundings well. However, while we have had an increase in the number of commuters who attend, there has not been a significant increase in overall attendance after moving the session closer to the geographic center of the Yearly Meeting. Noting, in particular, that the number of younger children attending Annual Session has been dwindling in recent years, Program Committee decided in 2017 to offer full scholarships to all children below high school age. Although this financial aid to families did not produce a rise in the number of children attending in 2017, we believe these scholarships are valuable and will continue them for the foreseeable future.

This year Program Committee’s focus turned toward gathering information about reasons for attendance or non-attendance at Annual Session from a wider audience than just those who complete evaluation forms at the end of the session. We formed a subcommittee to gather data and to study ways that we might change the schedule of Annual Session to make it more attractive to attenders. That subcommittee created a short online survey and invited all members of the Yearly Meeting to complete it. We spent some time in the March Interim Meeting inviting comments about what attracted or did not attract people to attend Annual Session. In particular, we were concerned that attendance drops off precipitously on Saturday so that the Sunday morning business is not as well-attended and the final worship hour seems like an afterthought. We made a few minor schedule changes for the 2018, e.g. we will have an additional worship time together on Friday morning before business instead of the traditional worship sharing in small groups on that morning.

Our information-gathering efforts have confirmed that other reasons people don’t attend, or leave early, include limited vacation time with competing activities, family obligations, “tedious” business sessions, high cost of attendance, and need to be at their local meeting on Sunday. In addition to some schedule juggling we plan for 2019, e.g. move more events to the weekend when working Friends might be freer to attend, Program Committee asked for comments at Interim Meeting in June on the possibility of shortening the entire Annual Session by one day. This idea would eliminate the cost of one day for full-time attenders, make it easier for part-time attenders to experience a fuller program, and make our time together in community more valuable. It would also condense and, perhaps, make our business sessions more focused. Program Committee will also be having listening sessions during interest groups times at this year’s Annual Session to hear comments and opinions on this proposal.

While contemplating changes for the future, in 2018 we have again arranged a program with a mix of activities that we hope will allow all ages to enjoy being in community and learning from each other. Our theme “Radical Listening, Rooted in Love” will speak to our spiritual preparation for the work we take on and promises to be a rich framework for sharing together. Our hope is that you will find at Annual Session some spiritual nourishment and go from Annual Session refreshed to continue the work and to meet again in 2019.

Barbarie Hill (Charlottesville)
Program Committee Clerk 2018


2017 Annual Report

Program Committee consists of nine members as well as the Presiding Clerk, the General Secretary, Bookstore Manager, Registrar and representatives of Ministry and Pastoral Care, Junior Yearly Meeting, Young Friends and Young Adult Friends. It is a large and mighty committee that meets together four times a year. In addition, every member of the Committee works outside of the large meetings, taking responsibility for some element of the Annual Session program either individually or as a subcommittee member.

The 2016 Annual Session was our first experience of meeting at Hood College, and overall the new venue was well-received. Despite some unforeseen problems with handicapped access, we had many positive comments on evaluation forms about the convenient location, pleasant dining room, and more compact campus. We have attempted to address a few difficulties with the spaces chosen for last year’s session by rearranging the bookstore, displays, and business sessions this year. We also plan to have more and better directional signage.

We continue to try to determine reasons that members of BYM local meetings chose not to attend Annual Session. Noting that we have had a dwindling number of younger children attending Annual Session in recent years, Program Committee decided that in 2017 we would offer full scholarships to all children below high school age. Our hope is that this will make it financially feasible for more families to attend. Other reasons people don’t attend include the travel distance for members of local meetings on the edges of the BYM area and limited vacation time with competing activities. We have heard a report that some prefer FGC Gathering over Annual Session because it is “more fun” with no business sessions to attend. While we will not be eliminating business sessions at Annual Session, Program Committee will continue to explore reasons that people do not attend with the hope that we can provide appropriate enticements.

In 2017, we have again arranged a program with a mix of activities that we hope will allow all ages to enjoy being in community and learning from each other. Our theme “Growing Toward Justice—Acting on Faith” again will draw us into challenging the injustice we see around us and applying our Quaker values to solutions. Our 2018 theme will speak more to our spiritual preparation for the work we take on. “Radical Listening, Rooted in Love” promises to be a rich framework for sharing together when we meet again on the Hood College campus the first week of August in 2018. Our hope is that you will find at Annual Session some spiritual nourishment and go from Annual Session refreshed to continue the work and to meet again next year.
Barbarie Hill (Charlottesville)
Program Committee Clerk 2017


2016 Annual Report

Program Committee consists of nine members as well as the Presiding Clerk, the General Secretary, Bookstore Manager, Registrar and representatives of Ministry and Pastoral Care, Junior Yearly Meeting, Young Friends and Young Adult Friends. It is a large and mighty committee that meets together four times a year. In addition, every member of the Committee works outside of the large meetings, taking responsibility for some element of the Annual Session program either individually or as a subcommittee member.

Last year we included in our annual report the statement that “The evaluations you complete after experiencing Annual Session are our guide for future sessions.” To illustrate the truth of our statement, the first task we undertake in the fall of each year is to summarize and study all the evaluation forms submitted by attenders of the Annual Session just completed. From those evaluations, we were very aware that there was growing discontent with accommodations at Frostburg and the difficulty of travel for many people to get to the campus. Attendance had also decreased over the past few years, perhaps for these reasons. So, this year we updated our list of needs for an Annual Session site, then looked at the geographic center of the Yearly Meeting and gathered lists of appropriate venues near that center. We contacted three venues that seemed promising on paper. After our initial contact, only one viable site remained – Hood College – and a subcommittee visited the campus in late October and another group in early December. All were positive about the possibility of changing our venue for the 2016 Annual Session.

Needless to say, changing the Annual Session to a new venue after nine years at Frostburg was not an easy decision. We had a very good working relationship with Dave Treber at FSU, who is also a member of the Yearly Meeting and was eager to make BYM feel welcome on the FSU campus. All of the staff at FSU were very welcoming and helpful while we were there, but we felt it was time to try a new site.

After the decision to move to Hood College was made, Program Committee began rethinking all of the program elements to determine how they would work in the new venue. There were so many details that we had become familiar with after nine years at the same site, but each had to be re-examined. We knew that there would inevitably be glitches caused by our unfamiliarity with the Hood campus, but we tried very hard to minimize their effect.

We have again arranged a program with a mix of activities that we hope will allow all ages to enjoy being in community and learning from each other. Our 2016 theme “Discernment and Action in Spiritual Community” challenged us to draw strength from our spiritual life together. At the same time that we were all experiencing how this theme was interpreted by our speakers and workshop leaders and determining what it means in our own lives, Program Committee had already begun working on the 2017 Annual Session program. We plan to meet again on the Hood College campus the first week of August in 2017 to follow up on this year’s theme by considering the next step: “Putting Faith Into Action for Justice in the World.” Our hope is that you will find at Annual Session some spiritual nourishment and go from Annual Session refreshed to continue the work and to meet again next year.

Barbarie Hill (Charlottesville), Clerk

2015 Annual Report

Program Committee consists of nine members as well as the Presiding Clerk, the General Secretary, Bookstore Manager, Registrar and representatives of Ministry and Pastoral Care, Junior Yearly Meeting, Junior Young Friends, Young Friends and Young Adult Friends. It is a large and mighty committee that meets together four times a year. In addition, every member of the Committee works outside of the large meetings, taking on responsibility for some element of the Annual Session program either individually or as a subcommittee member.

The evaluations you complete after experiencing Annual Session are our guide for future sessions. We begin our work each fall by studying carefully all the comments submitted, with the hope of improving those things that didn’t work, while bringing back the kind of events that Friends most appreciated. Last year we were able to offer accommodations in the new Edgewood Commons for the first time. The space was well-received by those who took advantage of it, and Edgewood Commons is available to us again this year. We continue to work with the college on other issues such as smoothing out our access to technology for workshops and interest groups.

As the host of Annual Session, the Program Committee worked hard again this year to offer you plenary speakers who could elucidate the theme of “Living Into Right Relationship” and planned a wide range of workshops and interest groups, many of which helped us explore the theme in more depth. Aspects of our theme are well-illustrated by changes on the Frostburg campus. We’ve seen the new CCIT building with its environmentally-conscious elements, the Sustainable Energy Research Facility (SERF) initiative demonstrating off-the-grid production of energy, and the college food service which uses produce from the Frostburg Grows demonstration project. The Committee also designed activities and gatherings as opportunities to get to know each other and to share ideas with Friends from around our region. We’ve tried to ensure a space and an environment where spirit-led business sessions, worship and community can happen. At the same time we are planning the details of the current year’s Annual Session, we also develop a theme for the following year’s Annual Session and secure plenary speakers who will address that theme in some way.

Many of the evaluations from attenders at Annual Session expressed appreciation for our spiritual community together and the opportunity to share insights with Friends from a wider area than their local Meetings. Such positive feedback led us to wonder why many do not attend Annual Session and what kind of feedback we might get from those Friends. Are there site or programmatic elements that keep them from coming? Are there ways that we could make Annual Session more attractive to an even wider group of Friends in our region? Early in the year we set ourselves the task of designing an instrument that might give us some sense of why people do not attend Annual Session. While we have not followed up on this idea as aggressively as the timeline we set for ourselves, we still think the project has merit and will continue to work toward gathering information from non-attenders.

Our attempt to gather feedback from non-attenders is just our most recent idea for reaching out to local meetings and trying to draw people into our BYM community. Each year members of Program Committee either visit local Metings or contact clerks and newsletter editors personally to convey our enthusiasm for the upcoming Annual Session and to promote attendance. The Connecting Local Meetings sessions during Annual Session have been well-received and have become an integral part of the programming. We keep individuals and local Meetings informed about the activities of Annual Session and try to convey the value of attending by providing information in the Interchange.

Many of the elements described in the Vision Implementation Report are encompassed, we hope, in the work just outlined. Program Committee is large and diverse, and we work well together as a whole and in smaller groupings. We support and encourage each other in our work. We provide programming at Annual Session of interest to individuals and local Meetings, and we reach out to ensure that they are aware of the opportunities to participate in a wider community of Friends.

Barbarie Hill (Charlottesville), Clerk


2014 Annual Report

The Program Committee is a small group with a big job. We have four meetings as a whole committee during the year to plan and carry out Annual Session. From the registration, information and orientation meetings to the workshops, speakers and even the food, this group of dedicated committee members brings it all together each year so that Friends may gather and worship, learn and grow in community.

We continue to try to improve each year, to plan more as a group, to add new activities and to listen to your feedback. This year we have brought back the Connecting Local Meetings section as an opportunity to share ideas and interests among Meetings. We heard many Meetings ask for the chance to network more and we were pleased last year with your response to our initial offering. This year we are happy to add another choice to lodging options as well. Edgewood Commons offers a different style of hospitality from the dorms we are used to. We hope that you will continue to offer evaluations to this committee so we might continue to look for improvements to Annual Session.

During the past year we welcomed a few new members to the committee and this year we say thank you to several long time members as they leave the committee to serve in other roles. We do not meet during Interim Meetings since many of our members are involved in other committee work, instead we find ourselves in Sandy Spring gathered to do our work. While these committee meetings have been open meetings in the past, we find that moving forward there are some times when agenda items are not appropriate ones for visitors. For instance, during the times when workshop choices or any presenters are being discussed, no visitors are to be present. If someone would like to visit a Program Committee meeting, (s)he should first call the Committee Clerk to say why (s)he would like to visit. The Clerk can then check to see if the next meeting is an appropriate time for that purpose.

The committee looks forward to continuing to serve you. We thank you for your presence at Annual Session.

Peg Hansen (State College), clerk


2013 Annual Report

Annual Session is the place where we can all come - all ages, all Meetings - and it’s a pleasure in many ways to do this work, helping to bring Friends together.

The Program Committee has spent a good deal of time this year working with the Yearly Meeting staff to build attendance at Annual Session. We have used the feedback we get from the evaluations, comments shared with our committee members and have welcomed the input from several Young Adult Friends working on our committee. Last year we added online registration which seemed to be a big hit. Online registration is back this year and going strong, we are adding online evaluation to the site as well. The committee hopes that more Friends will take a moment to give us their valuable feedback.

Of course, the person who helps us the most is you, who can come to Annual Session and then tell others about how it is special. Many thanks to you!

For Annual Session 2013 we are pleased to report that the Healing Center is back in a new and hopefully more supportive way. The committee thanks Steph Bean for her work with the healers to bring this great opportunity to Friends at Annual Session while supporting the Friends doing this work. We hope that you feel restored by week’s end by this and other activities.

We look forward to trying out a new event this year with the “Connecting Monthly Meetings” event on Friday. This is a chance for Friends to help co-create the event by sharing about their Meeting’s experiences and hearing about others.

The Program Committee meets four times yearly, plus at numerous subcommittee meetings, to bring Friends together in community at Frostburg MD to worship, learn, share and spend time together. In order for this to happen the committee plans for workshop development, the Daily Minute publication, the information table staffing, Bible study and worship sharing time, food and lodging coordination, the book store and speakers, the Healing Center and much more.

We’d like to thank Frostburg State Conference manager, Dave Treber, member of Dunnings Creek Meeting for all of his help in assuring that the campus works well for us.

We have already begun to work on the 2014 Annual Session, which will have the theme of Transformation And Healing.

We look forward to seeing returning Friends and new Friends this year at Annual Session.

Peg Hansen (State College), Clerk


2012 Annual Report

The members of the Program Committee along with the Yearly Meeting staff make Annual Session happen for all Friends. From the registration process, work shop development, Daily Minute publications, information table staffing and food coordination to the Bible studies, worship sharing time, book store operations, provision of transportation from building to building, and the arrangement for speakers the committee works hard to make it all happen. And to think we meet a mere 4 times during the year!

During the past year the Program Committee has changed the procedure for choosing a theme for each Annual Session. This has proved to be a work in progress and many members of the committee have stepped up and taken on yet more work. We are now planning, and have been working for several months on Annual Session 2013. Of course we were also hard at plans for 2012 at the same time. Also during this year we have worked with Frostburg State University staff toward a cleaner dorm situation. We have been able to solve last year’s handicap transportation issues and have said farewell to Tawes building. It is the hope of the committee that these changes will help increase attendance at Annual Session.

We are pushing for an increase in feedback this year from Friends. We hope that more of you will take the time to evaluate your experience at Annual Session. We really do read all of the forms that come back to us and use them to make plans and possible improvements to future Sessions. Please take the time to give us your thoughts!

Program Committee has a small but hard working group of Friends who make it possible for all to gather at Frostburg in community to work, learn, share a meal and enjoy time with one another. I hope that you will join me in thanking these hard working folks with the red dots.

Peg Hansen (State College) clerk


2011 Annual Report

This has been a year of changes for the Program Committee. Due to construction of the Lane Center at Frostburg during Annual Session 2010 we used different buildings for our Business Meetings, lectures and many workshops. While this was a challenge, Friends managed to carry on while touring more of the Frostburg campus. This year we will be back in the Lane Center and look forward to the renewed space.

Program Committee had a change of clerk this year and the Committee has been hard working and gracious with their time and knowledge as the new clerk finds her way. Dennis Hartzell, long time food coordinator has moved away and while we will miss him terribly, Denny left such great notes and strong sense of community with the folks at Frostburg that Susan Griffin is able to step in as the new food coordinator seamlessly.

We welcomed some new Committee members this year and will say thank you to some after 2011 Annual Session. We have a small but hard working group of Friends who make it possible for all to gather at Frostburg in community to work, learn, share a meal and enjoy time with one another.

We are happy to announce that beginning this year we have started an assistance program for Younger Adult Friends which can help 18 to 25 year old Friends with up to 50% of the cost to attend Annual Sessions. We have heard the concerns of these Friends regarding the cost to join us at a time in life that is especially draining financially and hope this will be a way to encourage these Friends to continue to be involved with the Yearly Meeting.

The members of the Program Committee along with the Yearly Meeting staff make Annual Session happen for all Friends. From the registration process, work shop development, Daily Minute publications, information table staffing and food coordination to the Bible studies, worship sharing time, book store operations, provision of transportation from building to building, and the arrangement for speakers the committee works hard to make it all happen. And to think we meet a mere 4 times during the year! But wait; did I mention the daily early morning breakfast meetings during Annual Session? So please, when you see a Friend with a red dot be sure to thank them for their work , even if they do look half asleep at the time.

Peg Hansen, (State College), Clerk

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