Respect Quaker faith and practice; Rescind PhYM 'staff voice policy'

Dear Friends, attenders, and friends of Friends,

Please
1. sign this petition to respect Philadelphia Yearly Meeting's (PhYM) faith and practice and rescind PhYM's "staff voice policy" (full policy at this link) (feel free to use my address if you don't want to enter yours - 440 W Sedgwick St, Philadelphia, PA 19119);
2. share the petition with others; and
3. bring this concern to your monthly and quarterly meetings for consideration.

PETITION
We prayerfully attest that

1) PhYM administrators should rescind the "staff voice policy" immediately and

2) PhYM staff should be free to speak as Spirit leads, in all situations, consistent with PhYM faith and practice (excerpts follow).

"The power of God is not used to compel us to Truth; therefore, let us renounce for ourselves the power of any person over any other and, compelling no one, seek to lead others to Truth through love."[iii]

"STAFF VOICE POLICY" BACKGROUND
In December 2017, PhYM's Personnel Committee approved a new "staff voice policy" (full policy at this link) which states,

• "Staff may not publicly air disagreements or grievances about ongoing or developing policies, procedures, projects, personnel matters or any other direction or action of PYM staff or governance..."
• "Public in this policy refers to any place or process that that [sic] reaches a broad or gathered group of Friends or non-Friends."
• "In the event that a staff person chooses not to refrain from airing their disagreement in public in disregard of this policy and/or the social media policy, their supervisor and/or the General Secretary will determine appropriate responses that support the well-being of the PYM organization including disciplinary action up to and including dismissal."

By May 4 2018, PhYM staff were to sign "agreements" to comply with this and other staff policies.

While this new formal policy is said to "relax" prior informal policy, opinions differ about whether it does. After communicating on May 6, 2018 to PhYM administrators about this matter and hearing no openness to 1) rescinding the policy and 2) restoring PhYM staff's right to publicly disagree without risk of disciplinary action or dismissal, Viv Hawkins (acting independently of any groups) developed this petition on May 30, 2018 to spread the word and encourage discernment.

FAITH AND PRACTICE EXCERPTS
To God's Light in every person,

• "Recognition that God's Light is in every person helps us to overcome our apparent separation and differences from others; it leads to a sympathetic awareness of their needs and a sense of responsibility towards them."[i]

To individual responsibility to faithfulness to God,

• "Throughout our history Friends have understood that we are not meant to conform to the ways of the world, but to live in obedience to the Light Within and through this witness to transform the world."[ii]

To speaking truth,

• "The power of God is not used to compel us to Truth; therefore, let us renounce for ourselves the power of any person over any other and, compelling no one, seek to lead others to Truth through love."[iii]
• "the testimony against taking oaths grew out of the intention to speak truth always."[iv]

To the following tenets of meeting for worship,

• "Spirit-led" decision making is central to the life and health of the meeting. The desire of Friends as individuals and as meeting communities is to live with greater awareness of and faithfulness to the Light Within. Friends strive to integrate their inward life and outward activity."[v]
• "Friends find that vocal ministry:
  - Can arise in anyone who is present at meeting for worship;...
  - Impels the worshipper to rise and share the message received from Spirit;...
  - Is a conduit for God's love and work in the world;
  - Is a call to faithfulness."[vi]
• "Deciding in advance to speak or not to speak... interrupt[s] the movement of the Spirit. We are reminded to trust the Spirit..."[vii]

To the following tenets of meeting for worship with attention to business,

• "Friends undertake corporate discernment and decision-making in the same expectant waiting for the guidance of the Spirit as meeting for worship."[viii]
• "Friends come to meeting for business with an openness to the Spirit that inspires careful speaking and listening, trust, humility, compassion and courage."[ix]
• "discipline of deep listening that supports the unfolding of a sense of Truth among the members of the community as facts and feelings are sorted through."[x]
• "... all members share responsibility for maintaining a Spirit-led meeting... and for a steadfast search for Truth. All are expected to be attentive and to offer insights that arise from reflective worship."[xi]
• "When a Friend has genuine reservations or objections to a proposed action or decision and feels unable to approve—or unite with—the sense of the meeting, ...The clerk ensures that those Friends who disapprove of the sense of the meeting have an opportunity to state their concerns."[xii]
• "spiritual unity also requires the rest of the meeting to keep the objections in mind as they proceed and to treat tenderly and lovingly those who had disagreed. These expectations reflect trust in divine guidance and the commitment of all members to reach unity in the Spirit."[xiii]

And to the relationship between individuals and their faith communities,

• "Friends practice discernment in their individual lives, prayerfully seeking divine guidance in daily activities. They may also seek the meeting's support in finding clearness when considering a change in life direction or proposing an action to follow a leading. The act of seeking God's guidance is assisted by the meeting to assure that what is sensed by one is tested and affirmed by the worshipping community."[xiv]
• "all meetings strive to offer a sympathetic and welcoming community in which people can share the joys and challenges of daily life."[xv]
• "exists to hold and amplify, deepen and nurture the experience of Spirit, and everyone's talents and involvement help make that happen. Friends throughout the yearly meeting are invited to share gifts, to bring truth, capacity, and strength into the life of the community. "[xvi]
• "All members ... of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends... are encouraged to attend the ...sessions of yearly meeting and participate in worship, fellowship, and decision-making with other members of the yearly meeting."[xvii]

REFERENCES FOR EXCERPTS
[i] http://www.pym.org/faith-and-practice/experience-and-faith/the-light-within/
[ii] http://www.pym.org/faith-and-practice/faith-reflected-practice-daily-life/concerns-leadings-testimonies/
[iii] advice paraphrased from statements contained in epistles of the Yearly Meeting of Pennsylvania and the Jerseys, 1694 and 1695 http://www.pym.org/faith-and-practice/extracts-writings-friends/advices/
[iv] http://www.pym.org/faith-and-practice/faith-reflected-practice-daily-life/concerns-leadings-testimonies/
[v] http://www.pym.org/faith-and-practice/experience-and-faith/discernment-guidance-spirit/
[vi] http://www.pym.org/faith-and-practice/experience-and-faith/meeting-worship/
[vii] Ibid.
[viii] http://www.pym.org/faith-and-practice/faith-reflected-practice-daily-life/discernment-clearness-and-decision-making/
[ix] Ibid.
[x] Ibid.
[xi] Ibid.
[xii] Ibid.
[xiii] Ibid.
[xiv] Ibid.
[xv] http://www.pym.org/faith-and-practice/faith-reflected-practice-daily-life/community-life/
[xvi] http://www.pym.org/faith-and-practice/faith-reflected-organization/philadelphia-yearly-meeting/involvement-philadelphia-yearly-meeting/
[xvii] http://www.pym.org/faith-and-practice/faith-reflected-organization/philadelphia-yearly-meeting/sessions-yearly-meeting/