2014 QUIP Annual Meeting, Publishing the Word in a Changing Landscape: Tools & Techniques Woolman Hill Retreat Center, Deerfield, MA, May 1 4, 2014

Transcription

1 2014 QUIP Annual Meeting, Publishing the Word in a Changing Landscape: Tools & Techniques Woolman Hill Retreat Center, Deerfield, MA, May 1 4, 2014 Present at one or more business meetings or presentations Charles Martin, co-clerk; Peter Daniels, co-clerk; Nancy Haines, recording clerk; Liz Yeats, QUIP administrative facilitator; Trish Carn, treasurer; Chel Avery; Joan Broadfield;; Gabriel Ehri; Sherryll Harris; Rausie Hobson; Vanessa Julye; Betsy Muench; Sarah Spencer; Rob Pierson; Beth Saunders; Tina Coffin; Benigno Sanchez-Eppler; Susan Davies; Mark Parker Miller; Margaret Benefiel; Ken Haase; Jeff Hipp; Cynthia Ganung; Caroline Balderston Parry; Kristna Evans; Beth Collea; Jan Hoffman; Susan Furry; Mary Conchelo; Ann Trueblood Raper; Mark Barker Thursday, May Welcome. We gathered before dinner at Woolman Hill Retreat Center. We were welcomed by the director, Margaret Cooley Opening Plenary. Following our opening worship and introductions, Benigno Sanchez- Eppler and Susan Furry gave the opening plenary: A Ministry in Translation: Bringing Quaker classics to Spanish-speaking readers. They talked about their twenty-years in this shared ministry. They focus primarily on texts from the first two hundred years of Quakerism, which are foundational for all branches of the Religious Society of Friends. They shared some of the challenges of translating the words of early Friends including staying true to the text and conveying the meaning without over-simplifying the message. Susan and Benigno clearly see this as a joyful, spiritual call. In the Epilogue, Charles Martin reflected on what QUIP has meant to him over the years. Friday, May 2, 9:30 am Introductions. Charles Martin served as clerk and opened by reminding us that QUIP is an international organization dedicated to the written word across all branches of Quakerism. This was followed by introductions Nominating Committee. The committee appointed at the mid-year meeting includes Nancy Haines, Liz Yeats, and Rausie Hobson. Trish Carn will remain as treasurer until after the meeting at Woodbrooke in Graham Garner is stepping down as assistant treasurer. We need to appoint a new assistant treasurer who will step up to become treasurer next year. Charles Martin is completing his term as co-clerk and a new clerk needs to be appointed Newsletter/press release. Sheryll Harris will write up a report about this meeting- for the website and to be used in publicity.

2 14.6. Administrative Facilitator s report and web update. Liz Yeats reported on her activities for the year. Her report is attached. She reminded everyone to pay their dues, which is the primary income for QUIP. Annual dues are: o o o o $60 ( 38) for Individual Memberships; $75 ( 48) for Publishers, Booksellers, Organizations, Periodicals, Related Businesses, and Yearly Meetings. Two people may be listed with full member benefits. Additional contacts may be added for $25 ( 16) each. $90 ( 57) for Non-Quaker Publishers, Booksellers, and Periodicals to list Quakerrelated titles on the web site at the discretion of the QUIP promotion manager. $25 ( 16) for Limited Income and Associate. She urged everyone to send announcements of new publications and book reviews to be posted on the website. Beth Saunders facilitates our Facebook and Twitter accounts. She also will post announcements of publications and reminds Friends to make it easy to buy her books. Ken Haase asked about improving security on website. Liz and Ken will discuss this. Charles invited members who would be willing to assume some or all of these responsibilities of administrative facilitator in the future to talk with Liz Regards & Regrets. Regrets were received from Sally Rickerman, Christine Greenland, Graham Garner, and Marjorie Ewbank. Friends who sent regards were Doug Gwynn, Marge Abbott, Shirley Dodson (Pendle Hill), Jennifer Kavanagh, Elizabeth Cave (former clerk of QUIP), and Shelley Angel. Gerard Benson passed away this year [April 28, 2014]. He was the poet in residence at The Wordworth Museum and active at British QUIP gatherings. In our meeting at Glenthorne, he took a group on a tour of Dove Cottage, Wordsworth s home. A memorial meeting will be held at next year s QUIP meeting at Woodbrooke. Christine Greenland sent her regrets and a brief report from Tract Association (report attached.) Next year the Association will have been in existence for two hundred years. Charles reminded us of the importance of sending written reports from the organizations we represent if we can t attend. Colin Saxton, FUM General Secretary, sent regrets. They are preparing for next month s Triennial but he hopes to strengthen the relationship between FUM and QUIP in future.

3 14.8. Spirit Rising Spanish Translation Report. Charles reviewed the history of the Spirit Rising project, a collection of writings by young Friends worldwide. Many of the submissions were from the Spanish speaking world and QUIP promised to get the book translated into Spanish. Emma Condori Manami from Bolivia was paid by QUIP to do the primary work of translation aided by Benigno Sanchez-Eppler. QUIP had approved a budget of $6,000 for printing and distribution. Trish Carn did layout as volunteer. Yuliet Almaguer Bajuelo did a final read through for consistency. Benigno volunteered as mentor to Emma. Trish Carn reported that we have spent $1,346 for 200 copies (about $6.73 per copy including shipping to Philadelphia.) Chel Avery of FGC arranged for the printing by Lightening Source. Yuliet Almaguer Bajuelo was paid $840 for copy editing. We talked about how to distribute the book. We were unable to find a publisher/printer in Bolivia with whom to work in a convenient way. Books can be carried by travelers to Friends in Bolivia, Peru, Cuba, and other Latin American countries. Charles had talked with Robin Mohr of FWCC about being responsible for distributing the book but she did not think it appropriate at this time. Beth Saunders who is traveling to Mexico with North Carolina Yearly Meeting missions projects offered to take books with her. Another idea is to have a coming out party for the book in Bolivia with some of the Spanish speaking authors. Charles asked how QUIP members would like to spend the balance of the allocated funds in order to get books into the hands of Spanish-speaking people. After this initial run, do we charge people for printing copies? He offered to serve on a committee to oversee distribution and invited Benigno Sanchez Eppler and others who are interested to meet with him. Rob Pierson (FWCC) offered to serve as an advisor. They will come back to mid-year meeting with a report on how to use the balance of our funds to keep the book in print and distributed Indonesian translation request Nadine Hoover (a member of New York Yearly Meeting representing Friends Peace Teams) has been working with Mennonites and a few evangelical Quakers in Indonesia to help them understand Quakerism. The Muslim community is particularly interested in learning about making peace. She wants to translate basic Quaker texts into Indonesian and has identified translators and funds for the work. She asked QUIP to help obtain reprint rights from copyright holders for a list of publications that she provided. Charles has worked to get some of the permissions. Shirley Dodson will work directly with Nadine about Pendle Hill publications; the Tract Association and FGC are also providing some permissions. QUIP published George Fox s Book of Miracles. We approved permission to have the book translated into Indonesian if published as a complete book. If Nadine would only like to reprint

4 parts, we ask her to share information with us about what is to be included or left out Show and Tell. Rausie Hobson reported for North Carolina Board of Publications. Unforseen Joy: Serving the Friends Meeting as Recording Clerk has been updated and is back in print Workshops. Two simultaneous workshops were offered in the afternoon. Translation Fishbowl - Friends were invited to watch Susan Furry and Benigno Sanchez-Eppler as they began work on a brief selection from Elizabeth Bathurst, which illustrates some of the challenges and complexities of translation from seventeenth-century Quaker prose. Their process of disentangling and discerning the English meaning may interest all Friends whether or not they understand Spanish. Particular Challenges of Publishing Faith and Practice: a Case Study of New England Yearly Meeting Jan Hoffman, Clerk of New England Yearly Meeting s Faith and Practice Revision Committee discussed her committee s experience in the ministry of group writing. The committee has been laboring for twelve years to produce a new Faith and Practice. She shared some of the challenges: spiritual, organizational, and technological Plenary. Beth Collea, New England Yearly Meeting Religious Education Coordinator, presented the Friday evening plenary: Curriculum Development Now: Toward a contemporary stewardship of the Quaker message. She told of the three great rivers of social change affecting children and families: the climate crisis, the new great spiritual awakening, and families under stress. She offered various solutions in the forms of resource books she would like written to guide parents and First Day School teachers to support the Quaker home, provide practical guidance on how to practice Quakerism, extend Religious Education to all ages, and prepare Friends to engage God s work in the world today. In the Epilogue, Caroline Balderston Parry read from her new commonplace book of meditations, Heron Spirals. Saturday, May 3, 9:30 am Regards. Following worship, Peter Daniels opened the meeting. Warren Wilson Reiner sent his regards Mid- year Meeting. The mid-year meeting will be held by conference call on October 25, All are welcome to participate Annual Conference. Peter announced that the 2015 QUIP Conference will be held April 23-26, 2015, at Woodbrooke Quaker Study Center, Birmingham, England. The planning committee will consist of Peter Daniels, Trish Carn, Charles Martin, Liz Yeats, and the new coclerk. Peter will also ask Gil Skidmore and other British Friends to join the committee. He said that suggestions for the program should be given to Trish or Peter.

5 Menucha Retreat Center Conference Report. Charles reported that it was a successful gathering including a celebration of more than fifty years of the Quaker Theological Discussion Group and its journal, Quaker Religious Thought. A report on the conference was published in the Canadian Friend. Sarah Hoggatt s report is on the website Mid-year Meeting Report. The minutes of the mid-year conference call are posted on the website FUM Triennial Table Friends United Meeting (FUM) invited QUIP to set up a display at the FUM Triennial in July, Nancy Haines agreed to set up the display and Friends approved. Liz Yeats, Trish Carn, and Nancy will prepare a display, postcards, and other materials. The request for $200 ($50 for table fee and $150 for materials) will come from the publicity budget. If you know of other places to set up the display, contact Liz Treasurer s report, with presentation of budget and dues structure Trish Carn presented the treasurer s report (attached). The 2012 budget was not balanced at this time last year, so she also presented this information. Most of the money comes through Paypal. Paypal has fees but most Friends felt it is worth it for the convenience. The budget for 2014 was approved in 2013 at Menucha. We have a budgeted deficit of about $6,000 because donations and dues were lower than expected and money has been allocated to pay for the final editing, printing, and distribution of El Espiritu se Levanta. We currently have about $15,000 in funds so there is a cushion, but we need to think about fundraising and subscriptions/dues. Betsy Muench says we try to should have at least the cost of an annual meeting in reserves (about $8,000) so that the treasurer is never expected to cover costs while waiting for money to come in. We discussed the various items in the 2015 budget and prepared a draft budget which will be brought for approval on Sunday Fundraising for QUIP. Donations are sometimes made when members pay dues; there are also requests in the newsletters and on the website. We need to encourage more authors and others to join and pay their dues/subscriptions. One suggestion is to send letters to authors of new Quaker books giving them information about the organization. Liz and Rausie agreed to do this. There are about 150 people on the mailing list. Rausie Hobson said that she will send a paper mailing to American members asking for donations. Trish Carn will adapt the letter for British Friends and send to members in England. They may use the postcard being developed for the FUM Triennial display. We could be more active in letting yearly meetings know about QUIP, perhaps with a small

6 traveling display that can be shipped for various gatherings. Ken Haase offered to create a QR code to use on displays and in materials to join or donate to QUIP. We talked about placing ads in Quaker journals about the organization, not necessarily advertising the annual general meeting. We will discuss this at the mid-year meeting Friendly Reading List. The Friendly Reading List is a listing of Quaker books rated by use and age level. This list has been put together by Sally Rickerman and Phoebe Anderson and hosted on the QUIP website. It was last updated with books published in Further updates would need to be coordinated by someone who has yet to be designated. Phoebe is willing to update the database but someone has to collect the information from librarians and religious education teachers. One Friend reminded us that the work is labor intensive. See Liz if interested Show and Tell. Charles Martin, Inner Light Press, showed his new publications, The Essential Elias Hicks by Paul Buckley and A Quaker Prayer Life by Australian Friend David Johnson about how early Quakers prayed. Both are available from Quaker Books of FGC and on the Inner Light Press website. Peter Daniels talked about his recent project copyediting a book on Living Eldership by Jenny Routledge, forthcoming from Britain Yearly Meeting. He published the book by Jo Farrow and Alex Wildwood: Universe as Revelation: an ecomystical theology for Friends and A speaking silence: Quaker poets of today by various poets including himself. He has an article in the Friends Quarterly issue about poetry. On this trip to the United States he is promoting his book of translations of the poetry of Russian poet Vladislav Khodasevich. Chel Avery, FGC Publishing, mentioned Sparkling Still a new curriculum co-authored by Beth Collea. She showed a copy of Howard and Anna Brinton by Anthony Manousos, a story of Quakerism in the first half of twentieth century. The last Directory for Traveling Friends is now available but will no longer be published when it is gone. FGC has two books in progress: one by Doug Gwynn on living a sustainable life and a biography of Bayard Rustin for fifth grade students. Liz Yeats mentioned several new books on the QUIP website: Sas Carey s Reindeer Herders in My Heart: Stories of Healing Journeys in Mongolia and Sally Rickerman s, Facets of Quakerism,a collection of quotes and stories Workshops. Five workshops were offered during the afternoon: Marketing with Soul. Being faithful to our leadings to write requires stepping out in courage to promote our work if the message is going to get out. Margaret Benefiel shared her story of following a leading to write and promote books. Then she focused on practical ideas for marketing with soul.

7 Midwiving a Publication. Sarah Spencer and Liz Yeats facilitated a conversation about getting from manuscript to printed word, sharing their experiences with helping authors get published. Poetry from Worship. Peter Daniels facilitated participants in finding words from a worshipful space and then taking them further. Social Media as Spiritual Practice: Blogging and Facebook in a Spirit of Worship. Quakers have long shared their spiritual lives with one another in the form of journals. Cat Chapin-Bishop explored how online shared journals, like Facebook and blogging, complicate and compliment older traditions in spiritual exploration and publishing. From HTML to Ebook. Ken Haase, the developer of Sbooks, taught the basics of how to use the Sbooks website to begin converting HTML files to ebook formats Plenary. Jeffrey Hipp, New England Yearly Meeting Communications Director, gave the Saturday evening plenary talk: Quakers & Online Media: It's not about the tech. In the Epilogue, Peter Daniels read his translation of the poem The Monkey by Russian poet Vladislav Khodasevich. Sunday, May 4, 9:00 am Following a brief period of worship, Charles Martin opened the meeting. Beth Saunders asked if she could photograph closing worship. Friends agreed Nominating Committee report. The Nominating Committee recommended that Vanessa Julye be appointed as co-clerk for three years, beginning at the end of this conference. Friends approved. The committee recommended that Gabe Ehri be appointed as assistant treasurer for one year, rising to treasurer for a period of three years after the conference at Woodbrooke in Friends approved Bank Resolutions. Friends authorized adding Gabriel Ehri and Vanessa Julye as signatories on the TD Bank account in the United States and The Co-operative Bank account in the United Kingdom and removing Graham Garner and Charles Martin as signatories. The recording clerk may edit this minute to comply with bank requirements if necessary Tacey Sowle Fund Report. Trish Carn reported that we have $1,734 in the account and did not use any of it this year. If Friends know of Friends in underserved countries who could use these funds, please ask them to apply. A full description of the Fund is on the QUIP website Approval of the Budget and Accounts. We approved the budget for 2015 (attached) and accepted the formal accounts for 2012 and 2013.

8 Theme for 2015 Conference. Peter Daniels has listed some possible topics for next year: copyrights, religious education, and faith and practice. This could be a writers conference, but not including an extra day as was done last time. We could have an evening program at the conference that could be open to members of the community. The planning committee would know better what would attract British Friends to the conference. Suggestions for presentations or workshops are collaborative writing using new technologies, using new technologies to selfpublish, having support committees in writing Gerard Benson. We record with regret the death of Gerard Benson. Many Friends will recall fondly his tour of Wordworth s home, Dove Cottage, where he was poet-in-residence, when QUIP met at Glenthorne in 2007, and his poetry reading and workshop at Woodbrooke in We send condolences to his widow Cathy, who was also with us at Woodbrooke Minute of appreciation for Graham Garner. We are grateful for the work of Graham Garner who has served QUIP as assistant treasurer for the past several years and for his ongoing support of QUIP Minute of appreciation for Woolman Hill Retreat Center - We express our sincere appreciation for the work of the staff of Woolman Hill Retreat Center, who were particularly gracious and responsive to the various needs of our participants. We enjoyed the nourishing and delicious food, the serenity of the historic meeting house, sitting by the fire or in the sunshine for conversation and coffee, the beautiful grounds and facilities and the drifts of daffodils Minute of appreciation for Local Friends - We are grateful for the work of Sarah Spencer and Nancy Haines in organizing the QUIP meeting. Their attention to hospitality and logistics helped us feel welcomed and gathered. We appreciate the many New England Friends who shared their ministry in plenaries, workshops, and conversations Minute of appreciation for Charles Martin. We are grateful for the work of Charles Martin who has cheerfully and ably served as North American co-clerk for six years and for coordinating the Spanish language translation of the Spirit Rising book, El Espiritu se Levanta. We appreciate his willingness to continue to serve QUIP on the planning committee for the 2015 conference Show and Tell. Beth Saunders brought a catalog of used and new Quaker books that she has in stock at Tannery Books including books from North Carolina Yearly Meeting Publications and from some local authors who may not be Quaker but write about Quakers. Chel Avery shared for Pendle Hill Publishing. Pendle Hill never solicits a manuscript; writers are urged to submit their works. She shared the six pamphlets that have come out since the last QUIP meeting. Pendle Hill Pamphlets are being converted to e-publications available through Amazon and their own website. She also mentioned A Quaker Marriage of Philosophy and Art: Words and Pictures of Howard and Anna Brinton co-published by Pendle Hill and FGC Publishing. Gabe Ehri reported for Friends Journal. At the Associated Church Press's Best of the Christian

9 Press competition, Friends Journal was awarded: Honorable Mention for Best in Class, Denominational/Special Interest Magazine Award of Merit for Print Publication Redesign Honorable Mention for Personal Experience, Long Format, Magazine/Journal for "We Think He Might Be a Boy" by Su Penn Honorable Mention for Theme Issue, Section or Series, Magazine for "Outside the Quaker Bubble" The Journal now uses color printing. Every article is online through the website and back issues are available on line. They are also using Facebook. Quaker Speak is their new video project on QuakerSpeak.com and on Youtube. They have a robust book review section and invite authors to send materials for review. Sheryll Harris reported that the Canadian Friend will soon have color covers. She provided complimentary copies. Trish Carn shared the last issue of Quaker Voices that she had edited. The next issue is due in May She also showed copies of The Friend which has three or four issues each year in color. The editor has been doing a very good job of improving the weekly periodical which has been going since They have just digitized the issues in an online archive. Charles urged everyone to subscribe to and advertise in the Quaker journals (Friends Journal, Quaker Life, Canadian Friend, The Friend, and Western Friend.) Tina Coffin showed the periodical The Carillon published for Friends in Arkansas. She has been compiling articles for this magazine for twelve years. We concluded with meeting for worship. Charles Martin and Peter Daniels, co-clerks Nancy Haines, recording clerk