30 Day Window Minute 

After our expulsion from NW Yearly Meeting, there was a 30-day window in which to file appeals. West Hills Friends approved this minute on August 23, 2015.

We are grateful to all who have extended words of love, encouragement and support to our community in the face of the Northwest Yearly Meeting Board of Eldersʼ decision to release/remove West Hills Friends from membership in our yearly meeting.

We are heartened by voices from within NWYM who say that our yearly meeting will be diminished by our absence. We hope that the reflection and discernment of those who have been led to appeal this decision will be received and held in a way that bears good fruit for NWYM.

We have been steadfast in our commitment to and participation in NWYM over the three years of investigation and discipline for our noncompliance with NWYM Faith & Practice.

With this new landscape, we find that as a community, we need to listen again for the guidance of Spirit.

In coming together to hear what rises around the NWYM Eldersʼ decision, we found that the allowed 30 day window does not offer adequate time for our community to come to unity in Spirit-led discernment on the question of appeal.

We note that we may be led, in time, to speak into this situation in new ways.

We note that membership and relationship are not identical, and hold hope that with or without membership, relationships between the people of West Hills Friends and NWYM will continue and evolve in new and life-giving ways.