Guidelines for Meeting and
Committee Clerks
Welcome to being a clerk at Patuxent Friends Meeting. Whether you are clerk at Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business or for one of our Meeting’s committees, several common principles apply:
Clerks act as servants of the meeting. Members endow the clerk with a special trust. They are never alone. All members of the meeting or committee help with clerking…it is everyone’s responsibility to help discern the leadings of the Spirit.
Clerks will benefit from focusing more on being faithful and showing love to their fellow members than on being “successful”. They may then come to measure how well they are doing in terms of peace—in helping to nourish one-another in the Spirit.
If we work together, Clerks will have the opportunity to experience real joy in their roles.
Almost everyone who accepts the call to serve as a clerk discovers a special sense of service and belonging that no other experience can match. As clerks learn and grow into their roles, they help us to build a sense of community and let our lives speak in a positive way.
“Service to the Meeting is a gift that repays you time and time again as you come to work with other Friends, appreciate their gifts, and relearn the strengths of the Spirit working through our business affairs.”
Grant Phelps Thompson, Presiding Clerk, FMW
Meeting Processes and Procedures
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Nominating Committee
Social Concerns Account
Budget
Year End Giving
State of the Meeting Report
Periodic Financial Audits
Hosting Special Events
Clearness Committees
Loss of Members of Our Meeting Community
Children in the Life of the Meeting
Same Sex Vows
Afterthoughts
Business Meeting during Summer Months
Meeting Officers and Committees
Safe Gathering
Becoming a Member
1. Nominating Committee
Process for Selecting the Nominating Committee:
The Clerk of the Meeting, in consultation with the Ministry and Counsel Committee, will propose to the Meeting for approval three Friends to serve on the Nominating Committee for the following year. The Clerk would serve as an ex officio member of the committee. Those proposed for membership in the Nominating Committee should be Friends with a commitment to the Meeting and to Friend’s practices. Of these three Friends, at least one should be a Friend with long-term association with the Meeting.
Process Recommendations:
Members of the Nominating Committee should review materials in Baltimore Yearly Meeting’s Faith and Practice on the role of nominating committees and the roles and qualifications of officers and committees of the Meeting. A discussion of these materials and the nominating process should take place at the beginning of the committee’s work, so that all members are acquainted with relevant information about Friend’s practices.
The new clerk of the committee should consult with the nominating committee clerk from the previous year to gain any information relevant to the process (persons who indicated in the past a willingness to serve in a, particular office. or committee in the future, etc.).
The committee should discuss the needs of the Meeting, soliciting views from the Clerk of the Meeting. The committee should consider the talents and leadings of individuals in the Meeting, soliciting such. information from members of the Meeting as:
What are your interests and concerns in relation to new officers and committees?
How would you like to contribute to the work of the Meeting?
Do you have time for service to the Meeting?
May we propose your name for [a particular office or committee]?
Timeline:
Before the end of the first quarter of the year: Clerk introduce subject and discuss potential/recommended members for the nominating committee with Ministry and Counsel members. Establish committee, with approval of the Meeting. Committee will be available, as required, through the remainder of the year.
October Meeting for Business: Nominating Committee review annual nomination process and request assistance from Meeting membership, as required.
November Meeting for Business: Nominating Committee present proposed slate of officers and committees for coming year. Hold over for further requirements and final consideration at December meeting.
December Meeting for Business: Nominating Committee present final slate of officers and committees for coming year. Final discussion and approval (upon unity).
January Meeting: New officers and committees assume their roles within the life of the Meeting.
2. Social Concerns Account
Composition of Social Outreach Account:
The Social Outreach Account is comprised of contributions to the Meeting specifically designated for social outreach to needy individuals and families with time sensitive or emergency requirements. This find in no way limits the overall social outreach of the Meeting, as the Meeting also may allocate further funds from the general Meeting funds.
Purpose of Social Outreach Account:
The purpose of the Social Outreach Account is to enable Patuxent Friends to take advantage of opportunities to assist individuals and families in meeting special needs that cannot be met by other resources. Grants from this find may be used to assist with food, shelter, clothing, utilities, legal, medical, educational, recreational, and other special needs. The intent of the find is not to create a financial dependence on the Meeting or provide a source of supplemental income, but to be one means for the Meeting to show loving concern for the surrounding community.
Eligibility to Receive a Social Outreach Grant:
A member or attender of the Meeting may identify a need which an individual or family has which is pressing and unmet by other sources, either because
Usual charity organizations or social service agencies do not grant assistance for such needs (for example, a musical instrument for a child, a consultation with an attorney, money for a car part) or;
The sum needed is larger than any one charity or agency can provide (for example, a needed portion of a mortgage or car payment which neither the individual in need nor any organization can cover).
Administration:
Approval of recommendations from members or attenders for Social Outreach grants will normally rest with the Outreach Committee.
Upon receipt of a request for a grant, the clerk of the Outreach Committee will complete an application form which will include the name, address, telephone number of the potential grantee; the purpose of and need for the grant; the name, address and telephone number of the vendor to whom the check will be written, and the name of the member of meeting making the recommendation.
The clerk of the Outreach Committee will consult with one other member of the committee, and these two, together with the clerk of the meeting will be empowered to approve grants of $150 or less to individuals brought to the attention of the Outreach Committee. If any of these individuals are unavailable, any member of the Ministry and Counsel Committee will be empowered to act on their behalf.
Upon approval, the clerk of the Outreach Committee will inform the Meeting treasurer, who will write a check for the amount approved. Checks may not be made payable to the person in need directly, but must be paid to a vendor (for example, the mortgage company, the car dealership, etc.). A photocopy of the check, receipts and application form will be kept as a part of the financial records.
If any of the above representatives are uncomfortable with a proposal, it may be referred to a regularly scheduled or specially called Meeting for Business.
Total grants made by this procedure may not exceed $1,000 per calendar year, or the amount in the Social Outreach find, whichever is the lesser amount.
The transaction will be reported at the next regular Meeting for Business.
3. Budget
In November/December of each year, the finance committee will meet to formulate a draft budget for the coming year to be presented to the Meeting. Specific issues that Friends will need to consider include:
Designation of funds for specific purposes, such as committee budgets, social concerns, or meeting place expenses.
Overall scope of contributions. It will sometimes be useful to list, without names, the ranking of household contributions, so that Friends might see where they fall in support of the Meeting. (Friend have previously agreed to this and found that this was appropriate and useful.)
Patuxent Friends Monthly Meeting is incorporated and has 501(c)3 status as a tax-exempt organization.
The proposed budget should be presented to Meeting in December for consideration and held over until January for final approval.
4. Year End Giving
Friends decided at Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, Eleventh Month 2005, to discontinue the pro-forma practice of year-end giving in favor of responding to needs that Friends bring forward in a more substantial and timely manner throughout the year.
5. State of the Meeting Report
In January or February of each new year, Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee will begin to consider the spiritual state of the meeting and plan to prepare a report to be forwarded to Baltimore Yearly Meeting. Many approaches have successfully been used to gather information for this effort, including discussion groups, individual interviews, and questionnaires, such as the one that follows:
"Please answer the following questions with regard to your feelings about any or all phases of the community life of Patuxent Friends Monthly Meeting (Meeting for Worship, Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, Friday night discussions, religious education, adult religious education, etc.)
What activities in the life of our meeting do you find to be positive and fulfilling?
What activities in the life of our meeting do you feel need improvement and/or redirection?
What suggestions can you make for such improvement?"
The committee will bring their proposed report to the April meeting for worship with a concern for business, where it will be considered and held over to the May meeting for approval. The final report must be forwarded to BYM in early May, so that it may be considered with reports of other meetings as part of the yearly meeting process.
The 2020 State of the Meeting Report
Patuxent Friends have managed to navigate the many changes and challenges of 2020/ COVID-19 by staying connected to each other as a group. Friends shared news, concerns, hopes, and fears via our Meeting’s email group. Meetings for Worship were held via Zoom, allowing a few Friends to gather in person at the meetinghouse, while others gathered from both Calvert and St. Mary’s Counties, and from Virginia and Alaska.
The year 2020 was the forty-year anniversary of Patuxent Meeting’s presence in Southern Maryland. During the year our members continued to speak Truth to power. A number of members regularly donated food as well as volunteering their services to local food pantries. We reached out to families struggling with issues of bullying, food insecurities, gender orientation, and racism. We advocated for the upgrade of our vintage schools to improve the services for our at risk children and staff. Some of the schools are now purchasing air scrubbers and arranging for early application of Covid19 vaccines for teachers and staff. Our Meeting community has become more technically accessible during the Covid restrictions via our email list serve and zoom gatherings.
We continue to sponsor the Community Mediation Centers of Calvert and St. Mary’s County. Several members of Meeting are skilled and active mediators. During the year mediators were called upon to facilitate an online Town Hall discussion among students and staff at Calvert High School supporting them to process a hate crime that took place at the school. Eighty-five staff and students participated. They discussed their thoughts, questions, and concerns about race issues at the high school. The students asked to continue these discussions. A group of students are creating videos that express their concerns and views in the hope of encouraging further thoughts and discussions.
Patuxent Friends wrote a letter to the local newspapers beseeching law enforcement to treat community members as neighbors and to use restraint and non-violent communication skills to de-escalate conflict between community members. The letter was in response to an episode where a peaceful protest ended with law enforcement donning riot gear and gas masks and using tear gas to disband marchers.
We continued our partnership with 22 other churches and organizations in sponsorship of the Big Conversation on Dismantling Racism and Privilege in Southern Maryland. This virtual event attracted more than 200 participants to discuss disparities in healthcare. The event called Many Wounds to Heal: Health Care (In)Equity included a panel of healthcare professionals followed by small group discussions.
Financially, this past year we supported the two community mediation centers, local food banks, and the ECHO homeless shelter. We replaced the roof shingles on the Sojourner apartment and made miscellaneous repairs of the Meetinghouse. We continued our support of the Adja Penda Ba school in Senegal via Open International. We were able to help a friend return to college, and another friend to pursue Hospice Death Doula training.
We celebrated the Winter Solstice and Christmas with readings, silence, and singing, but we all missed giving each other hugs in person and gathering for in person potlucks. We are stilled amazed at how our Meetings for Worship with a Concern for business continue to be joyful and fun.
Ministry and Counsel reaches out to members and attenders in the effort to maintain loving connections. We encourage Friends to share in confidence personal concerns or concerns they might have about others. We look for opportunities to surround one another with Light and love. We have always found immense support and caring in our Meeting community.
Our Meetings for Worship continue to be a safe place where we feel supported by Friends who are also seeking the Light within all. Our community has helped us to cope, given strength, and has helped to sustain us through the trials and the unrest of the past year. We strive to remain sensitive to the need to remain emotionally connected while we socially distance.
6. Periodic Financial Audits
Patuxent Friends will periodically conduct an audit of our financial records. It is desirable to do this annually, if practical, but at least every time there is a change in meeting treasurer. The audit will ensure that we are correct and consistent in our financial record keeping and provide a measure of support to the treasurer and reassurance to other members of the meeting. The audit may be conducted by another member of the meeting, if a knowledgeable person is willing and available, or it may be conducted by an independent party.
7. Hosting Special Events
Friends will periodically be required to host special events, such as retreats, memorial services or hosting Chesapeake Quarterly Meeting. These events have a number of common considerations, the pursuit of which will require the identification of responsible individuals or committees, including overall coordinator, event location, program, special activities, guest presenters, worship, meals, young friends’ activities, child care, and transportation.
8. Clearness Committees
Individual Friends will occasionally feel the need for support or loving assistance, as they try to find clearness about issues in their personal, spiritual or professional lives. The individual should normally approach the clerk or any member of the Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee to discuss the formation of a clearness committee to assist them. A small group of Friends will be established in accordance with the wishes and needs of the requesting individual, to help him or her find clarity on the issue. These Friends should be active in the life of the Meeting, familiar with the individual concerned, and have appropriate depth of understanding of Quaker process. For members of the committee, this is largely an effort of listening, understanding and helping the individual work through their own thoughts and feelings. Committee members will be sensitive to the privacy concerns of the individual involved.
9. Loss of Members of Our Meeting Community
Patuxent Friends strive to offer support and comfort to those in the life of our meeting who lose friends or loved ones. Friends have valued the opportunity to present a living plant (azalea bush, shrub, tree, or other in accordance with the desires of the individuals) in memory of the loved one.
BYM Faith and Practice is particularly helpful in planning memorial services. Specific actions of concern include locating an appropriate place for the service (usually our place of worship), arranging for catering as necessary, writing a memorial statement in honor of the Friend’s life for the service and for providing to the BYM Interchange, and ongoing care and support of the bereaved.
10. Children in the Life of the Meeting
Patuxent Friends are committed to efforts which will nurture the spiritual life of all children of the Meeting. These efforts will include adherence to the following practices:
Welcoming a Child: At the request of the parents or guardian, a ceremony of welcome will be conducted when a new child is formally introduced to the Meeting. In this ceremony, those present at meeting for worship will offer their support for the child and their commitment to his or her spiritual growth.
First Day School: Patuxent Friends will operate a First Day School to teach Quaker values, beliefs, practices and testimonies, as well as other spiritual traditions.
Spiritual Growth: A ceremony of celebration will be conducted at the opening of teenage years, when the child and the family so desire. In this ceremony, those present at meeting for worship will share their joy for the young person’s spiritual growth and their continued support and confidence in his or her search for enlightenment.
Associate Membership: At the request of the parent or guardian, a child may be accepted as an Associate Member of the meeting. As the child matures, he or she will have the same opportunity as others to determine if he or she is committed to the spiritual and practical responsibilities of full membership.
Membership: Friends will provide a young person encouragement to apply for formal membership in the Religious Society of Friends when, having gained maturity, he or she feels sufficiently convinced and ready to take this step. The procedure for application for full membership is outlined in Baltimore Yearly Meeting’s Faith and Practice.
Gifts and Recognition: Friends have enjoyed presenting books to the children of our meeting for holiday presents. Friends have also adopted the practice of presenting books, with signed messages from members of the meeting, to mark significant events in the lives of young Friends, such as graduation from high school or college or marriage.
11. Same Sex Vows
Patuxent Friends believe in the Quaker testimony of equal treatment for all human beings and affirm the goodness of committed, loving relationships, regardless of sexual orientation. We offer recognition and support to those who share this ideal and desire to enter into a permanent relationship. By tradition, the Meeting recognizes committed heterosexual union. The same loving care and consideration will be given by the meeting to the union of same-sex couples. In both cases, the ceremony will be called either marriage or celebration of commitment, according to the wishes of the couple involved.
12. Afterthoughts
Friends are encouraged to take advantage of the time at close of meeting to share thoughts that, for one reason or another, were not offered during silent worship. We have experienced rich sharing result from this practice.
13. Business Meeting during Summer Months
Friends have often decided to defer meeting for worship with a concern for business in the months of July or August, when many Friends are out of town, and there may be relatively little business to conduct. Special called meetings are always an option if particular items of emerging business need to be addressed.
14. Meeting Officers and Committees (See BYM Faith and Practice and specific paragraphs above for additional detail. PFMM committees should keep in touch with BYM committees for the purposes of coordination of activities and sharing of information. PFMM committee concerns and actions will naturally be shaped by the concerns and leadings of participating individuals, but should at the minimum include the following responsibilities.)
Clerk: The clerk is the servant of the meeting for the execution of its business affairs, convening regular or specially called meetings for business, guiding deliberations, and carrying out the meeting’s instructions for actions between business meetings. The clerk attends Ministry and Council meetings as an ex officio member.
Recording Clerk: The recording clerk records the minutes of those decisions made by the meeting. The recording clerk is responsible for the preparation of an accurate final copy of the minutes, which becomes a permanent record of the meeting.
Treasurer: The treasurer is responsible for the custody and disbursement of meeting funds, as directed by the meeting. The treasurer should keep accurate records and report to the meeting regularly or on reasonable request.
Historian: The historian maintains the permanent record of the meeting, including minutes, special events information, newspaper clippings, etc. The historian forwards copies of records to Quaker archives as required.
Calendar/Mailing: Responsible for gathering information for, preparation of and (e-)mailing the meeting monthly calendar.
Librarian: The librarian is responsible for maintaining the books, information and educational materials in the meeting library.
Quarterly Meeting Representative: Represents Patuxent Friends at Chesapeake Quarterly Meeting. Reports back on Quarterly Meeting issues, discussion and results.
Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee: Helps to build and maintain a community which unites all in the meeting in a shared spiritual life, and which inspires all to walk in the Light. Concerned primarily with what happens when the meeting gathers for worship or for business. Also considers the needs of individuals within the meeting as necessary. Facilitates the formation of clearness committees as requested. Meets on a monthly basis. Welcomes newcomers and visitors to meeting. Drafts the yearly report on the spiritual state of the meeting.
Finance Committee: Advises, supports and assists the treasurer in the responsible stewardship of meeting resources. Coordinates periodic audits of meeting financial records as required. Prepares annual budgets and proposes year end giving for meeting’s consideration and approval. Periodically reviews the meeting’s corporate witness with respect to contributions to Quaker and other organizations which reflect Friend’s testimonies. The treasurer is ex officio a member of this committee.
Peace and Social Action Committee: Brings issues of regional, national and international concern to the attention of the meeting. When appropriate, proposes specific action to be undertaken by Patuxent Friends MM to meet community or humanitarian needs.
Religious Education Committee: Charged with the guidance and conducting of the formal religious education programs of the meeting. Includes both First Day School and Adult Religious Education programs.
Building and Grounds Committee: Coordinates upkeep, maintenance and planned improvements of the meetinghouse, annex, property and the Patuxent Friends Cemetery in Hughesville, MD.
Outreach Committee: Looks for opportunities to extend Quaker fellowship to our wider community, and bring opportunities for social action to the attention of the meeting. Carry the message of Quakerism into the community, to those who are seekers but who have not yet heard of Friends. Checks the answering machine for messages and passes the information onto the appropriate person. The outreach committee also has care of the Social Concerns Fund process.
15. Safe Gathering
Safe Gathering Policy – approved 9/3/06 & Revised October 2019
Patuxent Friends Meeting, Lusby, Maryland compiled by the Safe Gathering Committee of
Tim Keck, Diane Kesler, and Cynthia Gonzalez (revised by Julie Allinson, Cynthia Gonzalez, and Timothy Keck)
Statement of Purpose
Patuxent Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends is committed to the spiritual, physical, and emotional safety of all participants in our Meeting community especially children and other vulnerable persons. Friends believe that there is that of God in each one of us; each person is precious. We demonstrate that in our Meeting by listening to the sharings of our First Day School students at the rise of meeting, by displaying work we do, by funding projects, supporting summer camp attendance, and giving books at holidays.
To protect our vulnerable populations, we recommend three things: educating our children and adults in assertive prevention of abuse, enacting policies which will govern our activities with children and adults, AND establishing a plan for handling suspected abuse at our Meeting.
Definitions
To clarify terms used in this document, definitions are furnished below:
“Friends” means attenders of meeting and members of the Religious Society of Friends. “Child” is a person under the age of 18. “Vulnerable” refers to something or someone susceptible to physical or emotional attack, temptation, or harm. “Physical abuse” includes any act which willfully causes or inflicts physical injury to someone or willfully causes mental injury or psychological injury to someone by intentionally engendering fear or physical injury to that person. “Neglect” of a someone includes abandonment of a someone by a parent, custodian or guardian; lack of care by not providing appropriate and necessary food, shelter, clothing and education, and not providing care or control in respect to physical or emotional health; and the refusal or inability to discharge parental or custodial obligations. “Sexual abuse” of a person includes any act or interaction whether it involves genital or physical contact, with or without consent even if initiated by a vulnerable person, which involves sexual contact, molestation or sexual exploitation of a vulnerable person by a parent or any other person who has permanent or temporary care or custody or responsibility for supervision of a vulnerable, whether physical injuries are sustained or not.
Education of Children and Adults
The committee feels very strongly that one of our responsibilities as a community is to educate those within it. We want our vulnerable population to ask “Why?” when confronted with a statement or request that doesn’t make sense. We want our adults to encourage questioning and to guide the population of our Meeting. We want our parents to educate their children about what promotes safe gatherings. And we want the members of our Meeting to understand how we protect our vulnerable population through these proposed policies.
To that end, we propose an annual education session to address what constitutes safe gatherings, what types of information about unsafe practices should our children have at what age, and what we as a community can do to ensure that our vulnerable population continues to ask “Why?” We will also review the policies set out in this document and make any appropriate changes on an annual basis.
Policies to Govern our Activities
Two distinct areas need specific policies: 1) policies to govern usual Meeting events and 2) policies to govern any out-of-the-ordinary events. When a difference exists, professional and legal obligations take precedence over meeting policies.
1) Our meeting is small and we have no employees. We have no need for criminal background checks, since all of those who work with the children are volunteers. We do, however, recognize the need for the following policies:
Two caregivers will supervise all groups of children. New Friends must wait 6 months before working with children. While there are occasions when there is value in individual mentoring, we caution that all parties must be careful to avoid the appearance of isolation. Mentoring within sight of others (through glass or at a distance) will provide for privacy of conversation, but not physical privacy. All First Day School teachers teach outdoors or in a room with a glass door. During events at members’ homes, First Day School will be conducted in a room with an open door. Toilet training youngsters get slight assistance from supervising adults; parents provide all other personal care. If a person with previously-known disturbing sexual practices attends Meeting, guardians of our vulnerable population will be notified of that person’s history. Field trips or day trips (unusual at our Meeting) will require supervision by adult Friends with a ratio of at least one adult to six children. There will be a minimum of two adults on the trip. Children must have the permission of a parent or guardian to attend the trip. Signs are prepared and posted in both meeting spaces regarding Active Threats, stating “Run/Call 911, Lock, Fight.” This advice has been secured by local law enforcement as the best strategy during active threats. During a fire event, Friends will meet in the front yard to ensure everyone has evacuated from the buildings.
2) In the event of suspicious actions, these procedures will be followed:
A Friend who is suspicious of another Friend will contact a seasoned Friend to ask “Do you see what I see?” Together, they will determine whether immediate action, i.e. notification of authorities, is required, or if this is something which may be handled in the manner of Friends; and Both Friends will write down their concerns. If they agree that another is acting in a suspicious manner, the seasoned Friend will notify a member of Ministry and Counsel and a member of Religious Education. These persons will convene a clearness committee to review the written policies related to this type of incident and determine further action; and The committee will record pertinent information, to include the date, name of person suspected of misconduct, suspected victim, agency(ies) contacted, description of incident (including date, time and location), any eyewitnesses (include names and addresses and phone numbers) and additional information; and A representative of the Clearness Committee will contact the suspected victim’s family to provide support. Ongoing contact will involve updates on the investigation and “pastoral” care. The “suspect” will also be contacted to remove him/her from child-related responsibilities and to offer such support as is appropriate; and When necessary, we will notify the Department of Social Services, and our insurance contact, who will contact GuideOne. Reports should be made (in Calvert Co.) to the Department of Social Services: 443-550-6900 (receptionist), Monday – Friday. 8 am to 4:30; 410-535-1400 (state police); or 410-535-2800 (sheriff’s office, 24 hours). In Calvert County, the Dept. of Social Services works with the State Police and Sheriff’s Office. Calls should generally be directed to Social Services during regular working hours, but if there is difficulty in reaching Social Services, the police or sheriff’s office may be contacted at any time. All calls will be referred to an intake supervisor for review and assignment. Once assigned, the social worker on the case has 24 hours to begin an investigation. Reports to GuideOne need to be made to (410)535-0930, and Seek advice of legal counsel before responding to media inquiries or releasing information to the entire Meeting. Designate a spokesFriend to handle media inquiries; and Notify Friends of on-going investigation. Stress innocence until proof of guilt, justice, truth, and faith in our community and in our relations with others.
Healing Process
The committee of Ministry and Counsel will serve as the coordinators of the healing and recovery process for victims, offenders, and the meeting as a whole. Meeting will allocate the necessary resources to enable this healing process, including having outside professional help as needed.
16. Becoming a Member
From https://www.bym-rsf.org/publications/fandp/1988approved/88section4.html#IIIB1a
Membership in the Religious Society of Friends is a spiritual commitment. To become a member, an applicant should have come experientially into general agreement with the Society's principles of belief and testimonies.
Baltimore Yearly Meeting has no binding creed. Its principles of belief are based on its Judeo-Christian heritage and adherence to the Spirit of Christ (the Inward Light, the Divine Seed, That of God in Everyone). The testimonies spring from respect for truth; for peace, harmony and a settled intention to practice love; for simplicity, community and the equal worth of all people.
Membership carries with it spiritual obligations. Each member is called to participate in the Meeting's spiritual life and to attend worship regularly. Members need to nurture each other's God-given gifts and talents. They seek guidance from one another and the Meeting in discerning God's will for themselves. They pray for one another.
The basic spiritual commitment creates practical obligations. The vitality of each Monthly Meeting depends on its members' investments of time, energy and financial support. Friends put practical meaning into their spiritual commitment through regular participation in meetings for business, service on committees or as officers, regular financial giving, taking part in service projects under the care of the Meeting, assisting in maintenance of Meeting property, and representing the Meeting in community and wider Friends' organizations.
a. Application for Membership
It is essential that those desiring to join the Monthly Meeting have regularly attended meetings for worship and have attended some meetings for business. They also need to review carefully Faith and Practice and other writings of Friends to gain an understanding of the Quaker mode of worship and transacting business, the meaning of Friends' testimonies, and the responsibilities of membership.
Applicants for membership should address a letter to the Monthly Meeting stating their desire to enter into membership. It is helpful for the letter to explain why the applicant feels drawn to the Religious Society of Friends. The application is considered by the appropriate Monthly Meeting committee, which either meets with the applicant or appoints a clearness committee to fulfill the function and to report back. At the clearness meeting with the applicant, loving consideration is given to the applicant's spiritual journey, familiarity and agreement with Friends' principles and practice, commitment to fulfill the spiritual and practical responsibilities of membership, and relationship to any other religious body. If the applicant is a minor, the parents' attitudes toward the application should be determined.
If the committee feels that the applicant is not yet ready for membership, action may be postponed. It is then the responsibility of the committee to become better acquainted with the prospective member and to offer instruction and guidance as seems appropriate.
In rare cases, the committee will conclude that for this person, membership in the Society of Friends is not appropriate. The committee should be sure that the applicant understands the reasons for their conclusion.
If the committee finds no obstruction, it brings the application to the Monthly Meeting with a recommendation for acceptance. Some Meetings follow the practice, particularly useful for larger Meetings, of postponing final action until a subsequent meeting for business in order that Friends may become acquainted with the prospective member. When any application is approved, the Monthly Meeting minutes the acceptance into membership.
When the Monthly Meeting accepts any adult or child into membership including transferring or sojourning members), it should arrange for an appropriate welcome of the new member and for particular Friends to accept a continuing responsibility to embody the Meeting's ongoing concern for the welfare of the new member.
The necessary statistical data concerning each new member required for the Meeting records are obtained by the Recorder