Membership: Composed of six to nine seasoned Friends, all members of the Religious Society of Friends.
Terms: Staggered three-year terms so that one-third of the members rotate each year. It is a custom, not a requirement, that committee members cycle off for a year before being reappointed to another three-year term.
Meetings: Monthly at mutually agreed-upon times and place, usually at a time to allow reporting to monthly meeting.
General Responsibilities: To support the spiritual ministry and exercise general care of meetings for worship, including Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, but not those meetings for worship under the care of Overseers Committee. To foster the spiritual growth and well-being of the meeting membership, and to enhance the religious life and fellowship, including especially: strengthening of the corporate worship of the meeting.
Specific Responsibilities:
1. To be specifically aware of the vocal ministry at the meeting for worship (although this does not lessen the responsibility for this matter of all the members of the monthly meeting) and to receive and weigh concerns of individual members of the meeting for the quality of meeting for worship. Humility of spirit and belief that that of God is at work in each person are essential to this service.
2. To guide into more helpful lines of service those whose messages seem not in harmony with the spirit of the meeting, either because of content, timing, or frequency (i.e., eldering.). This responsibility should be first undertaken indirectly through general reminders in newsletters, during announcements, and perhaps briefly at the start of meeting for worship. If this does not achieve the desired effect, a subcommittee of M&C may be appointed to meet with the person who engenders the concern, to reflect to the Friend how her/his ministry is being received and to wait lovingly for divine guidance in the spirit of a meeting for worship. [Refer to the extensive body of literature, etc., on “Eldering.”]
3. To develop programs, study groups, discussion meetings, and worship-sharing for the dissemination of information regarding Friends’ spiritual concerns and to assist members and attenders in deepening the life of the spirit. Some activities of this sort are Bible Study, Discussions on Quakerism, Discussion on Vocal Ministry, and Dialogue on Queries.
4. To prepare jointly the State of the Meeting Report with the Committee of Oversight and Counsel.
5. To be responsible for the assignment of greeters at each meeting for worship and to make known the duties of greeters.
6. Greeters, along with the advancement coordinator/committee, should be especially aware of the presence of new attenders, undertaking to see that they are warmly greeted. Greeters should make the meeting aware of the presence of new babies at our meetings, that a special focus of loving be accorded them.
7. To encourage the attendance of meeting members and attenders at Powell House, Quarterly Meeting, Yearly Meeting, and other Quaker gatherings, e.g. Friends General Conference Gatherings, and Friends United Meeting Triennial.
Notes: Special meetings for worship: Meetings for Worship and Marriage, and Memorial Services, are under the Care of Oversight and Counsel, as are meetings in member’s or attender’s homes, or in hospitals.
See appendix: Greeter Instructions