Membership: Six to nine individuals chosen for their familiarity with Friends’ philosophy, customs, faith, and practice.
Terms: Three-year terms in three classes. There is no rule, but the expectation is that committee members will cycle off for a year before being reappointed to another three-year term.
Meetings: Monthly at the Clerk’s call.
General Responsibilities: Counsel and provide practical aid to those suffering from illness, infirmity, emotional turmoil, financial problems or other distress. (2) Provide counsel and mediation to help resolve conflicts among members and attenders. All discussions within the committee should remain confidential unless a specific exception is agreed to.
Specific Responsibilities:
1. provide for a sensitive and caring community, attending to the needs of members and attenders to share joys and sorrows and to cope with adversities
2. receive and act upon requests for
a. membership
b. marriages
c. welcoming for children born to or adopted by members or attenders of the Meeting
d. transfer of membership (in coming or out going) and report approval or disapproval to the clerk, who then handles the paper work
3. counsel on end-of-life arrangements and oversee memorial meetings
4. arrange for and serve on clearness committees when requested
5. explain Friends faith and practice to attenders or outside groups requesting information or expressing iterest in the Meeting or the Religious Society of Friends
6. keep in touch with non-resident members of the Meeting
7. consider recommending discontinuance of membership of Friends who indicate lack of interest in the Meeting by failure to communicate with the Meeting over an extended period of time
8. respond to all requests for scholarship funds. Current categories are adult attendance, youth attendance, and the Perera Fund.
Clerk: Named by the committee members.
