the
business of the yearly meeting
The
Yearly Meeting exercises general oversight and care of its
constituent Monthly and Quarterly Meetings in matters pertaining
to the Yearly Meeting as a whole. It is necessary to keep careful
records of its procedures and information concerning constituent
Meetings and membership. <See Appendix
1e>.
Responsibility
for actions and decisions lies with members present at plenary sessions.Monthly
Meetings select representatives
to attend Yearly Meeting, who carry a special responsibility for
being familiar with concerns and issues coming before it and their
Meetings’ feelings on those issues. Although representatives
areinformed by their Meetings’ concerns, they act as individuals.
They
carry a special responsibility to report back to their Monthly
Meeting on the proceedings. Representatives should be chosen
carefully, with awareness of the subtle role they play in plenary
deliberations.
When
a Quarterly or Monthly Meeting has labored with a concern, built a
foundation of essential background information,
and reached a clear conclusion embodied in a proposed minute, it
should promptly forward the minute to the Clerk of Yearly Meeting.
The Clerk should acknowledge receipt of the concern, send it to the
appropriate Yearly Meeting committee, and inform the originating
Meeting of its disposition. The committee should consider the
minute for presentation at the Yearly Meeting. Concerns that
cannot be seasoned in this manner should be presented to the
Presiding Clerk as far in advance of the Yearly Meeting as possible.
Committees may choose to consolidate concerns, refer them back to
Quarterly and Monthly Meetings for further seasoning, or, finding
unity, develop them for presentation at the Yearly Meeting.
In exceptional circumstances, a concern may arise from the floor
at a plenary session. If so, it should be presented briefly and heard
without discussion. The Clerk may refer it to an appropriate
committee for consideration, or for presentation in concise written
form at a later session. If a concern arises from the floor at the last
business session of Yearly Meeting, the Clerk has discretion as to its
consideration.
Friends
attending plenary sessions may expect a wide range of matters to be
covered. They may include: reports from Yearly
Meeting committees, including Nominating and Finance; calls for
action from committees and constituent Monthly Meetings;
communications among groups in the wider Quaker world; reports
from delegates to other Quaker organizations; presentations by
occasional invited guests. Plenary sessions hear Epistles and
communications addressed to the Yearly Meeting and approve an
Epistle “To Friends Everywhere.” Plenary sessions for business
are
always subject to the leading of the Spirit through which alone the
purposes of Yearly Meeting can be achieved.
It
is helpful if Monthly Meetings hold an orientation for all who will
attend the annual sessions, to acquaint newcomers with the
many opportunities at Yearly Meeting and to keep them from being
overwhelmed by the wealth there to be appreciated.