yearly
meeting committees
standing subcommittees of ministry and oversight
In
its role of helping to “foster the spiritual life and the
good order
of the annual session,” the Ministry and Oversight Committee
works in part through subcommittees and through liaisons to other
standing committees. As the needs of the annual session vary, so do
the work and constitution of subcommittees. Ad hoc subcommittees
serve a specific charge and then are laid down, while
standing subcommittees have ongoing responsibilities. In addition,
the Ministry and Oversight Committee appoints a liaison from its
own membership to each of the appointed subcommittees along
with liaisons to certain Pacific Yearly Meeting standing committees.
the yearly meeting as an organization
adult
religious education: The Adult Religious Education Subcommittee attends
to the various ways in which Friends continue to
grow in the Spirit. It seeks to present one or two interest groups
at
the Yearly Meeting, often based on successful programs which have
been developed either by a particular Meeting, by a Quarterly
Meeting, or by Ben Lomond Quaker Center. It has four members
who serve overlapping two-year terms.
brinton
visitor: The Howard and Anna Brinton Memorial Visitor Subcommittee
arranges for one or more Friends to sojourn
among Meetings and Quaker gatherings. The subcommittee selects
Friends to serve as Brinton Visitors and reports on its work to the
Ministry and Oversight Committee. With approval, the subcommittee
submits its recommendations to the Yearly Meeting. It then
prepares a schedule for the visitation.
The subcommittee is made up of members from the Yearly
Meetings it serves: Pacific (3), Intermountain (1), and North Pacific
(1). Members from Pacific Yearly Meeting serve overlapping twoyear
terms. Individuals and Meetings may contribute to a fund
maintained by the Yearly Meeting Treasurer for support of this
program.
special
funds: The Special Funds Subcommittee prepares and updates descriptions
of each of the special funds under its care,
together with descriptions of the procedures to request
disbursements. At the annual gathering and at Representative
Committee Meeting, they publicize the existence of the funds and
the procedures for accessing them. Along with the Treasurer, this
subcommittee evaluates requests for the expenditure of monies
from special accounts established by the Yearly Meeting, and
ensures that each proposed expenditure is in accordance with the
minutes that established the funds. The funds address the following
areas: (1) peace, social order, or spiritual concerns; (2) sharing
to
meet unusual needs of a member of a Monthly Meeting; (3) Brinton
Visitor; (4) peace tax fund; (5) student conscience fund;
(6) assistance to attend PYM; (7) scholarships for young Friends to
attend Quaker gatherings.
When time permits, the full Ministry and Oversight Committee
decides how the funds should actually be expended. In routine cases
and/or where time is of the essence, if all of the requirements
pertaining to a particular fund’s purpose appear to have been
met,
the Clerk of the subcommittee, in consultation with the Clerk of the
Ministry and Oversight Committee,may give direction to the Yearly
Meeting Treasurer. This subcommittee has two members who serve
overlapping two-year terms.
worship-sharing: This subcommittee creates opportunities for small worship-sharing
and affinity groups to meet during the
annual session. The subcommittee makes sure that the needs for
such groups and their availability are made known to the
Representative Committee and consults with the Registrar to assure
that the options are described in the registration materials. It
designates the worship-sharing group leaders and assigns groups. It
consults with the Presiding Clerk or Assistant to the Clerk to
establish appropriate times for worship-sharing and affinity groups
to meet. It works with the Arrangements Clerk to be sure there are
suitable gathering places and with the Assistant to the Clerk to
arrange for orientation of leaders. It consists of four persons who
serve overlapping two-year terms.