|
|
 |
Committees of the Meeting
In the Meeting for Worship, we seek to experience and be empowered by the inner light. In the Meeting for Business and through its committees, we seek means of making this light more visible in what we do. We gather in the Meeting house and work together as a community to nurture our spiritual journey and apply more faithfully the benefits of this to the living of life. It is an opportunity for each of us--Friends and attenders, those who have accepted specific Meeting responsibilities as well as those of us who have not.
Our Meeting is served by the following committees. Click on the name of a meeting to learn more about it and to see contact information:
Care and Counsel -
The Care and Counsel Committee consists of members of the Religious Society of Friends. It is responsible for the oversight of pastoral care of each Meeting member and attender and is concerned with each one's spiritual and physical welfare. In its work, the committee is mindful of the needs of privacy and confidentiality. The Committee:
- Becomes acquainted with Meeting participants and maintains contact in a spirit of loving interest.
- In prayer, shares the joys and sorrows of individuals and families within the Meeting community.
- Arranges clearness committees and participates on them when requested.
- Facilitates pastoral care within the Meeting community and calls for the pastoral care of others in Meeting when needed.
- Establishes Support Committees for paid and unpaid staff and for individuals in unique positions of servant leadership, as directed by Monthly Meeting.
- Oversees the process and celebration by which couples are united under the care of the Meeting.
- Assists families with memorial service arrangements.
- Receives and keeps individuals' wishes in preparation for death and maintains the memorial garden records.
- Sees that memorial minutes are presented to Monthly Meeting and preserved in Meeting records.
- Administers the Care and Counsel Fund.
Ministry and Worship -
Also usually made up of members of the Society of Friends, this committee is responsible for promoting individual and corporate spiritual growth, and for fostering understanding of Friends' principles and practices. More particularly, activities include:
- Overseeing the quality of Meeting for Worship, mindful of the central role of its living silence, encouraging the timid and restraining, in a loving way, those who speak unacceptably, at undue length, too frequently, or too soon after another speaker. The committee is sensitive to the Meeting's environment and responsible for keeping to a minimum disruption by latecomers, unnecessary noise, and inappropriate, lengthy or numerous announcements following Meeting for Worship.
- Receiving letters requesting membership, arranging for related clearness committees, and reporting recommendations to the Meeting for Business.
- Meeting monthly, making reports and recommendations to Meeting for Business as appropriate.
- Acquainting members and attenders with helpful reading materials: Quaker history, philosophy, journals, and biographies; Faith and Practice; devotional writings; and accounts of Quaker service. Being aware of sources of educational materials of the Meeting library, literature rack, or First Day School.
- Strengthening the spiritual and corporate life of the Meeting through its own initiative or in cooperation with the Adult Religious Education committee. Examples include sponsoring or encouraging study/discussion groups, small worship groups, spiritual retreats, seminars, conferences, and longer courses, as at Pendle Hill, that nurture the individual directly and the Meeting indirectly. Financial help may come from the Leadership Development Fund.
- Being especially mindful of the needs of visitors and new attenders.
- Stimulating reflection through the queries, preparing one each month for Business Meeting and Meeting for Worship.
- Providing spiritual counseling and discussing questions about our Meeting or the Society of Friends. This may be done by individual committee members or by the whole committee.
- Arranging for the annual State of the Meeting discussion and preparing a report of the results.
- Cooperating with other committees, especially Overseers and the two Religious Education committees, in matters of mutual concern and overlapping responsibility.
Adult Religious Education -
This committee nurtures the spiritual growth of the adults in the Meeting by developing programs, workshops, classes, retreats, and other activities that address their spiritual needs. It also works closely with the Ministry and Worship Committee.
InterFaith Council Coordinating Committee -
This committee serves as liaison between the InterFaith Council for Social Services in Chapel Hill (IFC) and the Chapel Hill Friends Meeting. The committee links interested individuals in the Meeting to IFC volunteer roles, including helpers in the Community House kitchen, food pantry shoppers, receptionists, interviewers, and storytellers for children at Home Start. Representatives of the committee meet regularly with IFC staff and volunteers from other faith communities to share ideas and coordinate efforts to help promote the IFC mission. For more information in the IFC visit their web site at www.ifcweb.org.
Youth Religious Education -
This committee is responsible for the development, oversight, and support of all curricula and activities involving young Friends in 6th grade through high school. Responsibilities include:
- Determining First-day school curricula and recruiting teachers;
- Supporting the involvement of youth in retreats within the wider fellowship of Friends (e.g., Piedmont Friends Fellowship (PFF), Southern Appalachian Young Friends (SAYF), and North Carolina Yearly Meeting (NCYM-FUM), including logistical planning and help in fundraising;
- Other activities as may arise;
- Oversight of staff, as necessary;
- Oversight of a budget and other funds (e.g., travel funds) as approved by Monthly Meeting.
Children's Religious Education -
This committee is the primary resource for the development, guidance, and support of the First Day School and its staff. It explores and clarifies the goals and objectives of religious education for the Meeting's children. With the First Day School staff, it helps develop the curriculum, select materials, assess progress, and make improvements. It keeps in close communication with the Ministry and Worship Committee.
Finance -
By May of each year, this committee prepares and presents to the Meeting for Business a budget for the following year. It does this with the help of the Meeting's committees and representatives. During the year, it guides the Meeting in the stewardship of Meeting funds to reflect Quaker values and social testimonies. This includes selection of checking services, savings repositories, long-term investments, and record and reporting procedures. It supports the work of the Meeting. The Finance Committee presents an annual report at the September Meeting for Business.
Peace and Social Concerns -
This committee is responsible for providing a focus for these issues. It helps the Meeting be aware of background and current information, it publicizes opportunities for action to bear witness to our concerns, it provides linkages between the Meeting and other groups in our community and beyond.
Envronmental Concerns -
The Environmental Concerns Committee is concerned with the mounting problems of climate change, dependence on oil and other non-renewable resources, and the destruction of parklands, natural environments, and wildlife. There is also a need for practical sustainable choices in the life of the Meeting and in our personal lives.
In keeping with Quaker testimonies of simplicity and justice this committee proposes to provide a focus for the Meeting's concern with humankind's impact on the environment, and with the rights and well being of all of earth's life forms and supporting systems. A major concern is for the impact of our current use of fossil fuels and the consequences of their depletion.
The committee will also encourage quiet and active contemplation of nature. The committee will share information internally, with the Meeting, and with larger communities. It will participate in a wider support network, publicizing information and opportunities for timely action. It will oversee the Environmental Discretionary Fund and will be the Meeting's contact with Quaker Earthcare Witness. Attendance at the committee will be open to all. There are nine members on the committee.
Friends have a historical interest in the environment. John Woolman (1720-1772) said,
“The produce of the earth is a gift from our gracious Creator to the inhabitants, and to impoverish the earth now to Support outward greatness appears to be an injury to the succeeding age.”
With the ECC, we will be addressing Woolman's concern, and also nurturing the spiritual life of those who are led to be directly involved in care of the earth.
Buildings and Grounds -
This committee monitors the condition of the Meeting House and grounds. It schedules periodic workdays well enough ahead so that everyone can arrange to come and share in the routine care. Need for more professional or extensive work is appraised and recommendations made to Meeting for Business. Professional work also is overseen by this committee. This committee works closely with the CFS/Meeting Liaison and the Meeting House Resident. This committee also oversees the use of the Meeting House and New Building by the Meeting and outside groups according to established Meeting policies. It approves use of the buildings, keeps the schedule, informs users of our standards, receives donations, and sees that all is back in order. It hires and supervises the cleaning staff and recommends salary and benefits to Meeting for Business. It also screens and recommends (to the Meeting for Business) applicants for the position of Meeting House Resident, and oversees this person's activities.
Library -
This committee maintains and improves the Meeting's collection of library books, periodicals, pamphlets, and other resources to further the life of the Meeting and its participants. It annually reviews the collection and purchases new materials on its own initiative as well as considering requests from committees and individuals. It works particularly closely with the Ministry and Worship Committee and the three Religious Education committees.
Hospitality -
This committee works with Care and Counsel Committee in carrying out a variety of functions that help to meet the pastoral and outreach needs of the Meeting community. The committee manages the potluck luncheon on the first Sunday of each month, including preparations and cleanup; provides supplies for the weekly tea and coffee after every Meeting for Worship; organizes the annual Thanksgiving meal; assists with special occasions such as the Christmas party, weddings under the care of the Meeting, and memorial services; arranges for potluck meals to be provided for those in need; arranges for Greeters at all Sunday Meetings for Worship; and provides a Visitors' Guest Book in the vestibule.
Chapel Hill Friends School Early School—Meeting Liaison -
This is a joint committee of the Meeting and the Carolina Friends Chapel Hill Early School. The primary purpose of this committee is to coordinate the use and maintenance of the new building and playground. The members of this committee should include persons in particular positions at CHES or in the Meetings, and representatives from related Meeting committees.
Hospital/Home Visitation
Members of this committee visit hospitalized or housebound members and attenders when requested to do so by the patient, family, Overseers or concerned Friends. This service is also offered to patients from other Meetings when they are confined at UNC Hospitals. In addition, this committee keeps Care and Counsel and the Meeting as a whole informed about the needs of such Friends for visits, cards, calls or other helpful attention.
Publications and Records -
Each member of this committee plays a role in the editing, production and distribution of the monthly newsletter and calendar as well as the annual directory. The committee also assists with other publications for Meeting committees and maintains records of births, deaths, memberships, weddings and other events.
Nominations -
Nominations and appointments to this committee are by the Meeting for Business. The Nominating Committee brings nominations for other Meeting committees and representatives to the Meeting for Business. Although the committee's major work is in the spring, recruiting committee members for the year beginning in July, it remains active to fill vacancies as these occur.
Mary and Claude Shotts/Leadership Development Fund (more info)
This committee works with the trustee of these funds to publicize, at least annually, the purposes and availability of these resources, to find opportunities for their use, to review applications for grants, and to recommend action to the trustees.
Meeting Representatives
The Chapel Hill Friends Meeting has representatives on the Carolina Friends School Board, the Piedmont Friends Fellowship, the Interfaith Council and the Quaker House Board.
[Return to Top]
|
