Organization and Business Procedure, Chapter I in the Faith an Practice of Wilmington Yearly Meeting

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Part II

ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS PROCEDURE
Chapter I
FORM OF GOVERNMENT
Ideals in Organization

The Church as a Society. The Christian group whose faith and activities have been described in Part I is known historically as the Society of Friends and more commonly as Quakers. The name, Friends Church, has been used by many local Meetings and by certain Yearly Meetings. The choice by early Friends of the term Society, as a name for the group gives a clear indication of their attitude toward organization. The word meant to them a fellowship, a vitally spiritual body held together by spiritual forces freshly operating through each individual, without creed, ritual, or any sacramental administration. The Society of Friends was to be a democratic brotherhood in which there would be but one Master and no intermediary affecting any individual's relationship to God.

Equal Rights Friends recognize the fact that God has endowed each person with gifts or capacities which he/she is to develop and exercise to the extent of their ability. Each member has duties and responsibilities varying in character according to his/her talents and the faithfulness with which each has cultivated them. All have equal rights and privileges in the consideration of the affairs of the body and in reaching conclusions as to courses of action. No appointments made for a particular service confer upon the appointed person or group any degree of arbitrary or final authority. Friends recognize no distinction in the rights, privileges or responsi-

54 FAITH AND PRACTICE

bilities of members because of sex.

Waiting for Guidance The practice of holding meetings for business following a period of worship opens the way for a continuance of the state of religious fellowship experienced during such a period. The right conduct of these meetings, even in matters of routine, is important to the spiritual life of all; they are a part of the organized undertaking to promote the Kingdom of God, and service in them may be rightfully regarded as service for God. The same reverent waiting that operates in the meetings for worship is also helpful in seeking divine guidance and unity of action in the transaction of business.

Friendly Method It is the practice of Friends to give unhurried and sympathetic consideration to all proposals and expressions of opinion. They endeavor to respect an earnest and sincere minority and, if it seems necessary, may postpone action until they have secured more light on the question at issue and have attained a greater degree of unanimity. After due consideration has been given to all points of view, it is the duty of the clerk of the Meeting to weigh carefully the various expressions and to state what he/she believes to be the will of the Meeting.

Tenure of Office In keeping with the Quaker ideals of service and the distribution of responsibility, the Monthly, Quarterly, and Yearly Meetings should not unduly prolong the services of officers and committee members nor give to one person many appointments. In following this policy of rotation in office, Friends can develop the talents of a wider range of members. Where numbers permit, appointment and reappointment for one, two, and three-year cycles should not extend the tenure of office beyond a maximum of six consecutive years. A member may quite properly be reappointed to a given service after a term out of office.

The Meeting

At Worship The Meeting is composed of resident and nonresident members and consists of the meeting for worship and the meeting for business, including all of the activities and organizations

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should correspond with absent members.. If no information has been, or can be, received from a member for a period of three years, the Monthly Meeting, at its discretion, may remove his/her name from its list of members.

Dismissal When any member habitually neglects attendance at Meeting, fails to contribute to its support, and is generally inactive in the work of Friends, the Monthly Meeting, after due consideration, may remove his/her name from its list of members.

Junior Members Discontinued If a Junior Member, after reaching mature years, has shown no interest in becoming a member, he/she may, upon recommendation of the Meeting on Ministry and Counsel, be dropped from the records by the Monthly Meeting.

Dealing with Offenders

Disownment All formal complaints against a member shall be introduced to the Monthly Meeting by the Meeting on Ministry and Counsel. The Monthly Meeting shall appoint a committee to confer with the offender. It shall, in a spirit of love and tenderness, endeavor to lead the member to a state of mind and heart that will result in restored fellowship with the Meeting. If the exercise of due care and forbearance shall be of no avail, the Meeting shall execute a minute of disownment and furnish the offender with a copy of the same. The membership records shall be corrected accordingly.

Review Committee When an offender is dissatisfied with the decision of the Monthly Meeting, he/she may, within two months, file an appeal with that body to the Quarterly Meeting for a review of the case. If the Quarterly Meeting upholds the decision of the Monthly Meeting, the offender may appeal to the Yearly Meeting through the Quarterly Meeting. The decision of the Yearly Meeting shall be final.

Hearings When a case is reviewed before a superior Meeting, a committee of three shall be appointed to represent the Meeting from which the appeal is made.