Chapter III

 

 

QUARTERLY MEETING

 

Organization and Functions

 

Membership--A Quarterly Meeting consists of the members of the Monthly Meetings within its limits and subordinate to it.

 

Officers--Officers shall consist of a Presiding Clerk, a Recording Clerk, and a Treasurer, and others as needed, whose names shall be presented by a Nominating Committee to the Quarterly Meeting for their approval.

 

Nominations--A Nominating Committee shall be appointed annually to serve throughout the year. The functioning of this committee shall not abridge the right of any member to suggest additional nominations in the sessions of the Quarterly Meeting.

 

            Relation to Monthly Meetings

 

Authority--A Quarterly Meeting has responsibility to establish, or discontinue, Monthly or Preparative Meetings, or to divide a Monthly Meeting, or to unite two or more Monthly Meetings under its jurisdiction.

 

Supervision--A Quarterly Meeting has supervision over the Monthly Meeting. It may review their proceedings and examine the records thereof, so that any irregularities in proceedings may be corrected by the Monthly Meeting. It shall receive appeals from Monthly Meetings and decide upon them, and shall grant  appeals from its own decisions to the Yearly Meeting.

            If a Quarterly Meeting sees that one of its Monthly Meetings habitually neglects one or more of its Indulged or Preparative Meetings, the QM may instruct the Monthly Meeting to have a concern for the neglected body. If over a period of time, the QM determines that one of its Monthly Meetings continues to neglect one of its Indulged or Preparative Meetings, the QM shall transfer the neglected meeting to another Monthly Meeting, or assume responsibility for the spiritual oversight of the neglected body. If the neglected meeting is found to be unable to function as described in Faith and Practice, it shall be discontinued. The QM shall inform YM of its action in any event.

 

Uniting of Monthly Meetings--If the Monthly Meetings to be united are in different quarters, uniting shall be supervised by both Quarterly Meetings. When uniting of two or more meetings seems wise, the meetings involved shall ask the Quarterly Meeting to appoint a supervisory committee. The supervisory committee shall see that both meetings agree to disposition and use of property held by each meeting; that a suitable name for the united meeting is mutually agreed to; that the officers for the new Monthly Meeting and members of those committees required of a Monthly Meeting by Faith and Practice are selected and mutually agreed to; and that any other considerations that may affect the uniting of the meetings is accomplished in good order.

            When the supervisory committee and the Monthly Meetings are satisfied that all matters are arranged and in good order, the arrangements shall be laid before the Quarterly Meeting for its approval. Once approval is given, and as soon as is practical, the Clerk of Quarterly Meeting shall convene the first session of the new Monthly Meeting at  which the officers  and committees of the united meeting shall officially be appointed. The united Monthly Meeting shall then be considered to have been established and shall proceed with its duties as a regular Monthly Meeting.

 

Transfer--A Quarterly Meeting may transfer a Monthly Meeting upon the request of that body, to the jurisdiction of another Quarterly Meeting within the Yearly Meeting with the consent of the Quarterly Meeting to which transfer is to be made. A request from a Monthly Meeting for transfer to a Quarterly Meeting within the limits of another Yearly Meeting must first be referred to its Quarterly Meeting and then to its Yearly Meeting for action. In all cases the Meeting to which transfer is made shall act upon said transfer and notify the Meetings involved of its action.

 

Discontinuance of Meetings--If a Quarterly Meeting determines that one of the Monthly or Preparative Meetings within its jurisdiction is no longer able to function as described in Faith and Practice, the QM shall make diligent attempts to strengthen the meeting. If, after some time, it becomes clear that the meeting will remain non-functional, the QM shall discontinue the meeting. The remaining membership may be organized as an Indulged Meeting, attached to a functioning Monthly

Meeting or taken under the care of the Quarterly Meeting.

            The QM shall inform the YM Trustees of the discontinuance of the meeting and convey title to any property to the Fiduciary Corporation according to the rights of receivership established by Faith and Practice. This action may be appealed to the YM but the decision of the YM shall be final.

 

            Relations to the Yearly Meeting

 

 

Subordinate Meetings--In order to establish, discontinue, or divide a Quarterly Meeting, or to unite two Quarterly Meetings, applications should be made by the Monthly Meetings concerned through their Quarterly Meeting or their respective Quarterly Meetings to the Yearly Meeting for its action.

 

Permanent Board Appointments

 

Appointments--The Quarterly Meeting shall forward to the Yearly Meeting names of those appointed by Monthly Meetings to Permanent Board. If appointments have not been received by the last Quarterly Meeting prior to Yearly Meeting sessions, Quarterly Meeting shall have authority to fill, on an at-large basis, any vacancies.

 

Nominations--The Quarterly Meeting, upon recommendation of its Nominating Committee, shall appoint annually one person each to the Yearly Meeting Stewardship and Finance and Yearly Meeting Nominating Committee for terms of three years.

 

            Departmental Chairpersons

 

Appointments, Functions--The Quarterly Meeting shall, at its last session before Yearly Meeting, appoint chairpersons in accordance with the Yearly Meeting boards or committees. These chairpersons shall act as conveners for group activities in their particular fields as carried on by the Quarterly Meeting and shall serve as ex-officio members of the corresponding Yearly Meeting boards. They shall prepare and present, at appropriate times, reports of the work done.

 

            Meeting on Ministry and Counsel

 

Membership--A Quarterly Meeting on Ministry and Counsel shall be composed of all the pastors, recorded ministers and elders belonging to its constituent Monthly Meetings. It shall meet regularly, near the time of the Quarterly Meeting, to transact the business pertaining to its responsibilities.

 

Reports--At the last session before Yearly Meeting, the Quarterly Meeting on Ministry and Counsel shall review reports on the spiritual condition and work received from the Monthly Meetings, and shall forward them to the Ministry and Counsel State of Society Committee of the Yearly Meeting.

 

Duties--The Quarterly Meeting on Ministry and Counsel shall have the general oversight of the pastoral work within its limits. It shall be diligent and judicious in advising measures and means for the promotion of spiritual life and godliness, and it shall give special attention to new congregations, weak Meetings, and those without ministry. It shall name one person annually to the Yearly Meeting Ministry and Counsel Nominating Committee. Memorials received from Monthly Meetings shall be reviewed and forward to Yearly Meeting Ministry and Counsel.