Serving our Society
Quakers and committees
What practical implications arise if we say that the responsibility of the committee to the individual member matches the responsibility of the committee member to the Society?
We volunteer to serve on committees. It helps the Society that we do. For us individually it is a means of growth through practical contact with fellow Quakers, sharing inspiration, insight, knowledge, experience and companionship. Being on a committee is a two-way street. It should be recognised as such.
Leaving a committee at the end of a term of appointment may result in satisfaction for well completed service, or bereavement at leaving it behind, or even a blessed relief. Who would know and how? Did we function and contribute adequately? Might we have made better use of this opportunity to contribute to the life and work of our beloved Society? Should this be reflected upon and by whom?
• The Committee on Clerks (CoC) operates a briefing and debriefing system, linking two members of CoC with appointed clerks to act as appraisers and mentors.
• Central Nominations Committee (CNC) holds annual induction and review days at which existing members can reflect on the committee working and newcomers are introduced. Clerks draft an annual report and committee members are asked to comment on it. This helps CNC develop its principles and practices.
Should there be a more universal approach to briefing and debriefing? Clerks, as servants of the Meeting, could initiate discussion with committee members on the contributions they would like to make and their feelings about the work of the committee. This might be done individually and privately shortly after each new member is introduced to the committee and periodically thereafter. It needs to be done in a spirit of supportiveness for that of God in all of us, and not be regarded as a managerial requirement. The views and information that come to light from this exercise might usefully find their way into the committee’s annual report. Those acquainted with the Twelve Step programme will know that it involves individuals taking a searching inventory of their good qualities and positive attributes as well as a reflection on any negative emotions. What has been described as ‘turning our lives over to the care of God’ equally applies to all of us who accept formal service for the Society. The challenge to each of us is to share what we find in order to change the future.
CNC is hampered in its work by lack of feedback from those 300 Friends whom it nominates annually to other committees. We and other Quaker nomination groups would value individual Friends commenting on their experience of service. This can be done through Quaker Service Information Forms (QSIF).
CNC search groups consult with committee clerks about the qualities sought in new nominations. Guidance about the suitability of an individual for a particular service is provided by confidential advice from Supporting Friends. We do not usually obtain information from clerks, nor from the nominees themselves, on the suitability of nominations we have made previously. This may be a possible weakness in our practice, but attending to it may be more intrusive than we can justify.
The Society depends upon the willingness of Friends to volunteer their service. It is frequently difficult to find Friends willing and able to serve. Feedback from those who have accepted service, provided in the form of an updated QSIF written with a Quakerly regard for integrity would help nominations committees find their successors.
