NEYM Faith and Practice Revision Committee Working Paper on

Membership Working Paper, NEYM Faith and Practice Revision Committee to NEYM Sessions 2016

Page 1 of 28

Cover Sheet

NEYM Faith and Practice Revision Committee

Working Paper on Membership presented at the 2016 NEYM Sessions

This year we offer you a working paper on membership. A working paper is the first attempt at a topic, presented for the explicit purpose of gathering feedback to inform future drafts. You will see that we have followed our previous practice of including Advices and Queries as well as Extracts specifically oriented to the chapter. We will discern later whether to incorporate this structure in the final book. We chose to write this working paper including everything we could think of surrounding the topic. Because of this, you will find some material that may appropriately land in some other part of the book in the future. We felt it was important to include this material here to give an idea of our thought process about membership. To give a sense of where this chapter might fit in the final text we are including our current working outline. Membership is one of a series of “Topics”. We have also included the Appendix on Membership from the Interim Faith and Practice 2014 so that you will have a more complete view of all that is included with the topic. Some new content was added to this appendix this year. In the working paper we offer guidance to meetings without providing rules. We know there may be situations that have not been covered and look forward to your input here. We are looking for feedback specifically on content rather than wording which we will address in a later draft. As always, we depend upon you to provide us with your sense of where we have served you and the Yearly Meeting well, and where we have missed the mark. In particular, what have we left out? Are the ideas in the document clear? Is there an extract on membership that you would like the committee to consider? Please send your comments to fandp@neym by February 1, 2017. The working paper can be found at ***********


Page 2 of 28

Working Outline for Book of Faith and Practice, NEYM (Note: provided for context. We are not asking for feedback on this working outline)

Preface1 1. Introduction to Revised Faith and & Practice 2. Illustrative Experiences of Friends 3. Worship 4. Corporate Discernment in Meeting for Business 5. Ministry and Counsel (Queries for this chapter: Sessions Minute of Exercise, 2015) 6. Personal and Communal Spiritual Life a. Chapter Introduction (concerns that apply to all the topics in this chapter) b. Topic: Personal Spiritual Disciplines c. Topic: Clearness Committees for Personal Discernment d. Topic: Marriage e. Topic: The Family and Children f. Topic: Membership –Working Paper brought to NEYM Sessions 2016 g. Topic: Gifts and Leadings h. Topic: Death, Dying and Bereavement i. Topic: Stewardship (management of property and finances) j. Topic: Pastoral Care k. Topic: Life in the Meeting Community 7. Our Life is Our Testimony: Living our Faith in the World

a. Topic: Witness and testimony (see Sessions Working Paper, 2013 ‘Travels with Testimonies’) b. Topic: Illustrative Experiences of Answering the Call c. Topic: The Wider Quaker Fellowship (FWCC, FGC, FUM, QVS, Right Sharing, AFSC )

8. A Brief History of Friends in New England 9. Revisions to This Faith and Practice 10. NEYM organizational structures (description of structural aspects of NEYM)

a. Topic: Monthly and Quarterly Meetings (relationship and exchange with YM) b. Topics: Executive Committee, Permanent Board, Clerks and Staff, Board for Managers for Investments and Permanent Funds, formation of Standing and ad hoc Committees

11. General Advices and Queries Appendices Glossary References Index 1 Bold denotes texts that have received preliminary approval, or have previously been presented to Sessions, and are now in the Interim F&P.


Page 3 of 28

Working Paper on Membership 1

Presented at the 2016 NEYM Annual Sessions 2

3

Introduction 4

1) The personal decision to request membership in the monthly meeting represents a 5

marker in a person’s relationship to their spiritual community, and in their relationship 6

to God. This section is addressed both to attenders who are considering applying for 7

membership in the Religious Society of Friends, and to those who may have been 8

members for many years, or a lifetime. Succinct guidance and templates concerning 9

practical aspects of the membership process and the membership clearness committee 10

are found in Appendix 4. 11

12

General Considerations 13

2) There was no formal membership in the Religious Society of Friends for the first 14

eighty-‐‑five years. Persons were considered Quakers if they participated in meetings for 15

worship, had experienced the Living Christ or Inward Light, felt themselves in Unity 16

with Friends, and were prepared to make public witness to their faith. Commitment to 17

how Friends lived their faith was a defining trait and Quakers took care to know, keep 18

in touch with, and support one another. 19

3) From the earliest times the Society has recognized that the call to Unity in the Spirit 20

among Friends as a body, and the importance of the individual’s direct and unmediated 21

relationship with the Divine are two necessary aspects of our search to know God’s will. 22

Letting one dominate the other has led us into difficulties. At times the demand for 23

conformity produced rigidity in the Society, sapping its vitality and impeded openness 24

to new light. At other times a loss of the sense of the transcendent has left the Society so 25

accepting that it has seemed to have no coherent faith basis. 26

4) Friends trust that there is an underlying Truth that can unify all our individual 27

perceptions of truth. The best values and actions of Friends arise, as “fruits of the 28

Spirit”, in witness to Friends’ perception of a direct and unmediated encounter with 29

divine Presence. In New England Yearly Meeting we do not require that all who come 30

into membership name this encounter in the same way, or in fact that they name it at 31

all. However, trust in the possibility of divine guidance that transcends our individual 32


Page 4 of 28

will is crucial because on this rests authority. Faith that we can be led by the Inward 1

Light or the Mind of Christ gives us the basis for spoken ministry during worship, for 2

how we do business, and for how we “let our lives speak” as we live our testimony in 3

the world. When we join the Religious Society of Friends, we are publicly 4

acknowledging that we trust we can be spiritually guided in all things and we commit 5

to joining with others in that same practice. The Society holds the faith that we can 6

witness with transformed lives to the power of the Spirit, known to us individually and 7

collectively. 8

5) When entering into membership, we ask individuals to name their spiritual 9

experience and understanding from a place of openness, and to hear the experience of 10

others with openness and respect as well. The very same words used to convey spiritual 11

mysteries and understandings may be life-‐‑affirming to one person while being 12

distressing for another. Yet the Life of the Spirit is released and vitalized when we feel 13

liberated to use our own authentic spiritual language and voice. The Society will not ask 14

its members, and members should not expect to ask others, to change authentic 15

descriptions of spiritual experience to accommodate another member’s discomfort with 16

that language or way of encountering the Divine. 17

6) It is important for meetings to articulate confidently the expectations and 18

understandings that go along with membership lest uncertainty, vagueness or 19

superficial process inadvertently results in dilution of Quaker faith and practice. As 20

Friends, we each take responsibility for adhering to the truth of our own spiritual path. 21

This includes a readiness to commit to a life of seeking and following divine Guidance, 22

both as individuals and together with the meeting community. Each member’s 23

perception and attunement to the Spirit of Truth is valuable, and needs to be offered 24

and received with humility, knowing that we each perceive Truth in part. 25

7) With such an approach to communal spiritual life there will inevitably be diversity 26

among Friends, a diversity that creates a fascinating and rich texture for this religious 27

society. To quote from London Yearly Meeting’s Faith and Practice: 28

“The Society of Friends might be thought of as a prism through which the Divine 29

Light passes, to become visible in a spectrum of many colours; many more, in 30

their richness, than words alone can express.”2 31

2 London Yearly Meeting 1960 “Christian faith and practice in the experience of the Society of Friends”. Chapter 1: Spiritual experiences of Friends. Introductory section.


Page 5 of 28

8) Membership is held in a Monthly Meeting, but it should be recognized that 1 membership is in the Religious Society of Friends as a whole, including those larger 2 circles of Friends to which the monthly meeting belongs, for example the quarterly and 3 yearly meetings, Friends United Meeting (FUM), Friends General Conference (FGC), 4 and international groups such as Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC). 5 These cover a diversity of Quaker practice, experience, theology, history, and cultural 6 background. Awareness of this implies acknowledgement that not all Friends meetings 7 are alike and that we may sometimes struggle with those whose beliefs, language, and 8 practices differ from our own. 9 10 To those considering membership 11 9) It is through lived experience that a person grows in the Spirit. The journey may 12 begin with powerful experiences of divine Presence and Guidance, or a pressing need 13 to be in relationship with God, or a feeling of discomfort with other religious paths. At 14 some point an individual may recognize that their way of seeking and following divine 15 Guidance is Quaker, or that the Quaker path is the most helpful one for nurturing their 16 spirit and is where they can best serve others. An individual may have started their 17 journey toward membership through participation in social justice activities related to 18 the lived testimonies of Friends. As a person responds to the call towards that work 19 they may find themselves also drawn toward the spiritual impulse that lies at its heart. 20

10) Individuals sometimes feel they ought to understand and whole-‐‑heartedly embrace 21 all the language, process, and acts of conscience taken by Friends to express their 22 spiritual understandings. However, membership does not mean such understanding 23 and commitment have been attained. It means, rather, that they wish to explore such 24 issues and learn together in ways Friends have found helpful. It means that among 25 Friends they have found a place both comfortable and challenging, where they can 26 explore, learn and work together. While God is constant, our faith and our 27 understanding of God are continually growing and evolving. 28

11) Becoming a member is an “outward sign of an inward reality”. When one senses 29 an inner "ʺcall"ʺ to join Friends, it is time to pay attention. Membership is an affirmative 30 response to an individual’s leading toward commitment to the Friends faith 31 community, and also the commitment of the Society to the individual member. While 32 no act of joining a religious body imparts any special sanctity or favor, membership is of 33 value and importance because it unites Friends in a shared commitment to a well-‐‑34 traveled path and its disciplines. Friends welcome fellow travelers to walk alongside 35


Page 6 of 28

them on their journeys, but not all fellow travelers seek or are taken into 1 membership. Joining the Religious Society of Friends affirms to the outside world that 2 a person wishes to be counted as a Quaker. It is a public acknowledgment, a statement 3 of faith, and a commitment to the local meeting and to the Religious Society of Friends 4 as a whole, as well as a commitment to God. 5

12) Friends recognize that the reading of devotional literature, including the study of 6 the Bible, helps develop a fuller understanding of the Spirit and encourages us in living 7 our faith. We also find inspiration and guidance in the testimonies of earlier Friends as 8 well as contemporary Quaker witness. Learning about the history of the Religious 9 Society of Friends provides inspiration and broadens our sense of the Society of which 10 we are members. 11

13) It is important for those who are feeling called into membership to understand the 12 spiritual disciplines that are the basis of meetings for worship and for business. This is 13 best accomplished through sufficient participation to experience and live into that 14 understanding. It is also helpful to be familiar with the structure of the meeting –its 15 committees, financial responsibilities, and business practices. Discipleship may be a 16 useful way to think about membership. Friends come together to learn; to learn from 17 one another, certainly, but most importantly to learn from the Inward Guide. We are 18 joined in discipleship, enjoying both spiritual and temporal friendship. 19

20

The Member and the Meeting Community: A Covenant Relationship 21

14) Membership is a mutual commitment between the individual and the Religious 22

Society of Friends within the framework of a particular monthly meeting. In accepting 23

someone into membership the meeting’s commitment is to offer opportunities for, and 24

assistance in spiritual growth, to help individuals discover their gifts, and to offer 25

pastoral care as needed. The member commits to living their daily life in accordance 26

with the faith and practice of Friends, to encouraging and cherishing the other 27

individuals in the meeting, and to being supportive of their spiritual and temporal 28

wellbeing. Members also commit to participation in the life of the meeting, to regular 29

attendance at meetings for worship and for business, and, according to their means, to 30

contributing financially, and with their time and energy. Entering into the covenant 31

relationship of membership entails both a human and a spiritual promise. Being a 32

member of the Religious Society of Friends is a relationship of mutual trust before God, 33


Page 7 of 28

and like other intimate, trust-‐‑based human relationships it is not always easy or risk-‐‑1

free. 2

3

Responsibilities of Membership 4

15) Membership comes with different expectations than those generally held for 5 attenders. Membership is more than belonging and feeling accepted. With it comes the 6 privilege and challenge to participate fully in the life of the Society and to be stretched, 7 and sometimes, made uncomfortable. 8

16) Some long-‐‑term attenders have become valued parts of the common life of their 9

meetings without seeking membership. Some Friends only see afterward that they 10

became inward members long before formally seeking membership, drawn by the 11

bonds of relationship and responsibility that occur naturally in spiritual community. In 12

a welcoming meeting, all persons are nurtured by participation in activities and 13

responsibilities at any level of involvement. Yet meetings should discern carefully who 14

has the authority to make decisions important to the life of the meeting. It is the 15

members of a meeting who bear the burden of spiritual and societal accountability for 16

acts of conscience and for decisions that have legal ramifications. Many tasks in a 17

Friends meeting can be shared among all members and attenders, but some roles are 18

typically reserved for those who have undertaken the clearness process to become 19

members. These include trustees, clerk and recording clerk of a meeting, members of 20

Ministry and Counsel, and representatives to the quarterly and yearly meeting Ministry 21

and Counsel. 22

17) All meetings depend upon having Friends who are committed and accountable for 23

carrying out the practical work of the meeting. Larger meetings have a bigger pool of 24

volunteers to carry on the necessary work, so may be able to accommodate a larger 25

number of attenders, or members who come sporadically, or come only for worship, 26

than can small meetings. However, all meetings are enlivened when many individuals 27

take on the responsibility of being fully engaged as contributing members of the 28

community so that the work of the many does not fall excessively on the few. 29

30

Types of Membership 31

18) Only monthly meetings are empowered to accept individuals into membership and 32 several different types of membership serve the needs of various circumstances. 33


Page 8 of 28

Membership in the Religious Society of Friends occurs for children, by being entered 1 onto the membership rolls by their Quaker parents, or later in life, through 2 convincement and a clearness process. Each stage of life brings differing ways of being 3 in relationship with the meeting. The following describes “membership by parental 4 request”, membership being affirmed in adulthood by such Friends, membership for 5 those new to the Quaker community, transfer of membership from one meeting to 6 another, and discontinuance of membership. 7 8

Children and Young Adults in the Meeting: 9 Note: This boxed section will likely appear in a different location in the book. The 10

committee thought it important to include here as background for what follows 11 concerning children’s membership. 12

1) The spiritual experiences of children are as real as those of adults and bring us 13 in contact with the many facets of the human condition. The children of the 14 meeting are an integral part of the community’s life. As children grow through 15 the pre-‐‑school, elementary and high school years and beyond, their spiritual 16 lives mature from the open, wonder-‐‑filled spirituality of the young child, 17 through the shifting territory of adolescence, into an adult spiritual life. The 18 meeting has a responsibility to nurture the spiritual growth of its children, all the 19 while being enriched by the vitality children bring to a spiritual community. 20

2) The meeting community is advised to take care to support parents and the 21 First Day program as they introduce young children to silent worship. The 22 alternating restlessness and stillness of the young child in worship is an 23 expression of the child’s experience of centering into the silence. First Day School 24 programs, presentations and projects offer adult members of the meeting 25 opportunities to engage with the children and witness their awe, their sober 26 searching and their enthusiasm as they lean into the spiritual life. 27

3) As the young children grow into the teen years, celebrate the intensity of the 28 spiritual search that they demonstrate and understand the value of their 29 worshipping within their own age group. Many of our young people have found 30 companionship and support in wider Quaker circles and in the Quarterly and 31 Yearly Meeting programs organized for their age group. The Yearly Meeting 32 often provides a more dynamic community for our Young Friends and Young 33 Adult Friends than our smaller meetings can provide. 34

4) As our young people leave home for college and for jobs, they may find a 35 spiritual home on their college campus or nearby, or they may find themselves 36


Page 9 of 28

isolated. They may find community by travelling on weekends to retreats or by 1 forming a worship group of Friends their own age from nearby larger meetings. 2 Friends at this age are often living into their Quaker heritage in other ways than 3 through the monthly meeting community. Annual contact from their home 4 meeting can be important outreach at this time. 5

6 Membership of Children by Parental Request 7 19) When adults with children join a meeting they may request that their children also 8 be accepted into membership. Membership is granted if both parents are members of 9 the meeting, or if one parent is a member of the meeting and the non-‐‑member parent 10 consents. 11

20) Enrolling children as members in this way is an expression of the understanding 12 that children and young people have a unique and valued role and relationship within 13 the meeting community. It is a part of the meeting’s covenant to actively nurture the 14 spiritual well-‐‑being and growth of their children, and to provide spiritual and practical 15 support to their parents in this endeavor. As spiritual maturity develops in parallel with 16 an understanding of Quaker principles, it is hoped that these young members will feel 17 called to affirm and continue their membership in the monthly meeting as adult 18 members. At that time the member writes a letter to Ministry and Counsel affirming 19 their wish to continue as an adult member of the meeting. Ministry and Counsel then 20 meets with the Friend, just as in the case of a new applicant for membership. 21

21) If a member has not become an adult member by the age of twenty-‐‑five, Ministry 22 and Counsel may consider contacting the member and asking if they feel called into 23 adult membership at this time. Care should be taken to acknowledge that many young 24 people relocate frequently and it is difficult to establish a sense of spiritual community 25 in a meeting when the time in attendance will be brief. Many young adults have active 26 spiritual lives that incorporate essential Quaker understandings in the spiritual 27 communities where they live out their witness. If they are attending meeting elsewhere, 28 they may join their home meeting as a non-‐‑resident adult member and become a 29 sojourning member at the meeting they attend. If they are well settled in a new meeting, 30 they should be encouraged to apply for adult membership there. A letter from their 31 home meeting is an encouragement to continue to stay engaged with their Quaker 32 upbringing even if they are not ready at that time to enter into the responsibilities of 33 adult membership. If, for a number of years, Ministry and Counsel has been unable to 34 sustain contact with a member over the age of twenty-‐‑five, the committee should 35 consider discontinuing the membership. 36

37


Page 10 of 28

Sojourning 1 22) A member who is temporarily living away from their home meeting may become a 2 sojourning member of the meeting they are attending. When the member has actually 3 moved to a new location, a period of settling in is certainly appropriate before one 4 moves one'ʹs membership, but to remain in a temporary membership status is not 5 helpful to either the individual or the meetings involved. It is appropriate for 6 membership to be held where one worships and is committed to the community life. 7 This is a part of adapting and growing in the new location and to being present and 8 open to the spiritual and physical needs of the community. (See Appendix 4G) 9

Non-‐‑resident members 10 23) It is important for meetings to keep in touch with members who live at a distance, 11 including those sojourning in another meeting or who spend part of the year in another 12 location. For those living full-‐‑time in another location a personal letter at least yearly, is 13 suggested, with a message of kindly interest and inquiry into the Friend'ʹs religious life 14 and activities. When appropriate, members should be advised of the advantages of 15 transferring membership to a meeting in their immediate neighborhood, or, if their 16 absence is temporary, of becoming sojourning members in such a meeting. If, following 17 outreach, no information is forthcoming from a member for a number of years deemed 18 reasonable by the meeting, the monthly meeting may discontinue the membership. 19

Dual Membership 20 24) Most Friends in New England today have come to Quakerism from other spiritual 21 traditions. They often bring with them deep spiritual ties to that heritage which they 22 wish to acknowledge while being members of the Religious Society of Friends. These 23 Friends often continue to participate in these traditions when visiting family or at times 24 of specific religious celebrations. The acknowledgement of these gifts from their ethnic 25 heritage or their previous spiritual path, and their continued appreciation of them does 26 not disturb their commitment and witness as Friends. There are also Friends who find 27 ongoing inspiration in the wisdom and devotional practices of various Christian 28 churches as well as other religions. This enriches their spiritual lives and brings that 29 enlivened spirit to their meeting. Since the early days of the Quaker movement, Friends 30 have recognized the unity of peoples witnessing to the Light within their chosen 31 religious affiliation. Friends encourage members to value and deepen their 32 understanding of the spiritual insights of other religions, through reading and 33 participation as led, and to seek the ways in which Friends can unite with them. 34

25) Membership in the Religious Society of Friends, at its best, expresses a settled 35 recognition that this is our life’s choice and the best framework to allow our spiritual 36 and temporal lives to flourish. It is a commitment to God and to the other members of 37


Page 11 of 28

the meeting, in covenant relationship. When an individual requests membership in the 1 Religious Society of Friends and at the same time wishes to retain membership in 2 another tradition, it is important for their clearness committee to explore with them 3 their reasons and the implications of this. The desire to retain a membership may 4 indicate a desire to demonstrate a deeper sense of community with another group than 5 occasional attendance shows and it may arise from ethnic identity. It is essential for the 6 clearness committee to question whether their desire to be in a formal membership 7 relationship with two faith traditions indicates a lack of clarity regarding their spiritual 8 path. In some cases, membership in two faith communities will not work: the 9 commitment needs to be whole-‐‑hearted. In other cases there is more ambiguity, and 10 Friends need to be flexible as well as careful to discern what is at stake. 11

26) The request for ‘dual membership’ implies that an individual wishes to commit fully 12 and formally to the covenant responsibilities and spiritual understandings of two 13 different religious traditions. It also implies that both these religious bodies will be 14 engaged with, and supportive of the same individual. Through membership an 15 individual is taking on the duty of contributing to the life of the religious community, 16 not only through committee work, attendance at worship and financial support, but 17 also in the care, concern and responsibility for other members, and the children of the 18 community. For many meetings and individuals, there remains the sense that our hearts 19 cannot be divided. When we come to realize that we are Friends, it is our life’s choice, 20 and maintaining an active membership in another religious community does justice to 21 neither. 22

27) It is currently the practice of New England Friends to address the question of ‘dual 23 membership’ at the monthly meeting level, where a committee for clearness can fully 24 explore the implications of such a request. 25

26 Transfer or Removal of Membership 27

Transfer 28 28) Membership is transferrable from one monthly meeting to another, unless either 29 meeting has determined that transfer is not advised for weighty reasons. Transfer may 30 be requested, for personal reasons, after careful consideration, or it may be due to 31 relocation. Transferring membership after one relocates encourages one to engage fully 32 with the new meeting. A letter of transfer from the original meeting is sent to the new 33 meeting, recommending the member to the care of the new meeting. When the letter is 34 received and membership approved by the new meeting, the member is formally 35


Page 12 of 28

welcomed into the new meeting. (See Appendix 4D for a full description of the process 1 and a sample transfer certificate) 2

Resignation of Membership 3 29) Members wishing to resign their membership in the Religious Society of Friends 4 should put the request in writing to the meeting. The monthly meeting is advised to 5 appoint a committee to visit the member in a spirit of loving care to inquire into the 6 cause of the resignation. If the Friend chooses not to accept the visit, or their intention 7 continues unchanged after meeting with the committee, the meeting may draft a minute 8 accepting the Friend’s resignation, with a copy of the minute sent to them. While a 9 resignation may be a sign of alienation from the meeting for one reason or another, 10 resignation is not necessarily for negative reasons. Some Friends may simply grow in a 11 direction that makes membership in a different religious body right for them. The 12 meeting may grow from understanding and considering the reasons for a member’s 13 resignation. Resignation of membership from the monthly meeting also signifies 14 resignation of membership in the quarterly and yearly meeting as well. 15

16 Discontinuance 17 30) Discontinuance may be initiated by a meeting when a Friend has chosen not to 18 attend for a number of years and has been unresponsive to efforts to help them re-‐‑19 engage with the community. Discontinuing a Friend’s membership is also considered 20 when the conduct or publicly expressed opinions of the member are so much at 21 variance with the principles of the Society that the spiritual bond has been broken. 22 Friends may find that for this person to continue to be considered a member carries 23 with it a lack of individual and/or corporate integrity. 24

31) There may come a time when the meeting community can no longer live with the 25 spiritual or human costs of maintaining a relationship with a member. While the 26 meeting does have significant responsibility to work with the person, via support 27 committees, clearness committees, counseling, and individual personal contact, the 28 meeting cannot sacrifice itself for the preservation of the membership relationship with 29 any one individual. 30

32) Much responsibility falls to Ministry and Counsel, in times of such difficulties. The 31 quarterly and/or yearly meeting Ministry and Counsel may be called upon for support 32 and resources. Often the needed resources are focused on providing emotional and 33 spiritual support for those within the meeting who are doing the work that needs to be 34 done to restore or maintain the unity of the meeting community and to provide pastoral 35 care for the individual. 36


Page 13 of 28

33) Within the meeting, the work needs to be done in such a way that honors both the 1 member in question and the members of the community. While much of the work must 2 be done with the individual, it is important that the meeting know that the difficulties 3 are understood and are being addressed. The final decision to discontinue membership 4 is a meeting decision, and will most often be made in meeting for business, after 5 sufficient work within the community to be sure that everyone understands the process 6 and the purpose. It is important that personal support be offered to the individual 7 during this process, in whatever way is acceptable, and that the individual be kept fully 8 informed when such a meeting is being held. 9

34) It may also be possible to continue to care for the individual, after membership is 10 discontinued, by working with the person’s community and family outside of meeting, 11 to be sure that support systems are in place, if they are needed. 12

35) A Friend whose membership has been discontinued by the monthly meeting may, if 13 dissatisfied with the decision, file an appeal with the quarterly meeting within one year, 14 for a review of the matter. If either the Friend whose membership is in question, or the 15 monthly meeting concerned, is dissatisfied with the decision of the quarterly meeting, 16 an appeal may be addressed to the Permanent Board of the Yearly Meeting. The 17 decision of the Permanent Board is final. 18

36) One whose membership has been discontinued may subsequently apply for 19 membership in the usual manner. 20 21 22

Membership Advices and Queries 23 Advices 24

1. Be clear with attenders considering membership, that while they are not 25 expected to subscribe to specific beliefs or doctrines, they are choosing a spiritual 26 Way, one that is grounded in the guidance of the Inward Light. 27

2. Provide instruction and mentoring for those interested in becoming members. 28 Learn to articulate the spiritual grounding and the responsibilities of 29 membership. Encourage prospective members to read NEYM’s book of Faith 30 and Practice and be ready to engage with them about what they read there. 31

3. As a community, honor and celebrate your valued history and traditions while 32 remaining open and receptive to growth in new directions. A community with a 33 living faith evolves with the passage of time, with changes in membership, and 34 through continuing revelation. 35

4. Seek ways to support your meeting community. Be mindful that heavy burdens 36 are not carried by only a few individuals. 37


Page 14 of 28

5. Become familiar with all aspects of the meeting’s life and help each other to 1 discern where and how it might be appropriate to become engaged. 2

6. Each person has the responsibility and privilege to share in the search for Divine 3 guidance. This needs to be ongoing if membership is to be fruitful both for the 4 individual and for the group. 5

7. Look upon members as fellow disciples seeking divine guidance. Authentic 6 religious expression does not exclude those with a differing experience or 7 differing ways of expressing it. If you feel discomfort with the spiritual language 8 of others ask yourself why, and help others explore their discomfort with yours. 9

8. Membership in the local meeting is also membership in the Religious Society of 10 Friends as a whole. Take opportunities to worship and work within the wider 11 bodies of Friends since this provides enrichment for all involved and contributes 12 to Quaker witness in the world. 13

9. Become acquainted with the whole meeting community; share in their joys and 14 sorrows and be willing to let them share in yours as well. 15

10. Encourage one another in personal devotional practice and regular participation 16 in meetings for worship and for business. 17

11. Love one another. 18 12. Be sturdy with one another. 19 13. Remember, as members, where we meet our limitations of understanding and 20

ability to love, we can turn to the One who unites us in a perfect love. 21 22 Queries for the meeting 23

1. What are we committing to in receiving a new member? How do we express 24 these commitments? 25

2. Are we aware and supportive of an individual who may be moving toward the 26 commitment of membership? 27

3. How do we offer ongoing nurture and support for our members? 28 4. How do we help individuals to become familiar with and participate in the life of 29

the meeting community? 30 5. How do we help attenders learn more about Quaker faith and practice? 31 6. Do we encourage seekers to find a spiritual home, whether or not it is with 32

Quakers? 33 7. Do we value, support and maintain connections with all our members? 34 8. Are we living as a spiritual community under divine guidance? 35

36 37


Page 15 of 28

Queries for Individuals (More extensive Queries for those considering membership 1 may be found in Appendix 4C) 2

1. Why do I want to be a member of the Religious Society of Friends? What does 3 membership mean to me? 4

2. How do I take responsibility for my own spiritual growth 5 3. How do I take responsibility for the spiritual vitality of the meeting? 6 4. What part does meeting for worship play in my life? 7 5. What is my understanding of the spiritual foundation of Quaker worship and 8

of Quaker business process? 9 6. What role does being a member of the Religious Society of Friends play in my 10

relationship with the Divine? 11 7. Am I familiar with New England Yearly Meeting’s book of Faith and 12

Practice? 13 8. To what extent have I become acquainted with the meeting community and 14

what experiences have I shared with them? 15 9. Do I trust the community to help me discern a leading? Do I participate in the 16

discernment processes of the meeting? 17 10. Am I willing to be vulnerable with meeting members and deal tenderly with 18

their vulnerabilities? 19 11. In what ways do I demonstrate my commitment to the meeting community 20

and to the Religious Society of Friends? 21 22 23

Extracts on Membership 24 25

1) Membership is still seen as a discipleship, a discipline within a broadly Christian 26 perspective and our Quaker tradition, where the way we live is as important as the 27 beliefs we affirm. Like all discipleships, membership has its elements of commitment 28 and responsibility but it is also about joy and celebration. Membership is a way of 29 saying to the meeting that you feel at home, and in the right place. Membership is also a 30 way of saying to the meeting and to the world, that you accept at least the fundamental 31 elements of being a Quaker: the understanding of divine guidance, the manner of 32 corporate worship and the ordering of the meeting'ʹs business, the practical expression 33 of inward convictions and the equality of all before God. In asking to be admitted into 34 the community of the meeting you are affirming what the meeting stands for and 35 declaring your willingness to contribute to its life. 36 Britain YM 1995 37 38


Page 16 of 28

2) Membership is a covenant relationship, a commitment both to God and to a 1 community. People in a covenant relationship are bound together by love, answerable 2 to each other for their words and actions. There are mutual expectations in a covenant: 3 trust; open communication; forgiveness; participation; and perseverance in the face of 4 differences. 5 Draft of Illinois YM F&P 1999 6 7 3) …Membership is simply a rite of passage in that [life-‐‑long] process [of 8 transformation], the moment of adult declaration that this is the church structure, this is 9 the spiritual community within which we feel called to live out the process of our 10 spiritual maturing. This is the trellising that best supports the growth of our interior 11 relationship with God and our exterior relationship with the world. These are the 12 people with whom we will live out the vicissitudes of our inner and outer lives. 13 Worthiness has nothing to do with membership. God has already accepted us in our 14 imperfection and is loving us forward toward a more perfect image of God’s self. The 15 real issue in membership is commitment on the part of both the meeting and the 16 applicant to remain faithful to the development and requirements of the process within 17 Quaker tradition. 18 Patricia Loring 1999 19 20 4) The test for membership should not be doctrinal agreement nor adherence to certain 21 testimonies but evidence of sincere seeking and striving for the Truth, together with an 22 understanding of the lines along which Friends are seeking Truth. 23 Friends World Conference 1952 24 25 5) I felt so at home among Friends that I realized I had actually been one for a long time 26 without realizing it. It never occurred to me not to ask for membership, but the process-‐‑27 -‐‑clearness committee, the whole works-‐‑-‐‑forced me further on: I had to consider issues 28 that, like it or not, needed to be wrestled with. For me, the main wrestling match was 29 with the Peace Testimony-‐‑-‐‑a bout which is not over. (I keep running into Hitler and the 30 Holocaust, and it'ʹs still a matter of "ʺI believe. Help thou my unbelief."ʺ) 31 Marnie Miller-‐‑Gutsell 2002 32 33 6) I resisted membership in any group for many years, feeling that it was unnecessary 34 and that all people, of all faiths, who were trying to live based in their experience of 35 the divine, were “the church universal”. I didn’t like the idea of making formal 36 separations between us. While I experienced and still experience the informal 37 drawing together, as if by a magnetic force, those who are my “companions along the 38


Page 17 of 28

way” I began to feel a need for a group to join where I could be part of a larger 1 communal voice and work in the world. I had been attending an unprogrammed 2 Friends meeting for several years and had realized that this was where I “fit in” 3 spiritually… For me, membership is akin to marriage. It is hard to describe what the 4 inner difference is except that it is a deeper commitment, a sense that a decision has 5 been made and barring something which arises within the context of that 6 commitment which threatens to be destructive to me, I will stay with it. 7 Maggie Edmondson, 2002 8 9 7) I find myself surprised, time and time again, when I hear older Friends speak with 10 urgency about the future vitality of the Religious Society of Friends and express dismay 11 at the lack of young adults in their meetings. If Friends are committed to addressing 12 these concerns and not simply wringing their hands, perhaps it is time to explore new 13 approaches to membership with the needs of the younger generations in mind. If the 14 monthly meeting structure is frequently less relevant to the “next generation” of 15 Friends, then is it wise to use monthly meeting membership as the primary measuring 16 stick by which we gauge the health and vitality of our faith community? Quakerism is 17 vibrant and thriving in many worship groups and Quaker colleges, to name two 18 examples, yet our declining membership statistics fail to take these groups into account 19 and thus paint a rather grim picture of our future. Perhaps we can envision a more 20 optimistic landscape if we let go of our historical attachment to monthly meeting 21 membership as the locus of all meaningful Quaker community? 22 Emily Higgs 2012 23 24 8) Our membership of this, or any other Christian fellowship is never based upon 25 worthiness…We are none of us members because we have attained a certain standard 26 of goodness, but rather because, in this matter, we still are all humble learners in the 27 school of Christ. Our membership is of no importance whatever unless it signifies that 28 we are committed to something of far greater and more lasting significance than can 29 adequately be conveyed by the closest association with any movement or organization. 30 Edgar G. Dunstan 1956 31 32 9) In describing our own religious experiences, we should use words which liberate 33 rather than words which imprison the spirit. Jesus said, “I am the way.” He did not say, 34 “I am the End of the road.” We say to an applicant for membership: “We expect you to 35 have a belief, but we do not require you to accept a particular statement of belief. You 36 need not have formulated a full theology, and you need not subscribe to a particular 37 theology, but you must be sincerely seeking Truth. We expect you to be a humble 38


Page 18 of 28

learner in the School of Christ. We hope you will study the Scriptures and we hope you 1 will try to formulate your beliefs, but you need not have arrived at Truth, what we ask 2 is that you be sincerely seeking Truth.” 3 Thomas Bodine 1985 4 5 10) Convincement is that moment when the idea of being a Quaker becomes a lived 6 reality of being a Quaker, in which the Quaker way comes into the heart and finds a 7 home and makes a nest and settles. It’s a subtle, subtle thing, but it’s everything also. 8 It’s everything. When Jesus said, “I am the way,” my understanding of that is that 9 when we come to Spirit and we say “yes” and we allow Spirit to be in us, we live in the 10 world in a different way, and it becomes our way of being. 11 So I am now a Quaker. I am a member of this tribe and I’m committed to its health. But 12 every time that I say yes to something there’s a new level, a new arena, a new 13 something that I’m ready to learn that God is calling me into, and there is a deeper 14 connection to Spirit. 15 So when I first came into the Religious Society of Friends, I was not conscious of the 16 need to work on issues of racism, but recently I have become convinced that that is a 17 part of my piece in this fellowship. And I don’t even know what it is are the future 18 pieces of convincement that need to happen in me that I need to be open to. 19 And, so, yes, I’m a Quaker but I’m not yet fully the Quaker that I might be. And it’s 20 when I stop and say “Been there, done that, its over” that I think I stop being a Quaker. 21 And I need to, maybe, become convinced again. 22 Walter Hjielt Sullivan 2015 23 24 11) For as in one body we have many members, and not all members have the same 25 function, so we who are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of 26 another. 27 The Bible. New Revised Standard Edition. Romans 12: 4-‐‑5 28 29 12) In a true community we will not choose our companions, for our choices are so often 30 limited by self-‐‑serving motives. Instead, our companions will be given to us by grace. 31 Often they will be persons who will upset our settled view of self and world. In fact, we 32 might define true community as the place where the person you least want to live with 33 always lives! 34 Parker J. Palmer 1977 35 36 13) The great value of the clearness committee for membership, to my mind, is not 37 about a difficult, earnest effort to discern whether an individual fulfills the 38


Page 19 of 28

requirements, however vague and uncertain those requirements might be. It is about 1 engaging in conversation with someone who has expressed a desire to go deeper in 2 relationship with the meeting and with Quakerism, and to help him or her continue 3 down that road. We get to know the person on a much deeper level, find out what 4 Quakerism means to him or her, answer questions about what it has meant to us. 5 Sometimes in that discussion (not yet, for me, so far) it might emerge that the person 6 really isn’t ready to move to the next level, or is so out of touch with the meeting’s 7 understanding of Quakerism that membership doesn’t make sense. In which case my 8 hope would be that the applicant would come to that realization along with the rest of 9 the clearness committee. 10 James Riemermann (posted on Non-‐‑Theist Friends website) 11 12 14) This was the way that Friends used with me, when I was convinced of truth, they 13 came oftentimes to visit me; and sate and waited upon the Lord in silence with me; and 14 as the Lord opened our understanding and mouths, so we had very sweet and 15 comfortable seasons together. They did not ask me questions about this or the other 16 creed, or about this or the other controversy in religion; but they waited to feel that 17 living Power to quicken me, which raised up Jesus from the dead. And it pleased God 18 so in his wisdom to direct, that all the great truths of the Christian religion were 19 occasionally spoken to. Now this was Friends way with me, a way far beyond all rules 20 or methods established by the wisdom of the world, which is foolishness with God: 21 And this is their way with others that are convinced of the truth. 22 Richard Claridge 1697 23 24 15) My first impression of Quaker Meeting was confusion. I could not believe that 25 people really were uniting together in practice not in dogma. It was literally 26 incomprehensible to me, the fact that people believed different things and used 27 different language but could be a community – and such a great community – because 28 they shared the same set of practices, and because they came together in the same space 29 and through that shared worship – that waiting worship – they developed a kind of 30 sense of community and a sense of body, a sense of integration. 31 Robert Fischer 2016 32 33 16) I said to one of the Cuban Friends, “It must be hard to be a Christian in Cuba.” He 34 smiled. “Not as hard as it is in the United States,” he said. Of course, I asked why he 35 said that, and he went on, “You are tempted by three idols that do not tempt us. One is 36 affluence, which we do not have. Another is power, which we also do not have. The 37 third is technology, which again we do not have. Furthermore, when you join a church 38


Page 20 of 28

or a meeting, you gain in social acceptance and respectability. When we join, we lose 1 those things, so we must be very clear about what we believe and what the commitment 2 is that we are prepared to make.” 3 Gordon Browne Jr 1989 4 5 17) Today membership may not involve putting liberty, goods or life at risk but the 6 spiritual understanding of membership is, in essentials, the same as that which guided 7 the ‘Children of the Light’. People still become Friends through ‘convincement’, and 8 like early Friends they wrestle and rejoice with that experience. Membership is still seen 9 as a discipleship, a discipline within a broadly Christian perspective and our Quaker 10 tradition, where the way we live is as important as the beliefs we affirm. 11 From Britain Yearly meeting 12


Page 21 of 28

Appendix 4: Membership

(For current practice and appendix, see NEYM Faith and Practice 1985, Part IV, chapter 2, pp. 235-240 and Appendix 2, pp. 263-264)

4A. Process for Joining a Friends Meeting.

1. A person desiring membership in a Friends meeting initiates the process by writing a letter to the meeting, addressed to the clerk of the meeting.

2. Upon receipt of the letter requesting membership, the clerk refers the letter to the appropriate committee of the meeting, usually ministry and counsel.

3. The committee which receives the membership request appoints a clearness committee to meet with the applicant.

4. After having met with the applicant as many times as necessary, the clearness committee reports back to this committee.

5. If the recommendation is that the applicant be accepted into membership, this recommendation is reported to monthly meeting for business.

6. If the clearness committee finds that the applicant is not yet ready for membership, they may choose to extend the process at the applicant’s request. Recommendations against acceptance do not need to be reported to the monthly meeting for business.

7. If monthly meeting for business accepts the applicant into membership, the action is minuted and the applicant’s name is submitted to the meeting recorder and added to the records.

8. The new member is then welcomed in whatever fashion the meeting uses. 9. The clerk of monthly meeting writes a letter to the new member, acknowledging

the action of the monthly meeting for business and welcoming them into membership.

4B. Writing a Request for Membership. The letter requesting membership might include statements of:

1. Your desire to become a member. 2. How you came to the decision to accept membership. 3. Your understanding of the spiritual grounding and aspirations of the Religious

Society of Friends now and in the past. (This can be brief.) 4. Your willingness to meet with a clearness committee for membership.

4C. Suggested Topics for the Meeting of the Applicant and the Membership Clearness Committee. Below are suggested topics to be addressed. Many of them will occur naturally in the course of conversation and are not meant as an examination, nor is it expected that there are “right” or “wrong” answers. The value of these topics lies in what they may reveal of experiences of the Spirit of both the applicant and the members of the


Page 22 of 28

clearness committee. Sufficient time should be allowed to ensure mutual understanding and trust. The discussion should take place unhurriedly in the spirit of a common search and seeking for clearness on the part of both the applicant and the clearness committee. Sometimes the membership clearness committee may feel an individual is not ready for membership. It is important to recognize when this is the case and equally important to continue to provide pastoral care to nurture the individual’s progress on their spiritual journey. This may include suggestions for religious education opportunities, spiritual companionship, counseling, or other necessary assistance. (Underlined material is new in 2016)

1. Spiritual journey. Describe your spiritual journey. What is your experience and understanding of the Spirit? What role does it play in your life? How do you anticipate that membership in the meeting and in the Society of Friends will affect this journey?

2. Quaker history and experience. What is your understanding of Quaker history and experience? What is your own experience of following the Inward Light as guide rather than relying on external authority? Have you found the collective experience and insights of Friends helpful in developing your own understandings?

3. Quaker Diversity. Are you aware of the diversity of language and theology used by Quakers to describe basic Friends’ principles? Can you be comfortable with both Christocentric and Universalist language when it is used to describe a spiritual experience? Can you be open to the experience that lies beneath the words?

4. Quaker testimonies. How would you describe Quaker testimonies? Do you find yourself in harmony with them? How has your experience with the testimonies been affected by the meeting’s expressions of these testimonies? How has your life been affected by these testimonies?

5. Quaker beliefs and practices. How familiar are you with Friends’ beliefs and practices? Are there some which are particularly appealing or applicable to you? Are there some that you find confusing or with which you do not connect?

6. Contributions to the meeting community. How are you involved in the life of the meeting? How do you hope to grow within and contribute to the community? What is your commitment to the meeting community and to the Society of Friends as a whole?

7. Living in spiritual community. Along with the joys and benefits of living in a spiritual community come potential hardships, disagreements and incompatibilities. Are you ready to address such difficulties with love and with an open heart?

8. Quaker decision-making. Do you understand how Friends make decisions? Have you participated in the monthly meeting for business or served on meeting committees? Are you comfortable with the process of seeking unity in making decisions? Are you prepared to seek clearness for individual leadings through the meeting?


Page 23 of 28

9. Organizational structure of the Society of Friends. Do you understand the relationship between the monthly, quarterly, and yearly meetings? Are you open to participating in them?

10. Other affiliations. Are you affiliated with other religious organizations? How do those affiliations affect your involvement in and commitment to the meeting?

11. Process of clearness. What is your understanding of the process of coming to clearness?

12. Are there questions you have for the clearness committee?

4D. Suggested Procedure for Transfer of Membership within the Society of Friends. For the Friend who wishes to transfer membership: 1. When a relationship with a new meeting has been established, the Friend desiring to

transfer membership applies to the clerk of the meeting of which they are a member for a Certificate of Transfer to the new meeting.

2. At the same time, the Friend writes to the clerk of the new meeting indicating that request for transfer has been made.

For the meeting from which transfer is being made: 1. Upon the clerk’s receipt of a request for a transfer of membership, the clerk refers

the request to the appropriate committee of the meeting. 2. If there are no obstructions or difficulties, this committee recommends to the

monthly meeting that the transfer be approved. If there are problems, this committee will attempt to resolve them or report back to the clerk the circumstances blocking their way.

3. Approval by the monthly meeting for business is required for completion of the transfer.

4. The clerk or recorder completes two copies of the Certificate of Transfer, sending one to the receiving meeting and keeping one for their own records. (The originating meeting is obligated to inform the receiving meeting of any special condition or problems experienced with a transferring member.)

5. The clerk or recorder retains one copy of the Certificate of Transfer. 6. If reply from the receiving meeting is not received in due time, another copy of the

Certificate of Transfer may be made and inquiry sent to the receiving meeting. 7. When the Acceptance of Transfer is returned by the receiving meeting, a copy of the

member’s meeting membership record is sent to the receiving meeting, thus completing the interchange. The clerk or recorder appends the copy of the Acceptance to the meeting membership record for that member and files those documents in whatever manner the records of “former members” are preserved. The Friend remains a member of the originating meeting until the new meeting has minuted acceptance in their monthly meeting for business. The date of that meeting


Page 24 of 28

marks the official change and is so reported to the Yearly Meeting through the annual statistical report.

For the receiving meeting: 1. The clerk receives the member’s letter of intention to transfer membership. When

the Certificate of Transfer and the partially completed Acceptance of Transfer are received, the clerk acknowledges them, in writing, and reports it to the next meeting for business. The clerk then forwards the forms to the appropriate committee.

2. This committee appoints a visiting committee, at least one of whom serves on the committee with responsibility for membership. They explore together with the transferring member such matters as are necessary in order that there be common understanding and comfort in the new relationship. If the visiting committee finds clearness, it reports to the appropriate committee, which then makes its recommendations to the next monthly meeting for business.

3. When the committee recommends acceptance of the Certificate of Transfer to the monthly meeting for business, and the meeting accepts the recommendation, the meeting minutes its decision regarding the acceptance of the Friend as a member. With acceptance, that minute records membership in the new meeting as of that date.

4. The clerk furnishes the member with a copy of the approving minute. 5. The clerk completes the Acceptance of Transfer and makes a copy of it. 6. The clerk or recorder sends the copy of the Acceptance of Transfer to the clerk of the

member’s originating meeting. 7. The Certificate of Transfer and the original Acceptance of Transfer become the

meeting’s membership record. The recorder preserves them in the meeting’s file of current members. The meeting will receive a copy of the meeting membership record from the old meeting. This is not an official record and may be stored in whatever manner the meeting holds background information about its members.

8. When all business has been satisfactorily completed, the meeting should make arrangements to welcome their new member.

9. The new member is included in the meeting’s next statistical report. Note: Meetings vary in how they distribute responsibilities of the clerk and recorder. To avoid unnecessary delay or confusion, each meeting will prosper by clarification of these tasks.


Page 25 of 28

4E. Forms for Transfer of Membership within the Society of Friends.

[Meeting letterhead and date]

To Monthly Meeting of Friends

Dear Friends:

This is to certify that , [a member/members] of this Meeting [has/ have] requested a certificate transferring membership to your Meeting. Upon due inquiry, no obstruction appears to granting this request. We therefore commend [him/her/them] to your [Christian/spiritual] care. Please acknowledge receipt of this certificate and acceptance of the transfer by completing and returning to the clerk, the annexed statement.

Signed by direction and on behalf of Monthly Meeting of Friends, held at , State of , the day of month, 20 . , Clerk

Address . Acknowledgement:


Dear Friends,

We have received the transfer certificate issued by you on the day of month , 20 and have accepted into membership with us.

Signed by direction and on behalf of Monthly Meeting of Friends, held at , State of , the day of month, 20 . , Clerk


Page 26 of 28

4F. Transfer of membership to a church outside the Society of Friends.

To the Church, city, state.

Dear Friends,

, [a member/members] in good standing in this Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, [has/have] expressed the desire to become [a member/members] of your Church. We have considered this request and there appears to be no obstruction to granting it. We therefore recommend [him/ her/ them) to your care. Their membership in this meeting of the Religious Society of Friends will end when we receive acknowledgment of your acceptance of this transfer.

Signed by direction and on behalf of Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, held at , State of , the day of month, 20 . , Clerk

Address .

Acknowledgement:


We have received the letter issued by you on the day of month , 20 , and have accepted into membership with us.

Signed on behalf of Church, date

. [Signature] [Title]

4G. Sojourning membership.

There may be times when a Friend will spend a period of time attending a meeting at some geographical distance from their home meeting, with the intention of ultimately returning to the meeting where they are a member. If the member wants to become involved in the meeting which they are attending, the member may request that their home meeting send a Minute of Sojourn to the meeting with which they want to be involved for the period of their stay. This Minute of Sojourn commends the member to the meeting of their sojourn, asking that they be welcomed into the new community for the duration of their stay.

If the Sojourning Member becomes involved with the new meeting, it is traditional that the Meeting of Sojourn send a letter to the home meeting when the period of


Page 27 of 28

sojourn is finished, returning care of the member to the meeting from which they came.

4H. Discontinuance of Membership

The monthly meeting records the discontinuance of a membership in its records and sends a copy of the pertinent minute to the individual involved.

Extract References

1) Quaker Faith and Practice. The Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain, London. 1995, 11.01.

2) From a draft of Illinois Yearly Meeting’s Faith and Practice. 1999.

3) Loring, Patricia. Listening Spirituality, Volume 2: Corporate Spiritual Practices Among Friends. Openings Press, 1999, pp. 44-45.

4) Friends World Conference. Quaker Quotations on Faith and Practice. editor, Leonard S. Kenworthy. Philadelphia, PA: Friends General Conference. 1983, p.73.

5) Marnie Miller-Gutsell. Unpublished, 2002.

6) Maggie Edmondson. Unpublished, 2002. Revised by author in 2016.

7) Higgs, Emily. Belonging: Quakers, Membership, and the Need to be Known, Friends Journal, April 2012.

8) Dunstan, Edgar G. “Quakers and the Religious Quest.” (Swarthmore lecture). 1956, p.68.

9) Bodine, Thomas. “The Meaning of Membership in the Religious Society of Friends.” Address at Friends World Committee on Consultation. Waterford, Ireland, 1964, revised by author in 1985.

10) Sullivan,Walter Hjielt. “QuakerSpeak,” A project of Friends Journal, Friends Publishing Corp, Philadelphia, PA, September 16, 2015.

11) The Bible. New Revised Standard Edition. Romans 12: 4-5.

12) Palmer, Parker J. Quaker Faith and Practice. The Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain, London. 1995, 10.19.

13) Riemermann, James. nontheistfriends.org/article/what-is-the-basis-of-quaker-membership. April 8, 2007.

14) Claridge, Richard. Quaker Faith and Practice. The Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain, London. 1995, 11.08.

15) Fischer, Robert. “QuakerSpeak,” A project of Friends Journal, Friends Publishing Corp, Philadelphia, PA, March 10, 2016.


Page 28 of 28

16) Browne, Gordon M., Jr; Today Was Tomorrow Yesterday, address to Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting, Wider Quaker Fellowship, 1989, p. 13.

17) Quaker Faith and Practice. The Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain, London. 1995, 11.01.

Documents

NEYM Faith and Practice Revision Committee Working Paper on