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QUAKER DECISION MAKING

Understanding the Basics of Friends Church Governance

among Pastoral Friends

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Order and Government

“Jesus Christ, the King and Head of the Church, did appoint and ordain that there should be order and government in it.”

“[O]rdinarily God hath, in the communicating of his will under his gospel, employed such whom He had made use of in gathering of his Church, and in feeding and watching over them, though not excluding others. For, as in a natural body the more substantial and powerful members do work most effectually, and their help is most necessary to supply any defect or trouble in the body. . . .”

“Now, every controversy and dissension in the Church comes from the besetments of the enemy. . . .

-Barclay, Treatise on Church Government

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History

  • Radicalism was curtailed by the 1660s, with the Restoration of King Charles II.
  • Centralized decision-making became common: The Meeting for Sufferings.
  • Elders were more important than clerks or ministers in the daily life of the meeting before the 1870s.
  • By the early 1800s, the “clerk” was the symbol of institutional responsibility.

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History

  • Being a clerk was mostly a function of being an effective secretary and good formulator of minutes.
  • Very little was said officially about how to be a clerk before 1900.
  • The Uniform Discipline of 1902 codified some major changes for Orthodox Friends.
  • It was not until 1950 that FYM Friends limited the tenure of office. Some clerks served for decades prior to that time.

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What is a Friends’ meeting for business?

  • Quaker method in the Orthodox tradition is predicated on the idea that those in unity in Jesus Christ can respond to the collective leading of the Holy Spirit and the discerning abilities of those gathered to determine God’s will for the group.
  • A Quaker meeting for business is, first and foremost, a meeting for worship.

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What Quaker Business Is Not

  • It is not a political meeting.
  • It is not a place to go “with mind made up.”
  • It is not a place for speeches or caucuses
  • Quaker business practice is NOT based on consensus-building, on unanimity, or total and perfect equality of all perspectives.

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What others say about Quaker business meetings:

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From Northwest F & P

  • 2.08.05:Consideration of Business Matters
  • Persons proposing action do so, not with the idea of championing an idea and bringing the church to that point of view, but with a desire for united action based upon the Divine will. Accordingly, it is incumbent upon members to speak freely to the issue, from their particular perspectives. When this is done in humility and godly fear, it is frequently the case that the common thought of the people may shift to one or the other side of the proposal. When all who wish to do so have expressed their judgments, the Presiding Clerk gathers the collective judgment, asking for approval. When approval is voiced clearly, the clerk announces the will of the church, in words such as these "It is my judgment that Friends approve the action, but are there those who do not feel clear about it?" Unless objections are raised, or clarification required, the clerk then announces that it is the decision of the meeting. The Recording Clerk then formulates a minute embodying the proposition and the decision. The business session resorts to voting only when civil law requires it.

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Qualities Needed in a Clerk

  • Spiritual awareness
  • Faith in the Quaker decision-making process
  • Knowledge of Quaker testimonies and history
  • Awareness of Quaker activities beyond the local community
  • Experience in group dynamics
  • Constructive attitudes
  • Mastery of detail and follow through
  • Desire to serve

-Taken from David O. Stanfield 

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Romans 12:5-8

  • So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

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Tips for Being an Effective Clerk

Before the meeting:

1. Read/review the actions of the previous meeting, including the minutes, if available.

2. Review the minutes of the corresponding meeting the previous year.

3. Avoid surprises—notify the congregation/ meeting beforehand if controversial items are to be considered

4. Prepare an agenda, at least for your use.

5. Spend time in prayer and reading of Scripture before the meeting.

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Tips for Being an Effective Clerk

During the meeting:

  • Use an opening minute and include devotions/ worship time.
  • Remind those gathered of the goals and purposes of the process: to seek God’s will for the group. Read from Faith and Practice if necessary. Establish ground rules for how to share.
  • Give unhurried and sympathetic consideration to suggestions. Refrain from taking a position or attempting to overly influence discussion.
  • When reaching a decision, listen to and watch everyone in the meeting. Non-verbal cues often help the clerk to discern the leadings of the group.

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Tips for Being an Effective Clerk

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  • Formulate a minute and restate the minute or proposal for the group before asking for approval.

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Tips for Being an Effective Participant

  • Spend time in prayer and reading of Scripture before the meeting for business.
  • Attend with regularity or defer to those who do.
  • Attend and participate in a spirit of worship.
  • Listen first and speak only when prompted to do so by the Holy Spirit.
  • Listen to the leadings of others with discernment. How is God speaking through them?

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Tips for Being an Effective Participant

  • Know “Faith and Practice” and follow it.
  • Deference to “weighty Friends” is to be expected, though the Holy Spirit may speak through others.
  • Support the decision reached by the meeting.
  • Only use “standing aside” or “disapproval” in extreme circumstances.

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The Role of the Pastor

  • Friends had no paid pastors before 1875, though most meetings had resident ministers.
  • Pastors serve ex-officio on the Ministry and Oversight and should regularly attend and participate in the monthly meetings.
  • Pastors and their spouses, generally, should not serve as clerks.
  • Pastors should serve both as shepherds and co-laborers with the congregation
  • The Ministry and Oversight, as elders, have the primary responsibility for supporting and guiding the pastor.
  • Generally, long pastorates are signs of healthy arrangements.

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When things go other than as expected—For Clerks

  • If there is no unity, can the decision be postponed? Postpone a decision, if necessary and possible.
  • Appoint a committee to study an issue and bring a recommendation; it’s easier than resolving the details on the floor of a meeting.
  • If possible, incorporate suggestions from various perspectives into the final proposal.
  • It is permissible to give greater weight to the leadings of weighty Friends. It is also permissible to call upon them for advice, if needed

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When things go other than as expected

  • Ultimately, the clerk discerns what constitutes approval. The clerk should rarely determine that something is approved without strong unity to move forward.
  • Remember, the whole group is seeking God’s leading, under the direction of the Holy Spirit. The job of the presiding clerk is to discern God’s leading in this way.

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Other Trends

  1. Standing aside
  2. Disapproval
  3. Unanimity/Consensus
  4. Voting/polling
  5. Using “Quaker methods” in secular settings

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“The meeting does not have to be in complete accord for total unity” -Judy Ritter of NCYM

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Quaker business practice can be the most effective or least effective way to do business depending upon the skill of the clerk and the surrender of the membership to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

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What would you do?

  • Your monthly meeting’s building committee has studied and planned for a significant addition to the meetinghouse and has made the recommendation to move forward, including borrowing money. Several Friends express doubts during the monthly meeting where the idea is presented.

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What would you do?

  • Your local elders deadlocked on continuing the call of your pastor. They report this to the monthly meeting and bring no recommendation. The pastor has both strong supporters and strong detractors in the monthly meeting. His contract will be up in three months.

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What would you do?

  • A controversial proposal is presented to your monthly meeting. Most present seem to favor it, but some leading members are opposed. A supporter of the change advocates “taking a poll” to determine how to move forward.

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What would you do?

  • You attend monthly meeting regularly and find that you are not in unity with the clear majority of the congregation about a new expenditure. The Ministry and Oversight members are in unity, and the clerk appears ready to ask for approval of the expense.

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Questions/Comments