Approved by Northern Yearly Meeting 6/99
INTRODUCTION
“Friends, keep your meetings in the power of God… and in the love of God… and wait upon the Lord…”
–George Fox, 1658.
“Friends conduct business together in the faith that there is one divine Spirit which is accessible to all persons; when Friends wait upon, heed and follow the Light of Truth within them, its Spirit will lead to unity. This faith is the foundation for any group decision…it is of prime importance that Friends understand and follow this procedure for business in the Monthly Meeting…[This] principle underlies all activities of the Society of Friends.”
–Faith and Practice, North Pacific Yearly Meeting, 1986.
WORSHIP AS THE BASIS
Friends make decisions based on the experience that the will of God can be discerned both individually and as a group. Regular worship as a faith community is an important foundation for that discernment. The Divine Spirit is active among us. Heeding the Light within can help us find unity in what we do. Thus our group decision making occurs in a meeting for worship to conduct business.
HISTORY
Historically, groundwork was laid for the current method of making corporate decisions in the late 1650s in England. The meeting of Friends in Balby, Yorkshire, in 1656 wrote:
“Dearly beloved Friends, These things we do not lay upon you as a rule or form to walk by, but that all, with a measure of light which is pure and holy, may be guided; and so in the light walking and abiding, these things may be fulfilled in the Spirit, not in the letter.; for the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life.”
–Meeting of Elders,1656.
Also at a general meeting at Skipton in 1659, Friends in the North wrote:
“That the power of the God-head may be known in the body…that none may exercise lordship or dominion over another, nor the person of any be set apart, but as they continue in the power of truth… that truth itself in the body may reign, not persons nor forms…”
George Fox established Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly Meetings in England and America in the late 1660′s and early 1670′s. These meetings were established because the Society was in need of a means to check individual leadings against the larger group decisions and leadings. Initially, business meetings were for men only but separate women’s business meetings began to appear as early as 1656 and George Fox urged that women’s business meetings be established everywhere. By 1671 there was a business meeting in London including men and women. Today men and women participate equally in the decision making in the same meeting for worship for business.
“The Monthly Meeting is the fundamental unit of the Religious Society of Friends. It consists of a group of Friends who meet together at regular intervals to wait upon God in Meeting for Worship and Meeting for Business.”
–Faith and Practice, North Pacific Yearly Meeting, 1986.
Quarterly Meetings are groups of monthly meetings geographically close who meet quarterly and Yearly Meetings are groups of monthly meetings from a larger geographical area which meet yearly for spiritual renewal and business.
(editorial note – similar definitions appear in the Structure and Function chapter. A final decision regarding their placement within the Faith and Practice will be made during our final editing process.)
CONDUCT OF THE BUSINESS MEETING
The meeting for business begins with worship. Some meetings use this as an opportunity for worship sharing on a query or advice.
Those with agenda items let the clerk know in advance to allow proper placement of the items on the agenda. The clerk proposed the agenda, preferably publishing it in advance. He or she conducts the meeting, facilitating the discussion by drawing out those reticent to speak and encouraging others to share the time equitable. The clerk seeks expression of dissenting opinion, upholding the meeting in the Light throughout the process. The recording clerk or assistant clerk records the proceedings. The clerks discern and bring forth in words the sense of the meeting. At some point in a discussion the clerk may summarize his or her perception of the sense of the meeting for approval or further discussion. At times a member of the meeting may propose a minute which attempts to summarize the sense of the meeting. When a decision is made, the recording clerk prepares and reads a minute, modifying it if needed for approval by the meeting.
Issues brought before the meeting are first clearly defined; then information is gathered, alternatives explored, and feelings and concerns expressed as the meeting moves toward decision. This process, this studying an issue to seek the Light, Friends call seasoning. Seasoning of issues can be done in committee or by other means before the business meeting. The business meeting must resist the temptation to redo the work of committees, and it must be open to new light in discussion of committee recommendations. Seasoning of agenda items before bringing them to the business meeting can help work out differences. Both the clerks, and individual Friends have the responsibility to inform themselves about agenda items before the business meeting.
All present are responsible for the right working of the meeting for worship for business:
- for maintaining a worshipful attitude;
- for listening carefully to and being respectful of others;
- for speaking when led, briefly, to the point and without repetition;
- for addressing the clerk by standing or raising their hand (depending on the size and custom of the meeting) when they wish to speak;
- for not speaking to individuals’
- for coming prepared and informed;
- for seasoning matters by good committee work or otherwise before bringing them to the meeting;
- for coming with minds open to the working of the Spirit, being prepared to have their minds changed and setting personal interests aside;
- and for working towards unity when differences are present.
New truths may emerge along with new understandings as Friends seek to reach a decision.
In large meetings the clerk does not usually participate in the discussion. In small meetings the clerk often actively participates in the discussion. In either case the clerk steps aside as clerk if the subject is one where he or she has a conflict of interest, has strong opinions, or cannot be objective. In many meetings both members and attenders participate equally. If a person cannot be at a business meeting and wants an opinion shared, he or she may write a letter to the clerk to be read at business meeting. That person should understand that a letter is not a substitute for being present to hear the opinions of others and to sense the working of the Spirit. The clerk or anyone present may ask for silent worship at times of tension.
Business of the yearly meeting occurs at annual session and executive meetings with the same format and principles.
UNITY, SENSE OF THE MEETING, AND DEALING WITH SERIOUS DIFFERENCES
Friends strive to know and follow God’s will for our meeting life. They do not vote or use majority rule. Rather they seek the truth and unity of the Spirit. Discerning God’s leading is both an individual and a communal process in which the meeting listens to each Friend and each Friend listens to the meeting. They accept a decision when they sense it is the will of God. When they listen to God and to each other, and achieve unity in our sense of God’s leading, they are living in the truth. They call this unity “the sense of the meeting.”
Unity is found when all or nearly all those present believe that the proposed decision is truly Spirit led. If an objection is raised to a decision supported by most, the person or persons objecting may offer to stand aside, to allow the meeting to proceed, sometimes asking to have the objection recorded. If the person or persons objecting do not wish to stand aside Friends must devote the necessary time to prayerfully, thoughtfully, respectfully, and tenderly consider the objection. A threshing session may be called, or a special meeting with those objecting can be arranged to explore alternatives. Praying privately for guidance from the Spirit may be helpful. The person dissenting carries a special responsibility to listen to the group, to seek divine leading, and to work actively with others to seek alternatives.
After further consideration, if the objection remains, the meeting decides whether the weight of the objection will stop approval at this time, or whether the sense of the meeting will allow approval and moving forward despite the objection, or whether there is another way to proceed. If some members of the meeting are convinced the objection is grounded in a direct perception of God’s will, the meeting is warned not to declare a sense of the meeting prematurely. The meeting seeks a balance – respecting the views of the dissenting persons, remembering that the dissenters may have a clearer knowledge of the truth. The meeting considers the weight of the objections and the judgment of the meeting as a whole. It is exceptional for one or a few individuals to block an action agreed upon by most. It is incumbent upon those objecting to listen carefully to the meeting, remembering that ii is the leading and discernment of the meeting as a whole which tests and validates the leading of individuals. Divine love is a binding force, and to experience that love in a meeting for business one must sometimes be willing to be bound by one’s community.
On rare occasions, Friends can more forward with decisions which are not unanimous but which still express the sense of the meeting. Major decisions among Friends on issues of abolition of slave-holding and women’s rights were sometimes minuted despite objection. However, proceeding with a decision over the objection of some risks losing members or even splitting the meeting. Where there is no clear sense of the meeting, the decision can be laid aside or postponed and put on the agenda for another meeting for worship for business. A particular challenge to the meeting community exists when differences exist on an issue where a decision is urgent and cannot be postponed.
THRESHING SESSIONS
For decisions that are controversial or that require additional time, the clerk or the meeting may call for a threshing session. A threshing session is a meeting where everyone is encouraged to express their views but with no intention of coming to a decision. Ultimately unity is best reached if full opportunity is given for differences to be aired and faced, and a threshing session is just such an opportunity. Threshing sessions also give opportunity for background information to be reviewed.
A CALLED MEETING FOR BUSINESS
At times a decision will be of such importance and will take up a large amount of time that a special meeting for worship for business will be called to be devoted to one topic. The purpose of this meeting for worship for business will be to reach a decision if possible. A called meeting for worship for business should be announced and publicized well in advance so that all will have the opportunity to attend
CONCLUSION
The Quaker corporate decision making process is a spiritual discipline needing trust, patience, a willingness to listen, mutual forbearance, a concern for and openness to others with differing views, and the grace of humor. The care with which we conduct our decision making is often critical to the enduring harmony of the entire meeting. At its best the result reflects the transforming power of the love of God, an exhilarating and joyful experience.
QUERIES
- Are meetings in which business in conducted held in a spirit of worship?
- Do we seek truth and the right course of action, rather than acceptance of a previously formed opinion?
- Do we maintain a spirit of love, patience, and understanding?
- Do we help one another in our search for unity by speaking briefly and without repetition?
- Are we tender and considerate of our differing views?
- Do we recognize that the will of God can at times be more clearly perceived by an individual or by the minority rather than the majority and that careful attention must be given to minority discernment as a valid channel of the will of God?
References:
- George Fox quote: Ep. 162, 1658.
- Letter from Friends in Balby: Letters Etc. of Early Friends, p. 282.
- Letter from Friends in Skipton, Ibid. p. 288.
