MEMBERSHIP

Membership in the Society of Friends should be an outward sign of an inward commitment to the Gospel of Love and of a fundamental unity with the aspirations of the Society. It carries with it both privileges and responsibilities. A member is called to be faithful to the Light which he/she receives, to attend meetings for Worship and Business, and to reflect the life of the Spirit in his/her daily living.

Friends are aware that religious truth comes to different persons in somewhat different ways, and that seekers find themselves in various stages of growth in religious experience. An open mind and heart and an earnest desire for ever-increasing Light are matters of deep concern. One who relates to the meeting so as to be able to help its life and be helped by it is likely to be qualified for membership. A spirit of love and understanding should pervade all discussions with prospective members.

Membership in a Monthly Meeting includes membership in the Quarterly Meeting and the Yearly meeting of which the Monthly Meeting is apart. Normally, the membership of a Monthly Meeting consists of people living within an area consistent with regular attendance and participation. Some members may be living temporarily, or even permanently, away from the Meeting. In rare cases new membership may be considered for an applicant living at a distance.

The Society values the attendance and participation in its meetings of persons drawn to Friends. The Society encourages such persons to consider the increased opportunities for development and service which may come with membership. Attenders are welcome to take part in Business meetings and to serve in ways consistent with their qualifications. The Ultimate responsibility for decisions rests with members.

ADMISSION TO MEMBERSHIP

All decisions concerning membership shall be made in sessions of the Monthly Meeting. Membership in a particular Monthly meeting may be acquired in the following ways:

Personal Application

A person who is considering joining the Society of Friends should, through consistent attendance and study, come to have an understanding of its faith, its way of worship, its manner of conducting business, and the responsibilities of membership. An acquaintance with the history of the Society and of the development of its principles and testimonies will help an applicant form an opinion as to whether membership would foster his or her own spiritual growth and provide opportunities for contributing to the Meeting.

A person wishing to become a member should address a letter to the Monthly Meeting stating why he or she is drawn to become a member. The letter should be read at the next Monthly meeting. The usual procedure is to refer the application to Ministry and Oversight or a special committee. The committee should seek assurance that the applicant is sincere and has an understanding of, and a readiness to try to live by, the principles of Friends. The applicant should be made aware of the importance to the life of the Meeting of the Quaker method of searching together for unity.

The committee should report to the next Monthly Meeting, stating its opinion as to the appropriate action. After hearing the report, it is recommended that the Meeting take final action. If approval is granted, a minute should be made to that effect and a Friend r two appointed to welcome the new member.

When applicants are well known to the Meeting, some of these procedures may be omitted.

On joining the Society of Friends, a member is normally expected to relinquish membership in another religious body, and should obtain if

possible a letter of release from that body. A member may retain

membership in another religious group, or a Friend may establish such membership, only when the individual and the Meeting are satisfied that it is in keeping with being a Friend.

Membership of Children

All children of the Meeting are from birth under its care and oversight. The Friends community is a close association of those sharing the worship-fellowship relation. Into this group, as in a family, a child is born of participating members, and this has been recognized as membership in the Society. Adopted children have the same recognition at the time of adoption. Those who come into membership with the Society of Friends by convincement may bring their minor children with them. For many, this is part of a family unity, and for them a meaningful relationship "in full membership" to the Meeting. Where only one parent is a member, children may become members upon the request of their parents.

At some point a child or young adult should make a conscious decision, either vocally or in writing, to the Monthly Meeting, as to whether he or she wishes to continue as a member. Parents in the Meeting should remind their children of the need to make a decision.

Transfer of Membership

All Meetings need a functioning membership, and all members need an available Meeting; therefore a member who moves beyond the limits of the Monthly Meeting should if possible find a Meeting in the new vicinity and eventually have membership transferred to this Meeting. Membership in two Monthly Meetings at the same time is discouraged because membership should coincide with function and because dual membership requires double bookkeeping, distorts membership records, and suggests a divided interest.

Membership may be transferred from one Meeting to another within the Yearly Meeting on request of the member to the original Meeting. When a Friend wishes to transfer membership to any other Friends Meeting, or to another denomination, the Meeting should grant a transfer or release, depending on the requirements of the receiving group. If a release is requested, it should be handled as for termination of membership.

A request for transferal should be granted promptly if the membership is in order, and a certificate of transfer should be sent to the Meeting named by the member, with a statement commending him/her to its loving care and oversight. The certificate should be signed by the Clerk.

When an applicant for membership produces a certification of transfer from another Meeting or a letter of recommendation from another religious body, it should be referred to the Clerk or to a designated committee for action. The Clerk of the Meeting to which a membership is being transferred should promptly acknowledge receipt f the certificate, and a committee may be appointed to visit the transferring member. If the Meeting is satisfied, it should accept the certificate and record the membership. The forwarding Meeting should then be notified. The membership change would be effective as of the date of the acceptance of the certificate.

Sojourning Membership

A member who expects to stay seasonally or for a short time in the area of another Meeting should request of the home Meeting a sojourning minute directed to the other Meeting. If that Meeting approves, the sojourning member should be welcomed into its fellowship. During the sojourn the member accepts the privileges and responsibilities of membership while retaining his or her original membership. However, a sojourning membership should not be counted in the statistical report. At the conclusion of the sojourn, the minute should be returned to the home Meeting.

Termination of Membership

If a member submits a resignation, the Meeting is not absolved from further care. A committee may be appointed to visit this person in love, inquire into the cause of the resignation and, if fitting, encourage reconsideration of the action. If this purpose continues and the Meeting accedes, a minute should be made stating that the member is released at his or her own request. The Clerk will then inform him or her of this action in a letter conveying the affectionate regard of the Meeting. The Meeting should be open to a renewed application from this person, handling it according to the usual procedure for new members.

If a release is requested for the purpose of joining another religious body, the Meeting may not only grant the release but should notify the body named by the applicant, commending him or her to its fellowship.

Members who manifest no interest in or concern for the well-being of the Society, or fail to respond in any manner after being repeatedly addressed, may be dropped from membership. The meeting may designate a committee to visit such a person who lives in the vicinity of the Meeting or to try to locate and correspond with him or her if at a distance. If no favorable response is received or if repeated mail correspondence brings no reply, the matter should be reported to the Monthly Meeting. If the Meeting feels the action is justified, the member should be notified by word or letter that his or her name will shortly be removed from membership unless a request for other action is received. A minute should be made terminating the membership and the member notified by letter.

Occasions may arise when the Monthly Meeting feels it necessary to ask a person to withdraw membership and, in case of unwillingness to do so, to remove the name by action of the Meeting. Such occasions would be rare and would usually be limited to cases where the Meeting, or major causes supported by the Meeting, would be seriously harmed by such person's membership. It is the duty of the Meeting to consider such a matter with great seriousness before taking action. The Meeting may then appoint a special committee to confer with the member. The committee in a spirit of loving concern should counsel with the member, seeking to understand his/her views and actions and to ascertain whether the member may now wish to change the relationship with the Meeting in ways acceptable to Friends.

If this appears unattainable, the committee should so report to the Monthly Meeting. If the Meeting concurs, it should notify the member of its intention to consider a discontinuance of membership, deferring such action to a future Meeting and advising the individual that the case may be presented to the Meeting in person or otherwise. If the Monthly Meeting subsequently believes that the membership should be discontinued, a minute to this effect should be adopted and the individual promptly notified.

In all cases, Meeting and individuals concerned should continually seek to act in a spirit of restoring love, aware that each person is subject to human error and a restoration of fellowship is to be desired by all. _______________

TRANSFER OF MEMBERSHIP FORM

To _______________________ Monthly Meeting of Friends:

Dear Friends: ____________________ and ________________ his wife, members of this Meeting, having moved with heir minor children, _______________ and ____________ request a transfer of their membership to your Meeting. This is, therefore, to certify that no obstruction appears to the issuing of a certificate of membership to them. We therefore recommend them to you, and remain, in love, your friends.

Signed by direction and on behalf of ________________ Meeting of Friends, held __________ month, 19__. __________________________ Clerk

Pertinent Topics to Discuss with Prospective Members

When a person applies for membership, the ensuing interview between the appointed visiting committee and the applicant provides an opportunity for the primary purpose of determining the readiness of the Meeting and the applicant for this step, and for the visiting Friends to become more fully acquainted with the applicant. The topics below, many of which will appear naturally in the course of conversation, may serve a s a guide for the committee. They are not meant as an examination, nor are there "right" and "wrong" answers. Rather their value lies in what they may reveal of the experience of both the counseling Friends and the applicant in seeking and discovering those truths upon which a personal, family, and group life can be built. The interview should take place in the spirit of a common search.

1. Reason for Applying. The applicant is naturally interested in expressing views on this subject. It is helpful to look at both the long-range and more immediate reasons for the application.

2. Meaning of Membership. Membership involves both spiritual and practical consideration. How does the applicant hope to take part in the Meeting? Does the person appreciate the help that can be given through regular and prompt attendance at Meetings for Worship and Business, by contributing to the quality of silence and being sensitive to participating in the spoken ministry? On what committees would he/she like to serve? What is his/her knowledge of and attitude toward the financial needs of the Meeting? Have previous church relationships been clarified in the light of this prospective step? Would the applicant be willing to wait for a longer period before joining, if it seemed desirable?

3. Friends' Practices. What is meant by Friends' emphasis on experience rather than profession of spiritual truth? What Friends' literature has the applicant read or studied? In our branch of Friends, what is the significance of "unprogrammed" worship, the absence of a paid minister, our form of decision-making, marriage and memorial services, children's membership? What is the Quaker sense of the sacramental, and how does it relate to the sacraments as practiced by other Christian communions?

4. Friends' Testimonies. On what aspects of Quaker faith, practice, and history are the testimonies on peace, simplicity, equality, and community based?

5. Relationship to Other Friends. Becoming a member of a Monthly Meeting means becoming a member of the whole Society of Friends. What does this mean in terms of a specific Monthly, regional, and yearly Meeting? Does the applicant know of the "separations" that have occurred in Quaker history and of present relationships among the branches of Friends? Is he/she aware of the various general associations, committees, organizations, center for study, schools and colleges, and periodicals and other publications of Quakers? _____________ Page 40:

6. Membership and Personal Problems. Opportunity should be afforded for the applicant to bring up past or present actions, involvements or obligations which may make particular demands upon the Meeting. 7. Theology. Does he/she realize that Friends hold various opinions on theological matters? What has the applicant's experience revealed so far concerning God? The Inward Light? Jesus? The question of evil? The place of the Bible? What happens in a Meeting for Worship, or the individual worship?