"We're not a DIY, but a DIT community - a Do-It-Together church."
Quakers in Britain have no separate paid clergy, but rather have long affirmed the priesthood of all believers. It's not that we don't have a clergy - we are all clergy. However, this does not mean that we are a DIY church. As Woodbrooke tutor and author Ben Dandelion likes to say, "we are a D.I.T. community - a Do-It-Together church."
Pastoral Care Friends
- Within Area Meeting, there is a team of people who have taken on a particular responsibility for the pastoral care of the members and attenders of the meeting. They advise individuals on applications for membership and befriend in order to help when personal difficulties arise. They are usually appointed for a three year term of service. Whilst individual members of the team are likely to have particular concern for their local meeting, this is an area-wide appointment, and Pastoral Care Friends share responsibility for the whole area.
Elders
- These are a group of Quakers who have a particular responsibilty for the spiritual life of the meeting. They will make sure their Meetings for Worship are rightly held (they will shake hands to end the meetings), they may arrange study groups, and they will organise funerals and memorial meetings. Elders are usually appointed for a three-year term of service, otherwise known as a 'trienium'. The whole team of elders from across Hampshire and the Islands come together regularly to consider and guide the spiritual life of the whole area meeting.
Clerk
- Some local meetings have a clerk, who is responsible for the conduct of a meeting for business. For other meetings, this may be a shared role amongst a clerking team. Again, this is usually a three year post.
- The clerk will try to discern the 'sense of the meeting' and help Quakers agree written minutes of any decisions. In reaching decisions, Quakers do not vote. After full consideration of a matter and allowing for new insights to develop, the collective decision of the meeting is gathered and expressed by the clerk, in a minute for the approval of the meeting. Individuals are asked to accept the sense of the meeting, which may not be their own personal view.
- We also have an Area Meeting Clerk, responsible for our AM Meetings for Worship for Business - this is currently Sue Stanek (pictured here) who can be contacted at clerkhiaqm@gmail.com . Sue compiles the agenda for each meeting, and sends out 'notices in advance.' If you are not already on the AM mailing list, please send Sue an message to get your email address added.
Treasurer
Most of our local meetings have a treasurer, who is responsible for managing donations and expenses. We also have an Area Meeting treasurer, currently Sheila Peacock (pictured here), who manages our AM accounts and ensures that our financial arrangements comply with Charity Commission legislation.
For more information about local and area finances, including details about gift aid and expenses - see our Finance page.
Local Development Worker
Hugh Douglas is our Local Development Worker for Hampshire and Islands, Bournemouth Coastal, and Dorset and South Wiltshire Area Meetings.
"I would like for you to feel that you can involve me as much or as little as you like in what you are doing individually, as special interest groups, as local meetings or as an area. Let me know what you are doing and how I might be able to support you. This might include accompaniment, signposting to other BYM and Woodbrooke resources, facilitating workshops and events on a variety of themes, listening, encouraging and enabling, connecting Friends with people and resources, assisting with major projects and reviewing existing activities or processes." contact hughd@quaker.org.uk
Safeguarding Co-ordinators
We are committed to keeping everyone safe. Abuse in any form is unacceptable. Everyone, including children, young people and at-risk adults, has a right to participate in Quaker communities without suffering harm, regardless of age, disability, mental health, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, gender or sexual orientation.
Our Safeguarding Co-ordinator Trish Roscoe, pictured here, and her assistant Beverley Meeson are on hand to respond to any concerns - for more info and contact details see our safeguarding page.
Registering Officer
- Each area meeting appoints a suitable Quaker as Registering Officer. The officer's role is to oversee marriage procedures and to register all marriages according to the custom of the Society within the Area Meeting. This post is currently fulfilled by Graham Dragon from Winchester Meeting. You can send Graham a message via the Contact Us page.
Committees
There are numerous other committees, groups and rotas at both an Area and Local Meeting level, and joining one of these can be a great way to get to know other Friends better, working together to ensure the smooth running of our meetings.
These include Friends working together sharing the responsibility and discernment for outreach, library, nominations, premises, events, young Quakers and much more. How would you like to get involved?