Clerk (Quaker)
Encyclopedia
Within the Religious Society of Friends
, a clerk is someone responsible for various administrative functions within a meeting for worship for church affairs or meeting for worship for business. The clerk is responsible for recording the discernment which a meeting for worship for church affairs has reached, in a minute, and is responsible for sending and receiving correspondence on behalf of the meeting. Within some branches of the Religious Society of Friends
, the clerk may also create an agenda
and may facilite
the meeting.
Friends record minutes contemporaneously, with each minute written in the meeting for worship for church affairs. At the end of each item, the clerk will present a draft minute, ask the meeting if they accept the minute, and the final minute will only be recorded when all Friends present feel that the minute is an accurate record of what has happened. When members of the meeting accept the minute, they will nod their heads or say "approve", or "hope so" in Britain
, see Quaker terminology).
In some Quaker groups, there may be more than one person performing clerking roles, for example the role of facilitating the meeting may be separate from recording minutes. In this case different names may be given to the different clerks - eg co-clerk, recording clerk, presiding clerk, assistant clerk, reading clerk, epistle clerk, correspondence clerk.
Some Friends groups, particularly ones who do not have regular minuted meetings for worship for business may have some of the roles usually carried out by a clerk carried out by a correspondent (who is responsible for sending and receiving correspondence on behalf of the meeting) or a convenor (who is responsible for bringing people together for a meeting - this is a term often used for someone who co-ordinates a committee).
In Quaker meetings, there are often committees and temporary working groups that perform duties and oversee activities of the meeting. Most committees will have their own clerk or convenor who will convene meetings and record minutes.
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
, a clerk is someone responsible for various administrative functions within a meeting for worship for church affairs or meeting for worship for business. The clerk is responsible for recording the discernment which a meeting for worship for church affairs has reached, in a minute, and is responsible for sending and receiving correspondence on behalf of the meeting. Within some branches of the Religious Society of Friends
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
, the clerk may also create an agenda
Agenda (meeting)
An agenda is a list of meeting activities in the order in which they are to be taken up, by beginning with the call to order and ending with adjournment. It usually includes one or more specific items of business to be discussed. It may, but is not required to, include specific times for one or...
and may facilite
Facilitator
A facilitator is someone who helps a group of people understand their common objectives and assists them to plan to achieve them without taking a particular position in the discussion...
the meeting.
Friends record minutes contemporaneously, with each minute written in the meeting for worship for church affairs. At the end of each item, the clerk will present a draft minute, ask the meeting if they accept the minute, and the final minute will only be recorded when all Friends present feel that the minute is an accurate record of what has happened. When members of the meeting accept the minute, they will nod their heads or say "approve", or "hope so" in Britain
Britain Yearly Meeting
The Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, also known as Britain Yearly Meeting , is a religious organisation in England, Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, often defined as a denomination of Christianity.It is a part of the international religious...
, see Quaker terminology).
In some Quaker groups, there may be more than one person performing clerking roles, for example the role of facilitating the meeting may be separate from recording minutes. In this case different names may be given to the different clerks - eg co-clerk, recording clerk, presiding clerk, assistant clerk, reading clerk, epistle clerk, correspondence clerk.
Some Friends groups, particularly ones who do not have regular minuted meetings for worship for business may have some of the roles usually carried out by a clerk carried out by a correspondent (who is responsible for sending and receiving correspondence on behalf of the meeting) or a convenor (who is responsible for bringing people together for a meeting - this is a term often used for someone who co-ordinates a committee).
In Quaker meetings, there are often committees and temporary working groups that perform duties and oversee activities of the meeting. Most committees will have their own clerk or convenor who will convene meetings and record minutes.