Standing Committees, as the name implies, continuously operate to carry out activities in their committee job descriptions.
Members, clerks, and committee representatives that constitute a standing committee have terms specified in each committee's job description, and rotate in and out of the committees.
This committee plans and runs Annual Session. The Presiding Clerk of the Yearly Meeting and the General Arrangements Clerk convene the group, which includes: Children’s Program Coordinator General Arrangements Clerk General Arrangements Assistant Clerk Physical Arrangements Clerk Presiding Clerk Program Coordinator Registrar Volunteer Coordinator Representatives from Junior Friends and Young Adult Friends The Annual Session Planning Committee appoints other positions necessary to the event, including Food Coordinator, Transportation Coordinator, Hospitality Coordinator, Creative Activities Coordinator, Worship-Sharing Group Coordinator, Interest Group Coordinator, “Daily Bulletin” Editor, and Bookstore Manager.
The Coordinating Committee (CC) supports and enriches the life of NPYM. It is the venue where NPYM standing committees and Monthly Meetings share about their work and inspiration. The committee identifies and links converging and emerging issues, and offers support to groups within NPYM. In addition, the committee provides support and oversight to NPYM Standing Committees.
The Coordinating Committee handles decisions that do not involve changes to policy, that are necessary to carry out the work of the Yearly Meeting, and that do not require full NPYM attention at Annual Session. The first step is to determine if the decision should be referred elsewhere. Discernment is necessary to identify which decisions can be handled at Coordinating Committee and which decisions rightly belong at Annual Session or in an NPYM standing committee, Monthly Meeting, or Quarterly Meeting.
The Executive Committee shall assist in the work of the Coordinating Committee between CC meetings, including timely decision-making necessary to carry out the work of the Yearly Meeting. All Executive Committee decisions shall be reported to the Coordinating Committee at its next meeting.
BEYOND SEPTEMBER 30, 2023, THIS COMMITTEE IS DORMANT, UNTIL REQUIRED.
The Faith & Practice Committee is responsible for the development and subsequent revision of Faith and Practice, our Book of Discipline. The Yearly Meeting conceives of Faith and Practice, not as a finished product and final word, but as an evolving document, representing the growing experience of North Pacific Yearly Meeting Friends in seeking to know and follow the Inner Light. Members are encouraged to study, use, and appraise Faith and Practice in this spirit.
Suggested changes, which may in time be incorporated in a future edition, may evolve through the actions of Monthly and regional Meetings, and of the Yearly Meeting; or through the suggestions of committees, or individual Friends. These suggestions should be given in writing to the Committee on the Discipline for consideration.
The Finance & Legal Committee provides stewardship of financial and legal matters for NPYM, and support and oversight to the NPYM Treasurer. This committee prepares the annual budget for the Yearly Meeting, to be approved at Annual Session; develops policies and procedures involving fiscal and legal matters; makes recommendations on insurance and legal affairs; and provides oversight and support for other NPYM entities with annual budgets (e.g., Annual Session, Junior Friends).
The Information Technology Committee’s function is to provide technical support and guidance for the Information Technology needs of NPYM.
The Committee on Ministry & Counsel (M&C) fosters the spiritual life and good order of the Yearly Meeting as a whole and at Annual Session. Responsibilities include encouraging communication among meetings and worship groups; serve as a resource for local M&C committees; coordinating with other standing committees about trends and needs within the Yearly Meeting; planning retreats and other educational opportunities. Responsibilities during Annual Session include orientation for first-time attenders at Annual Session; presentation of the State of the Meeting reports; Meeting for Memorials; care of the spiritual needs of individual attenders as needed; care of the closing Meeting for Worship.
The Nominating Committee carefully considers the needs of the Yearly Meeting positions and asks appropriate people if they will accept nominations to Yearly Meeting and Annual Session positions. The Committee prepares as full a slate as possible for approval at Annual Session. At other times of the year, nominations may be approved by the Coordinating Committee or the Executive Committee.
The Outreach & Visitation Committee seeks ways to provide and stimulate personal visitation and other forms of communication throughout the Yearly Meeting, with a particular concern for Preparative Meetings, Worship Groups, and Friends isolated from any organized group. The work of the committee is meant to coordinate with and support Monthly Meetings, Quarterly Meetings, and NPYM’s Ministry and Counsel Committee in their respective responsibilities in this area.
This committee’s main purpose is to facilitate communication and networking among Meetings, Worship Groups, and other Friends on social and peace issues and emerging concerns. To do so, it networks with meetings and worship groups, NPYM representatives to Friends organizations working on peace and social justice issues, and other regional and national organizations that address issues of concern to NPYM Friends. This committee helps season peace and social concerns minutes to come before the Yearly Meeting as a whole.
The Site Committee is responsible for exploring and making site recommendations to NPYM about where future Annual Sessions might be held — typically on a six-year rotation (two years at a site in western Washington, two years in western Oregon, two years east of the Cascades). Site arrangements are typically made several years in advance. The committee reports to Coordinating Committee and works closely with the Presiding Clerk and the General Arrangements Clerk.
The Youth Committee is a standing Committee of NPYM, serving the Yearly Meeting by supporting Yearly and Monthly Meetings in their work with children and youth. This committee nurtures spiritual development and a sense of community for our children and youth, and supports their transition to adult participation in the life of Friends. See the job description here.