SESSION 5:

WHEN FRIENDS GET DOWN TO

BUSINESS—QUAKER PROCESS

“Quaker decision-making is grounded in the belief that when several people come together to labor...they can discern a truth that exceeds the reach of any one individual.

To be effective, Quaker process requires that everyone come ready to participate fully by sharing their experiences and knowledge, by listening respectfully to the experiences and knowledge brought by others, and by remaining open to new insights and ideas. This powerful combination of grounded experience and spiritual openness, rationality and faith, allows a deeper truth to emerge. When everyone present is able to recognize the same truth, the meeting has reached unity. The clerk’s job is to sense emerging truth and labor with those present to put that truth into words.” -An Introduction to Quaker Testimonies

Overview

This final session explains how a Quaker Meeting functions organizationally applying unity decision making and discernment. Our methods for conducting business have been used and refined over hundreds of years. And since the 20th century, elements of these practices have been widely adopted across business, government, and civil society by non-Quakers.

This course addresses the following questions: How are we organized? What is Quaker Process? Why do we do things the way we do? What is my place in the Meeting? What lies ahead for Quakers?

Central to understanding Quaker practice is that we are active, engaged participants in doing the work of the Meeting. There are no clergy and no centralized hierarchy; needs go unmet if we don’t do things ourselves. A Quaker Meeting only thrives when Friends pitch in. The way we organize ourselves – committees, task forces, support groups, clearness committees, and so on – depends on engagement. An understanding of Quaker processes helps those new to the faith find work that fits their interests and to discover the spiritual rewards of service.

Presenting material through videos, short readings, and discussion questions, this session lasts about 1 hour.

Course Content (Note: Content is best viewed through Chrome or MS Edge internet browsers.)

1. What is a Quaker Meeting For Business? (Online Article, 1 page, Approx. 5 min.)

2. The Quaker Business Method: A tool kit for decision making in meetings (Video, 22 min.)

3. Quaker Business Basics (Online Participation Guide, Approx. 6 min.)

4. Why Quakers Value Process Over Outcome (Video & Discussion Questions, 9 min.)

5. When Quakers Disagree (Online Article, Approx. 5 min.)

6. How Do Quakers Approach Leadership? (Video & Discussion Questions, 11 min.)

Opportunities to Participate

Friends Meeting of Washington Activities

Are you interested in peace and social concerns? Consider joining the Peace & Social Concerns Committee or the Hunger and Homelessness Task Force.
Are you interested in student mentoring? Consider joining the Mary Jane Simpson Scholarship Fund.
Are you interested in create community? Consider signing up for Young Adult Friends or the Hospitality Committee.

Additional Resources