Officers, Committees & Concerns
Northern Yearly Meeting depends on committees to do the work of the organization!
Committees meet online, by phone and in person and are a great way to meet and enjoy the different personalities within our community, enlarge our friendships and our sense of connection to the wider community of Friends. We minister to one another, to the Yearly Meeting, and to the wider world.
Please contact the nominating committee if you are interested in serving on a committee or learning more about the various roles. nominating@northernyearlymeeting.org
For a roster of current Clerks, Committee Members and Representatives, please log in to the private NYM site.
Representatives to NYM provide two-way communication between NYM and their Meeting or Worship Group. Job Description for NYM Representatives from Meetings and Worship Groups
Officers
clerk@northernyearlymeeting.org
The NYM Presiding Clerk facilitates Meetings for Business with attention to spirit-led approaches to finding unity. They foster connections with committees, and on occasion may authorize certain requests for funds. They represent NYM to the public and handle correspondence. They also review minutes of business meetings, keep track of legal documents.
Assists the Presiding Clerk as needed. Must be ready to preside at a NYM Meeting for Business should the Clerk be unable to serve or to take over the office of the Clerk entirely should this be necessary.
The recording clerk is responsible for recording the discussion and minutes of the NYM Executive Committee meetings and of the meetings for worship with attention to business of the NYM annual sessions, and also is responsible for creating and distributing the minute book after the annual session each year.
treasurer@northernyearlymeeting.org
The Treasurer receives and dispenses NYM funds, maintains the accounting system, and advises Yearly Meeting, of its financial status. They provide information to Budget and Audit Committees.
The Archivist collects business meeting minutes, State of Society Reports and other items pertaining to NYM activities. They preserve archives in a safe location and provide copies as requested.
Committees
Helps to nurture and strengthen existing monthly meetings and worship groups, encourages communications and intervisitation among them and arranges for sharing of State of Society reports from meetings and worship groups at annual session.
ASPC plans the theme and program and arranges for facilities and support services for each specific yearly meeting annual session.
The Audit Committee determines if all financial activities for the previous fiscal year took place in accordance with previously approved NYM financial policies and procedures.
The Finance Committee prepares the annual budget, presents income and expense reports to Meeting for Business, and oversees the work of the Treasurer.
The Children and Youth Committee oversees the children and youth programs during the year and at Annual Session. They hire coordinators for the Middle School and High School programs, develop policies and monitor the children & youth program budtet.
The Communications Committee discerns communication needs and solutions for NYM activities and committees, and maintains various communication tools including the website, email list, NYM Meeting & Worship Group contact list, virtual meeting scheduling, and email accounts. They also produce publications including the monthly e-news and NYM Journal, and maintain the records for the NYM Faith & Practice publications.
The Ministry and Nurture Committee (M&N) is charged with nurturing the spiritual life of the Yearly Meeting. They maintain strong connections with the clerks’ team and other NYM committees to ensure the spiritual integrity of the faith community.
The Nimble Responders committee is assigned to consider signing on to letters for NYM and writing minutes for NYM when speedy timing is at issue. For discernment this committee seeks guidance from previous minutes and decisions by the Yearly Meeting and from NYM Faith & Practice. They write responses or sign statements, then publicize these statements within the yearly meeting and bring them forward to annual and interim sessions for review.
Nominating Committee members invite recommendations for nominations from the NYM community for officers, standing committee members, and representatives to Friends and other organizations. They work with committees to obtain updated job descriptions.
The NYM/El Salvador Yearly Meeting Committee works to nurture a mutual relationship between Northern Yearly Meeting and El Salvador Yearly Meeting, including bringing youth of our two yearly meetings together to learn of each other’s traditions.
Working Groups
NYM created a worship-based, spirit-led working group in fall of 2019 to look at the work on racism that has been done within our yearly meeting, to consider available resources, and to seek allies and ways forward to further the ongoing anti-racist work of the Northern Yearly Meeting faith community.
Representatives to Friends organizations
Camp Woodbrooke is a small residential summer camp for youth, located on 162 acres in the unglaciated area of Wisconsin and rooted in Quaker traditions of simplicity, harmony, peace, responsibility, and equality. The Camp Woodbrooke Liaison enhances the relationship between NYM and Camp Woodbrooke by making each organization aware of the other’s needs, resources, and opportunities for working together.
Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) is composed of Quakers who bring spiritual values to bear on public policy decisions. The FCNL Reps Committee provides an essential link between FCNL and NYM, keeping both informed of mutual concerns and goals. Its members join in FCNL’s work, and encourage active involvement of the NYM community in legislative efforts focused on peace, justice, and environmental stewardship.
Friends General Conference (FGC) is tasked with nurturing the spiritual vitality of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) by providing programs and services for Friends, meetings, and seekers. NYM provides representatives to the Central Committee, which is the governing body of Friends General Conference.
Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) works to encourage fellowship among all the branches of the Religious Society of Friends. NYM has representatives to the FWCC Section of the Americas who attend FWCC gatherings and meetings, and provide an avenue of communication between Yearly Meeting and FWCC.
Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW) Representatives from NYM serve on the steering committee, seeking ways to integrate concern for ecological integrity with Friends’ long-standing testimonies for simplicity, peace, truth and equality.
Friends Peace Teams fosters grassroots peacebuilding work around the world. NYM Representatives participate in FPT activities and share information about their work and volunteer opportunities.