Structure & Function
Northern Yearly Meeting (NYM) meets in an annual session, and in such interim sessions as may be needed, to worship in the manner of Friends, to practice corporate discernment under the guidance of the Spirit as we conduct our business, to celebrate and to share our lives and work as a community of Friends.
NYM is comprised of monthly meetings, preparative meetings, and worship groups, mainly from Wisconsin and Minnesota, with some from upper Michigan, Iowa, and North Dakota. Each of those meetings designates a representative to the Yearly Meeting. These designated representatives communicate the activities of NYM to their meetings and the concerns of their meeting to NYM.
NYM Meetings and Worship Groups
Within NYM, the monthly meeting is the fundamental unit of the religious Society of Friends. These meetings carry the primary responsibility of membership, oversight of marriages, and sustaining the ongoing life of the worship community.
NYM also includes many worship groups—small groups of Friends who gather. They may seek affiliation with a larger meeting for assistance and support.
There are also a number of unaffiliated Friends in our region who participate in Yearly Meeting annual sessions and other activities, even when not worshiping with a local meeting community.
New Meetings or Worship Groups may request affiliation with NYM.
NYM’s officers, committee members and clerks, and representatives to Quaker organizations carry out the work of the Yearly Meeting. They are generally nominated by the Nominating Committee and are subject to approval of the body at annual session.
For more details please read the Faith and Practice chapter on Structure and Function.