Meeting for Sufferings

Related pages: Quaker business, Quaker service

Meeting for Sufferings (MfS) is the standing representative body entrusted with the care of the business of the Britain Yearly Meeting through the year. This first met in 1675. Its original purposes included obtaining redress from both Parliament in cases of individual suffering and seeking to liberalise the laws relating to religious toleration.

Meeting for Sufferings and Trustees’ review group – interim report (PDF 40kb - new window)

Priority G: Using our resources well

Report on responses from meetings about Framework for Action Priority G.

Priority G: Using our resources well - Report on responses from meetings. [Word]

The Nature and Mission of the Church

Document from Meeting for Sufferings 7 Feb 2009 - The Nature and Mission of the Church: A Response from the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain to the World Council of Churches Faith and Order Paper 198, The nature and mission of the Church: a stage on the way to a common statement

The Nature and Mission of the Church: Introduction [PDF: 24kb - new window]

The Nature and Mission of the Church: a response from the Religious Society of Friends [PDF: 91kb - new window]

Office holders

The clerk is Christine Cannon of Wirral and Chester Area Meeting. In presiding over the meeting she is assisted by Jeffrey Dean and the Recording Clerk. Chapter 7 of Quaker faith & practice explains the history, functions and constitution of MfS.

Constitution

Meeting for Sufferings has a visionary and prophetic role for the whole Society in Britain. It decides the priorities and sets the direction of the Yearly Meeting in the Long Term Framework. BYM Trustees are accountable to Meeting for Sufferings for central implementation and report regularly to them. Meeting for Sufferings also plays a vital role in fostering communication throughout the Yearly Meeting and in reviewing and testing concerns referred to it by area meetings. It also gives guidance on policy issues referred to it by BYM Trustees

Conduct of the meeting

Each meeting is conducted as a meeting for worship for church affairs (this is described in Chapter 3 of Quaker faith & practice).

At the meeting for each main agenda item there is usually a spoken introduction by a Friend who has been involved in developing that item of business. The clerk then opens the consideration to all present. Those who feel impelled by the Spirit to add something to the spoken consideration rise and wait to be called by the clerk. If called to speak they give their name and area meeting and say their piece as briefly as possible before sitting again. There then follows a short period of silence for the import of their addition to be considered by everyone. When ready the clerk will then look for a next minister (speaker).

Recording the minutes

When the meeting seems to be settling on a clear view of the matter, the clerk will draft a minute recording the "feeling of the meeting", which is read back to the meeting. With any necessary amendment, the minute will be agreed and recorded before the meeting moves onto the next item. Go to Quaker Business Meetings (off-site link) for a general account of this procedure of meetings for worship for church affairs.

Accountability

Each year MfS is required to give an account of itself at Yearly Meeting (YM). A written report is prepared and circulated in Documents In Advance Of Yearly Meeting. Time at the annual assembly is set aside for a presentation about the work of MfS. Representatives of MfS also report back regularly to their area and local meetings.

Membership of Meeting for Sufferings

The main body of the meeting are the members sent on behalf of (regional) area meetings (about 160 in total). Most area meetings send two members. Area meetings with over 300 members send three and any area meeting with over 800 members sends four. Others currently permitted to attend are representatives from the general Meetings in Scotland and Wales, of certain central committees and senior staff members.