QLCC 20 September 2025
Quaker Life Central Committee (QLCC) met on 20 September. The committee endorsed new wording for the Quaker marriage declaration, considered area meeting compliance and sustainability reporting, and agreed to pass all governance of Swarthmoor Hall and the Quaker bookshop to the Quiet Company Board.
What is this committee responsible for?
QLCC guides all Quaker work to support Quaker communities to grow, thrive and be inclusive.
What did it do at this meeting?
The Committee looked at the annual reports for 2024 that all area meetings are asked to send in. It noted the improved response rate compared to the previous year, as well as some areas of concern. Staff reassured the committee that there is staff support in place for the struggling meetings. In future, meetings will be encouraged when reporting on their sustainability work to use the Eco Church categories, which also allows better comparison with other churches.
New proposed wording for the Quaker marriage declaration was endorsed – if agreed by Yearly Meeting, this will allow a wider range of expressions of belief and for each partner in marriage to use the language that best describes their spiritual experience.
Finally, it was agreed that the spiritual oversight of Swarthmoor Hall and the Quaker bookshop should be held by the Quiet Company Board, the Quaker committee that governs the rest of their work.
How can I find out more?
Visit the Quaker communities area on the BYM website to read about the work of Quaker Life.