Eastern Hills MM Job Descriptions

In order to facilitate and effective trasfer of information from departing to new committee persons, itis suggested that all material you have that pertains to your committee be passed on as you leave its service. This should include any notebooks, folders, stationery or files. It is suggested the material be given to the convenor of the new committee prior to April 1, when new assignments are effective. Remember that new people may not be aware of what materials are available and therefore it behooves the outgoing member to share information with those beginning work.

The convenor of the new committee is indicated by an asterisk on the list of officers and committee members. The convenor is responsible for scheduling the first meeting. At that meeting themembers should choose a clerk. The clerk of the committee will receive any mail from the presiding clerk and be responsible for leading the committee's work until a new clerk is chosen.

A copy of this document, which should include all committee job descriptions, will be filed in the library for easy reference, and copies will be available as part of the nomination process.

Clerk

one 2-year term; must be a member of the Meeting
time required: at least 1 hour per week, up to 10 hours per month

The main duty of the clerk is to conduct all business sessions of the Meeting. In practice, there are many other executive responsibilities that are assumed while serving as Clerk.

Tasks:

Coordinate communication within the Meeting, with other Quaker organizations, and with the public
- Listen to phone messages and respond appropriately every week.
- Sort, read and distribute the weekly pile of mail. Leave appropriate material on the literature table in foyer. Clear away dated material from table.
- At weekly meeting for worship, ask visitors to introduce themselves and sign the guest book, ask for announcements, dismiss meeting.
- Is central contact person for the meeting to outside groups (unless a particular committee is assigned).
Conduct Business Meeting
- Prepare for monthly meeting for business - agenda, assemble calendar, announcements. Check for scheduled tasks so that the appropriate committee is reminded of upcoming deadlines (i.e. preparation of budget, annual nominations, etc.).
- Read a query at the beginning of Meeting for Worship on the day for Monthly Meeting.
- As the spirit of Business Meeting requires it, discern the sense of meeting, the need for further consideration of a matter or closure of a matter.
- Recommend a task for assignment to a committee, creation of clearness committees.
- Call special meetings for business when/if needed.
- When unable to attend meeting for business, designate an alternate.
Prepare meeting statistical reports for the two yearly meetings and transmit them to appropriate people.

Corresponding Clerk / Newsletter Editor

1-year term; renewable twice
time required: 1-2 hours per month and regular attendance at Monthly Meeting

Occasionally the presiding clerk, Ministry and Counsel or the Monthly Meeting at business meeting may request correspondence but routinely there are only two duties.

First, write a summary of the Monthly Meeting activities for each Yearly Meeting newsletter 3 times a year.

Second, administer the Carte Award, a scholarship presented by Eastern Hills MM to a student at the UC College of Criminal Justice. In April or May we receive a letter from the school with a nominee. A check is requested from the Treasurer in the name of the recipient. The check, a letter of congratulations and a history of the scholarship is sent, with a copy to the professor in charge.

Newsletter Tasks:

Attend business meetings to gather information to be printed in the newsletter.
Prepare newsletter the week following business meeting. Send or give copies to each family in meeting. Newsletter may be emailed to those in meeting with email addresses.
Newsletter typically includes a calendar of up-coming events along with the necessary explanations.
Send copies of newsletter to other meetings/organizations as requested: as of 1/2002 these include Community Meeting Wilmington College Archives
Review periodically with Monthly Meeting whether newsletter is serving a useful function and should be continued.
Compare address list periodically with membership list and up-date, as needed.

Recording Clerk

1-year term; renewable twice
time required: 1-2 hours per month and regular attendance at Monthly Meeting

The recording clerk attends Monthly Business Meeting and records the deliberations and actions of the Monthly Meeting. These Minutes are copied, distributed for review at the next Monthly Meeting, corrected as needed, and a corrected copy is preserved for permanent records. If the recording clerk is unable to attend a business session, he or she is responsible to arrange an interim replacement.

Periodically, these minutes and any other minutes and documents of the Monthly Meeting that have accumulated are copied and forwarded to the Quaker archives at the Wilmington College Library for permanent preservation. A volume is also prepared for the Monthly Meeting's permanent records.

Treasurer

3-year term; renewable once
time required: 2-4 hours per month, ad hoc member of Finance & Budget Committee, and regular attendance at Monthly Meeting

Tasks:

Pay bills and budgeted contributions.
Collect contributions. Pay unbudgeted bills and contributions as directed by Business Meeting.
Convene Finance and Budget Committee.
Prepare monthly reports for Business Meeting.
Write letters to acknowledge contributions of $250.00 or more for tax purposes.
Maintain a clear and accurate log that records all income and disbursements.
Retain all bank statements, copies of invoices and other receipts in a clearly marked and well-organized system.
Submit annual financial reports to both Yearly Meetings.

Finance and Budget Committee

4 members: 3 members serving 3-year, staggered terms and the treasurer
meets in December to prepare proposed budget

Tasks:

This committee's main task is to propose the next year's budget. For this purpose the Treasurer convenes it.
It should also provide consultation to the Treasurer on questions like reporting, investing and account changes.

It should periodically audit the books. This should always be done when the Treasurer changes to ensure the new officer has a "clean slate." One technique is to randomly compare monthly receipts to the matching bank statements. Ensuring that all contributions are properly deposited is more difficult.

EHFM Corporate Trustees

3 members serving 3-year, staggered terms

Meet as needed to act as legal representatives of the Meeting, to meet the legal requirements of Ohio state laws governing corporations of our type.

Ministry & Counsel Committee

3 members serving 3-year, staggered terms
meets regularly, at least once a month

Ministry & Counsel members should be seasoned members of the Meeting, as this committee has direct responsibility "to foster the spiritual life of our Meetings for Worship" (Book of Discipline, OVYM) and provide pastoral care to the individuals who make up the Meeting. It meets regularly, at least once a month, and makes monthly reports, as needed, to the Meeting in Business session.

The committee prepares the State of the Meeting report annually. The report concerns the spiritual condition and needs of the Meeting. It is usually presented to the Monthly Meeting for Business in April. After approval, the clerk of the committee forwards the report to the Quarterly Meeting of each Yearly Meeting, and to the clerk of OVYM and the YM Offices of WYM.

The Miami Quarterly Meeting wishes to provide guidance to Monthly Meetings in the most helpful structure for State of the Society reports. (5/18/2003) Meetings should hold in mind that
- They should discuss the quality of the meeting for worship.
- Editing down to a more moderate length would often be appropriate.
- Each meeting could profitably engage in self-examination rather just providing an outline of activities.

The committee should monitor the quality of the Meeting for Worship, offering counsel as needed to preserve the balance between vocal ministry and opportunity for individual worship. It should encourage the Meeting to find ways of letting people know about the Society of Friends, make attendees feel welcome, and promote membership.

The Committee implements the procedures for membership.

It meets with those wishing to become members, so that full mutual understanding can be reached as to the appropriateness of this action; the committee then reports the request and the committee's recommendation to the Monthly Meeting for action. The committee also receives and follows the necessary procedures to accommodate requests for transfer of membership. Upon approval of a new member's request by the Meeting, the clerk of M&C arranges for a one year subscription to either Friends Journal or Quaker Life. When FJ is selected, the Miami Quarterly Meeting treasurer pays for the subscription.The meeting pays for QL. (A member of the meeting also customarily agrees to host a welcoming event in their home for the new member.)
Absent members are followed and contacted, as is deemed appropriate, about their condition and status within the Meeting. For example, it is customary to contact youth who are recorded as associate members after they have completed their formal education, if they are absent, to encourage them to find a spiritual home that can serve them in their adult lives.

Ministry to the Meeting may also include concern for adult education; support for members in times of conflict within the meeting or personal crisis; and any other activities that will foster the Society and minister to the Monthly Meeting.

Nominating Committee

3 members serving 3- year, staggered terms
time required: 4-5 hours during January and February

Positions are filled by the Monthly Meeting, usually at the business meeting when nominations are approved for other committees.

The Committee should start work in January, propose names at the February Monthly Meeting for Business, with final approval during the March Monthly Meeting for Business. New terms start on April 1st (with an exception or two). At any time the committee may be called to meet to suggest a replacement for anyone who is unable to complete his or her term. The committee should prepare documents in support of their functions. These include a nominations report for the Monthly Meeting, and maintaining descriptions of all jobs within the Monthly Meeting.

Good nominating is a balance between finding people with the right skills and personality versus taking risks with new attendees or old members. Eastern Hills Meeting members should be considered for the positions of Clerk, Treasurer, Trustee, and Ministry and Counsel. Attendees and teenagers may be considered for other committees.

Guidelines:

Try to achieve a male/female balance on committees. Try to alternate male and female when nominating someone for the position of Presiding Clerk.
Try to refrain from putting members of the same family on one committee.
When a committee member's term expires, try to avoid the temptation to put that person back on the same committee. We have a lot of talents from which to choose. Those that have done well in one place may also be good elsewhere.
Do ask for others' ideas about who would be good and where.
Do not ask for volunteers.
When asking someone to fill a position, ensure they understand what their duties will be and how long the term will be.

Peace and Social Concerns Coordinator(s)

This is an ad hoc group of interested Friends, whose number and terms vary.

Tasks:

Attend meetings that include the three Cincinnati meetings, approximately 9 times per year, or as needed.
Meeting locations rotate in the following order: Eastern Hills, Cincinnati, Community.
When you are hosting the meeting it is your responsibility to arrange for someone to take the minutes and then mail them to anyone who attends the meeting.
Assist in planning the yearly Friends Peace Lecture.
Discuss, plan and implement outreach projects.
Present reports to business meeting.
Announce up-coming meetings and events.

Property Committee

3 members serving 3-year, staggered terms
meets regularly, reporting to MM monthly

Tasks:

Responsible for maintaining the meetinghouse and grounds.
Have a sign-up sheet for meetinghouse cleaning. Explain the cleaning process to anyone doing it for the first time.
Be sure that the necessary cleaning supplies are available in the meetinghouse.
Schedule annual fire inspections at the request of the fire department. Be sure all fire extinguishers have been recharged, exit signs have all bulbs working, and smoke detectors have working batteries. All exits should be clear of obstructions and the basement classroom door should be closed.
Arrange for the snow to be plowed when the meetinghouse will be in use. This can be done by members or, if there is a lot of snow, by a professional.
Arrange for the grass to be cut on a regular basis, either by members or by contractor, at the direction of the business meeting.
Organize work days in the spring and fall.
Get estimates and arrange for work to be completed, as needed by contractors.
Prepare monthly reports for business meeting.
Generally maintain the meetinghouse and property.
Try to be aware of any use of the meetinghouse by other groups. Generally, a member of the meeting should be available to host these meetings and be responsible for the care of the meetinghouse and locking up afterward. Remind the host to reset the furnace/air conditioner, turn off lights, water heater and water cooler.
Periodically check the motion sensor lights at each entrance to be sure they are working as well as the bulbs.

Religious Education Committee

3 members serving 3-year, staggered terms

Suggested meeting times:

End of May. Get class summaries into the blue binder. Find out which teachers will teach again next year. Begin recruiting. Note: Include teachers.
Early August. If there are still open teaching positions, they must be filled soon. Teachers need time to prepare.
Early November. Is there going to be a Christmas play? Who is running the show? Are there mid-year teaching positions to fill? If not yet started, do we need some adult discussion?

The Religious Education Committee should decide how best to group the children into classes. This determines the minimum number of teachers that are needed. Finding these teachers is the committee's most important and difficult duty.

Suggestions: There is no position in the Meeting more challenging than the job of 9 months of teaching First Day school class. Sometimes it is easier to find people that will do one half or one third of a year. Sometimes team teaching or teaching every other week is attractive. (Note: not recommended for upper elementary or high school classes for continuity sake.)

The Religious Education committee is responsible for determining at what age children will receive summer care and finding adults or teenagers to provide that care. The committee sets the last and first day of class, usually the week before Memorial Day and after Labor Day.

Past Religious Education committees have determined that all classes should go through a 3-year rotating program of Old Testament, New Testament, and Quakerism. Teachers, students, course studies and comments have been recorded in the blue binder in the library. It is recommended that this practice be considered, and if in agreement, continued.

Suggestion: It is more important to find willing teachers than to enforce a certain curriculum. Some new teachers may find a suggested area of study less intimidating than a blank slate. Use the blue binder to record what this level class has done in the past, for use by future teachers.

The committee can also become involved in items like ensuring that a Christmas play is performed, or requesting teachers to present something at Christmas and/or the end of the year.

Religious Education should also consider the religious education needs of the adults.

Youth Communications, adult liaison

This adult friend works with the teen youth and the Religious Education Committee to assist with communications within the Meeting. It is still an evolving position.

Spring Grove Trustees

2 members serve indefinitely (per MM action fall 2001)
time required - 1 hour per year

Very little required until someone desires space in the cemetery.

Tasks:

At the beginning of your term, familiarize yourself with the contents of the folder, which explains the burial space in Spring Grove Cemetery, which is available to friends in Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting. Determine who the other trustees are. Contact the Spring Grove cemetery staff to let them know how to contact you. Read through the procedures.

Meet with the other trustees if and when internment is requested in the Quaker plot at Spring Grove Cemetery. "The Trustees are directed to report to the Quarterly Meeting in February of each year as to all requests received by them during the year for admission of remains to interment in the subject lots, and their disposition of those requests."

Library Committee

This is an ad hoc committee whose size and composition may fluctuate. Barbarie Hill has functioned as the Meeting librarian for many years, and the rest of the committee is made up of those willing to lend assistance as needed.

OVYM Executive Committee

2-year term
usually 3 meetings a year in October, March and June; often in Richmond or Cincinnati; lasting 5-6 hours each

This committee is made up of representatives of each Monthly Meeting in Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting (FGC), led by the Yearly Meeting Clerk, and conducts the business of the YM between the annual Yearly Meeting sessions in August.

Wilmington YM Permanent Board

3-year term, renewable once
usually meets twice a year; once in Wilmington, the other time at the Yearly Meeting sessions

This committee is made up of representatives of each Monthly Meeting in Wilmington Yearly Meeting (FUM), plus YM administrative personnel. It "shall represent the Yearly Meeting in the interim between annual assemblies."

Eastern Hills Friends Meeting