Committees

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If you have questions, interests, or needs, or wish to offer a committee your service or suggestions, please write or call the clerk of the appropriate committee.  Click on any of the following links for more information:

The Clerks are responsible for the Monthly Business Meeting: Preparing the agenda, conducting the meeting, and attending to necessary follow-up.

The Board has legal custody of the Meeting's Property, maintains adequate insurance, and is responsible for the fulfillment of the intent and purposes of the founders and donors of the property.

The committee clerks and meeting officers meet quarterly on the 5th Sunday to discuss items of Meeting-wide interest.


Standing Committees​

This committee empowers the Meeting by providing for smooth financial functioning. It responds to the financial needs of the Meeting and its committees through fund raising, accounts management, budgeting, and long term planning.​

The committee facilitates the Meeting's own hospitality functions.

The committee selects and acquires reading materials for the libraries, arranges for their use and care, and stimulates interest in publications relating to Friends' testimonies.  The committee is also responsible for recommending policy concerning generation and maintenance of Meeting records, and for updating the FMW Handbook.

This committee is concerned with the well-being of marriage and family relationships in the Meeting. It provides for and oversees marriages under the care of the Meeting.

                    See:  Unions of Marriage or Commitment

The committee deals with matters relating to membership, including applications, welcomes, transfers, resignations, and sojourns. The committee also fosters closer fellowship among members.

The committee fosters and strengthens the spiritual life of the Meeting, and especially its meetings for worship. The committee also helps individuals reach a deeper understanding of the principles and practices of Friends. Activities and retreats are offered to promote the study, discussion, and contemplation of the message of Quakerism.

The committee is responsible for nominating officers and committee membes for approval by the Monthly Meeting for Business. The committee welcomes suggestions for nominations.

The committee is concerned with the social testimonies of Friends, including war and aggression, civil liberties, fair sharing of resources, concern for the environment, and improved race relations.

The committee attends to members in need through financial aid and referrals.  It makes personal contact with those in nursing homes, seriously ill, or living alone.

To give or receive help:  Personal Aid

The committee is responsible for the oversight of the paid staff.

The committee plans for and maintains the safety, security, comfort and attractiveness of the buildings and grounds for Meeting functions and activities and also for those of its tenants. It is responsible for the Meeting's furnishings. It maintains an awareness of the capabilities and limitations of the buildings, including legal or other restrictions, and sees that the property is used accordingly. It helps the Meeting maintain a respectful relationship with its neighbors.

The committee is responsible for the activities of First Day School and for the promotion of religious education for everyone in the FMW community.

 

Special Committees & Other Groups

The Task Forces works very closely with all relevant Committees in an iterative, transparent, and collaborative way to develop a plan to recommend to the Meeting for the construction of an elevator and other capital improvements.

​AVP-DC was made an official FMW taskforce under the care of Peace & Social Concerns Committee in July 2020.  AVP-DC aims to build a team of trained Alternatives to Violence Project youth and adult facilitators who can conduct workshops on creative conflict resolution in Washington, DC.

  • Change Committee on Racial Equity

The Change Group on Racial Equity supports the efforts of individual Friends and the Meeting as a whole to examine how racism is showing up in our lives and work, and looks for ways that our lives and our Meeting can address and reduce racial injustice.  The Change Group is a taskforce under the care of FMW's Ministry and Worship Committee.  Its membership includes David Etheridge (clerk), Debby Churchman, Claire Kelloway, Andy Miller, and Susan Griffin. All are welcome at meetings.

  • Garden Committee

The committee works with volunteers and professionals to design and maintain the gardens and grounds.

  • Search Committee (October to October)

The committee is named by the Meeting for Business each October to nominate the members and clerks of the Nominating Committee.

The committee awards scholarships to graduates of the D.C. public schools who are going to college.

  • Mary Walcott-Lucy Foster Educational Fund

The committee awards scholarships to children at the Meeting who are attending Quaker schools.

The Task Force facilitates service by Meeting members and attenders to a number of homeless services organizations in D.C. Each Christmas season, it conducts a project of filling and distributing shoeboxes gifts for homeless persons. It also may pursue study and other projects around the issue of homelessness.​​

The group sponsors worship, social activities, and social service for Young adults (18 - 40).

For a description of staff support available to committees, click here.

For advice on writing an annual report, click here.

For a calendar of when annual reports are due, click here.

For advices on how to record minutes, see these documents:

For advices on Clerking, see these websites: