Strawberry Creek: Peace, Earth Care, and Social Witness Committee

Peace, Earth Care, and Social Witness Committee

PURPOSE

I lived in the virtue of that life and power that took away the occasion of all war.
-George Fox, 1651

The Peace, Earth Care, and Social Witness Committee's primary function is to facilitate Strawberry Creek Monthly Meeting's public witness for peace, justice, and environmental concerns. We use as a guide Friends peace testimony that speaks to eradicating the causes of war. "Based upon love and concern for the well being of all, Friends work for reconciliation and active nonviolent resolutions of conflict." (PYM Faith and Practice, 2001) We recognize that care for the natural world has become a natural extension of the historic Quaker concern for peace and justice. We acknowledge that Earth Care Witness is a key concern of SCMM.

The Committee serves the meeting as a center where, within the context of the historic testimonies of Friends, concerns and leadings for witness are generated, aired, and seasoned through a process of discernment to help weigh their appropriateness for action within the Meeting.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Hear concerns of individuals within the Meeting on matters of the Peace Testimony, concern for Harmony with Nature, and social issues.
Be aware of peace, environmental, and social justice concerns that are raised in other forums within Meeting, including Meeting for Worship, Business Meeting, Adult Education Sessions, Retreats, and other Meeting venues.
Generate ideas for witness by the Meeting on matters of peace, social, and environmental concerns.
Through a process of discernment,
- Season proposals for action by the Meeting within the Committee
- Bring written recommendations to Meeting for Business for consideration
For activities that become part of SCMM's corporate witness, the Committee will facilitate this witness by providing leadership and support for action. This may include but is not limited to involving members and attenders in developing a strategy for carrying out the witness, and helping to organize cooperative activities, such as collections, letter writing and other advocacy, demonstrations, vigils and other types of group witness around particular issues.
Organize and/or sponsor educational programs and discussion forums related to particular peace, social and environmental issues that are open to SCMM members, attenders and others.
For activities undertaken by individual members or attenders, provide ideas, information and links to resources that may be of use in implementing their activities.
Provide oversight for the Dime-A-Gallon Dream Fund. This includes informing meeting members and attenders of the project and dispersing any funds collected by the project in accordance with the January 11, 2004 Minute.
Read and respond to Advices and Queries as directed by Worship and Ministry, and present a response at Meeting for Business.

TERM

Committee members serve for one year beginning June 1 through May 31, with the possibility of re-nomination for additional years. Because of the broad scope of this committee it is recommended that the committee have co-clerks and include approximately 10 regular members.

NATURE & FREQUENCY OF ACTIVITIES

The full Peace, Earthcare & Social Witness Committee usually meets quarterly with an option to call additional meetings, as needed, of the full Committee or of 'workgroups' engaged in particular tasks. Not all full committee members participate in a workgroup, and anyone outside of the PE&S Witness committee may engage with a workgroup. (Currently we have 2 workgroups : Earthcare, and Peace & Justice.)

QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERS

SCMM members and attenders with an interest in working on issues of peace, social, and environmental concerns are eligible to serve on this committee.

REPORTING

The Committee reports regularly about its activities to Business Meeting and about witness opportunities, and other information on peace, social and environmental issues and activities with the larger SCMM community via the Meeting Newsletter, regular postings on the Meeting website and list serve, and other means.

LIAISON

The Committee extends its witness for peace, social, and environmental concerns through communication and cooperation with other groups such as:
- Other Monthly Meetings, Quarterly Meeting, and PYM Peace & Social Order and Friends in Harmony with Nature Committees,
- Selected religious and secular groups engaged in related activities
The Committee includes several adjunct members who are SCMM's representatives to such organizations as: Friends Committee on Legislation, Friends Committee on National Legislation, American Friends Service Committee, Quaker Earth Care Witness, and East Bay Sanctuary Covenant. These adjunct members are responsible for keeping PEC&SWC informed about activities of the group they are involved with that are relevant to the functions of PEC&SWC.

TRANSITION

In May, new members are invited to attend a transition meeting where they are welcomed to the Committee and members who are leaving are recognized for their work. New members will be given copies of the Committee's job description and Committee procedures. In the case of new clerks, prior to the transition meeting, the outgoing clerks will meet with the new clerks to orient them as needed to the committee's work e.g., summarize committee activities from the previous year, give a status report on the budget and all ongoing activities and projects, and transfer any files or other materials that may be of use to the new clerks.

Revised June, 2008

Strawberry Creek MeetingRELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS