Traditionally in Quaker communities, a member is led to serve as clerk of the meeting. The clerk of the meeting is responsible for various administrative tasks, needs, and functions, which together make up what’s typically referred to as the “business” of the meeting. Friends gather on a monthly basis to practice collective discernment in the meeting for worship with attention to business (or just “business meeting” for short). At Durham Friends Meeting, we have a clerking team made up of 3-5 Friends who share these responsibilities.

Some of the team's tasks include:

Preparing the agenda for and facilitating Meetings for Worship with Attention to Business, which typically occur on a monthly basis
Listening for, articulating and testing the “sense of the meeting” during Meeting for Business.
Holding an annual meeting of the corporation and presiding as president of the corporation.
Managing all official correspondence of the Meeting
Maintaining communication with clerks of committees.
Attending Ministry and Counsel Committee meetings
Working with DFM members of Interim Body to maintain the relationship with Yearly Meeting