Clerk

The clerk of a Quaker meeting is a critical role for the conduct of Quaker affairs. The clerk conducts the meeting for business or committee meeting in the spirit of worship. In that role, the clerk is responsible for creating the agenda, facilitating the conduct of the meeting. Some meetings may also expect the clerk to create and record "minutes".

Friends record minutes differently than businesses generally do, as each minute is written, the clerk asks the meeting if they accept the minute. If attenders accept the minute, they will nod their heads or say "approve" (or "I hope so" in Britain, see Quaker terminology), otherwise they may object. There may be further discussion, then the clerk may rework the minute, and ask for acceptance again.

In some Quaker groups, the role of facilitating the meeting is separate from the creation and taking of minutes. In this case, the meeting facilitator is known as the presiding clerk or simply clerk, while the one responsible for minutes is called a recording clerk. The meeting's clerk may also be expected to perform other duties like receive correspondence for the meeting.

In addition, many large Quaker business meetings such as Yearly Meeting business sessions have a reading clerk for reading text to the meeting, and an epistle clerk for handling correspondence.

At least in New York and New England Yearly Meeting sessions, the presiding clerk allows for a few seconds of group worship before recognizing each succeeding speaker in the audience. This slowing down process is reinforced by the use of a portable microphone which must be hand-carried to each speaker by a volunteer. The microphone allows Friends who are hard of hearing to hear the speaker on a small closed-loop radio broadcasting system.

In Quaker meetings, there are committees and temporary working groups that perform duties and oversee activities of the meeting. Each committee is headed by the clerk of that committee, similar to the chair or chairperson of a group or organization, who is traditionally chosen by the committee.

Bibliography

• Hickey, Damon D (1987). "Unforeseen Joy" Serving a Friends Meeting as Recording Clerk. Greensboro: North Carolina Yearly Meeting of Friends. p. 35pp. ISBN 0-942727-16-9. 
• Morley, Barry (1993). BEYOND CONSENSUS: Salvaging Sense of the Meeting. Wallingford, PA: Pendle Hill Publications. p. 32pp. ISBN 0-87574-307-2. 
• Redfern, Keith (1994). Before the Meeting: A Handbook for Clerks. London: Quaker Home Service. p. 28pp. ISBN 0 85245 256 X. 
• Sharman, Cecil W (1983). Servant of the Meeting: Quaker business meetings and their Clerks. London: Quaker Home Service. p. 47pp. ISBN 0 85245 172 5. 
• Watson, William Braasch (1996). Before Business Begins: Notes for Friends Meeting Recording Clerks and Recorders. Mosher Book and Tract Committee of New England Yearly Meeting. p. 59pp. 

External links

• Description of clerk's role in Britain Yearly Meeting's Quaker Faith and Practice, Chapter 3, §12