Officers and Committees

“Volunteerism has marked the Society from its beginnings.  Volunteers as they work together for the Meeting, often find their religious lives mutually strengthened, their sense of community deepened, and their commitment as members affirmed.”
Source:  Faith and Practice (Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, 1997), p. 188

At Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting (CHFM), most of the work of running the Meeting is done by volunteer Meeting members and attenders. Five officers lead the Meeting and members and attenders staff the 20-plus committees that tend to the spiritual life of the Meeting, provide pastoral care for those in our community, oversee our meetinghouse, plan education for our children and adults, and handle dozens of other functions essential to a vibrant faith community.

Current Officers

Committees, Representatives, and Liaisons

All except three of our committees welcome any Meeting members or attenders to join if they are interested in the work of the committee. There are three committees that require participants to be members of our Meeting (or in the case of Worship and Ministry, member of any monthly meeting): Care and Counsel, Nominating, and Worship and Ministry. Because these committees deal with sensitive information about individuals, only members may serve on them.

Here is a list that explains:

• What the committee, representative or liaison does
• When the committee meets, if relevant
• When an annual report on their work is to be delivered at meeting for business, if relevant
• How to get in touch via email

For more detailed information about each committee’s responsibilities, see the CHFM Committee Handbook.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/138SPHOHU6Ay1QVOT7JeziqJFD8O3Qh-U/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=106498712911248875697&rtpof=true&sd=true

Adult Class Committee
Arranges adult education classes generally at 9:00 AM before meeting for worship on the first two Sundays of the month September to May. Also sponsors other adult forums. Meets four times a year Sunday 5:00 to 6:30 PM, at the discretion of its members. Annual report due in March.
Email committee: adultclasscom@chestnuthillquakers.org

Burial Committee
Maintains records of the Meeting burial grounds, and arranges burials. Rarely meets.
Email committee: burial@chestnuthillquakers.org

Care and Counsel Committee
Responsible for the pastoral care of Meeting members and attenders. Limited to Meeting members. Meets 2nd Tuesdays 7:00 to 8:30 PM September to November, and January to June. Annual report due in April.
Email committee: careandcounselcom@chestnuthillquakers.org

Family Promise
Coordinates the Meeting’s participation in helping to house homeless families and prevent homelessness. Meets as needed. Annual report due in September.
Email clerk: pihn@chestnuthillquakers.org
Email committee: pihncom@chestnuthillquakers.org

Finance Committee
Working with the treasurer, the Finance Committee prepares the annual budget, considers committee funding requests, monitors Meeting investments, and brings any budgetary issues to meeting for business. Meets 2nd or 3rd Wednesdays 7:00 to 8:30 PM in January, April, May, June, September, and October. Finance Annual Report due in April. Proposed budget due in May. Final budget approved in June. Treasurer’s Quarterly Reports are presented to meeting for business in February, May, and September. Treasurer’s Annual Report due in September.
Email committee: financecom@chestnuthillquakers.org

Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) Liaison
Keeps the Meeting up to date on FCNL’s activities, shares CHFM’s priorities with FCNL, attends FCNL meetings and events, and spearheads monthly letter writing by members and attenders to area representatives in Congress about pressing current issues.

Hospitality Committee
Provides refreshments that bring members and attenders together after worship on first and third Sundays and at other times to build our closeness as a community. Meets two or three times a year. Annual report is due in March.
Email committee at: hospitalitycom@chestnuthillquakers.org

Landscape Committee
Cares for the design and maintenance of the meetinghouse grounds and plans outdoor workdays. Committee members participate in planning meetings and workdays. Meets seasonally. Annual report due in November.
Email clerk: landscape@chestnuthillquakers.org
Email committee: landscapecom@chestnuthillquakers.org

Library Committee
Coordinates and cares for the Meeting’s library. Meets irregularly. Annual report due in January.
Email committee: librarycom@chestnuthillquakers.org

Nominating Committee
Prepares the annual slate for the Meeting’s five officer positions (clerk, assistant clerk, treasurer, recording clerk, recorder) and nominates members and attenders to serve on the committees and in other roles that handle the work of the Meeting. Limited to Meeting members. Meets monthly September to May on via Zoom for two hours at the convenience of its members. Brings for approval the new slate of officers to the meeting for business in October, the draft roster of committee appointments in February, and the final roster of overall appointments in March.
Email committee: nominatingcom@chestnuthillquakers.org

Office and Administration
Responsible for administration of rentals and overseeing Meeting office functions, technology, communications, and personnel. Meets via Zoom on 3rd Wednesdays 7 to 8:30 PM September to June. Annual report due in February.
Email committee: officecom@chestnuthillquakers.org

Outreach Committee
Welcomes visitors, schedules greeters for meeting for worship, holds seekers’ gatherings for new attenders, and helps to make our Meeting more known in the community. Meets 3rd Mondays 7:00 PM. Annual report due in September.
Email co-clerks: outreach@chestnuthillquakers.org
Email committee: outreachcom@chestnuthillquakers.org

Peace and Social Concerns Committee
Facilitates actions reflecting Quaker values of peace and social justice for the wider CHFM community. Activities include grant distribution, legislative letter writing, and community events. Meets on 2nd Tuesdays 7:00 PM. Annual report is due in January.
Email clerk: peace@chestnuthillquakers.org
Email committee: peacecom@chestnuthillquakers.org

Property Committee
Provides stewardship of our building and grounds.
Meets on Zoom 3rd Monday 8:00 PM. Quarterly Saturday work days at the meetinghouse.
Annual report due in October.
Email clerk: property@chestnuthillquakers.org
Email committee: propertycom@chestnuthillquakers.org

Quarterly Meeting Representatives
Attend and report on activities of Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting. Annual report due in October.
Email representatives: quarterlymeeting@chestnuthillquakers.org

Religious Education Committee
Oversees the programs and community activities for children. Meets via Zoom 2^nd Thursday, 8:00 PM. Annual report due in June.
Email committee: recom@chestnuthillquakers.org

Skyspace Committee
Organizes, schedules, and conducts openings of the James Turrell Skyspace. Meets infrequently, mostly in later months of the year. Annual report due in February.
Email: skyspacecom@chestnuthillquakers.org

Stewardship Committee
Works with the Meeting to raise funds to support the Meeting’s activities and operating expenses. Meets four times a year: twice in the spring and twice in the fall, two virtual and two in-person meetings. Annual report due in April.
Email committee: stewardshipcom@chestnuthillquakers.org

Tuition Assistance Committee
Evaluates requests for disbursement of financial aid to members and attenders for tuition at Quaker schools and summer camps. Annual report due in June.
Email: tuitionassistance@chestnuthillquakers.org

Worship and Ministry Committee
Responsible for the spiritual life of the Meeting. Limited to members of any Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. Meets 1st Thursdays via Zoom, 7 to 9:00 PM. Annual report due in January.
Email clerk: worship@chestnuthillquakers.org
Email committee: worshipcom@chestnuthillquakers.org