Committee & Job Descriptions

Committee & Individual Job Description Index
Updated January 2026

Committee & Individual Job Description Notes:
If the title is in RED this indicates that the description
is a draft version and awaiting final approval.

Committee Descriptions

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Clerking Committee

DRAFT VERSION from 7/18/25

Mission Statement: Serves as the servant leaders of the meeting, discerning the sense of the meeting, facilitating the spiritual growth of all participants in the meeting, and serving as the public voice of the meeting.

Membership: This committee consists of the recording clerk and three members each serving four-year terms that cycle through these positions: year 1 as assistant clerk, year 2 and year 3 as clerk, and the final year as past clerk. The clerk may invite members of his/her support committee to also be part of this committee.

In order to meet the requirements of BCFM’s incorporation, the clerk, recording clerk and treasurer must be members of Bridge City Friends Meeting.

Clerk Responsibilities

• Ensure good order of Friends is maintained during Meeting for Worship for Business
• Is aware of the background of significant agenda items and expedites the flow of business
• Find points of unity, gathers the sense of the meeting, and confirms with the meeting that unity has been reached on business items
• Serve as the public voice and the legal official of the meeting
• Assist Recording Clerk in preparing minutes for Meeting for Worship for Business.
• Review minutes with Recording Clerk before distribution
• Arrange and facilitate threshing sessions as needed
• Arrange for ad hoc committees as needed

Recording Clerk Responsibilities

• Take minutes at the Meetings for Worship for Business and threshing sessions
• Consult with Clerk to arrange distribution of reports and documents prior to Meeting for Worship for Business and the minutes after Meeting for Worship for Business
• Ensure that copies of documents and minutes pertaining to membership status are filed in the membership records
• Work with Spiritual Life Committee to maintain membership files and directory information

Committee Functions:

• Stay in touch with all committees of BCFM, and facilitates communication and linkage between committees and Meeting for Worship for Business
• Set the agenda for Meeting for Worship for Business
• Regularly attend Meeting for Worship and other meeting events
• Attend committee meetings as an ex-officio member and participate in committee work as led
• Maintain the archives of the meeting, including copies of all business meeting minutes, reports, and other official documents
• Responds to inquiries from the public
• Shares relevant mail with the BCFM Community
• Stays in touch with other Friends groups and ecumenical activities in the Portland area
• Communicates about activities of interest to BCFM members

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Communication & Outreach Committee

DRAFT VERSION from 4/16/25

Mission Statement: Manage and maintain the internal and external connections of the meeting to enhance the spiritual growth of all participants in the meeting.

Membership: This committee has four members to complete the tasks of the committee and five ex-officio members who participate in the connections between the meeting and various external organizations. A member of the clerking committee is also an ex officio member.

Committee Clerk Responsibilities

• Ensure good order of Friends is maintained in committee functioning
• Assure that all committee tasks are completed
• Set agendas and times for committee meetings
• Divide tasks among committee members
• Support the members of the committee between meetings and helps troubleshoot problems when they arise
• Provide back up for the committee members
• Stay in touch with other committees and the BCFM community
• Work with Spiritual Life Committee to engage new attenders

Committee Tasks

1. Publish Weekly Newsletter
2. Maintain meeting directory – updates will be approved by Spiritual Life Committee before publication
3. Maintain Website:
   • Maintains content guidelines of websiteRenews domain registration
   • Arranges for an internet hosting service provider.
   • Coordinates with professional website service to manage BCFM’s website
   • Ensures that BCFM’s website content is current and free from unauthorized use or hacking
   • Assist participants or committees of BCFM in posting website information and content
4. Manage BCFM Accounts (including passwords):
   • Update all passwords in August and distribute list to committee clerks
   • MailChimp account
   • Phone account and messages
   • Google account and messages
   • BCFM Zoom account
   • Microsoft account
   • Treasurer Laptop
   • AHC laptop

External Positions (ex-officio members) (additional information is available in the job description for these positions) (This committee serves as a link between these positions and the meeting)

1. Willamette Quarterly Meeting Planning Committee (2-3 members):
   • Works in concert with the WQM Beloved Community Planning Committee to plan WQM.
   • Coordinates with the Registrar and relevant Officers to produce a registration packet.
   • Distributes to all Meetings, Worship Groups, Preparative Meetings and Isolated Friends registration information, including a flyer for posting prior to the Quarterly.
   • Chooses a theme and a speaker or panel.
   • Secures supplies needed by the paid Children’s Program Coordinator.
2. NPYM Coordinating Committee Member
   • Facilitates communication between BCFM and NPYM
   • Attends NPYM Coordinating Committee meetings and NPYM annual session
   • Attends BCFM Communication and Outreach Committee meetings and participates in committee work as led
3. QVS Local Support Committee Members (2 members):
   • Attends QVS Local Support Committee meetings
   • Participates in other QVS Activities
   • Engages with the QVS fellows, and facilitates communication between fellows and BCFM members
   • Keeps BCFM updated on QVS programs and local fellows
   • Engages members of BCFM to support the QVS program here in Portland.

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Operations

DRAFT VERSION from 7/1/25

Mission Statement: Creates the structure of BCFM; deals with the physical space, property, finances and the nominating process.

Membership: Consists of six members and a member of the Clerking Committee serves ex officio. The committee meets regularly to review functions and support each other. Some tasks are weekly, others are monthly and some happen once a year.

Committee Functions:

Clerk of the Committee

• Sets the committee meetings and agenda
• Reports to business meeting
• Is available to committee members for consultations.

Treasurer

• Maintains the financial books for the meeting
• Pays bills
• Creates and presents financial reports to Meeting for Worship for Business
• Must be a member of BCFM
• Arranges for weekly mail pickup from PO box

Assistant Treasurer

• Assists the treasurer
• Works with the treasurer to review reports and expenditures
• Works with the treasurer, and committee clerk to draft the budget.

Building Function

Find folks to do the following tasks on a weekly basis:

• Unlock/lock up building for Sunday worship
• Set up the meeting room and the technology
• Finds greeter
• Finds Zoom hosts
• Keeps track of building keys. 
• Be the Meeting contact with the landlord

Nominating  (Jan -June mostly)

• With help from others, prepares a nominating slate for positions beginning July 1
• Throughout the year nominates for vacant positions as needed
• Presents nomination slate to the business meeting for acceptance

Librarian

• Maintains the meeting library, purchasing books and pamphlets as appropriate
• Culls outdated materials from library including old announcements and information left out

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Peace and Justice Committee

DRAFT VERSION from May 2024

Mission Statement: Provides connections, opportunities and support for meeting participants to engage in and learn about peace and justice work at the local, national and international levels.

Membership: A clerk and one to two at large members. AFSC and FCNL liaisons serve ex-officio. A member of the Clerking team is also ex officio. Terms are two years, overlapping.

Functions:

• The Committee Clerk sets agendas and times for committee meetings.

• Coordinates with Quaker and other groups; keeps BCFM updated about peace and justice actions and activities that individuals or the Meeting may want to support.

• Brings issues, concerns, and drafts of Minutes of Concern to BCFM.

• Organizes discussions, presentations, and workshops regarding social concerns.

• Seasons and supports social concerns leadings by individuals within BCFM. This support may be from the committee or through care/support/anchor committees. Keeps the meeting updated on the work of these Friends.

• Manages Peace and Justice budget.

• Makes recommendations at business meeting regarding Special Needs expenditures.

• Provides connections between BCFM and national Quaker organizations.

AFSC Liaison (American Friends Service Committee) 

• Informs AFSC of their liaison appointment from BCFM

• Stays informed concerning AFSC activities and reports to BCFM information that may be of interest to BCFM.

• Communicates information between BCFM and AFSC as appropriate

• Serves ex officio on the BCFM Peace and Justice Committee. Participates in committee work as led

FCNL Liaison ( Friends Committee for National Legislation) 

• Informs FCNL of their liaison appointment from BCFM

• Stays informed concerning FCNL activities and reports to BCFM information that may be of interest to BCFM.

• Communicates information from BCFM to FCNL as appropriate

• The liaison encourages citizen lobbying by helping participants of BCFM establish relationships with our members of Congress

• Attends FCNL Annual Meeting if possible

• Attends BCFM Peace and Justice Committee meetings and participate in committee work as led.

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Spiritual Life Committee

DRAFT VERSION from May 2024

Mission Statement: Monitors the corporate experience of meeting for worship. Looks for and implements practices to enhance the worship experience to support the spiritual growth of all participants in the meeting. Encourages opportunities for ministry from participants.

Membership: This committee consists of a committee clerk, three to four at large members and the presiding clerk of the Meeting is ex-officio. The two Special Funds Trustees from BCFM of the Multnomah Meeting Spiritual Life Funds are ex-officio.

It is recommended that members of this committee be members of the Society of Friends who are well versed in Quaker practice and tradition. They should be active members in the Bridge City community and attend Meetings for Worship and Business as well as other Meeting functions on a regular basis.

On rare occasions an attender with particular spiritual gifts might be considered to serve on this committee. This should be given careful consideration and noted in the meeting minutes as an exception to the rule.

It is recommended that members serve two year overlapping terms.  The trustees serve five-year terms.

Functions:

• This committee functions as a group for discernment and direction regarding the spiritual life of the Meeting community and its members.
• Responsible for the quality of worship during Meetings for Worship
• Opens and Closes Meeting for Worship
• Encourages deeper worship (through monthly reading of the Queries, etc)
• Creates additional opportunities for worship
• Fostering sense of community
• Provides opportunities for individual spiritual growth and community building
• Plans retreats and other special events, and organizes small groups.
• Organizes hospitality for after Meeting for Worship and other occasions.
• Provides adult religious education programs
• Makes recommendations to Librarian for purchase of books, etc.
• Prepares annual State of Society report and presents it to business meeting for approval.
• Fostering and supporting individual growth – Pastoral Care
• Stays in touch with participants
• Maintains contact information for members and attenders, periodically updates the directory.
• Handles membership functions: membership requests, memorials, weddings, new member application and welcoming activities.
• Arranges for clearness and support committees
• Authorizes use of Well Being Fund to support participants of BCFM
• The BCFM trustees of the Multnomah Meeting Spiritual Life funds are ex officio members of this committee. See description below.
• In consultation with the Meeting Clerk, monitors conflicts and meets with individuals or small groups as necessary.
• Prepares annual NPYM statistical report and presents to business meeting to be minuted.
• Special Funds Trustees (a committee of Multnomah Meeting with representation from BCFM) (Committee for Shared Functions among the Worshiping Communities)

Summary

The Special Funds Trustees are entrusted with the responsibility for and use of restricted funds subject to donor and Meeting for Business guidelines. Currently these funds include Worship Groups Fund; Ministerial Support Fund; and Spiritual Life Fund. The Special Funds Trustees include two members from Multnomah Monthly Meeting, two members from Bridge City Friends Meeting, and one member from each formally affiliated Worship Group.

The trustees from the Worship Groups are nominated by the Worship Groups, and the clerk is named by MMM Nominating Committee from the trustees to serve for two years. Trustees serve five-year staggered terms as a committee for Shared Functions among the several worshipping communities represented. They work in coordination with the Treasurer of MMM, who handles dis- bursements from the funds, which reside with MMM.

Term:

Special Funds Trustees serve five-year staggered terms; the Clerk serves 2 years as clerk.

Responsibilities

• Trustees are appointed for five-year staggered terms. Trustees may be asked to serve for more than one term. The trustees should be chosen to assure a broad familiarity with their worshiping communi- ties and they should be members of MMM or BCFM.
• Decisions are made in a prompt and timely manner according to normal Friends’ procedures. The trus- tees meet on a regular basis and as needed to respond to requests.
• The clerk of MMM acts as a substitute when one of the trustees is unavailable or one of the positions is vacant
• The clerk of trustees, with assistance of the MMM treasurer, prepares an annual report on activities of the various funds, for presentation to a Meeting for Business annually
• The trustees in conjunction with the MMM Treasurer regularly review the monies available in all specially designated funds.
• The trustees coordinate with the MMM Worship & Ministry Committee to encourage use of the fund designated for advancing the work of Worship Groups and Preparative Meetings.
• The trustees may allocate up to $5000 annually from the Spiritual Life Fund to the Program Committee for use in accord with the guidelines for the Fund. The trustees will review this spending level each year and recommend adjustment as necessary. They may allocate some funds to other Committees or individuals subject to MfWfB guidelines for the Fund.
• The trustees may suggest changes in Fund names, use, or process to the MfWfB as they deem them advisable.

Revised 11/2015. From Multnomah Monthly Meeting Job Descriptions

Individual Job Descriptions

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Children’s Program Liason

Approved June 2016

Job Summary: Bridge City Friends Meeting does not have children attending Meeting for Worship regularly at this time. The Children’s Program Liaison is responsible for seeing that two Friends from our meeting are available to be with children, should children come to worship. The Children’s Program Liaison serves a two year term.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

• Maintains a list of Friends willing to leave Meeting for Worship with visiting or newly attending children.
• Checks the box of supplies for children to be certain that it is current.
• If children arrive, ask two Friends to go downstairs with the children.
• It is the policy of BCFM that at least two adults or one adult and one teen are to be with the children during First Day School.