Problems with the GD

An updated GD needs to make explicit provision for the possibility - of SESAM-the-church continuing as an Area Meeting while laying - down SESAM-the-charity. There must be clarity on SESAM-the-church's - status with respect to QiS-the-church and thus with respect to the - trustees of QiS-the-charity.

In what follows I'll start by identifying the problems I see with the GD, and go on to outline the kind of changes I think would improve it, to the point - where SESAM would support the creation of the QiS-the-charity and - would participate in QiS-the-church.

Problems with the GD @@ -69,13 +69,13 @@

But why are these problems for SESAM, and even granted that they are, why do they need to be fixed now?

They are problems because the existing Area Meetings' responsibilities -and activities as a worshiping body, governed by Meetings for Worship +and activities as a worshipping body, governed by Meetings for Worship for Church Affairs of their membership as set out in Quaker Faith and Practice (QF&P), are largely distinct from their responsibilities and activities as a charity, governed by trustees. The former consist of, for example, the spiritual and pastoral care of their members and their witness to their communities, grounded in our testimonies, whereas the latter focus on -maitaining the Area Meeting's legal status and financial well-being. +maintaining the Area Meeting's legal status and financial well-being. As for Britain Yearly Meeting, whose succinct self-characterisation recently has been "A simple church supported by a simple charity", so it should be for Area Meetings. QF&P has useful @@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ with its purposes"

A clear separation between the church and the charity is a simple first step towards the necessary clarifications.

* Indeed SESAM-the-charity's own governing document is also based on a +

* Indeed SESAM (the charity)'s own governing document is also based on a similar, more recent, template for non-incorporated Area Meetings from Quaker Life (https://www.quaker.org.uk/documents/governing-document-for-am-cc-approved-11-2022-final), @@ -116,8 +116,8 @@

A note on terminology

For clarity, hereafter -I'll call QiS-the-charity the SCIO, short for the (proposed) "Scottish Charitable -Incorporated Organisation" and I'll call QiS-the-church the RSFS, short +I'll call QiS (the charity) the SCIO, short for the (proposed) "Scottish Charitable +Incorporated Organisation" and I'll call QiS (the church) the RSFS, short for the "Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Scotland".

@@ -138,15 +138,19 @@

The GD should make it explicit that in the first instance the four Area Meetings, as well as General Meeting for Scotland, will continue to exist and function after the creation of the -SCIO and the RSFS. These five will constitute the Constituent Meetings of the -RSFS.

The GD should specify that transfer from the Constituent Meetings

+SCIO and the RSFS. These five will constitute the Constituent Meetings of the +RSFS. Initially membership of the RSFS will be defined as +membership of any of the Constituent Area Meetings.

The GD should specify that transfer from the Constituent Meetings of

their assets, properties and trusteeship to the SCIO their spiritual and pastoral activities and responsibilities to the RSFS -

of will be at their discretion as to both timing and substance.

will be at their discretion as to both timing and substance. Membership +matters should not be transferred to the RSFS until such time as +QF&P recognises the RSFS as a body that can carry out the relevant +procedures per QF&P chapter 11.

We feel strongly that many of our spiritual and pastoral activities are best served in smaller constituencies that the RSFS. We understand that some Area Meetings need to unburden themselves quickly @@ -172,6 +176,9 @@ RSFS very like the way in which Yearly Meeting and Meeting for Sufferings together provide governance for Britain Yearly Meeting (the church).

The appointment of trustees, of a Treasurer who is ex officio +a Trustee, of a Nominations Committee and amending the GD should all be +identified in the GD as matters reserved to the RSFS in session.

@@ -207,7 +214,7 @@ about here."

In fact the document laid before us in the special Area Meeting on 15 January (Draft of 2023 12 29c.docx) had a lot to say about the -body. Or did it? As I read it at the time it did't clearly +body. Or did it? As I read it at the time it didn't clearly distinguish between the charity and the body, using the phrase "Quakers in Scotland" in what I found to be confusing ways.

A new draft (Draft of 2024 03 21.docx) has just been made available, @@ -264,7 +271,7 @@ Quaker Life (https://www.quaker.org.uk/documents/governing-document-for-am-cc-approved-11-2022-final). The template does not make any overt distinction between the church - and the charity, to my embarassment. However the phrases "(East + and the charity. However the phrases "(East Scotland) Area Meeting in session" clearly refer to the church, and in "3. Object The object of East Scotland Area Meeting" it is evidently the charity.

@@ -287,7 +294,8 @@ (Quakers) in Britain: South East Scotland Area Meeting [referred to below as South East Scotland Area Meeting or the area meeting and formerly known as South East Scotland Monthly Meeting] likewise is - based on the Quaker Life template. "Subject to the matters set out + based on the Quaker Life template, sharing its lack of clarity on church +versus charity, to my embarrassment. "Subject to the matters set out below the resources of the area meeting shall be administered in accordance with this governing document by the trustees..." is clearly talking about the charity, whereas "Amendments to this @@ -322,7 +330,8 @@

"General Meeting acts on behalf of Britain Yearly Meeting in such procedures as may be required by the Scottish Parliament and Scottish legal affairs."

https://www.quakerscotland.org/general-meeting

GM's governing document is here: https://www.quakerscotland.org/sites/quakerscotland.org/files/documents/Governing%20Document%20amended%202021.pdf. It appears to be based on the Quaker Life template for Area Meetings. Section 12. Constituent Meetings says "i) General Meeting for Scotland consists of all the local Meetings in Scotland."

Section 12. Constituent Meetings says "i) General Meeting for Scotland consists of all the local Meetings in Scotland."

QF&P (13.54) gives area meetings responsibility for appointing prison chaplains and "General Meeting for Scotland is responsible for providing [their names] to the governors of all prison establishments