changeset 340:aa9bb951af40

getting started on input to QiS-CG
author Henry S. Thompson <ht@inf.ed.ac.uk>
date Tue, 26 Mar 2024 21:43:18 +0000
parents 57652a738b1a
children 2f4dc99bddc4
files QiS/BYM-governing-document-revised-min34-BYM2014.pdf QiS/Draft Governing Document March 2024.pdf QiS/QiS Draft Governing Document January 2024.pdf QiS/QiS Gov Doc covering letter 240106.docx QiS/What_are_QiS.txt QiS/~$S Gov Doc covering letter 240106.docx
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+A bit of history, to set the scene.
+
+The General Meeting for Scotland (GM) mailing list were told
+(2023-11-17), in regard to
+
+  "(1) The possibility of merging our existing 6 charities into a
+   single body, Quakers in Scotland.
+
+  "(2) How we might organise all our concerns and worship more
+   effectively as a single charity."
+
+that
+
+  "The first step for (1) is to agree a governing document to replace
+   the six comparable documents that apply to our existing charities."
+
+and
+
+  "Friends will hear more requests soon to join in important
+   discussions relating to (2)."
+
+I've searched my inbox without success for any request to "join in
+important discussions relating to (2)" until, possibly, the invitation
+from QiS-CG (2024-03-11) to two "information and discussion sessions
+on progress with work towards having a single body and charity for
+Quakers in Scotland".
+
+However the cover letter from QiS (2024-01-06) sent to SESAM Trustees
+says
+
+  "The Options for Scotland group [proposes] that we form a single
+   charity and that we form a single body. The idea of a single body
+   clearly needs more work to discern what this might look like. It
+   will take time. That idea is not part of what we are asking you
+   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
+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,
+with only modest changes from the earlier draft.  I'll take it as
+definitive with respect to what we will have before us on 6 April.
+It hasn't changed much, if anything, of what I've found that makes me
+uneasy about agreeing to adopt it.
+
+More background: What do we already have as models for how charities
+and their trustees work.  I'm reasonably familiar with two examples,
+which guide my thinking in this matter.
+
+1. The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain, and Britain
+   Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers),
+   Charity number: 1127633
+
+The governing document for the latter charity
+(https://www.quaker.org.uk/documents/bym-governing-document-revised-min34-bym2014)
+begins with the following definitions:
+
+*Definitions*
+
+  a. The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain refers to
+     the church in England, Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands and
+     the Isle of Man, including all its local meetings for worship and
+     its constituent meetings for church affairs as well as all their
+     work [referred to below as *the Society*].
+
+  b. Britain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
+     (Quakers) [*Britain Yearly Meeting*] refers to the centrally held
+     and managed policy, property, employment and work of the charity
+     constituted by this document.
+
+  c. Yearly Meeting in session [*Yearly Meeting*] refers to the annual
+     assembly that is open to all members of the Society.
+
+  d. Area Meetings are the main local meetings for church affairs and
+     these are the level of the Society at which individual membership
+     is held. Each Area Meeting is a separate charitable entity and
+     may be registered as such with the Charity Commission.
+
+  e. _Quaker faith & practice_ is the current edition of the Book of
+     Christian discipline of the Religious Society of Friends
+     (Quakers) in Britain
+
+  f. Meeting for Sufferings is the standing representative body of the Society.
+
+  g. The term Friend refers to a member of the Society.
+
+* Highlighting added
+
+Note that there are two clearly distinguished entities, "the church"
+and "the charity".  The charity is governed by the above referenced
+governing document, the church by the Red Book.
+
+Subsequent articles make clear that the Society, embodied in Yearly
+Meeting in session and Meeting for Sufferings, is responsible for
+amending the governing document, appointing Britain Yearly Meeting
+trustees, approving their terms of reference and appointing their
+clerks and treasurer.
+
+2. Area meetings in Scotland governing documents
+
+ * North of Scotland Quaker Trust is evidently distinct from NSAM, but
+   I haven't found a governing document.
+
+ * The governing document for the Religious Society of Friends
+   (Quakers) [in Britain] East Scotland Area Meeting (abbreviated as
+   East Scotland Area Meeting) does not make any overt distinction
+   between the charity and the church, although 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.
+
+   This sentence is of note: "If at a meeting of East Scotland Area
+   Meeting the members decide that it is necessary or advisable to
+   dissolve the Area Meeting or to amalgamate with another Area
+   Meeting _and this is agreed by Meeting for Sufferings_, the
+   trustees shall have the power to realise any assets held by or on
+   behalf of the Area Meeting."  [Emphasis added]
+
+ * The governing document for the Religious Society of Friends
+   (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
+   does not make any overt distinction between the church and the
+   charity, to my embarassment.  "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
+   governing document shall be agreed by South East Scotland Area
+   Meeting in session and recorded by minute of the area meeting." 
+   it's the church.  The dissolution clause is the same as for East
+   Scotland above.
+
+ * I can't find a governing document for whatever charity is
+   associated with West of Scotland
+
+ * Dundee Friends Property Trust
+
+ * General Meeting for Scotland
+
+Registering officers
+Prison visitors
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