BFM committee membership is for two years in the first instance with the expectation of continuation for a further two years. From time to time we have asked members to remain on a committee for a fifth year. Peace and Social Justice Committee has no term limits. Representatives or Liaisons to other organizations, such as Bethesda Help or Friends Committee on National Legislation, often serve for longer periods.
Nominating Committee relies heavily on the accuracy of the information on members and attenders provided in the BFM Directory, which is updated annually in October - November each year. The 2008 Directory includes 163 individual BFM members, of whom 97 are current committee members (out of a total of 126 committee members). Eight (8) of the twelve (12) BFM Representatives or Liaisons to Other Organizations are also BFM members. The 2008 Directory includes 270 attenders, spouses and members of other meetings of whom only twenty-nine (29) are committee members, and three (3) of these are Representatives or Liaisons to Other Organizations (and two of these three representatives serve on two different committees).
The number of committee appointments vacant for 2009 as a result of members rotating off committees in 2008 after four years of service, or unable to continue after one or two years of service is 34. The average number of openings for new appointees each year is around 30. While BFM Officers and three (3) committees (Nominating, Ministry & Worship and Pastoral Care) require BFM membership, all other BFM committees are open to attenders. Nominating Committee believes that attenders are not fully aware of the appointment process, and that the committee is unaware of the interests of attenders, particularly of relative newcomers. This is unfortunate for the Meeting, as newcomers bring new skills and insights that should be highly valued by BFM as it continues to define itself as a vibrant learning community within the Quaker tradition.
To address this issue, Nominating Committee asks that participants in the Bethesda Friends Community think about their participation and support of the Meeting and indicate their leadings by filling in a form from the Newsletter or by emailing nominating@bethesdafriends.org. Discernment regarding committee assignments needs to come from both individuals and Nominating Committee. The fact that so many of us, for a variety of reasons, wait for a personal invitation weakens our committee structure and the Meeting itself.
The two previous nominating “seasons” have proved to be a considerable challenge for members of Nominating Committee in terms of finding new appointees. Although the number of committee members has stayed the same, the number of BFM members and attenders who say they are unable to continue to serve appears to have increased. In 2009 the number of committee members who have asked to be relieved of committee responsibilities because of a busy work schedule or other commitments is nineteen (19). They are all unavailable for reappointment.
Nominating has successfully reached out to twenty three (23) BFM members and attenders who have indicated a willingness to continue to serve on committees, and seven (7) members and attenders who have either no previous record of service or are returning to committee service after an absence. Nominating Committee is still in need of two (2) people for Ministry & Worship, one (1) for Pastoral Care, one (1) for the Literature Table, one (1) coordinator for Bethesda House Men’s Shelter and one (1) representative plus one or more (1+) Board members for William Penn House We ask those interested in serving on one of these committees to contact members of Nominating Committee directly.
