Current ad hoc Committees

1. Covid Advisory Committee
2. Threshing Prep Committee
3. Digitization Committee 

Past ad hoc Committees

The ad hoc Covid Advisory Committee (2020-present)

Mission:  As of 2022, the purpose of the COVID Advisory Committee is to review the current status of the pandemic (taking into consideration federal, state, and Sidwell Friends School [SFS] guidelines); rates of infections, hospitalizations, and deaths; as well as the specific context of the Bethesda Friends Meeting community. With that data, the committee would then advise the co-clerks and the Ministry & Worship (or other relevant committees) on recommended courses of action. (BFM guidelines will always be guided by SFS rules since our meeting is housed on the SFS campus.) 

• The committee members are appointed by the BFM Meeting co-clerks, and consist of the Meeting co-clerks; a representative from each of Ministry & Worship, Religious Education, and Childcare; and at least two other community members with medical and/or epidemiological experience. 
• The committee meets at least monthly to assess to what extent the Meeting’s practices need to be amended. Should anyone in the community wish to communicate directly with the committee members they can be reached by email at covid.committee@bethesdafriends.org.  
• The decision to set up an activity (such as an adjustment to our worship venue or holding a hospitality event) arises from individual BFM committees. The ad hoc Covid committee's role is only to weigh in on the safety of an event. 
• On May 1, 2022, the Covid Safety Guidelines were approved by BFM Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business. 
• The Risk Factors will be evaluated each week to determine the rules under which in-person meetings will be held.   
• The current Risk Factor and in-person rules will be posted on the website and emailed via the weekly Bulletin. 

The ad hoc Threshing Preparation Committee (2021-present)

Mission: In February, 2021, Bethesda Friends Meeting (BFM) agreed to move forward on a Threshing process to discern whom we wish to become as a Meeting (as it pertains to systemic racism) and which of the BFM-wide ideas generated will be taken up by the Meeting as a whole with an action plan.  The Meeting agreed: 

• We listened to the Spirit working within and through us to discern what type of community BFM is, and who we wish to be, as we sought to be an institutional instrument of peace. 
• For more details, please read the event listing and the October 2021 Newsletter article.  
• For questions, please email us at forum@bethesdafriends.org or contact Gale T. (see BFM Directory).

Background and invitation to our Sunday, October 24th event

For several years and in many ways individuals and groups within the Bethesda Friends Meeting (BFM) community have sought to uplift our testimony of equality, especially as it relates to race. To see a timeline of key milestones, please click here.  There is much work and discernment left to be done.

• The Threshing Session invited all to come together to discern whether BFM, as a Meeting, wishes to undertake an exploration of our identity regarding racism, what approach may be used to reflect on where we are as individuals and as a Meeting, and what transformative steps we are willing to take. 
• As part of such reflections, we invite you to consider next steps, including whether the Meeting will need the support of an external facilitator. 
• Depending on our commitments, we will need to consider how willing the Meeting is to raise funds required to compensate this person. 

On October 24, 2021, we gathered by Zoom for a Threshing Session. Click here for the invitation and details. We listened to the Spirit working within and through us to discern what type of community BFM is and who we wish to be as we seek to be an institutional instrument of peace.  We gathered in response to Baltimore Yearly Meeting’s June 2020 Call for Action against Systemic Racism, which can be viewed here.  The Religious Society of Friends, like all groups, has been damaged by historic racial injustice and our members and neighbors are harmed by persistent inequalities.  We are called to do better.    

• Our gathering was facilitated by a weighty Friend to consider any queries that were provided in advance.  
• For more information and links to our reports, please click here. 
  

~ Alex B., Margaret B., Jackie D., Peirce H., Gale T., Aura T. P.