The general responsibilities of this committee are stated in the “Practice” section of Faith and Practice approved at NY Yearly Meeting 2001. In essence, they may be defined as “Oversight for the Pastoral Care of Chatham-Summit Monthly Meeting.” Pastoral care means that Oversight is joyfully open to the ongoing needs of members.

1.Individual committee members will volunteer to send flowers or notes, or make telephone calls and emails in cases of weddings, births, and illnesses of meeting members. We should help arrange transportation to and from meetings for those who need it, as well as reminding the Clerk of Meeting to announce such efforts when appropriate. Oversight members should be alert to changes and problems within the Meeting as well as important events individual members are experiencing in their daily lives, toward the joyful end of helping one another with a tender hand whenever possible. It is the practice of CSMM that membership in the Monthly Meeting is required for service on the Oversight Committee.

2.Oversight chooses members to be on Clearness Committees, (including members of Ministry and Counsel and other members of the Meeting). Members and others are chosen to carry out specific functions such as Clearness Committees for membership, marriage, divorce and other concerns. They may be asked by Ministry and Counsel to serve on similar committees, such as funerals and memorial services. Oversight cooperates specifically with Ministry and Counsel on workshops, seminars or specific needs of members as needs arise.

3. Oversight will schedule a regular time for committee meetings, at least 10 per year, or as often as necessary. The clerk will notify the Newsletter Editor by his/her deadline of meeting dates and other pertinent items, and put this information on the CSMM Website.

4. Meetings of the Committee require Minutes, Reports and Expenses. Oversight will: a. maintain a file of its meeting minutes and provide copies to committee members and others who request them. b. Prepare 3 copies of our Annual Oversight Committee Report for the March Monthly Meeting for Business (a copy for the CSMM Clerk, for the Ministry and Counsel Clerk, and for the Oversight files).

5. Oversight will develop a Greeters List of Oversight and Ministry and Counsel Members, usually for a three month period. In addition, Oversight should attempt to greet as many attenders (especially newcomers, but Meeting members as well) as often as we are able. We should review the guest book to note frequent attenders and newcomers and follow-up by written note as appropriate (shown by initials in the Guest Book).

6. Distribution of printed matter with input from those who qualify to receive material possibly includes:

a) Family Bible or book from FGC Book Store in Philadelphia to those married under care of the Meeting.

b)A student subscription to Friend’s Journal to members and regular attenders of First Day School when they graduate from high school if the student wants it.

Aug. 21, 2009

The administration of the Conference Fund was added to Oversight Responsibilities in April 2010.

Because attendance at Quaker conferences often adds significantly to the life of our Meeting by providing new and interesting ideas that Quakers may share, the Conference Fund was established.

The general responsibility of the Conference Fund Committee is to encourage attendance at Quaker conferences, especially by CSMM members and also by active frequent attenders.

It does this by helping to defray costs. A small budget exists for this activity. Any Friend who wishes to attend a conference may request funding by submitting a written request to the clerk of the committee with a mailing address and in sufficient time so that if the request is granted a check may be sent and received before the the conference.

Some typical costs for which the Conference Fund may be used are: Powell House and Pendle Hill conferences, FGC and NYYM sessions at Silver Bay and other locations. The Fund may not be able to cover the entire cost of attendance, but Friends are encouraged to ask and the committee will do its best to help.

Updated 11/09