Becoming a Member

How to Become a Member of Concord Friends Meeting

If after attending the Meeting for some time, you have found a spiritual home at Concord Friends Meeting, we invite you to apply for membership.  We hope you will find the membership application process welcoming and spiritually enriching.  Helping you discern whether to join the Meeting is one of the ways that the Ministry and Counsel Committee provides pastoral care for our spiritual community.  This information sheet supplements the guidance found in the New England Yearly Meeting (NEYM) Faith & Practice.  Please look over Faith & Practice, especially the section on Membership, before initiating the membership process.  Copies of Faith & Practice are available in the Meeting library or at https://neym.org/faith-practice/1985.

Membership Application Letter

You begin the membership process by directing a letter to the Ministry and Counsel Committee.  This can be mailed to Ministry and Counsel Committee, Concord Friends Meeting, 11 Oxbow Pond Rd, Canterbury NH 03224, or you may email your letter to the Committee at MinistryAndCounsel [at] concordfriendsmeeting [dot] org (subject: Membership) .  Some applicants find it helpful to include a description of their spiritual journeys or to articulate specific reasons for seeking membership.  But others find it difficult to commit such things to writing.  Do not let concern over finding the right words stop you from applying.  Your letter does not have to be a work of art.  It will be sufficient if your letter states your intent to seek membership.  We will explore your reasons with you in the clearness process.

Clearness Committee

When it receives your letter, Ministry and Counsel will appoint a Clearness Committee to meet with you.  The Committee does not sit in judgment over you.  The Clearness Committee is designed to help you discern whether you are clear about becoming a member.  To do this, the Committee may pose queries such as:

• Tell us about your spiritual journey.  What draws you closer to the Divine?  What has been your experience with Quaker worship?
• How do you feel drawn to participate in the life of the Meeting?
• Do you understand that Quakers are not perfect?  Are you comfortable being a part of a spiritual community growing together as it seeks to discern and be obedient to the Divine will?

The Clearness Committee will listen deeply as you share from the heart.

Recommendation to Business Meeting

When you and your Clearness Committee feel clear about the rightness of your membership, the Clearness Committee will report to the full Ministry and Counsel Committee.  Ministry and Counsel ensures that the clearness process was carried out in good order.  Then Ministry and Counsel Committee will seek the Meeting’s approval of your membership at the next monthly meeting for business.  (Some meetings require 2 readings for membership.  Do we? If so, that should be explained.)

Membership of Children

You may request junior membership for your minor children as part of your membership process or separately.

If you are a Member of another Friends Meeting

If you are a member of another Meeting, you may transfer your membership to Concord Meeting.  You initiate the transfer by contacting your Meeting to request a certificate of transfer to Concord Monthly Meeting.  To avoid confusion, be sure to include the address where your Meeting can send the certificate of transfer:  MinistryAndCounsel [at] concordfriendsmeeting [dot] org (subject: Transfer%20of%20Membership) or Ministry and Counsel Committee, Concord Friends Meeting, 11 Oxbow Pond Rd, Canterbury NH 03224.