Clearness and Care [Back to Top]
The Clearness and Care Committee seeks to build a Meeting community in which
all members and attenders find acceptance, loving care, and the opportunity
for service. As the name implies, it has the dual role of helping people to
find clarity in their spiritual journey, as well as finding support and
nurturance as needed.
One of the tools that the Clearness and Care Committee uses to help friends
find clarity is a clearness committee, where a friend meets with a small
group of other friends. The confidential discernment process is focused on
listening to both the friend seeing clarity as well listening as we do in
meeting, for the small still voice of the Spirit.
The caring role of the committee is demonstrated by promotion of community
through social gatherings, activities, and visitations. The committee
sponsors two annual social events each year; a picnic at Sherwood Oaks and a
welcoming brunch for new members. The committee maintains contact with
members and attenders who may be sick or unable to attend Meeting for
Worship. It also composes and sends an end of the year review to distant
members.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to talk with anyone
on the committee.
Finance Committee
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Pittsburgh Friends Meeting is sustained by its members and
attenders; spiritually, physically and financially. Within the Meeting,
financial contributions support a thriving First Day School and maintain the
Meeting House for worship, committee use, and for the greater good of the
community. The budget our Meeting has approved also enables us to contribute
generously to the following organizations. Pittsburgh Friends Meeting is
grateful for all of the support, financial and otherwise, which it receives.
Finance Committee prepares the budget each year, supports the treasurer,
sets financial procedures with approval from business meeting, and reports
to business meeting.
See LINKS for organizations the Finance Committee supports on behalf of the meeting.
First Day School Committee
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First Day School Committee tends and teaches our children. There is
a holiday program in December and a graduation in June each year.
Why is it "First Day School?"
"First Day School" is our name for Sunday School. The Religious Society of
Friends decided more than 300 years ago not to honor the Sun ("Sunday") or Thor
("Thursday") but to simply number the days of the week. "Sunday" became
"First Day" and "Thursday" became "Fifth Day."
Library Committee [Back
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The mission of the Pittsburgh Friends Meeting Library is to serve members and attenders of all ages, and to welcome and inform newcomers. Its goal is to educate and inspire by making available both printed and audiovisual materials on Quakers, Quakerism, and topics and concerns of interest to Quakers. The Library's collection emphasizes:
*Quaker history
*Quaker biography and autobiography
*Writings on spirituality and spiritual practices, including those of other faith traditions
*Resources relating to the Quaker testimonies of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship
*Resources that examine current social issues in the larger society and in the world, and that inspire and recommend action regarding these issues
*Materials, both fiction and nonfiction, designed for children and young adults and their families
LibraryThing URL's are:
http://www.librarything.com/profile/PittsburghFriendsMtg (profile)
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/PittsburghFriendsMtg (library)
Ministry [Back
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It is the function of the Ministry Committee to foster and
strengthen the spiritual life of the Meeting. The Committee is concerned for
the quality of the Meeting for Worship, which depends upon the devotion and
preparation of each individual. Thus it is the Committee's responsibility to
provide opportunities for the inner growth of all persons in the Meeting
toward faithfulness to the Light Within. The Committee assists members,
especially young people and new members, to grow in their understanding of
the principles and practices of Friends. It may, with discretion and
humility, offer spiritual counsel when needed. At times tactful advice may
be given concerning inappropriate speaking in Meeting for Worship.
The Committee arranges for the adult classes of the Meeting. It may set up
retreats or special meetings and make use of devotional and other literature
to increase spiritual depth and sensitivity within the Meeting. It is
charged with stimulating interest in Friends' literature and periodicals,
and it is responsible for maintaining the supply and display of pamphlets
and free leaflets on the literature rack.
From Pittsburgh Friends Meeting's Faith and Practice
Communications Committee [Back to Top]
Newsletter
Pittsburgh Friends Meeting produces a monthly newsletter, ordinarily
appearing shortly before the 1st of the month. Submissions may be left in
the Newsletter mailbox (by the time of Meeting for Business on the 2nd First
Day of the preceding month) or sent electronically to
[email protected] by Business
Meeting. Articles and pictures are welcome. Business Meeting minutes are the
only item we need to accept after Business Meeting, since they cannot be
done before.
The purpose of the newsletter is to inform members, attenders, and other
interested persons of Meeting news. Content may include member interviews,
news of Friends, other Quaker-related subjects, news of Quaker
organizations, information about upcoming events, Meeting-sponsored
projects, book reviews, etc.
The committee's budget is mostly for the newsletter. Printing and mailing
costs for newsletters and directories are falling as more people go to the email
versions.
Calendar
The calendar in this website shows events
scheduled. To change an entry, contact us at
[email protected].
Newsgroup
The meeting newsgroup distributes the monthly
newsletter. You can choose how you want it -- passed on immediately, passed
on in a digest, or not passed on (so you can sign in and browse). It sends
you an individual copy -- without dozens of other peoples' addresses in the
header.
Request inclusion with [email protected]
You also receive the weekly Bulletin as a member of the newsgroup.
Directory
The meeting directory is kept by Communications Committee and can provide
email addresses or sticky labels to committees. Please contact us
[email protected] for
contact information on the meeting.
Web Page
This web page is maintained by Communications Committee. If your committee
would like something posted or improved on your committee page or in
general, please contact us
[email protected].
Quaker Community Fund Committee
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The Meeting has under its care a fund created through the sale of
several properties in Point Breeze that were acquired with contributions
from Meeting members. This fund was donated to the Meeting with the
stipulation that it be used for programs of the Meeting.
The Committee has two tasks: to prepare for approval by Meeting for
Business guidelines and procedures for the disbursement of funds, and to
make recommendations to Meeting for Business for expenditures from the
Fund.
Members of the Committee, whose names are proposed by the Nominating
Committee, include at least one person also serving on the Finance
Committee. Because of the nature of the Committee's responsibilities,
continuity of membership is desirable.
(From Pittsburgh Faith & Practice)
QCF Form
Download the form, print it, fill in, and mail to:
Quaker Community Fund
Pittsburgh Friends Meeting
4836 Ellsworth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
More specifically, Outreach efforts include the following things:Outreach Committee [Back to Top]
Listing our Meeting in phonebooks and various directories
Coordinating the greeting and welcome process for new attenders
Displaying brochures and information about the Society of Friends
Providing and arranging for speakers to the wider community
Offering a Young Adult Friends (YAF) Group for fellowship
Facilitating community-building activities
If you are interested in finding out more about Quaker worship, please contact our webmaster with your address and the Outreach Committee will be happy to contact you.