Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care is the Santa Monica Monthly Meeting’s newest committee. Its overall goal is to take care of members’ and attenders’ physical and spiritual needs:

• Helping attenders make use of Quaker process related to important life decisions: If an attender wants to apply for membership or marry under the Meeting’s care, the Pastoral Care Committee is the group to approach.

• Assisting in convening “Clearness Committees”: When Quakers face difficult personal problems—such as divorce, family adjustments, moving to a new location, summoning courage to take a stand on a public issue, or coming out—we invite them to talk with Pastoral Care Committee members and, if appropriate, ask us to convene a “Clearness Committee” of Friends chosen in consultation with the person seeking clarity. Pastoral Care will sometimes suggest that members with relevant experiences be invited to participate in this distinctive and compassionate Quaker process.

• Cooperating with other Meeting committees to secure funding: Though Meeting funds are not unlimited, Pastoral Care may sometimes work with the Alice Herman Committee to obtain grants for sojourning fellowships, attending Quaker events such as Pacific Yearly Meeting, emergencies, and helping members and active attenders in need.

• Encouraging Quakers to write documents describing any plans they have made for their burial and memorial service, if family is not aware of them.

• Supporting the work of the Children’s Education Committee to encourage children and young people to participate in the life of our Meeting.

• Encouraging fellowship within the Meeting and visits to the sick and troubled.

• Offering aid in reconciling conflict within the meeting.

• Welcoming new members and attenders; answering questions about our Meeting and Quakerism in general.