Youth Committee
The Youth Committee is a standing Committee of NPYM, serving the Yearly Meeting by supporting Yearly and Monthly Meetings in their work with children and youth. This committee nurtures spiritual development and a sense
of community for our children and youth, and supports their transition to adult participation in the
life of Friends. See the job description here: http://npym.org/content/youth-committee
The Executive Committee shall assist in the work of the Coordinating Committee between CC meetings, including timely decision-making necessary to carry out the work of the Yearly Meeting. All Executive Committee decisions shall be reported to the Coordinating Committee at its next meeting.
The Site Committee is responsible for exploring and making site recommendations to NPYM about
where future Annual Sessions might be held — typically on a six-year rotation (two years at a site in
western Washington, two years in western Oregon, two years east of the Cascades). Site arrangements are
typically made several years in advance. The committee reports to Coordinating Committee and works
closely with the Presiding Clerk and the General Arrangements Clerk.
This committee’s main purpose is to facilitate communication and networking among Meetings,
Worship Groups, and other Friends on social and peace issues and emerging concerns. To do so, it networks
with meetings and worship groups, NPYM representatives to Friends organizations working on peace and
social justice issues, and other regional and national organizations that address issues of concern to NPYM
Friends. This committee helps season peace and social concerns minutes to come before the Yearly
Meeting as a whole.
The Committee on Ministry & Counsel (M&C) fosters the spiritual life and good order of the Yearly Meeting as a whole and at Annual Session. Responsibilities include encouraging communication among meetings and worship groups; serve as a resource for local M&C committees; coordinating with other standing committees about trends and needs within the Yearly Meeting; planning retreats and other educational opportunities. Responsibilities during Annual Session include orientation for first-time attenders at Annual Session; presentation of the State of the Meeting reports; Meeting for Memorials; care of the spiritual needs of individual attenders as needed; care of the closing Meeting for Worship.
The Outreach & Visitation Committee seeks ways to provide and stimulate personal visitation and other forms of communication throughout the Yearly Meeting, with a particular concern for Preparative Meetings, Worship Groups, and Friends isolated from any organized group. The work of the committee is meant to coordinate with and support Monthly Meetings, Quarterly Meetings, and NPYM’s Ministry and Counsel Committee in their respective responsibilities in this area.
The Nominating Committee carefully considers the needs of the Yearly Meeting positions and asks
appropriate people if they will accept nominations to Yearly Meeting and Annual Session positions. The
Committee prepares as full a slate as possible for approval at Annual Session. At other times of the year,
nominations may be approved by the Coordinating Committee or the Executive Committee.
The Information Technology Committee’s function is to provide technical support and guidance for the Information Technology needs of NPYM.
The Finance & Legal Committee provides stewardship of financial and legal matters for NPYM, and
support and oversight to the NPYM Treasurer. This committee prepares the annual budget for the Yearly
Meeting, to be approved at Annual Session; develops policies and procedures involving fiscal and legal
matters; makes recommendations on insurance and legal affairs; and provides oversight and support for
other NPYM entities with annual budgets (e.g., Annual Session, Junior Friends).
The Faith & Practice Committee is responsible for the development and subsequent revision of Faith
and Practice, our Book of Discipline. The Yearly Meeting conceives of Faith and Practice, not as a
finished product and final word, but as an evolving document, representing the growing experience of
North Pacific Yearly Meeting Friends in seeking to know and follow the Inner Light. Members are
encouraged to study, use, and appraise Faith and Practice in this spirit.
Suggested changes, which may in time be incorporated in a future edition, may evolve through the
actions of Monthly and regional Meetings, and of the Yearly Meeting; or through the suggestions of
committees, or individual Friends. These suggestions should be given in writing to the Committee on the
Discipline for consideration.
