After attending Meeting for Worship for some time, an individual might be interested in becoming a Member of the Religious Society of Friends, Buffalo Monthly Meeting. They might believe that the growth of their spiritual life would benefit from fuller participation in the life of the Meeting. They might want to be a part of a supportive community of like-minded individuals. The process is a fairly straightforward one, and it often comes after a time of seeking. Quaker Meeting and Quaker Worship may feel like home.

The process involves:

1) writing a letter requesting membership and why they would like to join, addressed to the clerk of Ministry and Counsel (Dana Harvey) or co-Clerks of the Meeting (Michael Tritto or Fenna Mandolang). The letter doesn’t need to be long; just a few sentences with the request and why are sufficient.

2) Then a “clearness committee” would be formed, made up of a few Friends who arrange to meet with the interested individual. Their aim is to discern whether both the individual and the Meeting are clear to proceed; whether the applicant has a clear understanding of Quakerism and the meaning of membership, and that nothing stands in the way.

3) If everyone is in agreement, then the clearness committee sends a recommendation to Ministry and Counsel; M&C sends it along to the full Meeting, which considers it during Meeting for Worship with a concern for Business. The recommendation is held over for one month (sort of to make sure there are no impediments) before full acceptance.

If you have any questions, please reach out to a member of the Ministry and Counsel Committee (Dana, Derek, Anne H., Janice, Mary, or Rodney), who would be happy to assist. The section of our NYYM Faith and Practice on membership can be read at this link.