A. Purpose
The meeting on ministry and counsel has particular responsibility for nurture of the religious life of the meeting. Its purposes are:
- to exercise general care of meetings for worship and support of the spiritual ministry, and
- to provide pastoral care of the membership.
Though Friends serving on ministry and counsel have those direct responsibilities, all members of the meeting should be under the weight of this concern and take responsibility for their own participation.
Members of ministry and counsel should be familiar with the contents of Part One -- Faith, and particularly Section 2 of that part, dealing with "Seeking the Spirit."
B. Organization
Ministry and counsel is organized and functions as a meeting at monthly, quarterly, and yearly meeting levels. Membership appointments originate in monthly meetings, but these appointments carry with them related responsibility for participation in the larger meetings.
THE MONTHLY MEETING. In individual meetings, organization varies widely. Because of size or established practice, some meetings may designate some of the functions of ministry and counsel to elders or overseers, who may hold separate meetings for consideration of their particular responsibilities. Monthly meetings are free to determine the type of organization suited to their needs but should clearly delineate the separate areas of responsibility if ministry and counsel is subdivided. Suggestions for subdivision are given below in the further description of "Functions of Ministry and Counsel."