Annual meeting (Quakerism)
An annual meeting is an organizational unit of the administrative in Quakerism . It usually brings together several so-called quarterly meetings; or various monthly meetings. In Germany, the quarterly meetings are called "district meetings", a departure from the usual practice. Because Quakerism is traditionally influenced by the English language, the "Yearly Meeting" is also spoken regardless of the national language.
history
The oldest annual meeting is the "London Yearly Meeting" now called the "Britain Yearly Meeting". It was founded in 1668. The main initiator of the founding was the Quaker George Fox , who began to travel through the country in 1666 and campaign among the Quakers to found the monthly meetings in order to put the young movement on a stable basis.
A first national "general annual meeting" was held in Bedfordshire as early as 1658 . But this was not yet of an administrative nature. This meeting was held at the house of John Croots with the participation of George Fox.
In 1673 the then "London Yearly Meeting" was given the task of coordinating all mutual assistance between the monthly (and quarterly) meetings. Previously this work was organized by Margaret Fell from Swarthmoor Hall . The "Morning Meeting" or Meeting for Sufferings was created for this central task . To date, the Britain Yearly Meeting is the most important annual meeting in Europe. German Quaker history is also closely linked to the Britain Yearly Meeting.
tasks
In the beginning, the focus was on countering the persecution of the Quakers and coordinating aid. In addition, mission trips to continental Europe were organized and coordinated. Leaflets and books were printed and their distribution organized. Attempts were made to influence the politics of the rulers through diplomatic channels in order to improve their own situation. In addition, the annual meeting served to establish identity and internal discipline. The most important instrument for this was the elaboration of a "Breeding of Coexistence" (today "Order of Coexistence" and English "Book of Discipline").
Even today, a Quaker community is primarily defined by the "Book of Discipline" and the preparation and revision is still the responsibility of the respective annual meeting. Personal encounters are an important part of today's smaller annual meetings. Great efforts are being made here to include all age groups. The administrative work only makes up part of the total. Not only delegates meet at the annual meetings, but also many interested simple members and interested non-members.
The term "annual meeting" is sometimes not very clear and therefore misleading. Depending on the context, the term means the organizational unit, or the annual meeting of the members of the annual assembly.
structure
From the original approach, the monthly meetings are organized completely autonomously ( congregationalist ). They fill their positions themselves and send delegates to the quarterly meetings to discuss common topics with other monthly meetings. These quarterly meetings in turn deliberate in the annual meeting. Each level has its own services and committees. All associations are primarily of an advisory and recommendatory nature. In the original idea and understanding, God leads the church without the mediation of priests or pastors. Therefore, in the diagram on the right, God is placed on top, the churches below, followed by quarter and annual meetings.
List of Yearly Meetings
Africa
-
Kenya
- Bware Yearly Meeting, based in Suna, Kenya
- Central Yearly Meeting, based in Kakamega
- Chavakali Yearly Meeting
- East Africa Yearly Meeting (Kaimosi), based in Tiriki
- East Africa Yearly Meeting (North), based in Kitale
- Elgon East Yearly Meeting, based in Kitale
- Elgon Religious Society of Friends (West), located in Lugulu Via Webuye
- Kakamega Yearly Meeting
- Lugari Yearly Meeting, based in Turbo
- Malava Yearly Meeting
- Nairobi Yearly Meeting
- Tuoli Yearly Meeting, based in Kapsabet
- Vihiga Yearly Meeting
- Vokoli Yearly Meeting, based in Wodonga
- Outside Kenya
- Burundi Yearly Meeting
- Central and Southern Africa Yearly Meeting
- Congo Yearly Meeting
- East Africa Yearly Meeting
- Tanzania Yearly Meeting
- Uganda Yearly Meeting
America
-
Bolivia
- Iglesia Evangélica Amigos Central (Central Evangelical Friends Church)
- Iglesia Evangélica Unión Boliviana "Amigos" (Bolivian Union Evangelical Friends Church)
- Iglesia Nacional Evangélica Los Amigos de Bolivia (National Evangelical Friends Church of Bolivia)
- Iglesia Evangélica Misión Boliviana de Santidad Amigos (Bolivian Evangelical Mission Church of Holiness Friends)
-
Canada
- Canadian Yearly Meeting
-
Cuba
- Cuba Yearly Meeting
-
Guatemala
- Iglesia Evangélica Embajadores Amigos (Evangelical Ambassadors Friends Church)
- Iglesia Evangélica Nacional Amigos de Guatemala (National Evangelical Friends Church of Guatemala)
- Junta Anual Amigos de Santidad (Friends of Holiness Yearly Meeting)
-
El Salvador
- Iglesias Evangélicas de los Amigos en El Salvador (Evangelical Friends Churches in El Salvador)
-
Honduras
- Junta Annual Amigos de Santidad (Friends of Holiness Yearly Meeting)
-
Jamaica
- Jamaica Yearly Meeting
-
Mexico
- Asociación Religiosa de las Iglesias Evangélicas de los Amigos (Religious Association of the Evangelical Churches of Friends)
- Reunion General de los Amigos en México (General Meeting of Friends in Mexico)
-
Peru
- Iglesia Nacional Evangélica Los Amigos del Perú (National Evangelical Friends Church of Peru)
-
United States
-
Conservative
- Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative)
- North Carolina Yearly Meeting (Conservative)
- Ohio Yearly Meeting
-
Evangelical Friends International
- Alaska Yearly Meeting
- Evangelical Friends Church — Eastern Region
- Evangelical Friends Church — Mid-America
- Evangelical Friends Church — Southwest
- Northwest Yearly Meeting
- Rocky Mountain Yearly Meeting
-
Friends General Conference
- Alaska Friends Conference
- Illinois Yearly Meeting
- Intermountain Yearly Meeting
- Lake Erie Yearly Meeting
- Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting
- Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
- Piedmont Friends Fellowship (PFF is not an annual meeting, but an amalgamation of monthly meetings)
- South Central Yearly Meeting
- Southern Appalachian Yearly Meeting Association
-
Friends General Conference and Friends United Meeting
- Baltimore Yearly Meeting
- New England Yearly Meeting
- New York Yearly Meeting
- Northern Yearly Meeting
- Southeastern Yearly Meeting
-
Friends United Meeting
- Great Plains Yearly Meeting
- Indiana Yearly Meeting
- Iowa Yearly Meeting (FUM)
- North Carolina Yearly Meeting (FUM)
- Western Association
- Western Yearly Meeting
- Wilmington Yearly Meeting
-
Independent
- Central Yearly Meeting of Friends
- Missouri Valley Friends Conference
- North Pacific Yearly Meeting
- Pacific Yearly Meeting
-
Conservative
Asia
-
India
- General Conference of Friends in India
- Bundelkhand Yearly Meeting ( Bundelkhand Masihi Mitr Samaj )
- Mid-India Yearly Meeting
- Bhopal Yearly Meeting
- Outside India
- Cambodia Yearly Meeting
- Indonesia Yearly Meeting
- Japan Yearly Meeting
- Middle East Yearly Meeting
- (Nepal) Evangelical Friends Church
- Philippine Evangelical Friends Church
- Taiwan Yearly Meeting
Australia and Oceania
- Australia Yearly Meeting
- Aotearoa / New Zealand Yearly Meeting (Te Hāhi Tūhauwiri)
Europe
- Britain Yearly Meeting
- Denmark Yearly Meeting
- (Hungary) Evangelical Friends Church
- Finland Yearly Meeting
- France Yearly Meeting
- German Yearly Meeting ( German Yearly Meeting )
- Ireland Yearly Meeting
- Netherlands Yearly Meeting
- Norway Yearly Meeting
- Sweden Yearly Meeting
- Switzerland Yearly Meeting
See also
glossary
For the technical terms used in the article, see also the article " Glossary Quakerism ".
Individual evidence
- ^ "George Fox - Notes and Letters of the First Quaker", translator: Margrit Stähelin, Tübingen, 1908, Verlag JCB Mohr (Paul Siebeck), page 135.