Friends Decision-Making & Clerking 2023

This is a workshop for everyone who wants to deepen their understanding of Quaker decision-making; it’s for clerks, but not just for clerks. For clerks, it will be an opportunity to learn and sharpen skills. For others, it will be an opportunity to get better grounded in what Quaker decision-making is all about. It is expected that each person will leave the weekend with new energy and enthusiasm for participating in meetings for business, well grounded in both the theoretical and the practical. There will be handouts, exercises and opportunities for experience sharing. 

 Among other topics, we will consider:

• The fundamentals of a Quaker meeting for business  
• What is a “sense of the meeting,” and how is it different from consensus?
• What is the meaning of “unity?”
• Why “standing in the way” is no longer a useful concept.
• Techniques of “good” clerking.
• Dealing with difficult situations

Steve Mohlke is a longtime Friend and former clerk of Ithaca Monthly Meeting. He served as co-clerk for the 2017 Friends General Conference Gathering. He currently serves as General Secretary of New York Yearly Meeting.