| Photo: The Clearing in Autumn by Dave Clark |
Caring for Others
| Care and Counsel Committee |
||
|
In Midlothian Friends Meeting, as in many Quaker meetings, there is
a standing committee of people whose function is to pay particular
attention to the emotional, financial, and personal needs of those
who attend Meeting. This committee is called the "Care and Counsel"
committee. The Care and Counsel committee also ensures meeting's support during life events such as marriages, deaths, and births. Those who wish to marry under the care of meeting are helped by the Care and Counsel committee. Memorial services are also arranged by Care and Counsel. |
||
|
Caring for Others
| Difficult Times? Friends help friends. Midlothian Friends Meeting exists in part to support each other, and others when support is needed. We are all human, and humans have problems. If you or someone you know needs help, we may be able to help. (Please note that we are not an emergency crisis center or hot line. If you are suicidal, or have severe immediate needs, we encourage you to call 911 or your local crisis hot line.) |
||
|
Illness or Accident If you have an illness or accident, and would like to receive support, our Care and Counsel committee acts as representatives of Meeting. They can arrange to notify others in Meeting, or can provide for such needs as cooking meals or providing transportation. We have no ministers in Midlothian Meeting; we are all ministers to each other. Difficult decisions Friends have a unique way of helping others reach a difficult decision: clearness committees. Clearness committees are a group of volunteers, selected by the person who requests assistance, who will meet as necessary to provide guidance. These committees act as listeners, guiding the requestor by listening rather than through advice-giving. For more information on clearness committees, contact a member of the Care and Counsel committee. Death or Memorials Deaths affecting the meeting community are inevitable and natural. While arrangements are usually a private matter, meeting can arrange memorial meetings. Memorial meetings are conducted as regular meetings for worship, with special considerations for the family's wishes. For more information, contact the Care and Counsel Committee, who will coordinate the memorial meeting with the Ministry and Worship Committee. |
|
Caring for Others
| Financial
Help |
|
Midlothian Meeting has two funds available for short-term financial
assistance. One is for those attending Meeting, and is called the
Fund for Suffering. This fund is administered by the Care and
Counsel Committee. To apply for funds,
contact a member of the
committee. All requests are held in strict confidence. The committee
is authorized to spend from that fund without the knowledge or prior
approval of Meeting. Typical uses of this fund might be for
short-term financial needs like a job loss, or severe property
damage affecting your residence, or other unexpected emergencies. The second fund is for the general community, and is called FriendShare. To qualify for assistance, the intended recipient must be recommended by an associate of FriendShare, i.e. a Quaker or a representative of a social agency. This fund is administered through the Peace and Social Action Committee of Midlothian Meeting. Applications are taken at the Thrifty Quaker store, which should be contacted for further information at 794-7158. |
||
| Midlothian Friends Meeting P.O. Box 1003, Midlothian, VA 23113 (804) 598-1676 |