Richmond Friends Meeting Travel Policy
Proposed by Financial Stewardship Committee
Approved Eleventh Month, 2010
This paper lays out the manner in which Richmond Friends Meeting members and attenders may request financial support for travel related to voluntary service to Quaker organizations beyond the RFM community, or other Quaker pursuits. The opportunity to travel and learn more about the work of the Religious Society of Friends and to support RFM by representing our community is generally considered an act of service that enriches both the individual and the Meeting. Thus it is hoped that individuals will bear their own travel costs whenever feasible. However, no one should feel that opportunities to serve are hampered by lack of funds. In cases where personal funds are limited, Richmond Friends Meeting may supplement personal funds in the following ways.
There typically are five situations that may require occasional travel:
1) Those individuals recruited by Nominating Committee and approved by Meeting to represent RFM on Quaker organizations (examples: FCNL, AFSC, Quaker House, Friends General Conference, Baltimore Yearly Meeting)
2) Those individuals accepting leadership assignments directly from Baltimore Yearly Meeting or Quaker organizations outside of RFM
3) Those individuals chosen by RFM committees to represent our Meeting in Yearly Meeting activities
4) Those individuals requesting scholarships for Yearly Meeting participation or other Quaker opportunities
5) Those individuals who are called to travel in spiritual service and whose ministry is under the care of Richmond Friends Meeting
The guidance for financial assistance in each situation is provided as follows:
1) Those individuals recruited by Nominating Committee and approved by Meeting to represent RFM on Quaker organizations (examples: FCNL, AFSC, Quaker House, Friends General Conference, Baltimore Yearly Meeting). Each of these individual positions is under the care of an associated committee: Thus
Under the care of Ministry and Worship: Baltimore Yearly Meeting rep, Friends General Counsel rep
Under the care of Peace and Social Concerns: American Friends Service Committee rep, Friends Council on National Legislation rep, Quaker House rep
Thus, our guidance is that committees with associated individual positions under their care should anticipate any related travel expenses beyond the financial capacity of the individual accepting the position and itemize this expense in their annual budget request.
2) Those individuals accepting leadership assignments directly from Baltimore Yearly Meeting or Quaker organizations outside of RFM
When an individual is invited to serve a Quaker organization and chooses to do so out of genuine interest independent of Richmond Friends Meeting, our guidance is that participation at that level and all relevant expense should be the responsibility of the individual. (If assistance is essential in order to serve, see 4c below)
3) Those individuals chosen by RFM committees to represent our Meeting in Yearly Meeting activities
If an RFM committee decides it is useful and productive to endorse a committee member to serve in a related role at the Yearly Meeting level, the committee should anticipate any related travel expenses beyond the financial capacity of the individual accepting the position and itemize this expense in their annual budget request.
4) Those individuals requesting scholarships for Yearly Meeting participation or other Quaker opportunities
When there is a serious need for supplemental travel funds, Friends are encouraged to take their request for support to a relevant committee. The committee may a) consider reallocating the use of its budgeted funds; or b) include the travel request it its annual budget request; or c) propose to Financial Stewardship for recommendation and approval by Meeting for Business an event to raise funds to support the travel-related activity.
Technically, there are no funds in the RFM general fund budget specifically designated for travel support. Modest support is available through the Mary Hulburt Scholarship Fund for first-time attendance at Friends General Conference; this fund is administered by the Care and Counsel committee.
5) Those who are called to travel in spiritual service and whose ministry is under the care of Richmond Friends Meeting
BYM Faith and Practice clearly states on this subject:
A Friend who feels called to travel in Truth’s service to visit with families, make public speeches, speak at called meetings, or the like should lay the concern before the Monthly Meeting, preferably first bringing it to the Committee on Ministry and Counsel.
If the Meeting unites with the concern, it should record a minute describing its member’s leading and proposed service, expressing the Meeting’s approval and support, and asking for the assistance of Friends to be visited. The Meeting should provide the Friend under concern with a copy of the minute.
The Friend who sets out on such a journey should be accompanied, when practical, by a Friend in sympathy with the concern and able to give counsel and companionship. The Monthly Meeting issuing the minute is responsible for seeing that the service is not hampered by lack of funds.
Thus, our guidance is that anyone called to travel in spiritual service and whose ministry is under the care of Richmond Friends Meeting may be supported in those endeavors, if needed, by and through a relevant committee, and it is the committee’s responsibility to anticipate reasonable and relevant expenses to present in a budget to monthly meeting via Financial Stewardship Committee.