CHICO FRIENDS MEETING
 

WITNESS AND SERVICE COMMITTEE DESCRIPTION

 
From our earliest days, Friends have witnessed to our faith and sought to serve the world outside of our own faith community. This commitment is rooted in our faith understanding that the Spirit calls us to lives of compassion and concern for the welfare of all beings, and engenders in us a willingness to suffer in the service of love.  The Witness and Service committee thus roots our witness and service in prayerful seeking of how we are to respond to this call, and helps the Meeting act in the world in ways that reflect our deepest faith experience.  Our work for justice, nonviolent resolution of conflict, and the relief of suffering is guided by our faith, our distinctive testimonies on simplicity, unity and peace, and our group discernment of the leadings of the Spirit. Our book of Faith and Practice notes that witness is “to let one’s actions and words spring from deep convictions or spiritual leadings” and that “many unprogrammed Friends do not talk often about their beliefs, but allow their lives to bear witness to their beliefs.”
 
Witness and Service Committee has 4-6 members serving 2-year staggered terms.  This committee helps the Meeting and its members and attenders undertake witness and service work as individuals and as a Meeting. Witness includes actions to which we are led by our faith, such as participation in local peace vigils, projects opposing capital punishment or addressing prison conditions; educating ourselves and others on alternatives to violence, and letter-writing to government officials and the media.  Examples of service include participating in Quaker service work in the U.S or internationally, and locally in serving meals to homeless people.
 
The committee keeps the Monthly Meeting aware of current political, social and economic issues locally and worldwide.  The committee keeps in contact with local organizations working for peace and justice, and helps members and attenders engage in political action and social service in keeping with our faith and practice.
 
The Witness and Service Committee reports to Monthly Meeting on a regular basis. The committee appoints and oversees the work of the Torres Shelter Meals Program Subcommittee and the subcommittee’s members may or may not be members of the committee.  Our liaisons with American Friends Service Committee, Ben Lomond Quaker Center, Friends Committee on Legislation of California, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Pacific Yearly Meeting Unity with Nature Committee, and Sierra Friends Center work under the care of this committee and may or may not be members of the committee.  The committee also keeps in touch with Friends in monthly, quarterly and yearly meetings doing similar work in witness and service.
 
[Description approved by Nominating Committee 3/9/2012, by Meeting for Business 3/11/2012]