Subcommittees of the Gathering Committee

All committee members are expected to serve on a subcommittee, with the occasional exception of the Recording Clerk.

Some subcommittees may require additional meetings, and all subcommittees undertake portions of their work by phone and email. 

The Local Arrangements subcommittee works to establish field trips and to develop information sheets for area attractions as part of the free-time activities at the Gathering.  Members provide important assistance in locating supplies and special equipment for the Junior Gathering program; provide assistance with local transportation; assist with local information; and assist the Long Range Conference Planning Committee with community relations and local publicity.  It may meet once or twice in addition to at Gathering Committee meetings.

The High School subcommittee will not attend the initial spring meeting of the Gathering Committee.  It will begin its work at the FGC Gathering prior to the one it is planning for: collecting evaluations and seeking high school participants who are interested in helping to plan the next year’s program.  Working closely with the coordinators of the high school program, the high school subcommittee plans the schedule for the Gathering week, reviews workshop themes and ideas for leaders forwarded from the workshop subcommittee, and seeks ways to improve the overall experience of community for high schoolers at the Gathering.  This subcommittee does not meet at the first spring meeting of the Gathering Committee.  This subcommittee may choose to meet at time more convenient for students than when the Gathering Committee meets, in which case the clerk(s) and/or the coordinator(s) serve in a liaison role with the Gathering Committee. 

The Junior Gathering subcommittee shapes the format and content of the Junior Gathering program for infants through those finishing eighth grade.  This subcommittee gathers input from attenders and then reviews evaluations from the current Gathering, suggests program policy, and assists the Junior Gathering Coordinator in recruiting Friends to serve as leaders and teachers in the program.  Members take an active role in oversight of the program at the Gathering and serve as liaison with parents and teacher. Jessamyn Doan serves as co-clerk for 2014, and another co-clerk will be appointed.

The Evening Program subcommittee chooses events and topics for the plenary sessions, and within the time schedule set by the Gathering Committee, seeks plenary presenters appropriate to the theme and concerns of the Gathering.  The Committee works with the Music Coordinator to decide whether there should be pre-plenary music and to identify appropriate musicians for that music.  Members of this subcommittee serve in a one-on-one support role with the plenary presenters, and coordinate ideas and concerns with the worship subcommittee. 

The Workshop subcommittee first reviews the form for soliciting workshops and plans procedures for acquiring workshop proposals and contacting specific leaders.  The committee is responsible for selecting workshops for the Gathering with an eye to the wants and needs of Friends.  Committee members are assigned to new workshop leaders as Committee Contacts, and help with evaluations following the Gathering.  Two members of this subcommittee also plan the Interest Group night.  All members of the committee read 70-90 workshop proposals and participate in a 2-3 day meeting (often in late October or early November) to select workshops for the Gathering.

The Worship subcommittee gives particular attention to the occasions when the Gathering settles into worship.  The group may help plan the opening All Gathering event, as well as the opening and closing All-Gathering worship.  They also assist in creating a worshipping community throughout the week.

The Adult Young Friends subcommittee plans programs and activities for adult Friends ages 18–35 who have finished High School.  It consists of Friends appointed by the AYF Program at the Gathering.  Therefore,  Friends interested in serving on the 2014 AYF subcommittee should express that interest at the 2013 Gathering.  The subcommittee does not meet at the first (spring) meeting of the Gathering committee.  The AYF Coordinators serve as clerks. Coordinators will be appointed by AYF business meeting.

The Outreach Committee works with the Gathering Clerks and Conference Coordinator to strengthen and implement a marketing plan.  This is a new and evolving committee that involves creativity, enthusiasm, and the willingness to work collaboratively on specific marketing pieces. The committee is responsible for identifying contacts in regional meetings who will receive promotional emails and distribute them as appropriate to their specific meeting.

The Recording Clerk may be a member of any subcommittee, but his/her primary responsibility is to keep accurate minutes of the meetings of the committee of the whole. 

Interested in joining the FGC Gathering Committee?  Complete the Expression of Interest form.