Illinois Yearly Meeting historically has been very non-hierarchical. Exactly what that meant became very obvious to me as the first IYM-hired Field Secretary in recent history when I finally figured out, with the exception of my primary contact person with Ministry and Advancement, that I was essentially on my own. I was giddy with the thought of unbridled freedom! At least I was as free as a two-fifth's time agreement would allow.
The position was never intended to be an ecclesiastical loose cannon roaming the four state area which comprises IYM. The intent, I believe, was to have rather loose oversight by IYM with a specific oversight/support committee and a primary liaison person. That lasted about as long as the first meeting of the oversight group.
That group was made up of members of M&A and interested persons. Most were seasoned Friends and excellent resources. What should have been a resource turned out to be a vehicle for overload. Because the mandate for the Field Secretary was primarily support for the smaller/weaker Meetings with little direction beyond that, virtually anything was possible to be included in the Field Secretary's work responsibilities-and it was. When it became obvious that one person could not begin to touch on all the suggestions, I started the process of limiting my direction-talking to my M&A support person, my spiritual mentors and the clerk of M&A. That gave me a manageable group with which to work,
I continued to keep M&A officially informed and made the necessary reports to the Yearly Meeting, but on a week-to-week basis I took my readings and tested them as necessary with my unofficial support group. That was a satisfying way to work in many ways. I had maximum freedom while remaining anchored in the call set forth by the Yearly Meeting.
In a Yearly Meeting that has not had a "hireling minister" or at least one that they paid directly, the Field Secretary position was an odd entity. There were individual Friends and one Meeting that thoroughly rejected the notion, but they were in the minority. Most Friends were very supportive. The biggest issue with Meetings was the question of exactly what were they supposed to do with this new person. Helping Meetings with intimate problems was out of the question until trust was established. Small Meetings very often just did not have a perceived need. Then, of course, there were the limitations of the Field Secretary himself.
In a geographically far-flung Yearly Meeting, communication and contact can be very difficult. Many people never see each other or have any sort of primary contact. In short, if it were not for the communications of the Yearly Meeting, many smaller isolated groups would have little reason to know each other exists. The Field Secretary was and is a primary interpreter among the various Meetings and worship groups. That channel of communication was very helpful in breaking down the barriers of isolation. It could not necessarily make everyone happy about our diversity, but it surely helped get the word spread that diversity is out there.
Being the only employee of a Yearly Meeting can be a lonesome job at times. You run up large telephone bills keeping touch with your contacts, but even they have a different relationship to the Yearly Meeting. You alone are the "hireling" who experiences the peculiar angst that goes with the job, the lifestyle and the different way of relating to the Yearly Meeting. Without a good support network of trusted Friends and the opportunity to touch base with other Quaker "hirelings" it can be stressful. You can also find yourself becoming synonymous with the minutes from the Yearly Meeting which may mean you stop being you and become the big YOU who represents all that is either right or wrong with the Yearly Meeting depending upon the topic. Sainthood is an even more dangerous mantle than its opposite. Perhaps the greatest danger is believing either polarity or your press clippings!
The joy of traveling among Friends is perhaps the most sublime of activities. Many times you travel to be among Friends for no other reason than the sheer joy of shared fellowship. There is no imminent crisis for which an outside expert is needed, only the very human need of being together. That alone makes any negatives pale in comparison. And, if some need arises, so much the better. You have then fulfilled not only the need for spiritual companionship, but the very human compulsion to help.
Working alone or in a non-hierarchical setting simply means being creative with time, energy and relationships. If something has not been done before, it is difficult to do it wrong! Also, there is wonderful freedom to listen to the Spirit if you do not make yourself overly busy or drive yourself crazy with a lot of "oughts." It is the best of worlds when you go with the flow rather than trying to re-direct or channel all the information that comes your way.
Trust is an inherent part of the relationship with the Yearly Meeting. Since there is no paid oversight, the Yearly Meeting is placing their trust in you in a very elemental way. On a day-to-day basis what you do is not scrutinized. They trust that you will heed the Spirit that called you forth and that you will maintain "gospel order" in your work. This tempers that freedom with humility. You have a unique perspective that most Friends will never have the privilege of experiencing first hand. It is heady and hearty stuff that makes spiritual self-discipline a necessity. You also come to know what "ministry" really means among unprogrammed Friends.
I do not wish to white-wash all the potentially painful problems that can arrive. They are legion and many of them are inherent in the structure or lack thereof of Friends. You need F/friends with whom you get grounded, you need F/friends with whom you soar and you need to find F/friends who you can simply walk beside and be guided by their plain and forthright speech. Always speak Truth and always listen for Truth. It will keep you from stepping on the land-mines of Quakerdom. It is also easier than trying to figure out what you "ought" to say.
Open lines of communication are necessary and that is an overused, but under-utilized cliché. Like goblins under the bed, problems get bigger the longer they are kept in the dark. Use the pen, the phone and the fax to keep the lines open and information and feelings flowing. It does not prevent conflict, but it keeps it honest and in the open.
These articles are from Resources
for Fostering Vital Friends Meetings
See also: the FGC Quaker Library
