"Dearly beloved Friends, these things we do not lay upon you as a rule or form to walk by; but that all, with a measure of the light, and abiding, these things may be fulfilled in the Spirit, not in the letter; for the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life."

Balby Meeting

Yorkshire, 1656

Foreword

The material assembled here is intended to supplement descriptions of Friends' faith and practice as they have appeared in the book of discipline of the yearly meeting with which Durham Monthly Meeting is affiliated. The Queries from the 1983 revision of Faith and Practice: Book of Discipline of the North Carolina Yearly Meeting (Conservative) of the Religious Society of Friends are included in this printing.

This Handbook describes in detail the committee structure, responsibilities, practices and procedures that have developed in Durham Monthly Meeting. They have been assembled here so that members may have in one place the information needed for the Meeting and its committees to conduct their affairs with as much harmony as possible following the good order used among Friends. The Meeting's Handbook is available to members and attenders both in hard-copy and in electronic form.

As the Meeting's needs evolve, so do its procedures, committee structure and responsibilities of its committees and positions. This Handbook is intended as a guide, describing the actual and recommended practice current at its date of publication, but Friends are expected to follow their Guide in adapting the procedures to changing circumstances. The Handbook is revised periodically to reflect these changes, but Friends should consult the recorded minutes of Meetings for Worship with Attention to Business (available at the Meeting House and published monthly in the Newsletter) when more current information is needed.

· The first edition of this book, named Discipline of Durham Monthly Meeting, was assembled by Sylvia Arnett, Cheri Junk, Kate Mooneyham, and Bob Passmore and published by the clerk, Edward M. Arnett, in 1984.

· Kathleen March compiled revisions contributed by members of each standing committee of the Meeting into the first draft for a second edition. In 1991 Robert Wolpert placed the draft in a text processor on his computer, and printed subsequent drafts for review through 1994. With an editor’s eye, Jamie Hysjulien revised both procedure and committee descriptions during 1998-99. The Nominating committee under Charlie Layman incorporated input from committee conveners again in January, 2000.

· In 2001, Bob Passmore expanded the chapter on meeting history and updated other sections. Finally, in December of 2003 David Stewart and Bob revised the committee descriptions and published the complete Handbook on the meeting’s website (http://www.ncymc.org/durham).

William O’Connor, Clerk

December 2003