AFSC Representatives (also AFSC Committee)

Proposed in AFSC Committee Report to annual session, 06/15/07.  Referred to Executive Committee for consideration.  

EC 07-11: EC forwards to CC its recommendation to accept the AFSC Committee’s Draft revision to the Guide’s section on this committee’s organization and responsibilities, with recommendation to add to item 6 under “Responsibilities” the following: “… and receiving and carrying IMYM concerns and initiatives to the AFSC Corporation.” 

The 1998 Guide defines the AFSC Representative position primarily in terms of an AFSC Committee.  This revision defines the representative position itself and incorporates changes in the committee structure proposed by AFSC representatives to the annual session, June 2007.  In this proposal, the position of Monthly Meeting AFSC Liaisons is dropped. 

Purpose:  AFSC Representatives are appointed to serve in the AFSC Corporation.  These AFSC Representatives, one from each Region, support the relationship between AFSC and the constituent bodies of the Yearly Meeting through such activities as informing monthly and regional meetings about AFSC programs and their financial needs, representing the Yearly Meeting to the AFSC Corporation, and assisting with oversight of the AFSC-IMYM Joint Service Projects.  Each Representative is a member of the AFSC Corporation and the JSP Oversight Committee.  Representation normally involves three trips per year in addition to participation in the annual IMYM gathering. 

Appointment:  Each of the Regional Meetings nominates one AFSC Representative to the Yearly Meeting for appointment.  These nominations are submitted to the clerk of the Nominating Committee. 

Terms:  Three years beginning in October before the November meeting of the AFSC Corporation in Philadelphia and ending in October three years later. 

AFSC Committee:  AFSC Representatives work together as the AFSC Committee to coordinate efforts when representing the Yearly Meeting, arranging for travel, reporting to the Yearly Meeting, and working on AFSC matters at the Monthly and Regional Meeting levels.  The committee normally meets during the annual IMYM session and the annual Corporation meeting, and informally as needed at meetings of the JSP Oversight Committee. 

The Committee may co-opt people from the Monthly Meetings of IMYM who serve on the AFSC Board or area AFSC Regional Executive Committees (Central -- Des Moines; Pacific Southwest – Los Angeles; Pacific Mountain -- San Francisco) to join in the Committee's work.  IMYM Friends from the local AFSC Program Committees or who are otherwise active in AFSC work may also be co-opted. 

The AFSC Representatives select from among themselves a convenor for this committee work when they are assembled at the annual Corporation meeting in November. 

Responsibilities of the AFSC Representatives include:

1. Representing the Yearly Meeting at the Annual Meeting of the AFSC Corporation, normally held in Philadelphia each November.
2. Serving as members of the Committee on Oversight of AFSC-IMYM Joint Service Projects and assisting with the Committee's work.
3. Interpreting to the Regional and Monthly Meetings and Worship Groups, the projects, needs and resources of the AFSC.  This should involve creating personal contacts with individual Friends in the Monthly Meetings and Worship Groups of the Region to allow direct communication on AFSC matters and monthly meeting activities.  (See Notes and Concerns)
4. Encouraging contributions to the AFSC from Monthly Meetings, Worship Groups, and individuals in the Yearly Meeting.
5. Recommending to the IMYM Finance Committee the budget requirements for Representative travel and for carrying out the duties they are assigned.
6. Reporting annually to the Yearly Meeting and receiving and carrying IMYM concerns and initiatives to the AFSC Corporation. 

Financial arrangements:  IMYM pays the expenses of AFSC Representatives to attend the Annual Meeting of the AFSC Corporation, normally held in Philadelphia each November, and to the meetings of the JSP Oversight Committee.  Incidental operating expenditures for clerical supplies, communications, etc., may be submitted (normally by the committee clerk) to the Treasurer for reimbursement.  The Treasurer should be consulted before incurring unusual expenses. 

Notes and Concerns:

1.  The AFSC Representatives, one from each Region, serving in the AFSC Corporation and on the JSP Oversight Committee, are not to be confused with the separate positions of Regional Representative to the JSP Oversight Committee.  Each Region appoints one Regional JSP Representative to the Oversight Committee for a three year term.  This is a Regional Meeting appointment, not involving action by the Yearly Meeting.

2.  Much of the success of the AFSC Representative rests upon the ability to communicate with Friends in the Monthly Meetings and Worship Groups.  It is anticipated that Representatives will identify individual Friends in each Monthly Meeting and Worship Group who are interested in AFSC matters and will work to inform Friends at the local level.  Monthly Meetings and Worship Groups may wish to appoint one or more liaison Friend(s), but it remains the Representative's responsibility to proactively seek out and maintain a relationship, either through the Monthly Meeting or Worship Group, or with an interested individual.  The annual gathering and regional gatherings may provide productive opportunities for creating such relationships.

3.  In an attempt to keep travel outlay within budget, the Yearly Meeting in 2003 approved a Finance Committee recommendation that "representatives (FCNL, AFSC, etc.) get together to decide how they will spend or allocate their budgeted (travel) monies... The treasurer is authorized to pay out only to the limit which has been budgeted.  At any point of financial need, it is suggested that Friends contact their monthly meetings, or have their monthly meeting contact other monthly meetings, for financial help." (IMYM 03-09).  This procedure appears not to be practiced at this time. 

In recent years, only a fraction of AFSC Representative travel outlay has been reimbursed by the Yearly Meeting, apparently with much of the cost having been absorbed by the representatives themselves.  To what degree representatives have coordinated their travel and its reimbursement is unknown, and to what degree representatives have limited their travel because of unreimbursed cost is unknown.