You are here
The Handbook of Quaker Practice and Procedure in Australia
The Handbook is intended primarily for the guidance of Members and Attenders of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Australia, although it may be of interest to others also. It provides information about the conduct of worship, decision-making, the nature of membership of the Society, the relationship between the Society and other organisations, marriage, finance, and so on. It is a necessary resource for anyone appointed to office within the Society. The Handbook complements another publication of the Society, this we can say: Australian Quaker life, faith and thought (2003), the aim of which is to explain the faith that leads to the practice and procedures described here. The two books together form the Australian equivalent of the single volume entitled Quaker Faith and Practice, published by Britain Yearly Meeting in 1995 and subsequently revised.
The Handbook is under continual revision, to reflect changes made through decisions by Yearly Meeting.
Handbook
- Handbook of Quaker Practice & Procedure in Australia , [7th ed, 2020; Updated March 2024]
- Handbook 6th edition
- Flowchart of Approvals Process
The Handbook includes --
- A brief history of the Society and information on how the Society is run in Australia
- For those new to the responsibilities of a role within the Religious Society of Friends, practical answers
- Details about the kind of agenda that is needed for the Annual Meeting, guidance for who should attend, and how to include those who are not members of the Society.
- Details about how appointments should be made for the varying positions within the Society, responsibilities, and how funds are distributed
- Details on marriages, funerals, putting one's life in order in preparation for death, and many other helpful passages.
The Handbook provides guidelines for our practices, and describes current processes, but is not prescriptive. As with any other document, Friends are invited to discern if changes are needed to suit their particular circumstance, and to advise the Handbook Revision Committee of such necessary changes.
Related Files:
