Eldership & Oversight: With a Tender Hand

This web page is designed to support the book “With a tender hand”.

With a tender hand is a resource book for eldership and oversight.  Part of the book’s approach is to augment and expand on guidance in Quaker faith & practice http://qfp.quaker.org.uk/ , particularly chapter 12 “Caring for one another”, making it more accessible.

This online resource is designed to provide access to a range of extension materials, further resources and links to other useful sites, and will be regularly updated and added to.  It will be worth checking for new material not referenced in the book, including new or revised publications on relevant topics.

At various points in the book, reference is made to Quaker Life books for sale or free material that can be obtained through the Quaker Centre Bookshop.  A complete list can be found here http://www.quaker.org.uk/resources-eldership-and-oversight. The Quaker bookshop has an online presence here: http://www.quaker.org.uk/shop.

Each chapter in the book ends with a set of queries.  Downloadable versions of each set of queries are available from these webpages.

The format of the webpage includes an entry for each of the 66 times that the website is named in the book.  Each entry will link to appropriate information.

At this early stage there will be some gaps were we are seeking information and examples from Friends and Meetings.  We would welcome your help to add examples of local resources that may be of interest to others.

Although “With a tender hand” was written for British Quakers, it may also be of interest and use to other Friends, particularly those who have unprogrammed worship, however, references to legislation and regulations will need to be interpreted in the context of your own country’s laws.

In a similar way, British Friends can benefit from the experience of other Friends.  The Friends General Conference publication Fostering Vital Friends Meetings is an excellent resource on a range of topics: http://www.fgcquaker.org/resources/resources-fostering-vital-friends-meetings.

If your meeting has documents that can be freely shared with others, then do please be in touch with Michael Booth, the Support for Meetings Officer in Quaker Life: michaelsb@quaker.org.uk or 020 7663 1023.  These will normally be lightly edited to remove personal contact details.  We would be happy to include information from outside our Yearly Meeting.

 

Please note that links to PDFs below will open in a new browser window. You are welcome to download them, using your browser’s, Page Save As option.

 

Introduction

  • Page 18 The appropriate link for this is the very page we are on! www.quaker.org.uk/tender-hand

1: Pastoral Care

  • Chapter 1 Why do Quaker meetings need eldership and oversight?
    Page 33 The queries for chapter 1 (PDF, will open in new window)
  • Chapter 2 Ways of working together
    Page 47 The queries for chapter 2 (PDF, will open in new window)
  • Chapter 3 Grounding our practice
    Page 60 We would be pleased to receive information from meetings with examples of eldership and oversight welcome and induction material. They can be sent to Michael Booth michaelsb@quaker.org.uk in Quaker Life. We will give a hyperlink to suitable page that can contain links to pdf or word files – link to follow.
    Page 66 The queries for chapter 3 (PDF, will open in new window)

2: Worship

3: Community

4: Caring

  • Chapter 11 Addressing need
    Page 204 The queries for chapter 11 (PDF, will open in new window)
  • Chapter 12 Receiving care
    Page 214 The queries for chapter 12 (PDF, will open in new window)
  • Chapter 13 Absent friends
    Page 226 The queries for chapter 13 (PDF, will open in new window)
  • Chapter 14 Conflict and difficulty in the meeting
    Page 228 Here is a link to the Quaker bookshop catalogue http://www.quaker.org.uk/shop/book-catalogue do use it and search on conflict resolution, or visit the bookshop and see what we have to offer.If you have a meeting resource that we can share or know of a different website, do let Quaker Life know: michaelsb@quaker.org.uk. We will give a hyperlink to suitable page that can contain links to pdf or word files – link to follow.
    Page 244 Here is a link to the Quaker bookshop catalogue http://www.quaker.org.uk/shop/book-catalogue do use it and search on conflict, or visit the bookshop and see what we have to offer.If you have a meeting resource that we can share or know of a different website, do let Quaker Life know: michaelsb@quaker.org.uk. We will give a hyperlink to suitable page that can contain links to pdf or word files –  link to follow.
    Page 244 Here is a link to the Quaker bookshop catalogue http://www.quaker.org.uk/shop/book-catalogue do use it and search on listening or conflict resolution, or visit the bookshop and see what we have to offer.If you have a meeting resource that we can share or know of a different website, do let Quaker Life know: michaelsb@quaker.org.uk. We will give a hyperlink to suitable page that can contain links to pdf or word files – link to follow.
    Page 246 Quaker Life staff are available by letter, telephone or e-mail to listen and respond to Meetings that are working through issues.   Sometimes, it will become clear that more personal contact is required and a visit by experienced members of the Quaker Life Network would be desirable. It is possible to initiate a request for a visit by completing an online form: go to https://forms.quaker.org.uk/qln-request-form/ and send us details. Many Friends find completing the form easier after they have spoken to Quaker Life staff.
    Page 249 The queries for chapter 14 (PDF, will open in new window)
  • Chapter 15 Disability, vulnerable and times of stress
    Page 251 If you have good experience of a resource that we can share or know of an appropriate organisation that can offer support in any of the topics covered in this chapter, do please let Quaker Life know: michaelsb@quaker.org.uk. However, we cannot vouch for the service provided by any of the organisations we list.  We will give a hyperlink to suitable page that can contain links to pdf or word files – link to follow.
    Page 259 If you have good experience of a resource that we can share or know of an appropriate organisation that can offer support for Friends on the subject of Mental Health, do please let Quaker Life know: michaelsb@quaker.org.uk. However, we cannot vouch for the service provided by any of the organisations we list. We will give a hyperlink to suitable page that can contain links to pdf or word files – link to follow.  Staff in Quaker Life can listen and help a meeting consider how it can support someone with a mental health issue.   However, we do not provide professional mental health support.
    Page 264 If you have good experience of a resource that we can share or know of an appropriate organisation that can offer support for bereaved children, do please let Quaker Life know: michaelsb@quaker.org.uk. However, we cannot vouch for the service provided by any of the organisations we list.  We will give a hyperlink to suitable page that can contain links to pdf or word files – link to follow.
    Page 265 There is an e-mail contact form to be in touch with the Quaker Concern for Dying and Death here: https://www.quaker.org.uk/quaker-concern-around-dying-and-death at the time of writing this, there is no website.
    Page 265 Here is a link to the Quaker bookshop catalogue on the topic of aging, dying, death and bereavement http://www.quaker.org.uk/shop/category/pastoral-care-aging-dying-death-and-bereavement-0, or visit the Bookshop and see what we have to offer.  If you have a meeting resource that we can share or know of a different website, do let Quaker Life know: michaelsb@quaker.org.uk. We will give a hyperlink to suitable page that can contain links to pdf or word files – link to follow.
    Page 271 If you have good experience of a resource that we can share or know of an appropriate organisation that can offer support as a result of abusive relationships, do please let Quaker Life know: michaelsb@quaker.org.uk. However, we cannot vouch for the service provided by any of the organisations we list.  We will give a hyperlink to suitable page that can contain links to pdf or word files – link to follow. Here are links to the leaflets Maintaining Safe Communities http://www.quaker.org.uk/sites/default/files/Maintaining-safe-communities-web_1.pdf and Maintaining boundaries http://www.quaker.org.uk/sites/default/files/Maintaining-boundaries-web_1.pdf .
    Page 272 For a copy of the booklet Meetings and (ex) offenders, please contact Michael Booth michaelsb@quaker.org.uk 020 7663 1023 or Marleen Schepers marleens@quaker.org.uk 020 7663 1143. It is only circulated on request.
    Page 274 Support for Quaker Prison Chaplains can be found here: http://www.quaker.org.uk/qpc while more general support for chaplains can be found here: http://www.quaker.org.uk/qpc
    Page 274 The publication “A brief guide to Quaker chaplaincy can be downloaded from here: http://www.quaker.org.uk/sites/default/files/Brief-guide-Quaker-chaplaincy.pdf .
    Page 276 The queries for chapter 15 (PDF, will open in new window)

5: Communication

6: Leadership

References

  • Page 417 A single list of resources is not available, instead, please look at the various links to lists of subject- and topic-based resources that are accessible through links on these pages.
    Page 422 Just as the very first link from page 18, the appropriate link for this is the very page we are on! www.quaker.org.uk/tender-hand