There are many committees and working groups at Stony Run. There are also many ways to serve our community. Here is a list of some with a focus on external service. (Scroll below for Stony Run committees with an internal focus.)
The Burial Ground Committee is appointed by the Meeting to manage the property and operations of Friends Burial Ground at 2506 Harford Road in Baltimore. The Burial Ground is part of our community of faith and provides a resource and source of support to members, attenders, and their families at times of death. It is also a place where people come to connect with their heritage. Attenders are welcome.
The Friends Community Garden is shared by Friends School of Baltimore and Stony Run Friends Meeting. During the Academic year, it is a teaching garden, with opportunities for students to plant, care, and harvest the fruits of their labor. During the summer months, when School is not in session, Friends share the responsibility of caring for and harvesting the plants. All harvests are donated to the GEDCO Cares Food Pantry each week.
The Immigration Working Group is sponsored by the Peace and Justice Committee. They provide assistance to refugee families, asylees, and asylum seekers in Baltimore City. They keep the Meeting informed about issues that impact immigrants locally and nationally, as well as working with other groups that welcome and assist immigrants. All are welcome to join this working group. Foreign language or other specialized skills are not required.
The Indian Affairs Working Group offers information on Native American history and culture as well as tracking National Legislation updates. They have CDs and books of interest that range from children’s books to adult subjects, which may be of interest to First Day school classes or adult forum talks at other Meetings.
We gather on the first Wednesday of each month to promote awareness of issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community and help make Stony Run a more welcoming space for all LGBTQ+ and gender non-binary people and their families. The working group’s activities have included explicitly affirming marriage equality; sponsoring transgender-affirming vocal training; participating in the annual PRIDE parade and picnic; offering educational forums on trans/non-binary equity; and partnering with other affirming houses of worship through Faith Communities of Baltimore with Pride. Everyone is welcome to join.
Founded in 1821, the McKim Center is the oldest continuously active community center in the United States. The McKim Community Association, Inc. is one of the earliest known 501(c)(3) nonprofit designations in Baltimore City and the state of Maryland.
The work of the Peace and Justice Committee is one way we turn our faith into actions for change. Many of the local, state, national and international organizations the Meeting supports financially and through volunteer hours began with this committee.
The committee calls Friends to keep the peace testimony a living concern and to respond to problems of social inequities and human needs locally, nationally, and worldwide. The committee’s responsibilities include educating Meeting members in specific concerns requiring attention and the recommendation of action where and when possible. All are welcome to join the committee. Visit us to see all of our outreach opportunities or contact us if you have an individual Leading.
In addition, the committee chooses the recipients for the Social Order Box, which offers the Stony Run community an opportunity to make contributions to local, national and international organizations not supported by the Meeting’s budget. The Social Order Box is just to the left of the doors to the library.
The Child Safety Committee ensures the safety of all children at Stony Run Meeting and compliance with the policy approved by the Trustees Committee.
The Stony Run Child Safety Policy is a document that states our policy on child safety, our procedures for ensuring that safety, and the process for reporting and investigating any instance of suspected abuse.
The Committee for Support and Supervision (CSS) supervises and sets work priorities for the office staff, develops the office budget, including the Facilitator’s and Operations Coordinator’s salaries and benefits, and oversees the daily operation of the office and the annual evaluation of staff.
The Community, Care and Clearness (CCC) Committee has the responsibility for community care of the Meeting, welcomes visitors, receives membership requests, and forms clearness committees, especially for membership and marriage. Together with Ministry and Counsel it helps families plan Memorial Meetings for Worship. CCC plans occasional community-building activities, keeps in touch with out-of-town members, and helps the Meeting care for its members in time of need.
The Culture and Outreach Working Group reaches out to the wider community, welcoming visitors, and providing opportunities for them to become engaged in the life of the Meeting. To help newcomers feel included, we share in person and online the way we worship and the ways our experience and values lead us to be involved in social justice work. Everyone is welcome.
The Event Planning Working Group is sponsored by the Giving Committee. The working group hosts one large musical event each fall that features excellent professional local musicians. The music is accompanied by a printed program with many sponsors and an in-depth discussion of an interest or concern of Stony Run. The program ends with a delicious all-chocolate reception. Funds raised by the event help cover Stony Run’s annual operating budget.
The Finance Committee prepares an annual operating and outreach budget for consideration and approval at Monthly Meeting for Business, and authorizes check signers to ensure that bills are promptly paid.
The Friends Aid Committee is authorized to draw upon funds in the care of the Trustees and of the Finance Committee, for the assistance of Friends in time of need. The committee acts in complete confidentiality and reports only an annual accounting of the total money disbursed at its direction. Recorded membership in Stony Run Meeting is required to serve on this committee.
The Funds Review and Use Committee (FRAUC) considers proposals for grants from Meeting constituents and makes grant decisions in accordance with FRAUC’s guidelines. FRAUC also monitors the Meeting’s various non-budget funds and recommends, for Meeting approval, appropriate long-term or short-term uses of available non-budget funds.
The Giving Committee works to raise the money needed to support the Meeting’s operations and outreach budget. This is done by organizing special fundraising events and by contacting members and attenders in the Meeting community.
The Hospitality Committee is responsible for providing Simple Lunch on Sundays from Labor Day to Memorial Day, and for supporting other events, such Quarterly Meeting, that may be requested by the Meeting. The Committee is also responsible for overseeing the good order of the kitchen and pantry. Help is always welcome!
The Library Committee provides and maintains books, magazines, and study materials for Meeting. It purchases publications by and about Friends, books for inspirational reading, materials which supplement the First-Day School curriculum, and carefully selected children’s books. Please visit Stony Run’s Library catalogue. All are welcome.
The Ministry and Counsel Committee fosters and nurtures the spiritual life of our Meeting and oversees Meetings for Worship. Committee members are available to assist members and attenders in matters of spiritual discernment. Committee members also offer assistance and support to families in times of death. To serve on this committee, membership in the Religious Society of Friends is required.
The Nominating Committee recommends people to serve as officers and committee members of the Meeting. Nominations are subject to approval by the Monthly Meeting. The members of the Nominating Committee are required to be recorded members of Stony Run Friends Meeting.
The Property Committee is concerned with management, care and improvement of the meetinghouse and grounds. All are welcome.
The Religious Education Committee has responsibility for programs for the children and teens on Sunday mornings and for special activities at other times. They also provide and/or support intergenerational activities, and have provided occasional adult sessions on the Quaker way, and on the Bible. They maintain a small library of curriculum resources to help teachers plan lessons, as well as art and craft supplies.
The Trustees Committee is responsible for the care and custody of all real and personal property of the Meeting and for the management of the Meeting’s investments and endowment funds. Membership in Stony Run Meeting is required.
The Ushers Committee coordinates the services of those who act as ushers at all Meetings for Worship, and who are responsible for opening and closing the Meetinghouse. Membership in Stony Run Meeting is required.
The Working Group on Academic Education, under the care of the Funds Review and Use Committee (FRAUC), provides financial support to Stony Run members and attenders with children enrolled at Friends School of Baltimore. The families must be active in Stony Run and have children already enrolled at Friends School but are faced with withdrawing from school due to changed family financial circumstances and/or increased tuition. The working group also can provide aid to families for a second (or third or fourth) child to attend Friends School. An application form is available early in January for the school year starting in September.
The Working Group with a Concern for Friends School works closely with Friends School of Baltimore Director of Quaker Life and Board of Trustees.