1. Quakers in Scotland (QiS)
  2. FAQ about GM to QiS

FAQ about GM to QiS

GM becomes QiS – frequently asked questions

Further clarifications as Quakers in Scotland evolves. Questions listed below (click on headings or scroll down for further info on each):

What is Quakers in Scotland?

Our prayerfully discerned vision for the future of Quakers in Scotland is that we will be united as one people, in one Quaker body, and one Quaker charity. To that end, Quakers in Scotland has been registered as our new Quaker charity. If and when led to do so, our current Quaker bodies will transfer to it, starting with General Meeting for Scotland.

For a detailed history describing steps in this process since 2015, see QiS history in detail.

Could you please advise me what difference this change will make?  

There will be no change to our Local Meetings.

Our overwhelming desire is to release the spiritual energy of our faith community by simplifying our ways of working, and reducing the burden on the dwindling number of Friends who undertake roles on our behalf. Meeting for Worship and our faith continue to be central to all we do. Having one Quaker body and one Quaker charity significantly reduces the number of roles required, and it enables us to work more flexibly, coming together in many different ways, to meet our needs and respond to the leadings of the spirit.

What is happening to General Meeting for Scotland?

Following General Meeting for Scotland’s (GMS) decision in June 2025 (Minute 25/06/09), when GMS meets on 20th September, it will lay itself down and transfer its assets and responsibilities to Quakers in Scotland (QiS).

Meeting for Sufferings has agreed that QiS can replace GMS. Its functions as stated in Quaker faith and practice (Qfp) 5.03 will become the responsibility of QiS, and Qfp will be amended accordingly.

What am I being asked to do, and why?

You are being asked to give consent for your membership of GMS to be transferred to QiS.

You are NOT being asked (at this stage) to agree to your AM membership being transferred to QiS - that will come later if or when AMs decide to wind themselves up and transfer their assets and responsibilities to QiS. We are also being asked to agree to our contact data being transferred  from GMS to QiS. This is administrative and not linked to membership - hence it being addressed to Members and Attenders.

From 20th September, for QiS to take on the functions of GMS it needs to be a viable entity with members. All members of Scottish AMs are members of GMS, but we can’t transfer their membership to QiS - since it’s a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO), they need to apply for membership. At the QiS Trustees meeting on 15th September, all those who have signed the request to transfer will be accepted into the membership of QiS. Paper application forms will be available on 20th September and a further batch of Friends will be admitted into membership that day. Applications received after this date will be processed in due course.

What is going to happen about the membership of elderly, sick and disabled Friends, and those who cannot give informed consent to the transfer?

In recognition that some Friends might need support to respond to the requests in the GM clerk’s letter, all Local Meeting (LM) clerks were contacted asking that, with the help of the LM pastoral care team, they check that each person in their Meeting received the email, understands what is being asked of them and why, and is willing to consent to their data transfer. Paper copies of the transfer agreement are available. We will support individuals based on their own circumstances to enable them to transfer smoothly. If informed consent cannot be given, we’ll take BYM’s advice on this.

What about the membership of children?

The situation relating to children is being handled with advice from Britain Yearly Meeting and their needs will be fully considered. We are following BYM’s advice on seeking consent on the transfer of children’s contact data.

When I applied for, and was accepted for membership of the Society of Friends I was not asked to make a signed undertaking of this kind. Why is this required?

When we apply to join the Religious Society of Friends (RSoF), part of the process involves a conversation with a couple of existing Members who are asked to ensure we understand what this involves. At that point, GMS and our Area Meetings (AMs) were unincorporated charities where responsibilities of members are less clearly spelt out and trustees have some personal liability. What is happening now is the effect of the move from an unincorporated charity to a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO). We are required to make sure Friends are aware of this.

Please explain “the change in the legal standing and responsibilities of Membership” of QiS and the obligation "to guide and act in the best interests of the new body".

The “change in legal standing and responsibilities of membership” is because of the move from an unincorporated charity to a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO). All members of any incorporated charity in Scotland have a responsibility to act in the best interests of the charity. In our context this relates to what we do and say as Members of the new charity, Quakers in Scotland, and in particular, within its Meetings for Worship for Business. It does not involve taking on any personal liability for the charity. Indeed, by moving to a SCIO we are removing the personal liability that could apply to our existing Trustees - an unfair burden and something we hope will encourage more Friends to consider becoming a Trustee.

In fact, this is our current practice: Advices and Queries 15 reminds us of our responsibility participate in our church affairs and be familiar with our church government, following our Quaker discipline at meetings for church affairs. When we cannot attend we uphold the meeting prayerfully. We expect that in terms of attendance and obligations, things will continue much the same as before.

What would be the consequence of not agreeing to the transfer?

There will be some members and attenders who do not respond to the email in the requested timescale. In preparation for 20th September, we need members of QiS to be able to hold a members meeting and make decisions.

Our formal membership of the Religious Society of Friends (RSoF) is with our area meeting, so things would be more significant at the later stage when an AM is wound up. A member declining to be transferred from their AM to QiS might be at risk of ceasing to be a member of the RSoF because the AM of which they are a member would no longer exist. We hope that this won’t arise.