Members of the Committee of Oversight—referred to as Overseers—are members of meeting who are charged with helping to sustain a caring community by maintaining contact with all members and attenders in a spirit of affectionate interest. They try to be sensitive to the phases of life through which we all must pass and be ready to offer assistance in a discreet fashion. Because we are an interdependent community, each member and regular attender of Meeting has an overseer who stands ready to be of service.

Many of the things which can be said of overseers can be said of all members of Meeting, who care for each other and the welfare of the group. Overseers are a slightly more formalized way of ensuring that none of us falls through the cracks, so to speak. Pastoral care and counseling is an overseer's particular responsibility.

Specifically, an overseer will try to become acquainted with the members in his or her care and make new members feel welcome. An overseer can offer assistance during important transitions of life as well as difficult times such as emotional crisis, financial need, divorce, illness, and bereavement.

The Committee of Oversight works closely with other committees to meet the needs of the people in our meeting community. In general, members and attenders should feel free to bring any question or concern to an overseer because, even though the issue might not be one of pastoral care or counsel, an overseer will probably know which person or committee can provide the appropriate response.

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