The Program Committee plans and implements opportunities for spiritual nurture and enrichment for all members and attendees of Multnomah/Bridge City Meetings and their worship groups at times other than Sunday morning. These include our annual family retreat, weekend conferences and retreats, Wednesday night sessions, courses like Introduction to Quakerism, small group offerings such as Gifts and Discoveries, and the Friend in Residence. The committee makes use of the annual proceeds from the Spiritual Life Fund (currently up to $5000) to underwrite the program in accord with the Fund's policies. The Program Committee is made up of three members nominated from among all the worshipping communities, serving overlapping 2-year terms. The Committee reports at Meetings for Business which include Shared Business.

• The Program Committee defines themes for programs that will attract participants, identifies and makes arrangements with resource persons and leaders, and publicizes the programs. It plans up to a year or more in advance so that both conference sites and resource persons can be engaged. The committee reflects an interest in spiritual matters and issues of social concern which Friends are lead to focus on in our time. The committee plans a range of offerings, some of which are suitable for families, others for individuals; some lasting a weekend, others one day or evening; it also schedules opportunities for those new to Friends as well as offers opportunities suitable to experienced Friends.
• The work of the committee is underwritten by the annual proceeds of the Spiritual Life Fund, as allocated by the Special Funds Trustees in accord with the Fund's policies. Those funds are often used to subsidize the cost of conference and retreats so that more people will be able to attend, and to provide financial aid for the programs where needed. The proceeds also enable the committee to offset transportation costs for presenters from out of the Portland area as well as to offer honorariums where those are appropriate.
• The committee is strongly encouraged to enlist volunteers when needed to carry out its several programs.

• Weekend Conferences - These focus on a single concern using small and large group discussion. It could be scheduled at the Meetinghouse on a Friday night and following Saturday. An example is an AVP worship. If the presenter is brought from outside the meeting, an honorarium may be offered.
• Weekend Retreats - These focus on the spiritual nurture of adults in our meeting community. They are held either with hospitality in local homes or at a residential conference site. A retreat usually opens on Friday evening and closes after Meeting for Worship on Sunday. The content may be developed through dialogue with an experienced presenter, or it may be an imported program such as one of the Pendle Hill on the Road retreats. Past retreats have included weekends on spiritual friendship, on prayer, workshop for overseers,and silent retreats. When a program is brought in from Pendle Hill, a fee is assessed which may be shared between the attendees and the Spiritual Life Fund. Also, when we engage a presenter, covering their basic transportation costs as well as offering an honorarium is in order.
• Wednesday Night Sessions - These are opportunities for small group discussion which may incorporate worship sharing. The focus is on current concerns in our Meeting. The presenters are usually found in our community. At times a committee may want to use this forum to present a topic, such as the Worship & Ministry Committee offering a discussion of ministry in meeting.
• Short Courses - These are organized programs of instruction. An example is Introduction to Quakerism (sometimes called Quakerism 101) which should be offered once a year after the fall newcomers gatherings. These courses are usually held on Wednesday evenings and organized with consultation from Oversight Committee, Worship and Ministry and worship groups.
• Small Groups - Interest groups which meet to follow their own course of study, such as a group reading Fox's Journal, or a group following a preplanned course of study such as "Gifts and Discoveries". The Program Committee identifies and organizes appropriate small group ventures which, after their first session, may be able to pace themselves with an occasional check-in from a committee member.
• Friend in Residence - Each year the Program Committee has an opportunity to invite an experienced Friend to be a Friendly presence in our meeting community. The committee is advised to consult with appropriate persons in our Meeting before extending an invitation. The Friend in Residence attends Meeting for Worship in our several worshipping groups, gives presentations on suggested topics, and meets with individuals and groups and committees during their stay. The committee will need to be alert to ways of supporting the ministry of our visitor during their residency. The residency may extend at least two weeks or more according to the visitor's leading. As with retreat leaders the committee is commonly expected to meet basic transportation costs as well as providing an honorarium.