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of the Religious Society Of Friends (Quakers) |
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1. This is a PDF document. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to read or print PDF files. You can download it free from www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html. CONFLICT AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH
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If you have questions
about Yearly Meeting Sessions at Silver Bay, these Friends can help you.
For registration questions contact Helen Garay Toppins, NYYM Administrative Secretary, at the NYYM office, 15 Rutherford Place, New York NY 10003; 212-673-5750, or office@nyym.org . Circle of Young Friends: Friends ages 18-35 will gather at Silver Bay for community building, worship sharing, and fun and games. High school seniors welcome. Details will be in the Silver Bay program. Come join us! |
START HERE if You Are Going to Silver BayThis issue of Spark covers explanations about various aspects of attending Yearly Meeting at Silver Bay, gives fee schedules (which are also shown below), and provides registration forms for adults and JYMers . Note that financial aid is available!Who needs to register? Everyone, infants through adults. There is one registration form for adult registrants and one for Junior Yearly Meeting participants (click links above). A separate form must be filled out for each individual attending Yearly Meeting. If you need additional copies, make photocopies of the registration forms or get copies from your meeting clerk or from the Yearly Meeting office. Preregistration is expected of all who will be coming even for a single meeting, including off-campus attenders and daily commuters. Registration consists of:
How much does registration cost? See table below. Note that the costs increase the later registration is received by the New York Yearly Meeting Office.
All off-campus and day registrants must pay a Day Use Fee
to Silver Bay, which allows use of the
facilities, including the swimming areas, gym, art center, and boathouse. Click
here
for the fee rates.
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On Your Way to Silver Bay
Adirondack Friends Meeting extends an invitation to all Friends who wish to visit on Sunday, July 21, on their way to Silver Bay. Programmed Meeting for Worship will be held at 10:30 A.M.
Adirondack is the meeting closest to Silver Bay, making this a convenient place to break your journey. If they plan to attend, Friends can write or call David Herendeen, pastor, at 25 Saratoga Avenue, South Glens Falls NY 12803; 518-798-6233.
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12-Step Meetings at Silver Bay
For many years a 12-Step meeting has been held at 10 P.M. every day. This year meetings will be 6:30-7:00 P.M. M, W, F and 10:00-11:00 P.M. Tu, Th. Nurture Coordinating Committee has oversight of this but needs to hear from people who would be willing to take responsibility for one or more of these meetings. To volunteer, please contact Boyce Benge c/o NYYM, 15 Rutherford Place, New York NY 10003, or e-mail paul@nyym.org.
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Disability Concerns at Silver Bay
Anyone who indicates special needs on their registration will receive a form to fill out and return to Barbara Roe. The form is also available on the Web in both HTML (for viewing on the Web) or PDF. (Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to read or print PDF files. You can download it free from www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html.) Barbara will be the NYYM special-needs coordinator at Silver Bay. The form will request specific information on your disability, which will be kept confidential. This information will help the Disability Concerns Committee be better prepared to meet Friends' needs. At Silver Bay, Disability Concerns will have a table near the NYYM conference desk. It will be staffed one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon or evening.
There will also be opportunities for Friends to be Disability Concerns volunteers at mealtime, driving a Friend to a meeting, or staffing our table. A checkbox for volunteers is on the registration form.
Housing
There are five mobility-accessible sleeping rooms, with bathrooms, on the first sleeping floor of the Inn that are reserved for those using wheelchairs (and their roommates). One-tenth of the rooms in the Inn will be reserved for people who, for any reason, find it physically difficult to room elsewhere. These rooms will be held ONLY UNTIL JULY 1, and then will be released for general availability.
Two shower/tub transfer benches have been donated to Silver Bay. This will make some less expensive rooms in the Inn available to those whose limitations fall in this category.
If you have a disability or illness that makes it hard for you to climb hills or steps, please make sure that you sign up early, and request one of the reserved rooms. Financial assistance is available from the Advancement Committee to help with additional expenses.
Friends who are unable to transfer themselves to and from wheelchair/bed, etc., and require special assistance with dressing, bathing, or other personal needs must arrange this personal assistance on their own and must have the person assisting stay in their room. The caregiver must be in attendance for the length of the stay of the person requiring this type of specialized help. Silver Bay will offer a special reduced rate for the person assisting.
Worship and Meetings
The people who set up the worship sharing groups need to know if you have hearing or physical problems so that note takers can be provided, or accessible locations allocated. Please indicate on your registration form if you will require such assistance.
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Golf Carts at Silver Bay
Have you ever wanted to drive a golf cart? If you are over 21, a licensed driver, and a member of NYYM, here's your chance. The Sessions Committee will rent two golf carts for use at Silver Bay, to help folks with mobility difficulties get to meetings and worship groups. We need drivers. To volunteer, please contact Dawn DiGiovanni.
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The Inn at Silver Bay Gets a New Look
When Friends arrive at Silver Bay for YM 2002, they will be welcomed in a remodeled Inn lobby. Careful planning and study of how guests use the Inn led to the new design.
When the Inn was built a hundred years ago, folks arrived on a boat that docked where the emp boathouse is now. They came up the front lawn (by horsedrawn carriage no doubt) and entered from the Lakeside Porch. Now we arrive by car and come in on the south side, so the front desk has been moved to that side. The new desk has a section accessible to guests, and emps. This means that our beloved book table will move to new quarters, roomier and better able to serve us.
Another major change is in Gullen Lounge. Removal of the stairway that had jutted into it opens up the room, as does the addition of windows in the new library. The room seems much larger and will be bright and airy.
These are just two highlights of the renovation. The rest I will leave for you to discover. I saw the blueprints and was on site to see the work in progress. Once we get over our "shock" at the changes, I believe that we will all be pleased with the new look and traffic flow.
Dawn DiGiovanni, clerk, Sessions
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BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY
We want Yearly Meeting to be a place of safety, trust, loving care, and renewal, all of which include children and teens as an integral part. To attain this goal fully requires the positive participation of everyone. Friends of all ages are asked to care for each other, to look out for each other's safety and well-being, to help each other when they can, and to respect each other's needs for quiet and privacy. If you see a problem developing, please try to help. Direct and loving intervention may be the most appropriate step. Friends in need of help may turn to the JYM Committee or to Ann Davidson, clerk of the Coordinating Committee for Ministry and Counsel.
Silver Bay Rules
Guests are required:
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Bible Study at Silver Bay
In Bible study at NYYM we'll look at conflict. In Amos 5:21-24, Amos confronted the house of Israel with his
hatred of their feasts and assemblies and asked them to foster justice. How do we as Friends dodge working for justice by clinging to our own ways of doing things?
In Luke 22:21-27 the disciples at the Last Supper argued about which of them was greatest. How do we Friends make ourselves more important than others?
In Matthew 26:47-56, Jesus was betrayed and he stopped a man from trying to defend him with a sword. What "swords" do we as Quakers use to defend our positions?
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:4-26 about how we can use the variety of thought and experience among us to build community.
Judy Brown, from North Pacific YM, will facilitate. Judy is poetry editor of Friends Journal.
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JUNIOR YEARLY MEETING
Message from the JYM Committee
The children who attend JYM are given a wonderful gift by the their parents/guardians and New York Yearly Meeting (NYYM). They are given a weeklong opportunity to be in a Quaker-centered community with their peers and their elders. They play, worship, and learn from each other and from the adults who care for them. Our children are nurtured by those who hold common beliefs and work and live by the testimonies of Friends
In 2001 in our effort to provide support to parents/guardians, the JYM and Sessions Committees were lax in communicating with young F/friends. This communication problem resulted in confusion and hurt as expressed in the minute from the High School group. A copy can be found in the 2001 Yearbook.
The committee decided to revive the practice of having a JYM Sessions gathering where young Friends could participate in discernment and decisionmaking. We sent an invitation to every Jr. and Sr. High attender from JYM 2001 to participate at a gathering at Powell House in February 2002.
While the YM Sessions and Liaison Committees gathered at Powell House in Pitt Hall, the JYM Sessions Committee met in the Anna Curtis Center. The Young Friends spent time with the presiding clerk of YM and the clerk of the Ministry and Counsel Coordinating Committee. There was a lively discussion about meeting for worship with a concern for business, providing the children with information and skills that they then had the opportunity to practice during the weekend.
With adult members of the JYM Committee as observers only, the young F/friends gathered in worship for business. The sessions resulted in several suggestions and a minute that was presented to the Sessions Committee. The two committees met for dinner, conversation, fellowship, and fun on Saturday evening.
A copy of the JYM Sessions minute can be found in the 2002 Advance Reports.
I am pleased to be working with JYM once again, as I have always respected and learned from the wisdom of our young Friends. I am grateful for the work of the committee members and our wonderful volunteer staff. New York Yearly Meeting is blessed by all of them. Thank you for your continued support of the JYM program.
The JYM Committee and coordinators try to provide enough information in this issue of Spark to answer all your questions. Please take the time to read all the YM/JYM information in Spark before you register. If you still have questions, please feel free to contact me or the coordinators via telephone or e-mail. We all are looking forward to a wonderful week at Silver Bay.
Kathleen Lawson, clerk, JYM
Please read this and discuss it with your family before leaving for Silver Bay.
Silver Bay is a beautiful and wonderful place. Each year as my family drives down the road to the Inn I feel a glow of recognition and joy. Sometimes it feels that I am returning to Brigadoon, a place untouched by time or the outside world. My joy is increased by the knowledge that I will be spending a week with F/friends that I love and see all too infrequently. With so much business to do, so many people to visit, so much beauty to see, I can become exhausted if I do not take care of myself. I urge you to review the following suggestions and consider them before you leave for Silver Bay.
Kathleen Lawson, clerk, JYM
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Attention Parents, Guardians, and Sponsors
If you will be responsible for a person under the age of 18, please prepare yourself by discussing the Silver Bay rules and Sessions/JYM agreements.
Clustering allows parents and children, sponsors or guardians, and youth to room in proximity and be better able to check in and communicate responsibly.
All registrations in one cluster should be sent in the same envelope. Silver Bay staff is not able, with our large numbers, to reshuffle for clustering accommodations.
Youth registrations (under 18 years) must be sent in by the parent or sponsor together with the adult's registration and as early as possible. Any youth registrations sent independent of their responsible adults will be returned. If you have any questions call Helen Garay Toppins at the NYYM office, 212-673-5750.
Sponsors must cluster--A child under 18 years of age who wishes to attend Yearly Meeting Sessions, but will have no parent or legal guardian present, is required to have a sponsor. The Yearly Meeting sponsor is a responsible adult who agrees to act in the role of parent during the child's stay at Yearly Meeting. The sponsor should be designated by the parent or legal guardian, must be at least 10 years older than the child, and must remain at Yearly Meeting during the time the child is there. All children under 18 must have a parent, legal guardian, or sponsor attending Yearly Meeting sessions. Please do not call Silver Bay to request otherwise.
The sponsor and the child should know each other reasonably well, and must request clustering near each other at the time of registration. The sponsor must name on his/her registration form the child for whom he/she is responsible. Parents, guardians, and sponsors are responsible for their junior and senior high schoolers, as well as younger children. If you have any questions, call Helen Garay Toppins at the NYYM office, 212-673-5750.
We look forward to seeing you at Silver Bay.
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How to Register for JYM
Carefully fill out the registration form. (This is a PDF document. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to read or print PDF files. You can download it free from www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html.)
Be sure to
When you arrive at Silver Bay, register with JYM. Parent or guardian must accompany JYMer to JYM registration. At that time, you will have the opportunity to meet staff who will be working with your age group.
The NYYM office sends copies of JYM registrations (for all youth from infants through high school) to the JYM registrar as well as to the Silver Bay registrar. For JYM and Silver Bay to have activities ready and staffed, early registration is critical!
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What Do You Need?
If you register early, staff members working with your group will send you a letter explaining what you will be doing in your group and listing certain things they think you may want to bring with you. We suggest that everybody bring along:
Also, Silver Bay has a little store where you can buy drinks and snacks. You might want to set aside some money to spend there.
In an effort to keep within our budget, we are asking each family to bring a can/jar of juice or a healthy snack. As a community-outreach project, we also ask that each family bring a nonperishable food item for a local food pantry.
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Medical Forms
Each child who registers will receive in the mail, along with a welcoming letter from their group, a medical and agreement form. Please fill it out completely and bring it (or send it with your child if [s]he is to be sponsored by someone else) to JYM registration at Silver Bay. Do not mail.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome young Friends and your parents/guardians to Junior Yearly Meeting. Here are some basic things for everyone to remember:
When you arrive at Silver Bay you must register first with the Yearly Meeting, check in at Silver Bay, then register with JYM in the JYM office in the basement of Morse Hall.
What do I do at JYM registration? For each of the children you are bringing to Yearly Meeting, you need to have your medical information ready, including your child's relevant medical history and a record of any allergies. You will receive a copy of the schedule for the week for each group and will have to sign permission forms for each trip out of your child's JYM space and for official group activities.
Where does my child go? JYM goes by grade, not by age. Each of our groups is based on the grade the young Friend will be attending in the fall. The groups are: grades K-1 (pre-school), grades 2-3, grades 4-5, grades 6-7, grades 8-9, and Senior High. Each of the groups meets in the same location throughout the week. For the 0-4-years age group, Silver Bay offers wonderful childcare supplemented by the JYM staff and Friendly volunteers. All JYM staff will be wearing bright-colored badges so they are easily recognized.
When does JYM meet? The JYM program meets Monday through Friday from 8:45 A.M. to 12:15 P.M., with occasional trips throughout the week. The Fun(d) Fair is considered a part of JYM, and young Friends should count on attending.
Are there other JYM-sponsored activities besides the group meetings in the morning? Sometimes official JYM group activities will take place after our morning hours. The parent or guardian will have to sign a permission slip for each event that takes place outside of the regular group meeting time and location. In the afternoon, there is cooperative childcare with JYM parents and JYM staff from 2:00 to 5:30 P.M. and from 7:00 to 10:00 P.M. There are also informal activities such as swimming, movies, and shuffleboard.
How do I know where my child is during the day? During official JYM sessions they should be with their JYM group. Parents/guardians are responsible for JYMers during non-JYM hours. We suggest that you have a regular check-in time and location for the young Friend and the parent or guardian.
What about bedtimes? The young Friend and the parent or guardian should work out a reasonable bedtime so that the JYM participant can actively take part in JYM activities in the morning. It is up to the parent or guardian to make sure that the young Friend is sufficiently well rested to participate fully in the morning JYM session.
Who do I talk to if I want to volunteer or have questions? The coordinators, Eric Harris-Braun, Kara Lander, and Rose Lynn, are available during the morning in the JYM office. You can also go to the clerk of the Junior Yearly Meeting Committee, Kate Lawson, and the JYM/MCCC support committee, or the NYYM conference office in the Inn. If you cannot find us and want to leave us a note, there is the message board in the Inn for that purpose. We love volunteer parents!
Eric Harris-Braun, Kara Lander, Rose Lynn
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What about Menitos?
Over the years, Menitos has become a common tradition among the members of NYYM, but recently concerns have developed regarding the morale and reason behind the annual gift and prize exchange. Due to these concerns, the JYM program has decided to cancel the event. Instead NYYM/JYM will be putting a new idea into play in the summer of 2002 called Pay It Forward. Pay It Forward was inspired by the movie Pay It Forward, which emphasized the distribution of love to every being. In Yearly Meeting this year, this theme is going to be expressed in a great way, and instead of the past gift distribution, love will be distributed instead.
Approved by JYM Sessions Committee 2/16/02.
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Volunteers Sought for Preschoolers
In response to concerns expressed by parents of preschool children, JYM has established a morning program at Silver Bay. To supplement the Silver Bay staff and program offered at the Woozle House, a JYM staff person will organize and oversee volunteers from the NYYM community. Volunteers will be given resources and support and will work to provide a Friendly presence and activities for the youngest of our children. The only qualifications are love for young children, a friendly lap, and helping hands. The rewards will come in the form of small hugs, laughter, and song. The program will run Monday through Friday mornings from 9:00 A.M. to 12:15 P.M.
Friends are asked to consider giving half a morning, during worship sharing or NYYM meeting for business, on as many days as they wish. A full morning of service would also be appreciated.
Anyone who would like to give time or to have more information is asked to contact Kate Lawson. Her contact information is listed in the Yearbook.
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Study and Interest Groups at Silver Bay
Registration for All Ages
Adults and JYMers (age 10 and up) are encouraged to register for groups. Facilitators are prepared to address the needs of registrants from 10 to 150 years of age!
What is the difference between a study group and an interest group? The answer is the nature and amount of material offered as well as the amount of time designated to the program.
Study groups are spiritual in nature. They will provide a significant amount of information and the opportunity to worship with a concern for the topic. Registrants will make a commitment to attend each day of the four days that the study group is offered.
Interest groups are opportunities to obtain information about a specific topic. Interest groups will be offered once only. Several Interest groups may be scheduled at the same time. Please be sure to register for only one interest group each day.
Remember, study groups and interest groups will be offered during the same time each day. If you register for a study group, you will not be available to attend any interest groups and vice versa.
Kathleen Lawson, Study and Interest Group coordinator
WS-02: The Gospel of Mark and Quaker Witness. We will look at the relevance of a few episodes in the gospel of Mark to modern Quaker witness. Themes: exorcism of "demons" of economic and military oppression, Herod's party and Jesus' party, economics of enough for all, healing a rich man's daughter, what it takes to heal our children. Facilitator: Mary Scanlon
WS-03: Indian Land Claims. Trusting that Friends can reach unity on some elements of a fair resolution of land claims, including both landholder rights and Indian rights under our laws, this study group will be conducted in the spirit of Friends seeking Light on sometimes difficult issues. Facilitator: Vicki Cooley
WS-04: White Antiracist Friends. What is the meaning of the three terms white, antiracist, and Friend? Where do they complement each other and where do they come into conflict with one another? What does it mean to be a white antiracist Friend? We will do some reading and share our experiences, with a special concern for hearing from white Friends who have a leading and witness in antiracist practice. Facilitator: Jeff Hitchcock
GS-05: Intergenerational AVP Workshop. Arguments with Mom? Yelling at your kid? Bullies at school? What do you do? Scream back? Punch someone? There are better ways!
Come and learn Alternatives to Violence with other folks 10 years old 110 years old. Risk being creative rather than being violent. Expect the best Come to AVP. Facilitator: Florence McNeil
MS-06: Spiritual Healing. Since the beginning of time people have wanted to relieve one another's suffering. We will discuss the healing arts as practiced by Jesus, George Fox, and Friends. On the second and third days we will share and practice specific techniques. We will also participate in Meeting for Healing. Facilitators: Ann Davidson and Kate Lawson
MS-07: Singing for Ages 10 and Up. Come sing in the intergenerational choir. All ages are welcome. Let's bridge understanding between the older and younger generations through music. The material will range from devotional to modern, culminating in a performance at the end of the week. Facilitator: Mercedes Walker
MS-08: Seasons of the Spirit: A Poetry-Writing Workshop. Participants will be encouraged to use poetry-writing exercises for this spiritual practice. We will be encouraging each other by the reading of our work, if we wish, and looking at the work of other spiritually inclined poets from George Herbert to Mary Oliver. Facilitator: Judy Brown
MS-09: Friends' Response to the World Council of Churches Document on Church Unity. Not since Robert Barclay wrote his Apology have there been such discussions. Using the responses of Britain YM, FUM, & FGC as a basis for discussion, Steve will facilitate Friends finding words for spiritual experience. If you enjoy or want to know more about all matters, theologies, and beliefs, come. Facilitator: Steven Davison
MS-10: Quaker Peacemaking for Conflict Transformation. Using worship, roleplay, display, and discussion even psychological testing! Friends explore the bases of conflict socially, psychologically, and physically, and the bases of peaceful conflict transformation in Scripture, in Friends' beliefs and processes, in the experience of mediation, and in the wisdom of the participants. Facilitators: Joanna Komoska and Cheshire Frager
NS-11: Poets of the Spirit. Three poets whose spiritual journeys have affected their literary journeys as well: T.S. Eliot from skepticism to Anglicanism; Gerard Manley Hopkins from poet to wordless cleric; and John Donne from lover of the world to lover of God. Poems available at Silver Bay. Facilitator: Elizabeth Pozo
NS-12: Inreach, Outreach, and Local Meeting Advancement. Explore connections among spiritual life, community, witness, religious education, and meeting growth while learning advancement techniques. Discussion will focus on needs of newcomers, diversity, and outreach, including work with the media. Participants will learn how to help their meeting create an advancement plan tailored to its needs, strengths, and energies. Facilitators: Jane Berger and Sharon Hoover
LI-13: Alternatives to the War on Terror. Representatives from the Quaker United Nations Office, the Friends Committee on National Legislation, and the American Friends Service Committee will explore: What is terrorism? Who uses it? Why? What are alternatives to war for responding to or deterring "terrorist" violence? How might Friends promote peaceful prevention of deadly conflict? Facilitator: Florence Kimball
WI-15 (W) Impact of September 11, 2001 on Immigrants. The events of September 11, 2001, make us aware of the difficulties that Middle Easterners are facing. We must recognize that life in America is closing in on all immigrants. This group will focus on: civil rights, employment/financial transactions, asylum/amnesty, border closings/ crossing difficulties, community acceptance, access to services. Facilitator: Ellen Flanders
WI-16 (Th) School of the Americas. Would you go to Ft. Benning, Georgia, to demonstrate against the School of the Americas? How can you support Friends traveling to demonstrate? Learn more about SOA, our terrorist training camp. The SOA trains foreign military personnel in tactics of violence, repression, and torture. Facilitator: Ellen Flanders
WI-17 (F) Youth and Militarism. How can monthly meetings and families respond to the ethical questions that youth face growing up as Quakers in a time of war? What alternatives to participation in war can we provide for them? Facilitator: William Galvin, Center on Conscience and War
GI-18 (Tu) Ad Hoc Committee on Staffing and Structure. An opportunity for Friends to worship and deliberate with ad hoc committee members regarding the readiness of recommendations to come to the Yearly Meeting for the improvement of its functioning and its relationship to the needs of monthly meetings. Facilitator: Joanna Komoska
NI-19 (W) Universal (Handicapped) Accessibility for Friends Facilities. Providing universal accessibility to our meetinghouses and other facilities is important outreach and witness for Friends. Accessibility delivers strong messages of commitment to all our members and to others in our communities. We will discuss the Americans with Disabilities Act, its requirements, and a variety of inexpensive solutions for accessibility. Facilitator: Anthony Garner
NI-20 (Th) Wrestling with Wrestling and Other Violent Sports and Video Games. For parents who struggle with the question of whether participation in such activities violates the peace testimony, and young Friends who have strong feelings about this question. A panel discussion and worship sharing are planned. Facilitator: Ethan Wolf
NI-21 (F) Powell House Youth Program. The PoHo Youth Program consists of 22 weekend retreats a year for 4th to 12th graders. This orientation will describe for parents the typical weekend, discuss the philosophy and spirituality behind the activities, and address any questions or concerns that parents may have. Wink'em as a spiritual exercise? Come ask! Facilitators: Mike Clark & Chris DeRoller
MI-22 (W) The American Tradition of Nonviolence. An 80-slide presentation about initiatives for resisting injustice, resolving conflict, and bringing about social change without harming persons, based on stories of Thomas Paine to Dorothy Day abolitionists, feminists, workers, war resisters with commentary and poems. Facilitator: Michael True
WI-23 (Tu) Prisons Interest Group. Something is happening in New York State that is long overdue. Concerned citizens from white, black, and Latino communities have formed the Upstate/Downstate Coalition for Criminal Justice Reform. They bring together a wide spectrum of justice advocates, with strong support from diverse religious and interfaith communities. What can you do? Facilitator: Rudy Cypser
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About Silver Bay
87 Silver Bay Road
Silver Bay, NY 12874
518-543-8833
www.silverbay.org
The Silver Bay Association is a YMCA Christian conference center serving individuals, families, and groups. Through its programs and activities, the association seeks to strengthen the application of Christian principles, develop human potential, foster a concern for others and for the world in which we live, encourage a commitment for service, and offer opportunities for self-renewal, and for spiritual, mental, and physical growth.
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Driving Directions
Silver Bay is on the west side of Lake George about 90 miles north of Albany. Leave the Northway (Highway I-87) at exit 22, 23 or 24.
At exit 22: Take a left off exit onto Rt. 9. Go thru village of Lake George. At the north end of Lake George village take a right onto Rt. 9N. Go through Bolton Landing. From Bolton Landing go approximately 14 miles. At the Silver Bay Association Road, go 1/2 mile to the Inn.
At exit 23: Take a right off exit onto Bolton Road all the way to the end of road. Turn left onto Rt. 9N, through Bolton Landing and 13 miles to Hague. At Silver Bay Association Road, go 1/2 mile to the Inn.
At exit 24: Take a right off exit. Go 4 miles east to Rt. 9N, then left (north) on 9N for 13 miles. At the Silver Bay Association Road, go 1/2 mile to the Inn.
If pulling a trailer take exit 25 and go toward Hague through Brant Lake. Then turn south on 9N in Hague Village. There are steep hills when using exits 22, 23 and 24 and going north on 9N.
Driving time is estimated at 1 1/2 to 2 hours from Albany; 4-5 hours from New York City; 6-7 hours from Buffalo. Those needing more explicit or alternate directions may contact the Silver Bay Association.
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Public Transportation
Bus service: Adirondack Trailways (800-225-6815) from New York to Silver Bay is expected to be available once a day. The bus stops in front of the Inn. Check schedules for specific information. Be sure to specify the Silver Bay stop. Bus service is available also to Lake George Village. The Silver Bay van will pick up passengers who are unable to make the route connection to Silver Bay. Arrangements must be made with the Silver Bay Association 48 hours in advance. A donation of $15 per van load is encouraged to cover the costs of being met.
By train: Take Amtrak's Adirondack to Ticonderoga (800-523-8720 or 800-USA RAIL; in NYC: 212-582-6875). Make arrangements for pickup by the Silver Bay van at least 48 hours in advance. A donation of $15 per van load is encouraged to cover the costs of being met.
By air: The Silver Bay van will meet passengers who have made arrangements at least 48 hours in advance at either the Albany, NY, or Burlington, VT, airports. A donation of $50 per van load is encouraged to cover the costs of being met.
To make arrangements for being met by the Silver Bay van, write directly to the Silver Bay Association, giving means of travel, time of arrival, flight number, and number of persons.
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Food Service at Silver Bay
Meals for the conference period begin with dinner on Sunday evening and conclude with lunch on Saturday. If you plan to arrive at Silver Bay early enough to have lunch Sunday, you must make arrangements in advance to purchase this meal, which is not part of the conference package. Silver Bay has often run out of food because many people arrive who have not made arrangements in advance.
Silver Bay will provide standard and vegetarian menu choices for each meal. Vegetarian meals will include eggs, milk, and cheese but no red meat or fish. Silver Bay cannot accommodate "specialty" diets. A full salad bar will be provided at both lunch and dinner. If you are a vegetarian, please indicate this on your registration form, so that Silver Bay can be prepared.
For those who have other special dietary needs, it is recommended that you bring your own food. Silver Bay will provide refrigeration. A refrigerator will be made available for baby food, etc. Cooking facilities for those with special dietary needs (though not for campers) will be available in Paine Hall 1st floor off rotunda and in Spruce Mountain Lodge kitchen.
The Silver Bay cooks will not add salt to either the regular food or the vegetarian food. Salt will be available on the tables.
Silver Bay's food service provider is Prestige Services of Ballston, New York. Feedback has been positive for their service, food quality, and new menu options.
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Staying on Campus
Room Reservations
Send all registration forms and YM registration fees to the NYYM office. NYYM will send your reservation forms to Silver Bay, which will acknowledge your room reservation and request a nonrefundable room deposit of $50 per person, which will be applied to your final bill. Do not send room deposits to the NYYM office. The balance of the Silver Bay charges should be paid at the SBA Desk before you leave. Silver Bay cannot guarantee housing or food for those who don't preregister.
Preference for rooms is given to those who stay for the entire week. Rooms are assigned in the order in which requests are received. It is advisable to register early.
All rooms have double occupancy. Beds for children may be added to the larger rooms. If you require a single room we suggest you find accommodations off campus.
If no rooms are available at your price, you may be assigned to a room at a higher price. You will receive prior notice if this is necessary.
A few double beds are available in the highest-priced rooms in the Inn. If you would like one, please indicate that on your registration form. Room reservations will not be held after 6:00 P.M. unless the room is completely prepaid or you call Silver Bay to notify them of your late arrival. If you need to cancel, call Silver Bay (518-543-8833) directly, so your room can be assigned to someone else.
Silver Bay room check-in begins at 3:00 P.M. on Sunday, July 21. Checkout time is 11:00 A.M. daily. Luggage can be left in designated areas after checking out. Those not out of their rooms by 11:00 A.M. will be charged for an extra day. No refunds are issued for early departures, unless arrangements are made prior to checkout.
All rates are per person and do not include gratuity. There is a box at the SBA desk for those who wish to show appreciation to the employees .
Suites in Bayview and the Inn have a surcharge of $25 per day, in addition to all other charges, if occupied by fewer than three persons. Inn suites are 116, 128, 130, 216, 228, and 230; Bayview suites are 1, 2, and 3.
People age 13 and older pay the adult rates and can room with another of the same age or older.
The Half-Conference rate is for those attending from Sunday 7/21 to Wednesday 7/24 or Wednesday 7/24 to Saturday 7/27. The Extra Day rates are for those who wish to arrive on Saturday 7/20. Silver Bay does not guarantee that you will be assigned to the same room on the extra day.
Clustering (staying in rooms that are close together) is required of all parents/guardians/sponsors and the children they are supervising. Voluntary clustering is available for family groups or others who wish to be housed together. Send your registrations together in the same envelope.
No one should go to Silver Bay without an advance registration with New York Yearly Meeting and assurance from Silver Bay that there is room for you.
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Staying off Campus
| ALL OFF-CAMPUS AND DAY REGISTRANTS MUST PAY A DAY USE FEE TO SILVER BAY UPON FIRST ARRIVAL |
Off-Campus and Day Registrants
Friends camping, commuting, or taking rooms off campus are asked to give their addresses for the week on the registration form. Otherwise, please supply this information when picking up the badges. Badges are required for all attenders. Replacement charge for lost badges is $2.50.
People staying on campus pay for the use of facilities through their lodging costs; those living off campus and daily commuters pay for the use of the facilities through an off-campus fee, paid when checking in at Silver Bay.
| The fees for the use of facilities are as follows: | |
| Individual | $13 for one day* |
| Individual | $58 for the week* |
| Family | $157 for the week* |
| *Please add $2/person for name badge | |
Meal tickets for the Silver Bay dining room can be purchased at the Inn front desk in advance of desired meals. The cost per meal is:
| Breakfast | $6.00 |
| Lunch | $8.00 |
| Dinner | $12.00 |
A special rate may be obtained if meals are bought as a "package," though this can be done only on July 21, upon arrival. These package rates are:
| Six breakfasts for | $30.00 |
| Six lunches for | $45.00 |
| Six dinners for | $66.00 |
If you intend to buy meal tickets when you arrive at Silver Bay, please indicate this on your registration form.
A name badge must be worn and a meal ticket purchased by anyone staying off campus who wants to eat in the dining room.
| REMINDER: All Off-Campus Registrants Must Report to the Yearly Meeting Desk AND the Silver Bay Registration Desk upon Arrival. |
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Campsites
There is no camping space available on-site at Silver Bay. Campsites Friends have used in the past are listed here:
Wintergreen Lake Campsite, Hague, NY 12836; 518-673-5508. Four miles west of Hague, off Route 8, about 8 miles from Silver Bay campus.
Green Acres Campsite, Hague, NY 12836; 518-543-6645. 1/2 mile west of Hague on Route 8, about 4 1/2 miles from Silver Bay.
Rogers Rock Forest Preserve State Campground, Ticonderoga, NY (for reservations, call 800-456-2267). Eight miles north of Silver Bay on Route 9N.
Brookwood RV Resort, Ticonderoga, NY; 518-543-6123; 518-585-7047. This is the old Brookwood Campground which has been completely refurbished.
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Ticonderoga vicinity (14 miles north)
Early reservations for campsites and motels are advised. You may wish to notify managerment that you are attending the YM at Silver Bay so that you can be near other Friends.
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Friends are asked to apply for amounts based upon the least expensive accommodations. Friends who need to stay in more expensive rooms because of physical disabilities have also received aid. Grants are usually limited to 1/3 of your expenses. Priority will be given to first-time attenders, those people with regular contact with monthly meetings, and those with special circumstances.
The total amount of funds is quite limited: all funds will be distributed by July 6 and are not transferable.
To apply for aid, fill out the financial aid section on the Yearly Meeting Registration Form. There must be a separate Yearly Meeting Registration Form for each person (including children) who requests aid. A confirmation slip will be mailed to you by July 13 indicating the level of aid you will receive. This confirmation slip must be presented to the Silver Bay desk as part payment of your bill.
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Early registration is critical to assist in JYM, NYYM, and Silver Bay planning.
The YM office will forward your forms to Silver Bay in the order in which they are received until July 15. After that date, room reservations must be arranged directly with Silver Bay Association (518-543-8833).
Family groups pay a maximum of $60 until July 10. A "family group" is one or two adults and the dependents for whom they are responsible. All members of a family group must send their registrations in at the same time and must cluster together at Silver Bay.
If more than one person is on a registration form, your registration form will be returned. If you need more forms, photocopy them or download them by clicking here for the adult form or here for the JYM form. (The forms are in PDF format. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to read or print PDF files. You can download it free from www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html.)
Nearby Motels
Silver Bay vicinity
(address: Hague, NY 12836):
Northern Lake George Resort, (518-543-6528)
Trout House Resort (518-543-6088)
Hague Motel (518-543-6631)
Ruah Bed & Breakfast (518-543-8816)
The Locust Inn (518-543-6035)
(address: Ticonderoga, NY 12883):
Lord Howe Valley Motel (518-585-7454)
Green Acres Motel (518-585-2274)
Latchstring Motel (518-585-2875)
Circle Court Motel (518-585-7660)
Belfred Court Motel (518-585-7000)
Super 8 Motel (518-585-2617)
Financial Assistance Available for Silver Bay
The Advancement Committee encourages Friends to attend Yearly Meeting. Part of this program includes providing modest financial support to as large a number of people as possible. Funds are available from the Operating Budget and the Leach Fund. Friends are encouraged to seek financial assistance from their Monthly Meeting first.
2002 Silver Bay Room Descriptions and Rates (includes meals)
NYYM Registration Fees
NYYM registration fees (not to be confused with the room deposit for Silver Bay) must be included with the completed registration form for everyone (age three and older) attending any portion of the YM sessions. Children age two and under must be listed on their own registration form but are exempt from registration fees. Make checks payable to New York Yearly Meeting.
|
Until
July 9 |
July
10-20 |
After
July 20 |
|
| Adults | $25 | $50 | $60 |
|
JYM Youth
(ages 3-18) |
$10 | $20 | $25 |
| Per day fee* | $ 5 | $10 | $15 |
| *Applies only to those attending less than half session. | |||
Today, such obvious practices remain in only a few communities. Do Quakers still stand out? Are we still a peculiar people? What about our lives and beliefs today makes us different from the culture we live in?
Come explore these questions at the Young Friends Summer Seminar hosted by William Penn House.
Who can come: High School Young Friends, from incoming freshmen to recently graduated seniors.
When: June 14-17. Program begins with dinner on Friday, June 14, at 5:30 P.M. and ends with lunch on Monday, June 17, at noon.
Where: William Penn House in Washington, D.C., at 515 E. Capitol St. (near Union Station).
Cost: $50 per student (includes lodging and meals).
For further information contact William Penn House, 515 E. Capitol St., Washington DC 20003; 202-543-5600; dirpennhouse@pennsnet.org; fax: 202-543-3184.
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Challenge for Youth
Youths 18 to 25 are invited to apply to the Semilleros de Futuros volunteer program in central Mexico with the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and Servicio, Desarrollo y Paz, A.C. (SEDEPAC) summer volunteer program.
Spend seven weeks this summer with youths from all over the world, working toward sustainable development alongside SEDEPAC and local cooperatives.
For more information and for application materials, please visit http://www.afsc.org/upcoming/mexsumr.htm or http://sedepac.org.mx or contact Mexico Summer Program, AFSC, 1501 Cherry St., Philadelphia PA 19102; 215-241-7295; mexsummer@afsc.org.
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Quaker Service Network
The Quaker Volunteer Service and Witness Network, which has existed largely in cyberspace, seeks to connect Quakers, especially youth, with opportunities for service and mission work across the entire theological spectrum.
For more information contact Patrick Nugent, director, Institute for Quaker Studies, Earlham College, National Road West, Richmond IN 47374; nugenpa@earlham.edu; 765-983-1413.
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Life-Long Learning
The Resource Library of the Religious Education Committee continues to travel to Representative Meetings, to Silver Bay, and to many quarterly and regional gatherings. Our stock was increased during 2001 with additions from the Indian Affairs Committee, which merged its collection with ours.
The Committee-sponsored workshop What Canst Thou Say? (formerly Parents as Resident Theologians) was presented in April at Rochester Meeting. Both new and seasoned Friends attended, and were very enthusiastic in their response. Poughkeepsie Meeting is now planning to host a one-day version of the workshop in June 2002. We are also planning to present it, or some adaptation of it, at Butternuts Meeting, and possibly Fifteenth Street Meeting. Also available are workshops on storytelling and/or intergenerational storytelling programs.
A study group presented at Silver Bay was so enthusiastically received that we are considering offering a conference at Powell House entitled Poets of the Spirit.
The committee is planning a Retreat or two focusing on its role in New York Yearly Meeting. What are we called to do? What do we need to do? Who shall do it? We are considering making a videotape of the Retreat sessions for archiving and sharing with those unable to attend.
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George Fox had a vision of a great people to be gathered. This vision was the beginning of his ministry and the Society of Friends. Please come to the Gathering in 2002 and experience a people gathered in the Divine embrace. Join us for a week of loving community, with worship, play, study, music, and rest.
Workshops bring small groups together in a worshipful setting. Evening sessions gather us in our diversity, challenge us as peacemakers centered in the Spirit, and inspire us.
Families will find a child-centered program committed to answering that of God in each child. Junior Gathering is a community of children and adults called to be with them. Our High School Program brings a diverse group of teens together. Adult Young Friends are a self-led community of Friends 18-35 who gather to inspire and challenge one another.
Worship is an integral part of each day, enriching all aspects of the Gathering. Friends with shared interests will gather in Centers for Women, Men, Friends of Color, FLGC, and others.
Information is available from FGC, 1216 Arch St. #2B, Philadelphia PA 19107; gathering@fgcquaker.org; 215-561-1700; www.fgcquaker.org.
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Our main focus has been outreach through Advancement, Religious Education, and outside Quaker groups.
Advancement has been very active, working on how they can help meetings in college towns reach out to youth and how each monthly meeting can reach out to their youth. Outreach to youth is also by Religious Education. There are different resources: gifts of books or magazines to youth by monthly meetings, and of course, Powell House.
Oakwood Board reported on changes at Oakwood Friends School, including an increase in Quaker experience.
We received a request from Friends Committee in Unity with Nature to have a representative from yearly meetings attend one or two meetings. This was forwarded to Nominating Committee. Liseli Haines is the representative.
FGC asked NYYM for a one-time donation of $10,000 as part of their Nurturing Quakerism Capital Campaign. This was presented at December Representative Meeting. Friends did not feel clear to approve. Nurture Coordinating Committee and Financial Services will meet to address this proposal and begin to address capital campaigns. In looking at Ad Hoc Committee reports, we affirmed our support for hiring staff who will make personal contact with monthly meetings and work on outreach to young people and others.
Sarah Faith Dickinson, clerk, NCC
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Join other Friends from small meetings and worship groups for a weekend of fellowship, new ideas, worship, and fun. Be sure to bring a flashlight for the Saturday night bonfire! To register, call Powell House at: 518-794-8811 or email: info@powellhouse.org. Scholarships are available.
Jane Berger, clerk, Advancement Committee
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Friends will attend workshops and gather in small groups for worship. Main speakers George Kinoti, executive director of the African Institute for Scientific Research and Development in Nairobi; Retha McCutchen, general secretary, FUM, Ben Richmond, director of North American Ministries of FUM; and a group of young Friends from Nairobi, who will give a drama presentation on Friday night. The theme is ". . . So now finish the work . . ." from 2 Corinthians 8:5-15.
A pre-Triennial workcamp is being held for interested Young Friends 16-21; for even younger Friends, days will be filled with drama, picnics, storytelling, and Bible study, games, interest groups, etc.
Post-conference tours offer a chance to see the places and meet the people involved in FUM-sponsored missions projects.
Contact Pat Sickmann for a registration form and information needed for overseas travel: 765-962-7573; pats@fum.org; www.fum.org.
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Is there text on both sides of the sign? Is the sign well maintained? Are nearby shrubs kept in trim?
If your meeting occupies a corner, do you have signs on both roads? If your meeting is on a side road, is there an opportunity to place a sign on the main road? If your meeting cannot have a permanent sign, do you post a sandwich board or other temporary sign before worship to help visitors find you?
When weighing the cost of a new sign, do you consider the value of a sign as an outreach tool?
Jane Berger, clerk, Advancement Committee
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Concern for planet Earth sacred, fragile and threatened led to the founding of Friends Committee on Unity with Nature (FCUN) in 1987. Worship and study led this group to conclude that "there is, indeed, a need for Friends to give forceful Witness to the holiness of creation and to demonstrate in their lives the meaning of this testimony" and also that "right relationship to our natural environment is basic to the achievement of peace and a just social order and the equitable distribution of the world's resources both today and through generations to come." (epistle from 1987 FGC workshop led by Bill and Alice Howenstine)
The goals of FCUN are
Liseli Haines, NYYM representative to FCUN
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I recall, too, on the drive home from Silver Bay, noting there had been but one item of "business" planned, that we had not taken up. Had way opened, a time of worship sharing was planned in which the Yearly Meeting body would be invited to address the following query: "Where is the Life in Friends peace testimony today?"
Not long after the events of September 11, there arose in me the feeling of "Here, now, is our opportunity." Friends, I believe we have been addressing and engaging that proposed query with each step, every day since last September. And I believe in some way we were being prepared to do so when we gathered last July.
As I look ahead to Yearly Meeting 2002, I anticipate countless opportunities to speak about the Life in Friends peace testimony today, to share the ways Truth is prospering among us. It is important, indeed crucial, at this time that we join together and uphold one another as we are set about the business of peacemaking, in all its venues.
Peace be with you,
Linda Chidsey, clerk, NYYM
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Participation in the Women's Concerns Committee is open to all women. New Spirit and energy are always welcome. Contact the clerk or other committee members listed in the Yearbook or the Nominating Committee of the Yearly Meeting.
Anne Liske, clerk
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Friday night after get-acquainted games, we will show and discuss the video The Good War, a documentary about conscientious objectors during World War II.
We have invited Ernestine Buscemi and Dianne Roe to help us explore our topic of Peacemaking in 2002 on Saturday morning.
Ernestine has a worldview from working with the Quaker United Nations Office and Friends World Committee for Consultation. We hope to hear some examples of the kind of initiatives that Quaker organizations can contribute to working with the UN to stop wars or make peace. We are interested in her perspective on the ways that wars are rooted in xenophobia and racism.
Dianne has long experience in Palestine (now in her seventh year with the Christian Peacemaker Teams in Hebron), one of the most conflicted places in the world. She plans to speak about the growing nonviolence movement in Israel and Palestine, and the role that an outside group like CPT can play.
Our morning program will close with a Bible study on peacemaking led by Ruth Kinsey of Farmington. In the afternoon each of our speakers, including a guest who works regularly with issues related to conscientious objection to military service, will offer an interest group, and on Saturday night we will combine fun and theme to join in Dances of Universal Peace.
The schedule allows time for worship, games, singing, a campfire, good conversation, and walks around the lake and on Sunday our regional meeting business sessions.
Poplar Ridge Monthly Meeting is coordinating this year's gathering. Farmington Meeting is organizing the children's program.
For registration information contact Paul or Jane Simkin.
2002 FGC Gathering of Friends
June 29 to July 6, 2002
Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois
NURTURING ONE ANOTHER
The Nurture Section of Yearly Meeting includes seven committees, three separately incorporated Yearly Meeting institutions, and representatives to four wider Quaker groups and two state interdenominational groups. Each of these components contributes in some way to the advancement of Friends' work, to education, and to providing nurturing services within the Yearly Meeting.
Nurture Coordinating Committee
Nurture Coordinating Committee met at Coordinating Committee weekend, twice at Silver Bay, and at December Representative Meeting.
Small Meetings & Worship Groups
The Growth and Renewal weekend, May 31-June 2, offers small meetings and worship groups the chance to enjoy a Quaker retreat at Powell House. Facilitator Frank Massey will let Friends know what has fostered growth in small meetings and worship groups in Baltimore Yearly Meeting, where he has served as general secretary for the past 14 years. Participants will also learn from each other during worship sharing, discussion groups, and problem-solving exercises as well as mealtime conversations.
FUM Triennial in Kenya
July 10, 2002, Friends from all over the world will gather at the Kenya College of Communications Technology in Nairobi, Kenya, to celebrate two centennial anniversaries: the founding of Five Years Meeting (now Friends United Meeting) and the 100th year of Quaker missionary presence in Kenya.
Meetinghouse Signs
Here are 15 questions about meetinghouse signs: Does your meeting have a sign? Is it easily visible to someone not specifically looking for it? Is it easily readable from cars passing by? Does it give the time of meeting for worship? Does it say visitors are welcome? Does it give a phone number people may call? Does it include the word Quaker? If you were a seeker, would your meeting's sign help you find Friends?
Free Books from Mosher Fund
I would like to remind everyone that the H.H. Mosher Fund exists to give away books! Monthly meetings are invited to send a representative to Yearly Meeting every year and to receive free books for their meeting's library. That individual should be familiar with the current holdings of their library and the interests and needs of their meeting's literary tastes. If no one from your monthly meeting is planning to attend Silver Bay this year, you can ask a Friend from a neighboring monthly meeting to pick up a book for your library.
All Things Are Connected
"All things are connected like the blood which unites one family. Whatever befalls the Earth befalls the people of the Earth. We did not weave the web of life; we are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web we do to ourselves."
Clerk's Corner
Many times in past months my thoughts have returned to Yearly Meeting Sessions in 2001. With fond memories I recall the depth of our worship, fellowship, and study; the sense of gatheredness as we set about the conduct of business.
Women's Wisdom
The Women's Concerns Committee seeks to nurture the spiritual and social life of the community of women of all generations in the Yearly Meeting. Through women's worship sharing, interest groups, and the ice cream social at Silver Bay and the annual spring Women's Weekend at Powell House, we try to create opportunities for exploring the learning experiences of our lives. Activities are planned to be intergenerational and to deepen and sustain the traditions of Quaker women's strong voice in addressing concerns of individual meetings, Quakers at large, and issues in the world around us. The committee wrestles with how to stay vital and connected to women's work and women's ways of knowing in a contemporary society that pulls us in more complex directions than our foremothers experienced. In the past year in particular, we focused on how spirituality changes and grows relative to transitions across the life span.
NEWS FROM MONTHLY AND REGIONAL MEETINGS
From Hebron to Farmington-Scipio
Friends from central and western NY (Fredonia to Syracuse) will hold the 30th Farmington-Scipio Spring Gathering this year, May 17-20. For this family weekend more than 150 Friends come to Camp Asbury on Silver Lake, near Letchworth State Park. Friends from around NYYM are invited to join us.
| Visit www.fum.org for frequent updates on the situation at Ramallah Friends Schools. |
First Sunday of each month, 1:00 P.M. Fifteenth Street MM peace vigil at the arch in Washington Square, Manhattan.
Tuesdays 5:30 to 6:30 P.M. Brooklyn Friends gather in vigil behind Borough Hall on Joralemon Street. Following the vigil Friends may go to the Meetinghouse for Meeting for Worship.
Wednesdays 5:30 to 6:30 P.M. Women in Black meet outside the main NY Public Library in Manhattan.
Thursdays 7 to 8 P.M. Peace Vigil in front of Ossining High on Rte. 9. Bring white candles and signs.
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Bolivia Outreach
There are two distinct Quaker outreach efforts toward Bolivia. The older one is Quaker Bolivia Link (QBL), established in 1995. The newer one, still in the formative stages, is the Bolivian Quaker Education Fund (BQEF). Newton Garver is deeply involved with both, and hopes that this fact does not lead Friends to overlook their differences.
QBL. QBL's mission is to reduce poverty in Bolivia through small-scale development grants, normally $4,000 to $6,000. The target clientele of QBL is poor people rather than Quakers, although in Bolivia many Quakers are also very poor. All grants are to groups rather than individuals, no grants are to churches or church-run organizations, and groups of women are given priority, as are rural projects. Proposals must be self-designed by the group, with technical consultation wherever appropriate. Some of the grants include funds for training. About 60 projects have been funded, for over $200,000, the largest (by far) being a community health center at Amacari.
All the projects are visited by QBL before, during, and after the funding, sometimes by QBL trustees from U.S. or U.K. and sometimes by Bolivian representatives. In 2001 QBL hired its first staff, two Bolivian Quakers who had been serving as volunteer representatives for the two previous years. Efforts are progressing to provide more oversight and more follow-up, as well as more help for the recipients. These efforts include drafting a follow-up-interview protocol, increasing the paid time of the Bolivian representatives, engaging technical consultants at an earlier stage in our work with groups in Bolivia, and engaging a former Peace Corps worker (fluent in Spanish from his work in Peru) on a part-time basis. These organizational changes raise administrative costs but seem vital for ensuring the quality of the work being done.
Newton Garver has visited QBL projects in each of the past three years and will do so again in June and July. For updates on recent projects, e-mail Quabolink@aol.com for a copy of the most recent newsletter, or write Newton.
BQEF. The mission of BQEF is to strengthen ties between Bolivian Quakers and those of North America and Europe through programs that improve the education of Bolivian Quakers and of Quaker schools in Bolivia and neighboring countries. Because this outreach works specifically with Quakers, its mission is incompatible with the distinctly secular mandate of QBL. In January a group of Friends with ties to Friends World Committee on Consultation (FWCC), Friends Council on Education (FCE), Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM), Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting (CPMM), QBL, and Pendle Hill came together to discuss how to implement this mission, and it became clear that there are good reasons why BQEF could not fit comfortably under the wing of any of these existing organizations. Papers are therefore being drawn up to establish a new not-for-profit corporation.
The mission of BQEF is fourfold: post-secondary scholarships (in Bolivia); exchanges between Bolivian and U.S. Quaker schools; strengthening secondary programs (especially English, science, and computation); and infrastructure. A five-year plan for all four dimensions has been drafted and is being discussed in Bolivia by various groups of Quaker educators coordinated by Bernabe Yujra. Newton will meet with these educators to refine the plan and discuss procedures during his trip in June and July. You can get a copy of the five-year plan from Newton Garver. Bernabe has also drafted an application form for the scholarships, and a committee to consider and rank the applications. Scholarships are likely to be the first dimension of BQEF that is up and running.
As BQEF gets organized, volunteers would be much appreciated to work in any of the four dimensions mentioned, to help with a newsletter, to help with a database, to create a Web site, to translate or just to give advice. Meanwhile Purchase MM has agreed to receive funds for the Bolivia Scholarship Fund, and Buffalo MM to receive contributions for BQEF in general.
More information on both QBL and BQEF will be available at Silver Bay or by contacting Newton Garver.
Newton Garver, Buffalo Meeting
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Peacemaking at Summit Meeting
At the March 17 forum on "Holy Land," Holy Peacemaking, panelist Richard Deats, codirector of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, explained that part of peacemaking is creating the hope of new possibilities. Creating this hope, he said, is often a matter of many small "confidence-building measures." Building on that notion, panelists Yehezkel Landau, director of Open House in Ramle, Israel, and Aref Assaf of the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee observed that the March 17 meeting was a kind of "Interfaith Confidence-Building Measure" and that henceforth ICBM should not refer to intercontinental ballistic missiles but to interfaith efforts to create a vision of the possibility of a peaceful future.
The workshop, convened and organized by the Peace and Social Action Committee of Summit Monthly Meeting, was attended by more than 200 people who were drawn by the possibility of "engaging in a dialogue of reconciliation and the opening of hearts." A dozen other congregations of the Chatham area, including Congregation Beth Hatikvah, joined in cosponsoring the event.
All the panelists, including moderator Cheshire Frager of the AFSC, spoke to the need to defeat the spiral of hopelessness and helplessness that characterize the present situation. Aref Assaf emphasized that acknowledging responsibility and regret is a key part of the peacemaking process. Yehezkel Landau seemed to agree, saying that peacemaking requires not just the prophetic role of preaching justice and lovingkindness, but also the priestly role of mediating forgiveness through sacrifice.
Following thoughtful and provocative presentations, groups used a worship-sharing format to consider questions such as Why should Americans care about Israelis and/or Palestinians? What can people like us do to advance the peace process? and Why is tolerance important within a community of people from different religious and cultural backgrounds? For many, it was their first experience of using reflective silence and speaking only once until others have spoken. For others, it was the first time they had spoken personally to a Palestinian, Muslim, or Jew about their experiences and feelings. The feedback from each group suggested that there had been a level of sharing and inquiry that went deeper than pure intellectual arguments and engaged all who were present in a personal experience of both the difficulties and possibilities of being personally involved in peacemaking.
Arlene Johnson, Summit Monthly Meeting
Representative Meeting Minutes
April 13-14, 2002
Oakwood Friends School
1. After a period of worshipful silence, the meeting opened, in the Meeting Room of the main building of Oakwood Friends School. Clerk Linda Chidsey welcomed Friends, and representatives from the regional and quarterly meetings responded to the roll call. 135 Friends were in attendance.
2. Ernestine Buscemi introduced Bridget Moix, member of Fifteenth Street and program coordinator in the Quaker UN Office. Bridget Moix spoke to us as a member of this yearly meeting and a facilitator of the Powell House weekend on Spirit in Action. Referring to a letter from David Jackman, Quaker representative in Amman, Jordan, her experience at the bird sanctuary near Powell House, and Gilbert Kilpack's Pendle Hill pamphlet on the meaning of retreat, Bridget Moix challenged us to look at our responsibilities, in this time of war, to keep our covenant of peace and bring the next generation into it. Out of the silence, Friends responded with vocal ministry.
3. Liseli Haines, for Friends Committee on Unity with Nature, described the environmental concerns of this committee and invited participation from Friends. She asked Friends to consider and reply thoughtfully to a questionnaire the committee has recently distributed, which asks for input from monthly meetings. Friends heard the report.
4. Paula McClure, clerk of General Services, introduced Judith Inskeep, now office assistant in the Yearly Meeting office, and Walter Naegle, the new database coordinator.
5. Ann Davidson, clerk of the Coordinating Committee on Ministry and Counsel, introduced Helen Garay Toppins, our administrative secretary, for a report from the Task Group on Worship Groups. She was joined by other members of the Task Group, which helps worship groups to grow and find their direction. Helen asked Friends to volunteer information and help to new and growing worship groups: Dansville Friends Worship Group, Dansville, NY; Jeffersonville Friends Worship Group, Jeffersonville, NY; North Country Friends Worship Group, Plattsburgh, NY; Piseco Friends Worship Group, Piseco, NY; Port Jervis Friends Worship Group, Port Jervis, NY; Tryon Friends Worship Group, Gloversville, NY; Philipstown Friends Worship Group, Garrison, NY.
Friends received the report.
6. Joanna Komoska, clerk of the Ad Hoc Committee on Staffing and Structure, was joined by other members of that committee, and by Friends of the Committee on Committees. After inviting Friends to attend the committee's meeting later today, she read its current report. The committee has established subcommittees to investigate several areas of concern: Communication, Youth Support, Ministers and Released Friends Support, Relationship with Farmington-Scipio Meeting, and Staffing. Joanna Komoska drew Friends' attention to a minute that seeks to authorize the Yearly Meeting clerk to speak or act on behalf of the Yearly Meeting between Yearly Meeting gatherings, which will be brought to our session at Silver Bay in July. Another minute, also to be considered in July, will recommend reinstating the position of general secretary of New York Yearly Meeting. The report, including the text of these proposed minutes, will be available on the Yearly Meeting's Web site [click here] as well as from the office. After Friends received the report, they gave serious consideration to whether it would be desirable to approve the first minute at today's session. The Meeting finally decided to accept the Ad Hoc Committee's recommendation to seek approval of the minute on decision-making at Yearly Meeting session in July.
7. The recording clerk read the minutes, which were approved after some corrections and additions. The meeting closed in silent worship.
8. The Meeting reconvened Sunday morning in silent worship. Rima Segal, of the Epistle Committee, read the 2001 Epistle from Norway Yearly Meeting. The epistle reminded us that each Friend is a part of a spiritual, religious, and fellowship community. We need to know one another both in the eternal and in the everyday. Friends derive nourishment from silent worship that gives us strength and courage to go out into the world with joy.
9. Friends accepted a release from Yearly Meeting service.
10. Mary Williams, past treasurer, presented the financial report for the year 2001. Paula McClure, clerk of General Services Coordinating Committee, assisted in explaining the form of the report. Friends received the report.
11. Harold Risler, current treasurer, presented the financial report for 2002 as of March 2002. He outlined for Friends changes that are being made in reporting procedures. Friends received the report.
12. The Clerk welcomed the Oakwood Friends School students who are meeting with us this morning.
13. Sarah Faith Dickinson, clerk of Nurture Coordinating Committee, informed Friends that work that has been going forward to clarify the issues of NYYM contributing to capital campaigns of other Friends' organizations; however, the issues are complex, and a report is not yet ready. (See minute 16 of December 9, 2001).
14. Karen Snare and Linda Houser, coclerks of the Representatives of New York Yearly Meeting to Friends General Conference, described FGC's current capital campaign. Its major goals focus on monies to support the traveling ministries program, a limited term endowment to support travel for the business of FGC, and an endowment to sustain future work of the FGC. In addition, FGC is striving to increase the annual giving to FGC by thirty percent to support other new initiatives. Individual Friends have been supporting the campaign to date. Representatives of FGC are now approaching Friends' organizations such as Yearly Meetings for contributions.
15. Sarah Faith Dickinson read the following minute approved by the Nurture Coordinating Committee 3/2/02: Nurture Coordinating Committee recommends that NYYM endorse Friends General Conference's Capital Campaign Nurturing Quakerism. We recommend a pledge from NYYM to FGC's Capital Campaign of $10,000 to be given over three years. Friends and monthly meetings are encouraged to send money earmarked for the Nurturing Quakerism Capital Campaign.
16. Friends approved the need for NYYM to move forward with a policy regarding such contributions.
17. Further, since the guidelines for such contributions, as directed by December Representative Meeting are not yet available, the Yearly Meeting is not clear at this time to make a Yearly Meeting contribution to the FGC Capital Campaign. However, the meeting encourages individual Friends, monthly meetings, and quarterly and regional meetings to consider contributions to FGC as they are able. Sarah Faith Dickinson will convey this information through a letter to the monthly meetings. The Meeting also instructed the Clerk to write a letter to Michael Wajda, coordinator of the Capital Campaign informing him of the Yearly Meeting's decision. Friends approved.
18. In concluding her report for the Nurture Coordinating Committee, Sarah Faith Dickinson announced that the Nurture Coordinating Committee has not had a line in its budget to fund NYYM's FUM representatives to the triennial in Kenya. Therefore, the funds for the upcoming triennial will come from Trustee funds and from the Advancement Committee. The Nurture Coordinating Committee plans to add a line in its budget to fund NYYM's Triennial representatives in the future.
19. James Oltman reported for the Trustees. He gave an overview of the role of the Trustees' involvement in investments and announced that James Wood, NYYM's longtime investments' advisor, is retiring, and the Trustees will be taking a new approach in their investments. This approach will offer opportunities for the Yearly Meeting to become more active as shareholders in influencing the social policies of the various companies in which we invest.
20. James Oltman also reported that current litigation involving NYYM has been dismissed by the courts. An appeal is still possible. (See minute 21 of April 1, 2001).
21. The above minutes were read and approved.
22. Dawn DiGiovanni, clerk of the Sessions Committee, thanked Nine Partners Quarterly Meeting and Oakwood Friends School for the weekend's excellent hospitality. Friends approved.
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Notices (Births, Deaths, Membership)
This column is prepared from information about membership received from the local meeting recorders.
NEW MEMBERS
Emily M. Arnold - Farmington
Constance T. Baird - Chappaqua
Judy Bovet-Egnor - Farmington
Larry Cargill - Housatonic
Patrick D. Connelly -Poplar Ridge
Gay Edelman - Shrewsbury
Alexandrine Godleski - Farmington
Joan Kutniewski - Farmington
Mary Larsen - Montclair
Evan, Linda & Steff McGonagle - Poplar Ridge
Maia Murray - Summit
Chris Nugent - Summit
Barbara Ransome - Conscience Bay
Susan L. Rogers - Westbury
Irena N. K. Rosenberg - Ithaca
DEATHS
Mitchell Berenson, member of Chappaqua, on February 20, 2002.
Donald Clayton, member of Unadilla, on March 10, 2002.
Florence Marshal, member of Westbury, on February 21, 2002.
Gladys Taber Warner, member of Poughkeepsie, on March 9, 2002.
TRANSFERS
Clair Howard to Poplar Ridge from Syracuse
Arlene Reduto to Manhasset from Westbury
Elizabeth Schneider to Ithaca from Staten Island
BIRTHS/ADOPTIONS
Patrick David Connelly, on February 18, 2002, to Kathleen and David Connelly, members of Poplar Ridge.