Representative Meeting at Albany Academy for Girls April 5-6, 2003

Registration

Hospitality, Meals, and Children

Committee Meetings and Displays

Friday Night

Saturday Night Speakers

They will speak about their journey as a family and why they feel led to this work. They will discuss Friends' work in Central America, including their current health project, how recent events in the area have affected Friends, and Friends' responses to those events.

Schedule
Saturday, April 5, 2003
8:30 A.M.	Registration
9:00	Meeting for Worship
10:15	Committee Meetings
12:00 P.M.	Lunch
1:30	Meeting for Business
3:45	Committee Meetings
5:30	Dinner
7:00	Speakers
Sunday, April 6, 2003
8:45 A.M.	Meeting for Worship
10:00	Meeting for Business
12:15 P.M.	Lunch

Agenda items known at press time include: Treasurer's Report, Report from Worship and Action Working Group, FWCC Peace Conference, FUM Peace Delegation, Traveling Ministry Consultation, Staffing and Structure, and Committee on Committees Reports.

Transportation

A general contact number for Saturday and Sunday on site is cell phone 518-542-6000. Messages can also be left at the Albany Meetinghouse machine 518-436-8812.

Directions to Albany Academy for Girls

From south: NYS Thruway to Exit 23. Take I-787 toward Downtown Albany. Exit to Madison Ave. Rt. 20 West and go*** up Madison Avenue just over 1 mile to New Scotland Ave., where you turn left. After you pass Albany Medical Center, look for Academy Rd. on your left, just past Sage College. Turn left and Albany Academy for Girls will be on your left, just past Congregation Beth Emeth. From east: I-90 to I-787 south toward Downtown Albany. Take the Madison Ave. exit and follow directions from *** above.

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Individuals and committees wishing to offer Interest Groups or Study Groups during Yearly Meeting Sessions 2003 must submit their proposals to one of the clerks of the four coordinating committees or the Yearly Meeting office by March 21, 2003. The clerks are: Ministry and Counsel, Ann Davidson; General Services, Paula McClure; Nurture, Sarah Faith Dickinson; Witness, Judith Inskeep. Their contact information is in the Yearbook.

Interest/Study Groups are educational and spiritual opportunities. They will be offered in the afternoons to enable JYM staff and young Friends to participate. The May Spark will include a listing and brief descriptions of the offerings. F/friends may register for individual Study Groups and an Interest Group when they complete their Yearly Meeting registrations.

An Interest Group is a single educational opportunity to inform attenders about a topic or activity of importance to Friends. The time allotted is approximately one hour.

A Study Group is an opportunity for corporate worship and exploration for spiritual growth. The time allotted will be approximately 4 hours spaced over 3 days.

What is the application process?

1. Write a description, of any length, about your topic, identifying whether you wish to offer an Interest Group or a Study Group. Anticipate that F/friends from age 10 through adult will be encouraged to participate, and plan accordingly.
2. Provide an outline or lesson plan in the proposal.
3. Indicate if there is a maximum number of attenders you can accommodate.
4. Name the facilitator(s) and contact persons who will be working with you.
5. Write an additional 50-word description of the program for reprinting in Spark. Do not exceed 50 words.
6. Forward the proposal to the appropriate coordinating committee clerk or the NYYM office, 15 Rutherford Place, New York NY 10003, no later than 3/21/03.
7. If your proposal has been accepted you will be notified in April 2003.
8. If you have any questions contact: Cheryl Doehler.

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One of the challenges of the Clerk's Corner is the question of relevance when more than a month passes between the writing and the publication. That's not a problem this morning. I find myself being drawn to a deeper place, to stand before and reflect upon those things which are Eternal.

I'm reminded of Thomas Kelly's words in A Testament of Devotion:

Deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy place, a Divine Center, a speaking Voice, to which we may continuously return. Eternity is at our hearts, pressing upon our time-worn lives, warming us with intimations of an astounding destiny, calling us home unto Itself. Yielding to these persuasions, gladly committing ourselves in body and soul, utterly and completely, to the Light Within, is the beginning of true life (p. 29).

In recent months Friends have spoken of a need to return frequently to worship, a longing and a call to touch the Divine Center and lay hold of the Source of Life. There are those who have found and those who are finding that a deep life of prayer and attentiveness to God both nurtures and makes possible an active and effective presence in the world.

And so I am led to encourage Friends to continue and deepen our practice, both in solitude and in community. Let us uphold one another, acknowledging that we are indeed "Bonded and knit together by every constituent joint." Let us meet together frequently for the purpose of worship, yielding to Divine persuasions, listening for the speaking Voice, responding in Holy Obedience.

Linda B. Chidsey
Clerk, New York Yearly Meeting

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Cellist Steve Ballou, a member of the meeting and an associate musician with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, performed Bach's Suite 6 in D Major and Zoltan Kodaly's Solo Sonata.

Some 60 people attended the centennial concert. The audience included members of the meeting, Friends from the Quarter, a number of Steve's students, and a wonderful representation from the wider community. Our little meetinghouse was packed to the rafters! Those who have worshiped at Croton Valley will recall that the small stone meetinghouse is set in the woods and enjoys a warm acoustic resonance--a very special setting and a truly remarkable performance by Friend Steve.

A local newspaper wrote a lengthy article in advance of the concert that included photos, a brief history of the meeting, and a bit about Friends' beliefs and practices. We were pleased to see the article and one of the photos command front page coverage!

Members of the meeting provided refreshments, and folks who had come began to converse as though they were old friends. In short, it was a wonderfully festive occasion when everyone present was nurtured and uplifted by the music as well as by the spontaneous fellowship.

We all agreed we ought not to wait another hundred years to do it again.

Linda Chidsey, Croton Valley

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New York Yearly Meeting has no official logo, but the image following this paragraph shows the figures of a colonial Quaker family shaking hands with a more contemporary family. This logo was created for the 300th anniversary of the yearly meeting in 1995 and has subsequently been used for other NYYM-identifying purposes (such as the Web site) for lack of another image.

The yearly meeting needs another image. The Advancement Committee has discussed the need for an identifying image that represents what we believe rather than what some of us look(ed) like. We recognize that we Quakers tend to be reluctant about adopting symbols, preferring to search directly for that which lies behind the symbolism. Be that as it may, the Advancement Committee has also discussed at length how we, as Friends, can be present and available to seekers. We do not wish to hide our light, which often happens by our neglect of visible markers and signs of our presence. Although some seekers may find us through persistence, we have heard too many stories where small acts of hospitable welcome (such as cutting the bushes from in front of meetinghouse signs) would have greatly helped newcomers to find us.

We would like to suggest that a logo is another way to be visible; it helps people identify an institution in this case, the institution created by the existence of our communities and worship. Although corporations might use images for purposes we do not necessarily condone, we Friends can still use an image as a tool to help others associate us with an approach to worship and social action based on the light we have experienced.

The Advancement Committee hopes that a new logo can be chosen and that it will be an image representing Quaker beliefs, rather than Quakers past or present. We hope that it will be inviting to all, such that any segment of society can look at it and feel drawn to its (yes, we admit Quakers might need...) symbolism. Although the 300-Years logo was useful to celebrate an event, we feel it is no longer helpful to those looking for what NYYM Quakers have to share with the world. We hope the new logo does not characterize us as being from some particular ethnic and social grouping or make us appear quaint. Can we help the wider society not confuse us with the Amish or the Shakers? Can we project a picture that would not raise red flags with people considering joining us who happen to be singles, gay people, Blacks, Latinos, or otherwise different from "the image"? We look forward to the ideas Friends might present and hope we can soon replace the 300-Years logo with one that celebrates those testimonies and beliefs to which we aspire.

Jens Braun for the Advancement Committee

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I was reminded of this game one First Day. Like many meetings, we have an ongoing dilemma about latecomers. "We should shut the doors," say some. "Too unfriendly," say others. And as we revisit the problem every few years in Ministry and Counsel, we continue to live with it. I have heard whispering when latecomers arrive; I have felt people bristle as the doors open yet again. (In our meeting house, you must open a door, cross a wooden-floored porch, and, in the winter, open two more doors.) I discovered that the more scattered and in need of external silence I was, the more I was annoyed when others arrived late. When I came prepared for meeting, late arrivals didn't disturb me nearly as much. Clearly, then, part of the problem lay within my control. How could I see things in a different way?

As I was trying hard to see the positive side of so many latecomers, that childhood game of Sardines came back to me. In remembering that game, I was suddenly able to welcome them. The animosity and annoyance left me as I saw that they had been searching for us and had found us only now. As more and more of us gather in this small space, the silence deepens and we all are nurtured by it . . . those who come late probably needing it as much as those of us who try to be there on time. I felt that wonderful shift of perception as a lighter, truer idea replaced a darker, heavier one. The notion gripped me and I felt the inward shaking that propels me to my feet. I spoke about the game and said that I was now trying to silently embrace each person who entered, welcoming him into this small space where we are all hidden away, seeking the Light in each other and in ourselves.

Several people have spoken to me since that day and have said that the message I received and shared also helped them let go of the tension we all feel when the door opens for the fourth time in ten minutes, or the same person comes in a half hour late week after week. Perhaps Friends will find it helpful to think of themselves as simply the first ones to discover the hiding place, and to welcome others as they, too, find the small space in which we are all trying to hide . . . and seek.

Sue Tannehill, Buffalo Meeting

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Heaving around 44-pound cinder blocks in the hot sun would not have occurred to us as an occupation to choose, but with the Friends United Meeting work team in Cuba (Jan. 23-Feb. 7) it was not so bad, at least for short periods! We also passed bricks, rocks, and buckets of concrete. The 13 of us were rebuilding the chapel of a Friends' mission, originally built about 1915, in the little town of Floro Pérez, between Gibara and Holguín. We straightened nails and chipped mortar from used bricks. Forms for the concrete foundation were fashioned from the termite-eaten boards of the old walls. Nothing was mechanized except the ancient truck that hauled the materials to the site.

We rose at 5:45, breakfasted at 6:15, and were at the construction site by 7:30. The young pastor of the mission, Evelin, her husband, Luis Carlos, who is pastor of the church in Gibara, and Cuban Friends from both congregations worked with us, and they worked hard. They often wanted to keep working until dark, which was near 7:00.

We felt very welcome and much appreciated. Several team members had been on this annual project before. A team of four fed us and attended to our needs at the Gibara church. The teacher couple next door to the site let us use their latrine and took an interest in us. A cheerful member of the Floro Pérez mission proudly showed us around his town, taking us to the organic farm, the primary and secondary schools, a community recreation hall, and a sausage-production facility in a backyard. He told us more than once that education and medical care are free in Cuba. He seemed a genuinely contented person (we met other Cubans who were less content). On our last night Friends and their friends in Floro Pérez treated us to a farewell pig roast, which must have been a big economic sacrifice for them.

We saw horsecarts with burlap slung behind the horse to catch the manure for fertilizer, lots of bicycles, many deteriorated buildings, very few people who looked overfed, and relatively few cars and trucks, all of them antique except for tourist vehicles. We saw no billboards or commercial messages, and there was little to buy. We did spot a couple of T-shirts we liked, but decided not to ask where we might find similar ones, for fear the wearers would take them off and give them to us!

Local Friends sang enthusiastically at church services and on the truck that transported us to the site. We were treated to a beach trip, two brief visits to Holguín (the Big City), and a trip to the church at Banes, where Judy was happy to greet a woman she had met at the FUM Triennial of ten years ago.

This brief window into a society that is more egalitarian and community-oriented than ours, one of considerably less consumption and affluence, has given us much to think about.

Ronald and Judith Inskeep, Purchase Meeting

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It had kept its high old windows with many panes, the side-by-side entrances for women and men, and the wainscoting where facing benches once stood. But the cracks in the inside walls were multiplying, the meetinghouse smelled of mold in warm weather, and woodchucks scrambled under the floor during worship. Also there was no plumbing--we maintained a composting toilet in a small extension.

Most troubling to us, our First Day school had no home of its own and was held right outside the gathering room during worship. For the meeting to grow, we needed young families in First Day school. For the First Day school to flourish, we needed to expand our space. And so we embarked on the risks and joys of a building project.

For months we debated the best way to go about it. How could we expand our historic building and still preserve it? We had less than half an acre of land. Should we add a wing for the First Day school . . . or put up a separate structure . . . expand into the attic . . . or just sell the meetinghouse and start over again on a new site? How many other needs should we take care of at the same time? Could we afford a bathroom? How about a kitchenette, private conference room, and storage closets? And how would we pay for this?

The local Planning and Zoning Commission permitted us temporarily to install a rented trailer for the First Day school and wire it into the meetinghouse circuit. That gave us some breathing space to plan and raise money, and at last we decided to enlarge the meetinghouse by going downward. We lifted it, excavated underneath, and built a lower floor within the original footprint.

The little extension came off, a porch like the original one was put on across the front with an access ramp, and the eastern end of the downstairs was exposed, allowing for a bank of windows and exit door onto a terrace. We brought in water downstairs. This way we got what we badly needed--quiet worship, a sunny room for the meeting's children, plus plumbing, storage, and kitchenette--but still kept the old meetinghouse upstairs. And finally, by moving the structure forward 6 feet, we created wheelchair access to the lower door.

The finishing details of the project we decided to do ourselves, to save money. We are still painting the interior, framing the doors and windows, building in the bookcases, installing the kitchenette, and putting a railing and ceiling on the porch.

Raising and lowering our building has created a lot of public interest because the meetinghouse overlooks a busy highway and because the local newspaper ran an illustrated article about our expansion. We are also rebuilding and lighting our meetinghouse sign.

New people have started attending the meeting, and two new families are coming to First Day school. The parking lot now has as many as twelve cars on First Day, and we are already wondering whether we should have blacktopped a bigger area. The work won't be finished for a while, but thanks to the talented and committed people in the meeting, we have already taken the most important steps.

Ann Schillinger, Housatonic Meeting

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The Quiet Helpers exhibit was mounted by the German Historical Museum, Berlin, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of postwar Quaker Service in Germany. It was intended to commemorate, with gratitude, the humanitarian assistance rendered "from the nameless to the nameless."

Quiet Helpers uses artifacts and replicas, historical photos, and video to explore the exhibit themes. Seeing real-life items puts a human face on the aid work and the people involved.

The exhibit shows ration tickets from the child-feeding program and a sample of the near-starvation diet from after the war. It includes a Quaker "Schindler's List" with the names of Jewish children who escaped Germany on AFSC-organized children's transports, and a set of clothes from a German refugee. Also displayed are soup buckets, news ar- ticles about relief programs, reports on Quaker neighborhood centers, documents from Gestapo files, and photos from Bergen-Belsen and from refugee camps. In addition, there are toys made by German children in appreciation for the help they received, and a replica of the Nobel Peace Prize that was awarded to Friends worldwide in 1947.

The Quakers and others who joined them were ordinary people, but they put their values into action and provided an extraordinary outpouring of compassion.

The exhibit is sponsored by the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany and the American Friends Service Committee. Admission is free.

If you served as a volunteer or staff for Quaker service, or know someone who did, during the '20s, '30s, or '40s, and would like to tell your story, please give us a call. For general information, please contact American Friends Service Committee, New York Metropolitan Region, 15 Rutherford Pl., New York NY 10003; 212-598-0954; www.afsc.org.

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A Quaker Voice? Would a contemporary witness by Friends carry more weight when presented under the "Quaker" label? Would not convincing require more than a pat of approval on the Quaker back? Would not for Friends themselves humbleness be of greater service than trying to live up to what the world expects from us? Did not Friends' credibility arise from their practicing the gospel order of truthfulness, honesty, integrity, simplicity, and plain speech before the Peace Testimony?

Times have changed--tempora mutantur, et nos mutamur in illis--regrettably not always for the better. Friends' peace and social testimonies attract some of those who have become disillusioned by the churches they were born into. But rejecting merely what these lost members of traditional churches disagree with provides insufficient cause for taking courage. It reminds me of adolescents easily prone to rebel without a clear vision of anything for which they are willing to make sacrifices.

Can demanding peace accomplish anything without a clear understanding and acceptance of whatever sacrifice necessary? "A culture of peace," to be shared by all, not just by the members of the Religious Society of Friends, without acceptance of whatever sacrifices society as a whole has to make is doomed. A voice loud and clear will be heard when it is simple and direct.

Humbly yours,

Thurston C. Hughes, Rahway-Plainfield

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Many people change others through something they said, something they did, or even something they didn't say or do. We are all here because of someone, and we are all here for a purpose. A life has a right to be led until that purpose is fulfilled. If someone died at a young age they are remembered, everything good about them is remembered and brought forth.

Their purpose may have been to remind us of our mortality, or of the gift of life, or of the beauty of life. Each person is important, each person has good inside of them. They may have killed another person, they may have just hurt another's feelings, but they can change. That is part of the beauty of us, we can change, we have the right and the ability to change.

I believe that there is no time ever that someone must be killed. I believe that no matter what they have done, they never deserve to die. As a Quaker I believe every one has the light of God within them, and that no one is purely evil. Believing that, there would be no way for me to end the life of person. In this culture, it is widely believed that if someone has committed a crime, such as murder, they should be put to death.

They are considered dangerous, and should not be allowed to live in society. To me it seems that they are no longer thought of as a human being. It is easier on your conscience not to believe that they are human. This is also often used in war. The enemy is no longer human, it is not so hard to shoot a thing that is not human. Taking away someone's individuality may be almost as bad a taking away their life, it would be for me.

Children are influenced in this way too. In computer games, movies, and video games you are always the good guy, with the gun, and the bad guy never looks completely human. They have spikes, ugly faces, and are often green or another color. It all has to do with propaganda, in olden times the enemy was often rumored to have horns or tails. I won't get into propaganda, but it has a huge influence on Americans, through corporations, and mostly through the media.

Violence is, or seems to be, the natural reaction to a lot of things. It has been for a long time, and that may be why it's such a hard cycle to break. Revenge is a big reason for violence, and in many places revenge has been the way of life for so long, it would be hard for the people to imagine life without it. Perhaps too, people have never heard of other ways to solve problems. There are other ways they know, but there are no examples that they can relate to that have worked.

I see this with my friends often when they think war is the only answer to a problem, and I have to remind them that there are ways to get around it.

They answer, "What, like talk about it and it will all be solved?" in a totally sarcastic tone of voice. I think about it and say, "Yeah . . . ," and they just laugh and say, "Now tell me what some of these terrorist groups would do to you if you went up to them and said, 'Hey I wanna talk with you about this,' they'd blow your head off wouldn't they?" What can I respond to that? I can't disagree with them, and I don't know enough to give them an example, but there are other ways, I say, I just have to think about it.

Part of the problem I think is that kids aren't really told about the other options besides violence in the States, and it just seems like a big game to them. Some kids know there are other possibilities, but there isn't really anything they can relate to that proves it. It's like trying to catch a cloud to prove it's made of water drops. We know it is, but we can't catch it to show you.

I think about the world's problems a lot and I know my friends do too. It's hard for us to think about it and not be able to come up with a brilliant answer. This is the stage in life where you're used to thinking you know all the answers, and your elders don't seem that smart to you, I mean they haven't even heard of this great band. And we've passed the stage where we trust them and think that everything they do is wonderful, so why should we worry?

It's hard to understand that we can't solve it all really fast, and it's scary to think that when we get older it's all going to be our actual life, and we are going to have to deal with it. We know we have voices, I think being a teenager is learning how to use that voice. We know we can change the world, and we know you can too. Everyone has a purpose in life, everyone has a right to live that life, and everyone is special.

Natalie Braun, Old Chatham

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If the draft is reinstated, this may be the first one that requires both men and women to join the military. In this time of change you will be asked to make some difficult decisions about military service. The Meeting encourages you to deepen your understanding of our traditional peace testimony, and to develop your own position regarding war and military service.

Should you decide that you want to explore becoming a conscientious objector, you need to write a short dated letter to the meeting stating that position. High school principals may send a letter to all students' families informing them that their names, addresses, and phone numbers will be sent to all branches of the armed forces. You may want to request that these not be forwarded without prior written parental consent. These actions will help establish your position.

As your home meeting, we are willing to support you in a number of ways:

• Sending you the pamphlet Conscientious Objectors and the Draft published by the Center on Conscience and War (you may want to visit their Web site www.nisbco.org for current information);
• Arranging a clearness committee to help you explore your beliefs relative to the peace testimony and conscientious objection, and offering spiritual support for your search;
• Receiving your letter in a business meeting and recording it with the minutes. If needed, this statement legally confirms your position.

Someone has been appointed by this Meeting to counsel those troubled by participation in war. That person is willing to meet with individuals to help them articulate their beliefs and develop an application for conscientious objector status.

The prospect of writing a statement for CO status can be daunting. It is important is that you begin to document your thinking and feelings about these important issues. You may ask for support in writing the application from any member of the meeting with whom you feel comfortable.

Please let us know how we can support you in your decisionmaking.

Spark thanks Purchase Monthly Meeting for providing this letter.

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"Friends have long sought to find ways of dealing with evil that recognizes that the enemy is not this person or that nation, ethnicity, or faith. Rather the enemy is sin, dwelling in the hearts of people in rebellion against God. We have found the reality of redemption in Jesus Christ, who commanded those who would follow Him to love their enemies. (Matthew 5:44). We recall the words of Paul, "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world." (Corinthians 10:4)

We therefore, pray the nations will pursue the cause of justice and peace in ways that do not foster future violence. We are asking our own members to remember George Fox's historic counsel that "the Spirit of Christ by which we are guided . . . will never move us to fight and war against any man with outward weapons." Instead we encourage one another to find ways to reach out in love across walls of enmity that separate us and "overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21)

In 2003, we ask Friends to rededicate ourselves to Jesus' way of treating enemies with love. This year from January 1 through Pentecost Sunday, June 8th, Friends across FUM are joining in a Chain of Prayer to pray for peace .

Pray for all those who are fearful because of the threat of terrorism that the peace of God will reach deeply into their souls. Pray for all the victims of war and terror. Pray also for those who contemplate carrying out terrorist acts, that God might free them from bondage and destroy bitterness and evil.

Thanks to Farmington-Scipio Friends for sending this article from the January 2003 FUM Bulletin.

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Last summer, following a strong leading, I participated in a Quaker Middle East Peace Delegation under the auspices of the Christian Peacemaker Teams. Having lived in the West Bank and Gaza Strip for several years in the 1980s, and having ongoing contact with Israeli relatives of mine, I felt compelled to do something--however small--about the crisis between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

In the six months since participating in the delegation, I have given 16 talks to well over 500 people, mostly New York Yearly Meeting Friends. To my surprise I find that I have been "traveling in the ministry," with spiritual support from a clearness committee in my Meeting (Old Chatham), with mentoring from a Yearly Meeting friend, Rosa Packard, with financial means provided by Quaker funds and friends, and with a traveling companion for many of my talks.

Each time I speak with a group, my presentation changes a bit. At times, I surprise myself when I relate to the audience an incident or a remark about which I had not spoken since the intense twelve days on the delegation. One particular remark of a fellow delegate did not seem worth sharing during my first two months of giving presentations, but then I shared it one time and realized how important and powerful it was.

The remark came in a conversation with another delegate, Jerry Hyde, on the second day of the delegation as we traveled north from Jerusalem to the Palestinian city of Ramallah. He asked a bit about me and then said, "I want to tell you that if I die here during this trip, I don't want my body sent back to the United States. Just bury me here. I've already told this to our delegation leaders, but I want you to know as well."

I was taken aback but soon collected my thoughts. "Oh," I said, "did many people back home try to discourage you from participating on this peace delegation? Did they tell you--as people told me--that you were crazy to go to such a violent place and take such a risk?"

"Yes," he replied. "And I told them: Many are willing to die for war; I am willing to die for peace."

This stunned me. I had never thought of my leading in this way. More practically, I had lived in Gaza during the first intifada (uprising) and felt confident I knew how to stay safe.

Participating in the delegation did take courage and was indeed risky, as bombs went off, helicopters swooped in, and soldiers with guns turned on us in anger. Yet we were calm and focused in our work for peace. Each day we had worship sharing. We helped each other deal with the pain and suffering we saw. We helped each other center.

I still do not know if I am willing to die for peace. But I do know that there is no need to fret over the answer to this question. I just need to maintain the expectation that if I listen well to my leadings, if I bring them forward among Friends where together we seek God's discernment, then I will continue to be led where I should go.

Christine (Spee) Braun Old Chatham Meeting

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The delegation met with government officials, a military commander, religious leaders, victims of violence, and organizations working for human rights and nonviolent solutions, including the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights. It traveled to Bogot , Medell¡n, Apartado, and two rural peace communities in the Uribe region, San Jos‚ de Apartado/La Uni¢n and Cavida.

I carried a letter of support from Cornwall Monthly Meeting and a peace banner, made by the children of First Day school, which was presented to the peace community. Both the communities are threatened by armed incursions, mainly by right-wing paramilitary "self-defense" groups. Kidnappings, disappearances, and murders are not uncommon. With the support of Justicia y Paz, an intercongregational organization, they have declared their communities nonviolent humanitarian zones, forbidding the presence of any "armed actors," be they paramilitary, the left-wing guerrillas, or the military. They are training themselves in nonviolent resistance, and encouraging their young people not to join any of the armed groups. FOR had a presence of two full-time accompaniers in La Uni¢n since Feb. 2002. Their time was completed in October and replacements were not immediately available. Two days after they left, La Uni¢n was invaded by paramilitary and the community displaced down the mountain to the town center in San Jos‚. One young man who was kidnapped by the paramilitary was later found murdered. Peace Brigades International has one-on-one accompaniers of Justicia y Paz staff, whose lives are constantly threatened.

The mission took place in the political context of increased violence following the breakdown and ending of government-guerrilla negotiations in February 2002 and the election of hardline president Alvaro Uribe in August 2002. New aggressive action toward the guerrillas is now being accompanied by the institution of emergency powers, including curtailment of civil rights, increased surveillance, and limits on mobility of both civilians and nongovernmental organizations. Pres. Uribe is creating a civilian informant network with ski-masked participants being paid in televised ceremonies each "reward Monday" this in a country where unemployment is 25% officially and said to be 40%, especially in the barrios and the war-torn countryside. The delegation visited a barrio in Medell¡n where the leaders of a community-development agency with whom we were to meet had been arrested on the word of such an informant. International pressure in the form of thousands of faxes from individuals around the world brought about their release some days later.

A particular focus of the delegation was the U.S. Plan Colombia. This foreign aid program, the third largest for the U.S. ($537 million this fiscal year), was instituted in 2000 under Pres. Clinton with a narrow antinarcotics focus. The $1.8 billion spent thus far has not decreased the production of drugs nor has it combatted the rising human rights violations. U.S. aid is dependent upon certification of progress on human rights issues. That certification proceeds even though death threats are common against the judges who preside over human rights cases. U.S. policy is now being expanded as a counterinsurgency endeavor, lumped together since Sept. 11, 2001, with the war on terrorism. In the last year the additional objective of protecting the oil pipeline of California-based Occidental Petroleum from guerrilla sabotage was added. U.S. military advisers are training Colombian troops.

The highlight of the trip was the three days spent in the peace villages. The delegation split into two groups of five. Samuel Oast, 78, visited San Jos‚ de Apartado, where the residents of La Uni¢n were still living, displaced from their community. He traveled by burro up the mountain trail to see the deserted village with the crops rotting in the fields and the chickens dying from lack of care. I, a 57-year-old grandmother, traveled by speedboat and dugout canoe to visit the Afro-Colombian settlements of Nueva Vida (New Life) and Esperanza en Dios (Hope in God) that make up the nonviolent humanitarian zone of Cavida in the jungles near the Panamanian border. These people had been bombed out of their 23 separate villages and herded into a sports arena in the port town of Turbo, where they lived for three years with no means of support except charity and begging. With the help of Justicia y Paz, they gained title to their land and 1,200 of them returned to form these two large settlements. They demanded and got the presence of a government office of the ombudsman for human rights. The ombudswoman's (in this case) presence has helped to discourage paramilitary incursions, but the threats against their existence and against the life of the Justicia y Paz advocates continue. Despite their seemingly desperate situation, they work toward the day when there will be un mundo en que los pueblos se abrazan ("one world where the people embrace each other"), as the banner hanging in their community building proclaims.

The delegation returned to the U.S. with considerable disquiet about the direction and scope of Plan Colombia. Perhaps the situation is summed up by what a Mennonite minister, briefing us on his work for peace, said, "Colombia is like a house with a leaky roof. As more holes develop, the owner buys more pots to put under them, rather than fix the roof." We concluded that U.S. aid would be better focused on supporting the efforts of Colombian citizens working for demilitarized solutions that honor the integrity of all involved parties. Current U.S. policy is fanning the flames that are consuming the house that is Colombia.

Both of us have made several community presentations and our meetings are planning to host presentations soon. I have also obtained a CD of the music of Cavida, which tells the story of their displacement and the building of this new community formation. Members of that community will be coming to the U.S. for a Colombia support conference in Chicago in April. They will spend several weeks touring and making presentations afterward. For more information about the delegation, contact Sam Oast at 212-753-3318 or Alice McMechen, 845-986-3227. The FOR Colombia Project can be contacted at 2017 ission St. #305, San Francisco CA 94110; 415-495-6334; forcolombia@igc.org; www.forusa.org/Programs/Colombia.

Alice McMechen, Cornwall Monthly Meeting

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Join Friends from New England, Canada, New York, and Philadelphia Yearly Meetings, April 11 13 for a weekend of listening and celebration as spring awakens the earth at Woolman Hill in Deerfield, Mass. We will be focusing on the importance of listening in the peace process; both the building of peace in the world, and personal opening to peace within.

How can we create peace by learning to listen?

How can we listen to each other in such a way that we water the seeds of peace within us?

How do we awaken the peaceable kingdom within ourselves and live in its Spirit?

How can we listen more closely to the Spirit that is awake in all that surrounds us so that we can confidently affirm, in the midst of war, that "the peaceable kingdom lives"?

Elise Boulding will facilitate the program on Saturday. Holly Baldwin will report on FWCC's January Peace Consultation. We will celebrate with Sacred Circle dancing, singing, and, weather permitting, a bonfire on Saturday night. A children's program will be led by Gretchen Baker-Smith. For more information, contact info@woolmanhill.org or 413-774-3431.

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A contribution of $25 is requested for adults; $15 for high school youth. Some scholarship assistance is available.

The interactive workshop will explore the following queries: How are you personally with racism in your life? Where is God working with you? How can Quakers overcome the hurts of racism among Friends? How open are you to hearing about institutional racism in the Religious Society of Friends? How can the Religious Society of Friends be more welcoming to people of color?

Further information and registration forms are available from Sue Clark at 518-274-0784; www.nyym.org/events.

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You may want to explore these questions at YouthQuake: a triennial gathering for 14- to 20-year-old Quaker youth from across North America, from pastoral, programmed, and unprogrammed meetings. This year it will be held Dec. 27, 2003, through Jan. 1, 2004, in Estes Park, Colo. It is designed for youth to experience Christ-centered Quaker spirituality and to learn from one another through music, speakers, worship, workshops, discussion groups, and free time.

This is an article about YouthQuake, but for me it begins many years ago. I came to Quakerism from Catholicism. I enjoyed the Catholic Church and admired the many people of loving faith that I knew in it. But I had nagging doubts about the Church's interpretation of the one true religion. I knew too many deeply spiritual people who were bound for hell by traditional church teachings, and I couldn't fathom a loving God doing that. So Quakerism was a breath of fresh air to me with its seeming openness and emphasis on experiential knowledge of the Divine.

I first learned that Quakers still existed when I went to Earlham College. I was deeply moved by the number of Quaker faculty who lived their faith in all aspects of their life from Meeting on Sunday to socially conscious living every day. The silence in Meeting captivated me, though I found it hard to stay still for long. There were profound messages that surfaced in worship that resonated with me. I'd found my spiritual home, and it was with the unprogrammed Friends. I was in love.

Those heady first days of infatuation passed quickly, however, spurred on by a class in Quaker history from Hugh Barbour. Thrilled by the perseverance of the valiant forty, I was horrified to learn of the squabbling and splits that tore apart the Society. I couldn't believe that pastoral Friends existed and claimed to be Quakers. I almost walked away, but I didn't.

It turns out that Quakerism was a true love for me. I have stuck with it for nearly twenty years, my commitment to its ideals and practices deepening each year; my own experience of the Divine stronger because of it. But my bias against the idea of pastoral Friends has been with me since those Earlham days.

Which is where YouthQuake comes in. I am on the planning committee for this event. What this means is that I am working with pastors and youth ministers of Friends' churches in the programmed tradition. It is not always easy. There are areas where we have fundamental disagreements, but--and this is the important part for me--there are places where our hearts unite, where we are one. There is a tenderness among us and a genuine desire to hear one another. Understanding is replacing my earlier bias.

The committee has been a place of growth for me and I think for others on it. The gathering this December in Colorado will be an opportunity for growth for the young people who attend and the adults who accompany them. I believe it will also be a place for strengthening the wider Quaker community at a time when our strength is vital to the world community. For this to happen, we must have a diversity of young Friends from all Quaker traditions who can share what is on their hearts and minds and hear what is on the hearts and minds of others.

If you are a young Friend or know of a young Friend who wants to be part of this experience please contact me at 524 Pitt Hall Rd., Old Chatham NY 12136. And any day now, there will be posters and brochures arriving at your meeting.

Chris DeRoller, Old Chatham

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For further information go to www.lionlamb.org/. It is possible that the Fredonia Monthly Meeting RE Committee will present a workshop in this project at the Farmington-Scipio spring gathering in fifth month.

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A Weekend for Men of All Ages

This weekend is for men who think and act as they are led, not as they are told. If you want to explore and celebrate being a man in a time when the world needs both strength and compassion, then this is a gathering that needs your presence. We will play, work, talk, and listen. We will listen to some music and make some of our own. We may hike or swim.

This is a youth conference for 7th-12th grades, and it is also open to adults, who will be limited to no more than half the group. Everyone will stay in the Anna Curtis Center. The adults will be expected to follow the same behavior guidelines as the youth. Cost is $90, with scholarship help available on request. Registration is by regular mail only, with a $15 deposit and a parent's signature for those under 18. (A registration form can be printed at www.powellhouse.org/webregform.htm) For further information, contact Mike Clark at 524 Pitt Hall Rd., Old Chatham NY 12136.

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Development of teams of Powell House volunteers is one way we hope to build community in New York Yearly Meeting. Teams working either at Powell House or at home could bring satisfaction to the volunteer and help Powell House become a community-based model for right living and environmental sustainability.

The first team we are recruiting is the Organic Food Team. One of our goals for 2003 is to improve the extent to which our food is organically produced, locally grown, and supportive of our extended community. The Organic Food Team will be a group of gardeners and farmers who already grow their own organic food. We are asking those of you who sign up for this team to plant a little extra in your garden another hill of winter squash; a couple of extra feet of beets and share this produce with attenders of Powell House conferences. The first year of this project we are requesting that you sign up for produce that keeps well potatoes, beets, winter squash, pumpkins, carrots, cabbage, storage onions, and garlic.

Transportation will be arranged in the fall, and all Powell House Organic Food Team members will be invited to a harvest dinner to celebrate your contribution and skill.

In those days before the spring when we sit by the fire reading seed catalogs and dreaming of seeds coming to life in the dark, rich soil, think of Powell House and know that your skill can bring us all together and nurture our bodies at a place that is good for our souls.

If this team is for you, contact Liseli Haines, volunteer coordinator, 518-794-8811 ext. 12.

Liseli Haines, Powell House staff

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This is an opportunity to grow spiritually and work in all areas of this Quaker nonprofit. For more information see our Web site, http://www.quakercenter.org, or call 831-336-8333. Application deadline is April 1st.

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Young Adult Leadership Development Program: exploration of community service and spiritual enrichment for ages 18 24, June 15 August 3. Twelve positions available; applications due by April 1.

Youth Camp: action, reflection, community living for 20 high schoolers ages 15-18, July 6-13.

Youth Camp leaders: three energetic and experienced individuals.

Youth Programs Summer Coordinator: a highly motivated person to work from late May/early June until early August.

Other summer jobs available: grounds crew, housekeeping/hospitality, garden. For financial and other details, contact Bobbi Kelly at ext. 137 or bobbi@pendlehill.org, or Julian O'Reilley at ext 129 or julian@pendlehill.org. Pendle Hill's telephone is 800-742-3150 or 610-566-4507; or Pendle Hill, 338 Plush Mill Rd., Wallingford PA 19086.

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The seminar sponsors tell us that the seminar is appropriate for clergy, staff, ecumenical delegates, and anyone who is interested and might contribute to the ecumenical leadership in New York State. This is an opportunity to learn more about the ecumenical and interfaith community in New York State.

The cost is $165 before April 15 and $175 thereafter. Commuters pay $110 before April 15 and $120 after that date.

For information and registration contact Mary Lou Bowen, NYSCC, 362 State St., Albany NY 12210; www.nyscommunityofchurches.org; nyscoc@aol.com.

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4 bars of soap 1 plastic bottle of shampoo (13-24 ounces) 1 tube of toothpaste (at least 8 ounces) 4 adult toothbrushes in packaging 1 hairbrush 1 wide-tooth comb 1 fingernail clipper 1 box of bandages assorted sizes

Please package these in a plastic bag, include no other item, and send along with $5 to cover shipping (if possible) by March 31st to AFSC, 15 Cherry St., Philadelphia PA 19102-1479.

Thank Thee.

Lisa Gasstrom, AFSC convener, NYYM

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Our long-term goal is to develop a team with sufficient expertise to help train others and to eventually be able to intercede in developing conflicts.

All the information will be held in the strictest confidence.

Our Task Group has been developing both a protocol for such intercessions and a training program to widen the circle of Friends who can provide such assistance.

Please send your name, mail and e-mail addresses, and phone number to Stanley Zarowin. Include the name of your monthly meeting and a brief outline of your experience. Stanley Zarowin

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NEW MEMBERS

MARRIAGES

DEATHS

BIRTHS/ADOPTIONS

TRANSFERS

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