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of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) |
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Contents
QUAKER LEADERSHIP IN THESE TIMES(Silver Bay Sessions July 20-26, 2003)New York Yearly Meeting comprises the entire membership of constituent monthly meetings, all of whom share in its deliberations. The Yearly Meeting exists principally to worship together. It is a meeting for the transaction of business and can engage in any activity or foster any work that the membership considers appropriate, including provision of funds and supervision for common projects. Through pooling efforts and resources, the Yearly Meeting can consider wider and more varied concerns. Since 1947 our principal residential sessions have been held at the Silver Bay YMCA Conference Center, on the western shore of Lake George, in New York State's Adirondack Park. It is truly a beautiful, inspirational setting. In addition to meetings for worship and business sessions, Friends participate in worship sharing, committee meetings, study and interest groups, Bible study, singing, swimming, hiking, and rest and recreation. Junior Yearly Meeting provides a program for young people infants through high school age. The Circle of Young Friends provides special activities for young adults. The Sessions Committee encourages all NYYM members, attenders, and their families, as well as members of other yearly meetings, to attend New York Yearly Meeting sessions this summer. These are difficult times for those of us upholding the Testimony of Peace. Let us come together. Let us nurture and support each other in community. Featured SpeakerRubye Braye will be this year's speaker. Her topic will be Quaker Leadership in These Times. Rubye's background and peace activities make her an unusual and interesting speaker. She emphasizes Friends' Peace Testimony as action, not theory. Having spent more than 20 years in the military, Rubye has an informed perspective on the Peace Testimony."I've spent nearly as many years among Quakers as I've spent in the military (i.e., 21 years)," she says. "Having come to know both communities intimately, I've seen the blemishes and dimples. These experiences, coupled with having grown up [as an African-American] in Montgomery, Alabama, during the '50s and '60s, have convinced me that we all need to understand how to live peacefully and together. Peace must start with self. Then and only then are we able to share peace with others. Unfortunately, I've experienced and witnessed as much violence among Quakers as I have seen among non-Quakers. Until this is addressed, the Peace Testimony is just an intellectual exercise." Bible Study LeaderAlan Kolp, of Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, will lead Bible study this year. The theme is Biblical Spirituality: The Story of Paradise. This will include: Paradise; Paradise Lost; Paradise Sought; and Paradise Hope. The paradise theme serves as an interesting spiritual context to hear again the biblical story of human quest for peace and harmony. It is a saga of delight and despair, of lost and found, and of fear and love. The theme of paradise will be used as both a reminder of, and a recall to, the deepest human desires. It is a story needing to be retold in our troubled times. Back to contents
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 7 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.
NYYM Registration FeesNYYM 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.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 regisatration form, your registration form will be returned. If you need more forms, photocopy them or download them: Adult or JYM. (These forms are in PDF format. Adobe Acrobat Reader, required to read and print PDF forms, is available free by clicking here.)
Disability Concerns at Silver BayFriends who indicate special needs on their registration will receive a form to fill out and return to Ronald Inskeep, who will be the NYYM special-needs coordinator at Silver Bay. The form is also available here. (This form is in PDF format. Adobe Acrobat Reader, required to read and print PDF documents, is available free by clicking here.) The form requests 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 for 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. HousingThere 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 MeetingsThe 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.12-Step Meetings at Silver BayThis year meetings will be 6:30-8:00 P.M. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and 10:00-11:00 P.M. Tuesday and Thursday. 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. His contact information is in the Yearbook. Staying on CampusRoom ReservationsSend all registration forms and YM registration fees to the NYYM office. Do not send any Silver Bay charges to the YM 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 P.M. on Sunday, July 20. 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 check-in. All rates are per person and do not include a 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 person of the same age or older. The Half-Conference rate is for those attending from Sunday 7/20 to Wednesday 7/23 or Wednesday 7/23 to Saturday 7/26. The Extra Day rates are for those who wish to arrive on Saturday 7/19. 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. About Silver Bay87 Silver Bay RoadSilver Bay, NY 12874 518-543-8833 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. Food Service at Silver BayMeals 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. Staying Off-Campus
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.
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:
A special rate may be obtained if meals are bought as a "package," though this can be done only on July 20, upon arrival. These package rates are:
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.
CampsitesThere 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, Ticon-deroga, NY; 518-543-6123; 518-585-7047. This is the old Brookwood Campground, which has been completely refurbished.
Northern Lake George Resort (518-543-6528)
Ticonderoga vicinity (14 miles north)
Lord Howe Valley Motel (518-585-7454)
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