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of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) |
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Contents
The 2006 Yearbooks Are Here!The 2006 Yearbook is available at Representative Meeting. This invaluable resource contains minutes of Yearly Meeting sessions; a listing of all YM committees and their members; locations, times of worship, and contact information for monthly meetings and worship groups; and an alphabetical listing of Friends under appointment. Please pick up your copy and your meeting's copies, to save the Yearly Meeting postage. Open Prisons Committee Meeting: Please Come!Eddie Ellis, Ray Rios, Amel Russell, Mahesh Thomas, and Hamlon (City) Carroll will be the guest speakers at our next Prisons Committee meeting, on December 2, during Representative Meeting, 3:45 P.M., at Brooklyn Friends School, 375 Pearl St., Brooklyn, N.Y. These men, all of whom are formerly incarcerated individuals, served in leadership positions in their Quaker prison worship groups and/or AVP. They will share their thoughts and feelings of the importance of Quaker prison ministry and Quaker programs held behind the walls and the transitions involved in worshipping and working with Quakers upon their return home. Eddie Ellis, newly appointed to the governor-elect's transition team, will discuss parole issues and give us an update of his radio show, On the Count. These men will also be our invited dinner guests at Brooklyn Friends School. Our plan is to continue the conversations begun during the committee time on a more informal basis over dinner. Yearly Meeting Prayer ListAlmost daily, Yearly Meeting staff or Ministry and Counsel members hear of Friends going through health crises, deaths in the family, abrupt transitions, spiritual openings, and all manner of life events that would inspire us to pray for them. Frequently the word has been sent out in an informal way to those who we feel might be concerned for this Friend, and want to offer support. We have wanted for some time to widen this circle of support. Ministry and Counsel Coordinating Committee has seen clear to address this need through supporting the creation of a Yearly Meeting prayer list. Bobbi Sue Bowers, of Manasquan Monthly Meeting, has volunteered to serve as the point person for such a list. She will be receiving names of those who feel a need for the support of the broader community. Once a week, she will be sending out the list via e-mail to those who feel a leading to hold others in the Light. Those without e-mail capacity will receive hard copies. If you would like prayer support for any reason, you can be on the list in several ways: You can be on the list with an asterisk, which means that you do not want to be contacted or asked about why you are on the list; you can be on the list with a short description as to why; or your name can be there by itself. Please do not submit someone else's name without their permission. If you wish to be on the list, or feel led to a practice of prayer, you can contact Bobbi Sue at bobbisue [dot] bowers [at] juno [dot] com or 732-919-1261. Young Adult Friends: Build Sustainable Community!All Young Adult Friends (ages 18 to 35) are invited to Burlington, N.J., for a big gathering of Young Adult Friends from across the country the weekend of February 16–18, 2007. Young Adult Friends from across the country will come together to build connections, share about supportive communities that already exist for YAFs, and talk about the kinds of programs we would like to create. Spread the word! We will collect ideas, meet new Friends, gather energy, and have fun! There will be space for worship sharing and discussion with Friends from different generations. We will come away with ideas for worship groups, retreats, and community-building activities for our local YAF communities. This gathering is coordinated in partnership with youth workers from Friends General Conference, Pendle Hill, and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. For more information, visit www.quakeryouth.org or contact the FGC Youth Ministries coordinator, by e-mail at emilys [at] fgcquaker [dot] org or at 215-561-1700. Support Prisoners of ConscienceFlushing Quakers invite you to join us on December 10, Human Rights Day, from 2 to 4 P.M., for the Amnesty International Write-a-Thon and some really good, politically correct coffee. Bring stationery, stamps, and pens or use ours; get to know some like-minded people from Queens, and visit one of the oldest houses of worship in the country. Everyone is welcome. For more information, contact Naomi at 718-757-2823 (cell). Flushing Friends Meeting is at 137-16 Northern Blvd., between Main and Union Sts. Take the 7 train to Main St. (last stop), walk north to Northern Blvd., and turn right for a half block. See http://www.nyym.org/flushing/directions.html. The New, Improved SparkHave you looked at Spark lately? It's changed from what you used to read, and soon it may have a new look to go with its new content. Spark started out as a way to tell you some of the business that New York Yearly Meeting was doing and to give you notice of gatherings, budgets, and some of the details of running the organization. It was the spark of corporate life of the yearly meeting and tried to tell Friends who could not attend Yearly Meeting sessions what was happening. To be more useful to individual Friends and the monthly meetings, Spark has changed its focus. Now Spark speaks to individual and monthly meeting concerns, not just Yearly Meeting committee activity. To accomplish this, we have put out issues on particular subjects such as advancement, war-tax resistance, simplicity, and deepening the spiritual life of the meeting. January Spark will focus on the query What role does your physical space play in the life of your meeting? Future issues will address topics such as Prisons: Light behind the Walls; Conflict (and its transformation); Earthcare; Racism; Young Friends; and Leadership. Take another look at Spark in the 21st century. Our new approach is having positive results. One Friend said, "Spark used to go straight from my mailbox to my recycling bin, but now I read every word." In addition, meetings are requesting more copies for their attenders. (If you send the office the names and addresses of attenders who want to get Spark, we will put them on the mailing list. Send by e-mail to office [at] nyym [dot] org or mail to NYYM, 15 Rutherford Pl., New York NY 10003.) We invite your suggestions for topics for future issues. Help us make Spark a living beacon for Friends. —Lenore Ridgway, Bulls Head-Oswego Meeting New England YM Seeks Administrative AssistantThe NEYM administrative assistant will support the work of the Yearly Meeting in the Worcester, Mass., office. This is a regular part-time position scheduled for approximately 32 hours per week, with benefits, that will require some weekend and evening hours and attendance at the annual Sessions in August. The individual will possess some administrative, clerical, and computer skills and excellent communication skills. Please contact the NEYM office for details and a job description: 508-754-6760; neym [at] neym [dot] org. Christopher's Travel CalendarDecember
January
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