May 2013 issue of Now you know... a newsletter for Young Adults and Families in NYYM

Now you know! A newsletter for Young Adult Friends, and Families, of New York Yearly Meeting May 2013 Greetings Friend! Spring is finally underway!  There is  a lot of great stuff happening just around the bend! There is a weekend at Powell House for families, May 10-12.  It is called developing a Quaker Toolbox:  a Weekend for Families.  It is a rare opportunity for families to have a conference TOGETHER.  See the description in the Powell House section below for more information. Sadly, we have had to postpone the Young Adult Friends  weekend on self care.  We will make sure you know when it is rescheduled.  It will be wonderful! At Pendle Hill, in June, there is a week long conference for YAF on Simplicity.  It is a wonderful opportunity to meet YAF from all over the country.  I was there last year, and it was great.  It is being offered at an extremely low rate.  Please click here for more info.http://www.pendlehill.org/yald. I highly recommend it!  You can contact me for more info as well. There are opportunities available to work with Youth at Junior Yearly Meeting (JYM) at Summer Sessions this year.  Please see the announcement below.  Do you have something you would like to share with YAF and Families in NYYM?  I would welcome photographs, artwork, poetry, essays, haiku, meaningful quotes and passages, you name it! Happy Spring!!  Gabi Savory Bailey Young Adult Field Secretary, NYYM—nyym.yafs@gmail.com IN THIS NEWSLETTER What is YACC? Where has Gabi been? Where is she going? Upcoming conferences at Powell House and Pendle Hill Spotlight on a committee, Sessions Committee VOLUNTEER and INTERN opportunites, Young Friends in Residence, American Friends Service Committee  YAF Spotlight on Sarah Cayer, Genessee Valley Meeting What is going on with other YAF and Families in NYYM? Help to fundraise to send people (maybe you?) to Chwele YM in Kenya Volunteers needed at Summer Sessions for JYM What is YACC?   The Young Adults Concern Committee (YACC) is a committee of NY Yearly Meeting.  It is the committee that oversees the Circle of Young Friends (CYF) and the retreats they plan.  YACC also plans the CYF activities for Summer Sessions each year.  This committee is one way that Young Adults can find voice in the Yearly Meeting.  YACC is also interested in the spiritual nurture and care of Friends between 18-35 ish. YACC meets regularly throughout the year on the internet, and also in person at Summer Sessions, and one other annual meeting. Currently sitting on this committee are: Lucas Braun- Old Chatham MM, Rosie Stillman—Montclair MM,  Audrey Jaynes—Montclair MM,  Jenny Pronto Adirondack/Ithaca/Poplar Ridge MM,  Anthony Smith—New Brunswick MM, Alanna Badgley—Poughkeepsie MM, Barbara vonSalis (coopted member) Brooklyn MM.  If you have any questions, ideas or concerns please contact a member of YACC.  You can also contact me to put you in touch with YACC.  Are you interested in getting involved with YACC?  They are actively looking for Friends who have gifts in organizing conferences, reaching out to new people, spiritual nurture, recognizing gifts, eldering, hospitality, and community development.   Contact me at nyym.yafs@gmail.com, or co-clerks Alanna Badgely and Audrey Jaynes.   Where have I been?  Where am I going? April 5-7 Spring Sessions, Locust Valley, NY (That is on Long Island).  Truth be told, I love Spring Sessions.  It is a low commitment way to see what is happening in the Yearly Meeting.  I get to catch up with People that I have not seen since Summer, or Fall.  I get to dabble in the committees, and Coordinating committees with no commitment to joining.  I do not have the same expense as summer sessions, and less time commitment, but I still walk away connected to the wider Quaker Body.  Also, I get to stay with other Friends who I may or may not know yet, for Free!  I LOVE staying with Friends and seeing them at home, and getting to know them.  It is another gift of travelling, and knowing each other in different ways.  If you have not been to Spring Sessions, please consider going.  Financial Aid is available. April 13 &14- Adirondack MM.  There was a gathering for Families and YAF on Saturday, and I gave the message at worship on Sunday.  It was wonderful to meet new Friends and to see old ones! April 26-28 Farmington Scipio Spring Gathering, Pan Yan, NY.  This is a GEM of a gathering.  I never knew it existed!  What fun for individuals and families!  It is held at a camp in the Central Finger Lakes.  Anyone is welcome.  There is time to worship, fellowship, and sessions on different things.  I do not know what this year is.  There is a great Youth Program.  My whole family loves it.  I have met wonderful people there.  Camping is available.  If you live in Farmington Scipio RM, or want to see what I am talking about, PLEASE consider going.  There are usually a good number of YAF there, as well as families.  Kids love it!  May 10-12 Leading a Family Weekend at Powell House  This is a Powell House opportunity for the WHOLE family. During this weekend we will look at what tools Quakerism gives us as families and individuals to help us in our daily life.  Through story, art, role playing, discussion, small groups, worship and active participation of people of all ages, we will be exploring tools like holding someone in the light, worship/centering, simplicity, clearness committees/discernment and others.  We will create a “toolbox” that families and their members can use. There will not be childcare at this weekend, as the children will be part of the sessions with the adults.  There will be time for parents to talk about their experiences as well.  More info is coming!   I am so excited for this opportunity for families to do meaningful Quaker work together!  My 2 year old will be there!  Will you and your family? July 21-27 Summer Sessions, Silver Bay.  This is the annual NYYM Sessions held at Silver Bay on Lake George.  It is a residential gathering for people of all ages where we do our YM business, fellowship, speakers, Junior Yearly Meeting, committees, interest groups, swimming and activities, and worship.   There will be much more information coming up soon.  If you love Summer Sessions, tell people!  If you want to know more, contact me for information.Nyym.yafs@gmail.com. September 20-22-- Bridging the Gap conference, Richmond Indiana This September 20-22, we will be gathering at Friends United Meeting's headquarters in Richmond, Indiana, to explore what it means to practice ongoing care for and ministry to our youth and young adults. What does it look like to lead a sustainable lifestyle, avoiding burnout while caring for younger Friends? What does it mean to experience the Sabbath rest that Jesus offers us (Matthew 11:28-30)?  Gabi will be offering a workshop! Please click on here (http://fum.org/bridging-the-gaps/) for more information.  I think it will be great. Would you like me to come to your Meeting, or Region?  Would you like someone to support the work that is already being done there?  I am eager to travel to do a program, support an existing program, or simply sit and listen.  Contact me at nyym.yafs@gmail.com    YAF CONFERENCES FOR NYYM ( families welcome! ) UPDATE on the YAF conference Replenishing the Well on self- care, May 31-June 2 Unfortunately, this weekend has been postponed.  We will let you know as soon as we can about when it has been rescheduled.   Upcoming Powell House  and Pendle Hill weekends  www.powellhouse.org Building a Quaker Toolbox: Family Weekend May 10-12—    As families, parents, and kids, it is hard to navigate many situations without the right tools. Our Quaker faith and tradition can help us build a toolbox to do hard things. We can be nurtured and nurture others. When we have the right tools, we can engage with each other in new and powerful ways. Together we will develop a literal and figurative tool box. Through storytelling, discussion, art, games, small groups, acting, worship, music, and sharing experiences, we will engage with the skills Quakerism gives us. With practices such as: worship/centering, listening, holding someone in the light, simplicity, gratitude, and discernment we can each participate more fully in the life of our families, communities, and Meetings, at every age. This weekend will be about creating a space where we can all be a part of meaningful and joyful learning. It is our belief that children, of all ages, can access and benefit from these tools, especiallay if they are exposed to them early and often. As adults we can also benefit from the insight they give us. This is a weekend for all members of the family, from youngest to oldest. There will not be childcare, as we will all be working together in sessions, and looking at these skills as it applies to us at each developmental stage, and explored in a way that speaks to all different ages.  There will be some time for parental discussion. At the end of the weekend, we hope each family will leave with a toolbox of skills that they can share with each other, their Monthly Meetings, and their regions. At least one parent/guardian per family must be present in each session. We will have to limit the enrollment to 12 families. This weekend is coordinated and facilitated by Gabi Savory Bailey, Young Adult Field Secretary for NYYM, and Audrey Jaynes, Montclair MM. Both have lively toddlers who will be in attendance. There will be planning support and input from a variety of other concerned individuals and NYYM committees. Register by May 1st: $220 for 2; $330 for 3 or 4; $440 for families of 5 or more.  After May 1st: $240/$360/$480   On the Way to Silver Bay In 2010 and 2011, several of us met the weekend that NYYM"s annual session began at Silver Bay. We had such a good time that we're doing it again in 2013 - opening up Pitt Hall, the ACC, and the campground. We'd love to see you whether you are going to Silver Bay or not. It will be a weekend filled with visiting, playing ultimate Frisbee, singing, blowing bubbles, playing games, swiimming, and maybe even doing some work projects. Similar to our New Year's Celebration, Pitt Hall will be the "quieter" buildings, with times set aside for extended worship. You are welcome to come for part or all of the weekend. Just let us know that you are coming so we'll have enough food. We'll end the weekend in time for Friends to travel to Adirondack for worship - so there is no lunch on Sunday. Special weekend rate: $200 families; $100 individuals & commuters & campers. Half weekend: Half price.   Upcoming Pendle Hill weekends www.pendlehill.org May 10 - 12, 2013 Michael and Lorri Hardin Using the work of René Girard, Michael Hardin has articulated a nonviolent paradigm for the atonement. Explore questions such as: Is God violent? Was Jesus’s death a demonstration of God’s love?   Return to Communitas, the Love-Awakened Community May 17 - 19, 2013 Ken and Katharine Jacobsen Early Christian communities and early Quaker communities were socially and culturally diverse groups of people, surprisingly knit together by the power of divine Love into communitas – new and Love-awakened relationship with one another and with the world   Come Away and Rest Awhile May 31 - Jun 2, 2013 John Calvi Relax your mind and body, renew your spiritual connection, and gather a deeper sense of your own goodness and wholeness in this gently paced retreat.   Writing the Children’s Book You Hold in Your Heart June 9 - 13, 2013 Becky Birtha Is there a children’s book or story you’ve longed to write, perhaps begun, or maybe just carried in your heart for years?   There are funds available to help make conferences possible!  PLEASE contact me, Helen Garay Toppins (office@nyym.org) or the clerk of your Monthly Meeting to find out how to get financial assistance.  Questions about Transportation?  Let’s talk.  I bet there is a solution!   Spotlight on a Committee: Sessions Committee   Purposes & Objectives The Sessions Committee has general responsibility for the Summer, Fall, and Spring Sessions of New York Yearly Meeting. Functions & Activities For Summer, Fall, and Spring Sessions held each year, the committee, in conjunction with the regional host committees and the clerk of the Yearly Meeting, schedules host regions, then arranges suitable locations sets up programs (speakers, topics, etc.) and schedules handles such operational details as negotiating contracts, fees, and other services to best accommodate those attending providing suitable living arrangements for Summer Sessions attenders and working with local host meetings to provide suitable arrangements for Fall and Spring Sessions arranging for printing and distributing advance publicity taking responsibility for inviting guest speakers and arranging for their hospitality and other needs overseeing the appropriate use of funds from registration fees and the Operating Budget names an oversight committee to serve as liaison among Yearly Meeting, Junior Yearly Meeting, and the Silver Bay Association to deal with problems and stressful situations arising from behavior at summer sessions The Program Subcommittee has five or more members, including the Yearly Meeting clerk. It develops, under the guidance of the whole committee, the overall program for Summer Sessions, reviews the schedule, and invites speakers. The Silver Bay Arrangements Subcommittee, which has four or more members, works with Silver Bay Association regarding food, space, and equipment requirements; checks registration forms in cooperation with the Spark editor and Junior Yearly Meeting coordinators; assists, when needed, the Liaison Committee, food liaison persons, and the audiovisual coordinator. (This subcommittee would have similar tasks wherever the Summer Sessions were held.) The Fall/Spring Subcommittee carries out the responsibilities listed above that are related to Fall and Spring NYYM Sessions and acts as liaison between Sessions and the regional host committees. Does this sound interesting to you??  Want to see changes, or something special at Sessions?  Want to help make Summer Sessions great for all?  Ask me! Gabi Savory Bailey nyym.yafs@gmail.com Or speak to Clerk of Sessions, Rosanne Press rpress@comcast.net or Deb Dinkinson,  from Nominating Committee,  debdickinson2@gmail.com. Volunteer and Intern Opportunities Abound! Young Friends in Residence (YFIR) Are you interested in living in a Quaker community with other young adult Friends? If so, then Young Friends In Residence (YFIR) may be the perfect program for you! We are looking for young adult interns who will live in intentional community with 1-2 other interns.  Work includes developing youth and adult programs focused on creating a space for friends of all ages to experience, live in and respond to Spirit.  Interns are encouraged to immerse themselves in the local community and participate in the life of Perry City Monthly Meeting and the wider Quaker Community.  An openness to grow and deepen spiritually is required as is experience in Quaker practices. If you have any questions, or want to request more information, including a more extensive job description and an application, please email us at YFIRwg@gmail.com To read about what previous interns have done visit their blog at http://youngfriendsinresidence.blogspot.com/ American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)   American Friends Service Committee has many opportunities to volunteer, and to intern.  Learn more at www.afsc.org   Spot light on a NYYM Young Adult Friend: Sarah Cayer, Genessee Valley Meeting How did you come to Quakerism and why did you stay?   I grew up in a church that was not meeting my needs spiritually and spent years seeking the right fit. I heard about Quakers through my midwifery partner and her husband. I needed to visit the closest unprogrammed meeting a few times before I began to feel as though it might be the right place to support my spiritual growth. I have stayed for the lovely community of Quakers, the beauty of silent worship, and to offer Quakerism to my children. What Quaker work have you done, or do you do?   Quaker specific work has been within my own meeting which consists of a few dedicated families. We worked together to form our own worship group, as the closest meetings were an hour or more from our homes. Recently, we achieved approval to become an executive meeting What is a gift of Quakerism for you?   Many things come to mind but the first is peace. I have found that the social framework (such a clearness committees, business meeetings, ect) offered by Quakers provides a path to peace for communities and on an individual level. I find a lasting peace in worship. What is a challenge of Quakerism for you?   At this stage of my life, my greatest challenge is finding balance. Balance between living a sustainable lifestyle, providing midwifery services, family responsibilities, and also offering energy to support our small but vibrant meeting. How does Quakerism impact your life work?   I view my life work as a personal expression of myself as a Quaker. I highly value the effort that goes into living ones beliefs. My work as a mother, midwife, and farmer is guided by my Quaker values. As a midwife i have the opportunity to assist women in providing a compassionate, peaceful entry into the world for their newborns. I am also a farmer with my family on our upstate New York homestead. We approach all of our farming with a mind for sustainability and simplicity. We strive to provide as much as we can for our own family. Quakerism supports and strengthens my ability to walk in the light everyday as I live my ideals. Sarah, left, with Fenna Mandalong, and Molly Tornow-Coffee at Farmington Scipio's Spring Gathering What’s going on with YAFs and families in the Yearly Meeting?   15th Street MM- Friends under 40 (anyone is invited) meet once a month after Meeting for Worship, choose a local eatery (inexpensive preferably) and walk to lunch.  It is a very informal gathering, for fellowship and food. Brooklyn MM- Young Adult Friends meet for a potluck once a month at the home of one of the YAF from the meeting.  There is time for food, worship and fellowship.  At least once a year there is also a gathering in the old Quaker cemetery in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, for a picnic, and sometimes worship.  They also organize hikes, and other excursions outside of the city. Ithaca area MM -- YA Friends gather once a month at Burtt House, a property owned by Ithaca              Monthly Meeting, in Ithaca.  They have a potluck and fellowship. Rochester MM Parents worship sharing-- Once a month Rochester Friends meet for an hour of parents' worship sharing while their children engage in an activity downstairs. The meeting begins with silent worship, followed by individual check in, then a query and worship sharing.  Afterwards there is a family pot luck dinner. Rochester MM family worship--This is a monthly opportunity for semi-programmed Worship for people of all ages. Brooktondale worship group--This group is under the care of Poplar Ridge Monthly Meeting.  They meet the first Sunday of the month at either the home of one of the members or at a community center.  People of ALL AGES are welcome. The format will be very simple. It will start with a query, prayer, scripture, poem or song to help lead us into worship together.  Then we will sit together and share as led until 5PM. Princeton area worship group --Friends gather at the home of one of the members for worship once a week. NJ/AFRM family worship and potluck--This fall, five families with children ranging from 18 months to high school age, met for worship sharing, a potluck and fellowship.  We had the worship sharing in the nursery, all we welcome to participate.  The younger ones of us popped in and out.  It was a great opportunity to meet other families, and get to know each other a little better.  We hope to do it again. All Friends Regional Meeting Arts Day--All Friends Regional Meeting experimented with forging and nurturing friendships among Friends across the region and generations by conducting an Arts Day at Chatham Summit Monthly Meeting one late Saturday afternoon and evening in April of 2012. It was a resounding success with 48 children and adults attending, many of them young families. Artists from various meetings oversaw mini-workshops in sculpting, fabric construction, origami, book-cover making, and beaded jewelry making.  A show and tell, potluck and singing finale capped off a very enjoyable arts day. One parent said she felt like she had been on vacation and a child asked if we could do it every week! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR JYM! As we look ahead to NYYM Summer Sessions at Silver Bay, Sunday, July 21, 2013 to Saturday, July 27, 2013, volunteers are being recruited to work for the Junior Yearly Meeting (JYM).  Friendly adults are sought to work with young Friends from Grades 1-12. Perhaps there is someone in your meeting who has the gift of working with children or teens and would welcome this opportunity. It is a wonderful way to get to know the Yearly Meeting. We ask that Meetings give consideration to providing financial assistance to JYM volunteers from their community so that they may serve the Yearly Meeting in this way.  Volunteers may also request that part of their Silver Bay costs be covered by JYM. Contact Dawn Pozzi apozzi@rochester.rr.com or Melanie-Claire Mallison (MsMellie@gmail.com), this year’s JYM coordinators, as soon as possible (both are in the Yearbook). UPCOMING NYYM EVENTS! Help fundraise to send representatives to Chwele YM in Kenya! Are you a musician, a comic, an actor? Please consider performing at the talent show to benefit African Great Lakes Initiative and the Chwele Task Group representatives' travel to Kenya for peace building work. David Zarembka from aglipt.org will give a brief presentation as well. The event will be held from 7-9 pm onWednesday June 5th in the 15th st Meetinghouse. We seek performers of all ages from all Friends schools and meetings in NYYM. Volunteers are needed for publicity and ticket taking. Please contact Diane Keefe @ 917 312 4601 to help. Fundraise for Friends Committee on National Legislation There will be an FCNL fund raiser in Williamsburg Brooklyn on Tuesday June 4th. To co-host, volunteer or receive an invitation please contact dianekeefe@gmail.com.                                                                                                                       Have something great happening in your neck of the woods?  Let Gabi know!  If you have questions, or are interested in any of the opportunities listed above, contact Gabi Savory Bailey (nyym.yafs@gmail.com) and I will get you the information.  There is good stuff happening in our Yearly Meeting, Let’s hear it!!     friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  Do you have ideas for this newsletter?  I love feedback!  Do you have photos, drawings, stories, news items, jokes, quotes?  Send 'em over! nyym.yafs@gmail.com Inhale Love. 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