New York Yearly Meeting
of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
SPARK
15 Rutherford Place
New York, NY 10003
New York Yearly Meeting News
Volume 36
Number 3
The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) May 2005

SPARK (ISSN 00240591)
New York Yearly Meeting News
Published five times a year: January,
March, May, September, November
By New York Yearly Meeting,
Religious Society of Friends,
15 Rutherford Place
New York, NY 10003
212-673-5750
office@nyym.org

Editorial Board: Publications Committee
Editor: Helen Garay Toppins
SPARK deadlines are the first of the month preceding the publication month.

Permission is granted to reprint
any article, provided Spark is acknowledged as the source.

New York
Yearly Meeting Staff
Paul Busby
paul@nyym.org
Judith Inskeep judy@nyym.org
Walter Naegle office@nyym.org
Christopher Sammond c1sammond@aol.com
Helen Garay Toppins office@nyym.org

Contents



S i l v e r B a y S e s s i o n s
July 24–30, 2005

The Seed Cracked Open:
Growing beyond Racism

Everyone is encouraged to attend this year's Yearly Meeting sessions. This is a wonderful opportunity for worship, relaxation, and fellowship in the beautiful setting on Lake George. In addition to the adult programs, there are programs for young people, infants through high school. Please join us! All the information you need is in this issue of Spark.

Featured Speaker: Vanessa Julye
Vanessa Julye
Vanessa Julye
Vanessa Julye will be our featured speaker this year, speaking on the theme What Can We Learn from the Past? Vanessa was raised in Philadelphia. She graduated from Westtown School and obtained a bachelors degree from Temple University. She has been a guest speaker for many churches, organizations, and Quaker conferences. Vanessa has a calling to ministry with a concern for helping the Religious Society of Friends become a whole blessed community. She leads workshops for young adults and older adults about racism, focusing on its eradication and the healing of racism's wounds. Vanessa has established several organizations to empower people of Color.

Vanessa is currently coauthoring a book, Fit for Freedom, Not for Friendship, that explores the relationship between African American Friends and non-Friends with European American Quakers from the 17th Century to the present. Her articles about her experience as a Friend of Color in the Religious Society of Friends have appeared in several Quaker publications.

Vanessa lives in Philadelphia with her husband, Barry Scott. Her son, Kai, and step-daughters, Ellen and Maggie, are currently enrolled in college. Please visit her Web site: http://vanessajulye.quaker.org, for further information.

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Bible Study at Silver Bay: The Letter of James
Trayce N. Peterson
Trayce N. Peterson
Trayce N. Peterson will lead Bible study at Silver Bay this year, with the topic The Book of James: Straw Book or Scandalous Message? During the week we will examine the letter of James in some depth to discover what the text may say to us today as Friends.

Trayce N. Peterson holds a B.A. from Earlham College and a masters of ministry from the Earlham School of Religion. She has provided leadership for various youth programs in the U.S. including Pendle Hill's summer youth programs. She has served on the boards of various national peace and justice organizations. She served as a member of a Christian Peacemaker Teams delegation to Palestine and Israel. She is one of the authors of two consensus-training manuals, one for adults and one for young people. Trayce now works at Earlham College as the director of Campus and Quaker Ministries.

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Tendered by the Spirit

Last year I went to Chiapas, Mexico, with a delegation from Madre, an organization that works with women and children in several countries. We met with K'inal Antzetik, an organization of indigenous women. As the women from a weaving cooperative showed us how they work together, I was impressed with how brilliant they were, how eloquent. Suddenly I realized that their brilliance and eloquence surprised me. The realization startled me. I like to think of myself as beyond racism, but I had been unconsciously holding a racist attitude toward indigenous people. I was disappointed in myself, but at the same time I was grateful to have had this insight. It gave me an opportunity to open my heart to an even deeper appreciation of these creative people.

This year we are being asked, as individuals and as a Yearly Meeting, to look at racism. This subject can make many of us, especially white Friends, very uncomfortable. We like to see ourselves as above racism. We find safety in this image of ourselves. Yet as a minute against war from FUM said, "We know that there is not . . . any safety except the safety that is found in hearts that have been touched and tendered by the Holy Spirit."

Early Quakers spoke often of the Seed—the Inner Christ or that of God within. They spoke, too, of cracking open the husk of the seed, for just as some seeds of plants must be cracked before they can sprout, the inner Seed can grow and mature within us only if it is cracked open. Perhaps if we are to grow and thrive as people of Spirit, we must be willing to surrender ourselves to being tendered, to having the Seed cracked open. It may be painful or scary, but the rewards are great.

Can we open ourselves to being tendered by the Spirit, knowing that even as we are opening—perhaps having the husk that would keep us separate from God cracked—God holds us lovingly in God's hands?

Paul Busby, assistant editor

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About Silver Bay

87 Silver Bay Road
Silver Bay, NY 12874
518-543-8833

The Silver Bay Association Mission
The Silver Bay Association, founded in 1902 as a YMCA Christian conference and training center, provides an inspirational setting and quality services for conferences and members, encourages spiritual, mental and physical growth, fosters a concern for the world in which we live, and nurtures the spirit of service and leadership among our constituencies while offering love and hospitality to all.

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Start Here if You Are Going to Silver Bay

This section covers explanations about various aspects of attending Yearly Meeting at Silver Bay, gives off-campus fee schedules (which are also shown below), and provides registration forms for adults and JYMers. Note that financial aid is available!

Who needs to register? Everyone, infants through adults.There is one registration form for adult registrants and one for Junior Yearly Meeting participants (click links above). A separate form must be filled out for each individual attending Yearly Meeting. If you need additional copies, print them using the links above, make photocopies of the registration forms, or get more copies from your meeting clerk or from the Yearly Meeting office. Preregistration is expected of all who will be coming even for a single meeting, including off-campus attenders and daily commuters. Registration consists of:

  1. a completed Registration Form.
  2. a registration fee check made out to New York Yearly Meeting in the appropriate amount. Note: there is no registration fee for children under the age of 3, but they must preregister.

How much does registration cost? See table below. Note that the costs increase the later registration is received by the New York Yearly Meeting Office.

 
    Until
July 15
July
16–23
After
July 23
Adults
(out of high school)
$30 $60 $70
JYM Youth
(ages 3–18)
$15 $30 $35
Per day fee* $ 10 $15 $20
*Applies only to those attending less than half session.

Family groups pay a maximum of $75 until July 15, after which this upper limit no longer applies. A family group is one or two adults and their dependent children.

Where do I/we stay at Silver Bay? You decide among the following options:

  1. At Silver Bay. Silver Bay offers rooms at eight different price ranges. Please refer to chart for details about the rooms and the cost of each option. For this option please note your preferences on the registration form.
  2. At nearby campgrounds or motels. There is no camping at Silver Bay, but there are campgrounds and numerous motels nearby. Those choosing this option must make their own arrangements. See the section on Camping and Motels, which contains addresses and phone numbers.
  3. Commuting or other off-campus options. Again, you make your own arrangements.

All off-campus and day registrants must pay a Day Use Fee to Silver Bay, which allows use of the facilities, including the swimming areas, gym, art center, and boathouse. Click here for the fee rates.

What about meals? Meals are included in the room fees for those staying at Silver Bay. All others must purchase meal tickets. See Staying off Campus for meal prices. Please refer to the section on Food Service for more information.

How do I register children or teens? First read the JYM section. Use one registration form for each child. Be sure to include on the form:

  1. parent or guardian's signature stating that both Junior Yearly Meet- ing attender and parent/guardian have read the NYYM Rules and Agreements
  2. name of sponsor at Yearly Meeting if other than parent/guardian

 

1. This is a PDF document. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to read or print PDF files. You can download it free from www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.

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Building an Inclusive Community

We want Yearly Meeting to be a place of safety, trust, loving care, and renewal, all of which include children and teens as an integral part. To attain this goal fully requires the positive participation of everyone. Friends of all ages are asked to care for each other, to look out for each other's safety and well-being, to help each other when they can, and to respect each other's needs for quiet and privacy. If you see a problem developing, please try to help. Direct and loving intervention may be the most appropriate step. Friends in need of help may turn to the JYM Committee or to Joanna Komoska or Joe Garren.

Silver Bay Rules

Guests are required:
  1. To wear a badge on campus. You will be responsible for infractions by someone else wearing your badge.
  2. To observe safety precautions, such as:
    • Swimming only at stated times and places;
    • Smoking only outdoors where permitted;
    • Wearing shoes where food is being served;
    • Refraining from use of alcohol and illegal drugs on campus;
    • Using only those sleeping rooms reserved for your use. Any changes after check-in MUST be cleared with Silver Bay.
    • Observing quiet time after 11 P.M.;
    • Not using sleeping bags or otherwise camping on the grounds or in the public facilities.
  3. To observe regulations against:
    • Using cars as sleeping accommodations;
    • Bringing pets onto the Silver Bay campus;
    • Removing linens or furnishings from the rooms;
    • Parking in undesignated areas;
    • Bringing alcohol or illegal drugs on campus.

NYYM Agreements

  1. All attenders are expected to:
    • observe safety precautions such as: maintaining contact between children and parent(s), guardians, or sponsors at regular intervals;
  2. under 18 years old:
    • register with Junior Yearly Meeting in the company of the parent, legal guardian, or sponsor
    • cluster with (sleep in a room near) the parent(s), guardian, or sponsor
    • have a valid medical consent form signed by a parent or guardian (medical forms will be mailed to JYM registrants)
    • attend the activities of the JYM group to which assigned.
  3. if parent(s), guardians, or sponsor for a child under 18 years old, assume responsibility for the safety and well-being of that person.
  4. if responsible for a child or to an adult, agree and commit to a specific bedtime and daily check-ins
  5. if 18 years or older, register yourself and dependents with Yearly Meeting

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Questions? Contact these Friends

  • For general scheduling information ask Claire Simon, clerk of Sessions.
  • Matters that relate directly to Silver Bay arrangements ask Rose Lynn, Silver Bay liaison.
  • Junior Yearly Meeting questions should be directed to Martha Gurvich or Roseann Press, Junior Yearly Meeting coordinators.
  • Financial assistance questions ask Jane Berger, clerk of the Advancement Committee.
  • Special needs -- Sarah Faith Dickinson
  • Questions about display arrangements ask Rose Lynn
  • Golf cart coordinator: Matt Contois
  • Off-Campus liaison: Debra-Anne and James Henning
  • Food Service coordinator: Martha Gurvich
  • Agenda items for the business sessions, contact Ann Davidson or Beatrice Beguin for Ministry and Counsel; Paula McClure for General Services; Melanie-Claire Mallison for Nurture; Anita Paul for Witness; or Linda Chidsey, NYYM clerk.
All these Friends are listed in the Yearbook. You may also contact them via the Yearly Meeting office.

For registration questions contact Helen Garay Toppins, NYYM administrative secretary, at the NYYM office, 15 Rutherford Place, New York NY 10003; 212-673-5750, or office@nyym.org.

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Disability Concerns at Silver Bay

Friends who indicate special needs on their registration will receive a form to fill out and return to Sarah Faith Dickinson, who will be the NYYM special-needs coordinator at Silver Bay. The form is also available by clicking here.1 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 office. You can also leave a message for Sarah Faith on the message board.

There will also be opportunities for Friends to be Disability Concerns volunteers—at mealtime, driving a Friend to a meeting, or staffing our table. A checkbox for volunteers is on the registration form.

Housing
There are five mobility-accessible sleeping rooms, with bathrooms, on the first sleeping floor of the Inn that are reserved for those using wheelchairs (and their roommates). One-tenth of the rooms in the Inn will be reserved for people who, for any reason, find it physically difficult to room elsewhere. These rooms will be held ONLY UNTIL JULY 1, and then will be released for general availability.

Two shower/tub transfer benches have been donated to Silver Bay. This will make some less expensive rooms in the Inn available to those whose limitations are in this category.

If you have a disability or illness that makes it hard for you to climb hills or steps, please make sure that you sign up early, and request one of the reserved rooms. Financial assistance is available from the Advancement Committee to help with additional expenses.

Friends who are unable to transfer themselves to and from wheelchair/bed, etc., and require special assistance with dressing, bathing, or other personal needs must arrange this personal assistance on their own and must have the person assisting stay in their room. The caregiver must be in attendance for the length of the stay of the person requiring this type of specialized help. Silver Bay will offer a special reduced rate for the person assisting.

Worship and Meetings
The people who set up the worship sharing groups need to know if you have hearing or physical problems so that note takers can be provided, or accessible locations allocated. Please indicate on your registration form if you will require such assistance.

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Food Service at Silver Bay

Meals for the conference period begin with dinner on Sunday evening and conclude with lunch on Saturday. If you plan to arrive at Silver Bay early enough to have lunch Sunday, you must make arrangements in advance to purchase this meal, which is not part of the conference package. Silver Bay has often run out of food because many people arrive for Sunday lunch 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.

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J u n i o r Y e a r l y M e e t i n g

JYM Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome young Friends and parents/guardians to Junior Yearly Meeting (JYM). Here are some basic things for everyone to remember:

When you arrive at Silver Bay you must check in with Silver Bay and get room assignments, then proceed to the JYM Office in the basement of Morse Hall to register with JYM.

What do I do at JYM registration? For each of the children you are bringing to Yearly Meeting, you need to have your medical information ready, including your child's relevant medical history and a record of any allergies. You will receive a copy of the schedule for the week for each group and will have to sign permission forms, if necessary, for any trips out of JYM's time period for official group activities. You will also meet some of your child's group leaders. Permission slips will be needed for any activity that takes place outside of the assigned JYM space as well as any JYM-sponsored activities that take place outside of JYM scheduled session time.

Where does my child go? JYM goes by grade, not by age. Each of our groups is based on the grade the young Friend will be entering in the fall. Each of the groups meets in the same individual location throughout the week. For the 0–4 years age group, Silver Bay offers childcare, which is supplemented by JYM volunteers and Friendly volunteers. All JYM volunteers will be wearing brightly colored name tags so they are easily recognized. Parents are expected to pick up their children or have given the group leaders the name of a designated adult to do this for any child aged 10 and under. Please be prompt so that group leaders can close the space and continue with their day.

When does JYM meet? The JYM program meets Monday through Friday from 8:45 A.M. to 12:00 noon. Parents who are picking up young children from their groups are reminded to do so at noon, please!

Any child not attending their age-appropriate JYM group must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or parentally designated adult companion during JYM session times. If there are questions about this please see the JYM coordinators in the office in the Morse Hall garden level.

Are there other JYM-sponsored activities besides the group meetings in the morning? Sometimes official JYM group activities will take place after our morning hours. The parent/guardian/sponsor will have to sign a permission slip for each event scheduled outside of the regular group meeting time and location. The two exceptions are the Fun(d) Fair, which takes place on Wednesday afternoon from 1–2:30 P.M., and Café Night, which takes place on Thursday evening from 7:30–9:30 P.M. No permission slips are required for these two JYM affiliated events, as parents will be present.

Is there childcare provided during committee meeting/study group/interest group times in the afternoon? Yes, in the afternoon there is cooperative childcare, for children up through the age of 10, with JYM volunteers and JYM parents every day from 2:15–5:30 P.M. and from 6:30–9:45 P.M. on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. On Thursday, JYM childcare will be provided from 6:30–7:45 P.M. and on Friday, from immediately following the conclusion of the JYM closing celebration until 9:45 P.M.

All of the child care sessions rely on volunteer help. Parents can see the JYM volunteer who is running each session to make arrangements to participate. We would like to have help from all adults who are using the childcare opportunity. Please speak with the group leaders or the JYM coordinators, Roseann and Martha, about scheduling times to help out. We thank you in advance for helping to provide care for all of the children in our community.

How do I know where my child is during the day? During official JYM sessions they should be with their JYM groups.

Parents/guardians/sponsors are responsible for JYMers during non-JYM hours. We suggest that you have a regular check-in time and location for the young Friend and the parent/guardian/sponsor to connect each day.

Can my child be assigned to an older group? No. The JYM groups are organized by standard public school grades in an effort to build on the strengths and needs of our children. Experience has shown us that children placed into groups with attenders years older than they are do not work well for community building. Although it is tempting to ask that siblings, who are assigned to different groups, be placed together, we have found that this is usually a hindrance to both children as well as the JYM group.

Can the JYM volunteers provide for my child with special needs? Unfortunately, the JYM program does not have enough staff or volunteers with special training to provide for children with special needs. If your child wishes to attend JYM and needs special attention please plan to participate with them in the program. Please contact the coordinators before your arrival if you will be attending the JYM program with your child.

What about bedtimes? The young Friend and the parent/guardian/sponsor should work out a reasonable bedtime so that the JYM participant can actively take part in the JYM activities in the morning. It is up to the parent/guardian/sponsor to make sure that the young Friend is sufficiently well rested to participate fully in the morning JYM session. It's best if this arrangement is finalized at home—different families have different rules and there will always be someone who is allowed to stay up later.

Can my child go to Silver Bay without me? If your child is under 18, he/she may attend Silver Bay with a sponsor. The designated sponsor must be at least 10 years older than the young Friend they are sponsoring. When you register your child to attend Yearly Meeting, you will need to indicate who the sponsor is, and send your child's registration in with that person's, and indicate that they will be clustering (rooming near each other). You will need to send medical information with your child to be turned in at JYM registration.

Who do I talk to if I have any questions? The JYM coordinators, Roseann Press and Martha Gurvich, are available to answer questions about JYM during our week at Silver Bay Monday through Friday, from 8:30 to 12:00 noon in the JYM office in the basement of Morse Hall. You can also go to the clerk of the JYM committee, Kate Lawson; and to the JYM/MCCC support committee, or the NYYM conference office in the Inn. If you cannot find us and want to leave a note, there is a message board in the Inn for that purpose.

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How to Register for JYM

Carefully fill out the JYM registration form.1 Be sure to
  • provide the name of your parent(s), guardian, or sponsor
  • ask to be assigned to a room close to your parent(s), guardian, or sponsor (this is called clustering)
  • indicate your grade in the fall and age
  • mail your registration and that of your parent(s), guardian, or sponsor together in the same envelope

When you arrive at Silver Bay, register with JYM. Parent or guardian must accompany you to JYM registration. At that time, you will have the opportunity to meet the staff who will be working with your age group.

The NYYM office sends copies of JYM registrations (for all youth from infants through high school) to the JYM registrar as well as to the Silver Bay registrar. For JYM and Silver Bay to have activities ready and staffed, early registration is critical!

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What Do You Need?

If you register early, JYM volunteers working with your group will send you a letter explaining what you will be doing in your group and listing certain things they think you may want to bring with you. We suggest that everybody bring along:
  • beach towel or blanket
  • favorite book or two for quiet time
  • something warm to wear in the evening
  • flashlight, rain gear, fan, alarm clock
  • sense of humor
Also, Silver Bay has a little store where you can buy beverages and snacks. You might want to set aside some money to spend there. In an effort to keep within our budget, we are asking each young Friend to bring a can/jar of juice or a healthy snack.

As a community-outreach project, we also ask that each family bring a nonperishable food item for a local food pantry.

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Medical Forms

Each child who registers will receive in the mail, along with a welcoming letter from their group, a medical form. Please fill it out completely and bring it (or send it with your child if he/she is to be sponsored by someone else) to JYM registration at Silver Bay. Do not mail.

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Volunteers Sought for Preschoolers

In response to concerns expressed by parents of preschool children, JYM has established a morning program at Silver Bay. To supplement the Silver Bay staff and program offered at the Childrens Pavilion, a JYM volunteer person will be present every morning to be with the children and work with the volunteers from the NYYM community. Volunteers will work to provide a Friendly presence and activities for the youngest of our children. The only qualifications are love for young children, a friendly lap, and helping hands. The rewards will come in the form of small hugs, laughter, and song. The program will run Monday through Friday mornings from 9:00 A.M. to 12:15 P.M.

Friends are asked to consider giving half a morning, during worship sharing or NYYM meeting for business, on as many days as they wish. A full morning of service would also be greatly appreciated.

Anyone who would like to volunteer some time to help with the preschool program is asked to contact Roseann Press, whose contact information is listed in the Yearbook.

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Attention Parents, Guardians, and Sponsors

If you will be responsible for a person under the age of 18, please prepare yourself by discussing the Silver Bay rules and NYYM agreements.
  • Attend the Sunday evening Family Worship together.
  • Decide on a time for bed before you leave home. What is necessary for your child to be well rested and prepared to participate in the JYM program?
  • Remember, there will be many families with different parenting techniques. Only you can know how much sleep/rest your child needs.
  • Decide on a meeting place and time for a daily check-in to see how your child is doing.
  • Parents with young children will be permitted to enter the dining room 15 minutes earlier than the scheduled meal times.
Clustering allows parents and children, sponsors or guardians, and youth to room in proximity and be better able to check in and communicate responsibly.

All registrations in one cluster should be sent in the same envelope. Silver Bay staff is not able, with our large numbers, to reshuffle for clustering accommodations.

Youth registrations (under 18 years) must be sent in by the parent or sponsor—together with the adult's registration and as early as possible. Any youth registrations sent independent of their responsible adults will be returned. If you have any questions call Helen Garay Toppins at the NYYM office, 212-673-5750.

Sponsors must cluster—A child under 18 years of age who wishes to attend Yearly Meeting Sessions, but will have no parent or legal guardian present, is required to have a sponsor. The Yearly Meeting sponsor is a responsible adult who agrees to act in the role of parent during the child's stay at Yearly Meeting. The sponsor should be designated by the parent or legal guardian, must be at least 10 years older than the child, and must remain at Yearly Meeting during the time the child is there. All children under 18 must have a parent, legal guardian, or sponsor attending Yearly Meeting sessions. Please do not call Silver Bay to request otherwise.

The sponsor and the child should know each other reasonably well, and must request clustering near each other at the time of registration. The sponsor must name on his/her registration form the child for whom he/she is responsible. Parents, guardians, and sponsors are responsible for their junior and senior high schoolers, as well as younger children. If you have any questions, call Helen Garay Toppins at the NYYM office, 212-673-5750.

We look forward to seeing you at Silver Bay.

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AVP at JYM

This year Junior Yearly Meeting will sponsor an Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) workshop at summer sessions at Silver Bay. 15 high school–age Friends and 5 adults have the opportunity to participate in this workshop, which will take place during JYM program times in the morning Monday through Friday.

AVP is serious—and we laugh a lot. AVP facilitation teams, this one to include young Friends and adults, offer not lessons, but activities, which participants take part in and then reflect on. It invites us to ask our own questions and recognize that there may be several possible answers. We not only laugh but we get to hear ourselves and others.

Friends high school age and older can volunteer to be a participant in this group on their registration form. Registration will be on a first-come, first-registered basis. Plan to spend the week.

Liseli Haines

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Report from JYM

    River, take me along
    In your sunshine, sing me your song
    Ever moving & winding and free
    You rolling Old River, you changing Old River
    Let's you & me river run down to the sea!
For nearly a quarter of a century I have had the privilege of floating in the river of our children as they flow to adulthood. Many of the children I first met in the summer between their kindergarten and first grade years are now parents. Their children look forward to the week at Silver Bay with the same eager anticipation as their parents did.

Year after year the JYM Committee has labored for fifty-one weeks to make this one-week experience wonderful. Some times were better than others. We've had thunderstorms, rainbows, giant puppets, floating butterflies, and heartfelt pleas for listening to the young friends. There have been Café nights, Fund Fairs, ice cream socials, and once the children liberated the NYYM clerk and all went out on the lawn to sing together. All too often the River of NYYM has branched, tumbling over different barriers, never meeting or sharing until Friday evening when JYM returns to the Auditorium to let everyone know how we've spent our week.

This year there are wonderful things happening to change that. The Program Subcommittee of the Sessions Committee has prepared a wonderful program for 2005. They became inspired by the young Friends who attended their own JYM Sessions gathering at the same time and location. The adults listened and heard the young Friends' concerns. Our children want to know more about the Society of Friends now and throughout history. They want to get to know and learn from older, experienced Friends. They want to know what is going on in the Auditorium while they are in their JYM groups. They understand that you want to know more about them and their lives.

The Program Subcommittee responded by planning an evening schedule that invites JYM youth to attend and participate.

The JYM Committee is moving forward in the same direction toward a more united Yearly Meeting. At the time of this writing JYM has published two newsletters that were mailed to all Jr. and Sr. High attendees from 2004. Half of the second newsletter is dedicated to the query How does the Spirit work with thee? Four adult responses are included in the newsletter. There is a Young Quaker blog on the internet. (A blog is something like combined Web page and chat room.) You can find it at: http://youngquakersblog.myblogsite.com.

Adult volunteers have agreed to attend morning business sessions and report back to the JYM groups daily. Each day a young Friend will visit the morning business session in the Auditorium to give you a brief account of their activities.

A weeklong AVP program is scheduled for the morning hours. Fifteen high schoolers and five adults will be able to choose this option for their morning activity. If this program is successful we have plans to expand it for next year.

We are considering opportunities for young Friends to attend Representative Meetings as a group, with adult mentors to explain the business and answer questions.

We may find a way to bring some of the work of the Religious Education Committee to enrich JYM activities.

We expect that the River of love and hope which is a united Society of Friends, NYYM may branch, occasionally to new places and then unite as a stronger and Spirit quenching body.

    So here's to the rainbow that followed me here
    And here's to the Friends that I know
    And here's to the song that's within me now
    I will sing it where'er I go

Kathleen Lawson,clerk, Junior Yearly Meeting Committee
Approved 4/2/2005

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Financial Assistance Available for Silver Bay

June 29 Deadline for Financial Assistance. The Advancement Committee strongly encourages Friends to attend the Yearly Meeting's annual sessions at Silver Bay. To help make Silver Bay more affordable to Friends in need, our committee provides modest scholarships.

To apply for an Advancement scholarship, first, ask your monthly meeting for support. Second, fill out the Financial Assistance section of your registration form stating the amount you expect to receive from your meeting. Then write in the amount you need from the Advancement Committee. Our committee provides adults and children up to one third the cost of the lowest-priced housing. If you have a physical condition that limits your mobility and your access to the lower-priced housing units, please give us that information on your registration form. We will try to adjust your scholarship accordingly.

Scholarship applications are due in the Yearly Meeting office by June 29. Timely registration is essential for two reasons. First, scholarship funds are limited. This year we cannot promise to be able to provide a scholarship to everyone who needs one. After June 29, we will give priority for our remaining funds, if any, to first timers. (If you are a first timer, please be sure to check that box on the registration form.) Second, whether or not you are seeking scholarship support, early registration is important because the lowest-priced housing units tend to sell out quickly.

If your quarterly or regional meeting also offers financial assistance for Friends attending NYYM's annual sessions, please ask them for support. If it turns out that you receive more support than you expected from your regional or monthly meeting, please let the Yearly Meeting office know so we can assign our funds to someone else. Scholarships are not transferable.

A confirmation slip will be mailed to you on July 12 indicating the level of aid you will receive. This slip must be presented to the Silver Bay desk as part payment of your bill.

Jane Berger, clerk, Advancement Committee

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On Your Way to Silver Bay

Adirondack Friends Meeting extends an invitation to all Friends to visit on Sunday, July 24, on their way to Silver Bay. Programmed meeting for worship will be held at 10:30 A.M.

Adirondack is the meeting closest to Silver Bay, making this a convenient place to break your journey. The meeting is located at 27 Saratoga Ave., South Glens Falls NY 12803. If you plan to attend, you can call Diana De Blois at 518-798-1806 for information.

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Driving Directions

Silver Bay is on the west side of Lake George about 90 miles north of Albany. Leave the Northway (Highway I-87) at exit 22, 23 or 24.

At exit 22: Take a left off exit onto Rt. 9. Go thru village of Lake George. At the north end of Lake George village take a right onto Rt. 9N. Go through Bolton Landing. From Bolton Landing go approximately 13 miles. At the Silver Bay Road, go 1/2 mile to the Inn.

At exit 23: Take a right off exit onto Bolton Road all the way to the end of road. Turn left onto Rt. 9N, through Bolton Landing and 13 miles towards Hague. At Silver Bay Road, go 1/2 mile to the Inn.

At exit 24: Take a right off exit. Go 4 miles east to Rt. 9N, then left (north) on 9N for 13 miles. At the Silver Bay Association Road, go 1/2 mile to the Inn.

If pulling a trailer take exit 25 and go toward Hague through Brant Lake. Then turn south on 9N in Hague Village. There are steep hills when using exits 22, 23 and 24 and going north on 9N.

Driving time is estimated at 1 1/2 to 2 hours from Albany; 4–5 hours from New York City; 6–7 hours from Buffalo. Those needing more explicit or alternate directions may contact the Silver Bay Association.

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Public Transportation

By train: Take Amtrak's Adirondack to Ticonderoga (800-523-8720 or 800-USA RAIL).

Bus service: Adirondack Trailways (800-225-6815) from New York or Albany to Lake George Village. See below for transportation from Lake George Village to Silver Bay.

PLEASE NOTE: Silver Bay no longer provides shuttle service to and from Silver Bay. Below is a listing of vendors who can provide this service.

Silver Bay Association
Transportation Information
From: Nearby Locations (cost per car)
Adirondack Cab Co. 518-585-2222
Ticonderoga Train Station 20.00
Lake George Village 40.00
Ticonderoga 15.00
Glens Falls 50.00
Plattsburgh 70.00
Burlington, Vermont 65.00
  
From: Albany Airport or Albany Bus Terminal
Number of passengers   1 to 3 up to 6
Adirondack Cab Co. 518-585-2222 90.00  
Northeast Shuttle Service 518-235-8100 90.00 135.00
Todays Limousine 518-452-4242 150.00 175.00
Upstate Tours* 518-584-5252    
Trailways 1-800-858-8555    
Ask for Silver Bay rates.
If you are traveling with others the rate can be divided by the number of passengers being transported.
* Upstate offers two vehicle sizes – $435 is for 25 passengers available Saturday and Sunday only.

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Staying on Campus

Room Reservations
Send 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 24. 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. Silver Bay will add a 5% gratuity to each bill.

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 7/24 to Wednesday 7/27 or Wednesday 7/27 to Saturday 7/30. The Extra Day rates are for those who wish to arrive on Saturday 7/23. Silver Bay does not guarantee that you will be assigned to the same room on the extra day.

Clustering (staying in rooms that are close together) is required of all parents/guardians/sponsors and the children they are supervising. Voluntary clustering is available for family groups or others who wish to be housed together. Send your registrations together in the same envelope.

No one should go to Silver Bay without an advance registration with New York Yearly Meeting and assurance from Silver Bay that there is room for you.

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Staying Off-Campus

ALL OFF-CAMPUS AND DAY REGISTRANTS MUST PAY A DAY USE FEE TO SILVER BAY UPON FIRST ARRIVAL

Off-Campus and Day Registrants
Friends camping, commuting, or taking rooms off campus are asked to give their addresses for the week on the registration form. Otherwise, please supply this information when picking up the badges. Badges are required for all attenders. Replacement charge for lost badges is $2.50.

People staying on campus pay for the use of facilities through their lodging costs; those living off campus and daily commuters pay for the use of the facilities through an off-campus fee, paid when checking in at Silver Bay.
The fees for the use of facilities are as follows:
Individual $13 for one day*
Individual $75 for the week*
Family $180 for the week*
*Please add $2/person for name badge

Meal tickets for the Silver Bay dining room can be purchased at the Inn front desk in advance of desired meals. The cost per meal is:
Breakfast $6.00
Lunch $8.00
Dinner $12.00

A special rate may be obtained if meals are bought as a "package," though this can be done only on July 24, upon arrival. These package rates are:
Six breakfasts for $30.00
Six lunches for $40.00
Six dinners for $60.00

If you intend to buy meal tickets when you arrive at Silver Bay, please indicate this on your registration form.

A name badge must be worn and a meal ticket purchased by anyone staying off campus who wants to eat in the dining room.

 
REMINDER: All Off-Campus Registrants Must Report to the Yearly Meeting Desk AND the Silver Bay Registration Desk upon Arrival.

Campsites

There is no camping space available on-site at Silver Bay. Campsites Friends have used in the past are listed here:

Wintergreen Lake Campsite, Hague, NY 12836; 518-543-6751. Four miles west of Hague, off Route 8, about 8 miles from Silver Bay campus.

Green Acres Campsite, Hague, NY 12836; 518-543-6645. 1/2 mile west of Hague on Route 8, about 4 1/2 miles from Silver Bay.

Rogers Rock Forest Preserve State Campground, Ticonderoga, NY (for reservations, call 800-456-2267). Eight miles north of Silver Bay on Route 9N.

Brookwood RV Resort, Ticonderoga, NY; 518-585-4462; 518-585-7047. This is the old Brookwood Campground, which has been completely refurbished.


Nearby Motels

Silver Bay vicinity (address: Hague, NY 12836):

Northern Lake George Resort (518-543-6528)
Trout House Resort (518-543-6088)
Hague Motel (518-543-6631)
Ruah Bed & Breakfast (518-543-8816)
The Locust Inn (518-543-6035)

Ticonderoga vicinity (14 miles north) (address: Ticonderoga, NY 12883):

Lord Howe Valley Motel (518-585-7454)
Green Acres Motel (518-585-2274)
Latchstring Motel (518-585-2875)
Circle Court Motel (518-585-7660)
Belfred Court Motel (518-585-7000)
Super 8 Motel (518-585-2617)

 
Early reservations for campsites and motels are advised. You may wish to notify managerment that you are attending the YM at Silver Bay so that you can be near other Friends.

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Free Books from Mosher Fund

The H.H. Mosher Fund exists to give away books! Each meeting and worship group is invited to send a representative to Yearly Meeting every year and to receive free books for their meeting's library. In 2005 each meeting and worship group is eligible for $60 worth of free books. Representatives should be familiar with the current holdings of their library and the interests and needs of their meeting's literary tastes. If no one from your monthly meeting is planning to attend Silver Bay this year, you can ask a Friend from a neighboring monthly meeting to pick up books for your library.

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Golf Carts

Have you ever wanted to drive a golf cart? If you're over 21, a licensed driver, and a member of NYYM, here's your chance. The Sessions Committee will rent golf carts to help folks with mobility difficulties get around. To volunteer contact Claire Simon, quakerartist@earthlink.net.

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NYYM Registration Fees

NYYM registration fees (not to be confused with the room deposit for Silver Bay) must be included with the completed registration form for everyone (age three and older) attending any portion of the YM sessions. Children age two and under must be listed on their own registration form but are exempt from registration fees. Make checks payable to New York Yearly Meeting.

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 $75 until July 15. A "family group" is one or two adults and the dependents for whom they are responsible. All members of a family group must send their registrations in at the same time and must cluster together at Silver Bay.

If more than one person is on a registration form, your registration form will be returned. If you need more forms, photocopy them or download by clicking here for the adult form or here for the JYM form.1

How much does registration cost? See table below. Note that the costs increase the later registration is received by the New York Yearly Meeting Office.

 
    Until
July 15
July
16–23
After
July 23
Adults
(out of high school)
$30 $60 $70
JYM Youth
(ages 3-18)
$15 $30 $35
Per day fee* $ 10 $15 $20
*Applies only to those attending less than half session.

Family groups pay a maximum of $75 until July 15, after which this upper limit no longer applies. A family group is one or two adults and their dependent children.

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The Fun(d) Fair

The Fun(d) Fair at Yearly Meeting is more than a tradition. It is a way of drawing people of all ages together for fun and laughter while we raise money for causes that are important to us. This year you too can join in the fun. Come to Yearly Meeting prepared to cut hair, play chess, give foot massages, teach juggling, write haiku, or donate another skill. Come join us Wednesday afternoon at Silver Bay. Sign up on the in porch early in the week or contact Liseli Haines for more information. The more, the merrier.

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Café Night

Come and share your talent

On Thursday evening, the High School group will sponsor Café Night. The purpose is to raise funds for the Sharing Fund and Powell House. This is your opportunity to share your performing gifts. Acts that have performed in previous years will be asked to give space to new performers. If you play an instrument, sing, dance, or tell a good story, think about preparing to perform at Café Night. Because of the wealth of talent in NYYM, acts will be limited to 3–5 minutes each. If you do not want to perform, then plan to attend and have fun. There is no admission charge—the JYM kids will be passing hats for donations.

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Study and Interest Groups at Silver Bay

To register for a study or interest group indicate your choice on the registration form.

 

Please Note: There is a change in the scheduling of the Study and Interest Groups. Study Groups will be held on Wednesday from 2:30–5:45 with a 15-minute break and on Thursday from 2:30–4:00. Interest Groups will be held on Thursday from 4:15–5:45.

Study Groups

SG1: Building a future free of occasion for war
Jeffrey Menoher
The economic origins of war are examined in order to facilitate more persuasive vocal ministry in the interest of peace, and to provide linguistic tools to reach beyond audiences already familiar with our peace testimony. Special attention is given to the United States role in global economics, and to modern paradigms of war, prosperity, journalism, and ethics.

SG2: Costs of the Death Penalty
Anita Paul
In this exploration of the death penalty we will hear from Dave Kaczynski, director of New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty. We will discuss the moral and economic costs of the death penalty, as well as its basic injustice. We will also talk about the needs of victims.

SG3: Discerning and Cherishing Gifts: The Meeting's Responsibility
Julia Giordano, Roger Dreisbach-Williams, Heather Cook
This study group will examine the traditional Friends practice of "eldering"—the process by which our committees of ministry and worship/pastoral care/care and counsel encourage and uphold the gifts of ministry among us. Do our meetings accept this responsibility? Do we?

SG4: Fit for Freedom, Not for Friendship
Donna McDaniel, Vanessa Julye
To stimulate discussion about the historical relationship of Quakers and African Americans, vignettes from the leaders' research will be used to illustrate our complex and ambiguous past and reflect on our current struggles. Concluding questions posed by New Yorker Barrington Dunbar and other Friends of African Descent past and present.

SG5: Healing When Friends Collide
Cheshire Frager, Joanna Komoska, Tom Rothschild, Sanford Segal
Come join us as we explore conflict—buried or not—and learn skills to manage it in more effective ways. Help our Meetings be touched into fuller Spirit through experiential exercises and other educational methods that take the sting out of conflict and help us become a closer, more respectful community.

SG6: "The Lord's Prayer" as Spiritual Nurturance
John Perry
Friends of all theological persuasions are invited to claim (or reclaim) "The Lord's Prayer" and nurture the workings of the Spirit. Our hope is to have participants deal with language and other issues and create their own prayer modeled on Jesus' teaching. Reference Paul Buckley, Feb. 2005 Friends Journal.

SG7: Prison, Children, Families, Communities—and Friends
Alison & Cecily Coleman
Who goes to prison and why? Prisoners are sent far away from their communities—what happens to them and their families? Why are these questions important to us all? How does prison affect children? How can Friends include children of prisoners as we think about all New York State children?

SG8: Recording Friends' Business and Committee Meetings
Lee Haring
This is a "hands-on" training in the writing of minutes, whether for a small committee or for a large Meeting for Worship with Concern for Business. Topics will include what to do (how specific? verb tense? who is the audience?) what not to do (do I choose confidentiality over accuracy?), and resources available to a recorder. Friends who think this work is beyond them are especially invited. Bring writing materials.

SG9: Statements of Conscience
Bill Galvin & Daniel Jenkins
Since younger adults are required to register for possible conscription, and older adults pay for the production of military weapons, Friends of all ages will gather and create personal written statements of conscience. Group participants will advance the potential of non-violent action by condensing their personal religious and moral beliefs into written form.

SG10: On Listening to God—What Do You Hear?
Michael Wajda
At the core of our Quaker faith and practice is a posture of deep listening. We have to cultivate this listening in order to hear the nudgings of the Spirit within and the movement of the Spirit through others. This workshop will provide us an opportunity to discern and share what we hear. Through individual, small-group, and full-group exercises, we will consider what we hear God saying to us in our individual lives and in our meetings.

Interest Groups

IG1: Couple Enrichment
Mark Moss & Mary Kay Glazer
Learn more about Couple Enrichment and how it can benefit your relationship and your meeting. We will talk about a variety of topics, including: the purpose of couple enrichment; couple's work and your spiritual journey; and couple's work as peace work. We will explore how rewarding—and how difficult—it can be to have a deeply caring relationship.

IG2: Military Draft, Enlistment, and Conscientious Objection
Jeffrey Aaron & Bill Galvin
We will look at the Pentagon's efforts to increase military enlistments, the Delayed Enlistment Program, the law requiring registration of all males at age 18, and the legal meaning of "conscientious objector." For people of or approaching military age or with friend or family approaching 18, to anticipate and prepare, in a Quaker context.

IG3: Native Environmental Justice Issues
Joan Cope Savage
This group will help you become familiar with the environmental and health damages to indigenous Mohawk and Onondaga communities. As time permits we will explore the tangled interrelationships of state policies on casinos, land claims and environmental conditions. We will look at what roles we currently play or can choose to play in response.

IG4: Personal Wholeness and the Quaker Testimonies
Fred Doneit
The way we treat our bodies through nutrition, exercise, rest, and personal hygiene is very closely linked to the Quaker testimonies. Come to discuss this idea, and to share your own physical experience and wisdom regarding Integrity, Equality, Peace, Simplicity, and Stewardship and how these values relate to the personal, physical realm.

IG5: Quaker Schools: Quaker Outreach
Peter Baily & Kim Tsocanos
How do Quaker schools support Quaker outreach and nurture an understanding of Friends testimonies and practices? How can schools work with meetings for mutual support and nurture? Members of several Friends school communities will lead a discussion about the vital mission of Friends schools and their contribution to Quaker outreach and witness.

IG6: Socially Responsible Investing
Diane Keefe
The three forms of socially responsible investing: community development loans, socially screened investments and shareholder action, will be summarized. Socially responsible alternatives to conventional stock, bond and mutual fund investing will be evaluated based on historical performance. Current and future campaigns of the social investment movement will be discussed.

IG7: Taking It to the Streets
Chris DeRoller & Alexander Haines-Stephan
Can young adults find their niche in NYYM? Can we share our sense of loving community with others? Yes! How about in a year-long internship program that sends PoHo grads into communities to lead youth retreats? If this idea excites you, come and brainstorm with us on how to do it.

IG8: The USA PATRIOT Act
Elizabeth Enloe
Due to expire in December 2005, the USA PATRIOT Act has had profound effect upon lives since its passage in October 2001. We will become more conversant with its facets, understand its ramifications, discuss other administrative orders affecting human rights, and determine future steps to safeguard our Constitutional rights.

IG9: Visitation: The Ministry of Presence
Carol Holmes
Traveling in the ministry doesn't have to mean carrying a burning message or weighty concern. Sometimes it can simply be stopping by to say hello. Our Faith and Practice says, "We value visitation with other Friends. . . . This practice furthers our experience of an extended family." Learn more about extending your Quaker family through a ministry of presence.

IG10: White Friends Sharing Feelings about Racism
Robin Alpern & Irma Guthrie
White Friends have tried hard to be free of racism. Yet we hear that our Society, and even ourselves, has been unconsciously influenced by the racist culture around us. White Friends are invited to share honestly and safely, and to listen compassionately to the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of others. Max 8 attenders, white Friends only.

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Seeking Light

Lately I have been pondering the recognition of spiritual gifts and how that might serve the Yearly Meeting. I have been concerned at how often I hear the exploration of gifts framed in a context of leveling or egalitarianism that obscures some pretty important truths. I do not think that this will serve us well.

There are a wealth of different gifts necessary to a monthly meeting or worship group if it is to grow and thrive. Gifts in hospitality, pastoral care, stewardship of money, education of children, maintenance of buildings, clerking, recording clerking, discernment, vocal ministry, holding the center of the meeting in a deeply grounded place, dealing with conflict, nurturing the meeting community, recognizing gifts, and more are necessary if a worshiping community will sustain itself. All are crucial.

And yet we are first and foremost a worshiping community. Some meetings that I have visited name their depth in worship as the sustaining force, even though they might be having troubles in other areas of community life. Other meetings express deep concerns about their worship life, or yearnings for more depth than they now know. Worship is central to who we are.

So I am puzzled at the reluctance, even aversion at times, for Friends to acknowledge that some Friends in their midst might be especially gifted in the core practices of vocal ministry and of grounding a meeting. Perhaps this reluctance stems from the wish to not minimize the importance of the gifts that others bring, or out of the fear that if these particular gifts are highlighted, Friends thus singled out might become egotistical or overbearing. These are both quite valid concerns.

But when we don't fully acknowledge the gifts of some Friends, we deny ourselves a full understanding of our faith and practice. If we assume that we are all doing the same thing in worship, and all doing that same thing with equal skill, we end up with a monochromatic understanding that diminishes the power of our worship. We deprive ourselves of the full consciousness of what happens in the process of worship, and even of language to talk about what is going on.

I recently had the great pleasure to lead a monthly meeting in a retreat on worship. We learned a great deal together. As we explored ways of deepening our worship, we also began to talk more and more frankly about what each of us was doing and experiencing. We came to a much deeper understanding of what a group effort vocal ministry in worship is, with some Friends called to going deep to ground the meeting, others called to labor with possible vocal ministry, and others to help create the container for worship through openness of heart and spirit. Friends saw how those who grounded the meeting and those whose openheartedness helped it gather made it possible for vocal ministry grounded in the Spirit to come forth.

It also became clear that a few Friends were particularly gifted at the first two functions and that their awareness of what was happening in the worship process was far greater than that of most Friends in the room. This was quite an eye-opener for many present. Many Friends, some quite seasoned, spoke of understanding the process of worship much more clearly than they ever had before. We also had the most gathered worship most of them had experienced.

Each of us brings particular gifts, and community asks each of us to share those gifts. One of us will be gifted in one area, another in something quite different. One Friend made the analogy of people's musical ability. Some are born virtuosos. Other are tone deaf. Most, with differing degrees of work, can become pretty competent at playing an instrument. This analogy would hold true for any of the gifts we bring to community.

Part of the process by which those gifts become fully accessible to us and to the community is when they are recognized and named. Often a Friend who is tender and green to a gift cannot see it as well as others can. Having that gift recognized and named can be an enormous help in the development of that gift. Pretending that we are all equally gifted in crucial aspects of worship hampers the recognition and development of some Friends' gifts, gifts that could be well used by the community. We need to be more open and assertive in naming all the gifts that make up community. And we seem to be most reluctant to do so with these particular ones. Our religious society has had some serious problems in the past in lifting up ministers (Friends gifted in vocal ministry) and elders (Friends gifted in grounding a meeting). Doing so has been the occasion for some serious abuses. Perhaps this explains our current hesitancy.

After years of experimenting in the Spirit, the founders of our Religious Society developed practices for recognizing and developing Friends' gifts. Modern liberal Friends have lost much of this part of our practice. Fortunately, Conservative Friends (and here I am referring to a branch of Friends, not a theological orientation) have preserved much of it, and that heritage has been critical in the formation of FGC's Traveling Ministries Program.

I believe that we need to look carefully at how we are currently tending to the gifts of Friends in the Yearly Meeting. Do we expect Friends to learn from osmosis? Is there a place for ongoing education in our faith and practice after new Friends have settled into our meetings? Are we fearful of what might happen if we affirm someone's gifts? Can we name those fears and create safeguards to minimize potential pitfalls? Can we imagine better ways of inviting out the many gifts of the Friends in our midst?

As always, I would welcome any responses to what I offer here.

Christopher Sammond, general secretary, NYYM

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New York Yearly Meeting

Excerpts of Representative Meeting Minutes
April 2–3, 2005

4. Paula McClure (Montclair), clerk of General Services Coordinating Committee, brought forth the business of that section. Paula introduced Harold Risler (Buffalo), treasurer, who presented two reports: the final Treasurer's Report for 2004 (to be published in the 2005 Yearbook), and the disbursements and income from the beginning of the year until February 28, 2005. In order to help with cash flow, Harold urged monthly meetings to send covenant donations over the course of the year, rather than waiting until the end of the year.

5. Paula reviewed the policy of reimbursing expenses for travel undertaken in service of the YM. As of April 15, reimbursement for automobile travel will be at the rate of 15 cents per mile. Friends were reminded that all vouchers must be accompanied by receipts or appropriate approval from the committee being served.

6. Paula McClure presented a summary of a report from the General Secretary's Committee to General Services Coordinating Committee. . . . Paula described Christopher Sammond's extensive visitation within the Yearly Meeting and in the wider Quaker community, plus his work with the staff in the Yearly Meeting office. He has brought energy, honesty, spiritual depth, and long hours to a job that is clearly more than one person can do. The committee acknowledges this, and supports Christopher in focusing more closely on visitation and the work of the office. Friends received the report.

7. Paula introduced Christopher Sammond (Twin Cities, Northern YM), general secretary, who presented the current draft of the Working Document for Procedures in the Event of an Allegation of Child Sexual Abuse. Procedures need to be in effect prior to Yearly Meeting sessions in Silver Bay this summer. Friends responded with questions and suggestions. After discussion, Friends agreed to approve the document as a "working document" with the understanding that the procedures will go into effect, even as further comments are gathered. With this minute, the Child Safety Task Group . . . is authorized to make changes and present them for final approval in the future.

9. Anita Paul (Schenectady), clerk of Witness Coordinating Committee, introduced Daniel Jenkins of the Conscientious Objection to Military Taxation subcommittee of Peace Concerns Committee. Daniel told the history of Quaker militia tax objectors in 19th-century Dutchess County, N.Y. . . . Daniel urged us to write our own statements of conscience and share them with others.

10. Anita introduced Thomas Rothschild (Brooklyn) of the Peace Concerns Committee, who proposed that NYYM join other yearly meetings in endorsing the Fund for Education and Training (FEAT), a loan program administered by the Center on Conscience and War (CCW) for individuals who are barred from receiving state or federal financial aid because of their conscientious refusal to register with the Selective Service System. . . . Friends approved endorsing this fund and instructed the clerk to send a letter of endorsement to CCW.

11. Ernestine Buscemi (Morningside) clerked the meeting for the next item of business, releasing Linda Chidsey to report.

Vicki Cooley (Central Finger Lakes) reported for the Worship and Action for Peace working group, saying that a spirit of peacemaking grounded in worship continues to grow in the Yearly Meeting. Linda Chidsey reported on her experience in speaking (in Florida) to Southeastern Yearly Meeting about renewal within New York Yearly Meeting over the last 15 years. Linda described the period of spiritual deepening prior to 9/11/2001, and the remarkable upwelling of prophetic ministry that followed. Linda urged us to reach out and tell our stories to other Quaker communities, to feel the power of bearing witness to the wider world. Friends received the report.

Sunday, April 3, 2005, 10:15 A.M.
15. Melanie-Claire Mallison (Ithaca), clerk of the Nurture Coordinating Committee, reported on a "mini-retreat" held on Friday, April 1. This committee, continuing its work, offered two names as representatives to the World Gathering of Young Friends in August 2005. . . . These appointments were approved.
16. Melanie-Claire reported that the Circle of Young Friends and Young Adult Concerns are being "recharged" and asked Friends to invite young people to attend a gathering at Powell House in July.
17. Christopher Sammond, general secretary, drew Friends' attention to his written report, and added a message about the importance of visitation, which gives hope to smaller meetings and worship groups. The work of visitation does not belong solely to him, but to all of us. . . . We are all called to this work, and it is reason for hope.
18. Anita Paul, clerk of Witness Coordinating Committee, introduced Mary Eagleson, of the Committee on Right Sharing of the World's Resources, who brought a minute on "meeting the minimum needs of all," the concern of Radh Achuthan (Peconic Bay; see minute 37 of July 27, 2004), with the approval of Witness Coordinating Committee. . . . Prolonged discussion and tender consideration led to a sense that Friends were not ready to [approve] the minute, but that there is deep support for the concern and a dedication to respond to it.

19. Anita reported on the testimony of several Friends, members of the Yearly Meeting, before a committee of the New York State Assembly, in opposition to the reinstatement of the death penalty.

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Nurturing Our Monthly Meetings:
Nurture Retreat at Representative Meeting

Dear Friends,

On the Friday evening before April Representative Meeting, the Nurture Section held a mini-retreat on the recommendations of the Committee on Committees. About 50 people attended. Great chocolate and wonderful ideas were offered up, and most every thread of the discussion led back to our concern for the monthly meetings of New York Yearly Meeting. Nurturing our monthly meetings as a whole and our own individual meeting specifically. The seeds of "us" and "them" start the moment we return to worship with our monthly meeting and mention not a word about our YM committee meeting or our experience attending a representative meeting or summer session. Why would we hide our Light from our own meeting? So much was spoken of, but I am most affected by the statement that our monthly meetings are our personal foundation in Quakerism. It's a given, but we do hide our Light, from our Friends. I do.

How does this pertain to the Nurture Section and the recommendations of the Committee on Committees? Who knows? We had no answers, only openings and gifts of possibility. But the recommendations started the conversation—away from the "givens" and the "understoods," to what is needed and what is exciting. Whether or not the Nurture Section survives the conversation is irrelevant. Rediscovering the reason for the Yearly Meeting and rethinking its support of the life of the monthly meetings—that is where the Spirit is! And whatever Nurture ends up looking like, all that matters is that it be faithful and true.

Personally, I am so grateful not to know. I am grateful for the chocolate and the discussion and the community. I am grateful to be part of a religion that grows and listens and forgives and grows more. I am grateful for the confidence friends have in me, to be one of the guides on the journey. Let's talk!

Melanie-Claire Mallison, clerk, Nurture Coordinating Committee

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How Can We Support Our Children
in Becoming Peacemakers
in a Violent Society?

In the March issue of Spark we learned from Melanie-Claire Mallison, clerk of Nurture Coordinating Committee, that NYYM is beginning a discussion about this question. The article described the kit of materials that is being distributed to support that discussion. (For a complete description of the purpose and content of the kit, please read the article). This is the first in a series of articles that will explore the underlying concerns and the resources. These articles will discuss:
  • home life
  • attention
  • the effects of violence in the media
  • consumerism.
How can we bring our testimonies alive for our children?

Home Life
The home is, in every sense, the most important school a child will ever have. The atmosphere of trust engendered by being cared for around the basic issues of food, safety and shelter leave a child very open. Whatever attitudes and influences make up the home environment have the de facto sanction of the trusted parents. As we look around our homes and through our days with our families, are there elements we would not want our children to assume are sanctioned? How do we become more intentional?

First of all: what assumptions are we making about our children absorbing our values and what our children are exposed to?

I remember a Friend who is very close to her teenaged niece and nephew and has had an active role in their upbringing. She was horrified at what she saw when she watched a Lion and Lamb Project tape showing clips from actual video games. She called her niece and nephew and asked whether they had ever played such video games. Quite off-handedly, they said that they had, at friends' houses and arcades, and that they had done so for years. She was stunned that this had been happening before her very eyes.

Second, are we keeping abreast of the ways in which the advertisers are influencing our children, very often in our own living rooms?

At a recent workshop, a parent told us of her second grader playing a video game that she didn't think was appropriate. When she asked her child how he got the video game, he explained that the video he had been watching had information on how to link to a companion Web site where he obtained the game.

I have been hearing this a lot in workshops with parents: The electronic games and devices are being made with a tremendous sophistication intended to entice children to go from one to the other. The seemingly benign video will send the watcher to a computer site where there is more violence or pressure to buy. With all this media involvement, children have little time to be quiet and, even when the time is available, the pull of media is very strong.

Other questions to be explored:

  • Have we examined how we communicate with our children?
  • How do adults in our household communicate in the presence of the children?
  • How can good habits be formed in the family around respectful communication?
  • What is the impact of media and popular culture?
  • Is the child picking up aggressive and disrespectful ways of speaking and acting? If so, what impact is that having within the family?
  • Do we have structured times when we come together as a family and children know they can voice their concerns?
  • Does the time spent with media (of all sorts) interfere with or replace time the family could be spending together?
  • Is their interaction with media inhibiting us from having the time and access we need to have a really healthy relationship with our children?
  • How can we bring these issues before the larger society?
Please refer to the NYYM Web site and InfoShare for workshop schedules.

Materials that relate to communication within the family: In the kit is How to Talk So Your Kids Will Listen and Listen So Your Kids Will Talk, by Elaine Faber and Mazlich, a straightforward approach to the nuts and bolts of everyday life, including the tone of voice we use with each other. New in the Resource Library: The Family Meeting Book offers a structure for weekly family meetings about topics from safety to values.

Mary L. Rothschild, Brooklyn Monthly Meeting

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Help Sharing Fund and Powell House

Calling all unidentified treasures: Please support the Sharing Fund and Powell House by bringing items to Silver Bay for the Tag Sale (formerly the White Elephant Sale). The sale will take place during the Fun(d) Fair, and all proceeds will be divided between the Sharing Fund and Powell House. This is an easy way to support the Yearly Meeting's witness work.

We also need Friends to work on the day of the sale. If you can volunteer your services, please contact me at sing2b@msn.com. We are in particular need of four people who will agree to show up to close and pack up the sale and to take the leftovers to a church in Ticonderoga.

Anne Wright, Scarsdale Meeting

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FGC Youth Ministries

Spirit is alive and moving powerfully in the high school and young adult Friends in Friends General Conference! We feel that the Religious Society of Friends will be nourished and invigorated by building a true inter-generational community. Faithfully building authentic intergenerational ties may require a cultural shift in the our Society—but with tremendous rewards.

On March 11–13, the Ad Hoc Youth Ministries Discernment Committee met with 20 high school and young adult Friends. The incredible energy of the weekend is difficult to put into words. Young Friends expressed a deeply felt need to feel welcomed into the wider community of Friends.

We learned that Friends of all ages need:

  • to feel loved and valued as individuals
  • to be seen as we really are without assumptions based on age, race, or sexual orientation
  • to have our gifts recognized and well used
  • to receive eldering and to be available to elder others
  • to be held accountable for living our faith

The committee met again recently and began to put this powerful calling into concrete program recommendations to be considered by FGC.

Robin Greenler, clerk
Karen Stewart, staff
FGC Ad Hoc Youth Ministries Discernment Committee

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Purchase Quarterly Meeting:
Peaceful Dialogue; Dealing with Bullying

Trey Van Norstrand of the Public Listening Project was the speaker at Purchase Quarterly Meeting on Feb. 6, 2005. Trey and his working partner have been going regularly to their local train station for almost two years wearing T-shirts, one reading What's Your Opinion? and the other, War or Peace? Does Your Government Represent You? or some other provocative question. They listen attentively to anyone who approaches. The goal is to establish trust and comfort to allow the other person to do his or her own best thinking, and perhaps to think more creatively.

Trey asked us to pair up, preferably with a person we did not know well. The assignment was for one person of each pair to speak for three minutes about having been confronted by someone with a strongly held view that was antithetical to theirs. The other person listened attentively. Then the roles were reversed. Trey asked us to identify a question that would provide an opening or relaxation in such situations.

More information is available at www.publiclisteningproject.org.

In the children's program, Priscilla Prutzman, of Creative Response to Conflict, and Leah Rossner led an interactive workshop on bullying that engaged 25 children ranging in age from 6 to 17. (At least one youth who had come planning to leave early, decided to stay the whole time!)

Judith Inskeep, Purchase Meeting

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Alward Tree at Dover-Randolph

The once-magnificent Alward Tree, a huge maple now in the decline of advanced age, will live on through a sprightly sapling in the shadow of its parent in the cemetery at the historic 1758 Dover-Randolph meetinghouse.

The venerable 80-foot tree was planted in the 19th century by Harriet Alward near graves of her family members who, like herself, worshiped at the meetinghouse. During the second half of the 20th century a low, massive limb was a popular perch for youngsters among new generations of Quakers worshiping at the site. But as the tree has declined, it and other dying limbs have been lost.

James Brotherton Sr., Colts Neck, was a descendant of a prominent local 19th century Quaker family. Several years ago he sought to propagate the Alward Tree from its seeds, and one sprouted. After his death, Brotherton's wife, Mary, and son, James Jr., nurtured the seedling until it could be transplanted. The five-foot sapling was planted on April 9 just yards from its parent by Brothertons, mother and son.

The Randolph meetinghouse, on the National Register of Historic Places, is Morris County's oldest place of worship in continuous use. Extensively restored, the meetinghouse appears much as it did nearly 250 years ago. Please come visit us.

John Ruch, Dover-Randolph Meeting

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Quilting for Powell House

Do you quilt? Have you always wanted to try your hand at it? Here is your chance! We are looking for squares for the third in our series of five quilts for the Robert Barclay bedroom at Powell House. Join the fun and enjoy seeing your creation nestled with others in a beautiful quilt. Only basic sewing skills necessary. To get a pattern contact Liseli Haines at 518-794-8811 ext. 14 or liseli@powellhouse.org.

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NYYM Events

New York Yearly Meeting events are updated frequently on our Web site. Go to our home page at http://www.nyym.org and click on Calendar or Events. Please visit the site and print out items for your newsletter.

We need your help! Please send information on your Quaker events, for inclusion in the calendar and the Events section, to Paul Busby at the NYYM office, paul@nyym.org.

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Centering on the Edge:
Intellect, Spirit, Action

The annual conference of the Friends Association for Higher Education (FAHE) (http://www.earlham.edu/~fahe/) will be held at Haverford College, June 16–19, 2005, on the theme "Centering on the Edge: Intellect, Spirit, Action."

Additional information is available at http://www.haverford.edu/hcweb/fahe/ or contact Helene Pollock, hpollock@haverford.edu; 610-896-1020.

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AFSC/NYMRO Internships for 2005

New York Metropolitan Regional Office of the American Friends Service Committee offers internships for 2005. Interns will work in the Conflict Resolution Program or on special projects for the region in Administration or in our Immigrant Rights or Criminal Justice Programs. For further information, including how to apply, visit http://www.afsc.org/nymetro/resources/internships20050501.pdf.

Anne E. Wright

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FUM Trip to Palestine

Retha McCutchen, general secretary of Friends United Meeting (FUM), is leading another pastoral visit to Israel/Palestine Sept. 15–Oct. 1, 2005. This trip was offered first to FUM General Board members, but other interested people are welcome.

The trip will cost $1,035 plus airfare. Airfare is expected to be about $1,300.

They have scheduled four days in the Galilee area, with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and visits to the Mount of Beatitudes, Capernaum, headwaters of Jordan River, Megiddo, and Nazareth and a tour of Father Chacour's school.

The group will spend five nights in Jerusalem touring the Old City and a day in Bethlehem, and will hear from groups like Rabbis for Peace, Christian Peacemaker Teams, Israelis against Home Demolitions, and other groups.

The group will spend four days with the Ramallah Friends School community and Ramallah Friends with a schedule planned by the school administration.

A $200-per-person deposit will hold your place. For further information contact Retha McCutchen FUM, 101 Quaker Hill Dr., Richmond IN 47374; 765-962-7573

Retha McCutchen, general secretary, FUM

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FUM Triennial

The 2005 Friends United Meeting (FUM) Triennial will be held in Des Moines, Iowa, from July 13–17, 2005, at the Airport Holiday Inn.

The theme, "The Lamb shall overcome," was selected from Revelation 17:14: "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful."

A youth and children's program, as well as USFWI and Quaker Men banquets, Bible studies, workshops and local trips are in the planning stages. The January 2005 issue of Quaker Life has registration forms, and full information is online at www.fum.org.

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FGC 2005 Gathering of Friends

The Friends General Conference Gathering will be held July 2–9, 2005, at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. The theme is "Weaving the Blessed Tapestry."

For information: FGC, 1216 Arch St. #2B, Philadelphia PA 19107; 215-561-1700; www.fgcquaker.org/gathering.

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Employment Opportunities

FUM Seeks Communications and Outreach Director
Friends United Meeting (FUM) is looking for a director of Communications and Outreach. The applicant must be a dedicated and growing Christian in active membership in a Friends meeting/church, a college graduate (advanced degree preferred) with excellent writing, editing, public speaking and listening skills. The person must have proven administrative experience. Experience in communications preferred, and understanding of marketing, publishing and the Internet helpful.

Responsibilities of the Department of Communications: Make the Christian faith of Friends visible to seekers in the general public through the Internet, print, and broadcast media; connect inquirers with local Friends and the resources of Friends United Meeting; in cooperation with the Global Ministries department, identify and develop outreach resources and curriculum; promote life-long learning/discipleship and provide resources for Christian education within the constituency with particular attention to Friends spirituality, testimonies, and practice; provide promotional materials about Friends United Meeting and its program in coordination with the development office; and lift up energizing and equipping news and human interest stories from FUM constituency

Responsibilities: Lead department staff in cooperatively setting vision, goals, and strategy; serve as publisher of all materials produced through the department, ensuring high standards of quality, coherent visual identity, and consistent interpretation of FUM's purpose statement and the priorities of the general board; oversee the financial operation of the department; supervise the Friends United Press editor, the Quaker Life magazine editor, the Quaker Hill Bookstore manager, the graphic artist, and the media specialist; develop an Internet and media-based program of evangelistic outreach in cooperation with Global Ministries staff; coordinate media relations and news releases, including ecumenical media; oversee development of a network of meeting contacts and volunteer journalists; oversee marketing and market research; serve on the Program Coordination and Priorities Committee of the General Board.

Deadline is June 1, 2005. Apply to Retha McCutchen, general secretary, FUM, 101 Quaker Hill Dr., Richmond IN 47374; 765-962-7573.

NCYM Seeks Business Manager

North Carolina Yearly Meeting is seeking a full-time Business Manager for yearly meeting finance and trust funds administration. This position requires knowledge and experience in pension benefits, health insurance, casualty insurance, investment management, budgeting, accounting, planned giving, etc.

Send résumé and letter of interest with salary needs to John Porter, Superintendent, N.C. Yearly Meeting, 4811 Hilltop Rd., Greensboro NC 27407; 336-292-6957, jporter@ncym-fum.org.

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Notices

This column is prepared from information about membership received from the local meeting recorders.
NEW MEMBERS
Robin Alpern–Scarsdale
James Atwell–Butternuts
Jotham Bailey–Summit
Nathalie Bailey–Summit
Stephen F. Curry–Collins
April Janine DiComo-Cavallaro–Brooklyn
Leonard A. Flier–Collins
James Stephen Gardner–Farmington
Nikolaus Gruswitz–Dover-Randolph
Susan M. Kaushal–Collins
Andrea Ledgerwood–Farmington
Judy Meikle–Wilton
Tracey Stephens–Summit
Matthew R. Stoner–Manasquan

TRANSFERS
Deborah Nowak Duckworth, to Old Chatham from Rockland.
Charles J. Sirey, to Chappaqua from Fifteenth Street

DEATHS
William Esmond, member of Saratoga, on April 6, 2005.
Mary Finnerty, member of Somerset Hills, on March 24, 2005.
Glenn Mallison, former member of Ithaca, on January 13, 2005.
Godfrey Mulindi, member of Manhattan, on March 31, 2005.
Yvonne Richmond, member of Farmington, on February 25, 2005.
Henry Somers, member of Manasquan, on January 26, 2005.
Miriam Stockbridge Deming, member of Quaker Street, on January 29, 2005.

MARRIAGES/COVENANT RELATIONSHIPS
Deirdre McMurray, member of Collins, and Michael Grey, on March 5, 2005, under the care of Collins Monthly Meeting.

John Vadnais, member of Summit, and Barbara Simpson, on March 5, 2005, under the care of Summit Monthly Meeting. BIRTHS/ADOPTIONS
Christopher Matteo Cavallaro, on December 25, 2004, to April DiComo-Cavallaro, member of Brooklyn, and Christopher Cavallaro.
Anna Sophia Gaylord and Hunter Lucas Gaylord, on February 22, 2005, to Kia Christina Heath, member of Morningside, and Mark Gaylord.

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