Minute from the Junior Yearly Meeting (JYM) Teen Group

Dear Friends,

We the teen group have noticed a change of scenery this week. The stark contrast of being here hit more personally and abruptly than we all expected. We're all missing our Silver Bay, but we're enjoying learning and exploring this new space. The simplicity of this space has left us to our own devices, and we've discovered new ways to connect on a more personal level.

The lack of closure sits uneasily within our community, both as teens and as Quakers. Like an old, well-loved sock, the most noticeable change is the growing number of holes in our community. As not just the future, but also the present, the shrinking number of children and teens in attendance has also been disheartening. A lot of our friends chose to sit out, and we're missing their presence at Summer Sessions. People throughout the community have decided not to join us because we're not at Silver Bay this year, and gosh-diggity-darn-it, that really blows.

Through this change, we've discovered that it's a bad feeling to say goodbye, but it's a worse feeling to not even get the chance. That said, we are asking this body to consider how we might all find the closure that is needed. We're understanding of the complexities around this change, but we're still experiencing a lot of grief. Nonetheless, we're really grateful for all the friends who have made it possible for us to gather, and to everyone who is here with us this week.

—Elliot, Griffin, Jules, Lianna, Linnea, Thalia