Spark, September 2021 - Messages from Summer Sessions

Start Spreading The News!

Share your meeting’s news, announcements, and upcoming events with the rest of the yearly meeting by sending them to [email protected]. News items will appear in Spark, our printed newsletter, and our weekly email newsletter. Don’t get Spark or our Weekly Updates? Email [email protected] or call 212-673-5750 to get yourself added to our mailing list.

Welcome to Spark Online

The online edition of New York Yearly Meeting's print newsletter.

Download a pdf file of the September 2021 Spark

 

Messages from Summer Sessions

 

Contents

Articles on the Theme: Messages from Summer Sessions

 

Other Writings from Friends

 

Around Our Yearly Meeting

 

 

Around Our Yearly Meeting

 

Editor's Note

Please read the messages from Summer Sessions and share them with your meetings — especially the anti-racism statement, online at nyym.org/anti-racism-statement.. 

A weekly NYYM email newsletter is sent every Friday; see past issues at nyym.org/weekly-updates. To receive the email, send a message to [email protected]. 

You're invited to submit your writing or images for future issues of Spark.

Upcoming Spark themes:

November: Intergenerational Communication. How can we listen and learn from other people, no matter our ages? What has been misunderstood? Have you successfully transcended the barriers of age? How do we overcome stereotypes and artificial differences and truly see each other? Please write about your experience.

Do write! Deadline for the November issue is October 1. Send article, letter, photo, poetry, and drawing submissions to [email protected]. Please limit yourself to 400-600 words. 
You can also send news or events to that email address so they can be shared in the weekly NYYM email or in the next Spark.

Find NYYM on Facebook (NewYorkYearlyMeeting), Twitter (NYYMTweets), and Instagram (newyorkyearlymeeting).

—
Sarah Way, NYYM
Communications Director
[email protected]

 

 

Notices

New Members

  • Marcia Clark — Poughkeepsie
  • Timothy Farley
  • Jon Mehlhaus— Morningside
  • Jeremy and Susan Shank — Old Chatham
  • Sara Sullivan —Buffalo

Births/Adoptions

  • Peregrine Kai Haines, born on June 16, to V. Isabelle Haines and Alexander Haines-Stephan, members of Mohawk Valley  

Transfers

  • Irem Konur, to Manhasset from Matinecock
  • Martin and Adrian Vasilko, to Manhasset from Matinecock

Deaths

  • Glen Bibler, member of Brooklyn, on May 11, 2021
  • Barbara Brice Carey, member of Albany, on April 17, 2021
  • Norma Christie, member of Rockland, on February 18, 2021
  • Shelley Cochran, member of Rochester, on July 14, 2021
  • Veronica Crandall, member of Unadilla, on August 3, 2021
  • Thomas Findley, member of Chatham-Summit, on April 18, 2021
  • Edith Holley, member of Brooklyn, on June 14, 2020 
  • Barbara Louria, member of Chatham-Summit, on November 18, 2020
  • Donald Louria, member of Chatham-Summit, on July 26, 2021
  • Renda McCaughan, member of Wilton, on July 26, 2021
  • Paula McClure, member of Montclair, on July 28, 2021
  • Mary Medlar, member of Unadilla, on March 18, 2021 
  • Nancy Smith, member of Hudson, on July 11, 2021 
  • Vincent Smith, member of Chatham-Summit, on May 20, 2021
  • Frances Sokol, member of Butternuts, on February 4, 2021  
  • Daisy Westra, member of Brooklyn, on August 30, 2021

 

 

News

What does "NYYM" mean?

NYYM stands for New York Yearly Meeting, which represents all the Quaker meetings within New York state, north New Jersey, and part of Connnecticut. NYYM facilitates communication between meetings and organizes gatherings of Friends a few times a year. 

 

Invitation to World Quaker Day 2021
October 3, 2021

You are invited to World Quaker Day, the annual event from Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) where we celebrate Quakers around the world, on Sunday, October 3, 2021. Our theme: Resilience and Hope: drawing strength from our Quaker faith. Get ideas and resources on how to celebrate from the website: www.worldquakerday.org

 

Do You Receive the Weekly NYYM Email Update?

Each Friday an email newsletter from NYYM is sent out to over 1600 people. Are you one of them? The newsletter gives you timely updates on NYYM and Quaker-related news, upcoming events, and opportunities (like jobs and grants), and features sections for young adults and children/families. To subscribe, email your name to [email protected].

 

 

Upcoming Events

NYYM Fall Sessions

Online, December 3-5, 2021

Save the date! More info will appear online and in the November issue of Spark.

 

Powell House Workshops

Powell House is the retreat and conference center for NYYM. Visit poho.org to see the full list of upcoming events. 
Save the date for Dwelling Deep: a Contemplative Retreat, January 14-17, 2022

 

Events for Young Adults

The Young Adult Field Secretary, Marissa Badgley, continues to support and organize gatherings, workshops, and worship designed for young adults (ages 18-35-ish) but open to all. Visit nyym.org/yaf-calendar-2021 for all upcoming events.

 

Upcoming Powell House conference: 

REVEALING TRUTH

October 22-24, 2021, for young adults 18+ (not in high school)

The pandemic has peeled away parts of our life that we may have previously taken for granted. During this weekend, we plan to dive into conversation about what we've discovered during this process of peeling away layers of our lives. We will talk about the seeds of truth and love that we've found, as well as the grief and sorrow we've experienced. We will of course also play games and enjoy gifts of light and love we bring to one another. Find this conference at poho.org to register.

 

Events for Children and Teens

Upcoming Powell House Youth Conferences

Register for conferences at poho.org.
 

Using All Parts, 6-8 Grade
November 12-14, 2021
This conference will focus on crafting and building with anything and everything we can possibly use. An old rickety chair destined for the dump could be refashioned into a miraculous invention with the right creativity and handiwork! Or maybe you're interested in designing a sculpture of your favorite story using paper and cardboard from the recycling bin! We plan to discuss our use and reuse of material items as we build on each other's imagination in physical space. 

WINTERSONG 2021, 9-12 grade
December 10-12, 2021
Our usual wintertime celebration will be held at limited capacity this year. As such, we are inviting just 9th to 12th graders. Even with a smaller group, we plan to let our light shine as we join together as a community. There will be deep small group discussions, interesting workshops, and many more delights to share!
 

 

Online Worship

Many of the local (monthly) meetings in the New York Yearly Meeting area are holding online or hybrid online-and-in-person meetings for worship every week. Visit nyym.org/online-worship-opportunities for the full list. Other Quakers organizations are also continuing to offer online worship.

 

Powell House Online Worship: Fourth Saturdays at 6:00 p.m.

Powell House holds a meeting for worship via Zoom on the fourth Saturday of each month at 6:00 p.m. For info on how to join, contact Regina at [email protected]

 

Friends General Conference (FGC) Online Worship

FGC maintains a list of online worship opportunities at www.fgcquaker.org/resources/online-worship-opportunities

 

Pendle Hill Worship in the Barn

Members of the Pendle Hill community gather in the Barn for worship every day from 8:30 to 9:10 a.m. Connection information is at pendlehill.org/explore/worship/join-us-online-for-worship-in-the-barn/

 

FWWC’s Worldwide Worship List

Friends World Committee of Consultation (FWCC) has compiled a list of meetings holding worship online around the world: fwcc.world/kinds-of-friends/online-worship

 

 

Opportunities

NEW! Quaker Parent Mutual Support Groups

Please share with Quaker parents and families! These groups will meet for six months, starting roughly in mid-November, for one hour every two weeks. The purpose is to provide Friends who are currently parenting children with a space for mutual conversation and support.

This year, the project is co-sponsored by New York Yearly Meeting, Friends United Meeting, and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, but ALL Quaker parents are welcome to participate, regardless of location or affiliation. Parents can register here until October 31: tinyurl.com/QPMSG21 Questions? Email Emily Provance at [email protected].

 

NYYM seeks a Children, Youth, and Young Adult Community Director

Are you looking to be in a role where you can experience community and support others in community building? Are you passionate about contributing to the lives of young adults and children? Are you committed to nurturing your spiritual community and helping others do the same? The New York Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) is looking for an empathetic self-starter to curate and manage implementation of programing for children, teens (and the families of children and teens), and young adults (ages 18-35) among Quaker meetings in New York, Northern New Jersey, and Western Connecticut. Please see the entire job listing at nyym.org/job-posting-CYYACD. Apply by September  30, 2021.