Summer Sessions 2013: Program

The Fun(d) Fair

Summer Sessions

July 21–27, 2013 • Silver Bay, New York

Program

 

Quicklinks

 

Summer Sessions Week at a Glande

Click the following to download the Summer Sessions Week at a Glance Calendar.

Plenary Speaker (Monday morning): Freida J. Jacques

Last year at Summer Sessions, the Yearly Meeting approved a minute repudiating the Doctrine of Discovery. This year, we are privileged to host Freida J. Jacques as our plenary speaker on Monday morning, at 9:45. Freida Jacques is a Clanmother of the Turtle Clan, of the Onondaga Nation of the Haudenosaunee, the People of the Longhouse. She will speak on the Doctrine of Discovery, the Two Row Wampum Renewal Campaign, and other topics. Mrs. Jacques will be with us for several days and will also partake in other meetings, including the Indian Affairs Committee meeting and with our young people.

Freida J. Jacques, Onondaga, whose native name is Whatwehni:neh, is presently employed at the Onondaga Nation School as a Home/School Liaison. She has served as a bridge between her culture and the many educational institutions in Central New York. Peace and healing are subjects she is passionate about. She has been a leader in her Nation for over 30 years, a Clanmother of the Turtle Clan. She has three published essays: “Discipline of the Good Mind,” Northeast Indian Quarterly, Cornell University Summer 1991; “Use the Good Mind,” an interview, in Winds of Change, Spring 1997; and “Beyond Healing: a Gift to the World,” in Indian Country Today newspaper, April 5, 2000.

Agenda Items for Summer Sessions

If you have items for the business agenda, please contact the appropriate coordinating committee clerk: Jeffrey Aaron, General Services; Amy Willauer-Obermayer, Ministry; Deborah Wood, Nurture; Mary Eagleson, Witness; or Jeffrey Hitchcock, clerk of NYYM, [email protected]; or the NYYM office, [email protected]. Contact information for the coordinating committee clerks is in the Yearbook, which should be available at your meeting.

Bible Study at Summer Sessions

The Bible Study leader will be Ruth Kinsey. The study will focus on the beginning chapters of Genesis. We will consider the creation story. What does Genesis tell us about the creation? How did the creation event occur and how do we interpret it? What is the relationship between humanity and creation? What is the meaning of “dominion”? Does humanity have a responsibility to the creation? If so, what is that responsibility? Please bring your Bibles with you. Ruth will present information about the scripture and encourage discussion. We hope to cover chapters 1-3, if time permits.

Ruth will bring the message to the programmed meeting for worship at the close of Yearly Meeting this year. The message will be based on the Bible study. Ruth is looking forward to reconnecting with New York Yearly Meeting Friends. She invites us to come explore scripture together. Bible study is intergenerational and all are welcome.

Ruth Kinsey retired June 1, 2012, after serving 22 years as pastor of Farmington Friends Meeting. She moved to the Foulkeways Retirement Community in Gwynedd, Pennsylvania. Ruth is now a member of Gwynedd Meeting where she helps lead a Junior Meeting for Worship each month. She enjoys the Quaker community at Foulkeways and is settling in to her new environment.

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In Invitation to Facilitate Worship Sharing

Claire Simon & Kate Lawson, Worship Sharing coordinators

As is traditional, we are planning for worship sharing during Summer Sessions at Silver Bay, and we would like you to consider facilitating a worship-sharing group this summer.

Worship-sharing groups meet Monday from 11:30 to 12:30 and Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. There is also an afternoon worship sharing group meeting on Tuesday and Thursday during rest-and-renewal time. On Saturday morning, Friends will be encouraged to participate in the final meeting for worship.

General worship sharing will be offered as in the past. In addition, there will be a number of special groups: Adults with young children; Caregivers; Conflict Transformation; Earthcare; Aging; Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender; Men; Racial Healing; 12-Step; Women; Afternoon.

Worship sharing provides an opportunity to worship together near the beginning of the day, setting the tone for other activities as the day unfolds. Sharing insights, experiences, and prayer together refreshes the spirit. Your contribution—opening participants to be a channel for the Holy Spirit—would be invaluable.

We would like to have two leaders for some worship groups. This helps share the responsibility for planning and conducting the sessions. If you are an experienced leader, you may be willing to mentor someone who is less seasoned. If you have not had the opportunity to lead others in worship in this way, working with someone may help you feel more comfortable in the role. We welcome suggestions for someone you would like to work with. If you prefer to work alone, that is fine as well. Also, if you know someone who might be interested, please let us know.

All leaders are scheduled to meet on July 21, Sunday afternoon, at 5:00 p.m., in the Silver Bay Inn, to receive group lists and locations, ask any questions, and share concerns. We are working to make locations appropriate for special needs, such as a place for children where noise will not bother others, accessibility concerns, etc.

Please reply as soon as possible via email to Claire Simon,
[email protected], and to Kate Lawson, [email protected].

We hope you will feel led to contribute to Yearly Meeting in this way. If you let us know that you would like to be a leader, we will send suggestions about the format and topics in advance.

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Interest Group Proposals

Interest groups are educational opportunities about a topic or activity of importance to Friends. This year they will be held on Tuesday from 7:45 pm to 9:45 pm and Wednesday from 1:45 pm to 3:15 pm.

Those interested in facilitating an interest group should send their proposals to the appropriate coordinating committee clerk by June 24. The contact information for these clerks is in the Yearbook.

This year we will be using an electronic form to aid in coordinating interest group proposals. Please use the following link to find the form: http://tinyurl.com/bo8r7wq. Interest groups require approval of a coordinating committee clerk to be put into the final schedule. Please keep this in mind when considering the deadline date of Monday, July 1. Coordinating Committee clerk information is in the Yearbook.

Martha Gurvich will be glad to help anyone who doesn't have access to a computer or is having trouble with the form. Don’t hesitate to contact her. Her contact information is also in the Yearbook. You may also contact Helen Garay Toppins at the New York Yearly Meeting office at [email protected] or 212-673-5750. Our goal is to support your presentation.

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Story Telling at Summer Sessions

Everyone knows a good story!

Would you please consider sharing a personal story or a particular short book that you know during Story Time? We meet on the front lawn in the evenings after dinner at Silver Bay.
All Friends young and a bit older are invited to listen and share stories. Stories shared during this intergenerational event need to be appropriate for all ages.

To volunteer or for more information please contact Kate Lawson. Her contact information is in the Yearbook.

About Fundraising During Summer Sessions

Sessions Committee

The Fun(d) Fair, which will be held on Friday this year, is sponsored by the Young Adult Concerns Committee and includes a variety of activities, all of which raise money exclusively for Powell House and Sharing Fund. Participants must pay individual vendors or activities with tickets that are sold by YAC at the Fair.

The Tagless Tag Sale (operating at the same time under separate sponsorship) can accept cash as well as tickets, and all of the receipts are for Powell House and the Sharing Fund (see below). Café Night on Thursday, sponsored by the JYM high school group, raises contributions only for Powell House and Sharing Fund, in equal shares.

Quaker-related causes. Anyone who is raising money for a Quaker-related cause (e.g., AFSC, AVP, BQEF, BQL, FCNL, Friends Peace Teams, Quaker Schools, a new meetinghouse) may include appeals at their display spaces, such as invitations to send or pledge money. If another type of fundraising activity is contemplated, like selling cards, photos, books, or crafts from a place of Quaker mission or outreach, please contact Roseann Press, clerk of the Sessions Committee, to discuss guidelines. Her contact information is in the YearbookM.

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Tagless Tag Sale at Silver Bay

Yes, there will be a Tagless Tag Sale at Silver Bay during Summer Sessions. It will be held during the Fun(d) Fair on Friday, July 26, from 1:45 – 3:45 p.m. If you have sale items (new or used items in good shape) to donate, please bring them to Silver Bay.

Treasures that you are ready to pass on sell well, as do clothing, jewelry, small electronics, household items, and things for children. The Tagless Tag Sale benefits the Sharing Fund and Powell House. Tax-deduction receipts for in-kind charitable contributions will be available upon request.

 

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Summer Sessions 2013