Spark, November 2021 - Communicating Across Generations

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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 November 2021 Spark

 

Communicating Across Generations

 

Contents

Articles on the Theme: Communicating Across Generations

 

Messages from Friends on Anti-racism and our Yearly Meeting

 

Other Writings from Friends

 

Around Our Yearly Meeting

 

 

Around Our Yearly Meeting

 

Editor's Note

I've been dismayed by some unkind behavior I've witnessed recently in our Quaker community. Please remember that everyone has "that of God" within them. When you mock or scoff at someone, you're ignoring the humanity—the divine spark—in the other person. You're also harming our community at a time when our community needs to grow. To paraphrase the Powell House Youth Program guidelines, ask yourself, before taking an action: does your behavior nurture the community? The answer should be yes.

If you have email access, you should be receiving the weekly NYYM email newsletter every Friday. If you aren't, you can join the email list by sending a message to [email protected]. Past issues live at nyym.org/weekly-updates.

You are welcome and encouraged to send your writing or images for inclusion in future issues of Spark.

Upcoming Spark themes:

January: Hybrid Meetings for Worship. Many of NYYM's local meetings have been experimenting with hybrid meetings for worship, combining in-person Friends and online Friends together. Have you tried this, and do you have advice to share, technical or otherwise? What is your experience of hybrid worship? Please share. Deadline for the January issue is December 1. Send article, letter, photo, poetry, and drawing submissions to communications@nyym.org. Please limit yourself to 400-600 words. Letters "to the editor" in response to articles are also accepted.

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).

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle that you know nothing about.

—
Sarah Way, NYYM
Communications Director
[email protected]

 

 

Notices

New Members

  • Richard Russell — Old Chatham
  • Christopher Thomas Woodward — New Brunswick

 

 

News

NYYM Anti-Racism Statement

A Draft NYYM Statement on Becoming an Anti-Racist Faith Community, written by a multi-racial and multi-generational task group, was presented at Summer Sessions 2021 for Friends' reflection and the initiation of an extended period of discernment. Over the coming year, you and your meeting are invited to focus on how you can truly become an anti-racist faith community, and discern what that will mean for you and your meeting. The task group is sharing queries and resources that you may find helpful. You can find these resources at nyym.org/anti-racism-statement, or by requesting a copy from the office at 212-673-5750.

At several points over the next year, NYYM will offer the chance to participate in anti-racism workshops especially arranged for our yearly meeting. These training sessions are typically around 20 hours over a few days. Please let the planning team know of your general interest by filling out the Antiracism Training Expression of Interest form, linked to at the top of the nyym.org/anti-racism-statement page.

 

Do You Receive the Weekly NYYM Email Update?

Each Friday an email newsletter from NYYM is sent out to over 1600 people. Past editions are available at nyym.org/weekly-updates. To subscribe, email your name to [email protected].

 

 

Upcoming Events

NYYM Fall Sessions

Online, December 3-5, 2021

All are welcome to participate. See nyym.org/fall-sessions-2021 for more details.

 

Coordinating Committee Weekend

Online, Jan. 28-30, 2022

Coordinating Committee Weekend is a time when all YM coordinating committees have the chance to meet. Join people from around the yearly meeting to hear about what’s going on in the committees and how the work gets done. Be part of considering how the yearly meeting might use everyone’s gifts and leadings and how each of us, all of us, can reimagine how we build this community every day. Registration will be online at nyym.org.

 

Powell House Workshops

Second Thirds

December 3-5, 2021

Are you in the second third of your lifetimes? Do you long to make more connections with other Friends in your age range? The culmination of this Fall's online Second Thirds series will be an IN PERSON retreat at Powell House! We’ll be in conversation about Quaker traditions and visioning for the future, with a large portion of celebration (!), as well as opportunities for informal social connections. Bonfire, delicious meals, and lots of smiles are included too :) For anyone who is intending to participate by Zoom in New York Yearly Meeting’s Fall business sessions that weekend, we’re making sure that’s doable within our weekend schedule.

 

Dwelling Deep: a Contemplative Retreat

January 14-17, 2022 — Save the date

 

Upcoming Workshop from the Center for the Study of White American Culture, Inc.:

White Accountability and Organizing

A live, interactive online workshop in 3 parts, Thursdays Dec 2, 9, 16, 2021, 7-9 p.m. Eastern. This workshop is intended to give white people some basic knowledge about why accountability is important for white people in anti-racist organizing; the basic dimensions of accountability; barriers to being accountable; and putting accountability into practice. Learn more and register at cswac.org/white-
accountability-and-organizing/

 

Events for Young Adults

The interim Young Adult Field Secretary, Marissa Badgley, organizes gatherings, workshops, and worship designed for young adults (ages 18-35-ish) but open to all. Please visit nyym.org/yaf-calendar-2021 for more details.

Upcoming online events:

Community Thanksgiving Dinner —November 23, 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Worship Sharing—December 2, 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Holiday Game Night—December 22, 7:00-8:00 p.m.

 

Events for Children & Teens

Upcoming Powell House Youth Conferences

Register for conferences at poho.org.

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 most up-to-date information.

 

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

Mentoring Program Enrollment

The NYYM Mentoring Program is a ten-month program in which “experienced” Friends are paired with young adult Friends (YAFs), who are looking to deepen their understanding of Quaker practice or who are seeking spiritual accompaniment, guidance, and/or support on their spiritual/life journey. Read the full information packet at bit.ly/nyymmentoring2021. The deadline to sign up as a seeker has passed but mentors can sign up until November 30. You can fill out the interest form at nyym.org/mentoring-interest-2021.