Description and queries from an interest group at the Young Adult Friends conference in Richmond, Ind., 2008

Hey Everyone,
I just wanted to let Friends know about an awesome new pamphlet that the Youth Ministries Committee was involved in publishing. It’s called Coming into Friendship as a Gift: the Journey of a Young Adult Friend, and it’s written by a YAF from Southern Appalachian Yearly Meeting and Association. It’s a beautiful account of her journey to Quakerism, and everyone who helped her along the way. She also acknowledges that many YAFs have not had experiences like her own, and that we need to work together as a religious society to create a truly intergenerational, whole spiritual community. At the end of the pamphlet, she gives a number of different examples and suggestions of how monthly meetings can support younger Friends, and how we can all engage with one another. It also includes queries and a resource list. I highly recommend it!

From the back cover, “By naming the gifts she has received from her meetings, Christina Van Regenmorter offers a resource both for younger Friends and for meetings striving to welcome, support and nurture the young people in their midst. Christina notes:

It can be tempting to look at the absence of young faces in our meeting houses and blame it on the ‘digital age’ or on young people needing ‘something more lively.’ However, I would like to hold up the possibility that people coming into Quaker meetings are not looking for a certain prevailing skin phenotype or age presence, but for the Spirit to be evident in the lives of the Friends who are there. I believe that they, like me, ache to have a spiritual community where they feel truly seen, truly held, and deeply challenged.”

Deborah Shaw, the Assistant Director of Friends Center and Campus Ministry at Guilford College writes “If Friends desire their meeting to be a spiritual community where love if the first motion and a place where young Friends feel welcomed, nurtured and supported, prayerful engagement with this text would be a fruitful place to begin.”

Angelina Conti, a Philadelphia YAF says of this book, "As a relatively active young adult Friend I am often asked where all the other young adult Friends are -- what meetings can do to be open, welcoming faith communities where teenagers and young adults feel seen, nurtured, and needed. I am so thankful for this book, its author, and the Youth Ministries Committee for making this story and its accompanying queries and suggestions available. Christina Van Regenmorter's experience is as teachable as it is inspiring, and provides a powerful model for meetings under the weight of youth concerns (while also offering several good tools for young adults themselves). Our meetings are not whole when they lack the presence and ministry of young people, and this pamphlet offers a powerful place to begin to work towards wholeness."

Check it out at http://www.quakerbooks.org/coming_into_friendship_as_a_gift.php

Happy reading! In peace, Emily

YAF Conference 2008: Taken by Ruth Murray

 

For a bigger shot, go to http://www.flickr.com/groups/quakeryouth/pool/

 

| View | Upload your own Hey Friends, This is the awesome skit that Maya Wright wrote for the YAF Conference. Author’s Note: Anyone is welcome and encouraged to re-perform this skit, with or without alterations. Please tell me about it if you do! You can download the skit by clicking on the attachment below. You are also welcome to use the slideshow presentation. Peace to all, Emily

'The act of coming together physically was a first step to enacting loving unity. We are hungry for connection and growth in grace with one another, and the healing of our divisions.'

Funtastic runs a pretty tight ship, come through quite often, this one off to Marysville next. In the tradition of "extreme" in amusement parks' evolution, we have two high tech gizmos by the Hawthorne bridge these days, right next to the pirate ships, "rides on steroids" by yesteryear's standards. Last night was just perfect, in terms of no throngs. Whereas other days on the waterfront we've been mostly Latino, last night we were pretty Russian, especially on the two extremes. Tara & Rose

William Penn House * A Quaker Center on Capital Hill * http://www.wmpennhouse.org/ * 515 East Capital Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003 * 202.543.5560 William Penn House One of D.C.’s most comfortable and heartwarming hostels is the William Penn House within walking distance of the Capitol and the National Mall. A little on the spendy side of hostels, at $40 a bunk, it still is one of D.C.’s most economic lodging alternatives for the out-of-state or international traveller. The William

As one of the organizers of this conference, it was a very different experience for me than if I had been solely a participant. I felt a strong sense of needing to ground the gathering, particularly the worship sessions, and worked with the pastoral care

I am so keenly aware of living in a deeply fractured and disconnected world -- and here we have the opportunity to hone tools of fellowship, communication, listening, and love in our own house.

Photo by Paul Goyette A couple Sundays ago my husband and I played pool, something I haven’t done in years. I’d been invited to an appreciation party for volunteers of the Old Town School of Folk Music, a Chicago institution that recently celebrated it’s 50th anniversary. I’ve never attended an OTSFM volunteer party, but this one took place about two blocks from my house, in an old pool hall named Marie’s Golden Cue. I’ve been a volunteer at Old Town for about 3 years off and on, depending on

Young Adult Friends’ Conference

Living as Friends, Listening Within

Richmond, Indiana

May 23-26, 2008

Dear Friends Everywhere,

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” - Romans 12:2 NRSV

In worship, in small groups, in conversation, we have been transformed. Friends affirmed their love for one another again and again. The act of coming together physically was a first step to enacting loving unity. We are hungry for connection and growth in grace with one another, and the healing of our divisions. We heard sermons and joined voices in song. Friends had opportunities to experience and participate in unfamiliar forms of worship. We felt the support of seasoned Friends who provided pastoral care and the many Friends that held the gathering in prayer.

Formal small groups gathered every day for checking in and more personal discussion of the challenges and joys of the conference. Small informal groups treasured free time where we found the space to address other concerns. These informal discussions created a foundation for the depth at which we arrived in worship. Earlham School of Religion professors, students, and alumni led workshops, while conference participants held interest groups on various topics. On Sunday, participants could choose between programmed (First Friends), semi-programmed (West Richmond) or unprogrammed (Clear Creek) worship in the community.

In Spirit-led worship we found that Friends spoke to the necessity of continuing in conversations about our similarities and differences. Friends were asked before the conference to consider the cultural norms of others present, and whether certain choices may impact our ability to find common ground. We began exploring scripture together in workshops, Bible study and programmed worship. This invited new challenges and opportunities to engage with texts important to the experience of Friends. We were reminded by Mark Walker that living in unity as a Religious Society of Friends will make us more effective in our work in the world. The discernment of corporate and individual leadings is one of the obligations we have to one another as a Society. We hear the need to acknowledge diverse leadings, such as Gospel, traveling, vocal, and eldering ministries. Recording these gifts is one way of making individuals and meetings accountable to leadings.

Friends heard a call to find ways to share the good news that has been revealed to us at this gathering. We strive to carry this light with us when we return to our home meetings and churches. We have invited one another to our respective yearly gatherings and to explore ways of opening our spiritual homes. May we share with the world the light and love that was a presence at this gathering.

 

In peace,

The YAF Conference Participants

Expectations May 25th, 2008 I’m writing from the Young Adult Friends (YAF) Conference at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana. This has been (and continues to be) a powerful weekend for me. The only expectation I had when I arrived was that I would be transformed. Okay, so I also expected to see a lot of old f/Friends and make new ones, and I was hoping to spread the word about other future YAF gatherings (actually, I thought that was a key and important reason for my coming here; more on tha

I’ve written about the upcoming Quaker Youth Book project I’m working with and said we would soon be giving our call for submissions. Well, the time has come! If you consider yourself a Quaker or a part of the Friends Church and are between the ages of 15 and 35 then we’re talking to you! Here’s the description: The Quaker Youth Book Project of Quakers Uniting in Publications (QUIP) will feature short, multilingual, non-fiction prose, poetry and visual art by international young Quakers, appro

I’ve written about the upcoming Quaker Youth Book project I’m working with and said we would soon be giving our call for submissions. Well, the time has come! If you consider yourself a Quaker or a part of the Friends Church and are between the ages of 15 and 35 then we’re talking to you! Here’s the description: The Quaker Youth Book Project of Quakers Uniting in Publications (QUIP) will feature short, multilingual, non-fiction prose, poetry and visual art by international young Quakers, appro

"The Call for Submissions is now available and includes submission guidelines for writing and art and suggested topics and queries. All Friends ages 15-35 are invited to submit their creative work. Click here to get the full Call for Submissions as text and as a pdf download to share with your Friends meeting, church, youth group, community etc. or look at the guidelines below. Submissions are being accepted NOW and the final deadline is February 28th, 2009. Click here to meet the editorial boa

"The Call for Submissions is now available and includes submission guidelines for writing and art and suggested topics and queries. All Friends ages 15-35 are invited to submit their creative work. Click here to get the full Call for Submissions as text and as a pdf download to share with your Friends meeting, church, youth group, community etc. or look at the guidelines below. Submissions are being accepted NOW and the final deadline is February 28th, 2009. Click here to meet the editorial boa

Technorati search for "Quaker Youth" has no results

That still small voice which is never really all that small to me said 'Speak to them' and then didn't give me anything to say. He also didn't give me a clear sense of who... other than that 'they' were Quakers.

Technorati search for "Young Adult Friends" AND Quaker has no results

I have reprinted here my response to Cranath's post related to the May 4, 2008 Christianity Today article, "Are the Quakers Going Pagan?" I originally found this article titillating to my spiritual senses. I even brought a copy to my Adult RE class in our meeting, where we have been discussing just what we each believe, curious to see how others would respond. However, when I read the noted blog by Cranath about our "new Church growth strategy," I felt myself called to respond. I find that I c