Friends around the world are celebrating World Quaker Day, a project of the Friends World Committee for Consultation, on Sunday, October 3, 2021. You are invited to join in. The theme this year is Resilience and hope: drawing strength from our Quaker faith. You can learn more and see reports of activities at worldquakerday.org.
Fall 2021 Bulletin Now Available
The Fall issue of the LEYM Bulletin is now available. Contents include a message from Clerk Susan Loucks on findings of the ad hoc committee that went through a Visioning process last year, the LEYM Epistle, news from our Annual Sessions, reports from three monthly meetings on their recent anti-racist work, and more.
Current and back issues of the Bulletin remain available at https://leym.org/leym-bulletins/
Detroit Friends Plan New Meetinghouse
After years of discernment and uncertainty over the path forward, the Detroit Friends Meeting (DFM) is enthusiastic about building a new meetinghouse to provide a permanent spiritual home in Detroit that will serve the community and generations of future Quakers.
Detroit Friends Meeting has had a presence in Detroit since the early 1920s. DFM’s twenty-five current members, along with a faithful group of attenders, have stretched and will continue to stretch, but it is evident that they cannot achieve this new meetinghouse mission without the help and support of others.
LEYM Friends are invited to attend an upcoming Zoom presentation to learn about Detroit Friends Meeting’s journey over the past years in an effort to build a new meetinghouse and how your help is needed. Two similar presentations will be offered on either Sunday, September 12th from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. OR Tuesday, September 14th from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. UPDATE: You can now view a video recording of the full September 12 session HERE and you can view a shorter video (no Q&A) of the September 14 session HERE.
DFM’s mission is to continue to strive for a Quaker presence that is active, significant, and engaged; ensuring that our collective Light continues to shine in the City of Detroit. Through your help and support, LEYM can help make this new meetinghouse a reality!
For more information on the project and ways to contribute visit the Detroit Friends Meeting website at detroitfriendsmeeting.org
Broadmead October Retreat to Feature Christopher Sammond
The annual Broadmead Monthly Meeting Friends Fall Retreat is scheduled for October 1-3 2001 on the theme “Openings to Transformative Worship.” The event, to be held at the St. Francis Spirituality Center in Tiffin, OH, features retreat leader Christopher Sammond.
Christopher Sammond is a member of Poplar Ridge Monthly Meeting, New York YM. He has facilitated workshops and retreats for over thirty years in a wide variety of Friends’ contexts, including Powell House, Woolman Hill, ESR, the FGC Gathering, the FUM Triennial, the FWCC World Gathering, and at scores of monthly meetings. He is trained in spiritual direction and the spiritual formation of whole congregations and has served as a chaplain in hospice, hospital, and drug and alcohol treatment center settings. He is passionate about helping Friends to deepen in our practice of worship, and has traveled extensively in the ministry. He served New York Yearly Meeting as their General Secretary for many years, and currently divides his time between offering retreats on worship, serving as a core teacher in the School of the Spirit program, Participating in God’s Power, and offering spiritual direction. Christopher lives in central New York State with his wife Barbara and cats Harriet and Lil.
A brochure with information on registration and costs is available here. Please register by September 10. More information is available from Kathleen Helbling via kathleenhelbling@yahoo.com
Fall Spiritual Formation Retreat Details
LEYM Spiritual Formation Program Opening Workshop
Going Deeper Together
online Sept 10-12, 2021
with Marcelle Martin
The LEYM spiritual formation planning committee invites all of you to participate in this year’s spiritual formation program. The year’s program is kicked off with a weekend fall retreat in September and culminates in a one-day spring retreat in May. In between the two retreats, small spiritual formation groups meet on a regular basis. More information about LEYM’s spiritual formation program can be found here.
The goal of the fall online weekend workshop is to help us enter more deeply the truth in our hearts and connect more profoundly with the divine Presence in ourselves and in all of life. We will explore a number of practices to help us do so, including discernment exercises, supportive listening, evoking questions, focusing on God, collective sensing, and meeting for worship. We’ll be accompanied by the words and stories of early Quakers, along with the gifts of continuing revelation in our time. Exercises in pairs and small groups will provide opportunities for intimate spiritual sharing and help us move beyond internal barriers that have impeded our faithfulness. The gathered community that forms among us will support each participant to collectively access the healing and guiding Presence of God in deeper ways and provide encouragement to boldly follow our leadings as we face the challenges of today. The practices we’ll explore are especially helpful when used in spiritual formation groups, spiritual friendships, clearness committees, and faithfulness groups.
We will also take time to plan our spiritual formation program small groups and reading groups for the year.
The retreat will begin Friday evening. Sessions will be held throughout the day on Saturday and on Sunday morning. A detailed schedule will be sent to those registered for the retreat.
Those who want to do some advance reading may find it helpful to read Marcelle’s Pendle Hill pamphlet, A Culture of Faithfulness, or her recent book, A Guide to Faithfulness Groups. However, NO advance reading is required.
Marcelle Martin, the author of Our Life is Love: The Quaker Spiritual Journey, and A Guide to Faithfulness Groups, has led workshops at retreat centers and Quaker meetings across the United States. She was the resident Quaker Studies teacher at Pendle Hill for four years and a core teacher for the 9-month program, “Nurturing Faithfulness.” A Culture of Faithfulness is her third Pendle Hill pamphlet. On her blog, A Whole Heart (awholeheart.com), she shares inspiration to help us be all God has created us to be. A member of Swarthmore Friends Meeting, she lives in Chester, PA with her husband, Terry.
Register for the fall retreat here: https://airtable.com/shrt3tA5PddH8eu7Z A suggested payment for the retreat is $30, but people can pay more or less as led. No one should stay away because of cost. Payment should be made by check and sent to:
Sally Weaver Sommer
118 S. Spring St.
Bluffton, OH 45817
Please send questions to sallyweaversommer@gmail.com
2021 Annual Business Sessions
Upcoming LEYM Business-related Sessions
Note: Zoom Meeting Access for most business sessions
will be available via https://bit.ly/leym2021business
See Agenda for Business Sessions (docx) or Agenda for Business Sessions (pdf)
- LEYM Executive Committee Meeting – Wed July 28 3:00 PM
- Business Session 1 – Thu July 29 11:00 AM
- Business Session 2 – Fri July 30 11:00 AM
- Committee Meetings & Free Time – Sat July 31 11:00 AM
(Zoom Breakout Rooms will be Available via https://bit.ly/leym2021interestgroups) - Business Session 3 – Sun Aug 1 2:00 PM
- Business Session 4 (as needed) – Sat Aug 7 10:00 AM
Documents Provided in Advance
(files often available in two formats…)
- Minutes from the LEYM Executive Committee Meeting 4-2-2021.docx
- Minutes from the LEYM Executive Committee Meeting 4-2-2021.pdf
– - AFSC_Representatives_Report_for_LEYM.pdf
- Possible Minute Supporting HR for Palestinian Children and Families (docx)
- Possible Minute Supporting HR for Palestinian Children and Families (pdf)
– - Database_Manager_210713_Annual_Sessions_Report.docx
- Database_Manager_210713_Annual_Sessions_Report.pdf
– - FCNL_2021_Report_to_Yearly_Meetings.pdf
- FCNL_Report_for_LEYM_2021.docx
- FCNL_Report_for_LEYM_2021.pdf
- Letter_of_Introduction_for_FCNL_staff_LEYM_2021.docx
- Letter_of_Introduction_for_FCNL_staff_LEYM_2021.pdf
– - Financial_Statements_for_Annual_Sessions_2021-07-29.pdf
- Finance_Proposed_Budget_for_FY21-22_for_Annual_Sessions_2021-07-29.pdf
– - Ministry_and_Nurture_Annual_Report_2021.docx
- Ministry_and_Nurture_Annual_Report_2021.pdf
– - Memorial Minute for Lila Cornell (pdf)
- Memorial Minute for Claire Davis (docx)
- Memorial Minute for Claire Davis (pdf)
- Memorial Minute for Tim Field (pdf)
- Doris_Loll_Memorial_Reflections.docx
- Doris_Loll_Memorial_Reflections.pdf
- Obituary_for_Charles_Moses_Cohen.pdf
– - Preliminary_Nominating_Cmte_Report_2021.docx (updated 7/28)
- Preliminary_Nominating_Cmte_Report_2021.pdf (updated 7/28)
– - LEYM_Sept_2021_SFP_opening_retreat_flier.docx
- LEYM_Sept_2021_SFP_opening_retreat_flier.pdf
– - Olney_Friends_School_2021_Report.docx
- Olney_Friends_School_2021_Report.pdf
– - Publications_&_Archives_Annual_Meeting_report_2021.docx
- Publications_&_Archives_Annual_Meeting_report_2021.pdf
– - Proposed_Policy_and_Procedure_Changes.docx
- Proposed_Policy_and_Procedure_Changes.pdf
– - Quaker_Earthcare_Witness_Report_2021.docx
- Quaker_Earthcare_Witness_Report_2021.pdf
– - State_of_Meetings_Report_Summary_2021.docx
- State_of_Meetings_Report_Summary_2021.pdf
– - Visioning Process – Reminder and Invitation to Share Ideas (pdf)
– - Webworker_Report_for_2021_LEYM_Annual_Sessions.pdf
GPQM Annual Worship and Picnic, August 8, in Battle Creek
Every year in early August Green Pastures Quarterly Meeting remembers the anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and celebrates peace in the historic Quaker Park in Battle Creek.
GPQM will hold an in-person worship planned for 11 a.m., August 8, outdoors at Quaker Park. Worship will be followed by a picnic, with Friends may bring a chair/blanket, food, and beverage. Friends who are able and comfortable sharing food are welcome to and those who are not are welcome to share others company during the picnic. We will remain attentive to public health advice from the State of Michigan and adjust our plans as necessary.
If you do plan to bring food to share, you can sign up and see others dishes here: http://tiny.cc/GPQMPicnic2021
Quaker Park, is at the northwest corner of Fremont and Groveland streets.
All are welcome.
Read Epistles from Friends around the globe
As groups of Quakers gather in their annual sessions, they often write something known as an “Epistle” that is then shared with other Friends around the world. Back in the 17th century the Quaker movement revived the Gospel use of this word to mean an advisory or admonitory letter, sent to a group of people. In modern usage, you can think of an Epistle as a public letter of greeting and ministry. Such letters are sent from a Friends meeting or organization to other Friends groups, to supply information, spiritual insight, and encouragement.
The best way to read annual Epistles from across the globe is to visit the Friends World Committee on Consultation (FWCC) website where they collect and share Epistles from Friends Groups Around the World. Recent 2021 submissions include those from Netherlands Yearly Meeting, Switzerland Yearly Meeting, the General Meeting of Friends in Mexico, Aotearoa New Zealand Yearly Meeting, and Sweden Yearly Meeting, as well as South Central Yearly Meeting and Southeastern Yearly Meeting from the United States.
Lake Erie Yearly Meeting collects our own annual Epistles to other Friends here.
2021 Annual Sessions
The calendar of events schedule below is clickable, providing additional information such as full session descriptions and access and tech support links.
Exploring Hybrid Worship Models
LEYM’s Ministry and Nurture Committee has been exploring the many ways that Quakers are adapting to a more virtual life of the spirit as groups adopt online meeting practices. Quakers are worshiping online across the globe, as these extensive lists of worship opportunities compiled by Western Friends and Friends World Committee on Consultation make clear.
As more and more people get vaccinated, attention has turned to how Friends are going to return to their meeting houses, and how we might continue to incorporate some of the gifts technology has given us even as some of us gather together in person.
Resources of Special Interest
Friends General Conference hosted an FGC Consultation: Spirit and Community Online Resources in April 2021 which featured a panel discussion entitled What Have We Learned? Spirit and Community-Building Online which is now available for viewing, as well as other related discussions, at fgcquaker.org. Topics include online and hybrid worship, Religious Education, clerking, reopening meetings to in-person, technology, and accessibility.
Kathleen Wooten, a Friend from New England Yearly Meeting, has developed a rich collection of resources on her page Being the Church Online. Her links to resources on Blended/Hybrid Meetings for Worship highlight the good thinking and open sharing that Friends are doing as they explore new models for gathering together.
Pendle Hill, the Quaker retreat center, has been successfully hosting a daily worship where they bring online visitors together with in-person worshipers in the Pendle Hill Barn. This write-up of Pendle Hill’s Hybrid Worship Experiment provides lots of interesting details for their approach. Building on their experience, Pendle Hill has teamed up with the Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre in the UK to offer a Pendle Hill Workshop scheduled for June 11-13, 2021 that will explore the theme Becoming Blended Worshiping Communities: Exploring the Opportunities and Challenges. There is a fee for this workshop ($90).
With respect to different technical tools on offer, the Western Friend has developed a spreadsheet designed to help groups think through the advantages and disadvantages of different technical approaches to hybrid worship.
Friends interested in digging deeper into these topics may be interested in joining the Facebook Group Quaker Gatherings: Best Practices & Creative Exploration for on-going conversation with like-minded Friends.