Fox Journal First Edition displayed at LEYM Annual Meeting

25 June 2024
Categories: Annual Sessions, News

Friends enjoyed a wide range of opportunities at this year’s Lake Erie Yearly Meeting Annual Meeting. One particularly remarkable event, however, was the chance to view a First Edition of George Fox’s Journal, published way back in 1694. Our Bulletin Editor Christopher Farrand made arrangements with Cleveland Monthly Meeting, owners of the journal, to display this rare document as part of our George Fox 400th birthday celebration. The display he created provided some interesting examples of how later editions of the journal edited out sections found in the original version. Thank you Christopher!

Cover page of 1694 Edition
Fox Journal on Display
Christopher Farrand created an informative display
Friends admire this historical document

Quakerism 101 Series Evaluation Request

4 June 2024
Categories: Committees, Interest Groups, Monthly Mtgs, News

Hello Friends:
In May, the LEYM Quakerism 101 series, coordinated by the Advancement & Outreach Committee, finished up its year-long program which ran from Oct 2023-May 2024.  We would like to express our gratitude for all who were able to participate in the program and to extend our appreciation to the Monthly Meetings who facilitated sessions and generated specific topics for our exploration.

As our committee begins to discern our priorities for the upcoming year, we would find it valuable to have your feedback and evaluation for the Quakerism 101 series this year. We want to hear from you whether you were able to attend one, none, or all of the sessions.

Please help us by filling out the Evaluation Form in Google Docs. The form is available at https://forms.gle/6KrYJXFmFRE6unsZ9

On Behalf of the LEYM Advancement & Outreach Committee

Clerk, Joe Mills (Kalamazoo)
Susan Hartman (Ann Arbor)
Barbara LeSage (N. Columbus)
Stephanie Charlot (Red Cedar)
Mary Igoe Meyers (Broadmead)

LEYM Seeks Database Manager

10 May 2024
Categories: Job Openings, News

Lake Erie Yearly Meeting is seeking a part-time database manager, with an immediate opening. The pay is $26/hour.  The job description is below.

The database manager is named by the Nominating Committee to serve a three-year term,  renewable indefinitely, usually one year at a time. The database manager works under the oversight of the Publications & Archives Committee, but is not necessarily a member of that committee. Below is a summary of the tasks – more specific details can be found in Policies and Procedures.

  • Maintains and updates the LEYM database in Salesforce. (A working
  • knowledge of Salesforce is strongly desired.)
  • Provides current contact information for LEYM Friends to LEYM officers and committee clerks, as needed.
  • Provides a directory for the Annual Records from Annual Meeting reports, monthly meetings, and worship groups.
  • Provides to Friends General Conference a list of addresses for members and active attenders annually, on request.
  • Prepares annual statistical report forms to be completed by quarterly, monthly, and preparative meetings and worship groups. The database manager updates the database with the new information and provides current information for the “Find a Meeting” section on LEYM’s website.

Interested? Please communicate with Susan Loucks, leymclerk@gmail.com

GPQM Spring Gathering set for May 18th

4 May 2024
Categories: Events and Opportunities, GPQM, News

SPRING GATHERING OF GREEN PASTURES QUARTERLY MEETING SATURDAY, MAY 18, 2024

Friends in Michigan will gather for the Spring meeting of Green Pastures Quarterly Meeting on Saturday, May 18, at Michigan Friends Center (7748 Clarks Lake Rd, Chelsea 48118).
We’ll start with Business Meeting at 11 am, followed by lunch (bring your own bag lunch), and Meeting for Worship. Then, everyone is invited to an afternoon program sponsored by Michigan Friends Center — Botanical Treasures of Friends Lake with Amanda Klain.

During GPQM’s Meeting for Business, nominees for next year’s positions of service to the Quarterly Meeting will be presented for consideration. Please see below for a Zoom link, the schedule, and a fuller description of the afternoon activities. Minutes from September’s business meeting of GPQM can be found here.

GPQM SCHEDULE, Saturday, 5/18/2024, Michigan Friends Center (Chelsea, MI)

  • 11:00 am GPQM Business Meeting
  • 12:15-1:00 Lunch (Bring your own bag lunch; hot/cold drinks and bagels provided)
  • 1:00-1:45 pm Meeting for Worship
  • 2:00 pm Program: “Botanical Treasures of Friends Lake”

ZOOM CONNECTION
Topic: Green Pastures Quarterly Meeting
https://umich.zoom.us/j/7346151800?omn=94728017984
Meeting ID: 734 615 1800

AFTERNOON PROGRAM
Botanical Treasures of Friends Lake with Amanda Klain
2:00-4:00 Saturday, May 18
Spirituality – Wilderness Awareness

Join us for a slide presentation showcasing the diversity of plants and natural communities found at Friends Lake Cooperative Community followed by a plant walk where we can make our own discoveries. The focus will be on the native plant species found in the woodlands and wetlands of the property.

Amanda says: “What began in 1995 as a piqued interest in herbs, has developed into a passionate lifetime dedication to all plants, in a diversity of ways, with a particular focus on preserving native species. I have been working professionally with the Michigan flora since 2006, with extensive knowledge in plant identification, native plant propagation, seed collecting, botanical surveying, herbarium work and more.”

Questions: Kevin Miller, Clerk (kevinfmiller(at)gmail.com)

Get information flyer for this event here.

AFSC Quaker Engagement Tour Comes to Michigan

1 May 2024
Categories: Events and Opportunities, Monthly Mtgs, News

The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) hired a new director for Quaker Engagement a year ago, and he (Brian Blackmore) has undertaken a Monthly Meeting visitation tour. This month that tour travels through Michigan.

LEYM Friends are invited to join AFSC presentations that are being hosted by Red Cedar Friends Meeting (May 4th) and Ann Arbor Friends Meeting (May 5th). Brian Blackmore, AFSC’s Quaker Engagement Director, will provide an overview of AFSC’s work to build peace around the globe, and share opportunities for Friends to engage with our work and programs.

As the Director of Quaker Engagement, Brian’s work concentrates on leading AFSC’s efforts to build nurturing, trusting, and engaged relationships with Quaker faith communities, schools, and organizations in the U.S. and around the world.

Friends from LEYM who are feeling led are welcome to join in learning and connecting at either of the below events. Please feel free to share this invitation with members of your Meeting and community.

May 4: Red Cedar Friends Meeting
10 a.m. ET
1400 Turner Rd, Lansing, MI 48906
Hybrid: Join on Zoom
https://afsc-org.zoom.us/j/3400744372?pwd=S0xwK1kxWmJDYXp0eWVmR2lnRDNKUT09

May 5: Ann Arbor Friends Meeting
12:45 p.m. ET
1420 Hill St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Hybrid: Join on Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81870214329

May 16 Quakerism 101 Session Explores Quaker Service Orgs

30 April 2024
Categories: Events and Opportunities, News, Peace and Justice

LEYM’s Quakerism 101 Series continues in May. Join Friends online on Thursday May 16 (7pm) as members of Red Cedar Meeting present a session on “Quakers in Service to the Wider World.” This session will be focused on how Quakers extend the practice of our testimonies — particularly those of peace, equality, community, and stewardship — to society at large, both within the US and internationally. Jamie Archer, Pat Grauer, and Susan Waltz will talk about their experiences working with three Quaker organizations carrying out such work: the American Friends Service Committee, the Friends Committee on National Legislation, and the Quaker United Nations Office. Each Friend will speak briefly about the mission and past and current work done by the organization and how and why they personally got involved. Finally, they’ll tell you how you too can get involved and answer any questions. Get the event flyer here.

Join us on Zoom on Thursday May 16 at 7:00 PM.
Zoom link (easy share link): https://tinyurl.com/quaker101
Meeting ID: 876 3794 4768
Passcode: 84448

Upcoming Young Adult Friends Gathering

23 April 2024
Categories: Events and Opportunities, News, Young Adult Friends

An exciting international Young Adult Friends gathering is being planned by Matt Rosen and the Oxford Young Friends (18-35) based in the UK. It will be held at Jordans Meetinghouse and Center (outside of London) this August 21-25. According to the organizers, accommodation will be at a Friendly budget rate, and we will be preparing our own meals. Kitchen access and eating areas are available at the Jordans Quaker Centre. The Centre is easily accessible by train or underground (just half an hour) from London. It’s surrounded by beautiful open areas for hikes and country walks. Registration is via this link.

Friends with questions about this opportunity can use the contact information listed on the attached flyer, or here in the U.S. you can contact Chris Stern at Middletown Friends Meeting, Lima Pennsylvania via sternc858@gmail.com

Young Adult Friends Gathering UKDownload

Shared Quaker Vision for Peace in Israel and Palestine

17 April 2024
Categories: Action, News, Peace and Justice

On April 12th, eight Quaker organizations released a new statement entitled “A Different Future is Possible: Shared Quaker Vision for Peace in Israel and Palestine.” The organizations are the American Friends Service Committee, Canadian Friends Service Committee, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Friends World Committee for Consultation, Quakers in Britain, Quaker Council on European Affairs, Quaker Peace and Social Witness, and the Quaker United Nations Office.

The statement provides background on Quaker involvement in these issues and includes calls to action for the Israeli government, to Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups, to Western leaders and the US and UK governments, and to individual Friends and Friends Meetings.

You can download it here.

For Friends interested in drafting your own statement, know that Friends Committee on National Legislation has been compiling a collection of Minutes related to this concern written by Quaker Monthly Meetings. It can be reviewed here.

April Quakerism 101 Session Details

3 April 2024
Categories: Events and Opportunities, Monthly Mtgs, News

The LEYM Advancement and Outreach Committee will be offering two more sessions of the Quakerism 101 series this spring. The sessions are offered via Zoom.

  • We are looking forward to Wednesday, April 17 (7-8:30 pm), when Susan Loucks of the Pittsburgh Friends Meeting presents a session on “Meeting for Worship with Attention to…What???” Any casual attender can see that Meetings for Business are run differently than most meetings in the rest of the world – but the why behind those differences can be much more murky. No matter how long you’ve been going to Meetings for Business,we invite you to join us in exploring those why’s, and seeing what we can do to set the stage for our business meetings to live up to their amazing potential. (Hot tip: if “amazing” and “meeting for business” don’t always show up in the same sentence for you, there’s something for you here!)
  • Our last session for this year will be an Introduction to Quaker Service Organizations from Red Cedar Meeting on Thursday, May 16.

All sessions are open to anyone—seasoned Friends, newcomers, seekers, young and old. Time for reflection and interaction is included in all sessions. Contact Joe Mills, Clerk of the LEYM Advancement & Outreach Committee for more information. (millrae@juno.com. Use subject line “Quakerism 101”).

The Wednesday, April 17 session will be from 7-8:30 pm on Zoom.

Zoom address (easy share link) for all sessions: https://tinyurl.com/quaker101
Meeting ID: 876 3794 4768
Passcode: 84448
One tap mobile: +13052241968,,87637944768#,,,,*84448#
Dial in: +1 312 626 6799 Passcode: 84448

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