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CYM 2012 – Camrose, AB – Sunday Morning

I notice that, as I write about Sunday at CYM this year, it is already Tuesday morning.  As can be common at CYM, reconnecting with f/Friends, events, new reasons to meet for conversation begin to fill the time available, and I’m reminded of the caution that we don’t have to do everything while we’re here, that choices for self-care will be important.  I’m grateful that I rose early this morning and have some quiet time to write – we were warned yesterday that the water in the residence building will be shut off from 7:00 – 8:00 am, so an early shower seemed advisable.

Sunday morning, I was blessed to be able to be with those who are at CYM in session for the first time.  I felt grateful too, for those seasoned Friends who showed up to sit with us.  More hearts and minds to answer questions…more faces to be familiar, more Friends to connect with during the rest of the week.  In addition to answering ‘burning questions’ that first-timers offered, we spent some time untangling the sometimes confusing web that is CYM.  It was the first chance I had to try out a ‘big picture’ I’ve been working with.  (You can check it out here for yourself)

Later that morning, when we all gathered for the first time in Worship, and I settled in, calling up images of those Friends who are not here this year, I was aware again of the capacity we now have to share this week with Friends across Canada through the ‘interwebs’.  I’m looking forward to the quiet times when I’ll be able to do this with words, photos, and perhaps video, and in offering Friends elsewhere this glimpse, I feel closer to them…to you.

During Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business when, as is our custom through Quaker history, we heard of births, marriages, deaths, new members, – I noticed how long was the list of those who had died and was again aware that our numbers are not growing and that we are an aging community.  I trust that the energy of the young adult Friends and young Friends who are here this week will nudge, prod and encourage us all , as we experience again that intense week that is CYM in session – so many possibilities for Spirit to move among us.

You can find some of Bruce Dienes’ first photos of the week here.

Posted in: CYM 2012

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Pelham and Yonge St. Half Yearly Meeting – Spring 2012 – Neekaunis – Some Queries

Friends were invited to respond, over the weekend, to some queries posted in the dining room.  Here are the responses:

1.  How would you describe your Quaker Community?

  • International
  • Nurturing
  • A safe place to practice being who I want to be
  • Inspiring
  • Challenging
  • Rejuvenating
  • Stimulating
  • Sometimes frustrating
  • Wide-spread
  • Beloved
  • Deeply connected
  • Small
  • Rewarding
  • My spiritual home

2.  How do you experience the responsibilities of Membership?

  • Affirming, exciting, satisfying to be of service, to build together
  • Learning to withhold judgement and comment
  • Feeling that I am contributing
  • An active community
  • 20 hour work weeks

3.  What does it mean to you to belong?

  • Being fully human
  • Hard work
  • Joyous
  • Engenders gratitude
  • Having meaningful relationships with others in the group
  • not being alone

4.  What’s it like to be part of this combined Half Yearly Meeting?

  • Delightful
  • Thrilling
  • Exciting
  • Fun
  • Renews connections
  • Happy to see so many F/friends I love
  • Loud, but wonderful
  • I love seeing all ya and heck PHY can sing!!!
  • Absolutely topping!  Let’s do it again!  And again!…

Posted in: Peham Half Yearly Meeting, Regional Gatherings, Yonge St. Half Yearly Meeting

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Pelham and Yonge St. Half Yearly Meeting – Spring 2012 – Neekaunis – Some Queries

Friends were invited to respond, over the weekend, to some queries posted in the dining room.  Here are the responses:

1.  How would you describe your Quaker Community?

  • International
  • Nurturing
  • A safe place to practice being who I want to be
  • Inspiring
  • Challenging
  • Rejuvenating
  • Stimulating
  • Sometimes frustrating
  • Wide-spread
  • Beloved
  • Deeply connected
  • Small
  • Rewarding
  • My spiritual home

2.  How do you experience the responsibilities of Membership?

  • Affirming, exciting, satisfying to be of service, to build together
  • Learning to withhold judgement and comment
  • Feeling that I am contributing
  • An active community
  • 20 hour work weeks

3.  What does it mean to you to belong?

  • Being fully human
  • Hard work
  • Joyous
  • Engenders gratitude
  • Having meaningful relationships with others in the group
  • not being alone

4.  What’s it like to be part of this combined Half Yearly Meeting?

  • Delightful
  • Thrilling
  • Exciting
  • Fun
  • Renews connections
  • Happy to see so many F/friends I love
  • Loud, but wonderful
  • I love seeing all ya and heck PHY can sing!!!
  • Absolutely topping!  Let’s do it again!  And again!…

Posted in: Peham Half Yearly Meeting, Regional Gatherings, Yonge St. Half Yearly Meeting

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Pelham and Yonge Street HYM – June 2012 – Neekaunis

About 100 Friends met at Camp Neekaunis from Friday evening, June 1 to Sunday Afternoon, June 3. This was the first time Pelham Half Yearly and Yonge Street Half Yearly had held a joint meeting, and there was in the air, joyful anticipation…and a little trepidation about numbers.  In the end, we counted 12 Young Adult Friends and 12 Young Friends…and there were definitely a few 70+, a mix of ages over 3 generations. The ambiance was beautifully green, wet, and a little cool. This view is from the Meeting Room looking out over the lake.

 

Friends were grateful to gather in Nelson Hall (Dining Hall), and the Meeting Room with its huge stone fireplace.

Gathering in the Dining Hall

Meeting Room

 The registrars were active from 3:00 Friday on, and Friends found time to re-connect while making sure the toilets/outhouses were equipped, unpacking, and wiping down the tables in preparation for dinner.

Who’s on the list?

Is there a resemblance here?

Reconnecting

Self-Care and Shared Responsibilities – qualities of camp life

Unpacking

 

 

Table Prep

After supper, we gathered in the Meeting Room for a listening session on Membership.  We began with a semi-rousing game of  ‘A Big Wind Blows’ (too many people to stand in a circle, so Katrina McQuail, Youth Secretary improvised and moderated).  Then we invited Friends to self-organize into groups where they would imagine themselves in a particular role and we encouraged them to find a group with a role where they might be less comfortable.  We asked the groups to consider the following queries about Young Friends holding transitional membership in a Half Yearly Meeting or at Camp Neekaunis.  We encouraged them to IMAGINE, to think of this not as discernment, nor even as threshing, but as scattering wildflower seeds and seeing what might come of it.

QUERIES:

  1. What might be the gifts of such a relationship?
  2. What might be the responsibilities of the Half Yearly Meeting or Camp to the Member?
  3. What might be the responsibilities of the member to the Half Yearly Meeting or to Camp?

If you click on each of the roles below, you will be able to view the responses of each group

Young Friend (teen), Young Adult Friend (early stages – university or wandering), Young Adult Friend (later stages – settling or perhaps starting a family), Monthly Meeting, Camp Neekaunis, Half Yearly Meeting, CYM, Ministry and Counsel and Friends General Conference.

 The Groups shared what was most important to them from their conversations, and we closed with worship.

Posted in: Peham Half Yearly Meeting, Regional Gatherings, Yonge St. Half Yearly Meeting

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Job Posting: Focus on Food Youth Interns

Our ten Focus on Food Interns are nearing the end of their six-month internship here at FoodShare as part of our Focus on Food Intern Project. The program hires ten Interns to work in either our commercial kitchen or Good Food program for six months. While they are here, they gain paid work experience prepping, cooking, serving and cleaning in the kitchen, as well as packing orders of fresh produce for markets, community agencies and schools.
Every Thursday, Interns participate in Life Skills programming, which include trainings such as First Aid, Food Handler’s Safety and WHMIS, as well as workshops on anti-racism, community accountability, budgeting, holistic nutrition, film making and team building. There is a focus on employability skills throughout and we work with other community organizations to ensure that each intern has the skills to create and update a resume as well as network, job search and give a great interview.
 
We have also been building partnerships with local businesses to increase the employment and community experience of our Interns. Each Intern has had the opportunity this session to spend a few days working at a partner location. Interns are able to try out a different work environment, build their resume with a new experience and create a network of community references that help them to find employment after leaving FoodShare. We continue to look for local businesses or community groups that would be willing to host an intern for a two week period to provide them with additional work experience, if this interests you please contact us to find out what’s involved.
Our current group finishes with us in the beginning of March and are currently looking for their next employment opportunity. If you have employment connections in kitchen, warehouse, office or community agency settings, get in touch with Luam Kidane, our Focus on Food Coordinator, to get more information on hiring an Intern.
As one group of Interns finish the six month programming, we will be looking for another group of 10 Interns. To be eligible for the Focus on Food program, Interns must:
  • Be between the ages of 15 – 30
  • Be currently unemployed
  • Have not completed high school
  • Not have received Employment Insurance in the last two years
  • Face systemic barriers to accessing long-term employment
For more information about how to hire Interns, to host an Intern, or the intake process for the next program please contact Luam Kidane at 416-363-6441 ext. 238.

Posted in: Work Opportunities

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