The Canadian Friend is looking for an editor!

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Calling all creative minds and editing enthusiasts! Canadian Yearly Meeting (CYM) is embarking on an exciting journey to redefine The Canadian Friend, our cherished publication. We are searching for an Editor who can infuse it with a vibrant and profound spiritual essence. If you’re passionate about nurturing faith communities and eager to contribute to Quaker life in Canada, this is the opportunity for you!

Read and download the Request for Proposal here.

To be part of this project, you must meet the following criteria:

  1. Editing expertise: Bring your experience in editing publications, planning content, and providing editorial guidance. Familiarity with working alongside volunteer authors is a plus!
  2. Master of logistics: Take charge of the production and distribution process. Liaise with printers and mailing houses, ensuring smooth coordination and up-to-date subscriber lists.
  3. Quaker fluency: Immerse yourself in the world of Quakerism, understanding the unique terminology and tone that resonates with our community.
  4. Collaborative spirit: Communicate effectively with CYM staff, volunteer committees, and Quakers from diverse backgrounds, fostering a sense of unity and shared vision.
  5. Portfolio and references: Impress us with three samples of your past work and provide references for similar projects you’ve undertaken.

We want to hear your vision and plans for The Canadian Friend.

Send your questions to by December 15th. You must submit proposals in one PDF form to by January 15th. Include “RFP Canadian Friend” in the subject line and include your business name and contact information in the body of the message.

We very much look forward to hearing from you.

RFP Timeline:

  • RFP distribution: November 15th, 2023
  • Deadlines for questions: December 15th, 2023
  • Answers to questions: January 8th, 2024
  • RFP submissions close: January 15th, 2024
  • Notification to shortlisted vendors: February 2nd, 2024
  • Vendor presentations: Week commencing February 5th, 2024
  • Vendor selection: Selection by February 16th, 2024

Course: Renewing Quaker Community with Ben Pink Dandelion

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Canadian Yearly Meeting Education & Outreach and Woodbrooke Quaker Studies are partnering to bring Canadian Friends:  Renewing Quaker Community with Ben Pink Dandelion

Does it ever feel like Quakers are shrinking?

Have you felt frustrated that there is more we can do as Quakers to spread the light? Do you want to gain momentum?

Please consider Renewing Quaker Community with Ben Pink Dandelion

In this workshop led by UK Woodbrooke Quaker Studies tutor and author Ben Pink Dandelion, we’ll explore heartfelt moments of exploration around our Quaker communities. Ben will share his deep-felt experience with Quaker faith and practice over many decades. We will also share ideas on how Meetings might gain some momentum on renewal at a time of great change. We’ll be reflecting together on some of the essential parts of the Quaker tradition in small group discussions.

This workshop is comprised of four sessions that will be approximately 1.5 hours in duration.

Event dates:

January 13, 2024

February 17, 2024

March 16, 2024

April 20 2024

Anticipated course times:

1:30pm Newfoundland/Labrador Time

1:00pm Atlantic Time

12:00pm Eastern Time

11:00am Central Time

10:00am Mountain Time

9:00am Pacific Time

Toward CYM Gathering 2024 at Camp NeeKauNis:  You’re Invited

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Dear Friends, 

Many of you will have heard the news that CYM Gathering 2024 will take place at Camp NeeKauNis July 24 – 31, 2024.

To jump start our planning, CYM Program Committee invites Friends to join in a test Zoom (Zest) meeting on Saturday, October 21, 2023.  We will be at Camp NeeKauNis to explore Camp’s facilities and try out Camp’s internet connectivity.   The meeting link is below. 

Please spread the word and share the Zoom link. 

While we’re online, we’ll look at the facilities through photos and videos, peek at what the Children and Youth Program might have in store, and take the time to visit and share thoughts together. 

Children and young people are especially invited to hear from Nathalie Brunet and share ideas about planning a program that will be engaging and fun.  This conversation will take place early in the meeting. 

We know you have questions about the Camp, its facilities and how a blended Gathering might work from the shores of Georgian Bay. We won’t have all (or even most of!)  the answers by October 21, but please join us as we begin the planning. 

We envision a CYM Gathering that builds a community, for both those on site and those online.

The more people who join us in this Zoom meeting, the better for our test and for our planning.

Program Committee 2024 

Sheila Havard, Laurel Beyer, Nathalie Brunet (Children and Youth Program Coordinator), Gwen Anderson (Co-Clerk), Barbara Horvath (Co-Clerk)

 
Our Zoom test Meeting is Saturday, October 21, 2023 

10:30 am Pacific

11:30 am Mountain

12:30 pm Central

1:30 pm Eastern

2:30 pm Atlantic

3:00 pm Newfoundland

 

Zoom link:

Meeting ID: 827 9556 9469

Passcode: 182048

Sharing our Vision: CYM Annual Gathering

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A threshing session provides an opportunity, guided by the Spirit, to ask questions, as well as to state a position or express a point of view.

It is an opportunity to explore all our options deeply and thoughtfully. It is a process through which Friends are invited to speak plainly and truthfully about their questions and concerns. No decisions are made at threshing session(s). The threshing session(s) will help prepare us for decision-making when the Meeting is ready for that phase.

The Canadian Meeting Yearly Clerks and Program Committee call you to engage with the threshing process as the Yearly Meeting discerns the future direction for our annual gatherings. Plans are well underway for the 2024 gathering.  These threshing sessions are concerned with the following years.

All ways forward require that we make choices.

We have in recent past experienced our annual gathering in many different ways: fallow, where we did not meet at all (2017); traditionally in-person (2018, 2019); online, both in a very simple version (2020) and in increasingly sophisticated versions (2021, 2022); and blended, with in-person and online components (2023).

What do we seek now from our practice of coming together each year? How shall we gather in ways that harbour loving consideration for our Meeting, community, and shared home on earth? 

The Threshing Sessions are a collaboration of the CYM Clerks and Program Committee, with the support of the Continuing Meeting of Ministry and Counsel. These sessions were originally planned for Autumn 2023, though timing considerations put them in January 2024.

Please mark the dates and plan to attend. 

Two sessions are scheduled to allow Friends a choice between a weekend afternoon or a weekday evening:

Saturday January 20

  • 2:30-4:30pm Newfoundland and Labrador
  • 2:00-4:00pm Atlantic
  • 1:00-3:00pm Eastern
  • 12:00-2:00pm Central
  • 11:00am-1:00ppm Mountain
  • 10:00am-12:00pm Pacific

Monday January 22

  • 9:00-11:00 pm Newfoundland and Labrador
  • 8:30-10:30 pm Atlantic
  • 7:30-9:30 pm Eastern
  • 6:30-8:30 pm Central
  • 5:30 pm-7:30 pm Mountain
  • 4:30 pm-6:30 pm Pacific

The Zoom link for both sessions:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/9061076645?pwd=MlVraDRTaWgwOXhvSXVEMk5RbS9Ydz09

Meeting ID: 906 107 6645

Passcode: CYM1955