New Meetings Project Coordinator Job Posting for FGC

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Friends General Conference (FGC) seeks a skilled and passionate New Meetings Project coordinator to join the ministries team. Please forward this information to anyone who you think might be interested or suitable.

Major responsibilities include designing and implementing the New Meetings Project, working with Friends interested in starting new worship groups, assembling best practices, nurturing the formation of a travel team, designing and conducting workshops, and passionately advocating for the creation of welcoming environments in new worship groups that are characterized by deep worship and a community grounded in Quaker practice.  Must enjoy being collaborative and be willing to travel weekends.  The position begins in September 2012. It is a full time, two-year position with excellent benefits and the possibility of renewal after two years based on funding availability.  This position is based in the FGC Philadelphia office.

Requirements: a firm foundation in modern Quaker faith, excellent presentation and writing skills, and proficiency with Microsoft Office applications are essential. A minimum of 1–3 years as a project coordinator is preferred. Familiarity with Salesforce is helpful. This is an exciting opportunity to engage in important ministerial work.

Application deadline is July 20. To apply, send a cover letter, resume, and three references to:

Deborah Fisch
FGC
1080 45th Street
Des Moines, IA 50311

Or by email to 

Youth Issue of the Canadian Friend is now available on-line!

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You can check it out here: https://quaker.ca/Publications/cfriend/CF_V108_3/CF.V108.3.pdf

Thanks to everyone who contributed and to Sherryll for all of her patience and hard work!

Pelham and Yonge Street HYM – June 2012 – Neekaunis – Saturday

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We gathered again Saturday morning for Breakfast.  Someone commented that while Friends are good at silence/stillness, when we’re not silent, we can be pretty chatty.

YAFs at Breakfast

AFs at Breakfast

Friends have been meeting at Camp Neekaunis for over 75 years, and it was very moving to see three generations feeling so at home here.  Yonge Street Half Yearly Meeting has been holding their spring HYM at camp for a number of years, but for friends from Pelham HYM, it was a long time since some had been at camp…and some had never experienced this beautiful location. 

Roger Davies, Halifax Monthly Meeting, offered a presentation on “Countering the Militarization of Youth”.  Small group discussion gave us time for exploration of this topic.  There were some Young Friends participating, and I would like to have heard more from their perspective.  Three Young Friends are currently attending War Resistors International Conference on Youth and Militarization!  One of them, Matthew Webb, was part of our discussion group, and spoke very passionately about his interest in the Conference.  I’m looking forward to hearing about the experience of those who attend.

Roger Davies, Halifax MM - Militarization of Youth

Friends Listening

In early afternoon, in Meeting for Worship, a Friend from each Monthly Meeting read the MM’s State of Society Report.  This was something I had not experienced before, and I was grateful to hear of the life of the Monthly Meetings.  I was particularly touched by those Meetings who were open about some of their challenges over the past year, and whose Report was held with tender witness by those present.

The two Half Yearly Meetings held separate Meetings for Worship with Attention to Business.  Each of the Clerks let me know the Meetings had approved minutes relating to transitional membership.  When I receive these, I’ll be posting them on these pages.

The evening program, an informal one, encouraged Friends to connect in small groups in whatever activities they found engaging.  Apparently board games (and other quiet games) are favorites, and there were plenty available for Friends to choose from.

Quaker Community

Enjoying the Company

Some Enjoyed Each Other's Stories

Some were seen (and heard) to "Rise up Singing"

WHYM – Spring 2012 – Sunday Worship

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Sunday morning we gathered for Worship, a group of young young Friends with some parents, held lovingly in our semi-circle.  The children coloured and played with some pipe cleaners brought from their gathering space.  Still in my memory –

A Friend’s ministry, “Pipe cleaners and Quakers have been around about the same length of time.  If pipe cleaners can survive in a technological age, so can we – if we have lots of colors”and another Friend adding, “…and be willing to be used in ways we couldn’t have imagined.”

Another Friend rising to share with us her experience of the faithful and tender loving care provided by the Curry-Dewar family to Lenore Price just before her death.

The ministry of music – “Love is flowing like a river”

…and the ministry of the children – subdued conversation with parents, sounds of babes.

and gratitude for my Faith Community.

Young Women Peace Makers Summer Camps

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Are you a young woman between 15 and 35 years of age?  Do you want to strengthen your  peacemaking skills and develop your understanding of women’s contribution to peacebuilding? Are you willing to commit to working a few hours per month for peace over the next year?  If you answered yes to these questions, we invite you to fill out the application form or contact the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace office at (416) 603-7915 or by email

We invite young women from a diversity of backgrounds to apply.   What matters most is your interest and enthusiasm for raising your voice for peace!

Participants will learn the history of women’s role in peacebuilding and the track record of change under UN Resolution 1325.  Camp sessions will include tools for conflict analysis and creative conflict resolution skills, as well as training in an interactive play reading dialogue format.  We ask participants to commit to organizing two events in their campus or in their community in the coming year.  This could include a play reading of 1325: the Key to Peace, which will be part of the camp experience. Participants are invited to take part in follow up conference calls on a monthly basis over the coming year, to summer of 2013.  Our goal is to support young women who anticipate staying involved in peacebuilding work with Voice of Women for Peace.  Participants may receive  additional funding support to participate in the VOW AGM and conference this fall, (in November) and/or to attend the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women next March. 

Please go to our website vowpeace.org and fill out the application form and send by email to or by post to Voice of Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, 761 Queen Street West, Suite 203, Toronto, ON, M6J 1G1

Applications must be received not later than June 15, 2012

 Sunday, August 19th – Wednesday, August 22nd  in Ontario

Camp Neekaunis, Sturgeon Bay, near Waubaushene, ON  http://neekaunis.org/.
Cost is on a sliding scale of $75 to  $150.00 including all meals and accommodation and transportation from Toronto. Note: value of camp is $250.  We can offer subsidized spaces thanks to the generous support of the Canadian Auto Workers.