Western Half-Yearly Meeting: May 19-22, Sorrento, BC
The 2017 spring gathering of Western Half-Yearly Meeting will be held at Sorrento Centre in Sorrento, BC, from May 19-22. While the main gathering begins in the late afternoon on Friday, many Friends choose to arrive on Thursday evening to take advantage of the opportunity for some informal retreat time during the day on Friday. This year, as our Saturday evening event, WHYM will host the Sunderland P. Gardner Lecture with Steve Fick of Ottawa MM! See the description below. Because of this, we expect we’ll see a few Friends who have never attended Western Half Yearly Meeting before, as well as a few who’ve been away. We’re delighted to welcome you all.
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Falling into Grace – 2017 Sunderland P. Gardner Lecture by Steve Fick
Death will inevitably make us an offer that we cannot refuse—to surrender into the vastness of a power that is beyond our ability to comprehend. In the meantime, our daily life offers us ongoing opportunities to begin that process of surrender – to “die before we die,” and in so doing, to awaken to a deeper aliveness–a “falling into grace” that turns our mortality into a spiritual companion.
Our Quaker ancestors considered death to be a spiritual event that involved the whole community. When we hide death away, or treat it primarily as a medical event to be managed by professionals, we discourage the dying from doing the profound soul work they need to do as they prepare to enter into this great mystery. As well, the living are robbed of what the dying process might teach them.
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There will also be worship, balancing, special interest groups, Meeting for Worship for Business, plenty of time for fellowship, swimming in the lake (it’s cold!), walks in the woods, and all of the cherished traditions of Friends’ gatherings.
Click on the link below for registration information and forms. Note that registrations should be submitted by May 5th.
In the immortal words of Dennis the Menace, sometimes we forget that we’re talking to someone who doesn’t know what we’re talking about. Please be sure to reach out if you have questions about anything!
Contact the clerk, Stephanie Deakin, if you’d like to lead an event or activity during the day on Friday, a Special Interest Group, or with your questions.
WHYM is an intergeneration event with something for everyone. You are welcome here. I look forward to seeing you all in May!
In Friendship,
Stephanie Deakin Ricketts
Registration Information / Registration Form