Anchor Groups

In this our Jubilee Year, Friends will gather at Sessions eager for opportunities for deep spiritual sharing and connection. Anchor Groups will act as an important part of our Yearly Meeting experience, providing a place to return to each day for grounding and sharing. In a year of Jubilee celebration and change, they will gather us together to exchange ideas, share activities and worship.

GROUP SIZE: There will be 12-14 members assigned to each group with an effort made to have a diverse mix in age, geographical location and interests in each group. Assignments to the Anchor Groups will be made as people register for Sessions through a process developed by members of the Anchor Group Planning Team.

GROUP LEADERS: Leaders will be recruited from seasoned Yearly Meeting Friends with a special focus on having YAF leadership. Preparation for leaders will include advance reading and a Saturday afternoon orientation meeting at the start of Sessions. The Anchor Group Planning Team will keep in touch with Group Leaders individually and through a brief daily meeting if appropriate.

SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS: Anchor Groups will meet once a day during Sessions, beginning with Saturday night after the opening Yearly Meeting gathering. They would then meet Sunday through Wednesday Afternoons at 1:30pm, with the Sunday and Monday afternoon meetings as small group follow-up sessions to the Jubilee Seminar plenary presentations by Viv Hawkins and Keith Harvey.

CONTENT: The Opening Night of Sessions, Anchor Groups should be structured with activities that will help group members get to know each other and feel comfortable in their groups. After that, we believe it is crucial to allow individual Anchor Groups to develop their own agendas and styles. The Anchor Group Planning Team will have suggestions for discussion topics and activities if group leaders request them.