Details
Do you serve your local Quaker meeting? Are you looking to connect with others serving in similar roles to discuss challenges and explore best practices? Join us for Meeting Care Day, an in-person event featuring multiple workshop options related to specific service areas. Before and after the morning and afternoon workshop sessions, we will gather for worship and fellowship, making for an energizing day.
Schedule
- 9:00 Arrivals, fellowship, coffee & refreshments
- 9:30 Welcome & opening worship
- 10:15 Part one workshops
- 11:45 Lunch (bring your own)
- 12:45 Part two of workshops
- 2:15 break
- 2:30 Closing worship
- 3:00 Goodbyes
Workshops
All workshops are three hours, broken into two 90-minute sessions. Participants choose one workshop to participate in throughout the day. This year, participants can choose from one of three workshops:
Quaker Group Discernment: Clerking, recording, and active participation
Join New England Friends’ new Presiding Clerk Phillip Veatch (Fresh Pond) and other Friends to develop and deepen skills in Quaker group discernment and decision-making processes used in our meetings, organizations, and committees including the particular functions of clerk and recording clerk. This workshop is designed to be of use to both those new to and experienced with Friends’ practices. Whether you are currently serving as clerk or recording clerk in a local meeting or on a committee or you are hoping to strengthen your participation in discernment outside a particular role, you are welcome.
Emerging Conversations About Ministry and Eldership in Our Meetings
What conversations regarding ministry and eldership are happening (or not happening) in our meetings? What guidance, practices, and resources are Friends able to offer one another in seeking to enrich the spiritual life within our meetings? What new challenges and opportunities are emerging, as we live into these unsettled times? Whether you serve on your meeting’s Ministry & Counsel committee or otherwise hold a concern for the spiritual health of your meeting, we invite you to join an exploratory conversation and resource-sharing opportunity. Facilitated by Janet Hough (Cobscook), clerk, NEYM Ministry & Counsel.
Setting the Table for Newcomers
In each of our local communities, there are spiritually hungry seekers yearning to connect. How can we extend a living invitation and set the table to feed newcomers and long-time Friends alike? Join us for a conversation about outreach, welcome, religious education, building belonging, renewal, and change in our Friends communities. Conversation starters will include Emily Mason who followed a leading to begin the Orchard Hill Worship Group in New Hampshire and Phil Fitz who was led to develop the Elements of Quakerism course to move Friends past Quakerism 101 in his home meeting in Northampton, MA and beyond, and Regina McCarthy who has been a part of Wellesley Meeting's varied efforts to welcome newcomers and families. Facilitated by Program Director Nia Thomas (Northampton).
Please note the Best Practices in Nominating workshop has been canceled. If you were hoping to participate and would like to receive the workshop materials, please contact Program Director Nia Thomas.
Ready to register? Go here.
Questions or suggestions? Contact Program Director Nia Thomas.
