Dear Friends Everywhere,
The Legacy Gift Committee of New England Yearly Meeting is pleased to announce Yearly Meeting grants from Witness & Ministry and Futures Funds for spring 2024 in support of inspiring witness, ministry, and facility improvements.
From the Witness & Ministry Fund
$10,000 to support the humanitarian ministry of Kenneth Glover of North Shore Friends Meeting, in concert with Joseph Varga, on their fourth trip to Ukraine since the all-out war began in February 2022. These funds may be used for their travel expenses to carry out this ministry and/or to provide nutritional assistance and medicine to the children of four Ukrainian orphanages, one community of 55 refugees and Roma Children and elderly (or as way opens). We recognize that the trip provides an opportunity to extend the hand of friendship and solidarity internationally of which distribution of humanitarian aid is only a part.
$9,000 to Sarah Allen of Friends Meeting Cambridge, to connect with Friends who have ministry related to Quaker family violence, healing from trauma, and conflict transformation. She will highlight specific hard-to-find Quaker writings that address this tender concern, including opportunities for Friends to gather in a safe space for reflection.
$3,000 to Mary Chenaille of Worcester Friends Meeting, to support Mary’s leading to partake in “Participating in God’s Power,” a year-long spiritual deepening and action-focused program offered through the School of the Spirit.
$10,000 to Anna Fritz, of Multnomah Friends Meeting in Oregon, to partially fund a performance tour of New England correctional facilities and neighboring communities, bringing a production of An Iliad from Portland, Oregon. This theatrical work is a modern retelling of Homer’s ancient epic with one actor and an original score for cello and voice, followed by facilitated conversations with audiences about cycles of violence, trauma, displacement, and hope for healing.
$1,000 to Glenna McKitterick of Fresh Pond Monthly Meeting, to help Glenna complete on-campus training in Group Spiritual Direction, achieving the guidelines of the Shalem model of Group Spiritual Direction which utilizes interfaith concepts of Quaker principles, processes, and clearness committee.
From the Futures Fund (via Salem Quarter funds)
$3,000 to Beacon Hill Friends House to launch a new program, “Making Queer Quaker History,'' shedding light on the role of Quakers in queer liberation work and the pathways for LGBTQ+ acceptance within Quakerism. The program will include nine public events, a retreat, production of shareable content, and an exhibition at Beacon Hill Friends House. Funds will support participant access to the programs.
$10,000 to Quaker City Unity Friends Meeting toward replacing the roof as part of maintaining their 1820 meetinghouse to continue to offer Meeting for Worship and other social events that reflect Quaker faith and practice as a beacon of hope and love within the community and the surrounding area.
Future funding cycles
We usually announce our next funding cycle application deadline at this time. However the Legacy Gift Fund is up for review of its initial 10 years this summer, as planned by the Yearly Meeting (see Minute 2014-62). The future of the funds will be up to Friends' discernment, with divine guidance, at Sessions in August. Please stay tuned and connected for further developments. If continuation of the Legacy grants goes forward, a fall application date will be announced here.
If you have questions about any part of the Legacy grant program, please contact the co-clerks at [email protected].
Yours in the Light,
Mary Link and Sue Rockwood, co-clerks
NEYM Legacy Gift Committee: Sarah Gant (Beacon Hill), Mary Link (Mt Toby), Lori Martin (New Haven), Karen Reixach (Keene), Sue Rockwood (Midcoast), Jennie Isbell-Shinn (Mt Toby); ex officio: Rebecca Leuchak (Providence) NEYM Clerk.