CYM eNewsletter March 2023 🐇

Brown background with text reading "Quakers in Canada: News from around Canadian Yearly Meeting." Most of the text is yellow, but the Q is pale green.

Dear Friends,

Spring is beginning to spring, and your e-newsletter editor invites you to go stand in a sunbeam or stare suspiciously at a flower.

On behalf of Publications & Communications Committee, I want to bid a fond farewell to stalwart Quaker.ca and The Canadian Friend Editor Tim Kitz, who wraps up his years of service with CYM at the end of this month. Tim's patience, humour, occasional perfectionism, and musical stylings will be missed! Quaker.ca editing responsibilities will be assumed by CYM's new Communications Coordinator, Holly Spencer; Publications & Communications Committee is undertaking some discernment regarding the structure of editorship for The Canadian Friend, and anticipates recruiting a new Editor in coming months. Farewell messages to Tim can be sent to pubcom-clerk@quaker.ca and will be forwarded on.

Thank you for reading Canadian Yearly Meeting's monthly electronic newsletter—we're glad to have you! If you know others who might like to receive this, please feel free to forward this message so that other friends can subscribe at the link below. Your help in connecting Friends across the country is deeply appreciated!

If you'd like to contribute to the newsletter, email newsletter@quaker.ca by the 15th of the month. We may not be able to fit all contributions in, but we'll try!

Sign up

March updates on Annual Gathering, July 8-13th, 2023

The schedule for the 2023 Annual Gathering is posted!

See the CYM Yearly Meeting in Session webpages for details about the Gathering July 8 - 13, this year online and in-person in Winnipeg.

Follow the links to see information about

–the schedule;

–the Sunderland P Gardner Lecture and Lecturer–Truth and Reconciliation: a personal view from 60 years of learning Cree culture, by Hamilton Monthly Meeting’s Dick Preston;

–the Quaker Study (Living the Testimonies with J. Brent Bill);

–the revitalized Children and Youth Programming (with St John’s Worship Group’s and fan favorite Nathalie Brunet);

–and new this year for in-person attenders, the morning Community Gathering.

Registration details will follow in April.

Children and Youth Program

Interested in participating in the Children and Youth Program at the Gathering? If you want to talk about what’s in store for your little ones, contact Nathalie directly at YouthProgram@quaker.ca. If you’re thinking you might like to volunteer some time to the program, check out the opportunities.

For emerging information

Ground travel options for attending CYM-in-session (would you like to volunteer?)

Are you interested in attending CYM-in-session without flying? Chris Hitchcock has kindly put together some information on ground transportation for attending CYM-in-session this July. See the link below for information on the Via Rail schedule and options.

More frequent service is available through the US using Amtrak. Grand Forks, ND is the closest Amtrak station to Winnipeg, but there is no public transportation. In order for this to be a viable option, we would need a volunteer to coordinate and arrange for transportation to Winnipeg, which is about 3 hours drive away.

If you can be that volunteer--who coordinates ride shares, perhaps coordinates the hiring of a charter bus, and works to coordinate a ride for Friends who would like to choose Amtrak--please email program-clerk@quaker.ca

Find out more

An old-fashioned train, which is black and red, goes through an atmospheric forest.

April 5th: A (Quaker) talk on green death care

As part of Atlantic Half Yearly Meeting's Peace and Justice speaker series, on April 5th at 3 p.m. PDT (4 p.m. MDT, 5 p.m. CDT, 6 p.m. EDT, 7 p.m. ADT, 7:30 p.m. NDT), Maria Recchia will talk about her research and budding experience in the green death care movement. We will discuss green burial and home funerals in particular with lots of time for questions and discussion.

Maria is a member of New Brunswick Monthly Meeting and lives in a rural area outside of St. Andrews NB. She became interested in death care after accompanying and caring for her father in his last few months of life. As a homesteader and animist, Maria strives to live in intimate relationship with the natural world and wants her death to reflect how she lives her life. This has brought her on a journey of discovery into death care alternatives that suit her beliefs and lifestyle. Maria has guided 3 families to care for their beloved dead at home with home funerals. She is also working to start a green burial ground initiative in her home community.

To request the Zoom link, click the link below or email Mel Earley, Halifax MM, at melearley550@gmail.com

Click here

Canadian Friends Service Committee is hiring--apply by April 11th!

CFSC is hiring for an exciting new position: a Government Relations Representative!

"The Government Relations Representative is responsible for representing Friends’ (Quakers) interests in Ottawa. This is a dynamic position that requires the implementation of a government relations strategy, cultivating relationships with elected officials, senators, staffers, civil servants, and other relevant stakeholders in Ottawa. The position requires a self-starter excited about representing the different areas of work of CFSC. The position will work collaboratively and closely with our existing staff team."

This position is full time, and open to those based in Ottawa or willing to relocate to Ottawa. Read the full job description and application information at the link below.

"Apply now" is written on a small chalkboard, with a succulent in a teacup, a pen, some clips, and a calculator sitting in front of it.

Quakers Australia is hiring--apply by May 5th

Quakers Australia is hiring a Communications & Publicity Manager to help them communicate a vision of a more peaceful, just and inclusive world.

They are looking for a suitably qualified person to coordinate external communication for Quakers Australia, including media, releases, videos and work with social media.

It is important that you are in sympathy with Quaker values and have the ability to work with a range of willing volunteers., including committees.

The contract is for 17 hrs per week at a rate of AU$40 per hour. The work can be undertaken from your home whether in Australia or overseas. The position starts August 1^st, 2023.

Atlantic Friends Gathering 2023, May 19-22: registration now open!

Registration is now open for AFG 2023! The Gathering will be held in person at Camp Geddie, Merigomish, NS, on the Victoria Day weekend (Friday, May 19—Monday, May 22). There will be a Zoom option covering the main elements of the program for those unable to attend in person. For full information and online registration, go to https://atlantic.quaker.ca/afg. Friends preferring to register instead by mail, email or phone are invited to contact Matthew Hayes, Registrar, at 263 St. Peters Rd., Sydney, NS, B1P 4R2 / mattymhayes@gmail.com / 403-678-1483.

The theme this year is “Delights of the Spirit,” which will offer a variety of creative activities, including crafts, music, nature, literary, and meditative activities, both indoors and outdoors. There will also be a Children’s Program (babes to teens), Family Night (creative entertainment), other communal program elements, and of course Meeting for Worship.

If you would like financial support to attend, we strongly encourage you to ask! Please contact your Monthly Meeting first, then CYM Education & Outreach or directly to the AFG Planning Committee. We desire no barriers to Friends attending AFG.

For general enquiries about the weekend or to request financial support, please email the committee at afg-contact@atlantic.quaker.ca.

AFG website

A group of kids (and a couple adults, one of whom is playing a guitar) are at the front of a room, with an audience set up to face them.

Readout on Feb. 24th's Sharing Our News event

For those who weren't able to make it to CYM's Sharing Our News event, Marilyn Manzer has kindly prepared a readout.

"An online meeting was held on February 24^th, 2023 where representatives of 15 of the 25 Monthly Meetings that comprise Canadian Yearly Meeting shared news while many other Friends listened. Coping with the covid pandemic over the last three years was a central theme [...]"

A slightly blurred grid of Quakers on a Zoom call, in gallery mode. You can see that some people have their cameras off but most have them on, and three people have their hands up.

Woodbrooke Study Centre closing; courses continuing online

"Citing financial straits, the trustees of Woodbrooke, an international Quaker learning and research organization based in Britain, have decided to cease holding classes at the Woodbrooke Centre estate in Birmingham, UK, as of October 31, 2023, according to a statement and minute from the board. The trustees will transfer stewardship of the historic manor house and grounds to the Bournville Village Trust. The 120-year-old Friends study organization will continue to offer virtual courses."

Woodbrooke Study Centre, which is a large and low brick building, sits behind a green lawn and some gardens.

Reminder: March & April: Black Quaker Lives Matter Film Festival

The Black Quaker Lives Matter film festival has already begun, but there are still several events you can join in this "groundbreaking exploration of Black Friends who made a difference throughout both USA and world history." Screenings dedicated to Quakers of Color are being held from 4 February to 8 April, starting at 10am PST, 11am MST, 12pm CST, 1pm EST, 2pm AST, and 2:30pm NST.

A group of Black people chat into megaphones. Text is superimposed, reading "The Black Quaker Lives Matter Film Festival & Forum."

Reminder: nomination season is here!

CYM's updated nominations package is now available. If you know of anyone who would be great in a given role, are looking for your next volunteer gig, or even just want to take a look under the hood at the variety of positions that keep CYM going, have a browse. Nominations are discerned by your Monthly Meeting or the relevant CYM Committee, so bring nominations to your Monthly Meeting, or contact nominating-clerk@quaker.ca if you aren't connected to a local Meeting.

A white mug full of coffee sits on a dark wood table. The mug has a small star on it and the words "what good shall I do this day?"

Reminder: Camp NeeKauNis Camp House Rentals

Camp NeeKauNis is a Quaker camp located on traditional Wendat (Huron) and Anishinaabe land, near Waubaushene, Ontario (about 90 min north of Toronto).

Cozy up this winter at the Camp House - now available for rentals!

The Camp House can accomodate 4-6 people with 2 bedrooms, each with a double bed, and a pull out couch by the wood stove. Fire wood is provided and the kitchen is fully equipped. The main property is available for your use - whether that be getting out for a fall walk or enjoying stargazing at night. No matter the weather you will have a warm place to snuggle up and dry off if needed. The Camp house has great spaces for relaxing, reading, doing puzzles or arts & crafts and for playing games as a group!

If you are interested in booking the Camp House for day, weekend, or weekly use please contact Milena at camp.neekaunis@gmail.com to book. She will be able to tell you what to expect, and what to bring.

Please note that our frugal prices are based on cost-recovery and we don't have cleaners so we expect our guests to clean the house before departing.

Day use with house access: $50; Overnight: $125; Weekly (7 nights): $750.

We hope you'll consider the NeeKauNis Camp House for your next getaway!

Email Milena

The beginning of the trail down to the waterfront at Camp NeeKauNis - a rough looking wood railing in a forest.

Reminder: 2023 CYM dates to remember:

Saturday 27 May: CYM Representative Meeting
Saturday to Thursday 8–13 July: CYM Hybrid 2023 CYM Gathering
Saturday 30 September: CYM Meeting for Worship for Business
Saturday 18 November: CYM Representative Meeting · Saturday 2 December: CYM Representative Meeting

View calendar

A laptop with the screen reading "Welcome to CYM 2020, Online at Quaker.ca/yearlymeetinginsession" in gray and black and blue lettering.

You can support CYM!

Your donations help make CYM's activities possible, from holding CYM in session, to running online courses, to sending Friends to represent us at wider Quaker bodies.

Donate

A person holds their palms together with three lit tealights in them. Reflections bounce around. You can only see the person's palms, not the rest of them.