Standing
Committee on Education Children's
Religious Education Programs
Dear Expediters,
Many thanks to you for passing on new ideas, ways to delegate RE work, and PYM Youth events to your Meeting’s First-day teachers. Please alert families in your Meeting to the truly excellent programs, which will be provided for their children and young people during Yearly Meeting Sessions, March 21-25, 2002, at Arch Street Meeting House. A new feature this year is a program on Saturday March 24 just for 6th-8th graders, who do not feel ready yet to participate in the Middle School overnight program at Friends Center. Early in February, we will send you information to distribute for the Children’s Program and registration forms.
Marty Smith, editor
martys@pym.org
Children’s Program Planning Begins
Brenda Rose Simkin, Children’s Program Assistant, will begin working in the Religious Education Office this month and can be reached by phone or voice mail at 215-241-7075. She will be happy to receive your suggestions for the March 2002 Children's Program, your offers of assistance, or answer questions about what is going to happen from March 21-25, 2002 at Arch Street Meeting House. We are delighted to have Brenda Rose with us again! You can contact Brenda Rose at: (215) 241-7075 or e-mail: brendar@pym.org.Defining Quaker Behavior
Here is an idea submitted to Britain Yearly Meeting by Chris Lawson, Bournville, as a way to involve first through eighth graders in a lively discussion of what it means to be a Quaker: Put into a bag several statements, which can be grouped under three headings: Quakers should, Quakers shouldn’t, some Quakers do. The statements can be completed (in advance, either by the teacher or by students) as follows: “… collect Pokemon cards”; “… join the army”; … go to Meeting every week”, etc. One at a time students pull statements out of the bag, read them aloud, and then ask their peers if they agree. This should raise some useful discussion about how we can view things in a variety of ways. (from Winter 2000-2001 Issue of CYPC Tips)Slap Your Sides - to Help Quaker Youth Choose
M.E. Kerr has written a captivating novel set during World War II, which weaves around the love story of the youngest brother of Jobal Shoemaker. Jobal makes a decision to witness to his Quaker beliefs by becoming a conscientious objector. Life in the quiet Pennsylvania town will never be the same for the Shoemaker family. Jobal’s younger brother is shunned by his girl friend’s family and his father’s business suffers seriously. Although the consequences of Jobal’s decision are somewhat overstated in Slap Your Sides, this book, written for an adolescent audience, is well worth reading aloud to a junior or senior high First-day class or given to a young person in the throws of deciding what steps to take in response to violence or war. Available for purchase from Borders Bookstore, or on loan from the PYM library 1 (800) 220-0796, # 7220.Independence Mall Vigil for Peace
On April 4, 1999, a collection of individual Friends felt moved to witness for peace when the U.S. engaged in fighting in Kosovo. They met again the next Sunday, silently praying for an hour on the sidewalk in front of the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. Each week since then, Friends and people of other faiths have gathered at Independence Mall, on Sunday evenings from 4:00 p.m. to 5 p.m. to worship for peace in the world and in our lives. They welcome all those who care to join them. See the Dec. 29, 2001 article in the Philadelphia Sunday Inquirer.
Perhaps a young person in your meeting or you would like to join in this witness for peace. Parking is available at the Arch Street Meeting House, a few blocks away at 4th and Arch Sts.Lectures on Underground Railroad
Drexel University is sponsoring a series of 10 weekly lectures beginning on January 10, 2002 through March 7 on the Underground Railroad. For more information please call the Quaker Information Center at: 215-241-7241. You may also visit the Drexel web site: www.library.drexel.edu/research/uninv24/underground
Children: Kg.-5th grades
March 21-25, 2002 at Arch Street Meetinghouse. Stimulating and enjoyable programs during adult sessions around the theme of Losses and Healings. On Saturday afternoon, Tony Vacca will involve children in the healing aspects of music through drumming and will be the featured percussionist/drummer that evening. Look for registration materials in the February RE mailing; register by March15th.Middle School: 6th-8th grades
January 18-20, 2002. Peace Gathering at Princeton Meeting (NJ). Middle Schoolers will learn how to cope with, face, and transform difficult situations creatively through a humor workshop and a shortened Alternatives to
Violence training. Cost is $45.00. For details or to register, call or E-mail Melanie Douty at (215) 241-7171; melanied@pym.orgYoung Friends: 9th-12th grade.
Young Friends Peace Gathering at Burlington Meeting House, New Jersey. Young Friends will learn really useful skills like how to defend oneself, chill out, settle disputes or conflicts without the use of violence, and stand up for what’s right. George Lakey will lead Young Friends out of his extensive experience in working with Training for Change. Call or E-mail Cookie Caldwell for details at (215) 241-7222; cookiec@pym.org.
January 2002
Staying Connected with Young Adult Friends
What follows is one way to involve all ages in a project, which includes members of our Quaker community, even if they are not physically present.
Schuylkill Meeting “lost” several Young Friends to college this fall. The Meeting prepared “care packages” to send in October after the initial excitement of being away at college had worn off. The boxes included a copy of “Faith and Practice” and an Oxford Annotated Bible (signed by members and attenders with greetings and wishes) as well as other goodies such as phone cards, laundry bags, bathroom caddies, bubbles, journals, and a box of Quaker Oats!. We had a lot of fun putting these “care packages” together. And our Young Friends really appreciated knowing that they are still very much a part of our Meeting. We have even gotten some “thank you” notes!
Thanks, Becky Rutherford of Schuylkill Meeting, for giving us this great Nifty Idea.
P. S.: Something else, which young people living away from home enjoy, is Meeting-baked goods (these could be included in the “care package”). One class, or the whole meeting, depending on its size, could be involved in this part of the project.
Published by Religious Education Concerns Group, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
Office: 1515 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102
Marty Smith: (215) 241-7008 (E-mail: martys@pym.org);
Cookie Caldwell: (215) 241-7222 (e-mail: cookiec@pym.org);
Melanie Douty: (215) 241-7171 (e-mail: melanied@pym.org);
Mary Anne Crowley: (215) 241-7221 (e-mail: maryc@pym.org);
Gene Hillman: (215) 241-7182 (e-mail: geneh@pym.org)
or: 1-800-220-0796, with the appropriate extension number.
Last modified: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 at 04:23 PM
