 March/April 2000 (XXXVIII 2) |
iddle School Friends have been busy this school year! We did a Friends Workcamp in September, had our annual Halloween gathering at Burlington Meeting House (NJ), a service day, coffeehouse and overnight at Chester Meeting (PA), and then we went back to Burlington for "December Celebrations." We were at Wilmington Meeting (DE) in February for the One World Peace Gathering. There have been many meals shared, games played, songs sung and new friends made. Thanks to Burlington Meeting House Director Barbara Hayes for her support and encouragement and to Chester and Wilmington Meetings for having us!
We are getting ready for a big Yearly Meeting program at Friends Center the weekend of March 24-26 and the Middle School Friends Arts Camp (co-led by Caln Quarter Youth Coordinator Maggie Vlasits) August 13-18 at Burlington with theater, giant puppet building, juggling, singing, a clay workshop, a day at the beach and more! We are looking for high school age and young adult counselors, so if you know of anyone who might be interested steer them our way.
Something in the works as well is a curriculum on rites of passage. We are very interested in helping Meetings create a structured program for older young people. We will research rites of other faiths, incorporate the innovative things Friends are already doing, and do some good thinking about what more we can expect from, ask of and offer our young people. If you are interested in working on this exciting project please contact me!
Finally, another wonderful opportunity to create excellent youth programming is to join the Middle School Friends Working Group. This is your chance to shape religious education for the wonderful 11-14-year-olds of PYM and to support and guide my work. We need and value your input. You can contact me via e-mail at melanied@pym.org or by phone at 215-241-7171.
Melanie Douty
Radnor Meeting (PA)
PYM Middle School Friends Program Coordinator
Last modified: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:18 AM