Middle
School Friends gathering goes really well!
January 25-27, 2008,
BULLYING...
How to survive and stay PEACEFUL!
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Not the catchiest title, I know, but it's
the truth! It went really, really well. The Middle School
Friends of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting gathered from Friday,
January 25th to Sunday, January 27th to discuss the topic
of bullying, and to enjoy each other's fellowship and support
in the process. We had an amazing 35 MSers, and a waiting
list of 9! The 35 lucky folks who did get to come are from
19 different meetings stretching from as far away as Lancaster
and Reading in PA, Quakertown NJ, Third Haven MD, and Wilmington
DE. What a variety! We truly benefited from everyone's presence.
Friday evening included our usual array of
getting-to-know-you games, guidelines, and small group worship
sharing. The small groups also tackled a tinker toy project:
together as a group, they constructed a tinker toy piece
without speaking. We had some very interesting "community
art" return to the dining hall after small group time!!
Saturday was all about the topic of bullying.
We split into two groups - one was all boys, the other all
girls. The boys spent the morning with Nate Terrell, from
Organizational Growth, Inc, and they talked and role-played
around useful strategies for dealing with bullies. The girls
did small-group and large-group discussion about self-identity
and bullying issues with Laura Taylor from Media-Providence
Friends School. Both groups had valuable sessions, that
helped them prepare their thoughts for the afternoon.
In the afternoon (AFTER a roaring game of
capture the flag down at the river, that is), we again split
up into girls and boys groups. Each group rotated between
Sarah Halley from Playback Theater for Change, and a "personal
shield making" activity run by our very own MSF assistant,
Gabe Hirsch.
The personal shields activity led by Gabe
was an artistic way of expressing the positive aspects of
who each person is as an individual - this was helpful for
boosting people's confidence. Strong self-confidence is
a highly-recommended antidote to bullying.
Sarah did improvisational theater workshops
with each group around everyone's personal bullying stories
and experiences. Each group split into small groups, and
each of those produced a skit telling someone's true story
about bullying. At the end of the afternoon, the boys and
girls groups got back together as one whole community, and
each small group performed their skit for everyone else.
There were about 5 or 6 boys' stories, and 5 or 6 girls'
stories. We learned a lot about each other through the sharing
of these stories in the final hour.
When we got to the evening, it was time to
go ice skating!! Off we went, and had a great time. Our
icy experience was complimented by soft pretzels (thank
you Ventina!!!) and small hot chocolates. It was a really
fun way to end what had been a fairly intense day.
On Sunday morning, we had all the usual cleaning
up to get through, and then it was time for the traditional
MSF Meeting for Worship for Business. Our clerk, Stephen,
guided us through reviewing the guidelines, choosing exciting
games to add to our program supplies, choosing some folks
to write a piece about MSF for Friends Journal (at FJ's
invitation!), and finally, filling out a feedback form about
the weekend, so that we know what was good, and where we
need to do better. Phew! That was plenty of business for
us, and so it was on to our final small group worship sharing
time.
The weekend finished up with games down at
the river, and a final meeting for worship with parents
and friends. It was a serious program topic this weekend
that our younger Friends approached with due diligence and
concern, but also it was a joyous community, who truly reveled
and thrived in each other's company.
Can't wait to see everyone at the next Middle
School Friends gathering! It's going to be at Yearly Meeting's
March Sessions at 4th & Arch Street meeting house in
historic Old City, Philadelphia from Friday, March 28th
- Sunday, March 30th! We'll be looking at the topic of "Activism:
What is it and how do you do it?" Be sure to register
by March 17th if you want to be sure of a spot. The flyer
will be on the web soon at www.pym.org/youngfriends/middleschool
.
PEACE!!
Elizabeth Walmsley
Middle School Friends
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
Click here to see other
MSF gathering reports
Elizabeth Walmsley
Middle School Friends Coordinator
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
1515 Cherry Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
215-241-7171
elizabethw@pym.org
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