March 23, 2019

Register Today

How do we center ourselves in trust and love? This query is shaping our 2018-2019 Sessions planning. Young Adults were lead to pose more queries on this theme in their report at November Continuing Sessions:

• Are there people towards whom we hesitate to offer trust or love? Where are these hesitations grounded?
• Do we expect our institutions to be centered in trust and love? What does it look like to support that?
• In whose hands do we place the work of building trust and love? Should that work be spread among more of us? Why do some of us relinquish it?

Schedule

• 10 AM

  • Seeking Faithfulness – An action at Berks will take the form of extended, multi-generational, semi-programmed worship. Contributions from Young Adult Friends and our partners at the Shut Down Berks Interfaith Witness, as well as music, will ground and structure our time together. Much of the action will be devoted to deep, centered silence, out of which all are invited to bring messages of prayer, protest, and all the other energetic movements of the Spirit that rise among us. (1040 Berks Rd, Leesport, PA 19533) Parking is available at the buildings across the road and down the hill from the center behind the Berksheim Nursing Home. Learn More

  • The program at Reading Meeting 10am-12pm will focus on “Love Thy Neighbor” and how we welcome one another in our homes, schools and work, meeting communities, and PYM. There will be stories, sharing, art and music. (108 N 6th St, Reading, PA 19601)
• 12 PM
  • Lunch on your own! Youth programs will have lunch together at Reading Meeting.
• 1 PM
  • Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business will be held at the Miller Center for the Arts on the Reading Area Community College from 1:00pm – 4:00pm. (4 North 2nd Street, Reading, PA 19601)

Draft Agenda for Business

To prepare as a body for Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business, we ask Friends to participate in one of our spiritually grounding morning programs and to read the advanced documents.

• Worship
• Welcome and Introductions
  Christopher A. Lucca, Alternate Clerk, serving as Presiding Clerk
• Reflection on the experience of our morning’s ministry at Berks Detention Center
  Young Adult Friends
• Gratefully Accepting the Gifts We Have Been Offered: Nominations and Approvals
  Melissa Rycroft, Nominating Council Clerk
• An Opportunity for Faithful Listening, Patient Tolerance, & Being Available to Divine Revelation: Consideration of the Multicultural Audit & A Minute from Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting
  Christopher A. Lucca, Alternate Clerk, serving as Presiding Clerk
• Closing the books on Fiscal Year 2018
• Not just rearranging the deck chairs: Our strategic directions and changing culture
  Christie Duncan-Tessmer, General Secretary
• There is no way to love- love is the way. Experiments with QLC in support of our faith community
  Anthony Stover, Quaker Life Council member
• How is Spirit leading members of the Administrative Council to be faithful servant leaders for our community?
  Terri Whiteford, Administrative Council Assistant Clerk
• Review of Minutes
  Kri Burkander, Recording Clerk
• Announcements
  Meg Rose, Sessions Coordinator
• Closing Worship

One Quilt, One Yearly Meeting

We are looking forward to gathering together in worshipful resistance, fellowship and work for our 2019 Spring Continuing Sessions. We are excited to receive your Meeting’s quilt square! The quilt squares will be sewn together with love from our beloved yearly meeting community –  monthly meetings, collaboratives, councils, Friends schools, and Resource Friends. The quilt will be revealed at Annual Sessions and will wrap the clerk’s table in love and in the Light.

Learn More

The Youth Programs: Action and Reflection

Following participation in the action at Berks County Residential Center (with an alternative peaceful, multigenerational action and child care available at Reading Meeting that morning), lunch and afternoon programs will be held at Reading Monthly Meeting in the afternoon. (108 North 6th Street, Reading, PA 19601)

For more information about Children, Middle School Friends, and Young Friends participation at the Berks Action, and their programs in the afternoon at Reading Meeting.