Pacific Yearly Meeting
of the
Religious Society of Friends

 

"Integrity and the Life of a Faith Community"

63rd Annual Gathering
July 28 - August 2, 2008
Walker Creek Ranch, Petaluma, CA


PYM Home

Registration

Home Program

Interest Groups

JYM: the Teen Program

Children's Program

Scholarships Work with the Teens as a FAP Documents

 INTEREST GROUPS

INTEREST GROUP 1:  WEDNESDAY EVENING, 6:45 – 8:15 PM

                                                                                                                                                                                                           Meeting places to be announced

 

1

Racial Profiling in the Criminal Justice System

A state of the issue report, looking closely at particular incidents, with an open discussion by attenders, led by staff from the Oakland office,

"When was the last time you were arrested.?  A conversation with participants and AFSC Oakland staff, Wilson Riles or Tony Coleman.

American Friends Service Committee

 

 

2

Our Quaker Projects in Latin America

Reports on issues and activities from projects related to meetings in PYM: the Casa de los Amigos in Mexico City, the Palo Alto Friends Meeting El Salvador Project, and Guatemalan Friends Scholarship Program.  

 Latin/American Concerns Committee

 

 

3

 Grass Roots Activism

How can we help people in moving from right intention to right action?  Effective work with volunteers for peace, human rights, or environmental concerns is a learned skill.  Come and hear practical tips from the programs of AFSC and the projects of the PYM Unity with Nature Committee and share your own experiences in a round table discussion, Joe Morris and Shan Cretin

Unity with Nature

and American Friends Service Committee

 

 

4

 Building a Lesson from a Story

Creating activities that embody and reinforce the lessons of the story – deepening understanding in “learning by doing”

Sandy Farley and Susan Hopkins

Religious Education for Children

 

 

5

Health Care Reform

Presentation and discussion of the pros and cons of the Single-Payer system, California SB 810, Federal HR 676 and the current but tentative Obama plan.

Hubert Morel-Seytoux, facilitator

Peace and Social Concerns

 

 

6

 Meeting for Healing

 Ministry and Oversight

 

 

7

 Youth Coordinator Position

 

Ministry and Oversight

Youth Coordinator Committee

 

 

8

 Friends House Moscow

 Support Committee

 

INTEREST GROUP 2:  FRIDAY AFTERNOON, 3:30 – 4:45 PM

 

 

 

 

 

9

Perils of Eating while Quaker

Eating organic or becoming locavores?

Consuming sustainable beef or eating vegetarian?

Is that coffee fair trade? Was that chocolate picked by slaves?  How might we respond to these matters, being guided by our testimonies and not getting indigestion from the many issues?

Kate Carpenter and Klara East

 Unity with Nature

 

 

10

California Climate Change Policy

How do Friends wrestle with the many threats that accompany global climate change?  What do scientists tell us, and how are their findings to be implemented?  We now have State and Federal administrations that seek to act--or appear to act on the issue, but there is resistance.  The FCL Education Fund encourages a sharing of current research and policy options.  Bring your questions and insights.  Steve Birdlebough volunteers with the Climate Action Campaign of Sonoma County, and Karen Street has developed educational materials and maintains a blog on the issues of global climate change.  

Friends Committee on Legislation, California

 

 

11

War Tax Resistance

Friends will share ways in which they reconcile the peace testimony with income taxes that support the defense budget and war as the core of US foreign policy.  How do individual Friends and Meetings reduce or refuse participation?  Divert their tax dollars?  Support tax resisters?  Lobby for change? 

Facilitators include Ed and Janet Hale, Elizabeth Boardman, and others. 

Peace and Social Concerns Committee

 

 

12

Friendly Aging

Friends Services for the Elderly (Friends House)

 

 

13

Quakers and Race with Vanessa Julye

Ministry and Oversight

 

 

14

Faithfulness in Action:  Supporting Leadings

Ministry and Oversight

Supporting Leadings Subcommittee

 

 

15

Deepening Worship

Ministry and Oversight

 

 

16

A New Congress and President: Fresh Opportunities for Friends with the 111th Congress
Specific Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) opportunities for Friends and Friends Meetings along with a brief discussion on what is effective lobbying and how to engage others in pushing for progressive change from Quaker values

Facilitated by Stephen McNeil

Friends Committee on National Legislation

 

 

 


PYM Home

Registration

Home Program

Interest Groups

JYM: the Teen Program

Children's Program

Scholarships Work with the Teens as a FAP Documents