For the months of May and June, we will have meeting for worship at The Clearing on the second Sunday of the month. These dates are May 11 and June 8. On July 6, the regular worship schedule of first Sundays will resume through October.
The Adult Spiritual Education Committee will host a one-hour Reading Between the Lines (formerly known as Bible Workbench) on May 4, 2025, from 9-10 am through Zoom. We will discuss John 19: 1-14: moorings during mourning; eventual recognitions of new forms; casting nets in new directions; unforeseen abundances; the intimacy and tenderness of sharing a meal, especially after great change. The facilitator will send the Zoom link through the Newslist a couple of days before our conversation.
The Spark newsletter to the BYM Camp families contains the following: A Letter to Campers
The directors of our camps have a letter written directly to your children. Here’s what they want to make all campers hear from them before camp starts:
To all our fabulous campers new and returning (and to all of those wonderful staff and volunteers too!)
Our friends, I’m sure you’ve noticed that we are in a hard time in our country, a time where lots of people are being judged and excluded and treated badly. That weighs heavily on our hearts and it makes us more excited than ever to create a community with you this summer where each of us can be fully welcomed and belong. So we wanted to get a jump start on reminding you now that in just a few short months, we can’t wait to welcome you!
We can’t wait to welcome you and your family if you have been in this country since your grandparents, grandparents, grandparents, or if you’ve just arrived, or if your ancestors were the first humans who ever lived here. We can’t wait to welcome all the things you want to share about that family: the languages you speak, your favorite comfort food, the funny inside jokes you have, the pet name your aunty calls you.
We can’t wait to welcome all our boys and girls (no matter who someone said they were when they were first born) and all our campers who aren’t boys or girls! We are excited for you to show up just as you are with all of the fun quirks and special sauce that make you you. We trust you when you say who you are. And we love creating lots of space for you to still be figuring that out too.
At camp we know that every group of people is equally full of goodness or “Light” even though we are not all the same. By respecting each other's differences (and being open to the places we might be more similar than we thought!) we can learn from each other and have fun in new ways. We are excited for you to bring all the things you’ve learned from whoever your people are.
At camp we want to celebrate the awesomeness that comes in bodies of all different shapes and sizes, and in minds of all different types and styles. We all challenge ourselves to do new things, knowing that what is hard for one person might be easy for another and vice versa. But all of us bring gifts to the community that only we can bring and the community wouldn’t be the same without each one of us.
Because of all that, we are excited to welcome you, each one of you, and all parts of you. We can’t wait for the community you will help us create together!
With so much love,
The BYM Camp Directors:
Dyresha (CQC), Brick (OQC), Hope (SQC), Rosie, and Jesse (TA)
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How to help
See: bymcamps.org
Join f/Friends to spruce up the meetinghouse on Saturday, May 3, 9-12. There's a task for every age and ability! Contact Ada Hammer with any questions.
The Clearing Building & Grounds Committee invites Richmond Meeting members and attenders to join us at The Clearing to prepare for the 2023 season and for our annual RFM Spring Retreat (which will be at The Clearing). This is a great opportunity to spend some time getting to know folks in Meeting and getting to know The Clearing. Please mark your calendars and join us if you're able! All levels of ability are welcome; families and children encouraged to participate! The next date is:
Saturday May 10
Each workday will start at 9:00 am and go to about 3:00 pm (give or take an hour), depending on what jobs we have to get done that day.
Some of the things we will be working on include Clearing campsites and trails, replacing some signage around the property, sweeping out the Pavilion (floors, cabinets, cobwebs on the ceiling, etc.), and spreading gravel on the path between the large cabin and the Lodge.
Stuff you might consider bringing:
· Your lunch! And maybe some snacks and/or any beverage you want beyond the water that is available at The Clearing
· Clothes that you don't mind getting dirty; wear layers that you can put on or take off depending on the temperature.
· Sturdy shoes or boots
· A hat
· Work gloves
· Bug repellant
· Sunscreen
· Tools, if you have them
Although Clearing Buildings & Grounds Committee members will bring our extra tools to share. The following might be useful: rakes, clippers, loppers or shears for trimming vegetation, a hammer, and tools for digging up roots (very useful for preventing vegetation from growing back in campsites and trails as quickly).
Anyone with questions is welcome to call Al Best or Ted Heck with questions. Also, please call or email either of us to RSVP so we can plan our work.