After four years in Virginia, Baltimore Yearly Meeting is moving the site of its annual session to Frostburg State University in western Maryland. The theme for the July 30 to August 5 gathering of Friends from around the yearly meeting is “Nurturing the Seeds of Hope.” Even as the deepening war in Iraq and mounting evidence of global warming test us, Friends can find hope as we come together to build a community of faith.

We will look for that which gives us hope in our plenary presentations, in worship sharing, meetings for business and in workshops. Confirmed plenary speakers are Niyonu Spann, dean of Pendle Hill, and Joe Volk, executive secretary of the Friends Committee on National Legislation, who will give the Carey Memorial Lecture. Full programs for children and teens are offered through Junior Yearly Meeting and Young Friends events.

The week-long session will begin Monday, July 30 with a retreat sponsored by Ministry and Pastoral Care and led by Virginia Schurman of Gunpowder Friends Meeting. Registration for the actual BYM session will be on Tuesday, July 31, beginning at 1:00 p.m. with the first business session from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. that afternoon.

Again this year, BYM will encourage participation of Friends who have never before attended the annual session by offering “two-free-days” coupons. Each Monthly Meeting will receive three such coupons and are asked to identify three Friends within their Meeting who they feel would benefit from attending the session. The coupons cover the holders’ registration and room and board costs for two days. Monthly Meetings are encouraged to provide additional financial support to the coupon recipients so that they may stay longer. Monthly Meetings should consider other ways to encourage and support as many of their members and attenders as possible to participate in the BYM annual meeting.

More information about session is available on the BYM website. Full details and registration information will be available in the next Interchange.