Baltimore Yearly Meeting Young Adult Friends Epistle
James Madison University

August 2005

Greetings Friends Everywhere.

We are joyous, Friends, for this year we can send the news of the revitalization of our program out into the world. We offer you this news with a great deal of pride and no small amount of trembling. This annual session there were upwards of 30 Young Adult Friends in attendance: a considerably larger number than we have been blessed with within recent memory, but a number that indicates that it will continue to increase in the fullness of time. When we first found ourselves contemplating the idea of writing an epistle we were unsure whether we had reached a point where such a course of action would be appropriate, but after some deliberation and silent worship, we found ourselves resounding with the idea that if we feared the response to these small steps, we would make no great strides.

Our difficulties over the past few years have been wide-ranging, however, we find ourselves growing and flourishing as a community - because our foundations are set in a deep, spiritual love and trust, and a well-developed sense of fun. The caring that has been exhibited for each person of the community, both in business meeting and out, has been and is remarkable. There has also been evidenced a great willingness to step up and contribute, both new ideas and to the ideas of others. In this annual session alone, we have worked on developing a Minute of Purpose, planning and offering a fishbowl on sexuality and spirituality for the greater Yearly Meeting community, determining our Quaker process, and of course writing this epistle.

We have found that focusing on our identity has drawn us together and revitalized our community. Which is not to say that there have not been bumps in the road. Questions that have come up include what ages and what stages of life are appropriate for our community, whether or not the young children of participants are welcome at community events, and how exactly business meeting ought to be conducted. Many of these issues remain unresolved, but nevertheless - friends, we rejoice!

Love and light,
Baltimore Yearly Meeting Young Adult Friends