• Manual of Procedure
• Advance Report - 2010
• BYM Visioning
• Advance Report - 2009
• Interchange, Fall 2008
• Advance Report - 2008
• Advance Report - 2007
• Advance Report - 2006
• Advance Report - 2005
• Interchange, Spring 2005
   
• Interchange, September 2004
• Annual Report 2004
• Interchange, March 2004

The Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee consists of approximately twelve members nominated by the Nominating Committee and appointed by the Yearly Meeting. Also, each Monthly Meeting is requested to designate one of its members under a concern for ministry or pastoral care to participate in the meetings and responsibilities of the Committee. Any member of the Yearly Meeting with a concern for ministry or pastoral care is welcome at the Committee’s meetings.

The Committee is concerned with deepening the spiritual life of Baltimore Yearly Meeting and of its constituent Monthly Meetings. The Committee carries an active concern for calling forth and nurturing the gifts of the Spirit in the Yearly Meeting. The Committee encourages and supports Monthly Meetings as they recognize, publicly affirm, and practically support those individuals who exercise their gifts in faithful ministry and service.

The Committee supports Monthly Meetings in fostering community and addressing the needs of individuals within their Meetings. Committee members are expected to visit a variety of Monthly Meetings throughout the year. Monthly Meeting committees will be encouraged to invite these visits. Monthly Meeting committees that deal with ministry and pastoral care are encouraged to invite these visits.

The Committee assists the Yearly Meeting with programs, retreats, workshops, activities at Annual Sessions, and other activities as needed. The Clerk of the Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee serves as a member of the Program Committee.

The Committee advises Monthly Meetings on the preparation of the Annual Report of the Spiritual State of the Monthly Meeting in accordance with the guidelines in our Faith and Practice. The Committee receives the approved reports and incorporates them, with concerns and information about events in the Yearly Meeting, into a Spiritual State of the Yearly Meeting Report to be presented at Annual Sessions to the Yearly Meeting.

The Committee considers requests for Yearly Meeting endorsement of minutes of support for members traveling in the ministry outside our Yearly Meeting. Such minutes usually are prepared by the Monthly Meeting in which the Friend holds membership and then endorsed by the Yearly Meeting. (See Faith and Practice of Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, Part III Practices and Procedures, Section B The Monthly Meeting, Sub-section 5 Visiting Among Friends, b Minutes for Spiritual Service and, c Endorsements.) If there is clearness to proceed, the Committee brings a recommendation to the Yearly Meeting or Interim Meeting for this minute. Minutes endorsed by the Yearly Meeting should be returned to the Yearly Meeting. Ordinarily, the endorsement is for one year.

The Committee maintains the Guidelines for Embracing the Ministry of Friends and supports Monthly Meeting Committees of Oversight for these Friends.

As the need arises, the Committee explains to Friends the historical Quaker practice of recording members in the ministry and the Committee maintains a current list of all recorded ministers within the Yearly Meeting.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Manual of Procedure, August 2005, p26-27

-------------------------------------------------------------

The Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee is concerned with deepening the spiritual life of Yearly Meeting by calling forth and nurturing gifts of the Spirit, supporting and assisting the Yearly Meeting with programs, retreats, workshops, activities at Annual Session, and other activities as needed; the clerk of the Committee serves as a member of the Program Committee.

The Committee developed a new description of our work for the Manual of Procedure. Through this process, we became clear that we need more time to worship together; we must be well grounded in the Spirit if we are to provide assistance to others. While we seek way forward for periodic weekend-long committee retreats, we have begun with what seems manageable: a two-hour retreat before our meetings on Committee Meeting Days has allowed us to deepen spiritual fellowship and grow our reliance on Spirit to guide us. We intend to continue this important expansion of our practice, allowing us time to pray, worship, share with one another.

The Committee is responsible for bringing forward a leader or leaders for the Retreat which opens Annual Session each year. Jean-Marie Prestwidge Barch (sojourning at Valley Friends Meeting) will lead this year’s retreat weaving together the yearly meeting theme and a focus on how and why Friends do their business spiritually grounded.

At Annual Session Business Meetings, Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee has delegated Friends to serve as Greeters and called upon others to sit on the “facing bench” holding Business Meetings in the Light. The Committee has also identified leaders to facilitate the daily morning Worship Sharing groups and Bible study at Annual Session. The Committee also takes responsibility for the conduct of Meeting for Worship during Annual Session.

The Committee has the Working Group on Racism under its care. Jean-Marie Prestwidge- Barch, a member of both groups, continues to serve as our liaison. We are grateful for the Working Group on Racism and their guidance in furtherance of our concerns around racism; we particularly acknowledge the support of members of this group in bringing forward presenters for our plenary programs during these annual sessions. For further information about their work this year, please see their advance report.

The Committee holds the Women’s retreat, the Silent Retreats, and the Spiritual Formation Program under its care. These programs provide important spiritual support for Friends from across the Yearly Meeting.

The BYM Women's Retreat was held January 29-31, 2010 at Skycroft Conference Center in Middletown, Maryland. The theme of the retreat was “Living From Divine Passion and Purpose” and the retreat featured three sessions of small worship sharing groups and fifteen workshops. About 140 women attended from all areas of the Yearly Meeting and enjoyed the beautiful scenery, good food, worship and singing, sacred circle dancing, a coffee house and good camaraderie. We all departed refreshed by a shared spiritual experience. Details about this annual event can be found on the Women’s Retreat website.

For almost 2 decades, Friends from Baltimore Yearly Meeting have gathered twice a year (June and October) in Germantown, MD at Dayspring Retreat Center for a Silent Retreat. These weekends are structured around individual and corporate worship. A total of about 30 Friends from about 6 Monthly Meetings participated in the past year. We open with supper and worship sharing, holding the silence from Friday evening until after worship on Sunday (in June) or Monday (in October). We share meals, enjoy the beauty of God’s creation, read, walk, rest, pray, and listen for the Still Small Voice.

The Spiritual Formation Program nurtured deep spiritual growth in its participants this year. Twenty-eight Friends from eight Meetings within BYM participated in the September and/or May weekend retreats held at Priest Field Pastoral Center in West Virginia. We were able to grant partial scholarships to five of these twenty-eight Friends to enable them to attend the retreats. An additional thirty-six Friends from among these eight Meetings participated in the Spiritual Formation Program but did not attend the retreats, giving a total participation of sixty-four Friends. In addition to these eight Meetings represented at the retreats, several other BYM Meetings continued their own Spiritual Formation Programs during the year. The September opening retreat introduced participants to the Program, allowed participants to sample several spiritual practices, and provided guidance for local group organization and sharing. Local groups met throughout the year in a spirit of community hospitality and fellowship, read spiritual books together, and shared their individual spiritual journeys and spiritual practices. The May retreat included sharing of personal stories, worship sharing around a wonderful Faith and Play demonstration called “Listening for God,” and sharing around queries about how we listen for the divine and hear it speak to us. One participant expressed the meaningfulness of the program in these words:

The program as a whole provides an opportunity for me to consider what I have been taught over the years and what I actually believe about God. The sharing presents multiple perspectives. Coming together we hear so many different views and are invited to share our own. It is rooted in our lived experience—spirituality must be lived experientially. The SF program provides an opportunity to share this most important aspect of our spiritual life.

The Committee is also concerned with deepening the spiritual life of the constituent Monthly Meetings by encouraging and supporting Monthly Meetings as they recognize, publicly affirm, and practically support those individuals who exercise their gifts in faithful ministry and service. The Committee supports and assists Monthly Meetings in fostering community and recognizing and addressing the needs of individuals within their Meetings. We welcome opportunities to visit with Meetings and appreciate invitations to worship with you. In addition, members of the ommittee are available for consultation to Meetings where there are pastoral care needs; such consultation is, of course, confidential and we have served several Meetings in this capacity during the past year.

The Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee sends suggestions to Monthly Meetings on the preparation of the Annual Report of the Spiritual State of the Monthly Meeting in accordance with the guidelines in Faith and Practice. The Committee receives the approved reports and incorporates them, with concerns and information about events in the Yearly Meeting, into a Spiritual State of the Yearly Meeting Report which is presented at Annual Session. The Committee considers requests for Yearly Meeting endorsement of minutes of support for members traveling in the ministry outside our Yearly Meeting. Such minutes usually are prepared by the traveler’s Monthly Meeting.

Committee members have made visits to several Monthly Meetings including: Blacksburg, York, Carlyle, Abingdon, Lynchburg, Floyd and Hopewell Center. We review the visitors’ impressions to develop our understanding of the spiritual state of our yearly meeting and to increase our responsiveness to pastoral care needs. Meetings are strongly encouraged to invite these visits.

The Committee has prepared a Manual describing our responsibilities and procedures and has begun to create a document for our own use which details our processes throughout the year to facilitate transition between clerks and to improve our ability to listen to what Spirit would have of us. The Committee reflected on various issues as requested by officers of the Yearly Meeting, Meetings, or other Committees; we continue to seek clarity about the direct affiliation of worship groups with the Yearly Meeting. We offer a one-day scholarship to encourage those interested in attending our Committee meetings during Annual Session.

The Committee met 5 times during the year (at the 3 Interim Meeting days and twice during Yearly Meeting sessions) with an attendance of Committee members of 6-10 and a number of visitors.

Respectfully submitted by Jean-Marie Prestwidge Barch, Clerk, on behalf of the Committee. 8th month, 2010

Excerpted from Minutes of the Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee of Baltimore Yearly Meeting at Patapsco Monthly Meeting3rd Month 2010.

Minute Four: Visioning Questions We made the following responses to the visioning questions as they pertain to Ministry and Pastoral Care:

The Committee is concerned with enhancing, enriching and enlivening the spiritual life of the Monthly Meetings and yearly meeting, leading others to sink down to the Seed into deeper, better and closer relationship with the Spirit, providing them with ways to live into this relationship. We make ourselves available to Monthly Meetings that are having a specific care or concern to be supportive or to serve as mediators, and to give spiritual aid.

In order to accomplish this work, we pray, offer workshops, and coordinate Bible Study and worship sharing at Annual Session. We hold the Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business during Annual Session in prayer. We visit Monthly Meetings. Through collecting the spiritual state of the Meeting reports and providing the spiritual state of the Yearly Meeting report to Annual Session, we help move the Yearly Meeting toward a focus on our spiritual foundations.

Mentoring and spiritual growth opportunities can best be provided at the regional level. In addition, outreach, which provides a sense of connection, and fellowship – the embracing of one another and providing for sharing our joys and sorrows are both well suited to being under regional (Yearly Meeting) care.

Through holding the Yearly Meeting in the Light during Annual Session and providing a space in which Friends can share their gifts and deepen their connection with Spirit and one another, it is our expectation that we will deepen our shared relationship with God and will be better able to discern where Spirit is leading us.

The Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee is concerned with deepening the spiritual life of Baltimore Yearly Meeting by calling forth and nurturing the gifts of the Spirit in the Yearly Meeting and supporting and assisting the Yearly Meeting with programs, retreats, workshops, activities at Annual Session, and other activities as needed; the clerk of Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee serves as a member of the Program Committee.

The Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee sponsored a one-day workshop for concerned Friends and attenders from various Meetings to gather at Frederick Meeting on April 18 of this year for the sharing of concerns and experiences of pastoral care. Topics included caring for the elderly, sick, and dying, nurturing centeredness in Meeting for Worship, and community building and conflict in the Meeting. These topics will be offered again as a series of three workshops at Yearly Meeting sessions 2009. The committee is hoping to offer more workshops in the future in different areas of the Yearly Meeting. Some suggested topics arising from this first workshop are parenting adult children, marriage enrichment, managing ongoing conflict (ex. within a family, within a community), sexual abuse, domestic violence, membership issues, mental health issues. Another suggestion from the workshop was to place policies (child safety, Meetings pastoral care handbook, etc.) and resources on the BYM webpage so that meetings could easily access them.

The Committee is responsible for bringing forward a leader or leaders for the Retreat which opens Annual Session each year. We are delighted that Jean James (Richmond) and Ramona Buck (Patapsco) will lead this year’s retreat on the Yearly Meeting theme, “The Business of Our Lives: The Transformation of Faith into Practice.”

At Annual Session Business Meetings, Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee has encouraged Friends to serve as Greeters and called upon others to sit on the “facing benches” holding Business Meetings in the Light. The Committee also identifies leaders to facilitate the daily morning Worship Sharing groups and Bible study leaders at Annual Session. The Committee also takes responsibility for the conduct of Meeting for Worship during Annual Session.

The Committee has the Working Group on Racism under its care. Our liaison with this group is Jean-Marie Prestwidge- Barch, a member of both groups. We are grateful for the Working Group on Racism and their guidance and furtherance of this concern. For further information about their work this year, please see their advance report.

The M&PC committee also has the Women’s retreat, the Silent Retreats, and the Spiritual Formation Program under its care. The women’s retreat was January 23 -25 with the theme “Let it begin with me: stepping into our own power” facilitated by Betsy Tobin and Helen Tasker (both from Frederick). The silent retreats were in spring ‘08 and October 10 -12, 2008 facilitated by Jean Christianson (Annapolis). The Spiritual Formation Program nurtured deep spiritual growth in its participants this year. Forty-four Friends from eleven Meetings within BYM participated in the September and May weekend retreats held at Priest Field Pastoral Center in West Virginia. In addition to the eleven Meetings represented at the retreats several other BYM Meetings continued their spiritual formation programs during the year. The September opening retreat introduced participants to the program, allowed participants to sample several spiritual practices, and provided guidance for local group organization and sharing. Local groups met throughout the year in a spirit of community hospitality and fellowship, read spiritual books together, and shared their individual spiritual journeys and spiritual practices. The May retreat featured special emphasis on the deepening of personal spirituality through sharing of personal stories, on the process of identifying and following leadings and on the community naming of each individual’s gifts.

The Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee is also concerned with deepening the spiritual life of the constituent Monthly Meetings by encouraging and supporting Monthly Meetings as they recognize, publicly affirm, and practically support those individuals who exercise their gifts in faithful ministry and service. The Committee also supports and assists Monthly Meetings in fostering community and recognizing and addressing the needs of individuals within their Meetings.

The Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee sends suggestions to Monthly Meetings on the preparation of the Annual Report of the Spiritual State of the Monthly Meeting in accordance with the guidelines in Faith and Practice. The Committee receives the approved reports and incorporates them, with concerns and information about events in the Yearly Meeting, into a Spiritual State of the Yearly Meeting Report which is presented at Annual Session.

The Committee considers requests for Yearly Meeting endorsement of minutes of support for members traveling in the ministry outside our Yearly Meeting. Such minutes usually are prepared by the travelers Monthly Meeting. This year, a minute was approved by Yearly Meeting for the travel of Laura Nell Obaugh (Hopewell Centre).

The Committee maintains the Guidelines for Embracing the Ministry of Friends and supports Monthly Meeting Committees of Oversight for these Friends. Currently, these guidelines are being revised by an ad hoc subcommittee.

Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee members hope to visit Monthly Meetings throughout the year. Monthly Meeting committees of ministry and pastoral care are encouraged to invite these visits.

The committee is currently preparing a Manual describing the committee’s responsibilities and procedures. We are also compiling a resource directory of Friends led to lead workshops, retreats, or give talks to Meetings. There is concern about continuing to encourage Meetings to develop guidelines for child safety. The committee was also asked to reflect on various issues as requested by officers of the Yearly Meeting, Meetings, or other committees, and an inquiry by a worship group about joining the Yearly Meeting. We offered a one-day scholarship to annual session to encourage those interested in attending our committee meetings.

The committee met 5 times during the year (at the 3 interim meeting days and twice during Yearly Meeting sessions) with an attendance of committee members of 6-10 and a number of visitors.

Within our Yearly Meeting we have an untapped source of wisdom and knowledge! A questionnaire has been sent to Monthly Meetings, Preparatory Meetings, and Worship Groups to gather into one document the wealth of resources we have within our boundaries. From sharing ways in which to deepen the spiritual life of our meetings, to speakers expert in a variety of fields, we have gifts to bring to the table of Friends. Please encourage the appropriate committees (Ministry & Counsel, Pastoral Care, etc) to distribute this form widely within your Meeting/Group. To obtain copies of  the questionnaire or  to send the completed questionnaire contact Susan Kaul electronically susan.kaul@gmail.com OR by mail to 4821 Montgomery Lane, #1002; Bethesda MD 20814.

The Spiritual Formation Program nurtured deep spiritual growth in its participants this year. Thirty-three Friends from seven Meetings within BYM participated in the program, and local spiritual formation groups formed at Adelphi, Baltimore/Gunpowder, Friends Meeting of Washington, Langley Hill, Sandy Spring, and Williamsburg. Our September opening retreat introduced participants to the program and to spiritual practices. Local groups met throughout the year to share spiritual journeys and to reflect on shared readings. Individual spiritual practices and a sense of spiritual community fostered spiritual growth in the participants. Our May closing retreat gave us an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate our year of spiritual growth, to name and claim our spiritual gifts, and to prepare for the continued spiritual journey.

The Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee consists of members nominated by the Nominating Committee and appointed by the Yearly Meeting. Also, each Monthly Meeting is requested to designate one of its members under a concern for ministry or pastoral care to participate in the meetings and responsibilities of the Committee. Any member of the Yearly Meeting with a concern for ministry or pastoral care is welcome at the Committee’s meetings.

Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee has a budget of $600. From this amount, the Committee has agreed to offer six (6) $100 vouchers for members of Monthly Meeting Ministry and Pastoral Care/Ministry and Counsel Committees to attend Annual Session.

The Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee is concerned with deepening the spiritual life of Baltimore Yearly Meeting by calling forth and nurturing the gifts of the Spirit in the Yearly Meeting and supporting and assisting the Yearly Meeting with programs, retreats, workshops, activities at Annual Sessions, and other activities as needed; the clerk of Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee serves as a member of the Program Committee.

At Interim Meeting Day at Hopewell Centre (June, 2006), Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee agreed to bring the Working Group on Racism under its care. The Committee asked for a charge/mission statement which was brought for consideration to Interim Meeting Day at Gunpowder (March 2007). We are grateful for the Working Group on Racism and their guidance and furtherance of this concern.

Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee is responsible for bringing forward a leader for the Retreat which opens Annual Session each year. We are delighted that Virginia Schurman (Gunpowder) will lead this year’s retreat. Virginia is excited about the possibilities that can be drawn from this year’s rich theme, “Nourishing the Seeds of Hope.”

At Annual Session Business Meetings, Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee has encouraged Friends to serve as Greeters (formerly called ushers) and called upon others to sit on the “facing benches” holding Business Meetings in the Light. As Friends employ more technology we are urging Friends to not bring their cell phones to Meeting for Worship for Business. The Committee understands that “God speaks in many ways (but rarely through a cell phone) and a variety of ways to remind Friends to disarm (totally, not just putting it on vibrate) or not bring their cell phones into Meetings for Worship or Business will be used this Annual Session.

The Committee also identifies leaders to facilitate the daily morning Worship Sharing groups at Annual Session. This Annual Session, Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee will take responsibility for the conduct of Meeting for Worship on First Day, final day of Annual Session.

The Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee is also concerned with deepening the spiritual life of the constituent Monthly Meetings by encouraging and supporting Monthly Meetings as they recognize, publicly affirm, and practically support those individuals who exercise their gifts in faithful ministry and service. The Committee also supports and assists Monthly Meetings in fostering community and recognizing and addressing the needs of individuals within their Meetings.

Rosalind Zuses (Sandy Spring) gave us a window into her spiritual journey. Her visit to Friends in Kenya is just a piece of a larger journey. Rosalind and husband Howard are preparing for another journey, which will take them away from the comfort of their Sandy Spring community to rural Ohio. We hold them in the Light as they travel forward with their leading.

We continue to have open and civil discussions of topics related to Baltimore Yearly Meeting’s relationship with Friends United Meeting (FUM). The Committee has heard several proposals that looked to a way forward in the financial aspect of our relationship. These recommendations have been forwarded for consideration by the Four Committees Group composed of members from Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee, Advancement and Outreach, Stewardship and Finance, and Ad hoc Committee on Gender and Sexual Diversity, which will be convened by Catherine Smith.

Rich Liversidge (Sandy Spring), former BYM representative to the FUM Board and currently a Trustee of FUM, told the Committee of some of his experiences at the February 2007 Gathering in Kenya at which he, John Smallwood, Rachael Stacy and Rich attended. We heard that an “Identity Group” met in the past year and concluded that Kenya and Uganda Yearly Meetings “are Biblically conservative and fundamental, the Bible is the only source of authority.” From this group emerged the notion of approving the “Richmond Declaration” – it was approved with all “united Yearly Meetings (New England, New York, Baltimore, South East) standing aside. The issue of gay and lesbian participation in the life of the Society of Friends was a major concern. The Committee is deeply concerned about these issues. We heard from several Friends, notions of why we, Baltimore Yearly Meeting, should and why we should not continue in relation with FUM. We believe it would be profitable to weigh similarities and differences to see where we might encourage Light to spread.

The Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee advises Monthly Meetings on the preparation of the Annual Report of the Spiritual State of the Monthly Meeting in accordance with the guidelines in our Faith and Practice. The Committee receives the approved reports and incorporates them, with concerns and information about events in the Yearly Meeting, into a Spiritual State of the Yearly Meeting Report which is presented at Annual Sessions.

Faith and Practice Revision Committee has requested Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee to review and bring an explanation of why Spiritual State of Meeting reports are necessary. In discussion, the Committee agreed to develop a set of queries that would serve as a basis for worship sharing for Monthly Meetings when they begin to prepare their reports. Monthly Meetings may want to reflect on “How does truth prosper among you?” and “How do we stand with each other in love as well as in conviction?” when drafting their reports. It is valuable for Monthly Meetings to report struggles and successes to help Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee assist them in with their needs. The Committee needs to be aware of concerns as a committee, by taking initiative (before an issue is reported) through continuing communication and visitation.

We are grateful for the work of Jim Rose (Patapsco) for posting the Spiritual State of the Meeting Reports on the Baltimore Yearly Meeting website and the create a booklet of the reports for distribution.

The Committee considers requests for Yearly Meeting endorsement of minutes of support for members traveling in the ministry outside our Yearly Meeting. Such minutes usually are prepared by the travelers Monthly Meeting.

At Interim Meeting Day at Homewood (October 2006), the Committee recommended to Interim Meeting, a Minute of Travel for Rosalind T. Zuses (Sandy Spring), to travel, along with Ann Davis of Powell House, to Kenya to meet with women’s groups from 16 Yearly Meetings there and provide workshops and share love, experience, hope and understanding. Afterward, their travels would continue in the 1652 country in the United Kingdom. Rosalind’s traveling with Ann continues a long tradition of elders traveling in companionship and support of those led to minister. At Interim Meeting Day at Gunpowder (March 2007), the Committee received back the Minute of Travel. We were disappointed to Rosalind’s experience among Friends in Africa was not the best. Friends were concerned with the attitude toward women displayed by Kenyan Friends.

The Committee maintains the Guidelines for Embracing the Ministry of Friends and supports Monthly Meeting Committees of Oversight for these Friends.

At Interim Meeting Day at Gunpowder (March 2007), Lauri Perman, then Presiding Clerk, asked the Committee to review the “Guidelines for Embraced Friends.” Linda Heacock (Richmond), an embraced Friend and Jean James and Grace Palmer, her “Caring Counsel,” told the Committee of their experiences of using the present guidelines. They told the Committee that the Guidelines were immensely helpful and well written and they were thankful for the document, however, these Friends concluded that some concepts need further explanation. The Committee has formed a working group to see how the guidelines might be improved giving attention to legal issues, liability issues, and financial concerns and implications. This group will start their work after June 10, 2007.

As the need arises, the Committee explains to Friends the historical Quaker practice of recording members in the ministry and the Committee maintains a current list of all recorded ministers within the Yearly Meeting.

Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee members are expected to visit Monthly Meetings throughout the year. Monthly Meeting committees that deal with ministry and pastoral care are encouraged to invite these visits.

Committee Members: Caroline Pelton (Goose Creek), Laura Nell Obaugh (Hopewell Centre), Janice Fridie (Frederick), Gail Gann (Stony Run), Susan Kaul (Bethesda), Anne Buttenheim (Frederick), Don Gann (Stony Run) Howard Fullerton (Sandy Spring), Virginia Schurman (Gunpowder) Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Committee, Lamar Matthew (Stony Run), Clerk

The Spiritual Formation Program nurtured deep spiritual growth in its participants this year. Forty-seven Friends from eight Meetings within BYM participated in the program, and local spiritual formation groups formed at Baltimore/ Gunpowder, Friends Meeting of Washington, Langley Hill, Sandy Spring, and Williamsburg. Our September opening retreat introduced participants to the program and to spiritual practices. Our local groups met throughout the year to share spiritual journeys and to reflect on shared readings. Individual spiritual practices and a sense of spiritual community fostered spiritual growth in the participants. Patience Schenck of Annapolis Meeting led our May closing retreat on Answering the Call to Heal the World.

As it seeks to recognize and address the needs of our constituent monthly meetings, our committee continues to recruit new members, especially those with interest and/or experience in various aspects of pastoral care. We have noted that any current members of committees on Ministry and Counsel or Overseers ( either by whatever the prevailing name is in a given Meeting) are invited to join with this committee at any of its meetings at Interim Meeting or at BYM annual sessions.

The Committee has been asked to support and participate in intervisitation within BYM. This has begun in an informal and indeed, slow way. To assist in further development of this effort, Ed Norton of York Meeting has agreed to act as coordinator of this function. Interested Friends should contact Ed directly.

The committee continues to be responsible for the Spiritual Formation Program of BYM. A copy of their report is appended . We have not received reports from the women’s retreat.

We are in conversation with the Working Group on Racism Among Friends. This group sees itself as broader than is indicated by their current responsibility to the Peace Committee, and would like to move under the care of our Committee. We have met together on two occasions and have tentatively agreed on this change, pending approval by an upcoming Interim Meeting. Meanwhile, the Working Group is taking primary responsibility for the retreat prior to the opening session of BYM this year, particularly in relation to the theme of this year’s annual sessions, Harmony.

The Spiritual Formation Program nurtured deep spiritual growth in its participants this year. Forty-seven Friends from ten Meetings within BYM participated in the program, and local spiritual formation groups formed at Annapolis, Baltimore/Gunpowder, Friends Meeting of Washington, Langley Hill, Sandy Spring, State College and Williamsburg. Our September opening retreat introduced participants to the program and to spiritual disciplines. Our local groups met throughout the year to share spiritual journeys and to reflect on shared readings. Individual spiritual disciplines and a sense of spiritual community fostered spiritual growth in the participants. Our May closing retreat gave participants an opportunity to reflect on and share from the year of spiritual growth and to discern God’s presence and call to service.

The Committee has continued to have a busy time this year, a few new problems added to some already existing ones. We have been meeting with the other three committees concerned with formulating an appropriate response to FUM's policy of discrimination against gays and lesbians, and proposing a recommendation on continued funding support of FUM. One of our Co-Clerks has been involved in the small ad hoc committee seeking clearness and support for the individual who was asked not to continue as a Friendly Adult Presence. Details of this work can be found among the minutes of Interim Meeting. Our progress has been hampered, in part, by our on-going concerns for privacy and confidentiality. We have tried to respond, with limited success, to requests from several Meetings trying to respond to the presences of convicted sex offenders in their Meetings. Other concerns, most related to our assumed role in pastoral care, have not received the attention we would have hoped. We need to expand our Committee with individuals with experience and concern with the work of committees devoted to pastoral care, by whatever name. We hope such persons will approach us or the Nominating Committee,

The Committee continues to have the Women's Retreat, the Silent Retreats and the Spiritual Formation program under its care. The report of the Spiritual Formation program is appended to this report. Reports from the other retreats were not available at this time.

The Committee also assists the BYM Program Committee in planning for 2005 Annual Session. It has approved Frank Massey and Lamar Matthew as facilitators of the Spiritual Retreat that opens Annual Sessions, on "Quaker Leadership." The Committee is also filling slots for Bible study, Worship Sharing leaders, ushers and for "sitters" who hold in the Light the Meetings for Business and the Clerk's Table.

SPIRITUAL FORMATION PROGRAM

The Spiritual Formation Program nurtured deep spiritual growth in its participants this year. Forty-two Friends participated in the program, and local spiritual formation groups formed at Baltimore/Gunpowder, Bethesda, Friends Meeting of Washington, Sandy Spring, and Williamsburg. Our September opening retreat introduced participants to the program and to spiritual disciplines. Our local groups met throughout the year to share spiritual journeys and to reflect on shared readings. Individual spiritual disciplines and a sense of spiritual community fostered spiritual growth in the participants. Our May closing retreat gave participants an opportunity to reflect on and share from the year of spiritual growth and to discern God's presence and call to service. We now have a booklet that describes the Program and provides resources for individuals and local groups.

Inward Bound & Onward!

The world is in great need of healing. As spiritual healers we need to gather to deepen and strengthen our faith and our skills in order to bring peace and healing to the planet. We want to teach what we know, increase our knowledge, and mentor others. A time and a place are needed to both nurture and challenge ourselves as we work for peace. Now is the time. Let's choose a place.

These are thoughts spoken by Friends at initial organizing meetings to explore re-establishment of a day set aside for healing. Important learnings from Inward Bound were offered along with many fond memories of Barry Morley. We recalled the deep personal silence encouraged by Barry's daylong retreats and occasional weekend intensives. The possibility of time with a "healer" was a perk and many attributed their coming out as healers to those events. We recalled the corporate worship at the end of the day that sometimes included a fire circle. Building on this rich foundation, we agreed to move into the present moment as Spirit leads. Inward Bound becomes a time and place for healers to gather.

We will "self define" as healers - for all of us have gifts to offer and hurts that need healing. Monthly we will come together and share what we already know and, by doing so, we will know it more deeply. Our comfort zones will be challenged and our souls stirred as we recognize the incredible gifts we all possess that are so needed in a wounded world. And, in the safe space that is created, we will freely explore those comfort edges and move beyond them. A healers' circle will nurture us and nudge us to offer our gifts to a world desperately in need of healing. Thus is born a monthly Healers' Circle.

Participants will follow the principles of Friends. Since many of us are members or attenders of Sandy Spring Meeting, we see that as our base. We will outreach to other Meetings, put out the word via the BYM website and other appropriate places in the area. We are a work in process and wish to honor Spirit's movement through us in this process. Retreats will be co-led and decisions will be guided by a core group of healers.

Circles or healing days will also be held at the home of Robert True near Sandy Spring Meeting.

For further information, email Bette Hoover (dancinrainbow@earthlink.net) or call Janet Nichols (410-531-2993).

Bette Hoover and Janet Nichols

Ministry & Pastoral Care Committee had an especially busy time at Annual Session this year. We wrote the Spiritual State of Baltimore Yearly Meeting, shepherded three proposals about the nature of our relationship with Friends United Meeting through three Business sessions, wrote an epistle which will be the core of our testimony about the FUM policy (that bars some individuals from leadership positions because of their sexual/gender diversity), and facilitated four afternoon threshing sessions on the issue. Two recommendations were approved, that BYM maintain a strong presence and relationship with FUM, and that we set up an ad-hoc committee on visitation and traveling in the ministry within FUM. Even with all the time and attention to the matter, the Yearly Meeting was unable to unite with any of the proposed recommendations for our funding relationship, and we will bring it back to Interim Meeting for discernment.

The Committee also helped Program Committee prepare for Annual Session by organizing an Opening Retreat, Worship Sharing and Bible Study groups, Friends to hold the Clerks’ table and business sessions in the Light, and ushers for business sessions.

We are also continuing to work on an information packet for monthly meetings with suggestions on providing general clearness and counseling support (not professional therapy) for members of their communities who need this help; and guidelines for dealing with individuals within Quaker gatherings and communities who may present a danger to other community members.

Annual Report 2004

The Committee has been very busy, with more and more issues given to our care. This is a good sign in terms of the spiritual health of the Yearly Meeting. It is a little hard on us! Subgroups worked on or are still working on:

1. developing guidelines for dealing with known sexual offenders at Yearly Meeting gatherings, and also within our Meeting communities, trying to find a balance between nurturing that of God within the individual and keeping our community safe;
2. developing information packets on clearness committees and other methods to nurture those in need of support when facing times of transition and crisis;
3. a response to FUM’s policy of discrimination against gays and lesbians and a recommendation on continued funding support of FUM;
4. drafting a Spiritual State of Baltimore Yearly Meeting report; and
5. reviewing for distribution Guidelines for Embracing the Ministry of Friends.

We have sent letters to all Monthly Meetings within BYM and all other Yearly Meetings around the world encouraging them to unite with our minute on using our full name in written and spoken correspondence by including the word Religious whenever the phrase Society of Friends is used. We also asked William Penn House to consider this for the ad they run in the Post publicizing Quaker meetings in the DC area. We sent out a brief set of questions to Monthly Meetings asking them to comment on the process they use to develop Spiritual State of the Monthly Meeting reports.

The Committee now has three retreats under its care—the Women’s Retreat, the Silent Retreats, and the Spiritual Formation program. We hope to have reports from these to share.

The Committee is currently assisting the BYM Program Committee as it plans for 2004 Annual Session. It has approved Rosalind Zuses to facilitate the Spiritual Retreat that opens Annual Sessions, “Preparation for Business Through Spiritual Healing”, and are filling slots for Bible Study, and Worship Sharing leaders, ushers, and for “Sitters” who hold the Meeting for Business and the Clerk’s Table in the Light during Session.

One of the tasks of the Ministry and Pastoral Care Committee is to support and oversee the Spiritual Formation Program. Their annual report is:

The Spiritual Formation Program nurtured deep spiritual growth in its participants this year. Thirty-eight Friends participated in the program, and local spiritual formation groups formed at Charlottesville, Friends Meeting of Washington, Gunpowder, Richmond, Sandy Spring, and Williamsburg. Our September opening retreat was held at Priest Field Pastoral Center in Kearneysville, West Virginia. The Saturday morning program focused on… Deepening our Relationship with God and With Others Based on the Beatitudes. Saturday afternoon was devoted to discussions and sharing about Spiritual Disciplines. In addition to sharing, several workshops were provided for in-depth discussions about specific disciplines. As always, time was scheduled for individual quiet-time, and the retreat ended with a Meeting for Worship and shared meal on Sunday.

Local (Monthly Meeting) groups met throughout the year to share spiritual journeys and to reflect on shared readings. Individual spiritual disciplines and a sense of spiritual community fostered spiritual growth in the participants.

Our closing retreat was held in May. As our group came together again, we shared our individual and group stories of spiritual growth and transformation through the Spiritual Formation program.

The BYM Spiritual Formation Program has a six-person leadership team which has facilitated the BYM Program and has provided support to Spiritual Formation Programs in other Yearly Meetings.

Rosalind Zuses, Co-Clerk

Experiencing Spiritual Burnout?

April 23-25, 2004: Enjoy new growth in God's world.

A Silent Retreat might help restore your spirit. "Be still and know that I am God." We are silent but not quiet and not always still as we seek God's guidance.

The Silent Retreat held at Dayspring Retreat Center, an oasis of quiet and spirituality in Montgomery County has acres of woods, meadows, and 3 ponds_home to many animals and plants. Retreat participants have individual rooms and there is plenty of healthy food.

As the Dayspring introduction sheet notes: "There is no wrong way to spend the weekend in the silence." There are opportunities to walk, read, draw, journal, nap or just be. Silence allows freedom from external demands letting the Spirit flow. Community is formed as we seek together.

For more information call: Jean Christianson at 410/544-1912 or Nan Elsbree 410/647-3591