...to Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. This site includes information about Quakerism and the latest news of our faith community, which includes Central Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C. We would like to invite you to come worship with us. All are welcome! Please visit these links to find out more about our faith, witness and fellowship:

• Learn about giving to BYM
• Find a place to worship with us.
• Find out about our Annual Meeting
• Find out more about Quakerism.
• Find out about Quaker Peace activities.
• Find out about BYM Quaker Summer Camps.
• Find out where the Quaker Schools are.
• Find out about Quaker History in our area.
• Sign up to receive the Interchange via email

Working with partner organizations in Gaza, AFSC will contribute $50,000 to help meet humanitarian needs in the city over approximately two weeks. People can contribute to the AFSC crisis fund here - http://www.afsc.org/israel-palestine/ht/display/ContentDetails/i/73214.

The purpose of this fund is to support the understanding and practice of Quaker faith in schools, and to support the growth of a life lived in the Spirit by members of the school communities. The fund is targeted for Friends schools under the care of a Friends Meeting, but is available to any school community. (more...)

The Web Working Group has finally implemented Google Maps for the Baltimore Yearly Meeting. Not only does this allow you to pan and zoom to find meetings, but also to investigate a satellite view of the Yearly Meeting region. (more...)

AFSC writes an open letter to President Bush and President-Elect Obama. "As an organization with 60 years of experience working in the Gaza Strip and committed to a peaceful future between Palestinians and Israelis, we are saddened and distressed at the spiraling violence in Gaza over the past five days. As a Quaker organization that cares deeply about the life, dignity, and security of all people, we ask you to take immediate action to end this spiral of violence..." (more...)

Your Faith & Practice Revision Committee had been concerned that the 1988 Faith and Practice had no glossary. Over the last few months, with the help of glossaries from other Yearly Meetings and elsewhere, we have developed a proposed glossary of Quaker terms for your consideration. Please send your comments to fnp@bym-rsf.org. (more...)

The Journal is composed of essays, poems, and art work from inmates throughout the country. It is our aim to offer an outlet for prisoners' creative talents, to show them that their work is recognized, and to give them a feeling of self-worth. You can help in this work by publicizing this project among those you know within the prison system as well as on the outside world. (more...)

The Baltimore Yearly Meeting Program Committee is beginning to plan for next summer's Annual Session, to be held at Frostburg State University August 3-9, 2009. The theme is "The Business of Our Lives: The Transformation of Faith into Practice." The Committee asks that you circulate the workshop proposal form to anyone who may be interested in leading a workshop. (more...)

Read about "Catoctin Quaker Camp - 50th Anniversary Celebration", "Camp Administrative Secretary's Report", "What We Have Done - What We Look Forward to Doing" and much more! (more...)
 

"Let It Begin With Me: Stepping Into Our Own Power" The Baltimore Yearly Meeting's Women's Retreat is scheduled for January 23-25, 2009 at the Northern Virginia 4-H Educational Center near Front Royal, VA. This year's fee is $150 and registrations are due by December 6th! (more...)

In the 2008 Carey Memorial Lecture, W. Clinton Pettus tells us that "Love can work miracles if we dare to unleash its true power. It is the great equalizer; the great builder of justice; and our best hope for a world of peace. However, to unleash the power of love, it behooves us to construe the events of the world and the world itself in new ways. Our challenge going forward is to try what love will do if we truly construe the world through special lens that speak to equality, integrity, simplicity and peace. And, remember these special lenses must be polished by love." (more...)

The National Quaker Week in Britain invites readers to listen to nine people explaining why they decided to be a Quaker. 'Meet nine Quakers here, eager to share their spiritual journeys. Listen to their stories then decide for yourself...' (more...)

...And view other Quaker videos on YouTube

Check out our Conference Info; our Voicebox; our Birthdays; Crossword and Art; MORE Art!; and the Quaker Youth Book Project. Don't miss Peterson Toscano & Alison Duncan at our FMW Meet September 26-28! (more...)
 

A History of Baltimore Yearly Meeting

In 1972 Bliss Forbush, Quaker, educator, author and historian published the "History of Baltimore Yearly Meeting of Friends", a comprehensive look at the growth, the changes, the issues and the personalities which shaped our Yearly Meeting. Out of print for several years, BYM is now republishing this volume. Reserve yours today, (bym@bym-rsf.org) and pick one up at Interim Meeting in Charlottesville on October 18th.

Publication of the Baltimore Yearly Meeting of Friends
 

Fall 2008

Working with the theme "Let Us Then Try What Love Will Do," about 375 Friends gathered at Frostburg State University August 4-10 for a week of listening, interacting, singing, walking, growing. We enjoyed beautiful weather, just as FSU advertises - "Cool summer nights, Warm mountain hospitality." If you couldn't come, we missed you! Please do think about next year. (more...)

Three hundred seventy-six of us gathered this week at Frostburg State University for Baltimore Yearly Meeting's 337th Annual Session. We come from 35 Monthly Meetings, preparative meetings, and worship groups within our Yearly Meeting, as well as from 11 other Yearly Meetings, both on this continent and in East Africa. We range in age from 14-month-old Ida Schenck, here from New Orleans, to 85-year-old Sonia Blumenthal from Gunpowder Monthly Meeting. (more...)

by Jenifer Morris. Links to More Images to View or to Order (more...)

FWCC's Quaker Youth Pilgrimage to the United Kingdom
Twenty-five pilgrims selected from fifteen Yearly Meetings came together for the spiritual experience of a lifetime: Quaker Youth Pilgrimage (QYP) 2008. This almost month long adventure was made possible by the Friends World Committee for Consultation, and is an ongoing effort to encourage friendship among all branches of the Religious Society of Friends (more...)

Fall is right around the corner and autumn is the time when we have a chance to enjoy some time at the camp properties, help tackle some maintenance and improvement projects and take a moment to help put our camp properties to bed for the winter. (more...)

Baltimore Yearly Meeting is seeking a Director for Shiloh Quaker Camp, a residential camp for children ages 9-14. This is a part-time year round position, with full time responsibilities during the summer camping season. This applicant will be responsible for every aspect of making sure Shiloh Quaker Camp is a continued success. (more...)

Karen Lehman was appointed Executive Director of Friends House in June. She comes to us with a wealth of experience. She was Regional Director of Operations for Brookdale Senior Living, a national for-profit owner and operator of senior living communities throughout the United States and a leading national provider of senior-related services. Karen managed all of the Brookdale properties in Indiana. Previous to that she worked at Greencroft Retirement Community as the Vice President of Operations and COO, also in Indiana. (more...)

We are pleased to introduce Robinne Gray as our new Development Director. Please welcome Robinne to the staff of BYM! Robinne's position with BYM is new - a creation of over a year's discussions and plans. During Annual Session 2007, there was a lot of conversation over the desire to have a development professional help us communicate the financial needs of BYM and create mechanisms for annual and planned giving. (more...)

At Annual Session, Baltimore Yearly Meeting approved a letter to be sent to Mr. Bush and other leaders affirming our support of peaceful actions in the Middle East, and clearly stating our opposition to any attack on Iran, by the United States or others. (more...)

The Prison Committee of Sandy Spring Friends Meeting is developing a Pen Pal program to enable correspondence between inmates and people on the outside. The purpose of this new program is to encourage an exchange of friendly and spiritual letters, and is intended to nurture both prisoners and Pen Pals. (more...)

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. (more...)

At this year's annual session, BYM's Unity with Nature Committee (UwNC) challenged BYM MMs and office to "Go Green" in the coming year. Monthly Meetings and the BYM office are being asked to go for the Stars by completing the Five-Star Rating System developed by Quaker Ecology Action Network of Canadian YM and distributed by Quaker Earthcare Witness. UwNC hopes that all MMs will have a Four or Five Star Rating. (more...)

Each monthly meeting and school should now have the proposed Advices, Queries, 2008. This was available at Annual Session or was mailed to each monthly meeting clerk listed in the 2007 Yearbook. It is also available online.

The BYM Working Group on Racism (WGR) was pleased and excited to greet a large number of participants at two workshops addressing issues of race at this summer's BYM gathering at Frostburg. The two workshops drew over 20 participants each - larger numbers than in previous years. (more...)

There will be a meeting to discuss the vision and work of the BYM Religious Education Committee on October 18 at 10:30 a.m., at Charlottesville Meeting (this is BYM Fall Interim Meeting and Committee Day.) We hope to discuss the work of the RE Committee in general as well as to brainstorm about specific programs the Committee might undertake to assist and promote religious education in Monthly Meetings. We hope to have input at this gathering from as many Monthly Meetings as possible. (more...)

We have heard from the following meetings:

Annapolis Baltimore, Homewood Bethesda Charlottesville Deer Creek Gettysburg Gunpowder Langley Hill Maury River Patuxent Pipe Creek Richmond Roanoke Sandy Fall Valley Williamsburg York