...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

  FGC General Secretary

Friends General Conference (FGC) has begun the search for a new General Secretary. Bruce Birchard, General Secretary since the fall of 1992, has announced he will retire in July of 2011. (more...)

FGC is in the last stages of developing a transformational business plan for the Publications Program, which will utilize the capabilities of new publishing technology and the proliferation of Quaker writers to bring more Quaker voices into publication. The Publications Manager will implement and manage this small publishing business for Friends General Conference. (more...)

Do you have a passion for outreach and the willingness to serve? Do you have fabulous ideas about how to explain the Quaker way to newcomers? If so, then WE NEED YOU! Members of the Advancement and Outreach (A&O) Committee want to create a "landing spot" on the BYM website for newcomers and inquirers, providing information and resources tailored specifically to their needs. (more...)

The worst reported earthquake in the region in 200 years struck, killing countless numbers of people and wounding many more. We need your help to respond. The American Friends Service Committee is seeking financial contributions to help Haitians recover from the devastation of the earthquake and rebuild their lives and communities. Please make a gift today and aid Haitian earthquake survivors. (more...)

Baltimore Yearly Meeting is looking for workshop proposals for the 2010 Yearly Meeting in Frostburg, MD. The theme for this year is: Leadings for Today: Lessons from History. Submit your proposal by February 20. (more...)

The Sue Thomas Turner Quaker Education Fund of Baltimore Yearly Meeting was established in recognition of Sue's long support of Quaker education and Quaker values in public education. 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. (more...)

Stony Run Friends Meeting in Baltimore is seeking a full time Meeting Coordinator/ Secretary. The qualified individual should be a Quaker comfortable with unprogrammed worship, having a minimum of two years of related work experience. (more...)

The Wisdom of John Woolman

In 1948 Reginald Reynolds first published The Wisdom of John Woolman, an intimate review of Woolman's life, his principles, and his writings. The brief history is followed by three chapters of quotations from the many texts Woolman produced. The final chapter includes "John Woolman and the 20th Century', a republication of Pendle Hill Pamphlet #96. Copies are available from CreateSpace, Amazon, and your Yearly Meeting office: admin@bym-rsf.org

We congratulate you on being awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, given in recognition of the extraordinary change you have initiated in international diplomacy and cooperation among peoples. In 1947, the Quakers, as represented by our two great relief organizations, the Friends Service Council in London and the American Friends Service Committee in Philadelphia, also received the Nobel Peace Prize. So we write as fellow recipients who, like you, feel humbled by the honor and feel called to greater work for peace. (more...)

"Thank you for your kind note. I was both surprised and humbled by the Nobel Committee's decision. I appreciate your support for our shared vision of a more peaceful world. This prize is an affirmation of American leadership as we call upon our fellow nations to join us in confronting our common challenges." (more...)

On 3 Tenth Month 2009, 64 Friends from 22 Monthly Meetings within Baltimore Yearly Meeting gathered together to apply their best thinking to key challenges facing the Yearly Meeting in our time. The initial queries and strategies offered at the session will form the basis for Friends' consideration of a future vision for our Yearly Meeting. (more...)

Monthly meetings can now save 10% on orders of 5 or more books, or 20% on purchases of 10 or more books from Friends United Press. Books can be all the same title, or all different! (more...)

Publication of the Baltimore Yearly Meeting of Friends [pdf]
 

Fall 2009

Having just come through a period in my life where I felt barren, like there was a desert inside, and no water to nourish my spirit, I trudged off to Baltimore Yearly Meeting Annual Sessions. I had the sense of a dying person approaching an oasis, hopeful against hope, yet doubting, as if that oasis might be just another mirage... (more...)

Y2009-12 Interim Meeting: Elizabeth Meyer (Sandy Spring), Clerk of Interim Meeting, presented the report from Interim Meeting: Abingdon Meeting. After hearing the visitation committee's report at its session on Sixth Month 20, 2009 in State College, Pennsylvania, Interim Meeting recommends that Abingdon Friends Meeting be welcomed as a member of Baltimore Yearly Meeting. (more...)

What is Baltimore Yearly Meeting called to do and be for Friends in the 21st Century? Friends at Monthly Meetings within BYM are invited peer into the future at the BYM Visioning Retreat Saturday, October 3, 2009. (more...)

The Yearly Meeting's youth have truly benefited from having a Youth Secretary this year. Since the last regular Interchange, there have been four youth conferences. There were three Young Friends conferences: a bus trip in April, a 'graduation' conference in May and BYM's Annual Session. There was also one Junior Young Friends (JYF) conference in May at Camp Opequon. (more...)

It's been just over a year since I joined the staff of the Yearly Meeting to run its first Development program. The Development Subcommittee (now a full committee) and I have worked to put policies and procedures in place, to improve communications between BYM and Monthly Meetings regarding financial matters, to build relationships, and to encourage regular, annual gifts to the Yearly Meeting. (more...)
 

We have lots of exciting projects planned for the work weekend at the camp properties and everyone is invited to join us. Work weekends provide a great opportunity for individuals and families to come and enjoy our camp properties for a day or for the weekend. (more...)

2009 Draft Faith & Practice

The 2009 draft version of the Baltimore Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice, which is under continuing revision, is now available. For $5 plus $2.38 shipping per copy, this is the bargain of the year! Some of the suggested changes previously sent in by individuals and Meetings have been incorporated and others will appear in the next version. (more...)

True silence ... is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment - William Penn, 1699. Is your spirit in need of nourishment and refreshment? Come to the Silent Retreat for Friends at Dayspring, October 9-12. (more...)

Five of our Monthly meetings have created local versions of the "Working Group on Racism," some with different names. We have profiled these local groups below, to give an idea of their activities to other monthly meetings thinking of forming a similar group. (more...)

 

 
  The purpose of outreach is to be visible, accessible and welcoming to inquirers. BYM's Advancement and Outreach Committee has undertaken an exciting new video project intended to give today's inquirers a taste of what modern Quakers and the Quaker way are about from those individuals best suited to convey it - modern Friends. (more...)

The BYM Ad Hoc Committee on Gender and Sexual Diversity Concerns asks your Monthly Meeting to consider the following query and send your responses to us: (more...)

Intervisitation

From July 1-5, 2010 in Mombasa, on the coast of Kenya, the Triennial meeting of the United Society of Friends Women International will gather. The Intervisitation Committee will send a delegation. We can cover the registration, room, and board for six travelers in our delegation. (more...)

The Program Committee would like to thank everyone who attended the Baltimore Yearly Meeting Annual Session for being with us. There were 20 more people this year than last, which was wonderful. If you were not present, please do yourself a favor and plan now to attend next year from 2-8 August 2010 at Frostburg State University in Frostburg, MD. (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 has now republished this volume. Copies are available from CreateSpace, Amazon, and your Yearly Meeting office: admin@bym-rsf.org

We have heard from the following meetings:

Annapolis Baltimore, Homewood Baltimore, Stony Run Bethesda Charlottesville Carlisle Deer Creek Gunpowder Herndon Langley Hill Little Falls Nottingham Patapsco Richmond Sandy Spring Williamsburg York