The next World Gathering of Young Friends [WGYF], planned for August 16–24, 2005 will be held at University of Lancaster in the United Kingdom.

Baltimore Yearly Meeting can send two representatives, and possibly other Young Adult Friends who apply for an “open place.” BYM Friend Rachel Stacy serves on the WGYF planning committee in a leadership role. All yearly meetings, monthly meetings, and Friends churches are invited to support Young Adult Friends (aged 18-35) from the Quaker Family around the world with contributions of funds, other encouragement, creative suggestions, assistance with clearness, committees of care and study, and still more.

Baltimore Yearly Meeting Friends, as individuals, and through our Monthly Meetings, are invited to provide financial support for this World Gathering of Young Friends event, the first since 1985 when Young Friends from many lands gathered in Greensboro, NC. With about $60,000 in hand or committed by North American Friends or Meetings, another $140,000 is needed now.

Is it reasonable to hope BYM Friends and Meetings might undertake to raise between $6,000 and $12,000 of that $140,000? Perhaps this can be discussed during our time together at BYM Fall Interim Meeting at Goose Creek, as well as when we each consider contingency items to include in Monthly Meeting budgets for 2005?

Please send checks payable to BYM, designated for World Gathering of Young Friends [WGYF] to the Treasurer, BYM, 17100 Quaker Lane, Sandy Spring, MD 20860-1296; you will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Funds can also be directed to the World Gathering of Young Friends, P. O, Box 85884, Seattle, WA 98145. As with any such venture, monies sent sooner can be used more carefully and confidently.

Here are excerpts from Rachel Stacy’s report for BYM Friends, drafted in September, following her recent return from travels in England, Scotland, and Ireland:

...Dear Friends of Baltimore Yearly Meeting,

I bring greetings from Earlham College after having arrived safely from a short pilgrimage in Great Britain and Ireland. The purpose of this adventure was to attend the Year Ahead Event planning meeting for the World Gathering of Young Friends, and to meet young Quakers involved in this planning process from all over the world.

...After visiting...Ireland and...Scotland, I traveled to the Year Ahead Event with two British Friends. We arrived safely at Glenthorne Quaker Center in the Lake District of England....prepared both in our hearts and minds to begin intense planning for the World Gathering.

...Major decisions emerged and the spirit moved strongly. A trip to Brigflats Meeting, one of the starting places of Quakerism, encouraged and inspired the planners. Its impossible to explain the power that little meeting has, linking present vigor and hope to a rooted history of courage and strength....

...I have several requests. I hope that every Friend between the ages of 18-35 thinks strongly about their role in this emerging Quaker movement. Baltimore Yearly Meeting’s two representatives will travel to the World Gathering of Young Friends August 2005. I encourage those interested to fill out the application on the web site www.wgyf.org and send [your application] to the Baltimore Yearly Meeting office. Those who are not chosen can also consider sending your applications to the [WGYF] office in Scotland, and apply for an “open place.”

...Those of us of all ages and situations who are....unable to apply to travel to England for the World Gathering of Young Friends, know that you are so very fortunate to be part of the BYM Community....we are all blessed....There is...much everyone can do day to day to help this revival of Quaker spirit. Mentor a child in your meeting, invite them to tea. Hold a fellowship time in your home and invite people of all ages to share about faith and experiences. The World Gathering starts in our own homes. Ask the people of your meeting, or your...group [of] Young Friends to sponsor a participant of the World Gathering who is [traveling to England] from Guatemala or Burundi. Hug your neighbor, sit next to a stranger in meeting, hold a bake sale, love one another. There are so many things we can all do to be a witness to our faith. Supporting the World Gathering monetarily is one way, changing one part of your daily routine to encourage a Friend, or support a neighbor is another.

...If anyone has any questions or ideas about...[helping] with the World Gathering and the greater Quaker movement, I’d love to...lend an ear where I can. I hope to serve BYM to the best of my ability wherever God leads me. Please keep me accountable for that hope. I’d love to hear from you, my e-mail is stacyra@earlham.edu]

...Thank you for your support in my journey and everything each of you does on a daily basis that celebrates God’s work. George Fox said to over sixty Friends a statement of mission “Be Valiant for the Truth upon the Earth.” Thank you for your Truth.

...Praying in Witness, Rachel Stacy....

As Friends consider Rachel Stacy’s message, it is also helpful to refer to the WGYF Theme and Mission Statement and Vision Statement and other information available on the gathering’s web site: www.wgyf.org

WGYF Theme:

“I am the vine, you are the branches”
...now what fruit shall we bear? (from John 15)

WGYF Mission Statement

The World Gathering of Young Friends will bring together Friends aged 18-35 from around the world to build community within the next generation of Quaker leaders. We will study and learn from our heritage, share our present day expressions of faith, and discern how Christ our present teacher is guiding us to facilitate understanding within our Quaker family. By sharing experiences of living Quaker testimony from our varied cultures, we seek to ask humbly for guidance and to open ourselves to the possibility of transformation.

WGYF Vision Statement

It was 350 years ago that a young man by the name of George Fox was moved to stand on a grassy bank known as Firbank Fell in the English countryside. To the crowd gathered, he boldly attested to the presence of an accessible risen Christ that lived inside and amongst every human being and could inspire, guide, and lead to fresh witness. Thousands became “convinced” of this glistening truth; aware of the indwelling presence of Divinity. Christ indeed was alive as a teacher, leader, friend, and prophet!

Many young adults were present at this gathering. They returned home, taking the profound message laid on their hearts. They traveled out into the countryside, surrounding areas, and in many cases abroad, sharing this Good News. Quakerism spread from a small section of Northern England to a living faith around the World. In the centuries following, many have come into this faith and many have left. We have altered our worship styles, commitments, beliefs and actions in response to the needs of our communities, in rebellion of those we have disagreed with, and to emulate those we admire.

Where is the Divine message now? We have many fruits. We have many wounds. What is our witness now? What is our life’s work? We believe God is calling us to be gathered again. There is infinite guidance, love, peace and truth available and ours for the harvest—for Christ’s harvest. How will we be led?

We come to humbly ask for guidance, to embrace our siblings in Faith, to understand truths that have been difficult before, to open ourselves to the possibility of transformation.