Welcome to Baltimore Yearly Meeting!
Baltimore Yearly Meeting nurtures a vibrant Quaker community across the Mid-Atlantic. BYM unites Friends from 50 Quaker meetings and worship groups throughout Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
Together at BYM Friends we
Strengthen Local Meetings
The monthly meeting is the beating heart of everything we do. At its core, the yearly meeting is an association of Quaker monthly meetings and other local worshipping communities coming together to support one another. We share a common Faith & Practice - and we share our skills, gifts, spiritual leadings, and resources across local worshipping communities.
Grow in Spirit & Community
Quakers believe that there is “that of God” in every person—an Inner Light that is loving and honest and can lead us to truth and justice. As BYM Friends we gather for Meetings for Worship four times each year to discern the Leadings of the Spirit and to conduct our community business and three more times throughout the year for spiritual formation retreats.
Nurture Youth
BYM has a special commitment to the spiritual, social, and emotional thriving of all young people. Our camps and youth retreats are vibrant, diverse, youth-centered communities. BYM scholarships and grants provide material support to children, families, and child-serving organizations, and the Religious Education Committee connects meetings to resources for nurturing youth.
Connect & Serve as Friends
Working together is an extension of our worship into the practical life of Quakerism. Working together benefits both the wider community and those Friends who participate. We serve together on Committtes, gather for service projects and social witness, and are part of the worldwide body of Quakers - connected to 14 organizations and hundreds of thousands of Friends around the world.
Virtual Annual Session
The Program Committee wants as many Friends as possible to participate in Annual Session programs this year. We have been exploring the concept of Pay as Led financing over the last year, and will be using that model to cover the expenses for our virtual Annual Session 2020. By making Annual Session more financially possible for more people, we hope our community can become more inclusive and welcoming. Pay as Led financing acknowledges that while some Friends require assistance to participate, many others could pay more/give more than the rates that are set.
We are particularly aware that this year some Friends have been unemployed, living on their savings, or experiencing other financial hardships. Do not let lack of funds keep you from participating.
The suggested Annual Session registration fee is $100 per adult (over age 18). As always, youth programming is free. This fee includes the retreat, all programs during the week, and programs scheduled in the pre-session week (July 20-24). Whether you attend a lot or a little of the Annual Session program, we invite you to prayerfully consider your own financial circumstances, and pay as you are led. You may be led to pay significantly more than $100, or less. It is up to each of us to individually discern what fee to pay. You will see the option to enter your fee on the registration page.
Registration is online only. If you need assistance, please contact the Yearly Meeting office. You may register throughout Annual Session, but must register for any specific event or session no less then 2 hours in advance of that session to allow time to receive the connection information. You must preregister to receive the technology link for any session. We will not be posting them publicly due to security issues.
Note that the registration includes all currently announced pre-session events that will be occurring prior to the 27th of July. As new pre-session events are added, they will be announced generally and those who have already registered will be given an opportunity to add these to their registration.
