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Annual Newsletter

The web version of the 2012-2013 annual newsletter is now available. Find out about the activities and life of the meeting, as well as information on Quaker resources and programming.

End of Year Backyard Picnic

To celebrate the end of the First Day School year there will be a potluck picnic for everyone in the meetinghouse backyard after meeting for worship on Sunday, June 9.  The slip-n-slide water slide is rumored to make a come back. 

2013 ILYM Annual Sessions

“Joy: Still a Gift of the Spirit” will be the theme of the Illinois Yearly Meeting 2013 Annual Sessions which will be held June 19-23 on the yearly meeting campus near McNabb, Illinois. Program and registration is available on the ILYM website. Register by June 1 to avoid late fees.

Quaker Spring

For the last 6 years in June, Friends from over 20 yearly meetings drawing on all branches of Friends have gathered together to explore what Spirit-led Quakerism is about at its core - and to experience it together. These were truly "gatherings with a difference" - with most of the week left unplanned and open to the leading of the Spirit.  The theme this year will be “Experiencing the Inward Christ Together” and will be held in Deerfield, Mass., June 21-26.  Further information on the Quaker Spring website.

FDS Camping Trip

The 2nd annual First Day School camping trip at Indiana Dunes State Park is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, September 7-8.

CFS Saturday Stories

Chicago Friends School is will be hosting a story hour, with snacks and activities, each Saturday at 10:00 a.m. through the end of the school year. This program is for children from 3 to 8 years of age and is free. CFS is located at 1246 W. Thorndale (chicagofriendsschool.org). The general schedule is as follows and the specific stories for the month will be announced at the beginning of each month:
 

Winter Among Friends

The most recent issue of ILYM Among Friends is available both in print in the dining room and on the ILYM website.

May Western Work

The latest issue of Western Yearly Meeting’s newsletter (359K PDF). It includes news about things happening around the yearly meeting as well in the wider Quaker world.

Children's Religious Education

Programs are held on the first, second, third and fifth Sundays of the month, concurrent with Meeting for Worship at 10:30 a.m. Programs on the first and third Sundays will be part of the Godly Play and Faith & Play series.  On second Sundays there will be Junior Meeting for Worship for children over 5 and a story-based program for younger children (2-4). On fourth Sundays, the younger children will have a program that  makes use of Dr. Seuss stories to related to Quaker themes and/or testimonies, and the older children will be learning about and discussing Quaker faith through playing the The Quaker 1652 Country Game. Programs on fifth Sundays will be reflections, explorations and activities related to the seasons of Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer.

The Spiritual Gospel

The winter Adult Religious Education program will focus on explorations and discussions of the Gospel of John, as presented in Illuminate, a Friends Bible Study series by Barclay Press. The program meets every Sunday 9:15-10:15 a.m.

May 19/26: "I Am the Good Shepherd" (John 10:7-16)
Jun 2/9: The Call to Servanthood (John 10:7-16)
Jun 16/23: Jesus: the Way, the Truth, the Life (John 14:1-7)
Jun 30: Community Breakfast
Jul 7/14: "I Am the Vine" (John 15:1-16)
Jul 21/28: The Holy Spirit (John 16:5-16)
Aug 4/11: Preparing the Disciples (John 16:19-24, 31-33)
Aug 18/25: A Prayer for Disciples (John 17:1-5, 15-23)

2013 WYM Annual Sessions

Western Yearly Meeting Annual Sessions will be July 18-21 at the yearly meeting grounds in Plainfield, Ind.. The theme will be “...fan into flame the gift of God that is in you...” 2 Timothy 1:6 (NIV). Jan Wood will be leading in worship regarding spiritual gifts during daily devotional messages and the Sunday morning worship. The Quaker Lecture will reflect on how the arts impact our Faith, and will be presented by John Carter. To further celebrate the theme of gifts and arts, Friends are encouraged to be working on items for display which demonstrate God-given talents of all kinds. If you are gifted in any form of the arts, please plan on bringing an item to include in displays which will be placed around the Yearly Meeting facilities for enrichment of our time together. A request for your intentions as to such articles will be made nearer to the time of sessions. Children and youth will be included in programming. Be watching for more details as plans continue.