SEYM Welcomes DeLand Monthly Meeting

DeLand Worship Group became DeLand Monthly Meeting at a called Yearly Business Meeting held online on August 31st. Over 50 Friends were in attendance, and all present joyfully united in approving a minute recognizing DeLand Friends as a monthly meeting affiliated with SEYM. Many Friends voiced appreciation for all that DeLand Friends have done over the years, and for their activism in the wider community.

DeLand Worship Group was founded about 30 years ago, under the care of Orlando Meeting. It later became a preparative meeting, was laid down for a while, then restarted as a Worship Group in 2019. They have several seasoned Friends, and several new attenders, with about 20 Friends gathering for worship on Sundays. They have been active in their community, drawing national attention with their banned book giveaways at Juneteenth events, MLK Day celebrations, and other events. Their attenders have been active with both Orlando Monthly Meeting and SEYM.

In June, our Yearly Meeting Clerk had received correspondence from Jim Cain, DeLand’s Clerk, with their request to become a monthly meeting, as well as a minute from Orlando Meeting recommending that DeLand be recognized as meeting by SEYM. They also asked that this request be considered sooner than our April 2025 Yearly Meeting, because of their need to accept memberships — both transfers and new members — and their need to take care of their finances and take in donations for their banned book giveaways that pour in from around the country. Summer Executive Committee took all this information under discernment, and scheduled the Called Yearly Business Meeting for August 31.

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