Summer Executive Committee Highlights

The morning session started with worship and a Meeting and Worship Group Forum, which has become an essential part of our business meetings over the last few years.

St. Pete Friends report an increased joy and energy for getting out in the community; they will be participating in two St. Pete Pride events this weekend, including the Pride Parade.

Deland Worship Group is very active with their witness of giving away banned books; for this Juneteenth, they gave away several hundred books.

Clearwater Friends have also been getting out in the community: they have attended school board meetings, done some ‘cornering’ — and they have Quaker t-shirts! They had a letter to the editor on the war in Gaza published, and are planning a public forum with Beverly Ward, SEYM Field Secretary for Earthcare.

Palm Beach Meeting is struggling; they have very few in attendance; they are looking at doing outreach through social media and NPR.

After the Forum, Friends considered how to proceed with Deland Worship Group’s request to be recognized as a Monthly Meeting in SEYM. Deland Worship Group has been in existence for many years, and under the care of Orlando Meeting. They have a pressing need to be able to handle their own finances to support their very active witness in the wider community; they also are at the point where they need to be able to hold and encourage membership. Since the guidance from our Faith and Practice is that only the Yearly Meeting can confer Monthly Meeting status (not Interim Business Meeting or Executive Committee), and our regular Yearly Meeting is almost a year away, Executive Committee decided to hold a Called Yearly Business Meeting online on August 31 to consider Deland Worship Group’s request.

Deland Friends give away Black History books

We have a new Youth and Young Adult Coordinator! Friends approved hiring Rachel Dellinger (Orlando MM) to fill this position, to begin as soon as possible. Rachel has a range of experience teaching and organizing youth and adult volunteers. She has been as a high school teacher, a Girl Scout leader, and has extensive experience supervising literacy programs, and has been active in First Day School. With her background in environmental science, she brings a strong sense of earth stewardship to her work with young people. She has three children of her own, a teenager and two young adults. She has been attending Orlando Meeting since 2018, and has a deep commitment to the values that Quakers hold dear. A support committee was named to work with Rachel.

Other highlights included:

Cece Yocum (Tampa) reported that more funds are urgently needed to support Alternatives to Violence Program (AVP) trainings in Latin America and especially Cuba. SEYM has already donated; Cece asks that Meetings, Worship Groups, and Friends consider making donations, with funds to be channeled through SEYM. Donate to Friends Peace Teams, Peacebuilding in Las Americas AVP here

Joel Cook (Palm Beach/Treasure Coast) will be representing SEYM at the FWCC World Plenary in Johannesburg, South Africa.

 Half Yearly Meeting: Wekiwa State Park is now is saying that only their caterers may use the kitchen at the camp (in violation of our contract). The HYM Committee is looking at solutions and alternatives.

Field Secretary for Earthcare Beverly Ward offers to lead workshops for Meetings and Worship Groups, in person or online. See her Earthcare Workshop Offerings.

The SEYM Gathering Committee reports that Rashid Darden, FGC Associate Director for Communications and Outreach, will be our 2025 speaker. However, in order to have an in-person Gathering, the Registrar or co-clerk positions must be filled. Contact the Nominating Committee clerk, Brian Olson, if you can recommend someone for either position. 

The Committee for Ministry on Racism (CMOR) welcomes ideas from Friends regarding workshop topics on overcoming racism, as well as recommendations on resources on racial reconciliation and overcoming white supremacy. They meet online on first Mondays; all are welcome. Contact Kathy Hersh for more information. 

Peace and Social Concerns Committee invites any Friends to join them online. Contact Warren Hoskins for meeting times. 

The Ad Hoc Quaker Call Committee meets online twice a month. Contact Dan Vaughen for more information. 

Read all the reports in the Executive Committee Minutes, which will be posted soon. Please check back.