Weekly Announcements for June 5, 2026 

BYM is excited to invite younger adult Friends (20s and 30s) to Young Adult Days at Annual Session! We know it can be hard for early-career professionals and young families to get to Annual Session during the workweek. On Friday and Saturday, we'll have dedicated spaces and programming to welcome younger adult Quakers to Annual Session. Saturday "up and back" carpools are being organized from DC and Baltimore - stay tuned for details! 

A paper letter is in the mail to all Monthly Meetings and an email will go out later today, which is the first "Advance Report" (information on an item coming for decision to Annual Session) for our upcoming 2026 Sessions. The Peace & Social Concerns Committee will be bringing 3 Minutes to Annual Session and requests Monthly Meetings engage in corporate discernment about these business items. The Committee will also be hosting two info and listening sessions on the minutes, detailed in their letter to Monthly Meetings. 

The Annual Session used bookstore will be back by popular demand in 2026 and seeks the following: 

• Gently use books of all kinds
• Gently used Quaker t-shirts and tote bags
• Vendors to consign their arts and craft
• BYM authors for a special book signing events at the bookstore!

Used books and items can be dropped off or mailed to the BYM office. To sign-up as a vendor or BYM author, please email bookstores@bym-rsf.org. 

On Saturday, June 20th, BYM will gather for Interim Meeting in an online only format from 12:30pm - 4:00pm-ish. Our June Meeting for Business includes previews of all items coming to Annual Session, which includes: the 2027 budget, 3 Peace & Social Concerns Minutes, and more! We'll also hear from your Youth Programs Manager for her annual report. 

Earlier in the day, join BYM Friends for a special workshop to honor Juneteenth holiday weekend, 9:30am – 11:30am. The practice of noticing racial (and other) harm during business meetings is one way we can learn and grow as a community.  In real time, we look at ourselves, and give and receive feedback, all with the love and support of the Spirit and trusted Friends. This workshop is planned for people who have done soul searching on antiracism, have attended workshops and read books or other materials about antiracism, and wish to grow in a new area of skills. The workshop will be given by Lauren Brownlee (Bethesda) who has worked with a variety of Friends Meetings, schools, and organizations on equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging issues.  She currently serves as Deputy General Secretary of Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) and as co-clerk of the Quaker Coalition for Uprooting Racism Steering Committee. See: Patterns of Racial Wounding and Racial Justice in Quaker Communities, co-authored by Lauren Brownlee and Zenaida Peterson, Pendle Hill Pamphlet #495.

Ministry & Pastoral Care Committee invites you to our next coffee hour on  Tuesday, June 9, 2026, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. We will share under the query: What concerns do you have in your meeting that you wish were Baltimore Yearly Meeting-wide so that we may work on them together?

The next gathering of the BYM Jesus' Friends Worship Sharing Group will be June 21 at 3:00pm. Please email jesusfriends@bym-rsf.org to receive the scripture reading for June and the Zoom credentials.

In recent years, BYM has continued to experience growth not only within existing Monthly Meetings but also with the emergence of new local worshipping communities. Baltimore Yearly Meeting warmly welcomes the following new(ish) worshipping communities to our Yearly Meeting:

• Luray Friends Meeting
• Martinsburg Friends Meeting
• Heathsville Quaker Worship Group (Williamsburg Friends Meeting)

• Woodstock Worship Group (Valley Friends Meeting)

As you travel or have time in your schedule this summer, we hope Friends will visit our newest worshipping communities! Currently, our Yearly Meeting does not have any structures to offer direct accompaniment to new meetings or those Monthly Meetings that are caring for nearby worship groups or new meetings. We will host an Interest Group at Annual Session for new worshipping communities - and for those Friends with an interest in supporting new worshipping communities. We hope to see you there! 

• Drag as Spiritual Practice, June 20 @ Homewood
• Chesapeake Quarter Meeting, June 28

To submit your items for the BYM Weekly Announcements,
please email Admin@bym-rsf.org. 

Baltimore Yearly Meeting
17100 Quaker Lane | Sandy Spring, MD | 20860 USA
www.bym-rsf.org

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17100 Quaker Lane | Sandy Spring, MD 20860 US