THE RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS IN IRELAND YEARLY MEETING 2017 To be held at The High School, Rathgar, Dublin 6 20th -23rd April 2017 Live simply, so that others may simply live – Mahatma Gandhi The first session of each day will commence with a half hour Meeting for Worship Yearly Meeting Office Quaker House Stocking Lane Rathfarnham Dublin 16 Thursday 20th April 15.00 Arrival and Reception, tea/coffee 16.00 – 17.30 Session 1 Reading - Sheilagh Reaper Reynolds Welcome Appoint Friends to check the minutes during Yearly Meeting. Appoint a Friend to send a report to The Friendly Word, Website and The Friend. Appoint a Nominations committee for the duration of Yearly Meeting. Letter of Greeting from Britain Yearly Meeting Summary of Epistles from other Yearly Meetings - Aine Ennis 17.45 – 19.00 Evening meal 19.00 – 20.45 Ministry & Oversight Feeling Alone – introduced by members of Grange and Richhill MM M&O Being Alone from a Biblical point of view – Simon C Lamb Widowhood and being Alone in Meeting – Jennifer A Hobson Travelling on her own – Katherine M Stephenson What is our response and What can we Do? – Catherine M Loney 20.45 Tea/coffee 21.15 – 21.45 Candlelit Worship– Stan Houston Friday 21st April 09.00 – 10.00 Bible Study led by – David L Gamble Worship Sharing – Felicity A McCartney/Nigel R Hampton 10.00 – 11.30 Session 2 Yearly Meeting’s Committee Report Yearly Meeting Training Group – Felicity A McCartney Visiting Meetings – Anne-Marie Woods and Catherine B O’Dea 11.30 Tea/coffee 12.00 – 13.15 Session 3 Treasurer’s Report – Patricia Quigley Ethical Investment – T David Kingston News from Scariff Worship Group – Marian Twomey 13.15 – 14.15 Lunch 13.45 – 14.30 Meeting for Worship for Healing - Pauline Goggin/ MarianTwomey 14.30 – 15.55 Interest Groups - see page 6 for details 15.55 – 16.15 Tea/Coffee 16.15 – 17.45 Session 4 Reading – Judith C Poole Ministry and Oversight report Peace Witness in Dublin 2016 – Sean Kinsella Eurosatory Vigil 2016 – Pauline Goggin Cork Friends’ theme for World Quaker Day 2016 – Peace – Frances Tolton 18.00 Evening meal 18.45 – 19.15 Spiritual Reflection Groups – William D A Haire/ Ian S Woods 19.30 PUBLIC LECTURE The way, the truth and the life….what does this mean for us today? Given by Rachel M Bewley-Bateman Chaired by – Daniel H Sinton 21.15 Tea/Coffee 21.30 –21.50 Candlelit Worship - Pauline Goggin Saturday 22nd April 09.00 – 10.00 Bible Study led by – Thomas Quearney Worship Sharing – Felicity A McCartney/Nigel R Hampton 10.00 – 11.30 Session 5 IQFA – report on projects funded – Geraldine S Grubb Eco Quakers – YM 2016 min 16.40 – Richard Bloomfield / Lynn Finnegan Purposes and Priorities Working Group [PPWG] – Denise Gabuzda 11.30 Tea/Coffee 12.00 – 13.15 Session 6 Draft epistle Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) – Jonathan Woolley 13.15 - 14.15 Lunch 14.30 – 15.55 Interest Groups – see page 6 for details 15.55 – 16.15 Tea/Coffee 16.15 – 17.45 Session 7 Reading – Margaret Haugh Youth Reports Ecumenical Accompaniers Programme in Palestine and Israel [EAPPI] – John Parkin 18.00 Evening meal 18.45-19.15 Spiritual Reflection Groups Charles B Lamb/ Marjorie A Lamb 19.30 - 21.15 A New Life – An Inclusive Society – Insights into enforced migration "The stranger who resides with you shall be as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself.” Leviticus 19:34 21.15 Tea/Coffee 21.30 – 21.50 Candlelit Worship – Sylvia H Wigham Sunday 23rd April 10.00 - 11.00 Session 8 Epistle Reflections on YM Appointment of Clerks Closing Minute 11.00 – 12.00 Concluding Meeting for Worship 12.30 – 14.00 Lunch Sessions of Yearly Meeting are open to all Members. Attenders should be encouraged to speak to their Preparative Meeting Clerk, telling them of their wish to attend Yearly Meeting, and asking them to confirm their attendance at Meeting for Worship. The PM Clerk should forward these names to the Office. This programme is subject to alteration as the Yearly Meeting may direct Documents in Advance are available for many of the items of business, and may be taken as read. Hand-held microphones are to be used by those speaking from the body of the Meeting during business sessions. Please signal your wish to speak by standing up; when you have been handed a microphone and acknowledged by the Clerk you are free to speak. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS PLEASE SIGN UP FOR THESE FRIDAY 14.15–15.45 1. Tax Justice, T David Kingston and Jennifer Higgins of Christian Aid In 2008, Christian Aid became the first leading development NGO to make tax justice a major campaign priority, making the direct link between tax avoidance and people trapped in poverty. Christian Aid advocates for greater accountability and transparency from large multinational companies. .2. Becoming Friends - Denise Gabuzda and Pat Mohally We will share our experience over the past year with two small discussion groups based on the Woodbrooke "Becoming Friends" course, intended for those wishing to learn more about Quakerism, and discuss this as a resource for Meetings in IYM. 3. 'Quaker Concerns from mainland Europe - Quaker Council for European Affairs: Andrew Lane and Kate McNally An update on the work being undertaken to protect human rights and build peace and dialogue on our continent . SATURDAY 14.15–15.45 4. Sustaining and Encouraging Quaker Ethos in Our Schools, - Susanna M Murdoch and Jenni R Pim - Newtown School Patron “Is the ethos in our schools of interest to Friends?” "Why should ethos in our schools be of interest to Friends?” 5. Sharing ideas about our Sustainability Plans – Richard Bloomfield and Eco Quakers Ireland Committee Considering examples of actions included in Sustainability Plans received to date, sharing ideas and experiences, allowing Meetings to support one another and discussing how to move forward toward a more sustainable IYM. 6. Meet the Public Lecturer This interest group will provide Friends with an opportunity to further discuss some of the themes and ideas expressed during.Rachel’s public lecture on Friday evening. INFORMATION The High School is situated off Junction 11of the M50 A detailed map and instructions will be available. Public Transport – The following bus routes, from the city centre will get you there: 15B – every 20 minutes from Pearse St, outside Trinity, to Bushy Park Road. 14 – every 15 – 20 minutes from Sth. Great Georges St, to Orwell Road. 16 – every 12 – 15 minutes from Sth. Great Georges St, to Rathfarnham Road. Accommodation – The nearest Guest Houses to The High School are: Zion Hall Guest House, 66 Zion Road, Rathgar with another building at 16 Zion Road [email protected] – mention you are attending the Quaker Yearly Meeting. Ardagh House Hotel, 1 Highfield Road, Rathgar – 00353 1 497 7068 – please quote Ireland Yearly Meeting. St Aiden’s Guest House, 32 Brighton Road, Rathgar – 00353 1 4906178 – [email protected] – mention the Quaker gathering and Catherine O’Dea. Parking is available at The High School. Meals and accommodation should be pre-booked, using the forms available from your Meeting, from the Office, or from the members’ part of the website. Please book meals and/or accommodation no later than 24th March. This date is also the closing date for Children’s, Young People’s and Young Friends applications. Bursary Help is available towards the expenses of any Friend who would otherwise be prevented from attending Yearly Meeting. Please put a note on your booking form if you wish to apply. Programmes are arranged for children, teenagers, and Young Friends. Forms must be returned by the 24th March otherwise places may not be available. At all other times, parents are responsible for the supervision and safety of children under 18 years. The Market Place will be open between sessions and will feature the Yearly Meeting bookstall, several displays, and Irish Quaker Faith in Action fund-raising Sale. Please bring and buy garden produce, baking, books, bric-a-brac, but nothing electrical, no junk! Pets are not allowed on the premises but guide dogs are acceptable. REPRESENTATIVES Martin Touwen – Netherlands YM and FWCC/EMES Marilyn Higgins Britain Yearly Meeting Anneli Őrtqvist Sweden Yearly Meeting Yulia Dvoretskaya Moscow Monthly Meeting Jonathan Woolley Quaker United Nations Office VISITORS Andrew Lane Quaker Council for European Affairs Kate McNally Quaker Council for European Affairs Dan Flynn Belgium & Luxembourg Yearly Meeting Myron G Montanó Central Yearly Meeting, Bolivia John Parkin Ècumenical Accompaniers Programme in Palestine & Israel OTHER CHURCHES Church of Ireland Ms Ruth Handy, Dr Kenneth Milne Irish Council of Churches Dr Nicola Brady, Dr Damian Jackson Methodist Church Dr Fergus O’Ferrall Presbyterian Rev Lorraine Kennedy-Ritchie Roman Catholic Archbishop Diarmuid Martin Muslim Community Shaykh Umar Al-Qadri CLERKS of Ireland Yearly Meeting Clerk E Heather Bewley Assistant Clerk Bairbre Nic Aongusa Clodagh Davis Recording Clerk C Rosemary H Castagner Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Oversight Clerk- Marjorie A Lamb .