Upcoming Events
EarthSong is a time of celebration and care for our community. It includes our annual send-off ceremony for our seniors as they enter a new phase of life. You can expect deep conversation, fun activities, and joyful games. We hope you join us for this warm and vibrant conference!
Join us as we embark on a journey of self-expression and a deeper exploration of how we understand both lament and joy in our lives.
Over the weekend, we will delve into the transformative power of expressive writing and the arts for creating openings for healing and spiritual depth. Together, we will navigate emotional highs and lows, discovering the “joy unspeakable joy” that can be found in even the most challenging moments.
We’ll engage in a communal lament practice as a vehicle for authenticity and vulnerability, allowing us to deepen our connection with ourselves, the Divine, and one another, leading to a newfound appreciation for the interplay of both in our faith walk.
Lynette Davis, SFCC, is an author, spiritual companion, and mental health advocate who believes stories can change the world and create meaning in life. She has been a convinced Friend since 2016 and is a member of Ujima Friends Meeting and an ecumenical Sister with The Sisters for Christian Community.
Stories of ghosts swim around the walls of Powell House. Maybe you are carrying one of your own! How does the past influence the present? What happens when we pass beyond the physical world? What spaces do you think you would inhabit as a ghost? At this conference, we will explore these questions and more through deep discussion and artistic activities.
Friends participating in NYYM's Mentorship Reimagined 2023-2024 program are invited to spend time finding closure in community in this HYBRID retreat. We will consider the growth we've experienced this year and the ways our relationships will transform as the program comes to a close.
Anger, passion, creation, destruction! Fire can symbolize a lot of different things. What gets you fired up? At this conference we will play with ideas about the fire each of us holds inside of ourselves. Expect games, art, and fiery discussion. If weather permits, we may even have a bonfire on Saturday night!
Members of the committee attend Powell House Committee meetings and serve on subcommittees such as Fiscal Management, Personnel, Program, Property, and Fundraising. They serve as channels of communication between Powell House and the Yearly Meeting and their own local and regional meetings.
Powell House supports a staff that includes the directors, office staff, facilities support (grounds and housekeeping), and cooks. Staff offices are presently in Pitt Hall.
Powell House was established by New York Yearly Meeting in 1960 as the result of a gift of residential property from Elsie K. Powell Sr. This property, with subsequent additions and improvements, now consists of Pitt Hall, the Anna Curtis Center, a director’s residence, a youth directors’ residence, and fifty-seven acres of land with a campground and two wildlife ponds.
Powell House is used primarily for religious conferences and similar gatherings of members and attenders of meetings belonging to New York Yearly Meeting. It is also used for meetings of Yearly Meeting committees or conferences sponsored by them. The programs include a wide variety of educational, inspirational, and organizational activities for youth and adults related to the religious, benevolent, and social concerns of the Religious Society of Friends. The facilities are available for use by affiliated Friends’ organizations and other religious or educational groups having interests compatible with those of Friends. Short-term sojourners may sometimes be accommodated.
Enjoy learning new skills? Like to work among 57 acres of God’s creation in Columbia County, NY? Bring your favorite tools, old clothes and hearty appetites. Our cooks will have lots of good, nutritious & yummy food for us. We have plenty of work projects, both inside and outside our buildings. The Powell House directors and maintenance person will coordinate our work projects.
Members of the committee attend Powell House Committee meetings and serve on subcommittees such as Fiscal Management, Personnel, Program, Property, and Fundraising. They serve as channels of communication between Powell House and the Yearly Meeting and their own local and regional meetings.
Powell House supports a staff that includes the directors, office staff, facilities support (grounds and housekeeping), and cooks. Staff offices are presently in Pitt Hall.
Powell House was established by New York Yearly Meeting in 1960 as the result of a gift of residential property from Elsie K. Powell Sr. This property, with subsequent additions and improvements, now consists of Pitt Hall, the Anna Curtis Center, a director’s residence, a youth directors’ residence, and fifty-seven acres of land with a campground and two wildlife ponds.
Powell House is used primarily for religious conferences and similar gatherings of members and attenders of meetings belonging to New York Yearly Meeting. It is also used for meetings of Yearly Meeting committees or conferences sponsored by them. The programs include a wide variety of educational, inspirational, and organizational activities for youth and adults related to the religious, benevolent, and social concerns of the Religious Society of Friends. The facilities are available for use by affiliated Friends’ organizations and other religious or educational groups having interests compatible with those of Friends. Short-term sojourners may sometimes be accommodated.
We’re back to the whole weekend this spring! While we are still asking folks to rapid test before they arrive, and adhering to a reduced capacity total (you will be roomed with your family/companions), this will be the traditional routine of indoor and outdoor work projects, with planned evening recreation/fellowship activities. Of course, you may still wear masks if you feel that is important for you!
We’ll begin with supper at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, and conclude with lunch on Sunday. Childcare will be provided for those 10 and under, with 2 weeks notice. There will be PLENTY of chores, food, and fun :) Come and join us!
Changing schools, moving to a new town, becoming a teenager… There are many moments in life that can make you feel like you are entering a new chapter. Turning the page into that new chapter can feel exciting, but it can also feel challenging. At this conference we will talk about how big changes have affected our personal story. We will also have space to talk about characters from books and how they handle big changes. Along with discussion, expect games and fun activities that will help us consider the wide view of our lives as stories.
NYC Quakers are part of New York Yearly Meeting (NYYM), which represents all the Quaker meetings in New York State and parts of Connecticut and New Jersey. Spring Sessions is one of the three times a year that members of the NYYM community gather to worship, conduct business, and have fellowship together. These gatherings are a great place to meet other Friends and learn about Quaker practice, and are open to anyone who is interested in Quakerism and our Quaker meetings.
Quakers believe that everyone should get a voice when decisions are made for a community. In Quaker Meetings, the clerk takes on the role of listening to the members of the Meeting and helping everyone come to consensus on any decision that gets made for the Meeting. At this conference we will talk about the role of the clerk as well as how the skills of clerking can be applied to different areas of life. As always, you can expect games and fun activities to accompany this meaty topic.
If art leads you to a deeper spiritual journey or your spiritual journey leads you to be more creative or if you just want to explore the relationship between creativity and spirituality, this retreat is for you.
Through all forms of creativity we find opportunities for deepening our spiritual journey. In a creative community we will delve into the interrelationship between creativity and spirituality through a variety of art forms --possibilities include: quilting, weaving, sculpting with clay, painting with watercolors, knitting, crochet, cooking/baking, origami, music. The venues will be confirmed as we gather leaders for each. If you are interested in facilitating a specific modality, PLEASE LET REGINA KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! The weekend culminates with a whole group sharing of our creative processes and our creations.
Childcare available with 3 weeks notice (by February 25th). Check out our HEALTH POLICY for this season.
Another cooking conference! Let’s fill the building with the aroma of delicious dishes. There is something so special about cooking a meal with friends. As a community practice, we grow into our connection with food and with each other. At this conference we will breathe into those connections and talk with each other about what sustains us. Of course there will be plenty of games and other fun activities as well.
The memorial service will be held at Old Chatham Quaker Meeting on March 2, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. The meetinghouse is located just down the road from Powell House, at 539 Co Rd 13, Old Chatham, NY 12136. A reception for all attending will be offered in Pitt Hall at Powell House, 524 Pitt Hall Rd., Old Chatham, NY. Parking on Saturday will be available both at the meetinghouse and Powell House. A shuttle service for transport to and from Pitt Hall before and after the memorial will be provided for those with accessibility needs. Childcare for those 12 and under will be provided in Pitt Hall during the memorial.
Those who want to stay at Powell House overnight, the following arrangement is provided:
Overnight accommodations for Friday and Saturday nights, with continental breakfasts offered both Saturday and Sunday, are available for $100 per adult; for those 13 and under the cost is $50 per person. We will assign rooms in both conference houses as registrations are made. We will close registration when rooms are filled. Our facility at Powell House will be available for those with reservations from 4:00 p.m. Friday to 12 noon on Sunday.** Call 518-794-8811 for additional information.
PLEASE REGISTER AT THIS LINK if you are attending in person or online, or want to reserve overnight space at Powell House:
**Please also be attentive to the following health policy for Powell House:
Please RAPID TEST for COVID before you arrive
If you have any symptoms of illness–fever, coughing, sore throat, etc., PLEASE DO NOT COME TO THE EVENT
We are aware that RSV, Flu, and COVID occurrences are on the rise, and that many health experts are recommending mask wearing in larger groups. For this gathering, masks are encouraged, but not mandated.
This will be a judgment free zone about choices made regarding mask wearing. Please also be considerate of individual needs and desires regarding hugs and close physical contact or connection WITH BOTH MASKED AND UNMASKED folks. Awareness and Kindness are encouraged and expected.
PLEASE LET STAFF KNOW IF YOU FEEL UNWELL OR BECOME SYMPTOMATIC WHILE AT PoHo!
There are masks and rapid tests available at Powell House for your use while onsite.
*If there is an uptick in the presence of COVID cases, this policy may be changed so that masks are required for the event.
Justin's life was a testament to loving service and devotion to his friends and family. He discovered his passion for nursing at age 19. While serving as a hospice volunteer, he became inspired by the energy of helping others feel better. This carried him through his career as a registered nurse for 24 years. Justin studied at SUNY-Geneseo and the University of Delaware, from which he received his Bachelors of Science in Nursing in 2000. As an ICU nurse, a researcher, a nurse manager, a trainer, and a teacher, Justin brought empathy, skill, compassion, and humor to his work. The Quaker faith of his family was visible in the integrity and commitment to the wellbeing and peace of others that he sought to embody throughout his life.
He dedicated himself to service outside of his professional roles as well, including volunteering with local food pantries, supporting political and civic causes that reflected his values, and providing leadership in The ManKind Project, helping men from all walks of life to discover and lead lives of service and integrity. Having lost his own father as a young man, he was deeply committed to live up to his father's memory and example, and to pass on the wisdom and experience he had received to his own son. The significant hardships he endured in his life strengthened his character, and deepened his capacity and commitment to treat others with respect and dignity.
Justin loved playing hobby games, particularly role-playing, where his mirthful spirit lightened every situation. He was the second president of the college game club he helped to found, and from this beginning touched the lives of several hundred SUNY-Geneseo students over decades. Justin loved music, especially Rush and Jethro Tull, and had an encyclopedic ability to select a fitting song for any occasion. He loved puns, movies, and reminiscing about shared adventures. He was a thoughtful, creative, and generous giver, and his gifts reflected the same care that he brought to all that he did. He loved the natural world, and especially the Adirondacks of Upstate New York. He took his son hiking every year of his life, and was looking forward to another adventure to see the total eclipse in April. He loved good food.
Justin is predeceased by his father John Keith Bishop and mother Sarah Anne Stueber Bishop Merrill. He is survived by his beloved son; Jonathon, his former wife Crystal Heshmat; his brother Keith Noah Merrill, his sister-in-law Honor Woodrow Merrill; and wider family including loving aunts, uncles, cousins, and stepparents; as well as devoted friends, cherished colleagues, and grateful patients.
For Justin's presence, example, and companionship in our lives, those who loved him are eternally grateful. He was a good man.
Gifts in Justin's memory may be made to a trust being established by his family to benefit Justin's son. Gifts may be made securely at www.everloved.com/life-of/justin-bishop/.
A memorial in the Albany area will be held on March 2, at 1:00 p.m. at Powell House, 524 Pitt Hall Rd., Old Chatham, N.Y. 12136. To leave the family an online condolence please visit www.applebeefuneralhome.com
A lot of people think of themselves as separate from nature. The truth is that we are as much a part of nature as any living being. Maybe you know this because some mornings you wake up and feel like a wild animal running through the house. Or maybe you feel connected to the slow and steady life of a plant, content to stay in one place as you are fed sunlight and water. Or maybe you just don’t feel like part of nature at all! At this conference we will explore what connects us to nature and how it feels to be in nature. You can expect games and plenty of time in the woods around Powell House.
This is a workshop for everyone who wants to deepen their understanding of Quaker decision-making; it’s for clerks, but not just for clerks. For clerks, it will be an opportunity to learn and sharpen skills. For others, it will be an opportunity to get better grounded in what Quaker decision-making is all about. It is expected that each person will leave the weekend with new energy and enthusiasm for participating in meetings for business, well grounded in both the theoretical and the practical. There will be handouts, exercises and opportunities for experience sharing.
Among other topics, we will consider:
The fundamentals of a Quaker meeting for business
What is a “sense of the meeting,” and how is it different from consensus?
What is the meaning of “unity?”
Why “standing in the way” is no longer a useful concept.
Techniques of “good” clerking.
Dealing with difficult situations
Steve Mohlke is a longtime Friend and former clerk of Ithaca Monthly Meeting. He served as co-clerk for the 2017 Friends General Conference Gathering and currently serves as General Secretary of New York Yearly Meeting. Steve has facilitated Clerking programs many times in person as well as online. He often experiences working through differences in a meeting for business as spiritual connection.
Oh is a Friend and co-clerk of Racial Healing and Wholeness Committee at Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting. They engage in Environmental Racial Justice work as a community activist in the Philadelphia area. They serve as Elder for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and have facilitated programming for Annual Sessions Spiritual Formation Retreat. ,O has also provided workshops with PYM Quaker Life Counsel, on Truth & Transformation exploring the transformative practice of deep listening to increase our capacity for healing by responding compassionately to incidents of racial wounding.
Weekends at Powell House are a creative experience. We come together and build a caring community that allows everyone to live out their truth. At this conference we want to explore what happens when conflict arises in this space. Can conflict support the creative energy of our community? How do we embrace conflict and move through it with love and care? Expect music, art, and lots of games as we bound through this topic.
During this extended weekend, Friends are invited to enter more fully into the silence and to experience the deeper rhythms in which we might live. This retreat will include the opportunity for solitude, individual and corporate worship, silent meals, and “active” silence. There will also be opportunities for individual and group spiritual reflection. Come and simply BE with God; listen and attend to the Divine stirrings of the soul.
Jim Herr has been a Quaker in Lancaster, PA, since 1987. He was part of the School of the Spirit’s ninth class of “On Being A Spiritual Nurturer” in 2012-14. Since then, Jim has participated in eight contemplative retreats, including Dwelling Deep in 2018, 2019, 2020, and earlier this year, 2023. During three of those eight retreats, Jim was mentored to be a retreat leader.
In 2017, he retired after spending 25 years selling advertising space for a farming trade paper. And immediately, he took the part-time job of administrator of the School of the Spirit, a position he held until January 29, 2021. Now he is fully retired—and loving it. He and his wife, Cindy, have joined a hiking group in the Lancaster, PA, area and spend several days a month walking in the woods. Jim has discovered he finds Spirit in the great outdoors as much as anywhere.
Jim has been a recording clerk for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting since about 2008. He’s clerk of Caln Quarter of PhYM, assistant clerk of Lancaster Meeting, convener of the Worship & Ministry Committee, and, since 1992, writes the monthly newsletter. Cindy Herr is a Quaker and has attended the Lancaster Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends since 1987.
Cindy Herr is a Quaker and has attended the Lancaster Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends since 1987. Cindy completed the School of the Spirit’s ninth class of “On Being a Spiritual Nurturer.” She was mentored to be a retreat leader of Dwelling Deep at Powell House.
Cindy retired from teaching elementary school and began to participate in trainings in spirituality, mindfulness, yoga and qigong. She is certified to teach Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, yoga and teaching yoga to people with chronic illness. She finds spiritual depth in these practices. Cindy has attended numerous Quaker silent retreats and Buddhist silent retreats.
Cindy enjoys hiking, kayaking and bicycling in the Lancaster area. The Susquehanna River provides endless pleasure, beauty and spirit in nature.
Powell House was established by New York Yearly Meeting in 1960 as the result of a gift of residential property from Elsie K. Powell Sr. This property, with subsequent additions and improvements, now consists of Pitt Hall, the Anna Curtis Center, a director’s residence, a youth directors’ residence, and fifty-seven acres of land with a campground and two wildlife ponds.
Members of the committee attend Powell House Committee meetings and serve on subcommittees such as Fiscal Management, Personnel, Program, Property, and Fundraising. They serve as channels of communication between Powell House and the Yearly Meeting and their own local and regional meetings.
Powell House is used primarily for religious conferences and similar gatherings of members and attenders of meetings belonging to New York Yearly Meeting. It is also used for meetings of Yearly Meeting committees or conferences sponsored by them. The programs include a wide variety of educational, inspirational, and organizational activities for youth and adults related to the religious, benevolent, and social concerns of the Religious Society of Friends. The facilities are available for use by affiliated Friends’ organizations and other religious or educational groups having interests compatible with those of Friends. Short-term sojourners may sometimes be accommodated.
Powell House supports a staff that includes the directors, office staff, facilities support (grounds and housekeeping), and cooks. Staff offices are presently in Pitt Hall.
At this annual event, we have activities for all ages – but what we plan is up to you. There are workshop slots for YOU to offer an activity, so give it some thought before you arrive. Previous years jave included cookie making, energy work, enneagrams, musical collaborations, tai chi, Pilates, a clay workshop, and a walk to Dorson’s Rock, among others. Right after our evening meal on the 31st, it’s Cabaret! Bring your instruments, a song, story, poem and/or skit to share with everyone on New Year’s Eve. Our cooks will have a "Quaker midnight" feast ready for us. We’ll conclude the celebration with a brunch on January 1st. Contact Regina HERE to offer an activity.
In order to offer an enjoyable and safe we will assign rooms as we receive registrations, and close the event when all rooms are full! Hope to see you HERE for some fun times.
Give yourself some space during this busy time to breathe-- also getting in touch with Spirit's and nature's rhythms. We'll get outside, with additional time spent in worship, a creative activity, hearing a story, sharing and listening within our group. Supper will be provided for those attending in-person.
If you would like to spend the night either before or after the gathering, please contact us for sojourning information.
518-794-8811
Wintersong is a time for connection and care within our community. We will play games, participate in deep conversation, share talents at Cabaret, delight in a fancy dinner, and more. There is a special feeling of warmth and celebration that is created at Wintersong. We hope you will join us in creating that experience this year.
Quaker testimonies are foundational for the Powell House Youth Program. These testimonies (Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship) represent core ideas within Quakerism and are often referred to as the Spices of Quakerism since they form the acronym SPICES. At this conference we want to focus on the I of SPICES: Integrity. What does it mean to be true to yourself? How does one breathe their Truth into the world? These are the kind of questions we will be exploring through deep discussion and fun-filled activities.
On Saturday night of every youth conference at Powell House, we have Cabaret—a time to share creative acts that range from beautiful songs to laugh-out-loud improv games. At this conference, you will get to craft instruments and props yourself for a DIY (do-it-yourself) Cabaret. We will have lots of time for designing materials and have an extra creative (and potentially quite long) Cabaret! We will also sprinkle in games and discussions during the weekend to help us explore different aspects of crafting and performance.
We live in a world that tries to divide people and identities and put them in narrow boxes, when in truth we form a wide spectrum of possibilities of every kind. We are a rainbow. We are many rainbows! Come explore your colors together, the nuances and unique aspects of yourself that make you you! Let’s dance along these rainbows until we find the pot of gold where they all come together and we can truly welcome and cherish each other for who we truly are.
Enjoy learning new skills? Like to work among 57 acres of God’s creation in Columbia County, NY? Bring your favorite tools, old clothes and hearty appetites. Our cooks will have lots of good, nutritious & yummy food for us. We have plenty of work projects, both inside and outside our buildings. The Powell House directors and maintenance person will coordinate our work projects.
Pillow fort building is a common activity at Powell House. Entire worlds form within cushiony structures. Economy and trade flourish. Sometimes, feelings are hurt and justice is needed. At this conference, we will explore what it takes to form a society where peace and justice prevail. We will form clans and develop rules and customs. What happens when clans come together? Let’s find out!
When we hold our meeting for worship in both our meetinghouse and on Zoom, it allows a whole new level of accessibility for people who can’t come to the meetinghouse for whatever reason. It’s God calling us to make space in new ways. We call it “hybrid” or “blended” worship, and we call the work of holding these spaces together “tech host,” or “Zoom host,” or something else that emphasizes the “tech”. But the work is really care of worship with attention to connection. The work is challenging, pushing us out of our comfort zone whether that comfort zone is the tech part or the worship part. It’s a burn-out job when there’s only one or two people doing it, and it takes a team of people who can support each other when it gets hard, teach each other the tips and tricks, and pray for each other to be faithful. This workshop is for tech teams (including teams of one who want to grow larger) to come together, teach each other about how to hold that connection, share what works and what doesn’t, and bring home new energy and inspiration for supporting hybrid worship.
David Coletta: As a teenager in the late 1970s, David came to Quakers through the New England Yearly Meeting Young Friends program, and volunteered as staff for another decade. Completing a first career in technology and yearning to focus on people rather than machines, he discovered that the pandemic created the ideal conditions for him to find that work. David’s leading is to serve Quaker meetings and organizations by exploring faithful use of technology that supports worship and community. David has served NEYM as the tech team lead for annual sessions for the past three years, and has a ministry under the care of Fresh Pond Monthly Meeting, Cambridge, Mass. David lives in Dorchester, Mass.
A good meal nourishes you and lifts your spirit. Intentionally choosing ingredients and cooking them together is a powerful act of creation. At this conference, we will partake in the spirit-filled acts of cooking, baking, and eating. We will focus on simple, delicious recipes that will ideally be helpful in your own kitchen. We will also play games and talk about food and its role in our life.
We envision a year of Friends growing together in community and seeking spiritual nurture with each other, with EVERYBODY'S GIFTS acknowledged and honored. The program will include small group discernment, retreats, worship, and opportunities to explore topics of interest. And, as always, you have the opportunity to go deep with a partner or consistent small group. In our September retreat we will focus on building community and begin our intentional friendships to support growing together.
*All 3rd graders must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Email us at sarahandmartin@powellhouse.org if you are a parent or guardian wanting to attend. Your fee will be half the price of the conference ($110).
Hey! Let’s go camping together! We want to kick off this next cycle of conferences with a celebration for everyone in 3rd to 12th grade. Parents and guardians are welcome to come along with their kids. We will set up tents in the campground area and have bonfires both nights. We will have some sessions as a full group and split into age groups at other points in the weekend. We will play games, sing songs, and joyously connect with each other. We have tents, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads available if needed. Please reach out to let us know if you want to make use of our supplies so that we know we have enough.
Annual retreat for Superintendents and Secretaries.
Powell House was established by New York Yearly Meeting in 1960 as the result of a gift of residential property from Elsie K. Powell Sr. This property, with subsequent additions and improvements, now consists of Pitt Hall, the Anna Curtis Center, a director’s residence, a youth directors’ residence, and fifty-seven acres of land with a campground and two wildlife ponds.
Members of the committee attend Powell House Committee meetings and serve on subcommittees such as Fiscal Management, Personnel, Program, Property, and Fundraising. They serve as channels of communication between Powell House and the Yearly Meeting and their own local and regional meetings.
Powell House is used primarily for religious conferences and similar gatherings of members and attenders of meetings belonging to New York Yearly Meeting. It is also used for meetings of Yearly Meeting committees or conferences sponsored by them. The programs include a wide variety of educational, inspirational, and organizational activities for youth and adults related to the religious, benevolent, and social concerns of the Religious Society of Friends. The facilities are available for use by affiliated Friends’ organizations and other religious or educational groups having interests compatible with those of Friends. Short-term sojourners may sometimes be accommodated.
Powell House supports a staff that includes the directors, office staff, facilities support (grounds and housekeeping), and cooks. Staff offices are presently in Pitt Hall.
Folks who graduated in the range of 2019 to 2022 are welcome to come to Powell House for a reunion! We will have a rolling arrival time on Saturday, July 1st from 8:00am to 10:00am and go until 4:00pm on Sunday, July 2nd. We will have accommodations available Friday night (June 30) for those traveling a long ways. You can expect time to celebrate and enjoy being in community. We will have Cabaret, a hike to Dorson's, and plenty of time to swim in the pond. We hope to see you there!
Let's get in touch with nature! This conference we will pitch tents and camp in the wilderness of the Powell House grounds. We will explore our maze-like trails, learn wilderness survival techniques, and roast marshmallows by the fire. We are happy to provide tents and sleeping bags so please let us know what you might need.
Who has been a spiritual mentor to you in your Quaker journey? Who nurtured, instructed, and encouraged you along the Way? Have you experienced transformative moments? What questions would you ask these guides today, whether they are still living or have passed on? Some you may know only through their writings; some may be, or have once been, intimate friends.
We are heirs and heiresses to a rich tradition, grounded in the reality of the Living Presence, passed down through our historic Quaker testimonies, stories, journals, and lived examples. These elders, nurturers of the life in the Spirit, serve as important guides and models of our Quaker faith and practice. During this retreat, we will gather in worship, naming those living and dead who have served as mentors to us, both personally and collectively. We will take time alone, in solitude, to imagine intimate conversations with them. In worship and in sharing, we will remember and give thanks, opening ourselves to their wisdom and guidance. How might these teachers guide and support us as we listen and discern the call to deeper community and witness in the world in present times?
Note: This weekend is an expanded version of the Wisdom of Our Elders retreat, September 2022
LINDA CHIDSEY: A recorded minister in NYYM, Linda Chidsey has led retreats at Powell House and elsewhere for many years. She has served NYYM as clerk and has been active with the School of the Spirit Ministry in a variety of roles over the years. She carries a concern for the contemplative life lived out in the world.
MICHAEL WAJDA: Michael Wajda has traveled widely among Friends, leading retreats, speaking, and helping strengthen the spiritual life of meetings. He, and another Friend currently convene days of extended worship around NEYM. Michael is part of the group that has issued the “Urgent Call to the RSOF”. Nurtured by many Quaker elders in his lifetime, Michael is called to live into his own life of faithfulness and to support others on the spiritual journey along the way.
Powell House is the conference and retreat center of the
New York Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).
