The rest of PYM was taken up with activities ranging from a tabling fair for Friends’ groups, an all-ages dance featuring a lively limbo contest, to weighty plenaries. On Friday, Friends were asked to consider a range of queries relating to joy in their morning worship groups. In the afternoon, Friends had the opportunity to take part in round two of interest groups.

The weighty plenaries engaged Friends for many hours on both Friday and Saturday morning. PYM was asked to consider hiring a youth coordinator to assist Young Friends and Junior Yearly Meeting in planning community-building activities. Alyssa Nelson, hired as a trial youth coordinator for the two months prior to Annual Session, reported on her activities, and the youth expressed their enthusiasm for her support and engagement with their programs. Over the course of the two days, Friends wrestled mightily with concerns over cost, details of the job description, and a sense there was insufficient seasoning time. PYM youth worked hard to make clear their support and deeply-felt need for such a position.

After laboring together as a community, Friends determined they would minute their support in principle for a youth coordinator position, and that Young Friends and Junior Yearly Meeting Friends would spend the months between Annual Session and the Reps Committee meeting conducting visits with monthly meetings around PYM to explain their perceived need for and gather information to shape the nature of such a position. A an ad-hoc committee under the care of Ministry and Counsel was tasked with supporting this intervisitation, as well as generating a job description and detailed budget, to be brought to the Reps Committee meeting.

In the closing moments of PYM’s session, Friends came together to approve a minute against Proposition 8, a proposed amendment to California’s constitution that would define marriage as a purely heterosexual arrangement. Three monthly meetings in PYM brought minutes forward to PYM; the final minute was a compilation of these minutes. The full text of this minute is likely to someday appear on PYM’s website.

Saturday evening, Friends had fun at the community night well into the evening. Many talented Friends sang, played music, shared poetry, stories and skits; others told banjo jokes. The evening concluded with a brief show of fire juggling despite the extreme fire danger in the area. (Good thing the juggler could catch what he threw.)

In all, a rich and full session. PYM Friends will next gather at Walker Creek Ranch in July 27th-August 1, 2009!