IMYM officially opened its annual gathering with a warm welcome of cheering and clapping for each monthly meeting and worship group in attendance as they stood. Penny Thron-Weber, clerk, then introduced visitors from outside the yearly meeting, and invited Friends to get to know one another by standing in response to a series of questions. Some favorites were, “Do you have Coldplay on your ipod?” and “Have you ever collected chicken eggs?” After closing with a moment of worship, Friends were free to continue settling into their rooms and campsites, or to join in a singalong in one of the dorms up on the mesa. The clouds parted, revealing a broad swath of bright stars (finally, for those who experienced the torrential downpours of Early Days!)

On Thursday, Friends gathered in the morning for worship sharing, and considered queries related to the Gathering’s theme – “Telling our Stories: Where is God in All of This?” Worship groups meeting outdoors enjoyed a cacophony of birdsong and a smattering of goosebumps every time the breeze blew.

After a break, Friends gathered for the keynote presentation from Lucy Duncan. Lucy serves as FGC staff and is traveling in the ministry with an interest in lifting up the spiritual stories of Friends. She spoke of storytelling as Friends breaking bread with one another, sharing in the richness of our lives. Then six Friends who participated in Lucy’s spiritual storytelling workshop during Early Days shared stories from the silence. Each story was an intimate, personal glimpse into the hearts of these Friends’ lives and relationships to the Divine. Toilet paper, tissues and handkerchiefs were in high demand. Lucy closed with a story of her own, of reconnecting with a long-lost friend during the book launch celebration for Fit for Freedom, Not for Friendship. Her story spoke to the beauty of truth and forgiveness, and the need for personal truth-telling about Friends and racism. (Some of these stories will be shared in the September issue of Western Friend.)

Friends gathered for lunch at the worn picnic tables in the sunshine on the lawn, enjoying a gentle snowfall of cottonwood seeds while a handful of children played soccer in the alfalfa field. Tables were filled with Friends telling their stories to one another, laughing, listening and crying as they ate. After lunch, Friends had time to join in intergenerational worship, go for a hike, or join in interest groups on a wide range of topics—immigration, spiritual storytelling, border rights, and more.

In late afternoon, Friend gathered for the first of business plenaries. This year IMYM is experimenting with eliminating Meeting for Memorials and is instead interspersing the memorial minutes of Friends who have passed during the year among the plenaries. Friends were moved and inspired by the amazing life stories of several Friends. IMYM also gladly received a report on the sixteen year-long process of the creation of IMYM’s own Faith and Practice. (Now available for $10!)

After brief reports from Nominating Committee and Quaker Earthcare Witness, Friends turned their attention to the Senior Young Friends (ages 15 through college) and their request for support from IMYM for a Quaker-run youth camp. Several SYFs who had experience as counselors at other Friends’ camps in the East spoke passionately of their desire to give both younger children and young adults the experience of participating and running a camp centered on Quaker values. They presented a plan for a pilot year next year, likely on public lands, as well as a five-year plan to build toward a permanent site. They also encouraged Friends who had not had a chance to participate in their Early Days threshing session to speak with them individually, and to take their survey as soon as they make it available to Friends at the Gathering (soon!)

Friends expressed support for their leading, and approved a request from SYF to try a pilot year under the auspices of IMYM next year. They also approved including a line item in the budget to accept earmarked donations from Friends, and an additional $1500 line item in the budget to support 5 SYFs’ travel to Continuing Committee for further planning of the pilot year program.

Before Friends left for an evening of dinner and singing around the campfire, the Clerk reminded Friends considering the future of the AFSC Joint Service Project (now that AFSC will no longer be a partner in the program) that “we need to carefully seek where we are led.”