February 26, 2022

Friends: It’s time to register for our February 26, 2022, Zoom Quarterly Gathering. Registration is required since we will not be publishing the Zoom link to the public. Send your name, email address and church/meeting affiliation to registrar@scymf.org. The schedule for our Quarterly Gathering is:
 
Schedule:
9:00 to 11:00 a.m.      Workshop: Identifying Bias and Triggers within White Supremacy
                                    Culture facilitated by Victor Small, Jr.
11:15 to 12:00 noon    Music/Worship facilitated by Bethany Lee (West Hills)
1:00 to 4:00 pm           Business Session

• Remembering Bernie Bosnjak 
• People Care report by Norma Silliman 
• People Care supported Jade & Tom Rockwell's visit to Cuban Friends; Jade & Tom will report. 
• Matt Boswell gives Nominating Committee report (no nominations) 
• Gil George reports on our connection with FWCC 
• Kendra Purcell reports on our connection with FCNL 
• Meg Rice gives Gathering Committee report 
• Dave Cundiff gives Finance Committee report 
• Robert Wade gives Treasurer's reports 
• Jade Rockwell gives update from Abuse Prevention Task Force. This is the only agenda item that seeks approval from the meeting (see below). 
• Cherice Bock as a representative of Equity and Inclusion asks us to consider NPYM's approach to recognizing native sovereignty 

4:15 to 5:15 pm           Small Groups
 
Workshop Description: Identifying Bias and Triggers within White Supremacy Culture
 
We will explore the effects of white supremacy and its effects on US structures and culture. We will also try to identify its effects on the way we experience our day-to-day interactions.
 
About the Facilitator:
Victor Small, Jr. is a restorative justice activist, facilitator, and trainer. He is an anti-bias and trigger ccoach. He is also a doctoral student in educational leadership for social justice. He is a loving husband and father to his newborn daughter. In addition to spending time with his wife, daughter, and their family dog, he also loves writing songs and poetry and working out. For more information visit the website: therjleague.com. 

From Jade Rockwell on behalf of the Abuse Prevention Task Force:  

We are working on a comprehensive policy, but have a few elements we would feel ready to bring forward to the Meeting now. 

1. We would like to recommend that SCYMF adopt a minute that we as a Yearly Meeting will develop a centralized system to increase child safety of all participating Monthly Meetings. Although we are still developing specifics of how this will look, and will bring these for consideration separately, we feel clear at this time to recommend that this is the direction we feel led to take as a Yearly Meeting. Protecting children will be part of our covenant with one another. 
2. We recommend that the Yearly Meeting create a permanent committee with representation from each Monthly Meeting that will help with the implementation of these policies and oversight of specific issues of concern when they arise. While the policy is still in development and will not be adopted until annual sessions of 2022 at the soonest, we hope that members of the committee will immediately begin attending the extended training sessions that are being offered by Safe Communities this year in order to prepare for this service, and that they may review and offer feedback on the policy as it is developed on behalf of their Meetings. 
3. We recommend a requirement that all individuals who work with minors in any Monthly Meeting and/or at Annual Sessions attend the basic 2 hour training on sexual abuse prevention offered by Safe Communities this year.  
4. We recommend that anyone who will work with minors at Annual Sessions this summer undergo a screening process through the Abuse Prevention Task Force including but not limited to a criminal background check as determined by the committee.