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.

These dates may include;

• Sojourning, Rental Groups, Family Gatherings, Weddings, etc.

NYYM Spring Sessions 2024

Spring Sessions, April 5-7, 2024

At Oakwood Friends School and Online

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.

Creativity & Spirituality

In-Person at Powell House
March 15 - 17, 2024

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.

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.

Friends Decision-Making and Clerking:
Participating in Meetings for Business With Joy & Confidence

Hybrid Event at powell house
February 2-4, 2024

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.

Dwelling Deep, a Contemplative Retreat

WITH JIM HERR
CO-SPONSORED BY THE SCHOOL OF THE SPIRIT MINISTRY

In-Person at powell house
January 12-15, 2024

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.

PoHoCo Meeting, Winter 2024

Online & In-Person at Powell House
January 5-7, 2024

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.

New Year’s Eve Celebration

IN-PERSON AT POWELL HOUSE
December 30, 2023 - January 1, 2024

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.

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.

These dates may include;

• Sojourning, Rental Groups, Family Gatherings, Weddings, etc.

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.

Fall Work-Weekend

IN-PERSON AT POWELL HOUSE
October 27-29, 2023

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!

These dates may include;

• Sojourning, Rental Groups, Family Gatherings, Weddings, etc.

Crafting Sacred Connections:
The Art of Hybrid Worship

In-Person at Powell House
October 6-8, 2023

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.

Superintendents & Secretaries 2023

In-Person at Powell House September 11-14, 2023

Annual retreat for Superintendents and Secretaries.

PoHoCo Meeting, Fall 2023

Online & In-Person at Powell House
September 1-3, 2023

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.