Living the Faith: North Carolina Yearly Meeting - Conservative

Sing and rejoice ye children of the day and the light; for the Lord is at work in this thick night of darkness that may be felt: and the Truth doth flourish as the rose, and lilies do grow among the thorns and the plants atop the hills, and upon them the lambs doth skip and play.
-The Journal of George Fox

I felt blessed to be able to visit with North Carolina Yearly Meeting - Conservative (NCYM-C) this past weekend. Their annual sessions were held at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. The theme for the sessions was Living the Faith: Becoming the Beloved Community. This was the first time I had ever attended a yearly meeting that wasn't the yearly meeting I grew up in (North Carolina Yearly Meeting-FUM) and it truly was a wonderful experience.

Immediately, I was struck by the feel of the sessions. This group felt like a family that I was immediately welcomed into. It's very clear that they, as a body, have really struggled together to find what the Divine is calling them to, and are the stronger for it. This is a body that isn't afraid to gather together and really work through the hard issues.

Evelyn Jadin

The theme was contemplated through bible study, inter-generational evening sessions, and plenary sessions. The keynote address was given by a graduate of the Quaker Leadership Scholars Program here at Guilford, Evelyn Jadin '06. She challenged those gathered to honestly consider the work we are called to, as well as the tools we are given for that work. It seemed that all those who were present were ministered to by her message in some way, and a rich worship followed her speaking. The worship over the course of the weekend always felt covered, and led by the Spirit.

NCYM-C is a size that makes it possible to involve the youth in the work to be done at annual sessions. The younger members who were present really added to the sense of a gathered meeting community. I personally got to spend a morning helping to care for the Young Friends (on a trip to the beach, no less), and was impressed by their sense of community and interest in their own developing faiths.

It is always good to be able to come together and worship with those in our large family of Friends. Thank you to the Friends of North Carolina Yearly Meeting - Conservative for being so welcoming, I was certainly blessed to be with everyone there.


Nathan Sebens '06, Friends Center Intern