Forever Friends

SAYF 
		(Southern Appalachian Young Friends)

 

 

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SAYF NEWS

  Our Nurturing business meeting started with the Young Friends query,
"How do you create and nurture community?" Then we reflected on the
work we did in August defining "The State of SAYF." We assessed our
successes, what changes or ideas we have put into action but aren't
complete, and what things we have yet to implement. It was a weekend
of nurturing each other and facing the inevitable changes that will happen
when 5 of our 9 nurturers graduate this year. Friends were tender with
each other with an underlying sense of ease and deep community.
  The Worship Journals from our January 2023 retreat in Atlanta and our
February NCSCSC retreat have been added to our Epistles page, keeping
good company with all the many journals from previous SAYF retreats.

The Next Retreat of our 2022-23 Season will be taking place
March 24-26, 2023 in the beautiful and rustic surroundings
of the Arthur Morgan School and Celo Friends Meeting.
===
Lead FAN:

    Mari Otha <otha.mari@gmail.com>

Planners:
     Celo/AMS Young Friends

March 24-26 Celo/AMS Retreat Cover Page
March 24-26 Celo/AMS Retreat Registration
Directions to Celo & Arthur Morgan School
Covid Guidelines for Retreats (revised) **
SAYF Medical Release Form (2023)
SAYF Community Guidelines (2022-23)

** HEALTH SAFETY REMINDERS FOR RETREAT ATTENDERS **
Please read and observe revised Covid guidelines (above) for
in-person SAYF retreats.

========================
Additional Connections for our SAYFers:
-- The April 2021 retreat inspired us to capture the historic
Young Friends Book Recommendations posted as graffiti in
the AFM High School room. Photos are Here, and the page
includes links to epic photos from SAYF white water rafting
adventures, 2010-2014.
-- To help us all stay better connected as we welcome new
lights to our community, SAYFers are asked to please add
or confirm their contact info and preferences via this online
SAYFer Contact Form
-- We continue to invite "anytime" worship journal writing
as another way to stay in touch with our SAYF spirit and
your inner light.
Journal Submissions will be published to
our EPISTLES page as they are
submitted via email to:
Autumn Woodward <awesomeSAYFers@gmail.com>
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DONATIONS:
Retreat attenders, parents and Friends of SAYF are invited to
make tax deductible contributions to this teen program of the
Southern Appalachian Yearly meeting and Association (SAYMA)
Gifts are especially helpful this year, as explained in our
2021 Donation Request Letter.



============================
PLEASE SEE THE LINKS BELOW for the most current
guidelines and additional program information.  Parents
can reference the annual Parent Letter and Schedule of
Retreats for a view of our plans for this year and ways
adults can participate.  Relevant information for the 2022-23
season, includes contact details for our Steering and Nurturing
committees.  Bios of current Steering and Support committee
volunteers will be updated  soon:

Parent Letter & Info Packet 2022-23 (inclusive of below)
New SAYFer Welcome Letter 2022-23
Retreat Schedule 2022-23  
SAYF Nurturers & Steering List (2022.08.29)
SAYF Values & Sleeping Arrangements (20220829) 
SAYF Community Guidelines (2022.08 rev)
Covid-19 Guidelines for In Person Retreats (2022.03.20 rev3)

Additional Items:
Steering Committee Bios (2021.09.10)
Support Committee Bios (2021.09.10)
Kevin (the suggestion box) Guidelines (2019.02)
Queries for Young Friends (2018 update)

About our Retreats:
Each retreat is planned by the Young Friends of the meeting that is sponsoring
or hosting the gathering. They choose a theme and decide on worship, workshops,
activities and food. They experience Quaker process in this planning and produce
a schedule for the weekend.

Each retreat begins on Friday evening with a guideline review after all teens have
arrived, then a worship sharing circle follows as the first activity on Saturday morning.
The retreat ends on Sunday around noon, after gathering in silence to write and share
our worship journal epistles about the weekend.

The young Friends have their own Nurturing Committee comprised of experienced
attenders who uphold the guidelines during the retreats and attend an additional
two retreats each year to conduct business and address any issues that arise for
their SAYF community. They also nurture individuals during the retreats.

Attenders of our retreats and their Parents are encouraged to help us improve the
program via our Feedback Form.

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About Our Website & links:
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Last updated 2023.03.14