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What happens at the Section Meeting?
What are the different events at the Section Meeting?
- Worship
- Workshops
- Home Groups
- Music Festival
- Business Sessions
- Regional Meetings
- Interest Groups
- Orientation
- Bible Study
- Pastoral Care
What happens at the Section Meeting?
How is the schedule organized?
Because we are meeting virtually, the schedule is a bit more complicated this year. Our major events are scheduled on the weekends of March 12-14 and March 20-21, and other small group sessions are scheduled during the week of March 15th. Because we are working across multiple time zones, some of the small group sessions have alternatives to meet earlier in the day or later in the day. Please consult the posted schedule.
Do I have to participate in everything?
We hope you will participate for as much as you are able! We understand that with a virtual event like this over multiple days, not everyone will be able to participate in all the sessions. If you are an official representative from your Yearly Meeting, we do need you to participate in the two business sessions. We also very much hope everyone will participate in all three meetings of your home group, as that is the experience past Section Meeting participants have consistently valued most.
What are the different events at the Section Meeting?
Worship
We will have multiple opportunities to worship together, in worship styles reflective of the diversity of Friends in the Americas. Larger programmed and semi-programmed worship services are being planned for both Sunday mornings, which all registrants are encouraged to attend. There is an unprogrammed meeting for worship on Thursday evening. We are also organizing morning devotional sessions during the week, for those who are interested and available. Formats for those sessions will vary, but will include music, messages and prayer, as led by volunteers .
We are grateful to everyone who has volunteered to offer music during worship services or take on a leadership role during weekend or weekday worship!
Workshops – registration is now closed
See the detailed workshop descriptions here!
Home Groups – registration is now closed
Home Groups are smaller groups of people that will meet together three times during the Section Meeting. The Home Groups offer the opportunity for us to connect with others, to create a smaller community within the larger gathering, and to share our experiences in a spiritually grounded place. The groups will work a bit differently this year, due to the virtual setting, but our goal is to foster that same sense of community and closeness that can come from an in-person small group. Home groups are bilingual, and their composition reflects the diversity of Friends in attendance.
Music Festival
We are inviting our brothers and sisters to share their musical talents (singing, piano, guitar, musical groups, etc.) at this year’s Section Meeting! We are organizing a “Talent Festival” where Friends from the Section of the Americas can share a hymn of their congregation or a cultural song of their country. If you want to participate, check the appropriate box near the bottom of the registration form!
Business Sessions
The Section Meeting is the legal gathering of the Friends World Committee for Consultation, Section of the Americas, and it is necessary that we conduct certain business matters during the meeting. We have two business sessions scheduled, one on the afternoon of Saturday, March 13th and one on Saturday, March 20th. It is important that people who are the official representatives of their Yearly Meeting attend, as we need a quorum to conduct the business. Business will include items such as a report on our program accomplishments, nominations, affiliations of two new Yearly Meetings with FWCC, financial reports, and a budget for the next fiscal year.
Please review the advance documents and reports for the business sessions ahead of time! We are posting them as they become available.
If I’m not a representative, should I go to the business sessions?
Everyone who registers is welcome and encouraged to participate in the business sessions!
What should I do to prepare for business sessions?
Please review the agenda and advance documents before the business sessions. In the week before the Section Meeting, we will post video orientations about FWCC business sessions and working with interpreters.
Regional Meetings
On Sunday, March 14th, we will have regional gatherings. This is an opportunity to get to know other representatives and interested Friends from your geographical region within FWCC Section of the Americas.
Interest Groups
An interest group is an opportunity to talk with other Friends who share with you some specific interest or concern. Interest group topics are suggested by participants and led by participants, so we won’t know what those will be until closer to the time. Interest groups are open to all registrants who wish to participate. The list of interest groups is available here.
Orientation
Working with Interpreters (short video)
The bilingual Quaker business process (short video)
Zoom meeting: Orientation for first-time participants in the Section Meeting
Zoom meeting: Orientation for representatives
Bible Study
We will have two opportunities for bible study available during the week, on Tuesday and Thursday morning/midday. A video recording will be posted afterwards. Please feel welcome, regardless of which branch of Friends you belong to!
Video recording: Bible Study with Manuel Guzman, March 16
Video recording: Bible Study with Manuel Guzman, March 18
Pastoral Care
There is a pastoral care team available, drawn from a diversity of backgrounds, to talk and pray with anyone who may need encouragement, comfort, or spiritual support.