South Central Yearly Meeting
Religious Society of Friends
Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas
SCYM Worship Opportunities
SCYM Wednesday Midweek Worship 7:30pm
SCYM Sunday Worship Opportunities
Holding SCYM Friends in the Light
2026 SCYM Annual Sessions - March 29- April 1 Online & April 2-5 Online and in Person at Greene Family Camp
2026 SCYM Annual Sessions
Be the Change: Contemplative Action in the World
Highlights of the 2026 Sessions:
- We explored the theme with keynote speaker Christopher Sammond, in worship sharing groups, and in workshops, always keeping in mind Thomas Merton's words:
There is a way of ordering our mental life on more than one level at once. On one level we can be thinking, discussing, seeing, calculating, meeting all the demands of external affairs, but deep within, behind the scenes at a profounder level, we may also be in prayer and adoration, song and worship and a gentle receptiveness to divine breathings. - We approved the SCYM Approved Faith and Practice with some edits. This is the final version. A printed version will be available soon.
- We gathered together in workshops and worship sharing, deepening our relationships with each other, our understanding of our faith, and of the actions we could take together to share our testimony in the world.
- The Youth Program was warmly received, with many adult helpers learning and having fun along with the youth.
- The Variety Show included gymnastics, poetry, music, and a wonderful new song about John Woolman sung by Terry SoRelle and many youth.
- Sunday morning worship was preceded by hearing final reports, including the State of Society of SCYM, our Epistle to Friends Everywhere, and celebrating memorials, marriages and births.
If you attended, please fill out SCYM 2026 Evaluation Form to help Friends plan future sessions.
Links to all the documents can be found at Advance Documents, including the 2026 SCYM Epistle to Friends Everywhere and the 2026 SCYM Roster of Friends Under Appointment.
If you didn't attend SCYM Sessions in 2026, please put dates of 2027 SCYM Sessions on your calendar for March 21-28, 2027. We hope you will be able to join us! Watch for more information at here.
Friday 11/21, 6pm to 10pm and Saturday 11/22, 9am to 6:30pm
(each session begins and ends with an hour of social time)
Thirty Friends joined Representative Meeting for fellowship and worship. We dealt with mid-year business matters, and heard from the Yearly Meeting Planning Committee and the Quarterly Meeting Adult Planning Committee about our upcoming Annual Sessions, April 2-5, 2026. Arkansas/Oklahoma Quarter presented the following theme for SCYM Annual Sessions 2026:
Be the Change: Contemplative Action in the World
A draft schedule is available below, as are the documents presented at the meeting. Minutes of RM will be posted here as soon as they are ready. Watch here in the early spring for registration materials. Hoping many of you will be able to join us April 2-5 at Greene Family Camp in Bruceville, TX.
To see RM documents, click "read more"
1/22/26
Please hold Byron Sandford and his family in the Light. Adam Sandford wrote: It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that Byron Sandford passed away on January 10, 2026, surrounded and held by his loving family. The family is looking to receive stories about our memories of Byron and photos. Information about where to send those will be sent in the next SCYM E-News. You can send cards to Susan Griffin, Byron's wife, at 17215 Friends House Road #203 Sandy Spring. MD 20860.
1/14/26
Please hold Mike Gray and his family in the Light. Josh, Mike's son, reported that Mike died January 8 surrounded by family. A memorial meeting will be planned for the Spring. Friends in SCYM will be notified when we know the place and time.
1/3/26
Please hold Mike Gray and his family in the Light. Josh, Mike's son, posted at 8pm on 1/2/26: "Hi folks, my name is Josh. I’m Mike Gray’s son. I’m not on Facebook but I wanted to notify my Dad’s enormous!! network of friends, that he has fallen terminally ill. He is in Hospice care, here In Phoenix , surrounded by his family. We ask for prayers for him, to end any prolonged suffering, for a peaceful transition to our creator! We will provide an update after his blessed transition…. peace to all of you affected by this news, he has blessed so many of our lives and he is no less a saint in the eyes of the almighty!"
9/26/25
Please hold Tina Coffin in the Light. She fell and has a non-displaced shoulder injury. It will heal without surgery or casting but needs to be immobilized. Please hold Tina in the Light for healing and John Coffin in the Light as he cares for Tina.
Spiritual Refreshment for the Long Haul
Sunday, April 2 to Wednesday, April 5 online for everyone.
Thursday, April, 6 to Sunday, April 9 at Greene Family Camp (Bruceville TX) with some events also available online.
2023 SCYM Epistle to Friends Everywhere
SEE Most DOCUMENTS FOR THE MEETING HERE
Documents in Advance & Presented During the Meeting:
2022 Representative Meeting Minutes (with links to the reports)
Alternatives To Violence Project Workshop-May 22-24, 2026-Austin
Alternatives to Violence Project* (AVP) Workshop
May 22-24, Friday evening, Saturday morning till evening, and Sunday times TBD, ending Sunday afternoon around 5 PM
Friends Meeting of Austin-3701 E. Martin Luther King Dr.-Austin TX 78721
More information and to register: Flyer with registration information
I'm happy to say that Changemaker Weekend was a great success. This past Tuesday, Alex, Kendall, and I (Lisa Jordan, Spring Friends Meeting) met Arden Hooper, foreign policy advisor for Sen. Cruz, and we got our photos at Texas Constituent Coffee. Alex and I also met with Sen. Cornyn's staff, and my Rep. Babin's staff. We also dropped by Rep. Fletcher's office who gave us tickets to the House floor, which we enjoyed! We hope to follow up with all of them with virtual lobby visits later this year. We asked them all: No more money for the Iran War. The timing was good, my LTE came out the same day.
Click "Read more" to see the Letter to the Editor (LTE).
FCNL Condemns Kidnapping of Venezuela President and Violation of Venezuela's Sovereignty
FCNL put out a statement today, January 3, 2026, condemning the kidnapping of Venezuela's President and the violation of Venezuela's Sovereignty They ask Friends and others to contact their Senators and Representative to act on relevant legislation. You can find more information, the statement and ways to act here.