Important Events in South Central Yearly Meeting History - 1940s to 1990s

Drawing on a longer history of ( available as a pdf at SCYM History ), below are some of the most important events in the history of South Central Yearly Meeting (SCYM):

•The formation of the Southwest Conference of Friends (SWCF) in 1955: This marked the formal beginning of a regional gathering for Friends in Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas who shared commitments to equality, simplicity, integrity, and peace. These gatherings provided fellowship, worship, learning about Quakerism, and a platform to share social concerns.

•The decision in 1961 for SWCF to become South Central Yearly Meeting (SCYM): This transition at their 10th Annual Meeting signified a move towards a more formal organizational structure to better support monthly meetings and participate in the wider Quaker world. The initial approval came from Austin, Dallas, New Orleans, and Oklahoma City Monthly Meetings.

•SCYM's early affiliation with Friends General Conference (FGC) in 1962: This connection linked SCYM to a broader network of unprogrammed Friends meetings and provided resources and support. SCYM also aimed for affiliation with Friends United Meeting (FUM) but this was never concluded.

•The dominance of peace and social concerns in SCYM's work during the 1960s: This included early concerns for nonviolence and civil rights in the context of segregation in the southern states, expressing concern after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and highlighting the work of civil rights leaders, raising money for an African American church in Mississippi in 1964, and active opposition to the Vietnam War, including supporting draft resistance26.

•The establishment of quarterly meetings in the early 1980s: These provided more frequent opportunities for Friends to gather, worship, and build community beyond their monthly meetings, and eventually took on responsibilities for planning yearly meeting sessions.

•The significant strengthening of SCYM through the presence of FGC Field Secretaries throughout most of the 1980s: These individuals traveled among meetings, addressing needs, providing resources, and connecting SCYM Friends to the wider Quaker world, playing a crucial role in SCYM's growth and maturity.

•The development and building of Quakerland in the Texas Hill Country in the 1980s and its subsequent transfer to the Friends Quakerland Community in 1997: Quakerland was envisioned as a retreat center and became a unifying project for the yearly meeting, fostering a deeper sense of community. However, its maintenance proved challenging, leading to the decision to convey the property to an intentional community under SCYM's care. Eventually, the property was sold to Unitarians in Austin who established a camp/retreat center on the site.

•The lengthy discussions and eventual laying down of the effort to write a Faith and Practice in 1993. This reflected the diversity of beliefs and practices within SCYM and the challenges of achieving unity on a single document.

•The struggle with and eventual revision of the committee structure in the 1990s, including the separation of Ministry and Oversight into Ministry and Care and Worship Oversight Committees in 1995: This aimed to better serve the needs of monthly meetings and worship at yearly meeting sessions.

•The establishment of the Boeger Fund in 1996 to support spiritual growth within SCYM: This fund provided resources for Friends to attend Quaker gatherings and for experienced Friends to visit and share ministry within SCYM.

•The significant discussions and tensions surrounding the Underground Railroad Game in the late 1990s: Concerns were raised about the game's portrayal of slavery and its impact on the testimony of equality, leading to difficult conversations about racism and the clerk's role in yearly meeting.

•SCYM's endorsement of same-gender marriages under the care of monthly meetings in 1999: This decision reflected the ongoing discernment within SCYM regarding inclusivity and its stance on social issues related to LGBTQ+ individuals.

These events highlight the key developments, challenges, and commitments that have shaped the history of South Central Yearly Meeting as it grew from a regional fellowship into a formal yearly meeting actively engaged with spiritual growth and social concerns.