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
REGISTER
Be the Change: Contemplative Action in the World
This theme was discerned at Arkansas-Oklahoma Quarterly Meetings as we grappled with the national discourse since the 2024 election. We know our society needs to change for the better, to foster love and community in the face of division and hate, and that the changes must begin within ourselves. And we know we all must take some actions in the world to create change. But in discerning our actions we believe that actions must arise from our inward, contemplative source. It is from this Light that we can Be the Change.
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. -Thomas Kelly
Having listened to the Inward Teacher or the Light Within, we might be called to creative expression, spiritual practices that inform our actions, speaking truth from our hearts, discerning collective leanings, living the Quaker testimonies as a means of aligning our lives with integrity, balancing our personal spiritual growth with outward action for justice, or other ideas to inspire and empower a more just and better world.
Keynote Speaker: We have asked Christopher Sammond to speak to us on this theme. Christopher has carried a concern for faithfulness and spiritual deepening in the Religious Society of Friends for over 30 years. Learn more about Christopher HERE.
Workshops: Friends are encouraged to present workshops. Workshops might speak to particular issues and action, spiritual reflection and renewal, intergenerational activities (yoga? sign-making?), creative expression, or other ideas to inspire and empower SCYM Friends and meetings. There will be an option for presenting a workshop:
- Tuesday evening, March 31, 7:30-8:45 pm ONLINE
- Friday, April 3, 8:00-9:00 pm IN PERSON
- Saturday, April 4, 1:30-2:30 pm IN PERSON (a limited hybrid session may be available)
Please submit your proposal using this LINK.
Prepare State of the Meeting Reports: Friends should see the 2026 State of Society Reports with Queries to prepare reports. The date for submitting reports is March 25, 2026.
The 2026 Schedule is available below. Registration is now open. Registration for in person at Greene Family Camp will close March 17. Online registration will remain open. Use the link below.
REGISTER
Registration deadline for in-person participants: Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
Online-only participants may continue to enroll after that date.
Hoping many of you will be able to join us March 29-April 1 Online and April 2-5 Online or at Greene Family Camp in Bruceville, TX.
2026 SCYM Schedule
2026 State of Society Reports with Queries
2026 Friends Peace Teams Representatives Report
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)
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.
If ICE Comes to Your Meeting
What should you do if ICE comes to your Quaker Meeting? Know your rights. If ICE officials question you, you may decline to answer questions until you have legal counsel. Tap the link in our Bio to view the Congregational Guide for churches dealing with ICE. This document was created by Rev. Minna Bothwell with input from legal experts.
https://docs.google.com/.../1Vg2hIh6f3uJFz_Sk.../edit...
The Congregational Guide offers practical advice for greeters and childcare workers, in the event that Homeland Security approaches your Quaker meeting. It also shows how an ICE authorization form differs from a judicial warrant. Help your community to be proactively prepared! Did you know that authorization forms from ICE do NOT grant the right to enter private property without consent? If you find that this document is useful, please share it with people you know.
Document credits: Rev. Minna Bothwell. "Welcoming, Protecting, and Preparing: A Congregational Guide." Capitol Hill Lutheran Church, ELCA, 2025. There are no restrictions on this document's use for faith communities.
Friends across the country are doing many things to resist the attempts of the present administration to violate the rights of people in the United States. SCYM has joined with other Yearly Meetings and congregations in a suit filed against the Department of Homeland Security blocking the Trump administration's policy that permitted indiscriminate immigration enforcement actions in houses of worship. The latest news from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting follows:
"The case PYM and our neighboring yearly meetings filed against the Department of Homeland Security has taken a big step forward! The U.S. District Court of Maryland ruled in our favor by blocking the Trump administration’s policy that permitted indiscriminate immigration enforcement actions in houses of worship. This preliminary injunction is a crucial step in upholding the right of all people to worship without fear. However, the ruling applies only to the plaintiffs and is a temporary action. Even so, we are encouraged as it sets a strong precedent as the case moves forward.
This suit is a single step in a march toward seeking justice in the current state in our country. There may be more that is ours to do. Meetings can support the lawsuit in different ways. They can also begin the powerful Quaker practice of discernment, seeking possible next steps."
Use the links in PhYM's text to see ways PhYM suggests for Friends to discern further steps. See below for more suggestions for action.