What is the Gathering?

New Year’s Gathering is an annual Quaker gathering to welcome the new year with worship and community. The Gathering lasts five nights and alternates between being held in Northern California and Southern Oregon.

Western Young Friends was founded in 1975 by young people from Pacific and North Pacific Yearly Meetings. While there is no formal tie to other Quaker bodies, WYF has many participants who are members, attenders, or former children of monthly meetings. The WYF New Year's Gathering is multi-generational, and open to all ages.

All participants share the work of the gathering, including meal preparation, childcare, and workshop facilitation. WYF conducts enough business to care for each other during the Gathering, create an epistle, and ensure the planning of the next Gathering.

Interest Groups

Each year, we have workshops or interest groups led by participants of the gathering. Anyone can lead an interest group, so start thinking about ideas. Some examples of previous workshops and interest groups are: harm reduction, environmental concerns, peaceful economics, Quaker process, dance, tarot, nature walks, Tai Chi, sign language, massage, and various aspects of spirituality.