by Diane Bowden | Dec 21, 2025 | Gaza, Israel, Palestine, Peace and Social Concerns
Watch for a new date for an event with Steve Chase from Friends Meeting of Washington (FMW), who will share his personal and several Meetings' discernment journeys toward joining the Apartheid-Free Communities coalition and working for a truly just peace in Israel/Palestine. The original program has been postponed due to weather and driving conditions.
A brief excerpt from Steve Chase’s overview on the topic follows, with the idea that whatever the outcome of the cease-fire...
“We ... know that there will not be a sustainable or just peace without ending Israeli apartheid. We are therefore prepared to take up the long-term ministry of working to build a strong international, nonviolent, anti-apartheid movement in solidarity with Palestinian and Israeli activists. This will require us to engage in peace and justice advocacy, humanitarian assistance, peacebuilding efforts, and strategic nonviolent resistance—the four cornerstones of Quaker faith-based activism. ...
“... I often hear from people in the wider Quaker world who believe their congregations are just too divided, too ill-informed, or too apathetic to come to unity on Israel/Palestine. My response is that the experience of Friends Meeting of Washington proves that Quaker meetings can engage in deep discernment and move from fractured disunity and inaction to unity and powerful faith-based activism for peace, justice, and equality for all in Israel/Palestine.”
by Diane Bowden | Dec 21, 2025 | Activity, Adult Spiritual Education, Reading between the Lines
Reading Between the Lines will return on February 1 after taking a break in January.
by Diane Bowden | Dec 20, 2025 | Announcement, Committees, Nominating
Due to weather and driving conditions, Old Clerks/New Clerks has been rescheduled for Sunday, February 8, at 9 am in the community room! For both seasoned and new committee clerks, please join Nominating Committee for the annual clerking overview with coffee, tea, and bagels at 9 am, Sunday, February 1. The meeting starts at 9:15 am. Subjects covered include:
- Who is your committee liaison & resource on Nominating Committee?
- What does a clerk do?
- What are the clerk's responsibilities in managing committee budget & finances?
- How to bring business to meeting for business & clerks' meeting
- How to let everyone know about your committee activities (newsletter, Newslist, and website)
- What records to keep and who should get them
- How to schedule meetings (including on Zoom) and use the meetinghouse
But, don't worry, you'll do fine!
Friends wanting to look at clerking resources may wish to visit the FGC site on the subject https://www.fgcquaker.org/fgcresources/practical/practices/clerking/ and this thoughtful article from Friends Journal https://www.friendsjournal.org/3011047/
by Diane Bowden | Dec 20, 2025 | Activity, Adult Spiritual Education
The Adult Spiritual Education committee invites you to participate in a program of worship-sharing with music that speaks to us spiritually. The relaxed, candlelit evening session is scheduled for Sunday, January 11, starting at 4:30 in the community room.
If you would like to include a song or piece of music that is meaningful to you, email Lee Bloxom with the subject line “songs of the soul.” The music can range from ancient to current, be recorded or live, instrumental or with lyrics. In the body of the email, include the title of the selection and the name of the artist. If you’re not planning to perform your song live, include either a digital recording (.mp3, .mp4, or .wav file formats) or a link to it on YouTube or Spotify.
We’ll have time for reflection and worship sharing after each selection.
The deadline for song submissions is Monday, Jan. 5
We look forward to soul sharing through music on a mid-January eve: January 11, 4:30 to 6 pm.
by Diane Bowden | Dec 20, 2025 | Christmas
Christmas Eve Meeting for Worship will be held on Wednesday, December 24 with singing at 4:30 pm and worship from 5-6:00 pm. Children are welcome to join the caroling and stay for waiting worship. There will be a children’s program at 5:15 in the community room as well as nursery care. We are zooming this worship with the monitor in the worship room turned off. Zoom participants can see and hear us and we can hear them.