The more you get to know Alex Morisey, the more you become aware you are speaking with a spiritual giant. His path has woven through so much of our world of faith and through the lives of so many Friends that he has become part of the fabric of the Religious Society of Friends. Key to Alex’s approach to his spirituality is his intuitive connection with the world and people around him. Not inclined to regale listeners with his many noteworthy accomplishments, Alex seems happier sharing how he finds himself in the natural world that surrounds him and how valuable people of all walks of life are to him. As an avid writer, Alex loves to write essays that explore the meaning of all this, the meaning of his life and his faith. Alex is a member of the Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting. [Read more…] about A Friend, A Life, & Spirituality
Peace & Social Justice
Black History: Celebrate in February, Include All Year
This month is about honoring the radical, imaginative, provocative and gorgeous world Black Americans are bringing forth today as much as recognizing their efforts in the past. May we take this month to contemplate and celebrate the spiritual gifts and leadings Black Quakers have followed that continue to shape our community and encourage us all to come alive.
— Kimani Keaton, Community Engagement Associate for Special Projects
The resources below provide an opportunity to lift up Black voices and explore anti-racism with the young people in our care. Much has been written about the inclusion of Black History in mainstream education and how to teach this history both in terms of the Black American experience and children’s developmental levels. Some of the links to articles and resources below reflect these discussions and may be useful to consider in a religious education context. [Read more…] about Black History: Celebrate in February, Include All Year
Standing for Equality & Justice in Southampton: An Update
On May 25, 2020, police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on George Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds causing George’s death. The country responded with outrage and protests. On Sunday, June 7th, Southampton Friends held their first Vigil for Social Justice and Equality. They haven’t missed a Sunday since. [Read more…] about Standing for Equality & Justice in Southampton: An Update
NJ Call for Action Toward Appropriate Mascotry
We applaud ongoing courageous conversations advocating for children’s rights throughout our educational systems. And for decades we have carried a concern for Native “themed” mascots. By common definition, mascotry includes team names, images, and logos, as well as related game-day and fan rituals.
Let’s be honest with one another. Citizens of the United States have inherited a legacy of domination by doctrines. Public schools may be conditioned to accept rather than critically examine the use of identity, language, and traditions creating disregard by continuing to dehumanize Indigenous people. [Read more…] about NJ Call for Action Toward Appropriate Mascotry
Discussion Held on the Quaker Peace Testimony at Cropwell
Cropwell Meeting held an introductory program on the Quaker peace testimony on Sunday afternoon. Geared toward newcomers, presenter Martin Kelley gave a 25 minute overview of the history of Quaker peacemaking, from the foundational 1660 Statement to more recent expressions of Quaker peacemaking, such as the climate-change advocacy of the Earth Quaker Action Team and the “Statement on the Peace Testimony and Ukraine” release in late October.
[Read more…] about Discussion Held on the Quaker Peace Testimony at Cropwell
The Community Outreach of Greenwich Friends Meeting
On Saturday September 24th, 2022, the Quaker Bakers of Greenwich Friends Meeting participated in the 50th Greenwich Artisans Faire at the historic Gibbons House on Ye Greate Street in Greenwich, Cumberland County. Through the sale of baked goods, tea and coffee as well as the Meeting’s signature cookbook (which combines Quaker family recipes and local lore), funds are raised annually for Greenwich Friends Community Outreach activities. The Faire draws hundreds of people to Greenwich and is a delightful opportunity to meet and greet friends and neighbors. [Read more…] about The Community Outreach of Greenwich Friends Meeting
National Native American Heritage Month
We celebrate Indigenous Peoples all year and invite you to join us during National Native American Heritage Month. Throughout November, we’re highlighting the “original people,” “The Grandfathers,” the Lenape People of the land where we reside. [Read more…] about National Native American Heritage Month
Young Friends Support the Peace Fair
A small but enthusiastic contingent of Young Friends helped make the Bucks Quarter Peace Fair, on September 17, a great success. The Peace Fair brings dozens of nonprofits doing work aligned with Quaker values to a wider audience, along with craft vendors, live music, a book sale, kids’ games and a range of food offerings. Starting the day bright and early, before the opening of the Fair, the Young Friends helped set up vendor booths, unloading the vendors’ materials and putting up tents to keep things moving swiftly. [Read more…] about Young Friends Support the Peace Fair
First Contact Reconciliation Seventh Mo. 2022
Through engagement, we find meaning in crafting genuine land acknowledgements as possible “first steps” in recognizing Indigenous Peoples who are the original stewards of the lands on which we now live and work. In creating, we are called into collaborating, being accountable, continuously taking up “next steps,” and tending respectful relationships with Indigenous Nations and communities by listening. We encourage the mindful practice of naming the Indigenous People(s) whose land you are on – at home, at work, and/ or while traveling. [Read more…] about First Contact Reconciliation Seventh Mo. 2022
State of the Meeting Reports, 2021-2022
Spiritual State of the Meeting reports give all of us a glimpse into the communities of meetings in our Yearly Meeting. Together, they create a tapestry that tells the story of our yearly meeting in the last year; a vibrant community engaged in spiritual formation and witness across four states and many experiences of the Spirit. When we are together in residence at an Annual Sessions gathering, there is a thick book with the collected ‘State of the Meeting’ reports. During the years we have gathered online, the special joy of leafing through those printed reports has needed a new model. This year, we again created a virtual “book” of all of the reports. You can access them in this news story and they will also be published in a booklet following Annual Sessions.
