Quaker
LibraryFGC News and Programs
2005 News
FGC Welcomes the Newest
Member of Our Development Team
Pictures of Timothy Robert Karhnak-Glasby, born Thursday, February
3, 2005.
Online Gathering
Registration
Good News Bulletin, April 2005.
Youth Ministries
News about a gathering of thirty Friends brought together by the Ad Hoc Youth
Ministries Discernment Committee. Good News Bulletin, April 2005.
2004 News
Epistle on LGBTQ Friends, December 2004. The minute was also the subject of the November Good News Bulletin.
Traveling Ministries Consultation
Good News Bulletin, December 2004.
Quaker outreach focus of monthly meeting mailing
Quaker outreach – or making Quakerism visible – is the focus of
this quarterly mailing from FGC. FGC has a firm commitment to outreach, which
finds expression through the work of our Advancement & Outreach Committee.
We believe that spiritual vitality is the key to effective outreach, and we
seek to help meetings offer true spiritual hospitality.
- Introductory letter
- Free resources from the Advancement & Outreach Committee
- From the bookstore: Introductory Quaker Texts and Tools for Outreach
Servant Leadership at Work
Michael Gibson, FGC’s Religious Education Coordinator led worship and
spiritual discernment sessions at the annual meeting of the Education and
Leadership Ministries Commission of the National Council of Churches, January
9-12, 2004. Here's an intro to his talks but a link to a piece he wrote for
the commission, "On Discernment." Good News Bulletin, December
2003
2003 News
FGC Receives Four Challenge Grants
Good News Bulletin, December 2003
FGC Supports the World Council of
Churches’ “Decade to Overcome Violence”
Good News Bulletin, October 2003
QuakerBooks New and Improved
Description of some of the new features on the FGC bookstore's website. From
FGConnections.
Speaking Truth to
Power: The Roots and Fruits of a Powerful Peace Testimony
FGC's General Secretary Bruce Birchard's address to the annual session of
Intermountain Yearly Meeting on June 12, 2003.
"Beyond Diversity 101" sponsored by the Committee for Ministry
on Racism
Three articles about this important workshop:
Good News Bulletin,
February 2003
Points
of Connection, by Jean-Marie Barch
Finding
the Road Less Traveled: To Pittsburgh and Back with Friends, by Monica
Day
"Beyond Diversity 101" workshop
sponsored by the Committee for Ministry on Racism
Good News Bulletin, February 2003
2002 News
Pictures from FGC's Nuturing
the Meeting Community Conference
Joint
Statement in Response to Threat of War with Iraq
September 24, 2002. Part of the ongoing Friends Witness in Troubled Times
work.
A Friendly Opportunity
Good News Bulletin, August 2002
2001
FGC Annual Report
Yearly Meeting Visitors Program
Good News Bulletin, June 2002
Help Spread the Word about the Gathering
in Normal!
Good News Bulletin, May 2002
Response
to The Nature and Purpose of the Church
A response by FGC's Christian and Interfaith Relations Committee to a recent
paper issued by the World Council of Churches. Part of the WCC's Faith and
Order series, "The Nature and Purpose of the Church" sought to "advance ecumenical
dialogue by seeking 'to give expression to what the churches can now say together
about the nature and purpose of the Church.'"
FGC Nurturing
Quakerism Campaign: Nearing It's Goal
"At its heart the FGC Nurturing Quakerism Campaign is about strengthening
meetings and following the leadings of the Spirit. FGC has undertaken new
programs and services in response to the requests and leadings of Friends.
Large numbers of Friends, mostly volunteers with the support of a small but
effective staff, are implementing these programs because they care deeply
about the vitality of unprogrammed Quakerism."
2001 News
QuakerBooks of FGC!
Good News Bulletin, December 2001
FGC
Continuous Fundraiser
By switching your long distance and/or your local toll calls (intralata) service
to Enhanced Communications Group (ECG), ECG will contribute 5% of your phone
bill to FGC automatically each month. Savings to you should range from 20-50%
of your current phone bill because of the excellent wholesale rates that are
being offered.
Friends
Witness in Troubled Times
A new web initiative from Friends General Conference: "In the days following
the September 11 terrorist attacks, we in the FGC office were in shock, sorrow,
worship and prayer. We also began taking a number of steps to support Friends
in responding to the evolving situation... We are clear that FGC can play
several roles to support Friends and meetings in this difficult time."
After
the Shock has Passed: Joint Statement on the Events of September 11th
"Now that the initial shock of the terrorist attacks of last week have passed,
deep grief and profound anger has set in for many of us. Now the critical
questions that confront us all are several: How can we best comfort those
who mourn? How can we begin to heal some of the wounds to all of our souls
as well as our bodies? How can see that justice is really done? How can we
build bridges of understanding and reconciliation among all people so that
there is no more harm done and no more hatred sown? How can we begin anew
the work of creating a world where there can really be peace, addressing the
injustice and despair which are so often the seeds of violence, so there will
be no more victims?"
A&O Advances on the Internet
Good News Bulletin, July 2001
Remarkable Gift from Anonymous Canadian
Donor
Good News Bulletin, May 2001
FGC Publications
& Distribution: A Short History
By Wesley Mason. "In the early 1980s FGC faced a financial crisis referred
to by some Friends as our "near death experience." As an alternative to going
out of existence the organization had to take a hard look at what parts of
its work could be preserved. It turned out that one of those essential functions
was the provision of religious educational resource material to Friends."
Publications
& Distribution: Past, Present and Future
By Pat Fox. "The settlers for the weekend brought all they needed. Our simplicity
included knapsacks, sleeping bags, food and computers with printers. As we
centered into the retreat we were aware that this was not an ordinary business
plan but one that has as its core the Quaker value of service. Our focus is
to combine service to monthly and yearly meetings with good business practice
in the publications and distribution components of the program."
Discipline
of the Gathering
By Liz Perch, Conference Coordinator. "It has been said that the Gathering
of Friends is the most complex conference of its kind. This is a hard claim
to dispute, as it isn't clear that there is another 'conference of its kind.'"
From FGConnections.
FGC Nurturing
Quakerism Campaign
A report on the Campaign. "From these presentations Friends learn how the
Campaign is helping to fund the new Traveling Ministries Program, Young Quakes
Conferences, an expanded FGC regional conference program, other new services
in religious education and publications, including FGC's presence on the world
wide web." From FGConnections.
Junior Gathering
Goals
By Christie Duncan-Tessmer, Junior Gathering Coordinator. "Ask anyone who
has taught First Day School, led a group of children at yearly meeting or
worked with kids at Gathering and they will have stories to tell. I think
of the time I asked a couple of first-graders who were looking in each other's
mouths what was going on. They told me they were looking for the Light." From
FGConnections.
FGC's Small
Conference Program
By Theo Mace. Stories from FGC's small conferences: "As FGC goes forward into
the new century with its goal of serving more broadly its Quaker constituency,
tantalizing new topics for small conferences are constantly arising." From
FGConnections.
Live
Oak Friends Meeting House
From FGC Good News Bulletin.
FGC
Bookstore sales break record
From FGC Good News Bulletin.
2000 News
Minute
on Scouting
A minute on the Boy Scouts of America's policy to discriminate in its membership
against men and women who are homosexuals. "We affirm that God calls us to
love and respect each person regardless of race, of gender, or of sexual orientation
or identity (gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered). There is no place
in God's creation for discrimination one against another."
FGC Announces
"Nurturing Quakerism" Campaign
FGC's first major development campaign was unveiled at the 2000 Gathering
of Friends. Find out what it supports (this website for one) and how you can
support it! From FGConnections.
Minds
and Hearts Awakened at FGC Religious Education Conference
By Becky Morehouse. A description of FGC's August 2000 Religious Educators
Institute.
Centennial Observances
The Ad Hoc Committee to Coordinate FGC Centennial Observances (Deborah Haines,
clerk) was created in 1997 to plan FGC Centennial events for the year 2000.
We quickly discovered that FGC history is a largely unexplored field, full
of surprises. Check out what we have done so far, and what we will be working
on through at least 2001.
The Centennial Photo
A special photograph was shot at the Centennial FGC Gathering of Friends which
includes almost every attender! Faces are recognizable even in the back row
and many name tags are available. Look at the interactive
online photo to pick out and label your friends or purchase a copy
of the 13" x 34" print (opens in new window).
FGC's Consultation
on "Calling Forth & Nurturing Gifts of Ministry"
On March 17-19, 2000 a gathering of representatives from the affiliated yearly
meetings of Friends General Conference took place at Bethany Hills Camp near
Nashville, TN. The meeting was arranged by the FGC Traveling Ministries Program
(TMP) for the purpose of worshipping together and sharing with each other
about recognizing and nurturing gifts of ministry in our meetings. With pieces
by Deborah Fisch, Rachel K. Wood, Daphne Davey, Linda Chidsey. From FGConnections.
1999 News
Young Quakes
Conference an Unqualified Success
By Marsha Holliday. Lots of Photographs and an evaluation of 1999's conference
for high-school aged Friends, held at Camp Catoctin in Maryland. From FGConnections.
My High
School Gathering Experience
By Elizabeth Baltaro. "The next few days were nothing like anything I might
have imagined. I had not been to many Quaker gatherings as a teenager, and
my high school was very small and conservative. I had never seen so many different
types of people in my life. There were all types of hairstyles and guys wearing
long skirts and nail polish... I had never witnessed this type of openness
between people..." From FGConnections.
FGC Service
By Laura Dixson. "This fall, when I attended the Central Committee, FGC's
governing body, I was moved beyond expectations. Surrounded by adults who,
on average, were three times my age, I spoke out honestly for what I believe
in, and wasn't belittled because of my youth. I was able to offer my opinion
about the state of racism among Quakers, my feelings on healing the gap of
the split between two branches of Quakers, and my enthusiasm for the work
I do. Friends that I admire, role models that have faith and work beyond my
capacity came up to me, praised my direction, and offered their respect. I
spent four days, from morning until night, in meetings and in worship with
these people. I was never bored, was rarely uncentered, and was often always
moved." From FGConnections.
Racism
Hurts and Challenges Everyone
By Vanessa Julye. Racism is a problem for all of us, black or white. The denial
of the full humanity of any person diminishes us all...The presentation I
facilitated at [the FGC] Central Committee was one of several programs I have
participated in this year examining racism within the Religious Society of
Friends. Racism is a part of our culture; that includes Friends. From FGC
Connections.
Nurturing the Nurturers Conference
In March 1999, FGC hosted a conference in South Carolina on "Nurturing the
Nurturers." The purposes of the conference was to extend a nurturing hand
to the nurturers, to help others learn how to nurture the nurturers, and to
generally increase awareness in the Religious Society of Friends about the
importance of nurturing and supporting Friends who are performing a variety
of ministries in our meetings and the world. Four pieces came out of the confence:
Ernie Buscemi's "Lesson
Learned"; "Walking
Gently Over the Earth at Penn Center," a poem by Penny Wright; "Healing
the Wounds," by Robert Duncan; and "My
Trip to the Nurturing the Nurturers Conference" by Jacob Stewart. All
pieces appeared in FGC Connections.
QUIP
Meeting
By Lucy Duncan. A report on FGC's participation in the 1999 annual meeting
of Quakers Uniting in Publications. For more on QUIP, see their website at
http://www.quaker.org/quip/.
From FGC Connections.
On
the Balkans
By Bruce Birchard. A statement from Summer 1999 with links to online Quaker
resources. From FGC Connections.
1998 News
FGC's
1998 Annual Report
See all the ways FGC strives to "foster vital friends meetings."
Growth
and Change in FGC Staff
By Bruce Birchard. A Summer 1998 piece on staff changes. From FGC Connections.
Traveling
Ministries: A New Program for FGC!
By Deborah Fisch. "When I read the job announcement for coordinator of the
new Friends General Conference Travelling Ministries Program last winter,
I felt a wave of excitement flow through my heart." From FGC Connections.
1997 News
FGC to
Launch New "Traveling Ministries Program"
By Bruce Birchard. The 1997 announcement of the formation of a Traveling Ministries
Program. See also Spring 1997's "FGC
Proposes Supporting Travel in the Ministry". Both articles from FGC
Connections.
FGC
Central Committee Approves Long Term Plan
By Bruce Birchard. "After five years of patient work and spiritual discernment,
FGC's Central Committee approved a Long Term Plan at its October, 1997 sessions.
This plan will help us to prioritize the work of Friends General Conference
during the next five years." From FGC Connections.
1996 News
RE Institute:
Focused Conference, A Great Success!
By Liz Yeats. A short report on a August 1996 conference on "Teaching as a
Religious Experience." From FGC Connections.
Earlier News
FGC Timeline of Significant Events, October 1993-October 1999
RELATED RESOURCES
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