Traveling minister and author Emily Provance gave a talk at the Gathering this summer, one of several authors who spoke in the pop-up bookstore. Emily reminded Friends that it is perfectly natural for some meetings to reach the end of their lifespan, and to lay themselves down. It is also natural for meetings to grow — and to have the desire to grow.

FGC is here to support your meeting’s growth. We know that both the cultivation of a deep spiritual practice and a clear understanding of Quaker process are central to building a sense of belonging among existing members and new attenders.  

Mag recently attended Many Hands Make Light Work, a retreat that teaches clerking skills to Friends ages 13-19. At Gathering, Mag joined an all-ages workshop where Friends shared experiences from their business meetings.

“We talked about difficult people in meeting — how we need to hear their needs, but also keep the meeting on track,”Mag shared. “But also — ‘How do we bring in new people in a way that makes sense, but also allows them to find their own way?’ I’ve been around a lot of younger people who are first learning about Quakerism, and I feel like this is so important to consider.”

Tamsen took the same workshop as Mag, Quaker Process: Spiritual Roots & Current Practice. It was taught by long-time FGC recording clerk Mathilda Navias and derived from her book Quaker Process for Friends on the Benches, which has a new edition due out at the end of this year. Like Mag, Tamsen was raised Quaker, but it had been 50 years since she attended her last Gathering! She traveled with three members of her informal worship group that meets in Wisconsin.

Though they have a listing on FGC’s QuakerFinder.org, the group is still in discernment about becoming an official worship group under the care of a nearby meeting. They’ve had a few business meetings, but most of them are new to Quakerism, and they want to better understand how to make decisions together before taking on such a big one.

“Because I grew up Quaker, people look to me for how things get done,” says Tamsen. “I have a feel for some things, but I’d never had any training.”

With the intention of deepening their own spiritual lives and helping to strengthen their small but growing Quaker community, each Friend chose a different workshop at the Gathering. Tamsen explored process, another learned about clerking, another delved into forgiveness as spiritual practice, and another spent the week learning soulful singing — which he is now leading every week before worship.

In our unique role as an association of 16 yearly meetings, which includes several hundred monthly meetings, FGC is able to organize events that spark new connections and opportunities for Friends to learn from one another. The upcoming Outreach Conference will offer practical tools and inspiration for welcoming newcomers into your community. Join us online September 25–27.

We need your support to provide these opportunities for Friends and meetings to connect! Our fiscal year ends on Sept. 30, and a generous Friend has offered to match donations made through the end of the month. One-time gifts will be doubled, and new or increased recurring gifts will be tripled until the goal is reached! Please consider making a gift to FGC today.