Thanks to all who joined us in Monmouth, Oregon and online for the 2023 FGC Gathering! Watch videos from the 2023 Gathering here.
The 2024 FGC Gathering, “Rooted in Story”, will be held at Haverford College in Haverford, PA, from June 30 – July 6, 2024.
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News
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Workshop Proposals Welcome for Gathering 2024
Workshop proposals are now being accepted for the 2024 FGC Gathering in Haverford, Pennsylvania! The workshop proposal deadline has been extended to Saturday, October 14, 2023. Workshops offer adult and high school participants…
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Join us in Gathering Together
The Gathering Together campaign strives to ensure that all Friends have access to the life-changing experiences that FGC provides.
Read More about Join us in Gathering Together -
Meeting the needs of Friends through online and in-person options
Virtual offerings connected with the 2023 FGC Annual Gathering of Friends include the plenaries on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights, as well as to the daily Bible Half Hour. Friends who wish to participate in online worship sharing groups can indicate that on their registration form. The worship sharing groups will be facilitated by volunteers. Supported…
Read More about Meeting the needs of Friends through online and in-person options -
A First Gathering Story
High school student, Asma arrived at her first Gathering in 2022 after a 10-hour drive with Friends from her Florida meeting…
Read More about A First Gathering Story
Events
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In These Changing Times… Workshops
Friday, January 19, 2024
There are two sessions for workshops on Friday. Each session time is 90 minutes. Some workshops meet only for 90 minute and some meet in both sessions for a total of 180 minutes with a break in the middle.
Workshops meeting session 1 AND session 2
1. Intervisitation: What are we seeking? What are we carrying? What are we bringing back
Moderator: Chuck Schobert. Speakers: Cai Quirk, Debbie Humphries, Julie Peyton
Join the FWCC* Consultation and Intervisitation Program Group and other traveling ministers and visitors in this two part workshop for a rich exploration of how intervisitation helps Friends grow spiritually. Part one will feature sharing from a variety of speakers regarding their spiritual journeys as traveling ministers and visitors to a variety of meetings. In part two, we will spend time worshiping together and sharing in small groups considering what we, as visitors to other meetings, might be seeking, carrying in our hearts, and hoping to bring back. *Friends World Committee for Consultation
2. Movement of the Spirit
Leader: Christopher Sammond
In this three-hour workshop we will explore practices to deepen in our connection to the Source, opening our hearts and spirits to the Divine. Experiential and immediate, not theoretical or dogmatic, we will play with ways to move more directly into the flow of Love calling all of us, and which can lead and empower us as we seek to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. Where we touch God and God Touches us,
Workshops Meeting in Session 1
3. Chanting
Leader: Patsy Arnold Martin & Tony Martin
Chanting is entering a river a of sound, becoming part of that river, opening ourselves to a power that is greater than the sum of our individual voices, surrendering to the current that is the movement of Spirit, allowing it to take us wherever it will go. The structure of this workshop is simple: We will sing simple melodies with simple words – each chant emerging from and returning to deep silence. The chants come from different traditions– some may use Christian language, others do not. But the words are not as important as where they come from and where they can take us. If we allow them to, the chants have the power to still our minds open our hearts and stir our souls.
4. Experiments in the Light: Individual Focus
Leader: JoAnn Seaver & Jane Coe
This is an opportunity to explore the inward meditative practice of early Friends. Rex Ambler researched the early writings of Fox in an effort to understand what was Truth and Light and how did it change the lives of early Friends. He found a series of meditative steps that are now called experiments in the light. You will have an opportunity to experience this process, journal and share. Please bring paper and pen. This workshop will offer an opportunity to focus
Workshops Meeting in Session 2
5. Is Spirit calling you to be of service to Friends? – Friends of Color Only
Leader: Nikki Mosgrove
Isaiah 6:8 – Is Spirit calling you to be of service? Do you have a leading? Are you being called to use your gifts in the Quaker community? What are the steps towards discerning and preparing for where Spirit is leading? How do we as Friends of Color respond to institutional harm and barriers among Friends Meetings and organizations without emotional labor?
6. Chanting
Leader: Patsy Arnold Martin & Tony Martin
Chanting is entering a river a of sound, becoming part of that river, opening ourselves to a power that is greater than the sum of our individual voices, surrendering to the current that is the movement of Spirit, allowing it to take us wherever it will go. The structure of this workshop is simple: We will sing simple melodies with simple words – each chant emerging from and returning to deep silence. The chants come from different traditions– some may use Christian language, others do not. But the words are not as important as where they come from and where they can take us. If we allow them to, the chants have the power to still our minds open our hearts and stir our souls
7. Experiments in the Light: Yearly or Monthly Meeting Focus
Leader: JoAnn Seaver & Jane Coe
Description: This is an opportunity to explore the inward meditative practice of early Friends. Rex Ambler researched the early writings of Fox in an effort to understand what was Truth and Light and how did it change the lives of early Friends. He found a series of meditative steps that are now called experiments in the light. You will have an opportunity to experience this process, journal and share. Please bring paper and pen. This workshop will offer an opportunity to focus on your personal spiritual growth. Suggested Reading: Light to Live By: An exploration in Quaker spirituality. Other books by Rex Ambler: Truth of the Heart, The Quaker Way: A Rediscovery on the Quaker Way of Life.
Saturday, January 20, 2024
Saturday has two tracks:
- Next Steps in Becoming an Actively Anti-racist Faith Community
- Changing Structures for Changing Times
There will be 2 workshops sessions for each track.
Track: Next Steps in Becoming an Actively Anti-racist Faith Community
Workshops Meeting in Session 1
Next Steps in Becoming an Actively Anti-racist Faith Community
8. Recognizing Racism and Responding with Actions for Racial Justice
Leaders: Janice Domanik & Becka Haines Rosenberg
Understanding that racism is pervasive in our society, each day we have opportunities to confront racism and support racial justice. What do these opportunities look like? What helps us to take them when they come?
9. Trust Matters: How to Be More Anti-Racist in Our Interpersonal Relationships
Leader: Clinton Pettus
In striving to help our worship communities become more anti-racist, there are several types or forms of racism (e.g., interpersonal, institutional, structural) upon which we can focus our tactics and strategies. While some experts suggest that developing methods and tools against one form of racism will be more effective overall than others, it is essential to note that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to fostering anti-racism. To become a more anti-racist community, we need to develop and use various approaches.
This workshop focuses on interpersonal racism and how building trusting relationships can make a difference in our efforts to become more anti-racist. The primary tool that will be demonstrated in building trusting relations is trust circles. Related to trust circles, we will discuss the importance of deep listening, interpersonal mindfulness, and accountability as part of adopting an equitable and caring social role in all our interpersonal relationships, including those in our worship communities. If we are not willing to do the work that is required to be more anti-racist on a personal level, it seems naïve to assume that we will significantly contribute to overcoming institutional or structural racism.
10. Following a Leading to Help Friends Address Our Racism
Leader: David Etheridge
David Etheridge will share his experience following his leading to address racism among Friends focused mostly on the work of the Baltimore Yearly Meeting Working Group on Racism over the past 21 years.
Workshops Meeting in Session 2
Next Steps in Becoming an Actively Anti-racist Faith Community
11. Recognizing Racism and Responding with Actions for Racial Justice
Leaders: Janice Domanik & Becka Haines Rosenberg
Understanding that racism is pervasive in our society, each day we have opportunities to confront racism and support racial justice. What do these opportunities look like? What helps us to take them when they come?
12 Trust Matters: How to Be More Anti-Racist in Our Interpersonal Relationships
Leader: Clinton Pettus
In striving to help our worship communities become more anti-racist, there are several types or forms of racism (e.g., interpersonal, institutional, structural) upon which we can focus our tactics and strategies. While some experts suggest that developing methods and tools against one form of racism will be more effective overall than others, it is essential to note that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to fostering anti-racism. To become a more anti-racist community, we need to develop and use various approaches.
This workshop focuses on interpersonal racism and how building trusting relationships can make a difference in our efforts to become more anti-racist. The primary tool that will be demonstrated in building trusting relations is trust circles. Related to trust circles, we will discuss the importance of deep listening, interpersonal mindfulness, and accountability as part of adopting an equitable and caring social role in all our interpersonal relationships, including those in our worship communities. If we are not willing to do the work that is required to be more anti-racist on a personal level, it seems naïve to assume that we will significantly contribute to overcoming institutional or structural racism.
13. Workshop in Discernment
Track: Changing Structures for Changing Times
Workshop Meeting in Session 1
Changing Structures for Changing Times
Something’s Not Working
Leader: Emily Provance
When a meeting is struggling, it’s sometimes hard to figure out the right next steps.
Should we be restructuring the committee system? Engaging with conflict? Doing more outreach? More religious education? Laying down the meeting? Do we need to encourage participation from younger Friends? Consider merging with another meeting? Sell the building? Become hybrid? Move to a different neighborhood? Do more? Do less? (And more or less of what, exactly?)
This workshop will focus on a few essential questions that can help meetings discover (1) what the meeting’s condition is and (2) what “faithfulness” looks like now. We won’t focus on specific advice but, instead, we’ll talk about what the options are and how to know which to try—plus, resources that might come in handy down the road.Structure Sandbox
Leader: Susan Loucks
How do we nourish the Vital Seed in what we do and how we organize? Participants in this workshop will have the opportunity to deeply examine Quaker structures and practices, identifying what was important to early Friends, what is similar or different for us now – and playfully ideate and experiment around how we might best continue to keep those values at the center of our life together.
What is a Yearly Meeting For?
Leader: Paul Buckley
The yearly/quarterly/monthly/preparative meeting structure was imposed on Friends living in a very different time and place. The Quaker movement had been the fastest growing religious body in 1650s England – with off-shoots in the other British kingdoms and colonies and in Europe. As a result, it was viewed with suspicion (and some alarm) by others. It was subject to a degree of persecution, but following the restoration of the Stuart monarchy, this was formalized and greatly intensified. In response, a hierarchical structure was borrowed from other religious organizations to help the society survive until toleration could be achieved (nearly 30 years later).
This top-down arrangement has adapted to changes in circumstances ever since. As the outside world changed and the Society of Friends reacted to the new situation, the functions and purposes of yearly meetings have changed, too.
We may be living in another era of cultural transformation that demands new accommodations on our part. Much of the workshop will be devoted to exploring what the society now requires and how we might fulfill those needs. The workshop will largely consist of discussion. Come ready to share your thoughts in this discussion.
Workshops Meeting in Session 2
Changing Structures for Changing Times
Your Turn, Your Story
The second workshop for this track will be an opportunity to discuss what is happening in your Monthly Meeting and or your Yearly Meeting around structure and changes. Share your successes, your challenges, your plans and the things that we have learned along the way. It is a chance to reinvent how we organize ourselves as part of the Religious Society of Friends and to identify those things that might help us to do so.
Friday, January 19, 2024 There are two sessions for workshops on Friday. Each session time is 90 minutes. Some workshops…-
Thursday, January 18th, 2024 All day
- Virtual
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In These Changing Times, How is Spirit Rising Among Us?
Join Friends from North America in seeking what messages Spirit offers us as we explore Spirit led growth and transformation. We will have time to deepen our spiritual lives, share ideas across yearly meetings and explore new ones as we meet remotely.
Registration for this event will open soon.
(more…) Join Friends from North America in seeking what messages Spirit offers us as we explore Spirit led growth and transformation.…-
Thursday, January 18th, 2024 All day
- Virtual
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Encountering Spirit Retreat: Save the Date!
Join us for an online spiritual retreat to explore our experience of the Light, held by Friends General Conference.
Encountering God is a key experience of our Quaker faith. What can Early Friends teach us about finding Truth? Where does encounter happen? How do we open ourselves to the gift of direct relationship?
(more…) Join us for an online spiritual retreat to explore our experience of the Light, held by Friends General Conference. Encountering…-
Friday, February 16th, 2024 All day
- Virtual
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2024 Gathering of Friends: Rooted in Story
Learn more about the 2024 Gathering-
Sunday, June 30th, 2024 All day
- Haverford College
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