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Creator: Sadie Goodwin | Credit: Sadie Goodwin

Copyright: ©2025 Sadie Goodwin, all rights reserved.

“The struggle for human rights is at its core a struggle for human dignity.”



Kerry Kennedy (1959-present)

An American lawyer, author, and human rights activist.

Vocal Ministry:  How do we receive the vocal ministry of others?  How do we discern whether we are led to speak?  Practical advice for vocal ministers.

In addition, I have attached the handout [2].  Those attending in person will receive a hard copy, but the pdf version is for anyone attending by Zoom.  Those Friends are encouraged to print it out or open it on a device they are not using for Zoom so they may refer to it during the workshop and not miss anything.

The Meeting's Annual Spring Party will be held on June 1^st after the rise of Meeting.  We'll head over to Heidi's home with our potluck items and the YRE Committee will be bringing the Spring Baskets filled with treats.  The youth are making these baskets and the special "Quaker Love Eggs" you'll find in them.  If you can donate some small individually wrapped candy/food item or non-food item for the baskets, please bring in the coming weeks - or on June 1st.  Please let Ruth know if you are coming so a handmade paper basket with your name will greet you at the party.  Heidi lives on a lake so come prepared to swim or canoe/kayak if you are so inclined.  If you have a handy lawn chair, bring it, but Heidi has quite a few to share also.

See you there and don't forget to RSVP to RuthH [at] ConcordFriendsMeeting [dot] org (subject: 2025%20Spring%20Party) (Ruth).

Friends, Friends' affiliate organizations, and the community public will be invited to attend and participate in a collective program featuring peace activities.

Rain plan TBD

*** Stay tuned- Members will be asked to help: Setup tables/chairs; Potluck cleanup; Signup to provide desserts; Setup tables for dessert; Cleanup; Parking

This year's lecturer is a Friend from NY who has done much with New England Friends.  It's on a YouTube channel so no need to register.

In her lecture Emily will engage with the challenge of how people can live and cooperate in community, especially when those communities are not ones that we have chosen.  Emily will present a Quaker testimony of community drawn from books of discipline used across Friends’ theological spectrum and in many parts of our global community.  In her lecture Emily hopes to provide a “sense of the Meeting,” using the collective wisdom of our immensely diverse Society to suggest how all people—Quaker and not—can survive and thrive as an immensely diverse humankind. Read more about Emily’s Lecture here [3].

Emily’s lecture will take place as part of Britain Yearly Meeting 2025 on Saturday 24^th May from 7:00-8:15 p.m. (2:00-3:15 p.m. Eastern Time).  The lecture will also be live streamed on the Woodbrooke YouTube Channel [4].

Founded by Quakers in 1869, Ramallah Friends School plays an essential role for the students and their community on the West Bank in Palestine.  Learn about the school and how you can support its work with Rania Ma’ayeh June 7^th 11 a.m. Eastern Time.  



Register for Zoom event here. [5]

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/b1fwZBJBSa2bPNYK8dH6OA#/registration [5]

We’ll shower you with gratitude and feed you a tasty lunch and snacks!  And if you’d like to stay overnight before or after, let us know to reserve a bed for you at no cost…

Come for part or all, one or both of the days… Great to let us know you’re coming; do come even if you haven’t RSVPed in advance.  OR tell us if you’d love to come but can’t make these dates – there may well be other opportunities…

You're also welcome to join us afterwards for our midweek Quaker worship (5:30-6:30 p.m, followed by optional worshipful sharing).

The vigil for a ceasefire in Gaza continues every Thursday from Noon-1 p.m.  The vigil meets at (the northwest corner of) North Main Street and Park Street in Concord) [7] on the plaza in front of the State House.  Make your own sign, use one provided, or just stand in silent witness beside others.  This is coordinated by NH Peace Action.  We suggest that people make signs that convey something about justice for Israel and Palestine.

Earlier this spring, Teen and Outreach Ministries Coordinator Collee Williams wrote to Friends to share the following news. Their letter shared:

After a period of personal reflection, I have discerned that I will be transitioning out of my current role as the Teen & Outreach Ministries Coordinator after Sessions this summer. I’ve been grateful for the many connections that I have made through this service and have come to the realization that this position is not the right fit for my particular gifts and leadings. In my remaining months of service, I hope to pave the way for a steady transition and to complete the program year with joy and presence.

To identify the next coordinator, a search committee is being formed and a search will begin in May with the hope of being able to introduce the new coordinator by Sessions. If you have questions or comments regarding the search, please contact Program Director Nia Thomas (Nia [at] neym [dot] org (Nia [at] neym [dot] org))or Yearly Meeting Secretary Noah Merrill (ymsec [at] neym [dot] org (ymsec [at] neym [dot] org))." 

Have you felt the Spirit leading you to deepen your commitment to service in support of Quaker spirituality, life, and practice, for the present and future of Friends?  Do you see exciting possibilities for new ways young Quakers and Quaker-curious people can plug into the richness Quakerism has to offer and grow in their gifts?  Do you love spending time in silly play and centered presence with teens? Do you have a good sense of humor, a willing heart, organizational skills, and a team spirit?  If so, we’d love to hear from you.



     We’re excited to announce the search for a Friend to serve as New England Yearly Meeting’s Teen and Outreach Ministries Coordinator—serving Friends across New England in a role focused on faith formation, leadership development, and outreach, especially to and with young people.



To read the full job description and apply, go here [10].  Applications encouraged by June 15^th.

 

With the collaboration of several Yearly and Monthly Meetings, Friends General Conference (FGC) joined an interfaith coalition of congregations and religious associations to file a lawsuit [11] challenging an Executive Order that overturns the “sensitive locations” policy.

The Executive Order gives ICE broad latitude to raid houses of worship.  The case is called Mennonite Church USA v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Our Mennonite partners, who have a long history of assisting refugees and asylum seekers, were the first to commit to this interfaith litigation.  Our interfaith partnership comprises over twenty congregations and associations with the full list at the end of this article.

This is a critical lawsuit that is estimated to represent more than 2 million congregants. In filing an interfaith lawsuit, it’s our hope we will have broad enough standing to re-secure protected status for all houses of worship across the United States.  It’s also an important initial collaboration during a time that will likely call on our various faith traditions to witness repeatedly for human rights.

While this litigation will take time and the outcome is uncertain, it’s important to remain centered in the knowledge that we, however imperfectly, are asked to witness to the seed of the Divine in all people.

Many of your monthly meetings are taking important actions on their own and in collaboration with Yearly Meetings, FGC and interfaith partners in a variety of ways.  If we speak and witness, whatever the outcome, a vision for a better future will continue to live within us collectively.  Being faithful has purpose.

I find myself thinking a lot about what matters most to me. It’s challenging to live in this time, with so much of what I have taken for granted being eroded.  And it’s heartening to be engaged in the growing resistance and community building that I witness around me.

When it comes right down to it, one of the things that matters most to me is that the Religious Society of Friends continues to thrive.  I have been a Quaker all my life.  I raised my kids Quaker. I have Quaker grandchildren.  It is a core piece of my identity, and my faith continues to provide spiritual sustenance daily in these hard times.  I don’t take the future of the Religious Society of Friends for granted.

I know that things that are valuable need to continue to remake themselves, to respond to changing needs.  I have watched Friends General Conference do just that over the years.  And that offers me hope that with the continued engagement of staff, volunteers and donors, FGC will be here for my grandchildren’s children.  I hope to continue to be in a position to support FGC financially for the rest of my life and have confidence that the planned gift I have made will be well used by the next generation.

FGC’s mission is to strengthen the Religious Society of Friends.  This 2024 Impact Report  [14]reflects back on a year of doing just that.  Thank you for helping to create resilient community with powerful Gatherings, retreats, worship and connections.

Enjoy stories of how your support helps nurture a more inclusive, multi-generational, multi-cultural, and actively anti-racist faith community.  Thank you for reading and sharing it with others, and thank you for supporting FGC.

There are other online Meetings for Worship that are generally available to Quakers, unlimited by geography, if that would be of interest.  Some of those are listed here.