October - Beyond the Monthly Meetings and Churches

As FWCC Staff, I receive Newsletters from many Churches and Meetings in the western United States. These are items I have found of interest; I hope you do too. Nancy

Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches

Alaska Friends Conference Fall Quarterly Meeting will beNov, 28-30. Hosted by Chena Ridge Meeting, Fairbanks, Friends will consider Witness and Worship: Sacred Interconnections with All Beings. Inspired by the work of Joanna Macy and John Seed, the gathering is envisioned as a time to explore together what Friends can do as Friends to be faithful to Earth.
Arizona Half Yearly Meeting met in late September with the theme, Growing Vibrant Meetings, with Lynn Fitz-Hugh who talked about Quaker outreach to the world and Quaker in-reach – how we handle conflicts in our Meetings and families.
Casa de los Amigos (Mexico City) reports that the Migration Program and the Economic Justice Program are now firmly built into the fabric of the Casa. The Casa’s Volunteer Program has matured into an expression of the shared vision for the Casa. Volunteers now divide their work hours into three areas: the Hospitality Program, the other Casa Peace Programs, and Casa community life (which include cooking breakfast for guests, planning events and activities, furthering efforts to "green" the Casa, and more).
College Park Quarterly Meeting met at Sierra Friends Center near Nevada City. How have Friends in College Park Quarterly Meeting been guided to stand against war in the past, and what guidance is given now and in the future? Plenaries and interest groups featured war tax resistance, conscientious objection, sustainable living, and formation of new committees to aid CPQM.
Colorado Regional Gathering met at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, CO, with the theme Global Climate Change: Deepening our Heart Connection with all Creation. Keynote speaker Patricia McBee spoke on “Joyful, Quakerly and Carbon Neutral.”
Evangelical Friends Church Southwest will hold its Annual Conference and Serve Day in three locations. In Southern California the Representative Session and Equipping Community Dinner will be January 23, and the Serve Day, January 24, 2009. In Arizona/Nevada the Equipping Community Dinner will be February 6 and the Serve Day, February 7, 2009. In Northern California the Equipping Community Dinner will be February 20 and the Serve Day, February 21, 2009.
The Greenleaf Academy (Idaho) auction has been rescheduled for November 7-8, 2008 to help celebrate the 100 year centennial. The school opened on November 10, 1908.
“Teach the Way Jesus Taught,” a Christian Educators Seminar will be offered in two more locations within Northwest Yearly Meeting: Olympic View Friends Church, November 1; Spokane Friends Church, November 15.
Northwest Yearly Meeting Friends are holding Area Meetings. The Portland Area will gather Saturday, November 1 at West Hills Friends Church. Boards of Congregational Care and Global Outreach will offer workshops. The Southern Idaho Area met Sunday, October 26 at Greenleaf Friends Church
Dorothy Henderson has been named Head of School for Sierra Friends Center and the Woolman Semester. She has been a community member for 8 years and was involved in the setting up of the Woolman Semester.
Southern California Quarterly Meeting with hold its Fall Gathering, November 8-9, 2008 at Temescal Gateway Park, Pacific Palisades, CA with the theme, The Search for our testimony on our relationship with nature: What is our Truth?
Utah Friends Fellowship will meet in Logan, UT, January 17-18, 2009.
The WalkwithEarth Pilgrimage, for the beauty of the earth down the watersheds of the Americas, started March 2nd at San Francisco Meeting. Led by Rolene Walker, this pilgrimage ends in Chile in 2.5 years.