Raising children challenges us to the core but can also be immensely rewarding. Join this conversation with members of the Quaker Parenting Initiative (QPI) to explore how a uniquely Quaker approach to childrearing can help Friends frame parenting as part of their Quaker spiritual journey. At the heart of the QPI approach is a query-based method for meeting parenting challenges by operationalizing one’s deepest hopes and convictions.
Learn how the Quaker Parenting Initiative supports families and nurtures growth that is vital to the future of Quakerism. QPI is a sister organization to QREC with the common goal of supporting the spiritual development of children and their families.
Registration is required:
Tuesday, April 23, 1:00 pm ET: Register HERE
Thursday, April 25, 8:00 pm ET: Register HERE
Facilitator: Harriet Heath has facilitated Quaker parent discussion groups for over twenty-five years.
Conversation Starters will be members of the Quaker Parenting Initiative (QPI) trained leadership who have been providing parent discussion workshops for the last fifteen years. The QPI approach uses queries to guide parents as they search for the Way they feel called to nurture their individual children.
Queries
- What does Quakerism offer parents who seek to raise well-centered children in a complex world?
- How can Quaker faith and practice strengthen family life?
- How can parenting deepen one’s spiritual path?
- In what ways can the Quaker Parenting Initiative support Friends meetings as they seek to welcome and nurture families?
Resources:
Quaker Parenting Initiative website: http://quakerparenting.org/
Paths to Quaker Parenting: Using Quaker Beliefs, Testimonies and Practices, Harriet Heath, editor: https://quakerbooks.org/collections/parenting/products/paths-to-quaker-parenting-3624
Answering that of God in our Children (Pendle Hill Pamphlet 315), by Harriet Heath: https://quakerbooks.org/collections/parenting/products/answering-that-of-god-in-our-children-3380
Using Your Values to Raise Your Child to be an Adult You Will Admire, by Harriet Heath and Anna Dewdney: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/810949.Using_Your_Values_to_Raise_Your_Child_to_Be_an_Adult_You_Admire
God Raising Us: Parenting as a Spiritual Practice (Pendle Hill Pamphlet 396), by Eileen Flanagan: https://quakerbooks.org/collections/parenting/products/god-raising-us-parenting-as-a-spiritual-practice-3413
Faithful Families: Creating Sacred Moments at Home, by Traci Smith: https://quakerbooks.org/collections/parenting/products/faithful-families
An Introduction
The Quaker Religious Education Collaborative (QREC) is an international, cross-branch, grassroots network of Friends sharing a stewardship for lifelong Quaker faith formation through religious education. We formed in April 2014 and now serve more than 300 Friends in our network. We actively engage and support each other across languages and continents. We gather for regional and annual conferences and offer monthly Conversation Circles via an online conferencing platform.
Steering Circle
We share leadership as part of our collaborative mission, making decisions using the Quaker ‘sense of the meeting’ process, sitting in expectant, worshipful waiting for the emergence of shared truth. Read more…
Working Circles
Our work takes place in ‘circles’ or small groups of Friends who labor on a common task, usually meeting by video conference due to the geographic diversity of the membership. Read more…
The Resource Library
Finders Guide, a sampling of the collection
The QREC Resource Library is a place to share lessons and other educational information in support of our work as Quaker religious educators. This library is a forum for curricula, articles, videos and other educational materials on Quaker themes. You will also find principles, policies and procedures to strengthen operation of your child, youth and adult religious education programs.
Children's Education
Adult Education
Family
African Quaker Library
Youth Education
Small Meetings
Young Adult Friends
Biblioteca QREC
Events
Find renewal, companionship, and help for nitty gritty issues in Quaker religious education, all the while opening spaces for Spirit to work and listening together for God’s way forward.
QREC holds an annual conference and retreat. In addition we hold online Conversation Circles and post other religious education events as we learn about them.
Conversation Circles
Online conferences for Quaker religious educators to share about their work. Conversations are scheduled for two sessions per topic to encourage international participation. Join the conversation…
Other Events
Religious education events of interest to Quakers from all parts of the world. Please let us know about upcoming online or in-person events happening in your area. See the list of upcoming events…
Love at the Heart
Spiritual Practices
Discernment
Active Caring
Quaker Family Culture
Finding the Light
Faith at Home
Home is the heart of faith formation for all families. This is especially true for Friends. As an experiential religion, Quakerism is best learned through living in loving community. Indeed, the vast majority of faith formation for our young Friends happens at home in the busy swirl of daily life.
Become a Member
Submit Resources
Get Announcements
Donate
Attend an Event
Contact Us
Get Involved
QREC depends on all of us sharing our gifts and skills as religious educators. Here are some of the ways you can get involved…