The Quaker Religious Education Collaborative (QREC) was formed in August 2014 when thirty-four Friends from seven yearly meetings met at the Pendle Hill Conference and Retreat Center in Pennsylvania to form a community of practice. During that seminal meeting we share our passion for the work, exploring how to cultivate religious education (RE) programs and faith formation within the Society of Friends.
Those gathered confirmed:
· Quaker religious education seeks to lead Friends to their Inner Teacher
· Each Quaker meeting grows in its own way
· Our work must be theologically and geographically inclusive
· Meetings need families, and families need religious education
· Religious education is for Friends of all ages.
· From infant to elder, all of us are teachers and all of us are learners.
The flame ignited at that gathering has blossomed to a cross-branch, international community of Quaker religious educators. QREC convenes yearly conferences and retreats where a growing number of Friends religious educators come together to worship, learn, share and connect. We meet in various locations to encourage participation across geographic regions.
QREC began hosting online Conversation Circles in 2015, providing a forum for RE Friends to discuss why and how we do this work. Our online newsletter, QREC Connections, highlights educational resources and opportunities to strengthen Friends RE programs. Our Facebook page invites the QREC community of practice to share RE resources, events and insights.
Launched in 2018, the redesigned QREC website hosts a collaborative, searchable, online library of religious education materials such as books, curricula, videos, etc. Friends who use the materials are invited to share their experience. The website serves as a portal and an archive for events such as the annual QREC retreat, online Conversation Circles, parenting workshops, and teacher training opportunities.
Because QREC thrives on the wisdom and experience of our community of practice, you are invited to join in the work by:
· Posting materials to the Resource Library
· Joining a Conversation Circle
· Becoming a member of QREC
· Making a financial contribution toward our work
· Participating in the next annual Conference and Retreat. (Next Conference and Retreat will take place 14-16 August 2020 in Hickory, NC. More information coming soon on this website.)
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…