Conversation Circles are online video conferences which provide a space for Quaker religious educators across geographic regions to share and collaborate about why and how they do their work. Each conversation has a different topic. Participants self select and about 10 participants can join on each call. Notes from Conversations Cirlces are posted as they are ready.
Below are the notes from past conversations which are rich with descriptions of the joys and challenges being experienced in Quaker faith formation through religious education today.
Email us at quakercollaborative4re@gmail.com with suggestions for conversation topics.
Spring/Summer 2020
January – Quaker RE in the Home and Small Meeting: http://quakers4re.org/news/quaker-re-home-and-small-meeting
February – Quakers, Death and New Life: Lent, Easter and Passover: https://www.quakers4re.org/news/qrec-conversation-circle-summary-quakers-death-and-new-life-lent-easter-and-passover
March – Walk Gently Over the Earth: Quaker RE for Sustainable Living: https://www.quakers4re.org/news/conversation-circle-summary-walk-gently-over-earth-re-sustainable-living
April – Guiding the Guides: Supporting Spiritual Nurturers of Children and Youth https://www.quakers4re.org/news/conversation-circle-summary-guiding-guides-supporting-spiritual-nurturers-children-and-youth
May – Online RE: What have we learned so far in our roles as pastors and educators? https://www.quakers4re.org/news/conversation-circle-summary-online-quaker-re-what-have-we-learned-so-far-our-roles-pastors-and
July – RE Program Planning: Finding Direction in Uncertain Times: https://www.quakers4re.org/news/conversation-circle-re-program-planning-finding-direction-uncertain-times-0
Fall 2019
September – Quaker Campus Ministry: Offering Guidance and Community in the Manner of Friends: /conversation-circle-summary-quaker-campus-ministry-offering-guidance-and-community-manner-friends
October – Intro to Quakerism Adult Education: http://quakers4re.org/news/intro-quakerism-adult-education-conversation-circle-summary
November – Spirit of the Season: Wonder and Light in Advent, Christmas and the holidays /news/conversation-summary-november-spirit-season
December – Spiritual Deepening with Children, Friends General Conference http://quakers4re.org/news/december-conversation-circle-summary-spiritual-deepening-children
Spring 2019
February – Lessons for the Sacred Spring, Lent, Easter and Passover http://quakers4re.org/conversation-circle-summary-february-lent-easter-passoverhttp://quakers4re.org/node/add/document
Fall 2018
September – Core Quaker Curricula for Ages 4 – 9: http://quakers4re.org/september-core-quaker-curricula-ages-4-9
October – Children’s Programs at Yearly Meeting Sessions: NOTES COMING SOON
November – Friendly Christmas: Quaker Religious Education Resources for the holiday season: http://quakers4re.org/november-friendly-christmas-quaker-religious-education-resources-holiday-season
Friends and the Bible series: Fall 2017
Introduction and Invitation: Quakers and the Bible: Online Conversation Circles
Notes from three Conversation Circles:
Friends and the Bible: October 19
Friends and the Bible: October 26
Link to recording of October 26 “Friends and the Bible” conversation — COMING SOON
Introducing children to the Bible in Quaker religious education: November 9
Resources shared in the series:
Mad Lib Psalms — A Family Worship at Friends Meeting at Cambridge, shared by Christel Jorgenson
Loves and Fishes: Feeding the Children in Your Meeting shared by Christel Jorgenson
Resources that help when teaching the Bible shared by Sally Farneth
Bible Cake Recipe and Answer Sheet shared by Sally Farneth
Religious Education Resources for Introducing Children to the Bible compiled by Melinda Wenner Bradley
Bible Resources shared by Mark Barker Concord (NH) Friends Meeting
Finding Jesus, Discovering Self Chapter 2, p. 8, “Beginning the Journey” shared by Dean Olson, Grass Valley Meeting
Friendly Bible Study by Joanne and Larry Spears
Walter Wink: Transforming Bible Study
Conversation Circles in 2016:
Supporting Parents in Contributing to Meeting Life
Spiritual Partnership Between Meetings and Friends Schools
Mentoring Young Friends in the Meeting Community
Link to recording of “MentoringYoung Friends” conversation
Conversation Circles in 2015:
Conversation on Welcoming Families to Quaker Meeting
Conversation on Welcoming Newcomers to Quaker Meeting
Conversation on Welcoming Young Adult Friends to Quaker Meeting
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…