Meeting Needs linked with FGC Resources: A Sampling
(Bolded words can be put into a search engine like Google this way — “FGC clearness committees”, or “FGC outreach” for example or into the FGC search window on the website without the “FGC”)
Outreach: How can we attract more visitors? How can we use digital media to reach out? What are newcomers expecting? How can we reach out to other religious congregations?
- Quaker Meetings Toolbox: https://www.fgcquaker.org/resources/quaker-meetings-toolbox-outreach-and-publicity
- Grow our meetings toolkit: https://www.fgcquaker.org/resources/grow-our-meetings-toolkit-outreach
- CIRC (Christian and Interfaith Relations Committee) Helps Friends be involved in interfaith, ecumenical and broader Quaker activities: https://www.fgcquaker.org/deepen/outreach/christian-interfaith-relations-committee-circ
- Quaker Cloud for websites, community building: https://www.fgcquaker.org/services/quaker-cloud
Integrating Newcomers: How can we welcome new attenders so they will return, including those who are LGBTQ and Friends of Color, and those with young children? How can we make sure we don’t overwhelm new attenders? How do we educate new attenders about Quakerism?
- Spiritual Deepening E-retreat Weaving a Wider Welcome: https://www.fgcquaker.org/resources/spiritual-deepening-eretreats-weaving-wider-welcome (Oct 27-Nov 22, 2019)
- Welcoming Friends project: https://www.fgcquaker.org/resources/welcoming-friends-encourage-whole-meeting-practice-authentic-welcoming
- Grow our meetings toolkit: https://www.fgcquaker.org/resources/grow-our-meetings-toolkit-welcoming-integrating-newcomers
FAQ about Quakerism and explanations: https://www.fgcquaker.org/discover/faqs-about-quakers
Community building: How can we build community between different ages in the meeting? How do we get to know each other more deeply?
- Welcoming Friend project suggestions: https://www.fgcquaker.org/resources/welcoming-friends-encourage-whole-meeting-practice-authentic-welcoming
- Grow Our Meetings toolkit (downloadable): https://www.fgcquaker.org/resources/grow-our-meetings-resource-and-activity-toolkit .
- The FGC Gathering is great for community building, meeting other Quakers: https://www.fgcquaker.org/connect/gathering
- Build it! Toolkit: https://www.fgcquaker.org/resources/intergenerational-community-12-how-tos
Racial Justice/Becoming an anti-racist faith community: How can we make sure we are truly welcoming to all? What might we need to do differently to become more diverse? What training/education do we need? What are Quakers doing to erase white supremacy?
- Quaker Meetings Toolbox: https://www.fgcquaker.org/resources/quaker-meetings-toolbox-spiritual-education-eldering-inclusion-racism-and-more
- Institutional Assessment Implementation Team is available to meetings: https://www.fgcquaker.org/news/fgcs-institutional-assessment-racism-june-2019-update. Contact them at institutionalassessment@fgcquaker.org .
- Spiritual Deepening e-Retreat (annual) on Understanding and Healing White Supremacy (e-library resources also for this topic) https://www.fgcquaker.org/resources/spiritual-deepening-eretreats-understanding-healing-white-supremacy and https://www.fgcquaker.org/spiritual-deepening/library/living-wholeness
- What has FGC been doing to become an anti-racist faith community? https://www.fgcquaker.org/deepen/help-your-meeting-challenge-racism/becoming-anti-racist-faith-community (info about the Institutional Assessment and work to date; also includes links to FGC yearly meeting resources)
Conflict Resolution: How can we resolve conflict in our meeting? People don’t share their concerns directly with others. Some have hurt feelings and feel judged….
- Put conflict resolution into the FGC website search window and see what meetings who use Quaker Cloud for their websites are doing in this area….
- FGC QuakerBooks: Books on conflict: https://quakerbooks.org/collections/conflict-resolution
Adult Religious Education: How can we get people to come to adult religious education programs? How can we help the meeting become spiritually enriched? What kinds of programs should we offer?
- Spiritual Deepening e-Library has exercises, readings, books. For example, here are activities under the topic “The Light, Seed, Christ Working in Us” https://www.fgcquaker.org/spiritual-deepening/library/light-seed-christ-working-us/experiential-activities
- Spiritual Deepening e-retreats on a variety of topics (see resources for Vocal Ministry and Worship below) https://www.fgcquaker.org/deepen/spiritual-deepening/spiritual-deepening-eretreats
- FGC QuakerBooks carries Quaker authors and many topics of interest to Quakers: https://quakerbooks.org
- Young Adults and High School Clerks Training: https://www.fgcquaker.org/news/young-clerk-trainings
Children and Youth Religious Education: We need materials for a wide age group in our First Day School. How can we build community in our First Day School?
- Spiritual Deepening Library resources for children: https://www.fgcquaker.org/spiritual-deepening/library/facilitatorsEach topic has resources for children.
- FGC QuakerBooks carries materials on Godly Play and other children’s religious education resources including Sparkling Still a resource for children’s religious education ages 3-8 (e-book): https://quakerbooks.org/collections/religious-education
- For example, The Spiritual Deepening Library has a section on Living into Wholeness with resources for children including books to read (or to show the YouTube video!). https://www.fgcquaker.org/spiritual-deepening/library/living-wholeness/living-wholeness-children
- Faith and Play stories (Godly Play Quaker style) https://faithandplay.org, Melinda Wenner Bradley is the contact person.
Vocal Ministry and Worship: How can we encourage deeper worship? How do we help people learn about vocal ministry without making them feel “wrong”?
- Silence and Expectant Waiting resources in the Spiritual Deepening Library: https://www.fgcquaker.org/spiritual-deepening/library/silence-and-expectant-waiting
- Spiritual Deepening E-Retreat on Silence and Expectant Waiting (annual)
Clearness Committees: How can we help someone asking for help deciding on a vocation or calling? How are clearness committees created? When is a clearness committee appropriate?
- Guidelines and process for clearness committees, many other resources: https://www.fgcquaker.org/resources/clearness-committees-what-they-are-and-what-they-do and https://www.fgcquaker.org/spiritual-deepening/library/friendly-practices/real-play-clearness-committee.
- QuakerBooks: Pendle Hill Pamphlet #446 Coming to the Light, by Valerie Brown
Eldering/Eldership/ Spiritual Accompaniment:
- Information on eldering can be found here: Quaker Meetings Toolkit: https://www.fgcquaker.org/resources/quaker-meetings-toolbox-spiritual-education-eldering-inclusion-racism-and-more
Faithfulness: How can we support people in living their faith?
- QuakerBooks: https://quakerbooks.org/search?q=faithfullnessincluding Marcelle Martin’s book A Guide to Faithfulness Groups
- Spiritual Deepening e-Library resources on Becoming Patterns and Examples (also an e-retreat): https://www.fgcquaker.org/spiritual-deepening/library/becoming-patterns-and-examples
Aging, Death and Dying: How can we open up the topic of aging and end of life issues? How can we help people with their end of life decisions? How can we help parents with resources on aging, death and dying for children?
- Spiritual Deepening e-Library: https://www.fgcquaker.org/spiritual-deepening/library/aging-death-and-dying. Including exercises, books (even for children), articles, videos and more.
- Spiritual Deepening e-retreat on Aging, Death and Dying: https://www.fgcquaker.org/resources/spiritual-deepening-eretreats-aging-death-dying (annual)
Funding sources: Where can I find funding to renovate my meeting house? Are there loans or grants to help us become ADA accessible? Are there travel funds to help Friends of Color?
- The Meeting House Fund, loans and grants for meeting houses: https://www.fgcquaker.org/friends-meeting-house-fund
- The Bayard Rustin Fund, travel support for Friends of Color: https://www.fgcquaker.org/connect/gathering/registration-details/financial-aid/bayard-rustin-fund-0
- Scholarships for Gathering for Young Adults: https://www.fgcquaker.org/connect/gathering/registration-details/more-financial-aid#familiesYOUTH
(For individuals) There is no meeting near me, or I can’t go to worship on Sundays…or I’d like to participate virtually…or my meeting is very tiny…or I’m the only Friend of Color/Adult Young Friend/LGBTQI Person at my meeting.
- Resources for online meeting for worship and other social media groups: https://www.fgcquaker.org/news/how-foster-community-online-guide-friends-who-participate-quaker-faith-practice-through-web.
- Spiritual Deepening e-retreats on various topics: https://www.fgcquaker.org/deepen/spiritual-deepening/spiritual-deepening-eretreats
- Specifically for Friends of Color there are virtual meetings for worship which occur several times monthly on different days and at different times to facilitate participation. Contact: oliviap@fgcquaker.org, FGC’s Ministry on Racism Fellow for 2019-20 for information. You can also reach out to Sabrina.mccarthy@verizon.net.
- FGC Gathering – pre-retreats for Adult Young Friends, Friends of Color and Friends in Business; housing options for different groups, a wide variety of worship and workshop and other gathering opportunities.
- Retreat for Friends of Color: https://www.fgcquaker.org/FOCRetreat
- Quaker Finder is a database to find Quaker Meetings and Churches in North America
Compiled by Development Committee, Fall 2019, with the intent to add to and update at least annually. Send suggestions/corrections to lhpiersol@gmail.comIt is not meant to be a complete listing of all resources, but a sampling for a variety of needs that meetings and individuals may have that FGC has resources for.
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…
Author: FGC Development Committee
Illustrator:
Publisher: Friends General Conference
Age Group: Adults
Preparation Time:
Related File: Click to view/download file
Related Link (or File): Click to go to link
Topics: Adult Education, All-Age Activities, Clearness Committees, Community, Peace, Quaker Process, Quakerism, Racial Justice, Testimonies, Welcoming
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…