Raising children to lead kind, respectful, creative lives is challenging. In today’s fast paced world, it is easy for parents and caregivers to feel buffeted by hurried schedules, multiple demands and our technology-driven culture. Join these conversations to explore how your Meeting can welcome, engage and nurture families.
Welcoming Resources
Summary: Radical Acceptance of Children & Youth in Quaker Meetings
This conversation explored how to help meetings fully include all children in the Meeting community, especially those whose interest, behavior, energy level, or identity, make adults Friends feel uncomfortable.
Radical Acceptance of Children & Youth in Quaker Meetings
Join this conversation to explore how to our meetings fully include all children in the Meeting community, especially those whose interest, behavior, energy level, or identity, make adults Friends feel uncomfortable.
Parenting for Peace
FRIENDS SCHOOL OF PORTLAND'S PARENTING FOR PEACE PROGRAM developed as an outgrowth of their overall educational vision – to encourage inquiry, reflection and action and to strengthen the community of learners. In accordance with Quaker values and process, they...
Outreach to Families: Support for Parenting in Community
Conversations to help Quaker Meetings organize gatherings to support parents and families. Tuesday, September 19, 1pm ET and Thursday, September 21, 8pm ET
Summary: Paid Religious Education (RE) Staff in Quaker Meetings
Conversations to help meetings discern the value of paid religious education staff in ministry for children and families.
Do Our Children Know Enough About Quakerism to Play Quaker? Dover Meeting Dollhouse
Children learn through play. They play school, they play house, they even play COVID, giving everyone shots. Do our children know enough about being Quaker to play Quaker? Children are fully spiritual beings. Meeting life needs to be as open and comprehensible to them...
Nurturing Children’s Spiritual Lives: A Journey of Spirit and Wonder
By Melinda Wenner Bradley When a new baby or child arrives in our lives, into our care, we learn to assess their needs: What does my crying child need? Is the baby hungry? Does she need to be fed? Is his diaper wet? What does my child need to help them fall asleep? We...
Freeing the Spirit
Nominations in the Society of Friends in Theory and Practice What could be more important for any organization with a message to put across than that it should itself practice what it preaches? In this book, Roy Stephenson examines how Quakers, members of the...
Meeting Needs and Friends General Conference (FGC) Resources
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...
Quaker Worship, Faith and Practice
Perfect for newcomers, this brief pamphlet captures the essence of unprogrammed Quaker worship, our faith and practice, and testimonies. By permission of the author, the document is downloadable at no cost. Quaker Worship, Faith and Practice Excerpt on unprogrammed...
Beyond Majority Rule: Voteless Decisions In The Religious Society Of Friends
This book is based on Michael J. Sheeran’s doctoral work in the Dept. of Politics at Princeton University. A Jesuit priest, he spent two years (1973—75) conducting interviews, reading, and observing the actual decision-making of the Quakers. Sheeran was convinced...
Our Life is Love: The Quaker Spiritual Journey
Our Life is Love describes the transformational spiritual journey of the first Quakers, who turned to the Light of Christ within and allowed it to be their guide. Many Friends today use different language, but are still called to make the same journey. In our time...
A Testament of Devotion
Since its first publication in 1941, A Testament of Devotion has been universally embraced as a truly enduring spiritual classic. Plainspoken and deeply inspirational, it gathers together five compelling essays that urge us to center our lives on God's presence, to...
Silence and Witness: The Quaker Tradition
This is a meaty and inviting introduction to Quaker thought and spiritual life. The detailed examination of discernment about when to speak in meeting and other leadings is worth the cover price. His chapter entitled 'The Facing Bench' lifts up well selected...
Deepening Meeting Life
This curriculum enables Friends to explore central tenets in the shared life of a Friends Meeting. Topics include: Quakerism as an adventure in direct, unmediated, ongoing guidance by Spirit. Exploring our faith with each other. Deepening worship — how we can...
A Friendly Welcome for Families
Spoken and Unspoken Messages of Our Meeting Spaces A one page tip sheet on how to make the Quaker Meeting House family-friendly.
Crossing the Threshold: Preparing to Welcome Families
"How do meeting communities prepare and engage in active invitation to families and children? When a family walks through the door of a meeting, there are three sets of needs we should be prepared to support: the spiritual formation of their children, the spiritual...
Children and Youth Resources for Exploring Racism and Racial Justice
This is a growing list of resources for exploring racism and racial justice with young Friends. The document begins with queries to frame the task. The list includes websites, blogs, online articles, curricula and children's literature. Queries: How do we...
Love Thy Neighbor: Two Lessons on Welcoming Immigrants
Two lessons on journeying from the homeland and welcoming immigrants. One lesson is based on the Friends Committee on National Legislation slogan, "Love Thy Neighbor, no exceptions". The other is a Biblically inspired story of journey and welcome told in the manner of...
Quakers Engaging with Schools: Outreach with children and young people
"A core aspect of most Religious Education (RE) curriculums involves finding out about faith communities and religious buildings. As a result, local schools often want to visit Quaker meeting houses to find out about our worship, our history and our way of life, as...
QREC Videos: Welcoming children and families into Quaker meeting
A series of six videos to help Quaker monthly meetings and worship groups welcome children and families. Recorded by Melinda Wenner Bradley in the Fall 2015. Rachel Guaraldi was the Videographer.
All Are Welcome — Growing our all age community
Advices and queries on reaching out to families, connecting with each other and enriching all-ages worshipping communities. From Britain Yearly Meeting, "Please use this resource to explore what is happening in your meeting, and consider how you can develop as an...
QuakerSpeak Video Project
QuakerSpeak is a Quaker YouTube channel offering interviews with Friends of all different backgrounds, responding to the core questions of our faith. QuakerSpeak interviews are brief, personal and intimate, seeking to give viewers an experience that is entertaining,...