Friends United Meeting General Secretary Kelly Kellum spent this past week in Belize City, Belize, visiting the ongoing ministries of FUM-Belize. The purpose of his trip was to accomplish two important events. One was to host a dinner in honor of Frank Tench, who retired as principal of Belize Friends School this summer. The other was to be present as the new principal, Antoliana Budna, began her tenure with the school. At the dinner, Kelly Kellum presented a gift to Mr. Tench acknowledging the invaluable contribution Mr. Tench has made to the ministry of Belize Friends School. A recreational woodworker, Kelly hand turns pen bodies on a lathe. The pen he presented to Mr. Tench was made from a North Carolina tree that came down in a storm. As a meteorologist and a collector of pens, Mr. Tench was touched by the significant personal connection of the gift. The next evening the Belize Friends School board met for the first time this school year. With Kelly present in Belize, it served as an opportunity to provide a formal welcome to the newly reconvened school board and give support for the introduction of the new principal.
Read MoreEver wonder what it would be like to walk out of your backdoor with a basket in hand and pick fresh food from the farm? This isn’t just a dream but an attainable reality at the Friends Theological College-Kaimosi with a well-managed self-sustaining farm. Living off nature’s bounty with minimal trips to the grocery market is the order of the day in Kaimosi. The agricultural set-up at the institution says “No, thank you,” to external resources as much as possible, but rather embraces nature’s cycle and biodiversity. This has been achieved by careful planning and efficient use of space, raising livestock as well as growing high-yield crops.
Read MoreJesus this makes it clear to the Samaritan woman, and by extension to us that he is the centre of our lives and that he is ready to grow us and to enlarge our territory for his own glory. When we do his will, he uses us to impact others. God made all things. He made us in his image, and he commands us to love him with all pour heart and with all our soul and with all our strength and to love our neighbour as ourselves. God is love and we cannot love others without first loving him. In choosing to let him abide in us, that is living by his word, we choose to serve h only and not to turn to other hodd--Deut 6. God commands us to obedience in all that we do.
Read MoreOne church member was sick in a church where, the pastor, the leaders and the members were known not to offer visitations to each other and their members. But on this occasion one evangelist on hearing about it decided to pay him a short visit and pray together. Looking at his gate, the sick member was surprised to see this evangelist come to his house and wondered how? Because he was not such critical. As we gather here, the beauty of the Gospel should not be heard in our churches only. Let’s take it to our estates, homes and away from where we are abiding. Be an evangelist to the world.
Read MoreThroughout our history, the people known as Friends (or Quakers) keep rediscovering an essential and enduring truth: There is one who speaks to our most basic needs and most significant hopes—Christ Jesus the Lord. Both individually and communally, we are learning to know and follow the Voice that guides us in the way we should go. Together, we seek to understand and obey that truth which sets us free. As a people, we share in the experience of that powerful life which makes all things new. Maybe you are searching for an authentic and transforming faith and community to call home—if so, come in and join us as we seek to know and follow Christ.
Friends United Meeting commits itself to energize and equip Friends through the power of the Holy Spirit to gather people into fellowships where Jesus Christ is known, loved, and obeyed as Teacher and Lord.