FUM News

Friends and the U.S. Election

Elections are an exercise in integrity. Whether choosing high school cheerleaders or determining the presidency of the United States integrity matters, regardless of choice or time. Perhaps the strongest testimony of Quakers is that of integrity. Query 38, London YM asks this: ‘If pressure is brought against you to lower your standard of integrity, are you prepared to resist it? Our responsibilities to God and our neighbour may involve us in taking unpopular stands. Do not let the fear of seeming peculiar, determine your decisions.’ Oh, but we are peculiar people! Rather than eschewing responsibility, Quakers can take on responsibility for integrity in elections. We and our meeting houses can be safe, neutral places for inviting discourse, for use as polling places. We can exercise our integrity.

FUM Board Gathers in a New Way Across Continents

The General Board of Friends United Meeting met last week for their October sessions. For the first time, the African and North American/Caribbean Regions met for a highly unusual international hybrid session. Board members gathered in person in the chapel of Friends Theological College in Kaimosi, Kenya, and at the FUM office in Richmond, Indiana. Other members joined from their homes online. Given that our presiding clerk, Sarah Lookabill, was ill, the session was co-clerked by Hastings Ozwara and Scott Wagoner, FUM’s Assistant Clerks. Each region conducted its business and addressed matters related to its region during times when it was inconvenient for the other region to fully participate. On Friday, the two regions met together to do shared work and receive reports related to the entire FUM community. The Recording Clerks for both regions will collaborate to produce consolidated minutes of these unusual sessions.

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Thirty Days of Prayer - Day Twenty Three

As One Who Lays Down Their Life For Others Friends derive our name from the Scripture passage John 15:15: “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” When reading verse fifteen in isolation, there are no stipulations or directives—we are Jesus’ friends simply because he says so.

Thirty Days of Prayer - Day Twenty Two

GATHERED IN CHRIST - As One Who Abides Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5 NRSV)

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An Enduring Truth

Throughout 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.