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Friends United Meeting’s General Board met in person and via Zoom from March 6–8, 2025. The meetings started with a development session led by Colin Saxton, Director of Church Relations and Stewardship Theologian for Everence Financial Services. Colin initiated a discussion on how Everence could further build financial capacity within Friends United Meeting, prompting a deeper conversation among board members.
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In these partisan and divided times, when many Americans are arguing not only about how to respond to the truth, but what truth (or Truth) even is, Friends United Meeting has been asking what it means for us to be publishers of truth in this time. The FUM staff has agreed to the following guidelines for our news stories, social media posts, and our own personal communications, whether on social media or in person: • Share first-hand experience • Resist passing along AI “news,” or even an AI voice • Avoid creating or spreading memes that pass along partial truth without context• Ask whether what we are communicating will enhance a person’s dignity, or is intended to take dignity away
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Students from Wilmington College, led by WC Campus Minister Nancy McCormick, spent their Spring Break, March 8–15, in Belize at Belize Friends School, Centre, and Church, in Belize City. They volunteered in a number of capacities while there, including painting school rooms, leading games, and holding crafts sessions with children from the school’s neighborhood. Here are some of their reflections:
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Friends United Meeting’s Director of African Ministries, John Muhanji, will be on a three-month sabbatical leave from March through May. During this time he will be a scholar-in-residence at Pendle Hill Study and Retreat Center in Pennsylvania for ten weeks, during which he will be able to share in the daily rhythm of learning, work, and worship with other program leaders and scholars. His main objective is to showcase the African voice in Quaker theology. In his absence all office and farm operations will be taken care of by the able staff at the FUM Africa Ministries Office. We wish John well as he takes time away to re-energize and hope that the time spent at Pendle Hill will give him access to experiences he would never be able to come across within his area of jurisdiction, and that the knowledge acquired during the program will be shared through written journals for the Quaker audience.
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The FUM Sustainability Committee together with FUM staff at large are pleased to welcome John Kibet Sitienei who is joining the team in the capacity of Farm Manager at the FUM Ambwere Farm in Kitale, Kenya. John comes in with vast experience in farm technical operations. He holds a Masters in Seed Science Technology from University of Eldoret and has been privileged to work with Kenya Seed Company among other prestigious seed production companies in Kenya. He has made various achievements in his career and has worked as a team player level as well as a manager. Apart from farm operations he enjoys spending time with his his wife and four children. We wish him well as he joins the team in this third season of planting at the FUM Ambwere Farm.
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During the recent gathering of the General Board, FUM’s General Secretary, Kelly Kellum announced the resignation of Oscar and Miriam Mmbali, who serve as our field-staff in Belize. Seven years ago, Oscar accepted the call to serve in Belize as FUM’s church planting pastor. When Oscar and Miriam were married, she joined him in the ministry. In 2024, Oscar became the director of FUM-Belize.
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