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| Section of the Americas | July 19, 2012 |
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Greetings!
It's been a year. One whole year since I arrived in Philadelphia to take up the work of the Friends World Committee full time. This year has been so full of new faces and new places and new blessings. I am still honored to have this chance to serve Friends in this way.
One of the joys of this work has been the people I get to work with. A small but dedicated and fabulous staff. So many terrific volunteers. In this newsletter, I'd like to introduce you to a few of them.
I personally came away from the World Conference with a reminder that I am not a radical activist for anything but Quakerism as a whole. But my work with the Friends World Committee is supposed to make it possible for Friends to be more faithful in their leadings. Tell us, how can we help you? What do you desire from the Friends World Committee in the coming years? How could we be better serving God's purposes? Sincerely,
Robin Mohr
Executive Secretary
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Section of the Americas staff, from l: Louise Salinas, Robin Mohr and Evan Draper |
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Friends serving FWCC: getting to know staff and volunteers
Louise Salinas, Associate Secretary, is celebrating ten years of service with the Section of the Americas. Originally from Morrisville, Pennsylvania, Louise is a member of Fallsington Monthly Meeting and Clerk of the Meeting Enrichment Services Working Group for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Louise's career began in consumer product marketing in Mexico City, followed by running her family's business, and then FWCC. In her time with the Section of the Americas, Louise has had major responsibility for the Annual Meeting Planning and for the Salt & Light and Living Waters Programs. Louise recently completed a graduate certificate in Sustainability Policy and Environmental Management. "Studying these issues brought me back full circle to my faith," she says. "Our religious communities are key to helping people understand that solutions for a more sustainable world are rooted in living our lives grounded in faith."
Evan Draper has just started as our new part-time Administrative Assistant for the Section. He will be responsible for processing donations as well as managing general office systems. He is a member of London Grove Monthly Meeting (PhYM) and currently attends the West Philadelphia Worship Group. After one week on the job, Evan says, "I ask Friends to bear with us as I get acquainted with administrative processes. Hopefully I will soon have the database doing new tricks!" In addition, Evan is the director of the Philadelphia Tea Institute and recently demonstrated serving gongfu tea for us!
Jane Snyder is the current Clerk of the Section of the Americas. A former clerk of North Pacific Yearly Meeting, she has been a representative to the Section since 2000. After retiring from teaching middle school English in a rural part of the state, she and her husband Joe, a veterinarian, moved to Portland, Oregon and both attended the World Conference of Friends in Kenya. Jane sold beautiful handmade patchwork tote bags to raise money for the World Conference Travel Fund. When asked why she is so involved with FWCC, Jane said, "Quakerism is the truth for me. I am inspired over and over again by the ways in which the different branches of Friends each hold and celebrate parts of this Quaker truth. Friends World Committee provides wonderful and fulfilling opportunities for all Quakers to worship, enjoy fellowship and experience a fuller expression of Quakerism." |
| Quaker Youth Pilgrimage begins in Birmingham this week
Eighteen youth from the Americas and ten from Europe have began their month-long journey to immerse themselves in worship, Quaker process, community and service together. Pilgrims from the Americas met up at Chatham-Summit Friends Meeting in New Jersey, near Newark International Airport, before departing together.
The Quaker Youth Pilgrimage is one of FWCC's longest running programs, now more than fifty years in existence. Jointly sponsored by the Section of the Americas and the Europe and Middle East Section, the pilgrimage takes place once every two years. The next pilgrimage is slated for 2014 in South America.
Follow the pilgrims' itinerary here. |
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Heredio Santos |
First of the 'Living Water' events planned for September
Two early events on the calendar will take place in Bolivia and Michigan in September.
Cuban Friends Heredio Santos and Odalys Rivera are preparing to travel in Bolivia to visit Friends churches in several cities and to speak on the World Conference theme. Heredio and Odalys will lead programs in Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, La Paz and El Alto during a two-week visit. Their travel will culiminate in a two-day workshop with participants from the six Bolivian yearly meetings. Friends of the Light (Indiana YM) in Traverse City, MI will host the first North American Living Water event on September 8th. Details are still being worked out but soon you will find more information, and other events, on our website. Keep checking back regularly. Look for a study booklet to be available soon in preparation for our series of local events. The booklet will be available for download on our website. It will contain essays, songs and activity suggestions. Would you like to know more about inviting Friends traveling in the ministry to your meeting or church? Contact us. |
 New Wider Quaker Fellowship pamphlets now online Two new selections of contemporary Quaker writing can now be found on our website Voices of Friends, the online outreach of the Wider Quaker Fellowship program of Friends World Committee. These pamphlets, chosen by the volunteer committee of the Wider Quaker Fellowship and mailed or emailed to recipients around the world, are: The former article narrates two personal experiences of transformation, love, renewal and unity. The latter chronicles a visit by two Friends who led Alternatives to Violence programs in the Republic of Georgia. Read the new pamphlets. The Wider Quaker Fellowship has also recently published online a Spanish translation of "The Testimony of Margaret Fell Fox". Read it here. |
Stories from the World Conference: Jamaica and El Salvador
Jamaica Yearly Meeting clerk Horace Hall reflects on the participation of Jamaican Friends at the Sixth World Conference:
"I am very pleased that despite the financial challenges, three members of the Jamaica Yearly Meeting availed themselves of the opportunity to be a part of this World Gathering of Friends. We are grateful to the World Office and others who planned and executed the Conference and for the assistance given to the Jamaican delegates who attended...It is my impression that the delegates have returned to Jamaica energized and spiritually refreshed. It is my hope that they will use every opportunity to share the new insights and leadings gained from attendance at this Conference, to impact and inspire the groups and church committees with which they are involved. We face challenging times for the work is plentiful but, we must not despair for it is God Who works through us."
From Velinda Landaverde, El Salvador Friends Church:
One of the messages, from Noah Baker-Merrill, was about the young man who went to meeting and who was asked 'when you leave worship, will you be the same as you were when you came in to it?' Upon reflecting on this I asked myself the same question: when the conference ends and I return to my country, will I continue to be the same person, doing the same thing? To which I responded: I cannot remain the same person. The Word of God has spoken to my life and if I don't obey, my time here will have been in vain...without a doubt I must become empowered by what God has shown me, as Nancy Irving shared, and find God's purpose for my life..." |
 Can we send you our new displays? Are you having an event this fall and would you like to display these colorful, informative and conveniently-sized posters on the work of FWCC? We'd be happy to send you the set for display.
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Is the Friends World Committee in your will?
Have you supported FWCC for years? A bequest to the Friends World Committee can support our work for years to come. Please contact us for easy sample language you can use or more suggestions for structuring a deferred gift. |
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