We realized that Friends were worshiping all over the world about ever hour yesterday.   Amboy Friends, IYM did what we do every first Sunday of the month and EAT.  We have donut Sunday in stead of Sunday School class, then up to worship and see the sun through the beautiful windows. We  have singing, children’s story, open time and preaching.   The day ended with out side picnic, smores over the fire and hay ride.

A few First Day school children and teachers talked about World Quaker Day and planted milkweed in the butterfly garden. In friendship, Bethesda Friends Meeting.

A quick drawing of Quaker Meeting for Worship on World Quaker Day, October 6 2019

Celebration of World Quaker Day in Delicias, Cuba. Teaching children to live in balance with nature.  Planting ornamental plants and cleaning up the gardens.  May God bless you.

“Fue un privilegio grande celebrar el Día Mundial de los Cuáqueros. Hubo participación de los niños, jóvenes y adultos en diferentes actividades, incluyendo; dramatizaciones (con disfraces de los cuáqueros antiguos) Tuvimos nuestra acostumbrada reunión programa y finalizamos el servicio, experimentando la adoración en silencio, pudimos sentir el espíritu de Dios en nuestras vidas. Fue una experiencia agradable, sentir que toda una familia mundial, nos encontramos unidos en adoración.

Por:Oscar Rodriguez

En tres iglesias, de la Junta Anual Amigos de Santidad, se llevó a cabo la celebración. Se compartieron temas como: Historia, ramas de los Amigos y sus formas de adoración. Propósito y Misión del CMCA: ¿Cómo involucrarme en lo programas de CMCA? Programas y organizaciones cuáqueras en Guatemala y el mundo

We showed the video "A Variety of Friends Experiences" and then watched "Listening in Tongues" and did discussion using several of the questions from the study guide. We also shared what we had heard the Holy Spirit say to us through the meeting and what we were hearing each other say, practicing listening in tongues. Our pastor shared that he heard the word "open" as we sought to listen and that this was a major reason that he was a Quaker. When he rose in meeting, very anxious, to share what God had done in his life, he found that the members were open and accepted that this message came from God. He found this over and over and felt acceptance and confidence. We then challenged each other to be open and practice listening in tongues to those around us, seeking what God is saying behind the words, and we prayed as we closed our meeting for strength, courage, and grace because we felt we would be called to apply this!

First Day School children studied the FWCC map of world Quakers and were surprised to learn that the largest group of Quakers in the world is in Africa.  In keeping with the theme of sustainability, we read the story of Mti Mmoja Village, a small village in Tanzania. When a young man breaks village rules by cutting down a tree without permission, the village elders decide he must care for fifty tree seedlings until they are big enough to plant in the nearby forest. Contrary to many villages in the region, this village bans the burning of charcoal to reduce pollution.  After the story, the children decorated the banner for our World Quaker Day photo at rise of worship. 

Hanover Friends Meeting in Hanover, New Hampshire celebrated World Quaker Day by renewing Spiritual connections with our sister Meeting in La Habana, Cuba and taking a group photo. (Note the Quaker dolls hand-sewn by Cuban Friends near the placard!) Excerpts of Pastor Kirenia Criado's sermon were read during Meeting for Worship and photos of the members of La Habana Friends Church were passed around. 

The Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections celebrated World Quaker Day a date late with a night of Quaker-based and Quaker invented games. Fun was had by all!

From : Edwin Coleman

          Presiding Clerk Highgate Monthly Meeting. Jamaica.

On Quaker Day ,October 6, 2019,  at Highgate Monthly Meeting in the Jamaica Yearly Meeting, we ask ourselves the question, what can we do to restore the essence, the focus of our spiritual life to each other and our community? We, gathered within the meeting house with a small group of people of varying ages, (meaning children, youths and adults), for a Quaker worship experience. A few were having a meaningful first experience in a Quaker worship. Mark 4: 26-33, John 15: 1-10 and Gal. 5: 22-23 were read. Our objective was to share spiritual insight on love, kindness, charity and how we may help others to produce the fruits of the spirit.  Each person was given the opportunity to speak from personal experience as a farmer growing a particular fruit. The melon, mango and orange were on display.

Personal experiences were shared on producing cho-cho, melon, mango, bean, sugar cane, pumpkin, passion fruit etc. We noted that Jesus, in the lessons read, did not speak about robes, vestments, beautiful churches, forms or rituals but instead likens His Kingdom to a simple farmer nurturing seeds and plants for the production of fruits. Individuals shared personal experiences of preparing trestle like support to enhance fruit production, removing shade causing obstacles to allow light in, laying of grass on the ground to facilitate young melons safety, spraying insecticides to help plants to resist attacks of disease causing agents  etc. We sighted the good Samaritan as one who applied similar services to the wounded man. We unite in silence as we seek Divine leadership as we seek to help others and ourselves to produce and share the fruits of the spirit with our brothers. We shared the fruits on display as a symbol of our intention after leaving the meeting house.

''Today, First Friends celebrated World Quaker Day in multiple parts of our Meeting for Worship. Early on in meeting we prayed A Prayer for Simplicity and Peace, by Michael Leunig.

Dear God,
We give thanks for places of simplicity and peace. Let us find such a place within ourselves. We give thanks for places of refuge and beauty.

Let us find such a place within ourselves.
We give thanks for places of nature’s truth and freedom, of joy, inspiration, and renewal, places where all creatures may find acceptance and belonging.
Let us search for these places in the world, in ourselves, and in others.

Let us restore them. Let us strengthen and protect them, and let us create them.

May we mend this outer world
according to the truth of our inner life
and may our souls be shaped and nourished by nature’s eternal wisdom.
Amen

Our choir sang an uplifting song titled, “I’m Gonna Sing.” Our children’s message focused on loving all people, even if they are different than you. Pastor Bob Henry included World Quaker Day in his sermon and emphasized the need to love all people and creation! Throughout worship we identified our Quaker distinctives throughout! Overall it was a beautiful celebration!''

  “Celebramos el Día Mundial de los Cuáqueros, recordando sus orígenes, los valores que los identificaron desde sus inicios. Así mismo, hicimos un ayuno y oración en círculo fuera de nuestra Iglesia. Además de hacer nuestra reunión programada compartimos, un poco de historia cuáquera.

La Iglesia se encuentra ubicada en el distrito Altiplano Sur. Tiene aproximadamente 50 miembros entre hombres, mujeres y niños y actualmente se encuentra en construcción, para lo cual solicitamos sus oraciones constantes”

Por: Agustina Callejas

Celebró el día Mundial de los Cuáqueros, invitando a un Líder viajando en el MInisterio, Jonatan Mamamani, compartieron la palabra de Dios y disfrutaron estar juntos en armonía.

At Lake Forest Friends Meeting (Illinois Yearly Meeting), the early elementary first day school class learned about the 4 sections of FWCC. Then they shared that information, telling the meeting there are Quaker children all over the world. They also made cookies for coffee hour to help everyone celebrate World Quaker Day.

Con un programa especial y un hermoso mensaje por el pastor Dikson Santiesteban, celebramos el Dia Mundial de los Cuáqueros. Una nutrida asistencia de miembros y visitantes estuvieron presente. Oramos porque la semilla del amor y la paz crezca entre los hombres y mujeres alrededor del nuestro planeta y que florezca la conciencia entre todos para conservar la Creación que Dios a puesto en nuestras manos para que la cuidemos y la sustentemos por el bien de la humanidad. Que la Luiz de Dios que hay en cada hombre y mujer brille intensamente para tener un mundo mejor. Iglesia Los Amigos (Cuáqueros) en Miami Florida

With a special program and a beautiful message by Pastor Dikson Santiesteban, we celebrate World Quakers Day. A large attendance of members and visitors were present. We pray that the seed of love and peace will grow among men and women around our planet and that consciousness will flourish among all to preserve the Creation that God has placed in our hands so that we can take care of it and sustain it for the good of humanity. . May the Light of God in each man and woman shine brightly to have a better world. Los Amigos Church (Quakers) in Miami Florida

As Friends, we are united in a common cause of Fellowship, Community, Equality, Stewardship, Integrity and Peace. May the Inner Light of God shine through you all.

Monadnock Quaker Meeting in Jaffrey, NH has begun preparing for our next visit with our sister monthly meeting in Gibara, Cuba. This will be Monadnock's fifth group visit with Gibara Friends, and we have had the privilege and pleasure of hosting many Cuban Friends over the years as they have been guests of New England Yearly Meeting. Our sister relationship enriches us in spirit, challenging us to look more closely at questions of grace, privilege, economic and other forms of justice, and a variety of theological questions.

“No podemos forzar a alguien a escuchar un mensaje que no están listos para recibir, pero nunca debemos subestimar el poder de una semilla plantada”. La Junta Mensual de Metapán, celebró el Día mundial de los Cuáqueros, haciendo conciencia en cuidar el medio ambiente. Niños, jóvenes y adultos emprendieron la tarea de limpiar las calles de su ciudad, dando testimonio de cuidar lo que Dios nos ha regalado como hogar!

Newtown Friends Meeting (Bucks County), Pennsylvania sends greetings and love to Quakers throughout the world in celebration of World Quaker Day, October 6, 2019. 

On this day we spoke of Friends everywhere working to sustain the planet for which we are stewards.  We loved hearing about our Friends in Kenya planning to plant more than five thousand tree seedlings at the Farmers Training Centre in Lugari as we strive to make our own individual efforts to contribute to the whole.

Many of us also watched Quakers The Quiet Revolutionaries that evening on WHYY TV Philadelphia, produced by a member of nearby Princeton, NJ Friends Meeting

We love sharing a special day with Quakers all over the world and are pleased that the idea of World Quaker Day, first suggested in Bucks County in 2013 to Gretchen Castle, FWCC Executive Director, at a lunch with two Quakers from Newtown and Princeton Meetings, was accepted and implemented so successfully!

We love the diversity of Quakers throughout history and worldwide and celebrate Quaker pioneers and leaders in many fields like John Woolman, Judi Dench, William Penn, Lucretia Mott, John Greenleaf Whittier, bankers Barclay and Lloyds, chocolateers Cadbury, Frye and Roundtree, Johns Hopkins, Joan Baez, Susan B. Anthony, steel industrialist Joseph Wharton founder of the world's first business school in 1881 at the University of Pennsylvania, co-founder of Newtown Meeting Quaker minister and artist, Edward Hicks (Peaceable Kingdom) and many others. 

w

_{The 6th World Quaker Day- October 6, 2019}

_{Palo Alto Friends Meeting   celebrated World Quaker Day yesterday by watching two videos:}

_{FWCC video of international speakers (Kenya and the Philippines)}

_{https://vimeo.com/295976247}

_{“Step Outside” by Ralph King (Bay Area)}

_{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z7a6mtwe3M&feature=youtu.be}

_{Thereafter we reflected on the videos and the theme in a worship sharing format: Sustainability: Planting Seeds of Renewal for the World we Love.}

A small group from West Chester Friends Meeting (Philadelphia Yearly Meeting) gathered for fellowship (pancakes) and worship in Hibernia County Park. The Young People's Group read the Kabarak Call for Peace and Ecojustice and then enjoyed a nature hike while others remained in the open pavilion for silent worship among the trees.

Hubo participaciones, recuento de historias y algunos de sus miembros, recordaron como vestían antes los primeros cuáqueros. Destacando entre ellos el testimonio y la manera simple de vestir.

Friends at Schuylkill Monthly Meeting, USA.

Our meeting has been involved in a multi-year conversion of our landscape from alien ornamentals and invasive species to native species. We have been aided by the local foundation https://www.brightsidestl.org/ which has provided us with over three hundred native species plants in the past 2 years (plus a hose!) Here are links to a few photos of our latest planting event. https://wordpress.com/post/quakerstylist.net/331

Topeka Friends Meeting (KS) read and discussed the “Kabarak Call for Peace and Ecojustice” today.  We also watched the QuakerSpeak video, “Why I Blocked 40,000 Tons of Coal With a Lobster Boat.”  A meaningful conversation was had by all!

''Each year on World Quaker Day, the WFM's Ministry and Oversight gives the State of Society report during meeting for worship. Our report is copied below. We also placed a card in each bulletin with encouragement to be left somewhere where others could find it, with a message of peace.  Wildflower seeds for bees and butterflies were available.

2018-2019 State of Society Report

from Winchester Friends Ministry and Oversight

The 2018 State of Society report for Winchester Friends asked the Ministry and Oversight Committee to “envision the future God desires for Winchester Friends.”  As we think about the State of Society for 2019, we realize that the vision articulated for the future God desires for us has not changed. What has changed is the growing sense that this vision will not happen without the committed effort of each one of us, starting with the Ministry and Oversight members.  As a committee, we are seeking how to make visible the future God desires for this faith community, and we are asking ourselves what it means to be a faithful church in this time and place.  

We remain committed to the understanding of what the church should be as drawn from scripture:  We desire our church to be “devoted to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread together, and to prayer” (Acts 2:42).  We intend our fellowship to be one that “lifts up Christ” (John 12:32) – not in crucifixion, but in adoration, faithful devotion and humility – trusting that through that effort the Spirit of Christ will draw others to himself.  We seek to be a faith community that heeds Micah’s call “to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God” (Micah 6:8), much as our Quaker predecessors have done for nearly four centuries.  We want to be followers of Jesus and a church intent upon seeking the good of others rather than only ourselves (I Corinthians 10:24). 

We desire to be a faithful people dedicated to the vision given to us in the New Testament of caring for others; waiting upon/hoping in the Lord; feeding the hungry, giving water those who thirst, clothing the naked, welcoming the stranger, caring for the sick, visiting the imprisoned (Matthew 25:35-40); being the good news we are called to proclaim; overcoming evil with good; fixing our eyes on Jesus; living at peace with everyone and being holy (Romans 12:3-21); looking after orphans and widows in their distress (James 1:27); and gathering in Christ’s presence with increasing, not decreasing frequency(Hebrews 10:25).  We desire, seek and pray to be a healthy church focused on strong discipleship, community-changing outreach, deep relationships, and passionate, authentic worship. 

The committee continues to seek tangible ways to live out these aspects of the spiritual life listed in last year’s State of Society report:

·         Being intentional about lifting up Christ through verbal and authentic lived witness

·         Welcoming new Christians, being examples and teachers, and growing in Christ likeness

·         Carrying a deep concern for the ministry of our church to youth and families with young children

·         Being a church concerned about being like Jesus, and daily living out the Friends’ testimonies of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, stewardship, and service.

·         Being a faith community careful of our choices and behavior so as not to harm the witness or ministry of other Christians

·         Remaining open to the spirit’s leading regarding redemptive connection to the wider family of Friends

The Ministry and Oversight takes personally this vision of God’s desires for our church.  This vision requires purposeful living, purposeful searching, planning and prayer for it to be a reality. We again commit to being God’s people who will not grow weary in doing good, who will seek the graces of patience, persistence and faithfulness from Paul’s promise in Galatians 6:9 so that “at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”  Lord, keep us faithful.''

''Wellesley Friends Meeting, Mass, USA, New England Yearly Meeting celebrated FWCC World Quaker Day 2019 with a focus on the theme of Sustainability. We united with Friends world wide who have identified the environment as a cause we can all embrace from a faith based perspective. We prepared for WQD by seeing the FWCC video "Quakers and Climate Change around the World" and hearing about what Friends from different countries have done to protect the environment. We listed green actions we have taken as individuals and a monthly

meeting and those actions we aspire to. On World Quaker Day, after meeting for worship, we gathered for a group photo. Friends were encouraged to take actions to protect the environment. Reusable Produce bags were handed out as one way to reduce the use of plastic. Friends were given a demonstration of how to use worms for composting food scraps into soil and given assistance to set up their own worm compost bins. 

We had a display of the FWCC map of Quakers in the world and photos of Friends from different countries. We send our greetings and love to Friends around the world and to Puerto Padre Friends Meeting, Cuba, our sister meeting, through NEYM's Bridge of Love''