Beginning November 9 and continuing on the second and Fourth Sundays of every month until March 8, 2026, we will be offering Quaker Basics, 9:30 to 10:15 AM, in the meeting room, and on Zoom. All are welcome.
We will be using chapters from New England Yearly Meeting’s current Faith and Practice, a proposed chapter on Testimonies and videos and other sources. Please join us for any session, or for the whole series.
For March 8, please review the Queries for the chapter, found on page 26, and write your own response as an Advice which you will be encouraged to share with the group.
Craig Freshley will sing classic Bob Dylan Songs, and there will be sing-a-long opportunities, at a concert to benefit the Good Shepherd Food Bank. At the Durham Friends Meetinghouse, Saturday, March 14, 7:00 pm.
Message given on Mother’s Day, May 10, 2026, at Durham Friends Meeting. On June 16, 2025, Shelley Randall also brought a Father’s Day message to Durham Friends.
Welcome and Happy Mother’s Day!
And its complicated! Mothers and daughters are complicated, mothers and sons are complicated, mothers and children are complicated period. And then as luck would have it sometimes the children become the mothers as their mothers age or get sick or become unavailable. How complicated is that?
Sometimes the children parent the mothers throughout their childhood, sometimes the mothers never let go of trying to parent their children as if they never mature – and maybe they don’t.
And sometimes men mother their children.
I am not a mother in the traditional sense, I have not carried a child to term or given birth nor raised children under my roof. And I have the utmost respect for those that do take on this endeavor. Especially in these times of discord and uncertainty.
I can only imagine the worry, the frustration and resentment, the knee jerk call to defend that mothers experience each and every day, alongside the heartfelt pride, love and joy that comes with raising a child.
But I am a mother nevertheless, in the broadest of terms. I have nurtured others in a variety of situations professionally and personally, as a friend, as a substance abuse counselor. As a Guardian Ad Litem for children, a lawyer for parents and children involved in the child protection system. I have witnessed countless women being told they are unfit to raise the children they birthed. And I have seen children that were removed from their mothers return once they are 18 despite the circumstances being unchanged: substance abuse, violence and mental illness. The bond is strong and most often unresolved.
We are, afterall, flawed human beings. That is all we are and ever will be. Some of us strive towards perfection; some of us don’t give a damn. And some of us toggle back and forth between the two on any given day.
My mother decided to manage her four children from the collective view of her generation with regard to mothering. Making sure we had the right attire, that we went to the right school, played the right sports and knew the right people. She wanted us to succeed in her world. So that is what she gave us and asked of us.
But what I really craved was her attention to who I was and not what she wanted me to be, I craved her acceptance. I wanted her to be a mother that could plumb the depths of emotions, dig deep into the meaning of life. She wanted to skate on the surface and have fun, why couldn’t I, I’m sure she wondered.
My mother was not perfect in my eyes and I was not a perfect daughter to her but we grew to respect one other once we let go of our expectations that we carried – You know – She should be more like me!
And I certainly was a thorn in her side. You see I didn’t buy into her world view. And in fact I disdained it, not only in my teens but into my twenties until I could make my own decisions about what path I needed to walk. Once I was able to do that my disdain slowly fell away but the damage was done. Our relationship had become grounded in mistrust of each other and each other’s world view.
We were at an impasse. And this impasse was unacceptable to me, I needed my mother.
So I did what I could to spend time with her and my stepfather on their terms without compromising my values. I’d visit them in the winter time on Martha’s Vineyard when there were no parties to attend, no one to impress. And I curbed my curiosity about her inner workings; how she felt about things. For her part, she did not judge my quiet and notably unsocial life, my lack of husband and children.
We took walks together peaking through windows of empty summer homes and entering newly constructed houses commenting on design and interior decorating. She fed me serving lovely meals in front of the fire.
Then my mother started to call me in the mornings when the furnace in their 18th century salt box failed and the temperature was 50 degrees. I listened and watched giving her the space to come to her own conclusions.
She made some decisions privately, without complaint, without discussion.
And I waited.
She decided she and my stepfather would move to an assisted living facility outside of Boston, near where she grew up.
My stepfather did not do well there – essentially he went to bed and got up only to accompany her to dinner so that she could dress and wave and nod at the other dressed and nodding residents.
He died about a year after they landed there. And my mother took up with another resident who could accompany her to dinner.
I waited and figured out how to visit just her and not go to dinner with the new beau.
The most precious memories I have of my mother and me are of sitting together on her loveseat in front of the t.v. watching British mysteries, shoulder to shoulder, holding hands in her apartment when she was in her nineties.
Decades of effort to bridge a seemingly unbridgeable divide yielded simple expressions of love that I had craved. And I am at peace because of it. As she was, her last words to me the evening she died at the age of 95 were “I love you Shelley”. And off she went – after I had left, privately as she always did everything.
And now Motherhood is ever more complicated as we watch unfold sons and daughters that make choices that did not seem possible a generation ago. It seems like more and more of our children are experiencing a fundamental conflict between their soul and their bodies that causes them despair. Girls are telling their parents that they are in the wrong body, they need to be in a boy’s body and vice versa. How did this come about – we want answers around the origin of this “trend” we want data and statistics, potential influences that has caused this. We want someone or something to blame for this “anomaly”. We shake our heads in incomprehension and misunderstanding. Yet how could we possibly understand what it would be like to have such a fundamental disconnect? This is all too much for us.
It was difficult for me to feel and then know from an early age that I did not fit in to my mother’s social construct and therefore I did not fit into my family – it was an impossibility – I was not that person. That understanding, that sense of disconnect from my biological family caused me a great deal of distress over decades – trying to fit in, trying not to fit in, trying to keep my mouth shut, not keeping my mouth shut and finally just staying away from my family altogether. And all the terms were cast about – it’s just a phase, she’ll come around -why can’t she just fit in!
So I can only imagine what it must be like to feel like you do not belong in your own body. The shock and horror and despair one must feel. And the panic. Who is going to love me? What will my mother think, say, do?
The mothering attributes raised up entail nurturing and taking care of and loving and we all hold those capabilities no matter our genders. And as such it is our job to nurture, take care of and love our children, all of them. And keep them out of harm’s way. But what does that look like with a child that says to us, I’m in the wrong body? And putting that child in the appropriate body entails cutting things off that the child was born with, that they came out of the womb with? How do we manage that? With a blind eye? With dismissal? Its just a phase? Or do we listen with our hearts and move along the unfamiliar path together with our children, listening to their heartfelt expressions of who they are and holding their hands.
I do not have any data or statistics – in fact I have only personal experience with a friend, and friends who are parents of trans kids. And I’ve watched from a distance at the courage and strength of love it takes to commit to a path that is integrous to the child’s soul but maybe far out of the norm of experience. I’ve watched with awe and the utmost respect at the expansiveness of heart this path requires, the nurturing of one’s child’s Spirit and the belief it takes in one’s child’s own heart and soul to walk this path.
And I’ve also seen the outcomes – my friend becoming softer as he settles into his true nature, no longer having to wear armor or move about burdened with a secret. No longer self-destructive or using drugs. I’ve watched the anguish of parents of trans kids turn to relief that they no longer have to worry about suicidality as they watch their children fully enter who they were meant to be, their children now feeling safe enough to express themselves truly, become productive members of the family and society. Knowing and feeling that they are loved and can love others honestly. This is what a mother yearns for her child.
And we are all mothers, we all have the ability to fall into our hearts to find the love and nurturing that was cast upon the one gender, women, throughout the ages. It is incumbent upon us all, now, women, men, mothers, fathers, uncles and aunts, to recognize the energy spent in our minds, the rational arguments, the “it didn’t used to be like this”, the science and economic rationales. We must enter into our hearts to find the love for ourselves and all of our flaws and thusly find the love for all others despite perhaps not understanding but learning to allow and accept. As we do that for others, we do that for ourselves. And we are richer for having found this expansiveness in our hearts and the possibility to reach out and put ourselves in another’s shoes, to learn about our own hearts and its capacities for encompassing others.
This is the path of love.
MAY WE ALL BE MOTHERS
May we all embody those attributes we find in the Sacred Mother
May we nourish and nurture ourselves and our human brothers and sisters in all their forms and bodies
May we care for our children and all children throughout the world
May we find interdependence and connection with all Beings
May we find our inner mothers to shower this world with love and the abundance of joy and satisfaction today and always.
Message given at Durham Friends Meeting, May 3, 2026
It’s wonderful to be here with Durham Friends again. I wish we could be there in person. Thank you Leslie for the invite and for serving as elder for the whole body. Thank you Ken Jacobsen, my partner, for serving as my elder.
Wunee keesuq-Good Day. Nutus8ees- I am called Gail Melix also known as Greenwater. I am a member of Sandwich Monthly Meeting on Cape Cod, and a member of the Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe in Patuxet, Ma, the land’s first name, also known as Plymouth. I have two faith communities, Indigenous and Quaker which share many of the same values. I find that they fit together well in beauty and in truth.
I was flooded with ideas of messages to bring today. After worship with discernment I found myself deeply led to speak of Joy, and to do this by sharing some of my stories that express HOW I experience Joy. I’m finding that the presence of joy, peace, and kindness is needed everywhere I go. Joy, peace and kindness is the presence that is needed now, paired with love. The despair that many of us are experiencing cries out for this Joy… to balance us into well- being. Can we go about cheerfully sharing our joy with one another?
I climb trees, I decided I couldn’t surrender this childhood joy. One day, I was in the arms of a white pine: silent, holding completely still. A blue heron lit on a branch, two trees down, about a yard from me. I waited and watched wondering when she would notice me. She did. We locked eyes for a good two minutes, before she hopped up and off the branch with a six-foot wingspan and flew, maneuvered—I don’t know how—through that dense thicket of pine branches, and with such Grace. I wanted to shout: Yes. Yes. Teach me that. Teach me that form of grace! Sometimes our hearts are made to be full to bursting with longing. I’m often suddenly surprised into joy when I’m in the natural world and I find that my faith accompanies me.
I have my favorite trees and anticipate the sighting of them. When I place my hands on a tree I feel an exchange of energy: a back and forth greeting and a response of shared delight. There is a sense that we are comforting one another. Even as a child, I had trouble keeping my hands off my favorite trees, and why should I? Is it a surprise that we should have favorite trees, the same way that we are drawn to a closeness and fondness for certain aunts, uncles, and grandparents?
When I hold completely still and quiet, hidden in a tree, all life around me loses the tension that exists when I am visibly present. The birds and the two- and four-leggeds come back out into the sun and air, once again. I sometimes wonder if we become invisible when we are so still. I’ve had songbirds light on me as if I’m a limb on the tree. I do know that if I sit long enough in stillness day after day, there will come a time when I transform into a feeling of oneness with all life; my separateness disappears. I am a part of the pulse of life, just one being in the web, no more or less important than other life. No hierarchy. I am fortunate to have this traditional knowledge, received from my F/father, my ancestors, and from Nature’s teachings. It is reaffirmed by Creator every day. One day while looking up into the tops of several very tall white pines that the sun was streaming through, I became aware of how very small I am. I am not the center of the world. Giving up ego for the reward of greater potential becomes a gift. I was given to understand that the face of Creator can be seen everywhere in the beauty of creation, and the Joy this brings is given freely to us.
I acknowledge and honor the relationship that I have with water during my walk by squatting on the bank of the Santuit River and submerging both hands in the water long enough to leave my scent in the river. I anoint my forehead with river water from one hand and the nape of my neck with the other hand, so as to carry her scent. I am in the river, and the river is in me. We are one. After all, we are 50-75 % water, the average being 60 percent water. Of course we are related: kinfolk. Some days I am given to singing or humming to the river. A soft singsong that has words or not, maybe hummed, is pleasing to do and appreciated by the river. If the songs have words, they always express gratitude and may be the same words repeated over and over. Wampanoags have appointed water keepers, always women, whose service it is to sing to the water. If we bear witness to the beauty of Nature And witness to the ways she suffers, we might be led to discern what is ours to do.; perhaps to be the voice for those who have no voice. What we love we protect, but for the desire and commitment to do so.
Creator and Christ are in the Joy I feel when communing with Nature. Because of this deepening relationship I have a greater ability for peace, deep listening, reverence and joy. These are sacred experiences, where joy and healing are being co-created by God and humans. There’s a reawakening to wonder that has created a wider path to my heart, and thus, to love.
I love to tell the story of the buttercups and me. Worshipping outdoors in the grass one day my attention was drawn to a patch of buttercups I was sitting next to. I love that deep yellow shade and their cheerful faces. I decided to hold them in the Light from a place of gratitude…. Suddenly, during worship, I realized that the buttercups were holding me.
I come to the path with this question, where will I find delight and joy today?
And now I’m asking you, where will you find joy today and how ill you share it?
I’m reminded Jesus came to teach us how to find joy. He said, “Never stop walking this road of love…as you walk in my ways my love will remain in you. I am saying this so your hearts will be filled with the same joy I have.” John 15: 9-11. First Nations Version of the New Testament, an Indigenous Translation
This joy that permeates the natural world that we discover in Quaker worship also permeates our shared inner universe of love.
Thank you friends. I love worshipping with you. Let’s move into this worship now.
Adult religious education sessions will continue in May and June on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month, with a reading a discussion of Parker Palmer’s Healing the Heart of Democracy. 9:30 to 10:15; all welcome.
Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends celebrated our semiquincentennial anniversary in 2025, which is a fancy way of saying what the banner that hangs from the old horse shed proclaims: “250 years old and still Friends!” In October, we welcomed Friends from all over to a celebration of 250 years of gathering for worship in Durham, Maine. Beginning in 1775 in private homes, followed by worship in the first of three meetinghouses in 1790, we have drawn strength from each other’s presence and connection to the divine. More recently, we have become aware that the land we worship on is a homeland for the Wabanaki, the Indigenous peoples of this region, with the responsibility and gratitude that comes with that awareness.
In February, DMMF held a retreat to gather and hold a concern about how we go forward as a smaller community to build community and support each other in challenging times. As part of this process, we created collages that expressed our hopes for the times ahead. We also participated in an exercise to discern our wants, needs, and capabilities as we sustain our semi-programmed meeting. During the retreat, the issue of past conflicts arose, conflicts that were not fully addressed in a manner to bring healing and reconciliation. We have been led to call upon the Meeting Accompaniment Group of New England Yearly Meeting for guidance in bringing about this healing.
We have found that our semi-programmed format continues to work well for us, and that having a prepared message three times a month and at least one week of unprogrammed worship is a good fit. The quality of our worship, even when conducted on Zoom, is deep and meaningful,including the fuller silences after the prepared messages. Since we frequently feature messages from members and regular attenders, it gives us increased opportunities to get to know one another in the Spirit. We continue with the Monday morning prayer group, where we lift up the concerns and celebration shared at our Sunday worship. This small but faithful group is another way we hold each other in love and care.
Tensions around the use of technology continue, and our current solution is to provide Zoom on the weeks when we have a message and to not use it for unprogrammed waiting worship in the meeting room. It remains a subject of review and discernment.
The Maker Cafes that began in 2024 as a Friend’s leading to create an offline space where folks could gather to learn hands-on skills, listen to music, and enjoy a potluck dinner continues to bring us much joy. Drawing in neighbors from outside our meeting, we get together monthly, with a break for summer, and are grateful to everyone who shares their skills and contributes to the potlucks.
After a pandemic hiatus of about four years, DMMF has revived our adult religious education, first through a sharing session on Joanna Macy’s Active Hope then with a “Quaker Basics” session that used chapters from the current NEYM Faith and Practice to introduce Quaker thought to newcomers and members as well.
In 2025, we continued the practice begun in 2023 of rotating the role of Meeting clerk through the committee clerks, which has been an enriching experience for the clerks and the Meeting as a whole. Our Meeting Care Coordinator has arranged for a variety of people to bring the message, both those within our Meeting and from outside the Meeting. If you feel led to offer us a message, either in the meetinghouse or over Zoom, please reach out to durham@neym.org.
Our Trustees continue their care for the meetinghouse as it enters its third century of providing a gathering space for Friends and others in the wider community.
Woman’s Society remains one of the most consistent and faithful ways for our Meeting to put our faith into action. This small but effective group meets monthly for devotions and to support a variety of opportunities to benefit local and international groups, knit our community together in festive fellowship, and support the life of the meeting during memorial services and other planned gatherings. We are grateful for all the ways they share God’s love among and beyond us.
The Peace and Social Concerns committee continues to bring issues in front of us and offer thoughtful and tender suggestions about how to move forward. During our anniversary year, we made a commitment to more visible activism in our local communities. We saw a planned conclusion to the five-year project on Social Justice in the Classroom, although the seed has taken root and will carry on in nine schools in the area. We remain grateful to the Obadiah Brown Benevolent Fund and the local educators who have made these efforts so successful.
We continue to participate with other area churches in preparing meals at the Tedford Shelter in Brunswick (under the auspices of the Woman’s Society) and to support the Lisbon Area Christian Outreach food pantry, as well as continuing our engagement with the Brunswick Area Interfaith Council.
We welcomed two new members, one a seasoned Friend and the other a newly convinced Friend, who both bring vibrancy to our Meeting. We lost one venerable Friend, whose wisdom and cheerfulness profoundly contributed to our community. A number of new attenders have come to us, which speaks to the welcoming place Quaker churches offer in a time of distress, fear, anger, and cruelty.
We remain committed to offering hospitality and welcome to all, both in our meetinghouse and in our state and towns. We have remained steadfast in our support for immigrant and refugee neighbors, providing financial, spiritual, and logistical support to individuals and organizations that offer resources and compassion to all those who are under attack. We are equally steadfast in speaking out about the need to “welcome the stranger” and engage with our elected officials in addressing the policies that criminalize their presence in our midst.
“For as you treated the least of these, you treated me.”
We are aware that we have a special place as a Meeting community and in each other’s hearts. We want to share this more broadly with the world, through invitation and with intention. We do this by supporting each other in showing up, speaking out, praying for, and standing with all those whose wish is to not only find a sanctuary, but to become one. We seek to become One with the Tender Presence, the Creator and Healer of this challenging and hurting world.
Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends met for the conduct of business on Sunday, April 19, 2026, with nine people in attendance at the Meetinghouse and two by Zoom.
1. Meeting Opening
Clerk, Nancy Marstaller, opened the meeting reading a psalm by Dwight Wilson:
There is a lightness that flows from surrender to Your will that we become what You intended. Becoming guided is an extended gift whose horizon stretches beyond view. Stepping away from our selfish practices, we arrive at the designated place, pause to inhale, and continue forward.
2. Approval of Minutes of March 2026
Meeting approved the minutes of the March meeting.
3. Letter from Southeastern Yearly Meeting (SYM) regarding Leslie Manning’s visit.
Clerk read the letter from the co-Clerks of SYM. Please see attached.
4. Ministry and Counsel — Renee Cote
Meeting expressed its great appreciation for Leslie’s faithful and meaningful presence at SYM.
Meeting approved Susan Gilbert for membership in Durham Friends Meeting and the Religious Society of Friends.
Reminder that the first of two listening sessions will take place next Sunday, April 26th.
The adult study sessions on Parker Palmer’s “Healing the Heart of Democracy” will take place 2nd and 4th Sundays in May and June.
4a. State of Society Report study group
The attached report was read aloud. One small change was recommended.
Meeting approved the State of Society Report.
5. Peace and Social Concerns — Ingrid Chalufour
Please see report. From the overall report, specifically the report submitted to FCNL was read aloud. The movie “Earth’s Greatest Enemy” by Abby Martin, was lifted up as something that P&SC should consider showing this fall. It will be available on YouTube and Apple TV.
6.Woman’s Society Request — Dorothy Curtis
Woman’s Society requests permission to conduct the plant sale this year, beginning in May. Distribution of funds raised will be determined.
Meeting approved this request.
7. Falmouth Quarterly Meeting Representatives
Tess Hartford and Joyce Gibson will attend as our Meeting’s representatives. Sarah Sprogell and Leslie Manning will be asked if they will be representatives, as well.
8. Other Business
The status of the Eileen Babcock estate was reviewed. Please see report. Meeting expressed its appreciation to Doug Bennett and Sarah Sprogell, who have worked consistently to bring this matter to closure.
9. Closing Worship
Next meeting for business will be May 17th. Clerk ended the meeting with a second psalm by Dwight Wilson.
Thank You for the reminder that we are never separated from Your love. You mend our brokenness as well as the rifts that create valleys between peoples. You are living inside divine wholeness. Daily we bathe in holy compassion that offers us myriad chances to improve our relationship with You and our neighbors.
Meeting expressed its thanks to Nancy for clerking a good meeting.
Respectfully Submitted, Ellen Bennett, Recording Clerk
The Brunswick Area Interfaith Council (BAIC) invites all to join them at the next Community Song Circle for Love, Peace, Justice, Together, Tues, April 28, 6:30-7:30pm, Durham Friends Meeting, 534 Quaker Meeting House Road, Durham, ME.k Area Interfaith Council will hold its monthly song circle on Tuesday, April 28, at Durham Friends Meeting, 6:30 to 7:30 pm.
Peace and Social Cobcerns Committee calls our attention to the third annual Powwow at Bowdoin College, sponsored by the college’s Office of Inclusion and Diversity and the Bowdoin Indigenous student group.
Falmouth Quarter will meet on Saturday 4/25/26 from 9:30-2:30 at the Durham Friends Meeting in Durham; 532 Quaker Meeting House Road, Durham, MAINE
We will gather together with coffee and snacks at 9:00. The business meeting will start at 9:30. Please bring a brown bag lunch.
If you are unable to attend in person, please use this zoom link (shh – password 1775)
In April we receive State of Society reports prepared by the meetings in Falmouth Quarter. We will receive Memorial Minutes celebrating the lives of Friends who have passed on. We will hear reports from, bless and hold in prayer those in our Quarter with recognized or named gifts of ministry.
This richness of Friends in Falmouth Quarter experiencing calls to faithful work is remarkable. One of the fundamental purposes of Quarterly Meetings is to pay attention to the ministry rising among us and to the life of the spirit in the local meetings.
All are welcome and all are needed.
Love Fritz Weiss, Mimi Marstaller and Wendy Schlotterbeck, co-coordinators Falmouth Quarter
A message for the Durham, ME Quaker meeting, April 19, 20
Thank you for inviting me to bring a message.
My name is Lori Milner. I live in Chelsea, I attend UUCC, the Unitarian Universalist Community Church in Augusta, and I know Leslie Manning from our mutual affiliation with the Chaplaincy Institute of Maine, or ChIME. I’m honored to be here with you today.
Earth Day is this week, but for those who love the Earth and are concerned about her health, every day is Earth Day.
My opening words are those from Wendell Berry, “The Peace of Wild Things”
When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of still water. And I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their light. For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
In the midst of the human-created chaos that is the daily news cycle, I often look out my window or go outside. Even in the midst of our concerns about climate change, the sun still rises and sets; the moon shows her lovely face, shining in my windows at night. The stars are brilliant, especially in crisp cold air. The trees are standing tall, patiently waiting for the changing of seasons and their leaves to bud and unfurl. Birds are singing. Grass will grow, and I will have to mow it. Over and over. I live on a road that ends in Butternut Park, across from Hallowell. My dog, Sarayu, and I walk down the hill to the park and the Kennebec River. The geese and ducks are back. An eagle soars overhead, coming in to rest in the top of the pine tree where the nest is waiting for eggs. The Maine sky is the blue of Mother Mary’s robe. I’m finding solace and refuge in the natural world.
Now, I’m not your typical outdoorsy person. I don’t like going barefoot. I’m afraid of ticks and I had a nice run-in with brown tail moth rash the first summer after I moved back to Maine. Welcome home. I like the sun, but when it’s out, you’ll find me in the shade. I’ll go in the water, but I wear swim shoes. I don’t like getting rained on. I hate sweating! Yet, here I am, about to begin a practice of wandering in the outdoors, engaging in sacred interaction with the natural world surrounding me. Not to use the Earth and nature to make me feel better, but to get to know and love Creation in a reciprocal way that is new for me. And I’ll be inviting others to do it with me, as I am starting a wild church in the Augusta area.
In her book Church of the Wild, How Nature Invites Us into the Sacred, Victoria Loorz shares her story of falling in love with the natural world outside her door. Restoring relationship and entering into conversation with the more than human parts of creation, taking her pastoral ministry from indoor churches into the holy wild, with respect and reciprocity.
Some definitions: Wild: not out of control, but pertains to the natural world itself, not tamed or domesticated. Church: an opportunity for intentional connection with the sacred through nature.
The heart of a wild church gathering is the invitation to wander in the area with a sense of wonder and curiosity. See if something calls to you, that is, it catches your attention. Or it may not be one thing, but the entire scenery around you that draws you into relationship with All That Is. “Sauntering is an ancient spiritual practice of slowly and reverently wandering through nature, open to the possibility of an encounter with a particular place, wild being, and the unknown.” (Field Guide to Church of the Wild, pg 102.) Sixteenth century mystic St. John of the Cross wrote about his sauntering (Field Guide, pg 103):
I was sad one day and went for a walk; I sat in a field. A rabbit noticed my condition and came near. It often does not take more than that to help at times – to just be close to creatures who are so full of knowing, so full of love that they don’t – chat, they just gaze with their marvelous understanding.
In the book of Job 12:7-8 in The Message translation it says: Ask the animals what they think – let them teach you: let the birds tell you what’s going on. Put your ear to the earth – learn the basics. Listen – the fish in the ocean will tell you their stories. So today I would like to invite you into a saunter, a “wander and wonder” time. We won’t be going outside, but as you came in, each of you was offered a pine cone. Is there anyone who didn’t get one?
I suspect you all are masters at sitting in silence, listening for the voice of Spirit. And I think that will happen later in the service. For now I want to invite you into a little different experience of listening to Spirit. This is an invitation to engage with your pine cone, hold it with curiosity, see if it has something to tell you about itself, or the Creator and/or Creation. We will take five minutes to listen, and then offer the opportunity for a few minutes of sharing.
There are pens and paper available if anyone wants to journal. I’ll keep time for us.
[Pause]
Would anyone like to share what you heard, or what this was like for you?
My final invitation is to come forward if you like, and place your pine cone somewhere on the mandala. If you want to keep your cone, feel free to take another from the basket and place it.
I thank you for your time. Blessings to all of you
Friends United Meeting (FUM) has put together a series of short devotional commentaries on Bible passages for the season of Pentecost, which this year extends from April 15 to May 24, the actual day of Pentecost. You can find these HERE.
Each of the daily commentaries was prepared by a member of an FUM-affiliated Quaker Meeting. Two of the commentaries are by members of Durham Friends (NEYM): Doug Bennett (April 30) and Leslie Manning (May 8).
Pentecost commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles of Jesus, Mary, and other followers of Christ, while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1–31). After Pentecost, Jesus’s followers felt themselves energized and equipped to go forth to preach the gospel.
Come get inspired to write and express yourself in words!
Poetry is a wonderful way to see and express your inner world.
Shelley will provide prompts for timed writing sessions of 5, 10, and 15 minutes.
Writings may run from traditional rhymes to free form and even doodling.
Share your expressions with the group or not – your comfort level is honored.
Bring your own favorite writing materials or use paper and pen supplied by Shelley.
No advance sign-up or materials fee. Just come and write and rhyme.
5:30-6:30 Dinner Cafe with Slight Chance of Reels
The group Slight Chance of Reels plays for family dances and at community events. Their music is a mix of Old Time, Irish, Contradance and Quebecois traditions.
Playing at the Maker’s Cafe will be Paul Tabor, Ellen Smith, Pat Cannon, Al and Marlene Sinyard.
These folks have played together for over 20 years, meeting a couple times a month for homemade soup and bread with a gracious open door for players and knitters hosted by Kay Mann and Harold Coryell for at least a decade!
Durham Friends Woman’s Society Meeting Minutes, March 16, 2026Hybrid Meeting
Present: Dorothy Curtis, President, Nancy Marstaller, Treasurer, Susan Gilbert, Secretary, Sarah Sprogell. On Zoom: Dorothy Hinshaw, Qat Langlier, Martha Sheldon.
Cards: For Friends.
Program and Devotions: We took turns reading from USFWI Blueprints Volume 82, Lesson 6 “Love in Many Languages” by Hilda Shikhubari. Scripture: Ephesians 4:2 – 3, John 15: 12:13, Peter 4: 12 -13, Luke 15: 4 – 7. Hilda, working in Dubai, met and became friends with a young Arab woman. Open and thoughtful with one another, common ground in Christian and Moslem faith was found through discussion and hospitality. Our reflections on Hilda’s program included: Martha: “Let your life speak.” She has lived in Palestine and worked at the Ramallah Friends School for two years. Later, working as an ed tech in Maine, greeting a student in Arabic was “a joyful experience”. Qat: “Genuine love is found in familiar exchanges, and actions matter more than speech. Building relationships is not a power dynamic.” Dorothy Hinshaw: “Shared understanding is felt even without knowing the language.” Sarah: “Slow down, make eye contact, listen open heartedly, without judgement, accept help.” Nancy, “A simple act of kindness, or friendship, with listening, can change our mood.” Dorothy Curtis: “live your own truth, and set an example.”
Treasurer’s Report: Nancy paid $20. to LACO. We had a $20. donation, bringing our balance to $120.20. We decided to send $100. to Ramallah Friends School. Nancy presented her 2025 Woman’s Society Annual Report and noted that it includes ‘24 and ‘25 silent auction proceeds.
Minutes: Susan read the 2,16,’26 minutes.
Tedford Meal: Team D brought dinner to the new Tedford location, which now houses roughly twice as many people we cook for. The menu was 6 quiches, Caesar salad, roasted potato and carrots, rolls, grapes, oranges and bananas. The April 6 Tedford meal will be prepared by Team E, leader Nancy Marstaller. Durham Friends provide dinner for Tedford House on the first Monday of each month. Contributions of prepared food or money for Tedford meals are always welcome.
Next Meeting: April 20, 7 PM.
Other Business: Marion Baker of USFWI sent Dorothy Curtis the minutes of the Annual NE District Meeting. She asked if we would invite NE District USFWI members to join our monthly Woman’s Society meeting. Dorothy will contact Marian and say we are willing to offer the use of our zoom account at another time, if she or others wish to organize the meetings. Nancy’s daughter gave her a notebook she had received when in college, that was prepared for young women with pages created by older women at Durham Friends. We have a copy of this in our library, and will pass this copy around.
Friends School Portland is excited to be partnering with The Roux Institute and The Nature Conservancy to host this upcoming talk: Letting Our Lives Speak in a Climate-Changing World: A Conversation with Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson + Barton Seaver. Thursday, April 9, 2026, 5:30 PM 7:30 PM
Letting Our Lives Speak in a Climate-Changing World: A Conversation with Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson + Barton Seaver
Friends School of Portland’s Parenting for Peace speaker events have brought a wide range of authors, activists, film makers, and speakers to the Portland area. This year, we are excited to partner with the Climate Tech Incubator at The Roux Institute at Northeastern University to bring marine biologist and climate policy expert Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson in conversation with chef, author, and sustainable food systems advocate Barton Seaver for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about raising children in a time of climate change.
Drawing on the Quaker framing of “letting your life speak,” Ayana and Barton will explore how our values, as expressed through the food we serve, the work we choose, the conversations we hold at the dinner table, and the communities we build, shape the world our children inherit. Together, they bring perspectives from science, food systems, ocean stewardship, and parenthood to ask: What does it mean to model courage, hope, and responsibility in uncertain times? This evening will weave together dialogue, reflection, and audience engagement, offering practical inspiration for families seeking to align daily life with planetary well-being.
Doors open at 5:30 pm at the Climate Tech Incubator at The Roux Institute at Northeastern University.
Registration for the event is free. There will be limited seating; make sure to reserve your space soon, before we spread the word more widely!
Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends Business Meeting Minutes, March 15, 2026
Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends met for the conduct of business on Sunday, March 15, 2026, with fourteen people in attendance at the Meetinghouse and two by Zoom.
1. Meeting Opening
Clerk opened the meeting with the Lord’s Prayer adapted by Peter Bishop:
Father and Mother, Creator of the Universe, Ground of Being, whose True Name is beyond knowing, may all the Earth feel Your presence and be filled with Your Light. May we find what we need for this day, for ourselves and one another. May we find it in our hearts to forgive and to accept forgiveness Having eaten from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, may we choose the good. We ask all this of You for all that is, is of You and You are more besides. Amen.
2. Approval of Minutes of February 2026
Meeting approved the minutes of the February meeting.
3. Ministry and Counsel — Renee Cote
Please see report.
Regarding the Meeting’s “State of Society” report, Renee provided a first reading aloud. Members made suggestions that will be considered and included in the draft that will be brought back to the Meeting in April for approval. Suggested edits include:
“Indigenous people of this region” will be added to describe the Wabanaki people with greater clarity.
Replace “eshew” with “do not use it” in the paragraph pertaining to the use of Zoom.
The Maker Cafe idea came to fruition by a group of Meeting members, not just one. Please send editing suggestions to M&C
Woman’s Society description received suggested edits.
Peace and Social Concerns entry was edited by including the exact number of schools reached.
An entry for the Monday Morning Prayer group needs to be added.
Use “Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends” as our name in the first paragraph. It is our legal name.
The suggestions was also made to add something about our worship life — our experience during Meeting for worship, the quality and depth; the kinds of issues that are raised for our spirit-lifting, the kinds of messages we bring, and how we deal with them.
The committee appreciated all of the input.
Meeting accepted the Ministry and Counsel report, with gratitude.
Clerk noted that the MCC report is available every month on the Meeting website.
4. Finance Committee — Nancy Marstaller
NEYM Pooled funds guidelines are available in print with copies in the Gathering Room and a copy posted to the website.
5. Rachel Carey-Harper gift — Nancy Marstaller
Nancy read the paragraph from Rachel Carey-Harper’s letter that expressed hopes for the use of this gift. Conferring with Wendy Schlotterbeck, Nancy recommended the Maine Solidarity Fund. Information about the fund was distributed and will be posted on the website.
The gift of $3,000 will come through the Charity Fund. The suggestion was made to disburse funds to both MSF, $2,000, and to a Meeting family, $1,000, who has borne great cost in support of refugees and LGBTQ+ communities.
Meeting approved dispersement of gift funds as described above.
6.Peace and Social Concerns — Ingrid Chalufour
Please see report.
Regarding associating with the Wabanaki Alliance Coalition, members expressed reservations about joining and thereby endorsing Coalition positions. The Coalition works to further the agenda of the Wabanaki Alliance agendas for tribal sovereignty, autonomy, and related legislation, and is steered by Wabanaki leadership. Friends Committee on Maine Public Policy is already a member of the Coalition.
This is an opportunity for an individual, who has the interest and time, to represent the Meeting in this Coalition. An individual with such interest should reach out to P&SC committee. This opportunity will also be added to the newsletter.
How active do we want to be in pursuing this question during the election season here in Maine? This question provides a topic for the April 12 Friends Committee on National Legislation conversation to help set legislative priorities for this year. Additional information in preparation for discernment for the April 12 meeting will be circulated.
7. Request to Endorse a Minute from Shepherdstown Friends Meeting
Meeting members voiced the concern that this minute didn’t reflect the leading of spirit of God, feeling that the text arose from issues surrounding government positions and hierarchy.
What would we say, as a Meeting, to our elected officials? Might we consider this as a direction this Meeting would like to take and share with FCNL as a priority?
Meeting agreed to allow time for people to read the materials, return to the FCNL priorities discussion next month, and continue further discussion at April’s meeting for business.
8. Trustees — Sarah Sprogell and Doug Bennett
Please see report.
Doug reviewed the progress of the resolution around the Babcock estate.
9. Use of the Meetinghouse March 27 and 28
Young adult friends who plan to attend the Living Faith conference have asked to stay overnight at the meetinghouse on Friday and Saturday. Trustees have approved the request.
10. 2025 Statistics Report — Sarah Sprogell
Please see report.
Meeting accepted the report, with gratitude.
11. Other Business
Please hold Leslie Manning in prayer between April 1st and 4th as she travels to Florida.
Meeting thanked Sarah Sprogell for serving so ably as Clerk for the past 3 months.
12. Closing Worship
From Taize:
With love and reverence, have we met. With love and reverence do we part. With love and reverence shall we meet again. Our circle is open, But never broken. Blessed be. Amen
Respectfully Submitted, Ellen Bennett, Recording Clerk
5:30-6:30 5:30-6:30 Complete Crafting Projects in Community
All ages welcome!
Bring any unfinished crafting projects to complete. Get help from others in completing your project. Find inspiration from others as they finish up their projects. Share your crafting expertise with others. Work on your favorite crafting project with friends. No advance sign up necessary.
6:30-8:00 Cafe with Live Music by Meg McIntyreand Carlos Cuellar
Details
5:30-6:30 Complete Crafting Projects in Community
Bring any unfinished crafting projects to complete.
Get help from others in completing your project.
Find inspiration from others as they finish up their projects.
Share your crafting expertise with others.
Work on your favorite crafting project with friends.
No advance sign up necessary.
All ages welcome!
6:30-8:00 Maker Cafe with Live Music. Cafe with Live Music by Meg McIntyreand Carlos Cuellar
Free & Open to the Public.
No advance sign-up required. Just show up.
Dinner and drinks available for donation.
Bring a project to work on if you like.
We’re the place where it’s cool to make stuff while you hang out.
Meagan McIntyre, violin, has appeared in concert at notable venues such as Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Jordan Hall in Boston and the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. Known for her versatility, she enjoys exploring a wide variety of musical styles. In addition to her regular participation in the new music concert series Vigourous Tenderness and regenerative arts company Hogfish, she has performed on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show with pop singer Halsey and Indie rock musician St. Vincent. Meagan is a member of the innovative and genre-crossing Amarantos String Quartet who bring their collaborative chamber music to diverse audiences and venues. She served on the faculty at both the Institute of Art Education in Porto Alegre, Brazil and the Portland Conservatory of Music. She studied at New England Conservatory and Indiana University at Bloomington. Meagan plays a Pierre Louvet, 1752 violin crafted in Paris.
Carlos Cuellar had been performing and composing music for 40 years. He studied music at Antioch College in Ohio and has taken workshops with various jazz artists. His group The Franklin Street Arterial opened for Gary Burton Quartet at City Hall and appeared on various radio and television shows. Their album continues to sell in the US and Europe. He plays in folk & jazz groups and also performs his original music. Carlos has also recorded music for television commercials and corporate and non-profit videos.
Message given at Durham Friends Meeting, March 15, 2026
Thank you for inviting me to bring a message. I think I have brought a message to Durham each year since we moved to Maine six years ago. I look forward to being with you and am so grateful for the opportunity to expand upon and share the conversations I’ve been having with the Eternal with you.
A lesson I’ve learned from Kirenia Criado Perez, Pastor of Havana Meeting, is that context matters when talking about witness, ministry, the testimonies, being faithful. I want to start by providing a bit of context for this message.
This message began in conversation with a Friend from Portland, who was talking about the frustration of recognizing that their expectations of worship were not shared by all who came to meeting. And that sometimes made coming to meeting hard.
In that conversation I shared the following quote from Ben Yousua Davis as a partial answer to the question of why I come to meeting.
“As people of faith, our goal is not to cultivate our imagination in a general sense, but rather [to cultivate] a very specific type of imagination as we align our vision with God’s imagination for the world; and as we learn to hold that sacred frame in conversation (and sometimes in conflict) with the competing imaginations that surround us. The Christian imagination is fundamentally a weird one: with unusual beliefs about sharing all things in common and loving our enemies and the power of prayer and of being God’s body in the world. In covenanted spaces, we learn to practice our imagination together through seasons of discovery and arduous awkwardness until the imagination that we artificially practiced finally becomes our own.” — Ben Yousua Davis
I come to meeting to be together, to listen together and to experience Spirit, the Light, God together. I come prepared to imagine – to align our imagination for the world with God’s vision, prepared to practice this ‘fundamentally weird’ vision together in covenanted space until it becomes our own, and then to carry this imagination back into the world. This last part is important. I come to strengthen my commitment to this vision of the true nature of the world and live into it. To live into it in a world where experience confirms the competing imagination that all are not equally valued and worthy, that there is not enough for all, and that violence and power work. I come to meeting to be part of a community that is radically counter-cultural.
Another thread that has been informing my spiritual life recently has been Walter Brueggemann’s book The Prophetic Imagination. Last week at Portland I facilitated a conversation focused on his understanding of prophetic ministry as something rooted in “Prophetic Imagination”. He talks of a The task of a prophetic ministry is to nurture, nourish and evoke a consciousness and perception alternative to the consciousness and perception of the dominant culture that surrounds us. [To] energize persons and communities to live in the fervent anticipation of the newness that God has promised and will surely give.” Quakers are a prophetic faith community – we expect to encounter the divine directly and to make it visible in the world. That is what is what “prophetic” means. It seems clear that Brueggemann and Davis are both calling us to this ministry based on imagination.
But how do we do this?
How do we practice committing to a vision when our experiences often tell us that this is not the way things truly are? When what we experience here, in this covenanted space, is in conflict with the imaginations that surround us and with our own experience when we are not at meeting.
I have a story to share about practicing a fundamentally weird imagination that I think, perhaps, suggests a piece of an answer to this question:
Over Christmas we spent eight days with our grandchildren, and my 7-year-old grandson’s passion was playing “cars”. The cars were a set of 4 trucks and 2 helicopters which were a firefighting team. Every day for 8 days, we would play each morning and each afternoon enacting the story he was creating. First, we put out all the forest fires, then we sang songs around a campfire, we had a firemen’s’ ball, and then a fire dog from Venus arrived. The dog was cold because Earth was colder than Venus, and the dog sucked all the warmth from the campfire and put it out, and then from everyone’s campfires and furnaces. We solved the problem, we thought, by digging a hole to the molten core of the earth and throwing the fire dog into the core, trusting it would be warm enough. But it sucked all the heat out of the core, the core solidified and the earth’s rotation began to slow down. We extracted the dog and had to start a fire in the core again – but we were a firefighting team, we put fires out, we didn’t start fires. We thought we didn’t know how to start a fire. However, our equipment truck shared that it had a lighter which it had kept secret from us. So we could restart the fire in the Earth’s core, and we did. But trust in the team was shattered as there had been secrets kept. We totally committed to this weird imagination and we practiced it. We felt the angst of the lost trust and struggled to repair it. Even when not playing the game, we talked about it. It was a powerful and real as our daily experience. On a phone call two weeks ago, when I asked permission to share this story, my grandson leaped back into the story and the struggle with the dog from Venus.
When I come to meeting I feel encouraged to let go of the mature, practical, realistic adult perspective, and find a way to imagine as freely and as wildly as my 7 year old grandson is able. To let go of what is realistic and embrace what is imaginable. To imagine and believe in “sharing all things in common, loving our enemies, the power of prayer and of being God’s body in the world.”
Message given at Durham Friends Meeting, March 8, 2026
Fair warning: it is words that that I have been thinking about, and some of you know how fond I am of words. I have been thinking about how some words help us with spiritual matters, and some are less helpful. I’ve been thinking about useful language for the inward landscape, to draw on the title of one of my favorite Quaker books.[1]
Psalm 117 Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! 2 For great is his steadfast love toward us; and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord! (RSV)
That’s Psalm 117. It is the shortest of the Psalms, and often used as a call to worship. It seems like a good way to begin what I have to say, today.
Here is what is on my mind today: what do these times call us to do? Of course we all have our ordinary lives: work, children, spouses, grocery shopping, laundry. But that’s not what I’m thinking about. I’m thinking about the overwhelming national crisis in which we find ourselves: immigration cruelty; illegal tariffs; Iran and Venezuela and Cuba; election fixing; corruption; politicization of the judicial system; tyranny. I know I’m drifting into political topics, maybe crashing into political topics, but sometimes, we can’t live our ordinary, personal lives without finding ourselves, at every turn, facing political matters. “The personal is the political.” Are you old enough to remember that phrase?[2]
For me it is like being lost in a thick cloud. It’s hard to see; hard to know which direction is forward; hard to know what is mine to do. Unusually hard. I find myself looking for guidance from people and from organizations I trust. How do we face this? What should be our posture in getting through this, or, better, in resisting? Our posture.
I recently picked up an American Friends Service Committee newsletter. It used the word “perseverance” to tie together its initiatives on behalf of justice and peace in these trying times. AFSC is calling itself – and calling us – to persevere. To endure. It calls us to stay the course, to be strong, not to be dismayed or discouraged by the wrecking ball that the current administration is taking to policies and alliances, to principles and values. A few days later the same message came from QUNO – the Quaker United Nations Office.
“Perseverant;” there’s a posture. “Perseverant” is one of those words that came over to English from French after the Norman conquest. Its first uses in English seem to be from the 14th century, and it has Latin roots. To my ear, it’s a bit of an old-fashioned word, one more commonly used a century ago than today. Maybe that’s the point: it’s a call to stick with the course we were on before this crisis, pursuing equality, justice, democracy, rule of law, and peaceful relations among nations.
Just a day or so later I picked up a recent report from the Friends Committee on National Legislation. They used a different word to tie together a host of their initiatives regarding the current crisis: “Resilient.” Resilience means “the act of rebounding or springing back,” or “the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties.” It is a word that comes into English from Latin in the 17th century, but its usage was relatively rare and largely technical until very recently — about 25 years ago. Then it quickly came to be an organizing concept for ecology and the environment, and its use then rapidly widened to comprehend the ability of persons and communities also to bounce back from adversity.
“Perseverant,” “Resilient”: Both words encourage us to be strong. “Perseverance” reminds us this is likely to be a prolonged struggle and urges us to stay the course. “Resilience” reminds us we’re likely to have some setbacks and we’ll need to pick ourselves up and keep going. Still, I think AFSC and FCNL are telling us pretty much the same thing. We need to stand tall, to be strong; we must not be discouraged, we need to bounce back. That is are the guidance we are hearing from them. It is useful guidance I think we can agree: these are rallying words.
Bear with me here. Those two words, “perseverance” and “resilience” took to me to a book I regularly consult when I’m following a spiritual line of thought or a spiritual wondering. It’s a Concordance. A Concordance is a guide to finding words in the Bible, what they are and where. If I want to know where the word “river” shows up in the Bible, for example, or the word “grace,” I can look it up in a Concordance and find all the verses that use that word. I have an old King James Version of the Bible published in the late 19th century, and in the back, it has a Concordance. The granddaddy Concordance is Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. It was first prepared in the 19th century and regularly updated since; it’s a bigger, contemporary, scholarly Concordance.
Of course this is a little tricky. The Bible as we know it was written in Hebrew, in Aramaic (those are the languages of the Jewish Testament) and in Koine Greek (the language of the Christian Testament). But we use the Bible in translation, in English. So every time there’s a new translation, there needs to be a new Concordance. The new version likely translates some of the words differently than earlier ones.
Still with me? Here’s the thing: “perseverance” and “resilience” – those words — do not show up in the Bible, not in any of the translations we are likely to use.[3] The various Concordances don’t contain those words. These words, perseverance and resilience, however useful, are not Biblical words. Is that odd? Are those the words we should be using to find our posture in resisting, in seeking justice?
Put another way: does the Bible have different guidance for us? Are the words it would have us use different? Well, yes, and no, and that’s what’s on my mind today.
There is a phrase in the Bible – it appears dozens (maybe hundreds) of times — that says something akin to what AFSC and FCNL are saying: “Fear not.”
For example, here is Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Here is Jesus, in Luke 12:32: “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
In these passages (and many others) God isn’t saying ‘lie back, do nothing, I’ll take care of it.’ Rather, God is telling us we may have work to do; we may have to put our backs into it, but God will be with us, always. That’s why we do not have to be afraid. “Perseverance” and “Resilience” put the emphasis on what we humans have to do; “Fear not” puts the emphasis on ‘God with us’ as we do what needs doing. It brings God back in. I think that’s an important shift of focus, a different posture.
There is another word that also is used frequently in the Bible that helps us see the same thing. It is the word “steadfast.” Steadfast means “unshakable, resolute; firm and fixed in purpose.” It’s a very old English word. It’s another “strength” word, like perseverant and resilient. Many of the Biblical uses of “steadfast” are in the Old Testament – and many of those occasions are in the Psalms, so they are in Hebrew. The Hebrew word by the way is “hesed.”
But here’s the thing. When “steadfast” shows up in the Bible, it is not to describe what we are like, or what we should be like or what our posture should be. Rather, “steadfast” is used as an assurance of what God is like. And what God is like is strength wrapped around love. The word points to God’s unwavering, loyal, covenant love. There is strength in that. It points to God’s mercy, and kindness; “steadfast” is a combination of love, loyalty, and generosity. Such steadfast love is not passive; it is love in action. It is the strongest force there is.
The Bible assures us that God’s love is steadfast. And it calls us to rise to God’s love with a steadfast faith. Yes, we must be strong – perseverant and resilient. Yes, we must “fear not.” But we need to do this in the embrace of God’s steadfast love – and let that be our guide.
“Steadfast” is used in the short Psalm I read at the beginning: Psalm 117:
2 For great is his steadfast love toward us; and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Having started with the 117th Psalm, let me close with these words from the 130th Psalm:
Psalm 130 …7 O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plenteous redemption. 8 And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. (RSV)
“Steadfast” is a word for the inward landscape. Relying on a steadfast God, let us, too, be steadfast.
[1] Brian Drayton and William P. Taber, Jr., A Language for the Inward Landscape: Spiritual Wisdom from the Quaker Movement (Philadelphia: Tract Association of Friends, 2015).
[2] “Feminist and writer Carol Hanisch’s essay titled ‘The Personal is Political’ appeared in the anthology Notes From the Second Year: Women’s Liberation in 1970, and is often credited with creating the phrase. However, in her introduction to the 2006 republication of the essay, Hanisch wrote that she did not come up with the title. She believed “The Personal Is Political” was selected by the editors of the anthology, Shulamith Firestone and Anne Koedt, who were both feminists involved with the group New York Radical Feminists. Some feminist scholars have noted that by the time the anthology was published in 1970, “the personal is political” had already become a widely used part of the women’s movement and was not a quote attributable to any one person.” https://www.thoughtco.com/the-personal-is-political-slogan-origin-3528952
[3] Actually, Ephesians 6:18 in the KJV does use “perseverance”: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;…”
Durham Friends Woman’s Society Meeting Minutes, February 16, 2026 , Hybrid Meeting
Present: Dorothy Curtis, President, Sarah Sprogell, Kim Bolshaw, On Zoom: Susan Gilbert, Secretary, Joyce Gibson.
Cards: For Friends.
Program and Devotions: We took turns reading from USFWI Blueprints Volume 82, “Love in Many Languages” Lesson 5 “Love Well” by Miriam Arnell Mmbali. Scripture Jeremiah 31:3. Born in Sweden, Miriam always wanted to be a missionary, and as an adult moved to Vietnam. She loved her mission work, the food, culture, people and country. Before two years, she was heartbroken to lose her visa. She moved to Belize, where her husband started Belize Friends Church. With her faith in God working and praying with the children and women, Miriam began to love her new life, and USFWI Belize was born. Reminded by the story of Martha and Mary, she served God in her work, and saved time to quietly connect with the spirit of God. Our group read the “Questions for Reflection” together, and shared some thoughts: focusing on God’s love in challenging situations, letting go of expectation, and watching how a way could open. We talked about paying attention to our inner selves, with prayer, forgiveness, finding God in community, having patience, and providing healthy food for loved ones.
Treasurer’s Report: Donations to New Beginnings and SASSMM were paid. The $45. left from the $80. tablecloth fund was deposited, making a balance of $120.20
Minutes: Susan read the 1.19.’26 Minutes.
Tedford Meal: The February 2 Tedford meal was corn chowder and squash soup, saltines, 2 loaves of bread, peanut butter, cheese, coleslaw and clementines. The March 2 meal will be provided by Team D, Dorothy Curtis team leader. Durham Friends provide dinner for Tedford House on the first Monday of each month. Contributions of prepared food or money for Tedford meals are always welcome.
Next Meeting: March 16, 2026, 7 PM.
Other Business: Thank you Sarah Sprogell for joining us and providing tech support for this meeting and the Saturday, 2.21 USFWI NE Region annual meeting.
Dorothy closed the meeting with a quote from Thomas á Kempis:
“Nothing is sweeter than love, nothing higher, nothing broader, either in Heaven or earth, because love is born of God, and rising above all created things can find rest in Him alone.”
The Next Friends United Meeting ‘Encourage One Another’ Presentation is on Ramallah Friends School, on March 19, 2026. Registration to receive a ZOOM link is required.
Friends United Meeting invites you to attend our next Encourage One Another in Love Zoom presentation on March 19. This is an opportunity to learn about the work of Ramallah Friends School, and to communicate directly with RFS Head of School Raniah Maayeh. We invite you to this Zoom event.
In 1869, a 15-year old Palestinian girl named Miriam Karam mustered up the courage to ask two Quaker visitors to Ramallah, Eli and Sybil Jones, to start a girl’s school in the area. At that time, no education program existed for women in this region. Before long, a medical mission and boarding school for girls was in place. By 1902, a similar boarding school for boys was created by Friends.
It is doubtful that Miriam, Sybil, or Eli could ever have imagined what Ramallah Friends School (RFS) would look like in the 21st century. As the only accredited International Baccalaureate (IB) World School in Palestine, RFS offers an innovative and multi-disciplinary education that prepares Palestinian young people to be outstanding scholars, leaders, and change-makers in their community and around the world. Nurtured in an academic and community life guided by Christian Quaker values and spirituality, the School aims to impact both Christian and Muslim students in a wholistic and life-changing way.
Despite being located in one of the most challenging places on the planet, RFS continues to thrive. Even with the constant pressure of living under occupation and the regular threat of violence, RFS consistently prepares students who are ready to thrive in college or university, work and service.
Along with the School, FUM continues to stand with the small community of Quakers who worship and serve through Ramallah Friends Meeting. The Meeting is regularly visited by FUM’s Living Letters travelers. It is common on a Sunday morning in Ramallah to find international visitors joining resident members for worship in the historic Meetinghouse. This community is a beacon of hope for Friends around the world and an example of the difference which can be made through a resilient ministry of presence. As FUM looks to the future, we are exploring new ways we are being called to be Christ’s light and love in Palestine.
Recently, Nora Saks of MPBN (Maine Public Broadcasting) did two stories about recent surges of interest in local Quaker and Unitarian Universalist churches. Below is the the second of these published stories. Here’s a link to the first.
Stories from 3 Mainers embracing Unitarian Universalism and Quakerism
Maine Public | By Nora Saks, Published February 19, 2026 at 6:08 PM EST
Friends and neighbors gather at the historic Durham Friends Meetinghouse to make Valentines at a Quaker maker café on Jan. 22, 2026.
Unitarian Universalist churches and Quaker meetings are seeing a surge in interest in Maine, which is considered one of the least religious states in the country. A recent survey found that a quarter of Mainers identified their religion as “nothing in particular.” But in the second story in this two-part series on the UU-Quaker revival, new members say they’re looking for — and finding — a sense of community, and an inclusive environment with social justice at the core.
It’s a few weeks before Valentine’s Day, and at a Quaker maker café at the historic Durham Friends Meetinghouse, artist Nancy Bouffard is demonstrating the finer points of making stamps out of Yukon Gold potatoes.
“I’m using a linoleum cutting tool to carve into the potato, which is very soft,” Bouffard said, as she carved letters into the little spud.
These monthly maker cafes are open to the public. Tonight, a few dozen folks of all ages — some Friends, many not — have come to decorate homemade cards, share a meal, listen to live music, and just hang out.
“It doesn’t involve being on the internet. We’re not on our phones. We’re talking to each other. We’re working with our hands. It’s a different way of being together,” Bouffard said. “So we have an idea that that’s a good thing to do.”
Bouffard got involved about a year ago. Brought up Catholic in Lewiston, she’s explored a variety of spiritual practices throughout her life, and most recently, was attending a Congregational Church in Minot, where she lives.
But there was a moment right after President Trump’s second term began, when Bouffard realized she needed a different kind of faith community.
“It was really Elon taking our data,” Bouffard said.
A former computer programmer, she was worried about the sensitive information Musk was collecting through DOGE, and the potential for harm.
“And I felt like my little Congregational community didn’t want to be political at all,” Bouffard said. “And I wanted to be with people who I knew were active, and also believed in the real challenge of peace, trying to come at activism peacefully.”
Quakerism’s commitment to peace and nonviolence dates to the religion’s roots in 17th century England. Having had some experience with Quakers before, Bouffard said she knew they could help her.
“They could teach me things that would help me get through what I was finding to be a really challenging time,” Bouffard said. “So I started coming and hanging out here. And I haven’t been disappointed.”
Bouffard said she’s gotten connected with efforts to support Indigenous and immigrant rights. But beyond the activism, she said, she’s understanding something else too.
“The power of silence,” Bouffard said. “There’s something here, very much teaching being quiet.”
Quaker meetings typically involve a lot of time being quiet, and listening to and holding space for those you disagree with.
“There are role models here for me that are practicing things I believe in that keep me on track,” Bouffard said. “Where I feel like I’m reactive, just parts of my personality, I like to be in a place where I can see examples of people I admire, respect and aspire to. And I find that here.”
Kathy Glennon’s path to Unitarian Universalism was more of a stumble. We spoke after a volunteer fair in Brunswick.
“And I was actually representing the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender group at our church,” Glennon said.
Like Bouffard, Glennon was raised Catholic. But, eventually, the now-retired special education director said she felt like the Catholic Church wasn’t keeping up with changes in society – especially around gender and sexual equality.
“I didn’t really have a negative experience with the Catholic Church, in so much as what made it not work for me was that, ‘Oh, I’m gay.’ And that that doesn’t seem to fit with them,” Glennon said.
Decades passed. And except for a few years as a practicing Buddhist, Glennon said she’s always had a spiritual life, but not much of a religious one.
A few years ago, a friend invited her to check out the UU church in Brunswick. Glennon hemmed and hawed, but finally, she went.
“I liked what I heard, I liked what I saw, and I keep coming,” she said. “I think that what I was looking for in a faith community was a place where, as a member of the LGBTQ community, I felt welcomed, not just tolerated. And looking for a community that was engaged with the greater community in a way that was not just lip service.”
Glennon said at this church, she feels comfortable being exactly who she is.
“Every single service we start with, ‘We welcome who you are, whoever you are, who you love, where you’re from, how much money is in your pocket. You’re welcome here’,” Glennon said.
The church also helped her to get to know and support other people who are working on a wide spectrum of social justice issues, from gun violence to Indigenous sovereignty.
“I like being involved in other activities in the UU because I get to be queer, but that’s not my only silo,” Glennon said. “I’m also involved with this activity or that activity — it’s not a single-issue thing.”
Glennon said now, she feels like she’s part of a church community that actually practices what it preaches.
“I think the vibe is about really focusing on, how do our actions and what we do demonstrate the core principle of love? Not that we hate this political group or that political leader, but are they reflecting love? And what would that look like? That’s we try to do, and it’s hard,” Glennon said.
“I did not want to belong to a church. I don’t want to have anything to do with religion, because I think that’s the source of evil in much of the world. So that took me by surprise to accept the word church in my life,” Whittlesey said.
A retired teacher from France, Whittlesey says she comes from a family of staunch atheists. But she loves singing. So when one of her former students, who happens to be the church’s music director, invited her and her husband to join their pop-up choir last year, they said yes. They had to attend the service.
“And we were mind blown by the service. Kharma, the minister, is an incredible person. Such wisdom and empathy. And so after that, we decided to come back. And so now we are part of the church, but it was not really a conscious decision. It happened,” Whittlesey said. “And we thought, ‘Yes, we need this community in our life, we need to be with people who feel like us, because these are very, very difficult times’. And we get a lot of solace from coming here.”
Her husband David Whittlesey said attending services and being part of the discourse here has helped them grapple with the question:
“What can we do? What do you do in a period of time when you’re seeing a country that you’ve worked for, worked with, falling apart and abandoning its values? What do you do?” David said.
Encouraged by the minister and other members to get more involved politically, they’re not only calling their elected officials and going to protests but also supporting a bill that would require the state to divest funds from perpetrators of international human rights violations.
“It’s a small act of resistance to go testify, but we felt like we’re doing our part,” Regine said.
These days, instead of staying home with her head in her hands, she looks forward to Sunday church services.
“We’ve never been afraid to try new things. So, you know, we’re open, and I’m really glad we are, because we found a good place,” Regine said.
Now, she just has to figure out how to explain this change of heart to her family back in France.
This is part two of a two-part series on Religion in Maine.
Religion in Maine: Why Unitarian Universalism and Quakerism are seeing increased membership
Recently, Nora Saks of MPBN (Maine Public Broadcasting) did two stories about recent surges of interest in local Quaker and Unitarian Universalist churches. Below is the the first of these published stories. In a subsequent post I’ll put up the second article.
Maine Public | By Nora Saks, Published February 18, 2026 at 5:27 PM
First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in downtown Portland.
Maine consistently ranks as one of the least religious states in the entire country — 49th, according to the latest report from Pew Research Center. But a couple of denominations are bucking that trend: Unitarian Universalism and Quakerism for example. In the first of a two-part series, we look at the reasons why.
On a frigid Sunday morning in January, dozens of people are grabbing popcorn and settling into their seats at the Eveningstar Cinema in downtown Brunswick. They aren’t here to catch a matinee of Hamnet or Marty Supreme.
Instead, they’ve come to hear Reverend Dr. Kharma Amos, who steps up to the pulpit on the big screen.
“It seems like a good time to remember that we are the church together, not the building, but the beloved community that we are striving to nurture and build,” Amos said. “No matter who you are, whom you love, where you are from, or where you live now, we welcome you.”
People gather at the Eveningstar Cinema in Brunswick as part of a satellite Sunday service put on by the Unitarian Universalist Church.
Because attendance at Sunday worship has almost doubled — sometimes it’s standing room only — the church is experimenting with live-streaming services at satellite venues like this one. The theme of the service today is resistance and acceptance.
“Many of us have been flooded with emotions as we have seen our neighbors terrified by the deployment of ICE here,” Amos said. “And as we have heard the stories of people afraid to leave their homes.”
Amos herself is definitely a draw. But this kind of thing isn’t just happening in Brunswick.
Dr. Kharma Amos shows off her tattoo of a flaming chalice, one of the symbols of Unitarian Universalism.
Reverend Jane Field is an ordained Presbyterian minister and the executive director of the Maine Council of Churches.
“We’re a coalition of seven mainline Protestant denominations, that include the usual suspects, as I call them: Lutherans, Presbyterians, Congregational or UCC, Episcopalians, and Methodists,” Field said. “But we also have Quakers and Unitarian Universalists at our table, which is unusual.”
And Field said in most mainline Protestant and Catholic churches, attendance has been declining in Maine and around the country.
But ever since the 2024 presidential election, she’s been hearing from some faith leaders about the opposite trend.
“And I found that really interesting. And so I would ask more, and they’d say, ‘Oh yes we don’t have room for everybody. And families with small children are suddenly turning up after being gone for a generation.’ And it was always Quakers and Unitarian Universalists who were saying this to me,” Field said. “Not other traditions.”
For some UU congregations and Quaker meetings around the state, like the Allen Avenue and Augusta UUs, and the Midcoast, Vassalboro, and Durham Friends Meetings, the growth has been more of a slow trickle, or perhaps a steady stream.
Whereas others, like the UU churches in Brunswick, Bangor, Rockland, and First Parish in Portland, and the Portland Friends Meeting, are reporting more of a tidal wave.
Some new members darkening their doors stopped going to church long ago; others had never set foot inside one, until now.
Amos and other faith leaders say they believe a lot of this recent growth has been driven by political angst.
“By people tremendously concerned with the direction our country was going in, or could go in,” Amos said.
Over and over, she said she hears the same thing.
“We need community. This was a place where I could be honest about my feelings, and find others feeling similarly, with the eye towards hope. Like not to dwell in despair, but to rally one another, to support one another in gaining the energy to resist,” Amos said. “And more than that, to strengthen ourselves for who the people we want to be in the world are.”
Field says it makes sense that people who are seeking a spiritual anchor right now might gravitate to denominations that are non-creedal, meaning they don’t require believing in strict religious dogma, like the divinity of Jesus Christ, to belong.
“It is a step removed from what some might assume all Christians think and believe and do, based on what you’re seeing as represented by white Christian nationalism and the rise of the MAGA movement in the United States,” said Field. “So, it’s a safer door to walk through.”
To be clear, Quakerism and Unitarian Universalism are distinct denominations. Quakers often gather in silent worship, and there is no designated spiritual authority.
Jim Grace, a co-clerk with the Portland Friends Meeting, says that’s because Quakers tend to believe in something called “the inner light.”
“The ability for every person, regardless of their background, to perceive the truth and to be guided in their spiritual journey,” Grace said.
Unitarian Universalists do have clergy, and worship services tend to draw from a potpourri of spiritual and cultural traditions.
But what both denominations have in common is that they’re organized around shared values – like the inherent worth and dignity of all people. They’re pluralistic — welcoming people from all different backgrounds and faiths. And they have a longstanding commitment to social justice.
“I think a lot of the new folks, we’re hearing that we were, I like to say, we do the worship and we do the work,” said Reverend Norm Allen.
Allen is the minister at First Parish, a UU congregation in downtown Portland. First Parish organizes weekly community food distributions and recently hosted the city’s emergency warming shelter.
Rev. Norm Allen stands in the main sanctuary at First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in downtown Portland.
Its clergy and members participate in weekly protests and prayer vigils. And Allen was one of nine faith leaders recently arrested at an anti-ICE “pray-in” at Senator Collins’ office.
He says Unitarian Universalism’s focus on walking the walk, on deed over creed, is a big part of its appeal. But it’s still a church, not a social action organization.
“It’s a church where we talk about the big, unanswerable questions. So along with all of that other work, we take time, we take silence, we use music to explore the questions that cannot be answered,” Allen said. “And there’s something that’s really deepening and beautiful experience. And that’s the church experience.”
Jane Field, with the Maine Council of Churches, says she hopes the increased visibility that the Unitarian Universalist and Quaker denominations are experiencing right now might lead to more people reconsidering their assumptions about religion.
“Maybe a trend will flow out of this, for people to give us a second chance to think about not just the damage and the horror that’s been done, but the good,” Field said. “Because it’s there. I know it’s there. I see it every day.”
Friends Committee on National Legislation is beginning its next round of setting its legislative priorities. Each Quaker Meeting is invited to participate in the process. Below is a letter sent to all Quaker Meetings about this opportunity. Following it is a summary of the process FCNL follows.
Durham Friends Meeting will hold its discernment discussion on Sunday, April 12, 2026, 11:45 to 1:45 pm.
Invitational Letter to Quaker Meetings: January 1, 2026 Dear Friends,
On behalf of the General Committee of FCNL, we invite you to engage your meeting or church in worship and discernment about our legislative priorities for the 120th Congress, which begins in January 2027. From its inception, the Friends Committee on National Legislation has relied on meetings and churches to ground our work in the concerns of Friends. Our process of asking Friends to consider, every two years, which issues should be the focus of their lobbying organization in Washington, DC, connects our advocacy strongly to the testimonies and values of Friends. As your meeting, church, or other Friends group takes part in this priorities-setting process, please first review FCNL’s policy statement, The World We Seek, available at https://www.fcnl.org/LegislativeStatement. Your discernment on which specific issues are rising to the priority level provides guidance to FCNL staff on where to focus their lobbying attention for the next two years. The following questions can then guide your identification of the issues of greatest importance to you. • How are Friends called to influence our government today? • What issues should be the priority for our advocacy efforts? • Where is the Spirit leading us? The enclosed documents, Guidelines for Participating in the Priorities Process, and FCNL’s website, fcnl.org/priorities, provide information and materials to guide you. Please submit the outcome of your discernment no later than April 17, 2026. Participation of Friends in meetings and churches across the country is essential to making our Quaker lobby who and what we are — from the issues we work on to the way we focus on building relationships and looking for that of God in everyone we talk with. In politics today, the kind of approach that FCNL takes is increasingly important and increasingly rare. We know that it makes a difference, but we can’t do it without you. The Policy Committee is ready to support you if further guidance is needed. Requests for help can be directed to Noell Krughoff (nkrughoff@gmail.com; (317) 512-1091) or Scot Drysdale (scotdrysdale47@gmail.com; (603) 643-3989). Additionally, on February 12, 2026, from p.m. Eastern, we will be hosting a call to answer questions, connect you with others leading this process, and ensure you are prepared to share your group’s priorities by April 17.
Understanding the Process: Setting Legislative Priorities
1. Nationwide Quaker Discernment
Every two years, FCNL asks Friends and their meetings, churches, and other groups all over the country to discern which public policy issues they feel are most pressing for the next Congress. These groups highlight legislative priorities from the many topics and questions identified in FCNL’s Policy Statement, “The World We Seek.”
2. Policy Committee
Next, the 13-member FCNL Policy Committee, appointed by the 200 Friends on General Committee, reads all the responses and meets together to consider what meetings, churches, groups, and individuals are telling FCNL.
For each concern raised, the committee considers how that area is supported in the FCNL Policy Statement and the historic leadings of Friends. The committee also considers the capacity of staff, the financial resources of FCNL, and the potential role of FCNL and other groups working on the issues. Finally, the committee considers whether a chosen issue is likely to come before the upcoming Congress.
The committee makes difficult choices among the many advances we would all like to make toward the World We Seek, knowing that if we try to do everything, we will do nothing well.
3. General Committee at Annual Meeting
The Policy Committee brings its recommendation to the FCNL General Committee meeting for final discernment in the November Annual Meeting. The General Committee may choose to accept the recommended priorities or ask for further modifications. Throughout the discussion, however, the priorities discerned by Friends across the country remain at the center of the Committee’s consideration.
