Unfortunately, some of FUM’s business email accounts were compromised on September 2, and some spam messages were sent out recently from our FUM address. Nothing included in the email originates from Friends United Meeting, and we strongly urge you to delete the email without opening any of the attachments. If you did open the attachment, run your virus scan software, and take any recommended actions. We’ve taken immediate steps to secure our account and sincerely apologize for any concerns this may have caused.
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The Mt. Elgon region of Kenya, situated at the Kenya-Uganda border, has faced decades of hardship from tribal clashes and militia violence between 2006–2008 that left many families displaced, traumatized, widowed, and economically devastated. Many of these affected households rely on low-income activities to make ends meet, so that even affording basic things like sanitary pads for menstruation is considered a luxury. Girls in Mt. Elgon miss up to five days of school each month due to the lack of sanitary pads. This has led many girls to drop out of school, and enter early marriages, which shifts the financial responsibility of providing for them from their mother to their spouse. Other girls who cannot support themselves are exposed to sexual exploitation.
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Harvesting is what every farmer prays for, including Friends United Meeting. The third season of the Ambwere Farm sustainability project began with planting on 7 March 2025, and is currently in the first week of harvesting, which began on 15 August 2025. Ambwere Season 3 saw us shift our focus from planting commercial maize to planting hybrid maize for seed under a contract between Kenya Seed Company and Friends United Meeting. We signed a contract to plant seed maize of H6210 variety on 700 acres out of the 800 acres of arable land in our Ambwere Farm.
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From Belize City, Oscar and Miriam Mmbali write: Belize Friends School is in recess after a wonderful graduation in June. All the students except one will be joining high school this fall. Principal Antoliana Budna has been on every street of the Southside, reaching out to schools, talking to potential parents, seeking new students. Belize Friends Church is growing. We still see new faces which continue to be a big joy for us. Our pastor Chris now preaches in both Spanish and English because of the growing Spanish-speaking population at the church. With over 52% of Belizeans being of Hispanic background, we see this as an opportunity for Belizean Friends to grow in the Spanish-speaking Belizean community. Please continue praying for this church. We have also witnessed recently our youths growing and embracing new opportunities. Shawn Williams just completed Belize Police Academy. He is the second young adult at the church to join the police service, after Gary who graduated last year.
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The story reminds us that we can be the drivers of the bus, or passengers in the bus: drivers because we have leadership positions to help steer the congregations or meetings; passengers because we could be part of those being directed by the leadership...
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Emily Provance writes about how Quaker communities might begin to think about caring for parents and families, based on the second year of the Quaker parent mutual support groups co-sponsored by Friends United Meeting, New York Yearly Meeting, and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Chief among her findings: Quaker parents feel profoundly isolated. "Some parents are literally alone...Other parents feel isolated despite not being literally alone. Parents in the group talked about the isolation of being the only Quaker in their geographic area or the only Quaker family in their meeting. They talked about the difficulty of developing deep friendships in modern society. They talked about their hunger for connections with parents in similar circumstances: other disabled parents, other single parents, other foster parents, other parents with shared custody arrangements. Facilitators heard it repeated again and again: 'I feel so alone.'"
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Throughout our history, the people known as Friends (or Quakers) keep rediscovering an essential and enduring truth: There is one who speaks to our most basic needs and most significant hopes—Christ Jesus the Lord. Both individually and communally, we are learning to know and follow the Voice that guides us in the way we should go. Together, we seek to understand and obey that truth which sets us free. As a people, we share in the experience of that powerful life which makes all things new. Maybe you are searching for an authentic and transforming faith and community to call home—if so, come in and join us as we seek to know and follow Christ.
Friends United Meeting commits itself to energize and equip Friends through the power of the Holy Spirit to gather people into fellowships where Jesus Christ is known, loved, and obeyed as Teacher and Lord.
