Editor’s note: During this election season, when our political life in the United States seems especially contentious, Friends United Meeting has invited a variety of Friends to share their thoughts on how to navigate as a Quaker through these divided times. Our ninth installment is by Jennie Isbell Shinn, of New England Yearly Meeting. Living Expectantly in Politically Charged Times, or Any Time This election season, a familiar unrest and uncertainty are settling in my bones, again. I feel on edge and vigilant, even against my siblings who have different political affiliations. I remind myself that even the most faithful person cannot see into another’s heart, or fully know how God is at work in the other.
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The second harvesting season at the Friends United Meeting Sustainability Farm (the Ambwere Farm in Kenya ) commenced on 30 September 2025. This week marks the third week since harvesting began. This season, farm workers planted 800 acres of maize on our 902-acre property, with the remaining acres being occupied by roads, forests, and storage buildings. We managed to get a combine harvester to do our harvesting and, unlike last season where we used four machines, this time around we are only utilizing one machine for our harvest. This allows for easy, proper, and effective monitoring and management as we carry out our harvesting with a key aim of minimizing or reducing wastage and losses.
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When the Friends United Meeting General Board met on October 3-5, members approved the recommendations of new members to serve on the Board of Trustees of Ramallah Friends School. The recommendations were brought by Omar Tesdell, Rania Maayeh, and Kelly Kellum, who served as the RFS Board Nominating Committee.
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On the way to visit someone in the hospital, I was listening to Carrie Newcomer’s new CD, The Beautiful Not Yet. I must admit I am already a Carrie Newcomer fan. Her style of singing and the manner in which she uses words always lifts up my soul. Each of her songs is more than a delightful tune with which to hum along—her songs portray the depths of spirituality, always inviting the listener to join her as she sings about everyday life occurrences and reflect on God’s touch throughout the journey.
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My good friend just started teaching at a public high school in rural Pennsylvania. While her main subject area is social studies, she also teaches Spanish, which she acquired while studying abroad in Guatemala.
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This poem is one I’ve struggled to write for three years or so. The experience itself is a struggle of longer duration. When I found myself on the Jesus Way again after being a non-believer for forty years or so, I also saw that Christ asked more of me than acceptance of miracles and belief. I feel much ambivalence about what Symeon’s revelation means for me. —Franchot Ballinger
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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.
