During the first week of October 2020, about a dozen Samburu pastors and leaders met together for five full days of classes on how to start and run a small business as a part of their Christian ministry. The class and trained teachers were sponsored by an organization called Global Disciples, along with Indiana Yearly Meeting. Each person who completed the class then had the opportunity to develop a business plan and apply for a no-interest loan (from a couple of generous FUM donors) to start their business. Personal loans and small business loans are very difficult to obtain in Kenya, especially without significant collateral—like the title deed on a piece of property. Even then, re-payment interest is around 20%. So a no-interest loan is a pretty big life-changing deal! All of the loan payments from this initial group of ministry entrepreneurs will go back into a development fund to become seed money for whoever next becomes eligible.
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In observance of Women’s History Month, the FUM Bookstore will feature books authored by or written about Quaker women. These featured books will be highlighted on the home page of the FUM Bookstore:
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Recently, Friends in the Narok region in southern Kenya (the center of Maasai-land) undertook a biosand water filtration project among Friends. This training and filter construction was meant to benefit both the local members of Friends churches and to additionally serve as an outreach opportunity into the broader Maasai community.
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In a crisis, in the face of adversity, in a pivotal moment of action, how do you respond? What do you see yourself doing when the stakes are at their highest? It is difficult to know whether our answers to those questions reflect the reality of our actual responses, because when conceptualizing our responses we aren’t in the actual moments and places of crisis or confrontation. Nonetheless, we can attempt to put our hearts, minds, souls, and strength into a place where loving God and our neighbor is our intention.
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Many caregivers, healers, and pastors have given sacrificially of themselves, their hearts, their energy, their time, and their bodies. These people carry so much of their community with them. Even when given a respite and not responsible for all aspects of the worship, hands are still so full we are often unable to receive the blessing laid out before us.
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God is calling everyone to continually seek him through prayer. Some people pray expecting answers immediately, while others have lost the desire to pray due to unanswered prayer, lack of faith, or failure to understand their relationship with God. But this is not God’s will for us.
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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.
