Over the past few weeks, the Financial Task Force, Finance Committee, Executive Board, and General Board of Friends United Meeting have each met to carefully review our current ministries, financial realities, and future directions. Together, these bodies have sought to steward FUM’s resources faithfully while preparing FUM for a more sustainable future. Many Friends have also received a letter from the General Board, making Friends aware of FUM’s concerning financial position and the difficult decisions that this reality has required.On Friday, October 24, 2025, the General Board met to receive and consider the Fiscal Year ‘26 budget for Friends United Meeting. The Board discerned that the pathway forward will require a period of restraint, creativity, and strategic restructuring. The following represents some of the significant changes that result from the approval of this budget. Pause of Quaker Life Magazine After nearly seventy years of publication, the Board has made the difficult decision to pause future editions of Quaker Life. This decision was not made lightly but reflects current budgetary realities. FUM deeply appreciates our dedicated subscribers, and our office will be in contact with readers in the coming weeks regarding options related to this suspension. The General Board will also be discerning whether Quaker Life will fit into FUM’s ongoing communications ministries as we seek more sustainable forms of storytelling and outreach. Staff Reductions and Transitions The FY26 budget also includes a reduction in staffing levels, one of the most difficult decisions by the board and administration. We are saddened to announce that Kathleen Wooten, our Web and Social Media Specialist, will no longer be employed with Friends United Meeting, effective December 1. This decision in no way reflects on the quality of her work or the depth of her dedication. Kathleen has served FUM with excellence, expanding our social media presence and strengthening our communications ministry. She will be greatly missed. Please hold our staff in your prayers as they navigate this period of transition with courage and grace.
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This July, U.S. officials announced that the Indiana National Guard’s Camp Atterbury training facility would be used to detain undocumented immigrants. On Sunday, September 7, a number of Indiana Friends participated in a demonstration in Greenwood, Indiana, in front of Rep. Jefferson Shreve’s office, proposing that instead of repurposing Camp Atterbury for housing undocumented immigrants, funds that would be used for that repurposing be used instead to prioritize housing for Hoosiers. Demonstrators carried signs with messages advocating for compassion and justice for everyone living in Indiana.
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Earlier this month I traveled to Highgate, Jamaica, to participate in the annual sessions of Jamaica Yearly Meeting. From the beginning, I was blessed by the warmth, hospitality, and gracious welcome extended by Friends. The opening sessions brought Friends from across the island together in worship and fellowship. It was encouraging to witness the faithfulness of local Meetings as they entered into the business and worship of the body.
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Obeying Jesus’ command to go and make disciples is a wonderful adventure in faith. I experienced this while working in the mission hospital in Kaimosi, Kenya many years ago. It began with God nudging me to go out into the villages and do small group studies. He revealed the way when Meshack came to pray with me at the hospital...
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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.
