News Blog

March—What Does it Mean to be Publishers of Truth?

In these partisan and divided times, when many Americans are arguing not only about how to respond to the truth, but what truth (or Truth) even is, Friends United Meeting has been asking what it means for us to be publishers of truth in this time. The FUM staff has agreed to the following guidelines for our news stories, social media posts, and our own personal communications, whether on social media or in person.

February—Cuts in Foreign Aid Affect FUM Projects Abroad

For years, FUM has collaborated with USAID staff to oversee grants through the ASHA (American Schools and Hospitals Abroad) Program. Both the Lugulu Friends Mission Hospital and Ramallah Friends School have benefited from this program. Currently, FUM has received a $1.4 million grant to construct an assembly hall on the lower campus of Ramallah Friends School. Construction was underway when, on 28 January 2025, we were notified that our grant is suspended for 90 days pending review. We have been working to comply with the terms of the suspension. . . Friends Lugulu Mission Hospital is another program deeply impacted by this suspension of American foreign aid...Our Comprehensive Care Clinic (CCC), supported by Catholic Charities through U.S. foreign aid, employs twenty-three dedicated staff members who provide life-saving medical services and counseling to patients diagnosed with HIV and tuberculosis. The clinic also runs essential programs to mitigate malaria in the region. The enforcement of the executive order required us to cease all clinic activities and dismiss our clinic staff.

February—FCPT AVP Training on Mt. Elgon

FUM’s Friends Church Peace Team held an Alternatives to Violence Project workshop on Mt. Elgon on December 20–21, 2024. FCPT has been using AVP in Kenya for nearly fifteen years. An AVP basic workshop takes two to three full days, and explores the five pillars of AVP: affirmation, communication, co-operation, community building, and transforming power. AVP workshops build on everyday experiences and try to help us move away from violent or abusive behavior by developing other ways of dealing with conflicts.

Bookstore Sale—Celebrate the Season of Light and Peace

Advent and Christmas books are on sale in the FUM online bookstore.

Eighty-third Class Graduates from FTC

On Friday, November 21, Friends Theological College celebrated the hard work and dedicated scholarship of the school’s eighty-third graduating class. The class included 149 students from across various programs from the main campus and satellite campuses.

African Friends Church Pastors Conference to be Held in Uganda in December

The Eleventh Friends Church Africa Pastors Conference will be hosted this year in Kampala, the capital of Uganda. The conference runs from December 26–30 with this theme: “Empowerment for Kingdom Impact: Equipping Servant Leaders for Transformation Ministry.”