December 2010 — January 2011 Connection

Observing/Teaching the Peace Testimony

Ralph (left) attends Newberg Friends and is a retired history professor from George Fox University. What distinguishes Friends? Several specifics could be mentioned, but many of us would immediately say “the Friends peace testimony.” We are one of the historic peace churches. This witness is one of our principal distinctives. Sadly, most Christian denominations could [...]

Serve or Avoid?

MaryKate Morse is professor of leadership and spiritual formation at George Fox Evangelical Seminary and the director of strategic planning for the university. Query—Should pacifists offer support and compassion to military families? I have a son in the Air Force, now stationed in Afghanistan. I have a father whose first career was as an Air [...]

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Amy Saxton (shown graduating here from Newberg High School) attends North Valley Friends and was the 2010 youth representative. In July 2009, the Youth Yearly Meeting officers believed that God wanted me to be the youth representative for Yearly Meeting 2010. This meant I would represent NWYM at another Friends Yearly Meeting. I was immediately excited [...]

The Best Gift Is Relationship

Gar Mickelson serves NWYM as associate superintendent of local outreach and pastoral care. In a hurried, superficial, and consumer-oriented culture, the absolute best gift we can give this Christmas season is our time. This holiday season billions of dollars will be spent on material things that we hope will say “I care about you” when, [...]

A Lesson in Hospitality

Nancy Thomas is a NWYM missionary to Latin America. For the last several years Hal and I have facilitated writer workshops for Latin American Friends. Fifty budding writers from five countries attend. This year I have been editing a collection of first-person stories tentatively titled Fire from the South: The Life and Faith of Latin [...]

Sow Your Seeds with Hope

Jamie Johnson attends Newberg Friends and is director of the George Fox University Friends Leadership Program. “The God I know does not ask us to conform to some abstract norm for the ideal self. God asks us only to honor our created nature, which means our limits as well as our potentials.” – Parker Palmer, Let Your [...]

Out of My Mind…

Several years ago I had the privilege of speaking at the World Gathering of Young Friends in Lancaster, England. The only downside to this lovely experience came in the realization I was no longer considered a “young Friend” by those in attendance. For some reason, they clearly saw me as one of the older guests, [...]

News and Announcements

Updates on Ministries Rafiki House offers hospitality to international students Rafiki is the Kiswahili word for friend; it can also mean family or community member. Gil and Melody George, of RiversWay Community in Portland, have begun Rafiki House, a ministry of friendship and support to international students attending George Fox Evangelical Seminary. International students from [...]

Quaker Waggin’s – Sept. 10

Download the September – December 2010 issue In this issue: FWMF Yearly Meeting Activities Quaker Hill Women’s Retreat Twin Rocks Women’s Retreat Presidents’ Letters Facebook Address Subscription Information 2010-11 Missionary Projects Retreat Plans for 2011