Acting in Faith

Connecting Friends to the work of AFSC  Subscribe

A blog published by the

American Friends Service Committee (logo)

One Big, Happy Family? Quakers and the AFSC
(November 26, 2012)

Steve Cary

Steve Cary

Stephen Cary, peace activist and longtime AFSC staff member.

Regularly we will be posting a piece inspired by the rich history and archives of AFSC. The below post is the first in the series. - Lucy

by Madeline Schaefer

When I asked AFSC’s archivist, Don Davis, for some information about the history of the organization’s relationship with Quakers, he handed me a flash drive with over 100 documents.  There were some themes:  A few looked at the main bones of contention between the two bodies.  Most fretted over what was to be done.  But throughout all of them was a kind of nostalgia for the halcyon...

More

Quakers call for immediate end to use of force in Gaza
(November 21, 2012)

The below statement was issued by Britain Yearly Meeting on Nov. 18, 2012 in response to the violence in Gaza. Other Quaker organizations are invited to add their names to the statement and so far AFSC, QUNO, QCEA, New York Yearly Meeting and the Canadian Friends Service Committee have signed on.

If your Quaker organization, monthly meeting, church or yearly meeting would like to add your name to this...

More

In Gaza: Dreaming with their feet on the ground
(November 19, 2012)

Gaza youth working with AFSC

Gaza youth working with AFSC

Gaza youth working with AFSC

Patricia Sellick, AFSC Regional Director for the Middle East, shares her experience working with AFSC’s Gaza team and the young people with whom they work.  She wrote this on November 18, 2012.          - Lucy

by Patricia Sellick

My first visit to the AFSC Gaza team, after taking up the position of Regional Director for the Middle East for AFSC, was in 2010. There are three overriding impressions that remain with me: I was visiting a people under siege; I was visiting a people who had just suffered a war; and I was visiting a people...

More

Church Leaders to Congress: condition military aid to Israel on human rights compliance

(November 15, 2012)

The below letter was sent to Congress on October 5th from Church Leaders including Shan Cretin, AFSC's General Secretary, as a call to make US military aid to Israel conditional on Israel's "compliance with applicable U.S. laws and policies” regarding human rights. There have been many responses to this letter, both in support and critical. I will post some of the relevant links here.               In Peace, Lucy

See AFSC's document ...

More

Addressing violence and fragility across the world: the road to economic development
(November 15, 2012)

QUNO Staff in Burundi

QUNO Staff in Burundi

QUNO Staff in Burundi

by Lucy Duncan

Thanks to Andrew Tomlinson, Director of QUNO-NY, Olivia Ensign, QUNO Program Assistant, and Theresa Kirby for assistance composing this post.

Security was tight in New York City as delegates gathered for the high-level meetings that marked the opening of the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly in late September. There were snipers on the roof of the UN buildings, and black limousines with flashing lights crowded the streets nearby as they lined up to get through the NYPD roadblocks. 

One of the key items...

More