Dear Friend,
Early this month we celebrated World Quaker Day. This year the theme was “Love Your Neighbor.” World Quaker Day is an opportunity for us to reaffirm our belief in the divine light within each person. Reflecting on this theme for Friends Journal, Tim Gee, general secretary of Friends World Committee for Consultation, wrote, “Jesus said we will know his true followers by their fruit—that is, by what they do. Bearing good fruit means loving our neighbors. All our neighbors. No exceptions.”
As we reflect on the call to love all our neighbors around the world, we also mark two years since the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel and the genocide in Gaza. A few weeks ago, Serena, an AFSC staff member in Gaza, was forced to flee her home in Gaza City for the second time. Serena made this video recording as she fled Gaza City late at night. In her voice memo she says, “I need the world to see what we carry with us when we leave. Not just our belongings, but our grief, our pain, our stolen lives. So the very, very least you can carry with you is our story.”
I am confident that we will continue to bear good fruit and love our neighbors by carrying their stories. But we must also add our own stories of advocacy and action. I challenge us all to love our neighbors loudly, publicly, and unrelentingly. And as we welcome the news of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, we must remain steadfast in our advocacy for a lasting peace with justice.
Here are some more ways to engage with AFSC, plus a few updates on our work:
AFSC materials for Quaker communities: The AFSC Quaker Engagement team has developed new AFSC materials to offer to Quaker communities in the U.S. These materials include stickers, buttons, pens, and brochures. If you would like to have a collection of these materials sent to your meeting or church, please fill out this form.
Why We Record: Defying Fragmentation and Erasure in Palestine: In collaboration with Visualizing Palestine, AFSC has curated a joint downloadable exhibit that brings together visuals, archival photos, and stories to chronicle the Palestinian struggle for liberation. The exhibit invites visitors to witness the truths of the past, the heartbreak of the present, and the possibilities of the future. AFSC is encouraging Quaker communities to host the exhibit. Learn more.
What you need to know about the government shutdown: The U.S. government shut down at midnight on Tuesday, Sept 30. At stake in this congressional standoff is the health care of millions of people who rely on the expanded Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that are set to expire at the end of this year. Read more and tell congress to end the shutdown and protect our health care.
5 things to know about the U.S. attacks in the Caribbean: Since Sept. 2, the U.S. has bombed at least four boats in the Caribbean, killing at least 32 people. These attacks are extrajudicial executions, and they are illegal and immoral. Congress must reassert its war powers authority to stop them. Read more in our explainer.
QUAKER COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: In late September, the 15th Street Friends Meeting in New York City hosted “Sanctuary, Immigration, and Refuge: Quakers Respond to the Crisis.” This event gathered activists and scholars to address escalating anti-immigrant policies, family separations, and ICE raids in immigrant communities.
Meeting for Worship with attention to peace in Palestine and Israel: Please join us every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. PT as we worship with Friends from across the U.S.
You are also invited to attend our weekly Action Hour for Palestine, every Friday at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT. Hear updates from AFSC staff and take collective action as we contact our elected officials. Please share this invitation with members of your Meeting and communities.
Thank you for your continued support of AFSC and all you do to create a more just and peaceful world!
With care,
Ainsley Bruton (they/them)
Quaker Engagement Coordinator
P.S. You're always welcome to contact the Quaker Engagement team at friends@afsc.org with any questions, comments, or concerns.
And stay up to date on upcoming events and ways to take action by joining us on Facebook, Bluesky, and Instagram.