Category Archives: Newsletter articles

A few definitions: Ad-vent – a new beginning, a coming or arrival Ad-vance – to move or jump forward, to raise in rank, to make progress Ad-vantage – to gain a more favorable position Ad-ventitious – something unusual coming from … Continue reading →

Jesus told a parable once about when the Holy Spirit starts to move, we need to find new ways for people to experience and live in it. Jesus said it was like harvest time, when grapes are collected and turned … Continue reading →

Jesus told his friends, “Go into all the world, and preach the good news to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15) Saint Francis of Assisi said, “Preach everywhere. If necessary, use words.” A lot of people feel that missions are old-fashioned … Continue reading →

One of the hallmarks of Friends is supposed to be simplicity. Along with peace, truthfulness, equality and the belief that God speaks through ordinary people, simplicity is a characteristic of Quakers. Or at least, that’s what we say. Once upon … Continue reading →

People argue about what Jesus taught, and whether he really meant some of the difficult things he said. We ask if he was “just a good person” or whether he was somehow more special than that. We look for loopholes … Continue reading →

Good morning, Friends! Christmas has been over for a long time now. Valentine’s Day is history, today we changed our clocks, St. Patrick’s Day is next week. What’s left? Easter, of course! Easter is just six weeks away. It’s the … Continue reading →

Of all the Quakers who are buried at Springfield Friends Cemetery, one of the least-known and most interesting is a man named Yardley Warner. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1815, and he and his family were active on the … Continue reading →

At a recent Wednesday night Bible study session, we were looking at the story of the Last Supper in the gospel of Mark. Several people in the group asked, “Is this about communion?” Over the last two thousand years, Christians … Continue reading →

Quakers were the first organized church to decide that slavery is against God’s will, and that no one could be a member of the Society of Friends and own slaves. One of the best-known early leaders was John Woolman, a … Continue reading →

In just three weeks, it will be Thanksgiving time again. We’ll all be reminded of how important it is to thank God for our blessings throughout the year. This week, though, I’ve been thinking thankfully about all of the different … Continue reading →