Adult Religious Education provides monthly sessions on a variety of topics. Most sessions are hybrid, with some Friends meeting in person and others on Zoom. When possible, Zoom sessions will be recorded and posted on the website. In addition to Friends from Foxdale and Friends School, we also welcome participants from Upper Susquehanna Quarter and other local faith communities.
Past programs have focused on diverse topics such as Friends' spiritual journeys; local Quaker history; nontheism among Friends; preparing for worship; advocacy; and a Kenyan Quaker describing her ministries. Suggestions are welcome, and can be sent to Ann Sidone (annsidone1@gmail.com).
Religious Education Archives
April 28, 2023
Phil Jones, Executive Director of the Center for Alternatives in Community Justice. CACJ was founded as a nonprofit in 1978. In its beginning, CACJ was largely supported financially by the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Their mission is "to serve society by working with the community and justice system to promote, develop, and implement effective alternatives that preserve human dignity, restore, heal, and empower individuals."
Their work includes supporting individuals awaiting trial, providing court appointed or other mediation opportunities that empower people, offering youth a community-based alternative to traditional court, and engaging workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods in an intentional dialogue through which all participants are heard, and able to contribute to the resolution of conflict. CACJ currently has five full or part time staff and depends on many volunteers to assist in providing our restorative services to those of the Centre County region.
View a recording
Passcode: EvL8#^J4
Quakerism 101 Winter 2024
This winter, the State College Friends Meeting Adult Religious Education Committee offered Quakerism 101-- a series of workshops designed to help deepen people’s understanding of Quakerism. Each session started with a presentation followed by a discussion time.
1) Quaker History- January 28 with Selden Smith
Transcript
2) Quaker Beliefs and Values- February 11 with Martin Melville and Doug Miller
Watch the Zoom Recording
Passcode: 5w.Psf3d
Resources:
BYM and PYM Faith and Practice
Quakerspeak.com Quaker Basics videos (https://quakerspeak.com/basics/)
Anything by Parker Palmer
Brother Lawrence’s Practice of the Presence
George Fox’s journal
Friends for 350 Years, Howard Brinton
3) Quaker Decision Making, Business Meeting- February 25 with Vilmos Misangyi
Presentation Slides in PDF Format
4) Living as a Quaker and Meeting for Worship- March 17 with Laurie Jeffrys and Eliza Bradley
Watch the Zoom Recording
View the Presentation Slides
November 11, 2023
Chris Staley shares his spiritual journey: Poignant Moments. How can questions be the answer? Chris shares moments in his life that posed questions that have guided his spiritual life. These are a few questions that guide this interactive experience.
What has been one of the most challenging times in your life?
What did that experience teach you?
How do we learn to have more empathy?
What role does doubt play in one’s spiritual journey?
If there is that of love in all of us, how do we grow that love?
View a Recording (Note:there was a recording malfunction from 11:55 - 13:55)
Passcode: Chris@scfm1123
March 12, 2023
In this recording Emma Graham shares her spiritual journey. Emma grew up attending Wellsboro Friends Meeting until the age of 16 and has been attending State College Friends Meeting off & on for the past 12 years. Growing up participating in youth Quaker Camps in PYM & BYM led Emma to a deeper exploration of Quakerism and that has shaped her direction in Quaker Education and Volunteer service. Emma attended Westtown for 3 years & graduated in 2006. While there she was a part of the Quaker Leaders Program and attended Westtown Friends meeting weekly. She then went on to Guilford College and participated in the Quaker Leadership Scholars Program for the 2 years she was there. Emma worked at the Woolman Semester School in Nevada City, CA in 2010 as an admissions representative and also worked as the Friends Center Intern at Guilford College for part of her time, when she returned to school in 2016. Emma attended New Garden Friends Meeting, First Friends, and Friendship meeting when she returned to the school at different times. While at Guilford, Emma participated in a Quaker led service trip with Frank Massey to the Belize Friends School, in Belize City in Spring of 2017. The focus was on assisting kids in the classroom and helping to renovate a building for a new school site. After graduating from Guilford in May 2018, she & her sister, Sunita, went on a Service trip to Ramallah Palestine/ Israel led by Max & Jane Carter. The focus was on serving the Ramallah Friends School with building projects and hearing about living under the Occupation. Emma will be sharing how these experiences have shaped her growth & deepened her true connection to Quakerism.
View the Recording
Passcode: *=h9189r