Durham Friends Meeting (Quakers)

09/02/2026

"Breathing the Beloved," an online reflective retreat sponsored by the School of the Spirit Ministry, will be held via Zoom on September 17, 18, and 19. The Thursday and Friday gatherings will take place in the evening (7-9 pm EDT), the Saturday gathering in the afternoon (2-6 pm EDT).
Join with Friends and seekers in an exploration of the Divine as love, of being loved ourselves, and of embodying love in community. This retreat will include learning, reflection, breathing practices, sharing, and worship.

https://www.schoolofthespirit.org/programs-2/online-retreats/

09/02/2026

What might it take for more people to find joy and transformation through the Quaker faith? Attend the FGC Outreach Conference on September 25–27 to find out! The Outreach Conference includes practical workshops, inspiring speakers, and opportunities to practice new skills for welcoming newcomers and strengthening meetings. It’s a great opportunity for people from meetings that are large, small, struggling, rural, and urban. It is held online, and registration is open.

Topics include hospitality, communications, community partnerships, welcoming seekers, and sharing our faith with authenticity and humility.

If you care about the future of the Religious Society of Friends—or if you simply want to become more intentional about extending a warm welcome—we hope you'll join us!

Learn more and register here:
https://www.fgcquaker.org/event/outreach-conference/

08/30/2026

Today, beneath the canopy of trees behind our Middle School, there was a little anticipation in the air. 🍃

One by one, students new to the Middle School waited to find out which Fourth Year student would become their mentor.

This annual tradition is all about building connection and community. Each new student is thoughtfully matched with a mentor who offers a warm welcome and a supportive partnership throughout the year.

Because sometimes, all it takes is knowing someone’s got your back. 💚

08/30/2026

08/21/2026

This is a fascinating reflection of his first visit to a Quaker meeting for worship...Durham Friends Meeting. Based on the more than 1,300 comments, I'd say he's quite an evangelist on our behalf!

Thank you so much to my incredible Patreon supporters for keeping t...

08/15/2026

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Query 10: Are our meetings for business held in a spirit of love, understanding, and forbearance? Do we seek the right course of action in humble submission to the Authority of Truth and in the patient search for a sense of unity under Divine guidance? What steps has the meeting undertaken in the past year to educate individuals, especially newcomers, about the principles underlying our practices in meeting for business and how they apply to specific situations? Do Friends demonstrate their acceptance of the responsibilities of membership by attending meeting for business whenever possible?

08/14/2026

Coming up in Greensboro:

Send a message to learn more

08/09/2026

Today, the Shroud of Remembrance and Solidarity visited DFM. The Shroud is a powerful interfaith project that honors the more than 21,000 Palestinian children who have been killed in Gaza since October 2023.

Today, participating Friends each spent a few moments viewing the Shroud after the rise of either the 9am or 10:30am Meeting for Worship. Each person was invited to transcribe one child's name onto the canvas. Each name written serves as an acknowledgment of a life lost in this horrific ongoing genocide.

Our community was invited to participate by Sherry Kilgus-Kramer, the NC Regional Coordinator for Churches for Middle East Peace and a member of Christians for a Free Palestine and Catholics for a Just Peace in the Holy Land. As caretaker for the Shroud, she was present for the signing of the Shroud and available to answer questions about the project.

Spearheaded by Franciscan priests, the project is a growing expression of prayer, remembrance, and solidarity. Faith communities from across the United States and around the world have participated in creating this meaningful memorial, joining together across religious traditions to recognize the dignity of every human life and to pray for peace.

After circulating to DFM and other participating communities, the completed Shroud will be assembled and displayed in Washington, D.C., and New York City this September as a visible witness to hope, compassion, and the pursuit of peace.

This event was sponsored by the DFM Action for Palestine committee. We hope you were able to join in this powerful opportunity to bear witness.

For more info, check out this website: https://share.google/yA5xc0WErKDHQ7IYH. Or, learn more about Rome's version of the Shroud here: https://youtu.be/wgclsaZ8N6A?si=c_QexgyexaKPfMhA

08/03/2026

Ever wonder if you have Quaker ancestors?

Here are some tips to find out!

🕊️ Search Quaker records online – While there is no comprehensive name index of Quakers, there are resources available. If your ancestors lived in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, or Virginia, Ancestry .com has scanned Quaker records.

🕊️ Start with the right records – Quaker births, marriages, and deaths were usually recorded by the monthly meeting, which before the 20th century was generally distinct from the local group of Friends who worshiped together weekly. The area under the care of a specific monthly meeting was not limited by state or municipal lines and could be quite large.

🕊️ Use specialized guides and indexes – Resources like Hinshaw's Index and and Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, finding aids for Swarthmore and Haverford’s archives, and an index of Monthly Meetings in North America are available online.

🕊️ Watch out for Quaker dates – England, Wales, Ireland, and the British colonies overseas changed from using the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar in 1752. The Julian new year begins on March 25, and the Gregorian new year begins on January 1. Because of Quakers’ custom of calling months “First Month,” “Second Month,” etc., it’s important to check the year to know which month they’re referring to!

🕊️ Use a Quaker glossary – Find an abbreviation in a Quaker record that has you stumped? Swarthmore has a glossary to let you know if someone in your family was MCD (married contrary to discipline) or even DIS (disowned) 😱
I’ll put links to useful resources in the comments!

Anyone have any other advice for people researching their Quaker roots? What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned about your family?