El Paso Quakers

04/19/2025

See the Waging Nonviolence site for more stories about, well, "waging nonviolence"! I became aware of through a Western Friend newsletter and found a copy of the story I could share on Waging Nonviolence. Having discovered it, you'll be seeing more on here!

Reposted from Waging Nonviolence: read the original here. Like generations of Quaker children, I grew up with stories of when our faith was persecuted. Under the Quaker Act of 1662, Quaker meetings were raided for no better reason than people gathering there, and the children kept the meetings when....

04/12/2025

A former secretary of the Air Force says, “Every American should view this development with alarm.”

Yeah we are. We've been viewing every day's events with alarm. So how do we make it stop? I'm actually counting on a military coup at this point. You up for that, Mr. Kendall?

04/12/2025

https://www.westernfriend.org/events/quaker-call-to-action/

If you have NOT registered yet, please join us for worship and ideas and stories for action, on Sunday, April 13, from 7:00 - 8:30 PM Eastern Time. Please register HERE to join us. You will receive a Zoom link the day before the session.

04/12/2025

https://www.westernfriend.org/news/minute-of-intent-to-protect-fayetteville-friends-meeting/

As human beings we are all children of God and recognize that among us are many dear friends, family, neighbors, coworkers and others who are immigrants in this country or otherwise marginalized. Some of us have achieved citizenship, some have green cards, some have visas, some are in pending status...

04/05/2025

The latest news from Western Friend Wire.

The May/June edition of Western Friend is on Rivers and I am hoping to receive submissions that are about people's connections to rivers in the West, both physically and metaphysically. They mirror the veins in our bodies and the emotional swell is on Rivers and I am hoping to receive submissions that are about people's connections to rivers in the West, both physically and metaphysically. They mirror the veins in our bodies and the emotional swells of our lives .

I’m also interested in reading about the river as a metaphor for life, as they change seasonally and by section. Rivers move water relentlessly downstream in a similar way that time moves us forward. Usually you cannot ‘redo’ a section of river or a phase of life. You just have to keep going, into the next experience before the last one is fully understood. Life and rivers have both exciting sections with rapids and lulling eddies that pull you into stillness.

The Deadline is April 1st and submissions will be gratefully received up to the 11th of April. Please send submissions to [email protected]

Can you think of a Friend who loves Rivers or does water conservation work? Please connect me with them. I am looking for someone to interview for this edition.

Do you have something brief to share? A little noticing? Send me a letter to the editor!

If you’ve already contributed to the Rivers: Thank you so much!

Please share this post widely!

In community,

Caitlin

Photo credit: Joseph Amar - Horseshoe Bend, Colorado River, Page, AZ

03/15/2025

The January / February issue of Western Friend, On Epiphany, arrives at the post office and digitally today!

Inside, you will find contributions from:
• Kateri Boucher
• Ana Ebi
• Marge Gianelli
• Jaimie Mudd
• Jay Thatcher
• Jus Tavcar
• Molly Wingate
• Marybeth Webster

Enjoy!

03/15/2025

Dear Friends, we invite you to share your reflections on the theme of vocation for an upcoming issue of Western Friend! In the Quaker tradition, vocation is understood as a divine calling to a particular way of life or service. It's about listening for the whispers of the Spirit and responding to the Light within. We welcome submissions that explore the many ways Friends experience and express their vocations. The deadline for submissions is February 28th, but rumor has it the editor will accept writing into the first week of March.

If you're interested in writing for Western Friend, please visit our website to see a list of future themes and submission guidelines: https://westernfriend.org/uture-issues/

We look forward to reading your submissions!

Image: A teaser of the beautiful cover for Vocation by Joseph Amar
https://www.josephamarphotography.com/

02/21/2025

https://mailchi.mp/westernfriend.org/extra-extra_2025-02-15?e=5f06e3f3e1

Clink link above for the week's news from Western Friend!

Send a message to learn more

02/08/2025

https://westernfriend.org/news/

Recent back issues of Extra Extra: tinyurl.com/extra-extra-back-issuesSign up to receive the weekly email newsletter, Extra Extra Western Friend.Share news from your Quaker meeting or Quaker organization.

02/07/2025

Today is the birthday of Langston Hughes. My parents adored him, personally and professionally; my father set a number of his poems to music. From thewymaninstitute.org: "Author and poet Langston Hughes (1902-1967) was one of a number of prominent African-American supporters of the Bergson Group. He served as one of the honorary “Sponsors” of the group’s Emergency Conference to Save the Jewish People of Europe, in 1943."
And this is a bit of history I did not know, but my friend David Amram was involved in:
https://forward.com/culture/310241/he-sang-jewish-america/

There are good people at all times in all places. Let's try to remember that today.

02/07/2025

https://www.facebook.com/elpasoquakers?mibextid=ZbWKwL

Just a few weeks into the second Trump administration, chaos and confusion are running rampant in Washington, DC. Mass deportations and civil service layoffs are rolled out daily. Federal funding freezes are coupled with illegal moves to destroy government agencies and rewrite constitutional powers....