Heathsville Quaker Worship Group

07/14/2026

In response to the ongoing war in Iran the HQWG has endorsed the Shepherdstown Minute of Harm with the following letter:



Heathsville Quaker Worship Group
(Religious Society of Friends)
Endorsement of the Shepherdstown Minute 5/10/26

The Heathsville Quaker Worship Group is united in its concern regarding the ongoing war in Iran.
We therefore endorse the Shepherdstown Minute on Harms Caused by the Actions of our Current Government, on 7/5/2026. We add our voices to the many others, Quakers and non-Quakers alike who abhor the actions and behaviors of our government in waging war on Iran and urge our government to seek a peaceful resolution by honest and open diplomacy and other non-violent and cooperative means.
Friends affirm our long-held testimony to peace and our commitment to the rule of law. We are deeply troubled by actions taken by the executive branch without Congressional authorization, in violation of Article I of the United States Constitution and the War Powers Resolution. The authority to declare war rests with Congress, and when this authority is disregarded, the constitutional balance of power is undermined and democratic governance is endangered.

Friends are concerned the war on Iran risks escalating tensions in the Middle East and prolonging an illegal and unnecessary war, violates international law, including the United Nations Charter, and weakens global stability. We are further troubled by a broader pattern of executive overreach and Congressional inaction that threatens the integrity of our democratic institutions.

After prayerful discernment, we urge our elected representatives to:
• Enforce the War Powers Resolution and require the immediate and permanent cessation of all military operations;
• Support public hearings and investigations to ensure transparency, accountability, and adherence to the rule of law;
• Oppose the use of public funds for military action without explicit Congressional authorization; and
• Reassert Congress’s constitutional role as a co-equal branch of government.

Heathsville Quaker Worship Group
Claire J. Salkowski, Co-Clerk
Marcella Steele, Co-Clerk

07/06/2026

Our little group has begun meeting in our homes again so that we can gather on Sunday mornings rather than in the afternoon at St. Stephens which has generously hosted us since we began in 2024. With changes there it has become time to resume an old practice once again and we are grateful for those who open their homes to us for this wonderful Quaker practice.

Our current business is the endorsement of a minute from Shepherdstown on the harm caused by our current government in the war with Iran.

We hope others will join us in calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, and a commitment to diplomacy and peacebuilding. We , like others, join the Friends Committee on National Legislation, the American Friends Service Committee, and other Quakers in urging the United States Government to pursue non-violent pathways to peace through diplomacy, international cooperation, and peacebuilding actions.

01/31/2026

Speaking Truth to Power

Every person has inherent worth, no matter where they were born. As a Quaker organization, we believe all people's rights should be respected. That includes immigrants. But today the Trump administration is using brutal measures to detain and deport more people.

01/19/2026

01/19/2026

We are doing our part on Heathsville!

01/18/2026

As we prepare to celebrate the great peacemaker we need to remember that ,as he said, only when it is darkest can we see the stars.

In the face of attacks on our rights and democracy, people nationwide are organizing to protect each other and create the society we all deserve.

01/13/2026

As our friends at Common Cause sent out today, "Between the President’s reckless and unconstitutional military actions in Venezuela, and the outrageous killing of Renee Nicole Good by ICE agents in Minneapolis (with a similar shooting just yesterday in Portland, Oregon), the weight of injustice can feel too heavy to bear...the best way we can respond to this sort of horrific political violence is coming together, living our values, and speaking up for a country where every one of us is safe and welcome." I hope those in the area will all come! To reiterate the words of MLK, JR, " . "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter... It is not enough to say we must not wage war. It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it."