Durham Friends Meeting

09/02/2026

FCNL is deeply honored to announce that it will be the new fiscal sponsor for Legacies of War, the leading organization dedicated to addressing the ongoing harms caused by unexploded U.S. ordinance dropped in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

This exciting partnership brings together two organizations deeply united by a shared commitment to peace, human dignity, and the healing of war-torn communities.

“For over two decades, Legacies has transformed awareness into action, shifting U.S. policy and bringing healing to communities impacted by unexploded ordnance," said FCNL's General Secretary Bridget Moix left. "Together, we look forward to building a more peaceful, reconciled future.”

"Partnering with FCNL bridges our mission with a legendary legacy of Quaker peacebuilding—bringing us full circle as we work together to heal the enduring wounds of the American wars in Southeast Asia," said Sera Koulabdara, CEO of Legacies of War (right).

Photo: Bridget and Sera at FCNL's Capitol Hill office in 2024.

09/02/2026

From Friends Journal, our Social Justice witness:

One meeting's collaboration with local schools.

08/27/2026

COME DO YOUR MENDING AT THE MAKER CAFÉ!
If you're a beginner - come learn.
If you're an expert - come help others.
Do you have a shirt that needs a button? A skirt that needs to be hemmed? Something that needs a tear repaired? Bring your mending!
There will be needles and thread, buttons for practice, and scraps to try basic stitches.
Led by expert mender Brenda Kelleher who finds that the simple practice of mending, hemming, replacing a button is good for the soul.
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Details at https://MakerCafe.org
Advance sign up is helpful but not necessary.
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And/or join us after the mending session for our dinner café with live music featuring Kathi Nordone.

08/26/2026

Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm is a spiritual leader with hands-on experience in the connected practices of healing land, building community, and planting the seeds of tomorrow.

Leah is one of many wise and dynamic experts you'll get to learn from at Convocation 2026 at The Ecology School in S**o, ME, on Friday, September 18.

To learn more about Convocation and register before early-bird pricing ends, visit the link in the comments. We'd love to see you there!

08/26/2026

08/19/2026

Blessing in a Time of Violence by Jan Richardson
Which is to say
this blessing
is always.

Which is to say
there is no place
this blessing
does not long
to cry out
in lament,
to weep its words
in sorrow,
to scream its lines
in sacred rage.

Which is to say
there is no day
this blessing ceases
to whisper
into the ear
of the dying,
the despairing,
the terrified.

Which is to say
there is no moment
this blessing refuses
to sing itself
into the heart
of the hated
and the hateful,
the victim
and the victimizer,
with every last
ounce of hope
it has.

Which is to say
there is none
that can stop it,
none that can
halt its course,
none that will
still its cadence,
none that will
delay its rising,
none that can keep it
from springing forth
from the mouths of us
who hope,
from the hands of us
who act,
from the hearts of us
who love,
from the feet of us
who will not cease
our stubborn, aching
marching, marching
until this blessing
has spoken
its final word,
until this blessing
has breathed
its benediction
in every place,
in every tongue:

Peace.
Peace.
Peace.

08/13/2026

"Peace is not the mere absence of war. It is a positive condition of justice. It is the sister of charity and mercy. It is the offspring of honesty and truth. It is the triumph of principle."

Dorothy Thompson

08/03/2026

08/03/2026

Another reason to like us, Durham Friends holds care of three cemeteries, from the post - revolution era to the present, including our latest offering of a green burial. Friends are just dying to be included....

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?