Newsletter for Dec 28th
Cybil Schroder
THIS SUNDAY, Dec 28th
Dear Friends,
Our Meeting for Worship is from
10:00 - 11:00, at 15 Second Ave in San Mateo
or join us online at this link
San Mateo Worship Group Events
Hope you can make it for this Sunday’s Worship!
Palo Alto Events
If you would like to deepen your worship experience throughout the week, we encourage people to join one of Palo Alto meeting’s or Ben Lomond Quaker Center’s midweek activities.
Wednesday, 8am Online: Mindfulness Meditation (Zoom)
Wednesday, 4:30pm Palo Alto In-person Midweek Worship (not meeting 12/31/25)
Wednesday, 6pm Online Mid-week Worship (Zoom) Palo Alto Friends
Ben Lomond Quaker Center
Daily online meeting for worship from 7:30 until 8:00 a.m.
Wednesday mornings, 10 a.m. online worship sharing.
Thursdays in January (Jan 8, 15, 22 & 29) 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. online. How can a deeply rooted inner life sustain courageous action for justice? We’ll explore Howard Thurman’s 1944 prose-poem The Great Incarnate Word using the spiritual practice of Lectio Divina—prayerful, unhurried reading and reflection of short passages.
January 23-25, Clerking Today, in-person,with Barbara Babin. learn the basics of the beautiful Quaker practice of Clerking: the workshop will be targeted towards clerking committees, clerking the Meeting, clerking oneself as a participant in a Meeting for Business or a committee meeting, and the good order of Friends. Anyone who clerks/convenes or even thinks about taking on those responsibilities is encouraged to go to this workshop using scholarship funds.
February (Feb 2, 9, 16 & 23) 6:30 – 8 p.m. Quaker Prayer an online program with Mary Miche. This online workshop will use short videos and guided, worshipful discussion to explore the rich varieties and common threads within the practice and experience of prayer among Friends.
Ben Lomond Quaker center calendar for 2026 here and also on our bulletin board.
The Larger Quaker Community
Quake it up. The Five Best Objections to Quakerism. This is worth watching even with the 3 brief ads.
January 13, 2026 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm, Online. Pendle Hill January Reading Group Worship sharing on Carol Conti-Entin’s "Improvisation and Spiritual Disciplines: Continuing the Divine-Human Duet" (PHP #288)
January 25 Quaker Concert Series, 1 pm. San Jose Friends Meeting will host a 140th Anniversary Concert series. This event will be a Community Sing with Karenna Slade and all voices are welcome. Join them to sing songs of peace and community (folk, pop, blues), sing rounds, and improvise. It is a fundraiser for their Wheelchair Accessibility Project in their historic Meeting House. For more information, click here.
Saturday, April 4, there will be a regional gathering of Friends from as far north as San Mateo and as far south as San Luis Obispo. This gathering will be at Hidden Villa in Los Altos Hills.
Advocacy: AFSC, FCNL, FCLCA, QEW, RSWR, Community Groups
AFSC December Newsletter Acting in Faith. Ways to engage with AFSC and an update on their work.
December 20th, Third Saturdays. 10 a.m. Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW). Led by environmental-law scholar Lee Hall (they/them), this series explores the Quaker-rooted EMERGE framework. It shows how our shared values guide a transformative shift in consciousness and behavior to address the intertwined crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and inequality. Learn more at emergevalues.org
Friday, Jan 16 - Sun, Jan 18, 2026, Online: Non violent Communication Annual conference. The gathering brings together people from across the globe who care about compassion, understanding, and living with more intention. Together we'll share practices, learn new skills, and support one another in bringing NVC more fully into our daily lives.
Wednesday, January 21, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM, Asilomar Conference Grounds. EcoFarm 2026 Pre-Conference: “Land Stewardship in a Changing Climate,” A Daylong Collaboratory on Regenerative Practices, Resilience, and Community Action
January 24, 1 p.m. online Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet. Drawing on Thích Nhất Hạnh’s teachings and years of facilitation, explore how mindfulness, community, and joy help us face the climate crisis without burning out – and how simple practices like deep listening, compassionate dialogue, and mindful rest can strengthen our Earthcare witness.
Tom & Sandy Farley
Friends
We have had several conversations after meeting on matters of ethics and
the apparent lack of them in some aspects of national government.
I have felt inclined to try setting forth ideals or standards I would
like to see upheld.
As I drafted these ideas I saw how easy it would be to get mired in
details. It could run on for chapters! What I have is a few paragraphs.
I invite you to read and comment, if it is of interest to you.
My essay is attached.
Sandy Farley
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Jerry McBride
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talley kenyon
Thank you for sharing.
I sometimes find that writing things out helps me to clarify my thoughts and whether there is a leading that is calling to me. Perhaps this will help you in that way.
Talley
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