As 2024 draws to a close, we are pausing to reflect on the remarkable strength and dedication of this community. You have played a critical role in connecting the concerns of Friends in your meeting or church with advocacy with federal policymakers. I am so grateful to work with all of you.
Through prayerful listening and active participation, you have shown up in powerful ways – speaking out for peace, justice, and integrity in our local and national communities.
You showed up to advocate
Since January, nearly 2,600 people in our community have made more than 700 lobby visits. Each month, hundreds of you gather for FCNL Advocacy Team calls to learn and ground your continued work through that program. You’ve acted in community as well, sharing more than 80 corporate statements of concern around the devastating violence in Gaza and finding creative ways to amplify that concern through letters to the editor, vigils, events, and more.
You showed up to listen
Between January and April, more than 250 of your communities gathered to discern where FCNL is called to focus in the upcoming session of Congress. FCNL’s Policy Committee relied on your faithful listening to Divine guidance in drafting the legislative priorities for the 119th Congress approved at FCNL’s Annual Meeting in November. You can build on this work by joining us on January 28, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET – we will gather to welcome the 119th Congress with action.
You showed up to learn
In Quaker Changemaker conversations, we explored the many ways Friends are letting their lives speak in the world. Topics included Quaker work for peace and justice in Palestine and Israel, strategies to interrupt violence in U.S. communities, a conversation across generations about organizing on college campuses, and the ways Friends are witnessing and acting for our democracy. If you missed any of these events, the recordings are all available on our YouTube channel.
You showed up in community
It was wonderful to connect with many members of our community at the 16 Yearly Meeting annual sessions that staff attended this year. It is always a highlight to gather, worship together, and hear about your community’s concerns. Every week, we look forward to gathering with members of this beloved community for a time of worship and reflection.
Join us for Witness Wednesday!
My hope lives in this community’s shared commitment to the values of Friends that ground this work. Your advocacy is more than just action – it is a matter of life: the life of our shared humanity and the lives of those suffering from injustice.
The past year has called on each of us to listen to Spirit’s guidance and live into what this moment requires of us all. As we enter the holiday season, we wish you peace, rest, and renewal. This work is demanding, and as we labor for justice, we must also care for our own well-being,
May the days ahead bring you comfort, strength, and a renewed sense of purpose as we continue our work together in the year to come.
