Visiting Friends

Quakers have a centuries-long history of intervisitation—seeking fellowship and deepening ties with Friends by way of personal, human-to-human, connection. 

Rooted in this practice, FCNL volunteer Visiting Friends (with support from FCNL staff) travel in the ministry to bring messages, presentations, and workshops about the core components of FCNL’s work through personal stories that nurture and energize Friends. Visiting Friends share, listen, and invite Friends into the life and power of Quaker advocacy.

What People Are Saying

“In my own work as a Friend over the past 42 years, the one consistently dependable, brilliant resource for my advocacy has been FCNL — the effectiveness of its educational capacity and its advocacy programs, and the constantly helpful coaching and inspiration and leadership of its staff. There simply is no better model of spirit-led democracy-building in world today than FCNL’s process of tapping our grass roots before we take collective action … With the Visiting Friends Program, FCNL has chosen to give a name to the spirit-led networking that you and I have naturally tried to do throughout our lives and has chosen to encourage us in this work. I’m grateful for and excited about the opportunity to serve in this way.” 

“Being a Visiting Friend for me means: changing the negative image that lobbying currently has; letting Friends know there are little steps and larger steps to be taken that have a big impact on legislative change; and to generate hope for the future. Quakers are in it for the long haul. There is hope.”

“Through these personal interactions as FCNL Visiting Friends, we are helping to build community and strengthen the Religious Society of Friends as a whole. Our collective voices are stronger and more persuasive when we can work together to advance the goals that we share.”