Dear Friends,

We are in such a loving community with one another.  Violence surrounds us through this administration and takes up most of our news cycles. There is so much we need to do to respond.

The first thing is always to pray.  We need to pray for the nation, but also each other as we all feel the impact of this violence.  We need to especially pray for our Friends who are dealing with their own tensions atop the tensions of this time.  This morning is a good time to pray for Sarah Rogers, daughter of Sue Graves, who goes to surgery this morning in Portland to remove a growth on her lung.  Please pray for Sarah and for Sue.  Also pray for those for whom this tension in the nation is setting off triggers for depression and anxiety.  There are a few we will keep in prayer for whom this is a growing concern.  Hold each other in the Light. Imagine each person filled with the healing Light of Love radiating through their being. Hold our nation in the Light and the world as we perpetrate violence internationally.  We definitely need more love and prayer in this world.

The next is to become informed.  We have an opportunity to learn about what is going on in Gaza and things that we can do to be of help through the American Friends Service Committee.  Eugene Friends is sponsoring an event on January 23 from 4-5:30 PM.  There will be two speakers from AFSC: Jennifer Bing who is the National Director of the Palestine Activism Program with AFSC and Zoe Jannuzi who is the Activism Program Director for Palestine with AFSC.  These two speakers will bring us information on what are practical and doable tasks as well as relevant and clear information on the war in Gaza. https://us15.campaign-archive.com/?u=b3919ba778f46050fb765c146&id=d8d36198f7#gaza-event

The next is to become active. Quaker Call and Phil Gulley have put together an evening zoom meeting called NATIONAL ZOOM CALL: From Exhaustion to Enthusiasm, Joyful Resistance in a Time of Tyranny. This will be a spiritually grounded space for Friends to listen, share, and discern your call to witness for Truth during these dangerous, upsetting times.  This event will be held on January 25 from 7:00-8:30.  To sign up please go to https://quakercall.net/join-the-conversation?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email and you will be sent the zoom link.  It is important to gather with other Quakers as we respond with love and tenacity to the events happening in our nation.

Finally, working locally is a great way to re-empower yourselves as we think of others.  We have a chance on January 21 to help with feeding the hungry at the Thrive Warming Center.  We will be meeting there at 6:00 and feeding and eating with folks at 7:30 PM.  You are invited to come to both or one of these parts of the event as we offer fellowship to those for whom houselessness and cold are prominent issues.  We will meet briefly this Sunday after the book study to come up with a menu. There will be a sign-up sheet available on the entryway table of the meeting house.

Also, our local Peace and Social Concerns with Klamath Falls Friends meeting is at 9:00 on the third Sunday of every month.  Your voice is needed.  Prayers are welcomed.

Thank you, Friends, for all you do and are doing to help respond with truth and grace to the awful reality of our age here in America and in Klamath Falls.

This Sunday is the last book group of the season finishing the last two chapters and epilogue of the book A Quaker Book of Wisdom.  It is always a delightful conversation.  But you don’t have to read the book to be involved as we focus on our own spiritual journeys, and we discuss topics from the book.

Don’t forget the potluck here at the church on January 18 after worship!!!  Loads of fun and fellowship. 

A couple of other announcements.  Clean up day is January 17 starting at 9:00.  It has been taking less than an hour to clean the building. Our meeting for worship with attention to business is January 25 at 11:00.  We will be discussing the budget.

Blessings,

Leigh