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Friends General Conference Joins over Two Dozen Religious Groups in New Immigration Lawsuit
by Sharlee DiMenichi, Friends Journal Opposing immigration enforcement in houses of worship, Friends General Conference (FGC) joined an interfaith lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and two of its enforcement agencies, the Customs and...
Ad Hoc Committee on Race & Racism Final Report
Summary of Recommended Actions for Richmond Friends Meeting 2025 and 2026 Form a three-person Race and Racial Justice Team, whose members will serve two-year terms, under the care of the Clerk of Meeting. Reparations to Indigenous peoples – Form a short-term ad hoc...
Richmond Friends Meeting Joins Democracy Forward Lawsuit Against Department of Homeland Security
Baltimore Yearly Meeting, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, New England Yearly Meeting and two BYM monthly meetings- Adelphi and Richmond - filed a lawsuit on January 27, 2025 against the Department of Homeland Security. The lawsuit challenges the Department’s rescission...
BYM Reparations Delivered to the Pawnee Nation
Three Friends travelled to the Pawnee nation in Oklahoma to deliver a $10,000 check from Baltimore Yearly Meeting. The check was the first of two offered in reparation for a school run for several years in the late 1800s by BYM Quakers that was disrespectful and...
Reading Between the Lines, February 2
The Adult Spiritual Education committee will host a one-hour Reading Between the Lines, onZoom, starting at 9 am, on Feb. 2, 2025. We will discuss John 1: 43-51: recognitions beyondsurfaces; the witness of one person leading to another “unlikely” person; the unlikely...
BYM Camps Are Open for Registration
BYM Camp registration is open. Financial assistance is available. Please contact Anna Best or Shannon Garrett with questions. You may also visit bymcamps.org for more information. If you know of a child who may enjoy attending camp, RE encourages you to engage with...
RE Announcements for February
The RE committee would like to clarify a procedure for parents of babies. Babies will not be brought to the Meeting room with the older children at the rise of meeting. For safety reasons, we ask that parents please retrieve their babies immediately following the...
Spiritual State of the Meeting Announcement: January 25, 9-11:30
Please join us Saturday, January 25th from 9:00-11:30 in person/Zoom for the Spiritual State of Richmond Friends Meeting, meeting. Guided by BYM Queries, we will try to discern Spirit’s movement among us this past year. This is an opportunity to share your thoughts on...
Last program of Quakerism 101: Quakers in the Wider World
The Fourth and final session of Quakerism 101 will be held at the Meetinghouse on January 26 at 9:30 am. Topic --"Quakers in the Wider World." Kelly Kennedy will facilitate beginning with a PowerPoint including maps of Quakers in Virginia, the nation, and worldwide....
December 5–Financial Dignity: Exploring the Historic Racial Wealth gap in RVA
Randy Cooper will share his extraordinary journey from hardship to leadership from his perspective as a credit union president in Richmond VA ......and growing up as the youngest of 11 children in Enfield NC. Date of Event: Thursday, Dec 5 Time: From 1 pm to 2 pm...
Living Our Values on Race and Racism: Forward Together
Come learn and contribute to RFM’s on-going discernment around race and racism. After a two-year process involving deep listening, study, and prayerful reflection, the Ad Hoc Committee on Race & Racism presented a proposed action/implementation plan at the...
Update from the Wayne Taylor ad hoc Committee
Our committee (Barb Pedrotty, Denna Joy, Scott Morrison, Randee Humphrey/clerk) has been hard at work since May 2021, considering the potential ways and means of distributing the residual estate left to Richmond Friends Meeting by the late Carl Wayne Taylor "to...
Quakerism 101: “Getting It Done,” September 22
Join us on Sunday, September 22, in person from 9:15-10:30 am in the Community room. In this session we'll be exploring Quaker Process. Friends make decisions about how to tend to Spirit, how to care for each other, how to nourish ourselves and our families, how to...
The History of Richmond Friends Meeting Concerning Race and Racism, the 17th to 21st Centuries, August 24
The Ad Hoc Committee on Race and Racism has been researching the history of our meeting through a racial lens. We will present our findings on Saturday, August 24, in the community room at the Meetinghouse. Coffee beginning at 9:30; program from 10:00 to 11:30. This...
Minute Against Violence in the Region of Gaza, Israel, and the West Bank
We, the members of the Richmond (VA) Friends Meeting are heartbroken and stricken with horror and grief at the recent renewed eruption of violence in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank. We call for an immediate ceasefire by both Israel and Hamas, the prompt release...
Minute Opposing Demolition of Richmond Community Hospital
Richmond Friends Meeting recognizes that inequality and injustice on race are deeply rooted in our society. Our faith community continues to deliberatively examine this cruel history and to face the on-going realities of systemic racism. We are committed to work with...
Quakerism 101 Second Session, “Evolution and Revolution” on June 22, 2024
Adult Spiritual Education invites all members and attenders, those new to Quakerism as well as seasoned Friends, to learn more about our history. Mark your calendars and plan on joining us on Saturday, June 22 at 9:30. Our topic will be Quaker History: Evolution and...
“Progress and Pushback: The Challenges of Changing a Race-Based Society”
Please mark your calendar for the first of three educational programs to be sponsored by the ad hoc Committee on Race and Racism as we move forward on developing an action/implementation plan for Richmond Friends Meeting. Ana Edwards, a public historian and faculty...
Quakerism 101
Quakerism 101, a four-session introduction to Quakerism, its history, writings, values, and beliefs held its first session on Sunday, April 28, at 9:30 am with more than 30 friends attending. This session addressed “The Light Within: What Quakers Believe" with a panel...
Memorial Minute for Bette Gilchrist
By Margaret Edds Bette Diebold Gilchrist, a plain-spoken Midwesterner by birth, an intellectually curious biologist by profession, and a lifelong seeker after truth, died on May 5, 2022, in Richmond, Virginia. A member of the Richmond Friends Meeting since January 20,...
RFM Minute on Race and Racism
(Final version, revised 28 January 2024) As Friends, our belief that there is “that of God” in everyone grounds our practice of upholding the worth of each human being. Each person is guided by an Inward Teacher toward truth; each has the capacity to experience and be...
C. Wayne Taylor Bequest Ad Hoc Committee
SAVE THE DATE: Thursday, September 14, 7-8:15 p.m. Zoom presentation by the C. Wayne Taylor Bequest Ad Hoc Committee ". . .to be used for the direct benefit of needy people residing in the Richmond metropolitan area." This was the only guidance...
Race and Racism Ad Hoc Committee, Listening Circles
The Race and Racism Ad Hoc Committee will host 4 listening circles, continuing our charge of engaging the Meeting in an inclusive and open discernment process to learn what our meeting is led to do around race and racism. The listening circles are open to all...
Meal Train launched to support Brooke, Nick, and Andrew
To the Richmond Friends Meeting community, Brooke Davis, Nick Martina, and Andrew Kossan are deeply grieving after the heartbreaking sudden death by overdose of Andrew's older brother, Alex, on July 21. The Care + Counsel committee of Richmond Friends Meeting has...
What Should RFM Do Around Race and Racism?
Over 50 responses to the query, "What should RFM do regarding race and racism?,” have been received and are now available on the password-protected portion of the Richmond Friends Meeting website. First, go to https://www.richmondfriendsmeeting.org/....
What Should RFM Do Around Race and Racism?
First deeply consider your own experiences and actions regarding race and racism, and those of Richmond Friends Meeting, and the wider society. Then please write your response to this query: What should RFM do regarding race and racism? Members and...
A Query from the RFM Ad Hoc Committee on Race and Racism
What are we at Richmond Friends Meeting led to do around race and racism? At our business meeting in December of 2022, we approved the formation of the Ad Hoc Committee on Race and Racism. The committee’s charge is to 1) develop and engage the Meeting in an inclusive...
Request for assistance
Elizabeth Price and her family need assistance: Elizabeth Price, mom of Rebecca and Joshua is having bicuspid aortic valve surgery on 4/28/23. The procedure involves open heart surgery and replacing her valve with a mechanical one. Complete recovery may...
A Quaker Wedding at The Clearing: All are invited!
Cameron Wooddy and Maddie Dalzell would like to extend their warmest wishes for your attendance at their marriage under the care of Richmond Friends Meeting on Saturday, May 20th, 2023 at 4:30pm at The Clearing. The ceremony will be followed by a potluck dinner,...
What is the Fund for Sufferings?
Born of long-term Quaker tradition and originally established to help those suffering economic hardship due to acts of conscience, the Fund for Sufferings was reinstated at Richmond Friends Meeting in 2009 to be used for short-term help for members and attenders in...
Masks Optional is Back!
Since the transmission level for Richmond and the surrounding area is now at low levels, per CDC guidelines, mask wearing is now optional. We will still crack the windows to allow for proper ventilation and the air purifiers will be running.
Quaker Social Justice Organizations
There is so much happening in the realm of social justice, environment, and world emergencies.How to keep informed and act according to our Quaker values? The following organizations can help you take timely steps to address various issues. Subscribe to get their...
A Return to Masking
Friends are asked to return to wearing masks during Meeting for Worship. The community transmission rate in Richmond and surrounding counties is now High, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Transmission). Therefore, the Ministry and Worship...
Aging in Community Support Group
The “Aging in Community Support Group” restructured to a simpler format this past year. In July, the aging group approved a scaled-down organizational structure; essentially needing only a clerk and four care coordinators, dropping the “official” program and...
Memorial Minute for Martha Jane Menk
Martha Jane Menk, an attender and member of Richmond Friends Meeting for over three decades, passed away on August 3, 2022, after a prolonged journey with Parkinson’s disease. An artist whose wide-ranging interests included watercolor, pastels, pastel chalk,...
Celebrating Cameron and Maddie!
This recommendation follows three meetings over the last two months with a marriage clearness committee composed of Annie Salter, clerk, Catherine Roseberry, Don Miller, and Randee Humphrey. The recommendation will be held over until January's business meeting,...
Meeting for Remembrance
On Sunday, November 6th at 11:00am, we’ll gather in worship at The Clearing for an opportunity to share treasured memories of those who have come before us, whether we are old-timers or newcomers at meeting alike. Several years ago, the idea for a Meeting for...
Masks in the Worship room will be optional
The CDC and the VA Dept of Health rate our region as LOW in community transmission of Covid. Hence, we are making modifications according to their guidelines and also in sensitivity to the desires of our Quaker community. For the present: We will designate one section...
Fund for Sufferings
Care and Counsel reminds everyone that the committee administers the Fund for Sufferings. This fund was born of long-standing Quaker tradition, originally to help those suffering economic hardship due to acts of conscience. Today, the Fund for Sufferings stands apart...
Jules Arginteanu Memorial Meeting for Worship Oct. 1, 3 p.m.
Friends, this is a quick reminder and update from the Care and Counsel committee that a Memorial Meeting for Worship for Jules Arginteanu will be held at 4500 Kensington Avenue at 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 1, 2022. For those attending the Memorial Meeting...
New Member Welcome at RFM 9/25
From the Care and Counsel Committee It's been a long-standing autumn tradition at Richmond Friends Meeting to welcome new members of RFM at a reception held at the rise of worship. The Care and Counsel Committee will revive this tradition on First Day September...
The passing of Jules Arginteanu
F/friend Jules Arginteanu passed away Friday, August 5 in the care of hospice at home and surrounded by his family. Please continue to hold Ellen and Jules' family in the Light. Details of Jules memorial meeting will be provided later.
Passing of Friend Martha Menk
After a long illness, our F/friend Martha Menk died on Wednesday, August 3. Details about a memorial service will come later. Please hold Gary, Isaac, and their extended family in the Light.
From Care + Counsel: the passing of David Hines
From Care & Counsel: Friend David Hines passed away at 6:23 am today, July 18, from brain cancer. His wife Liza Bruce was with him. David and Liza were married under the care of Richmond Friends Meeting eighteen years ago. Details about a Memorial...
BYM Annual Session
The Baltimore Yearly Meeting (BYM) Annual Session will be in person for the first time since August 2019 with online programs as well. It is the time where folks from all over our Yearly Meeting gather to worship, conduct business and enjoy a wide variety of programs...
Update about Bette Gilchrist memorial meeting for worship
An update about Bette Gilchrist memorial meeting for worship.The memorial meeting for Bette Gilchrist will still be at 7:00 on Friday, June 10. We regret that we will not be able to hold a reception with food and drink afterward. This is because the Covid level now...
Let’s return to masks at Meeting
Friends, Ministry and Worship is asking that everyone over age 2 wears a mask in the worship room, as of today. This is because the CDC has deemed that Richmond and surrounding counties have moved from Medium risk up to High risk. Our meeting's decision some months...
Children’s Classes and Nursery Cancelled
The RE Committee is cancelling all children's classes at the meetinghouse and nursery for this First Day, May 29. Several teachers have been exposed to Covid and the risk is too high. We are planning to keep open June 5. We'll let you know if we close RE....
RFM COVID Update
Friends —VDH/CDC now have Richmond and surroundings rated “High.”Ministry & Worship plans to implement stronger safety protocols for worship, including asking for universal masking at indoor gatherings, continuing attention to ventilation and maintaining 6’ social...
Spring Retreat Updates
For those who are coming to Spring Retreat, we have a number of updates for you. Please read carefully! We will also have this information available at The Clearing when you arrive. FIRST - Please be aware that VDH has now moved Richmond and...