Friends General Conference Gathering underway

Over 1,200 Quakers are attending this week’s Friends General Conference (FGC) Gathering in Pennsylvania

More than 1,200 Quakers are attending this week’s Friends General Conference (FGC) Gathering at the University of California’s Pennsylvania campus.

This year’s theme is ‘Let Love Be the First Motion’, a quote from Quaker and eighteenth century abolitionist John Woolman.

The theme formed the basis of the Monday evening plenary, when Quakers Victoria Greene, Noah Baker Merrill and Su Penn spoke of how love comes in many forms and how love in our lives can lead us to a variety of actions. The speakers were chosen because their lives and work in the world have been shaped, in very different ways, by the motion of love.

Victoria Greene told participants how the death of her son motivated her to help support the families of murder victims, and led her to establish the Philadelphia-based organisation Every Murder is Real.

Su Penn has long been active with Friends for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) concerns. She spoke about spirituality and sexuality.

Noah Baker Merrill, a co-founder of Quaker Voluntary Service and secretary of New England Yearly Meeting, also spoke from personal experience.

The theme allowed Gathering participants to reflect on their own lives, said FGC communications and web manager Chris Pifer: ‘It will give them the opportunity to let love be the first motion to start a fresh start with people and the world,’ he added.

Liz Yeats, of Austin Meeting in Texas, told the Friend that attending this year’s FGC Gathering had taught her that ‘more than 1,200 Quakers can come together in song, games, dancing, workshops, living and learning to love’. She said of the theme: ‘Let love be the first motion emphasises the priority of love in support of and creation of relationships and in doing business.’

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