Bethesda Friends Meeting


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Bethesda Friends worship together on Sundays at 11:00 a.m. via two venues 

  1. Indoors in the Meetinghouse at the Sidwell Friends Lower School, 
  2. Online via Zoom.  Please click here for the weekly schedule and to ask for the Zoom link. 


Welcome to Bethesda Friends Meeting

We're Quakers who meet every Sunday at 11:00 a.m.
Our meetinghouse is on the Sidwell Friends Lower School campus.
We are worshiping in person and also via Zoom.  

We strive for:

SIMPLICITY - Learning to discern the essential from the non-essential.

PEACE - Living in a spirit that takes away the occasion for all war.

INTEGRITY - Being who we truly are and truly meaning what we say.

COMMUNITY - Knowing that we need one another in order to be whole.

EQUALITY - Knowing that everyone, everywhere is equally precious to God. This includes people of all ages, abilities, sexual orientation, races, ethnicities, levels of resources, and theological perspectives.

STEWARDSHIP - Caring for the environment and using time and resources wisely, not wastefully.

We are a welcoming community. 

We believe there is that of the Divine 

in every person.

BFM's Social Concern for June is for Comfort Cases, who inspires communities to bring dignity and hope to youth in foster care.


On any given day, there are approximately 437,500 children in foster care in the United States. Most of them are removed from their homes with little more than the clothes on their backs. If they do have any personal belongings, they are usually given a trash bag in which to carry them.

Comfort Cases believes that every foster child deserves to feel a sense of dignity, for example to be able to pack their belongings in a special bag that they can call their very own. Each Comfort Case for a baby, child, or teen is a soft backpack or duffel with PJs, a blanket, toiletries, stuffed animal, and books (including a coloring book or journal). The group also engages communities and educates the public about the issues facing youth in foster care, for example by providing volunteer opportunities for all ages. Learn more at https://comfortcases.org/our-mission/. 

    Friends Meeting of Washington
    Offers Self-Guided,
    Online Quakerism 101


    Friends Meeting of Washington (FMW)  offers their Quakerism 101 (Q101) class online so that it can be easily accessed based on your interest and schedule.

    • This basic class in Quakerism was developed to provide an introduction for newcomers and a refresher for members and attenders through a diversity of perspectives.

    Access the Course Here



    DC Quakers at DC Pride Festival, June 11, 2023

    DC Pride Festival, Quaker booth, 2023

     


    Peace and Social Justice Committee

    Webpage

    An Urgent Call to Protect Human Life and Bring a Just Peace to Palestine and Israel

    At the January 7, 2024 Bethesda Friends Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, a Minute about the violence in Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel was approved by BFM.

    • Please click here to read this Minute. 
    • This page will give more information about the mearing of a Quaker "minute" and past Bethesda Friends and Baltimore Yearly Meeting minutes. 

    Every Thursday: AFSC Meeting for Worship re: Peace in Israel and Palestine 

    • The violence in Palestine and Israel has impacted the AFSC (American Friends Service Committee) community in many ways.  Please join us every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. for a Meeting for Worship via Zoom, gathering in solidarity and holding those most impacted in the Light. All are invited. Register at this link. 
    Every Friday: AFSC Action Hour for a Ceasefire in Gaza 
    Join American Friends Service Committee (AFSa child is holding two precious eggsC) staff every Friday at 12:00 p.m. to hear updates from Gaza. Then, take action with us as we contact our elected officials and call for an immediate cease-fire and humanitarian access to Gaza. Our elected officials need to keep hearing from us.  To attend, please register at this link. 
      COVID-19 AND END OF LIFE ISSUES
      • Recently, BFM formed an End of Life Group to provide legal, spiritual, and practical resources to help our community cope with the uncertainties and fears surrounding the end of life. 
      • The COVID-19 pandemic significantly elevated concerns about the health of family and friends, and the possibility that they could become gravely ill and die. 
      • Although conversations with our loved ones about such a possibility are difficult, it’s important to prepare.
      • Please click here to see more details and resources. 


      RECURRING EVENTS

      Experiment with Light

      At 7:30 p.m. on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month, people at BFM use a meditative and centering practice based upon Rex Ambler’s book, Light to Live By. 

      This method describes early Quaker meditative habits and translates them into a highly accessible process of clearness and understanding. We use prompts at home that can be listened to online, followed by a worship-share via Zoom. 

      BFM Book Group

      This vibrant group meets via Zoom, discussing a variety of books on both Quaker and non-Quaker topics.

      1:30 - 3:15 PM, 2nd Saturday of each month

      Please click here for more information,

      using our Contact Us form.


       

      Comparative Religions:

      Exploring the Roots of Religion--

      Buddhism

      A BFM group hosts a class on Buddhism each week on Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. via a half hour virtual video lecture (using Zoom) from The Great Courses: exploring the roots of world religions, followed by a half hour discussion. 

      • Use our Contact Us form to get the Zoom link, or see your email bulletin. Each session is self-contained, so anyone can attend any session.

      Wednesday Mid-Week Worship

      A group holds an at-home Worship

      on Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m.

      If you wish to join, please read the weekly announcement here. After the virtual Meeting there is a

      sharing time via email. 


      Bethesda Friends Meeting

      Mailing Address:
      P.O. Box 30152, Bethesda MD 20824

      Our Meetinghouse is on the campus of the Sidwell Friends Lower School at the intersection of Edgemoor Lane and Beverly Road in Bethesda, Maryland

      We are a member of the Religious Society of Friends

      www.bethesdafriends.org
      301-986-8681
      info@bethesdafriends.org

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