Bethesda Friends Meeting

Spiritual State of the Meeting (SSOM) 

(The SSOM is drafted in February/March and finalized in April, 2024)

SEEKING INPUT ON THE SPIRITUAL STATE OF OUR MEETING (SSOM)

Dear Friends:


Each year, the Ministry and Worship Committee gathers input on the spiritual state of the meeting and develops a report for consideration by the Meeting.  To frame these discussions, we develop queries on how friends are feeling about their participation in Bethesda Friends Meeting, what is working or not working, and how we might provide the best possible spiritual nurture.  We truly value every response we get and hope you will give us your views. 


Queries on which we invite input are set out below 

  1. What draws you (or drew you) to Bethesda Friends Meeting? In what ways are you feeling spiritually supported by Bethesda Friends Meeting? 
  2. Have you had opportunities to share your spiritual gifts with the Meeting?  Has your involvement brought you moments of joy or satisfaction?
  3. How do you bring Quaker insights, inspiration, and practices into your daily life outside the Meeting?
  4. How do you feel about Bethesda Friends Meeting’s work to cultivate peace and justice within and beyond the Meeting?

You do not need to respond to each of the queries; we welcome input on those that resonate with you. 


Pathways to provide input include the following

  • 1)      At our regular monthly Meeting for Business on February 4 (9:00 a.m.), we hope there will be time for worship sharing on these queries.
  • 2)      We will host a discussion at the rise of meeting on February 11.  This will be a hybrid session.  The Zoom link will be the same one as for Meeting for Worship, found in your weekly Bulletin (or use our Contact Us Form). 
  • 3)      At our monthly potluck lunch on February 18 at 12:15 p.m., members of the Ministry and Worship Committee will host tables for those wishing to share their responses to the queries.
  • 4)      We will solicit input from each of the BFM committees. 
  • 5)      We welcome you to provide input on these queries by email to ministry-worship@bethesdafriends.org.  
  • 6)      This link goes to a form that lists the queries and has spaces for responses; you may sign it or not, as you wish.
  • 7)      We also welcome you to provide input directly to any member of the Ministry and Worship Committee. (See your Directory; abbreviated names are listed below.) 

We look forward to hearing from you.  Thank you! -- from the BFM Ministry and Worship Committee

Georgianna Z. Gale T. Doug S. Linda M.  Stephanie K.
Ralph B. Lauren B. Bernie B. Margaret B.  


A first reading of the SSOM report will be held at the March 3, 2024 Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business,

with a second reading in April.

After approval, it is forwarded and archived by the Baltimore Yearly Meeting.


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 organization of the Religious Society of Friends

www.bethesdafriends.org
301-986-8681
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