Published: March 12, 2021
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To Friends Everywhere,
Living in the Spirit amidst the unprecedented global angst of the pandemic, ecological disaster, racial injustice, wars, and insurrection, Friends Peace Teams chooses to be part of the Great
Turning toward a transformed, regenerative society. Along with many Quaker institutions, Friends Peace Teams is challenging the organization’s systemic racism and the colonialist legacy of wealthy, mostly white North American and Australian Quakers “helping” people with less privilege. The question of “who is the ‘we’ of Friends Peace Teams?” has kept us focused on the life-giving, people- to-people relationships that are the foundation of grassroots, Spirit-led change for peace and justice.
The Friends Peace Teams Coordinating Council, composed of representatives from 15 Quaker Yearly Meetings in North America and Australia, nurtures a minimal organizational structure offering maximum support for individuals and groups engaged in peace and justice ministries.
Join Friends Peace Teams in this journey. The Fall 2020 PeaceWays contains stories of struggle and insight around racial justice and colonialism. We encourage you to read and share it as an aid to your local efforts to become anti-racists.
On behalf of Friends Peace Teams Jonathan Vogel-Borne, co-clerk
from Tom Martin, Flagstaff Friends Meeting (3/9/2021)