Bethesda Friends Meeting


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WELCOME VISITORS     events calendar    

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.

  The Social Concerns Box for May is for the STRIDE camping program


In May, we will support two youngsters from the Friendly Gardens community in Silver Spring, MD, to attend the Baltimore Yearly Meeting Summer Camps through the "Strengthening Transformative Relationships in Diverse Environments" (STRIDE) program.

  • Last year we were able to support one local Friendly Gardens camper, who will be returning this year.  Our hope is to support a second camper this year with money for the cost of camp plus funding for camping gear items. 
  • BYM camps provide opportunities for enrichment and leadership building in a wilderness environment, and STRIDE is committed to ensuring that young people from all racial, geographical, and economic backgrounds have the opportunity to benefit from this program. 
 
BYM Summer Camp Enrollment

Enrollment is open for Baltimore Yearly Meeting's popular camping programs (Catoctin, Opequon, Shiloh, and Teen Adventure).

The camps are residential, children ages 9 to 14, with a trip-based program for 15- to 17-year-olds. Anyone may apply. Register at www.bymcamps.org. For questions, email info@bymcamps.org.       

 Why consider a sleep-away Quaker camp for your children?

  • At camp, children experience the Inner Light in a natural setting, outdoor silent worship, and community with their peers and well-trained, talented counselors.
  • Campers unplug from electronics and social media to gain confidence that comes by learning practical life skills. 
  • And they make lasting friendships with children from other parts of the area or country! 
  • Quaker camps are open to children whether they come to BFM or not, so invite your friends.

For more  details, please go to this link. 
JUNETEENTH Celebrations 

  • BFM supports the Scotland Community of Potomac and their Annual Scotland Juneteenth Heritage Festival that focuses on the celebration of the historic Black communities of Montgomery County.

    • The 2025 Festival will span six days, with an all-day celebration on Thursday, June 19. 
    • For more information and to register for free events, go to the Scotland Juneteenth website.   

    Click on this link for a summary of events and the role of Scotland Church in our local Juneteenth celebrations.  

Scotland AME Zion Church
Camp Opequon
Special Campaign Fund 

Camp Opequon, one of four Quaker camps managed by Baltimore Yearly Meeting, relocated last year to a new site within Rolling Ridge Conservancy, a property with historic Quaker ties. The new site, a former camp with a lodge and other buildings, requires repairs and improvements.

  • Bethesda Friends Meeting has pledged $20,000 to the Camp Opequon Special Campaign.
  • For those who would like to make additional much needed donations, individuals can make contributions to BFM's Special Campaign.
  • To donate, please go to our online donation page and clearly designate that your contribution is for the Camp Opequon Fund. 

For details, use our Contact Us form. 


    Helping Refugees Group
    CALL TO ACTION
    The Helping Refugees Group (HRG) has compiled a list of actions that individuals and self-organized groups can undertake.
    • The purpose is to inform our BFM community about ways to help refugees and immigrants in a child is holding two precious eggsour area.
    • The list of actions is here. 
    • Please join us!  
    • If everyone in our community does ONE ACTION, we will have helped many immigrants on a Meeting-wide basis! 

    Please use our Contact Us form for more information.

    Do you want to learn more
    about Quakers?
    Here are several choices

    END OF LIFE ISSUES
    • BFM has 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:

    Great Minds of the Eastern Intellectual Tradition

    A BFM group hosts this class each Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom.  The format is a half hour Great Courses video lecture followed by a half hour discussion. 

    • For more details on the 36 topics (Sept - May), go to our online calendar.
    • 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 (location recording only)
    info@bethesdafriends.org

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