Bethesda Friends Meeting



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 JUNE is for the  SOS Children's Villages Palestine


For more than 75 years and in more than 130 countries and territories, SOS Children’s Villages is the world’s largest organization focused on ensuring that children and young people without parental care, or at risk of losing it, grow up with the care, relationships and support they need to become their strongest selves. In more than 540 villages, they provide family-like care and loving homes for children and young people living without adequate parental care. Their mission is to strengthen families to prevent separation, empower the support systems around children, and ensure the successful transition into adulthood so that young people have what they need to become their strongest selves. 

Capital Pride festival booth WORLD PRIDE CELEBRATION THIS JUNE!


Washington, D.C. is hosting "WorldPride" this year, including an array of events.  Thanks to all who joined in the Bethesda Friends Meeting participation in the annual Pride Parade and festival June 7th and 8th respectively.


For information on events continuing throughout the month, visit the official World Pride DC website.



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.   
Scotland AME Zion Church


Click here for a summary of events and the role of

Scotland Church in our local Juneteenth celebrations. 
    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. 

    Read more details about the camp and its needs or ask us via our Contact Us form


    Helping Refugees Group
    CALL TO ACTION
    The Helping Refugees Group (HRG) has two action lists to help us mobilize in support of refugees
    and immigrants in our area 
    1. Click here for a broader list of ways that individuals and self-organized groups can undertake refugee and immigrant support in the DC area.
    2. We also have a list of specific actions that BFM will begin in Fall 2025, which includes opportunities to volunteer with other folks from BFM at HomesNotBorders, KindWorks, and CASA.  a child is holding two precious eggs
    • 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

    Upcoming events

    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 onlinefollowed 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 World Religions: Christianity

    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 12 topics (June - August), 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

    Contact Us | Login | Logout         BFM Privacy Policy

    Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software