Past adult education programs and events 

• In addition to the listings below, a Quaker Book Group meets monthly and an "Experiment with Light" meditation group meets twice a month. 

2024

1. Introduction to Quaker Faith & Practice was held from January-March as a 6-session series on Quakerism. Topics included: 

   • The foundation of Quaker faith and spiritual practice, the foundational belief that revelation is continuing, and the radical idea that there is that of God in every person. 
   • Quakers and social justice over their 350+ year history and current issues for BFM.
   • Quaker Universalism and Quaker Christianity
   • Quaker worship and vocal ministry: 
   • March 10: Seekers and Finders
   • Quaker Process

2. The Comparative Religions class met on the topic Great Minds of the Eastern Intellectual Tradition - 36 lectures by Professor Grant Hardy of the University of North Carolina at Asheville, through The Great Courses series. A half-hour video lecture followed by information discussion on topics from the Vedas and Upanishads through Sun Yat-sen and Mao Tsedong, covering Iran, India, China, Tibet, Korea, and Japan. 

2023

1. Comparative Religions: Exploring the Roots of Religion--Intro. to Judaism

2. A forum to discuss Maryland's new climate goals, one of the most aggressive plans in the country. Kathleen K., a lead author of the report, discussed how individuals and organizations can provide input to MDE’s process before the state’s final climate plan is published in late 2023. The full report and summaries at https://www.marylandsclimatepathway.com/. 

3. Joined the Crossroads Anti-Racism Organizing & Training that offered two sessions for BYM Friends doing anti-racism work in their local Meetings, sponsored by the BYM Working Group on Racism. 

2022 

• In addition to the listings below, a Quaker Book Group met monthly and an "Experiment with Light" meditation group met twice a month. 

1. Spiritual Journey: On October 16 at 12:30, Lauren B. offered us insights into her personal Spiritual Journey, via a hybrid in-person and Zoom session. 

2. Exploring the Roots of Religion: A comparative religions study group met weekly for a half hour video lecture and a half hour discussion on "Exploring the Roots of Religion," using Great Courses with John R Hale Ph.D., Director of Liberal Studies at University of Louisville KY. They explored evidence of religious activity around the world, primarily through the discipline of archeology, including Neanderthal burials, the Paleolithic cave art of France and Spain, and rock art in South Africa. 

2. Spiritual Formation Group: Met monthly on Zoom from October through June to meet with others from BFM to nurture and strengthen our spiritual lives, using the format of the Baltimore Yearly Meeting Spiritual Formation Program. 

• The structure was small groups that meet monthly (some on Zoom and some in person).  

3. Collective Journey to Redress Systemic Racism:  This important program ran from fall 2022 and into 2023 with advance sign-ups. It was led by Lucy Duncan and Rob Peagler. 

4. Comparative Religions discussion group: A 12-lecture series from Great Courses entitled "Great World Religions: Hinduism" taught by Prof. Mark Muesse of Rhodes College met weekly from June-September on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. for a half hour video lecture and a half hour discussion. 

5. Virtual Spiritual Coffeehouse:  Twice yearly, folks gather to share and reflect on their favorite music, art, poetry, etc. . 

6. Glenstone Art Museum: Annually, folks from BFM bring family or friends to visit Glenstone and enjoy an outdoor museum experience in community. 

7. Spiritual Journey: In June, Peter N-J offered us insights into his personal Spiritual Journey, via a hybrid in-person and Zoom session. 

8. Comparative Religions discussion group: The group continued with weekly video lecture and a discussion on "Comparative Religions" using the Great Courses series "Religions of the Axial Age" (800-200 BCE). They examined Zoroastrianism, Hinduism and Vedanta, Buddhism, Jainism, Confucianism, and Taoism. 

2021 

• Sundays, for 3 months, at 9:30 a.m. Oct 10, Nov 14, Dec 12. "Deepening our Quaker Faith and Practice." A brief video on an introductory Quaker topic followed by a discussion, for those new to Meeting and those looking to deepen their experience. 

• Monthly (on the 3rd Saturday), starting Oct 16, at 1:30-3:00 p.m. October 2020 - June 2021. A larger "Spiritual Formation Group" meeting of all participants meets once a month for nine months. There are also small groups that  meet monthly. This is a monthly worship sharing of readings chosen by the group with the intention of deepening our spiritual connection and personal practice.  

• Tuesdays, Weekly, at 7:00 p.m., October 5 until Spring 2022. "Comparative Religions" using the Great Courses series. Religions of the Axial Age (800-200 BCE, examining Zoroastrianism, Hinduism and Vedanta, Buddhism, Jainism, Confucianism, and Taoism). 

• September 19, 2021 at 7:00 p.m., Zoom game night. An intergenerational social hour with easy-to-play online games. 

• August 22, 2021, 12:30. Virtual Spiritual Coffeehouse. Bring your favorite music, art, poetry, etc. to share and reflect on as a group. 

• Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. on April 29, May 6, May 13.  Group discussion of a free course from Lancaster University & the Woodbrooke Quaker Center in England. Topic is History of the Early Quakers.
• February 14, 2021, 12:30. Virtual Spiritual Coffeehouse. Bring your favorite music, art, poetry, etc. to share and reflect on as a group. 
• Thursdays, Weekly, at 7:00 p.m., continuing from October 1, 2020 through April 2021. An online lecture "Understanding the Old Testament" from the Great Courses lectures and small group discussion.

2020

• November 8, 2020, 1:00, "Using Personal Queries about Racism" sponsored by the BFM Diversity Change Group. Purpose is to develop personal queries on racism and help us be more self-aware of the impact that racism has on our thoughts, behaviors, actions, and inactions. 
• Monthly on the third Saturday at 1:30 p.m., October 2020 - June 2021. Spiritual Formation Group meeting (supplemented by monthly small group sessions). Monthly worship sharing of brief readings chosen by the group. 
• October 5 & 6 at 7:00 p.m. "A White Historian Explores Black Voting Rights." Presentation by Susan Strasser with an emphasis n Reconstruction and the early 1960s. 
• Thursdays, Weekly at 7:00 p.m., from October 1, 2020 and continuing. An online lecture "Understanding the Old Testament" from the Great Courses lectures and small group discussion.
• August 20, 2020, 12:30. Virtual Spiritual Coffeehouse. Bring your favorite music, art, poetry, etc. to share and reflect on as a group. 
• June 27, 2020, 10:00-12:00. "End of Life Workshop." A forum to explore the issues, needs, and various responses of Quakers to the topic of living and dying well as Friends. Details here.  
• May 10, 2020, 9:30 a.m. "What do you do in Meeting for Worship?" Worship sharing with Ministry & Worship on ways our practice may have changed in this time of worship with Zoom. 

• February 9, 2020, 9:15 a.m. "End of Life Care: Five Wishes" 

• Monthly on Sundays at 1:00 and weekly on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m., February onwards. An online lecture "Understanding the New Testament" from the Great Courses lectures and small group discussion.  

• January 12, 2020, 9:15. "Held in the Light for Transformative Conversations about Race" sponsored by BFM's Diversity Change Group.

2019

• November 10th, 9:15.  "A Workshop on Living in the Light of Death," presented by Bill Dietrich.

• • Handouts: An Exercise on Dying. Reflections on the Exercise, Poems, Quotes. Suggested Readings. 

• October 27th, 9:30.  "Spiritual Journey Series: Eric Sterling." 

• October 20th, 11:00. "Parenting in a Challenging Time."

• October 13th, 9:30. "Responding to a Dark Time."

• September 22, 9:15. "A Workshop on The Gift of Presence," lead by Bill Dietrich.

• Handouts: Three Poems. Suggested Readings.

• July 21, 9:30: 9:30. “Spiritual Coffee House” (bring and share the songs, art, writings that are meaningful to you).
  

• June 30, 2019, 9:30. "Spiritual Journeys Series: Lauren Brownlee."

• May 15, 2019: 7-9 PM. Joan Maxwell on "Soul Support: Providing Emotional and Spiritual Support to the Dying," based on her memoir, Soul Support: Spiritual Encounters at Life's End. 

• April 14, 2019, 9:30. Deborah Haines on "William Penn and Equality." 

• March 24, 2019, 9:30. Discussion on "The Burning One-ness Binding Everything," a Pendle-Hill pamphlet by Bruce Birchard.
• January 2019, 9:30. 6 sessions of "An Introduction to Quaker Faith and Practice." Discussion sessions using Letters to a Fellow Seeker by Steve Chase with a Discussion Guide.

2018

• November 28, 2018: "My Favorite Quaker"
  
• October 14, 2018: "My Summer of Solidarity," an inspiring presentation of Lauren Brownlee's service, teaching, peacekeeping or other activities in Bethlehem, China, Washington State, and Washington, DC.  
  
• September 23, 2018: "Radical Faithfulness in Action"
  
• July 22, 2018: "Spiritual Coffeehouse" (bring the songs, art, writings that are meaningful to you)
  
• June 24, 2018: "Good Grief: Co-Creating Ourselves by the Choices We Make"
  
• June 10, 2018: Spiritual Formation Information Session
  
• May 13, 2018: Are we a Blessed/Beloved Community? Handout link here.
  
• March 25, 2018: Margaret Fell and the Growth of Early Quakerism
  
• March 11, 2018: Worship Sharing to consider our best responses to the challenges of the current political and cultural environment
  
• February 25, 2018: Friends and Money
  
• February 11, 2018: Workshop on Implicit Bias (Sponsored by Peace & Social Justice Committee)
• January 28, 2018: Spiritual State of the Meeting.
  
• January 14, 2018: Spiritual Coffee House (share the songs, art, writings that are meaningful to you).
  

2017

• November 12, 2017: Living in Afghanistan.
  

• October, November, December, 2017: Six-class series "Exploring Quaker Faith and Practice" using Letters to a Fellow Seeker by Steve Chase with a Discussion Guide.

• August 13, 2017: Spiritual Coffeehouse (bring the songs, art, writings that are meaningful to you).

• June 11, 2017: Sharing our Journeys to Quaker Faith and Practice.

• May 28, 2017: What we Learned Listening to Trump Voters in Conway, S.C. (Jane Chalmers & Frank Greves) Summary essay.

• May 14, 2017: Vocal Ministry Workshop. (Guest leader: Betsy Meyer, past clerk of Baltimore Yearly Meeting) Summary documents: Vocal Ministry-1 and Vocal Ministry-2.
  
• April 9, 2017: Spiritual Journey Series (Ralph Steinhardt)
  
• March 12, 2017: Spiritual Journey Series (Alex Bell)
  
• February 12, 2017: “Faith and Practice”: A discussion of the document that was written by Baltimore Yearly Meeting as a guideline for the meetings within BYM. (Susan Kaul)
  
• January 22, 2017: Finding Meaning and Purpose in the Recent Election. (Bernie Benson & Stephanie Koenig) Essay by Clarissa Pinkola Estes.
• January 8, 2017: Interfaith Worship Sharing -- based on the queries: “How can we most effectively foster a caring attitude among all the faiths in our community? What helps us to listen deeply to one another, and to understand one another’s perspective? How can we best support one another?” (This forum was a collaboration between the Omega Interfaith Forum and Bethesda Friends Meeting.)
  

• October & November 2016: Exploring Quakerism: A 6-part series for newcomers as well as more recent and long-time Friends, using the workbook “Exploring Quakerism” by Marsha Holliday and the book “Letters to a Fellow Seeker,” by Steve Chase.  
• September 18, 2016: Visit with Omega Interfaith Forum