www.fum.org

Basic History
Quakerism began in England in the 17th century as a religious movement that "sought through direct inner experience to find again the life and power of early Christianity". Quakers officially call themselves the "Religious Society of Friends", the name have been taken from Jesus' statement: "You are my friends, if you do as I command you." (John 15:14) Jessamyn West, Quaker author of The Friendly Persuasion, wrote, "Though George Fox was the leader of those persons called Quakers (so named because some trembled or 'quaked' when overflowing with the Spirit within), he cannot be said to have founded the Society of Friends. Rather it formed almost spontaneously as more and more people accepted the practices and professions of George Fox, having discovered in themselves the means by which they could bring their lives into closer accord with God."

Friends United Meeting was organized in the United States in 1902 as a cooperative effort of "orthodox" yearly meetings (Quaker regional groupings) in North America to facilitate missions, evangelism, peace work and Christian education. The name was changed in 1963 from the Five Years Meeting of Friends. It represents one of four streams of Friends in North America (the others being Evangelical Friends International, Friends General Conference and Conservative Yearly Meetings.) The mission efforts of Friends United Meeting led to the rapid spread of evangelical Friends churches in Africa and parts of Latin America.

The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) has played a significant role in American history. Aptly called "quiet rebels", Friends have been at the forefront of movements to abolish slavery, advance the rights of women and minorities, befriend and aid Native Americans, provide humane treatment for prisoners and the mentally ill and provide social justice and peace.

The main organization through which the various branches of Friends have conducted their relief efforts in the 20th century and the present is the American Friends Service Committee, originally formed in 1917 to assist conscientious objectors and provide relief for war-torn Europe. American Friends were active in relief and reconstruction projects in France and Russia and after the war in Germany. In the 30's the AFSC provided material assistance in the depressed coal-mining regions of Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky and Illinois. The 1947 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Friends through the AFSC and its British counterpart, the Friends Service Council.

In 1955 yearly meetings along the East Coast that had been divided during the separations of the early 19th century reunited. Today, many yearly meetings are affiliated with both Friends United Meeting and Friends General Conference.

Basic Beliefs
Friends testify to the workings of God in everyone's lives and that God can be known, without the mediation of priests or ceremony, to everyone who seeks the divine presence. Quakers traditionally meet for worship on the basis of silent waiting on God to speak inwardly in their hearts or to move any of the worshipers to speech or prayer. The greater part of American Friends meet in churches that now have pastors and follow a program of worship, but periods of silence remain important. Many Friends still worship in "meetinghouses" in unprogrammed worship. It is the experience of Friends that by following the divine promptings and answering the calling of God in everyone we all can be led into unity in God. Quaker traditions include the early Friends' Peace Testimony, the importance of silence as part of worship, simplicity, affirming instead of oath taking and conducting their affairs not by majority vote but by sense of the meeting (called by others "consensus'). While eschewing creeds, many of the ten yearly meetings in the United States that are affiliated with Friends United Meeting include in their books of discipline the Richmond Declaration of Faith of 1887, which affirms a Trinitarian understanding of God, supported by scripture and the writings of early Friends. This was strongly reemphasized in FUM's purpose statement of 1993.

Leadership
Presiding Clerk - Stan Bauer
Assistant Clerk - Ann Thomas
General Secretary and Director of World Missions - Retha McCutchen
Director of North American Ministries - Ben Richmond

Basic Facts
Although it is difficult to give an exact number for Quakers, it is generally agreed that there are about 100,000 Quakers in the United States and about 200,000 elsewhere.

Location
Friends United Meeting
101 Quaker Hill Drive
Richmond, Indiana 47374
Phone (765) 962-7573
Fax (976) 966-1293

Friends General Conference
1216 Arch Street, 2-B
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107
Phone (215) 561-1700
Fax (215) 561-0759

Evangelical Friends International
5350 Broadmoor Center
Canton, Ohio 44709
Phone (303) 238-5200