Blog for February 2023
Quaker House @ CHQ
Friends of the Week
Religion is one of the four pillars of the Chautauqua experience (along with The Arts, Education, and Recreation). The Department of Religion has a long, rich tradition of supporting denominational houses that enrich the religious and spiritual experiences of visitors at the summer assembly. The Quaker House at Chautauqua is the newest, only 3 years old, bringing the total to 15. Our mission it to seek the Living Water at the intersection of Chautauqua and Quakerism; to provide spiritual nourishment.
Each denominational house has a weekly Chaplain. Using more Quakerly language, we call ours, Friend of the Week. The Friend of the Week’s role is to deepen a Quaker presence at the House and on the Chautauqua grounds, contribute to programming, and participate in the community. Programming includes Sunday Meeting for Worship, Brown Bag lunches for presentation and discussion, social hour, and a Friend in Residence workshop, plus special events. The Friend of the Week is integral to the Quaker House program and community.
We seek to match each Friend of the Week with a weekly theme about which they have background knowledge and expertise. They facilitate relevant conversations and overlay a Quaker perspective onto the issues that arise. We listen to them talk about their work in the world and how Spirit has led them along the way. We engage a diverse group of Friends of the Week (ethnicity, gender, age, Quaker affiliation, life/work experience) to bring multiple voices to our conversations. The Friends of the Week help us live into the intersection of Chautauqua and Quakerism.
We are excited to announce our Friends for the Week for 2023:
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Week 1, June 24 – July1: On Friendship
Noah Merrill, Friends recorded minister, Secretary of New England Yearly Meeting
of Friends (Quakers)
Week 2, July 2 – 8: Games: A Celebration of Our Most Human Pastime
Melinda Wenner Bradley, Director of Programs, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting;
Godly Play/Faith & Play Trainer
Week 3, July 8 – 15: Can the Center Hold? A Question for Our Moment
Niyonu Spann, Transformation Consultant; Musician; Founder/Director of: Beyond
Diversity 101, CEIO (Co-Creating Effective & Inclusive Organizations) and 4
Circles Beyond.
Week 4, July 15 – 22: The State of Believing
David Shiner, Outgoing Clerk, FWCC Section of the Americas, retired philosophy
professor
Week 5, July 22 – 29: Infrastructure: Building and Maintaining the Physical, Social and Civic Underpinnings of Society
Diane Randall, Former General Secretary, FCNL
Week 6, July 29 – August 5: A Life of Literature
Tucker Quetone, Retired English Teacher; Member of NEA/AFT Committee on
Native American Curriculum
Week 7, August 5 – 12: The National Parks: How America’s Best Idea
is Meeting 21st Century Challenges
Tucker Quetone, Retired English Teacher; Member of NEA/AFT Committee on
Native American Curriculum
Week 8, August 12 – 19: Freedom of Expression, Imagination, and the
Resilience of Democracy
Adria Gulizia, Lawyer; Mediator; Clerk of ESR Board of Advisors
Week 9, August 19 – 27: The Global South: Expanding the Scope of
Geopolitical Understanding
Karla Jay, Global Ministries Coordinator, Friends United Meeting (FUM)
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Join us if you can. Hold in the Light our Friends of the Week and all those who participate in the Quaker House as we seek to make the world a better place.
Shari Castle
Clerk
Program Committee
Quaker House @ Chautauqua