2017 Section Meeting of the Americas

Stony Point, NY|March 23 - 26, 2017

23Mar2017

The Section of the Americas 2017 meeting took place from March 23-26, 2017. The meeting was held at the Stony Point Center in Stony Point, NY.

For a list of attendees, click here.

Friday Night Interactive Workshops

On Friday night there was a choice of breakout sessions for you to enjoy! The topics and presenters were:

1. Learning Spanish and English from Friends: Reading Quaker texts together (with Beth Green-Nagle and Cristela Martinez)
2. Becoming a Better FWCC Ambassador: Using our QuakerSpeak videos to present an engaging program at your home church or meeting (with Melinda Wenner Bradley and Beth Collea)
3. Quaker Social Change Ministry (with Lucy Duncan)
4. Stewardship Ministry: Making faithful choices about our financial plans (with Kelly Kellum and Gayle Matson) Ministerio de Mayordomia –
5. Followup to Pisac Sustainability Minute: What is your meeting doing? How can we get moving?

Morning Plenary Speakers

Read the Plenary Speeches here.

Carl Magruder
Pacific Yearly Meeting

Carl Magruder is a “cradle Quaker.” He grew up spending lots of time in fields and forests, creeks and hills, and on the shore of the Pacific Ocean. He feels closest to God in the midst of Creation, “the text God wrote Godself.” Carl has a Master’s Degree in the Sociology, where he studied the human/earth relationship. He later got a Master’s of Divinity degree, and is currently working as a chaplain in end of life care, supported by Strawberry Creek Friends Meeting. Carl will be exploring the Biblical concept of “Shalom” as it relates to peace between and among the Earth’s human and non-human communities.

Kirenia Criado
Cuba Yearly Meeting

Kirenia Criado Pérez is a life-long Quaker. She was raised in Puerto Padre, Cuba. As a child, Kirenia’s family hosted Ramón Gonzalez-Longoria, who was the young pastor of the Puerto Padre Friends Church. Kirenia received her engineering degree in chemistry from Holguin University, then when on to study theology at Matanzas Seminary. She is the minister of La Habana Friends Church and also is the theology director at the Centro Memorial Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for their program of Reflection & Ministry of Socio-theological Development. Kirenia is a certified trainer in the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP).

Jonathan Vogel-Borne
New England Yearly Meeting

Jonathan Vogel-Borne is a lifelong Friend raised in Orange Grove Meeting, Pacific Yearly Meeting. Traveling widely across the full Quaker spectrum, from evangelical to liberal, Jonathan’s ministry is to seek deeper unity and a clarity of vision and witness among us. He and his spouse, Minga Claggett-Borne served as Resident Friends of Cambridge (MA) Monthly Meeting from 1985-1990. Jonathan was the lead staff person at New England Yearly Meeting from 1991 to 2013. He currently serves as clerk of the Finance Committee for Friends World Committee for Consultation Section of the Americas.

More Information:

At the Section Meeting in March 2017, we will be searching for ways to bridge the divergences in the Quaker spectrum. We are seeking pathways to an attitude of both/and rather than either/or. Stay tuned for more ways to prepare for this journey of exploration.