July 2016
Dear friends,
In times like these, people come to Pendle Hill to find that which seems lost, unattainable, or in short supply.
- For example, people are looking for reassurance that many others are also devoted to a world without violence and oppression.
- They come here to learn how to co-create that world with people who are vastly different from, and similar to, themselves.
- They seek a place to rest and restore amidst global suffering and despair.
- They come to know more about the Quaker ways: simplicity, knowing the divine within, and listening for a calling.
- They yearn for a quiet nook where the trees buffer life’s noise and the inner teacher can be heard, reminding them of their gifts and leadings.
- They come for tangible information and training. They find places to make art and be inspired.
- They arrive ready to lead and be courageous and they seek grounding through worship.
As our fiscal year winds down, the staff community here is feeling grateful and I want to share some of the reasons why with you, our friends and supporters. In July, our dedicated Board approved a balanced budget that does not rely on the use of any bequest gifts. This exciting development means that all gifts made to Pendle Hill through a donor’s will (estate) can now provide long into the future for people who come for the experiences we offer. Also, Pendle Hill received a total of seven grants out of eight proposals this year, and our annual fund income exceeds last year’s amount-to-date by more than $100,000. This flourishing has allowed us to provide excellent programs for a wide array of people from around the world.
Our education staff have begun offering Quaker Studies courses online and hosted a record number of attendees at our Continuing Revolution: Integrity conference for young adults. Our pamphlets, workshops, and lectures (now live streamed to any computer) provoke thought and conversations across the globe. Our colleagues in maintenance and grounds have been making a wide array of improvements to our campus buildings each month (too many to list here). Looking at what this staff body accomplishes, and the grounded way in which they do it, is uplifting.
If you are reading this, it is likely that you have come to Pendle Hill seeking something and our community has worked to make your vision possible. In response, you have poured positive testimonials, financial gifts, volunteer hours, and word-of-mouth recommendations our way. In that way, you are part of Pendle Hill’s growth, balance, and influence. Thank you! Our community is learning along with all our visitors and staying open to new ways we can better serve the cause of Peace through Justice. In order to be available for the world in this way, the Pendle Hill community has been restoring and strengthening itself.
Around 4,800 people came through Pendle Hill this year and the overwhelming majority told us they left feeling refreshed as spiritual beings and as citizens of an evolving society. They return home more prepared to lead the call for equity, for being truthful, for valuing one another and stewarding a healthy future. Much of this refreshment stems from deep stillness cultivated in daily morning worship. We would love to have you join us any morning in the worship room.
It is a point of gladness in our community that Pendle Hill has strengthened such that we can serve our visitors’ purpose in being here. May you find what you seek when you arrive and may it be soon.
Lastly, a poem that ‘spoke to my condition’ this morning.
In Friendship,
Jen
I don’t always have to make noise to be seen,
even my silence has a spine, a rumble
and says, I’m here
in its native tongue.
–Rudy Francisco, 2016
