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Quakers Today

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Quakers Today
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  • Quakers and Home
    the word “home” mean to you? From a laundry ministry on the streets of San Francisco to a Quaker refuge during World War II, Friends are reimagining what it means to offer shelter, connection, and belonging. Our episode gets its inspiration from the May 2025 issue of Friends Journal. Peterson: Gabe Ehri writes in the opening editorial, “In a world as profoundly abundant as ours, it is a societal failure of monumental proportions that anyone go without safe and comfortable housing.” Sweet Miche: And he ends with this reminder from scripture and Woolman: “Think on these things and do them.” That’s what we’re exploring today—what it means to actually do something. In This Episode: Zae Illo, an Earlham School of Religion graduate and a longtime public theologian, shares how his lived experience of homelessness informs his ministry among unhoused neighbors in San Francisco. Outside the Friends meetinghouse, his laundry ministry provides more than clean clothes—it offers presence, listening, and dignity. Read his article: Laundry Chaplaincy for Unsheltered Souls Sharlee DiMenichi, staff writer at Friends Journal, highlights how Quaker meetings across North America care for unhoused neighbors. From shelter partnerships in Arizona to memorials for unhoused Friends in California, her reporting centers spiritual practice and community action. Read her article: Solidarity with Our Unhoused Neighbors Michael Luick-Thrams reflects on Scattergood Hostel, the Iowa Quaker school that transformed into a refuge for Jewish children fleeing the Holocaust. Watch the QuakerSpeak video: Scattergood: A Quaker Response to the Holocaust Read the book: Scattergood by H.M. Bouwman Book Review We feature Bird, Bee, and Bug Homes and Habitats for Garden Wildlife, a vibrant guide for helping our smallest neighbors. It is recommended for ages 6–12 and curious adults. Read the review: Bird, Bee and Bug Homes Monthly Question We asked listeners: Beyond a roof and four walls, what does the word “home” mean to you? Thank you to Mario, Sonia, Erin, and Ben for sharing heartfelt reflections. From childhood memories to chosen neighborhoods, your answers grounded this episode in personal truth. Next question: What is your favorite Quaker term—one common among Friends but strange to outsiders? Leave a voicemail at 317-QUAKERS or comment on our socials. Credits & Links Quakers Today is a podcast from Friends Publishing Corporation Hosted by Peterson Toscano and Sweet Miche QuakerSpeak Video recorded by Layla Cuthrell Season 4 is sponsored by Friends Fiduciary and the American Friends Service Committee Music comes from Epidemic Sound. Closing song: Weather Any Storm by Cody Francis. Visit QuakersToday.org for a full transcript and more. Learn more about Zae Illo at ZaeIllo.com Contact us: [email protected] Season Four of Quakers Today is Sponsored by: Friends Fiduciary Since 1898, Friends Fiduciary has provided values-aligned investment services for Quaker organizations, consistently achieving strong financial returns while upholding Quaker testimonies. They also assist individuals in supporting beloved organizations through donor-advised funds, charitable gift annuities, and stock gifts. Learn more at FriendsFiduciary.org. American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Vulnerable communities and the planet are counting on Quakers to take action for a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world. AFSC works at the forefront of social change movements to meet urgent humanitarian needs, challenge injustice, and build peace. Learn more at AFSC.org. Feel free to email us at [email protected] with​​ comments, questions, and requests for our show. Music from this episode comes from Epidemic Sound.  Follow Quakers Today on TikTok, Instagram, and X. For more episodes and a full transcript of this episode, visit QuakersToday.org.
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  • Quakers and Unlearning with Philip Gulley
    Philip Gulley, Peterson, and Sweet Miche share their personal journeys of unlearning traditional theological concepts and reflect on what makes Quakerism a meaningful path to a more authentic faith. Gulley highlights fear as a significant motivator for religious beliefs and a tool for control and how the current political moment is a masterfully evil manipulation of human fears. Gulley also offers his perspective on the continued usefulness of organized religion, emphasizing the importance of bringing people together, respecting personal autonomy, and aligning its social efforts with the ethos of Jesus and radical love. Philip Gulley is a Quaker pastor, writer, and speaker from Danville, Indiana.  Gulley has written 22 books, including the Harmony series recounting life in the eccentric Quaker community of Harmony, Indiana, and the best-selling Porch Talk essay series. Gulley’s memoir, I Love You, Miss Huddleston: And Other Inappropriate Longings of My Indiana Childhood, was a finalist for the Thurber Prize for American Hor.  In addition, Gulley, with co-author James Mulholland, shared their progressive spirituality in the books If Grace Is True and If God Is Love, followed by Gulley’s books If the Church Were Christian and The Evolution of Faith. In  Living the Quaker Way: Timeless Wisdom For a Better Life Today, Gulley offers the opportunity to participate in a world where the values of the Quaker way bring equity, peace, healing, and hope. In his most recently published non-fiction work, Unlearning God: How Unbelieving Helped Me Believe, Gulley describes the process of spiritual growth, especially the re-interpretation of the earliest principles we learned about God. Resources Here are some resources for friends in the process of unlearning and seeking spiritual growth: Therapy Therapy and spiritual growth can be deeply complementary. While therapy doesn't typically provide spiritual direction, it creates fertile ground for unlearning and spiritual development. You can use online therapist directories to find a therapist by location, insurance, specialty, cost, and more at Psychology Today, TherapyDen, or Open Path Psychotherapy Collective. Poets and Authors Audre Lorde is a profoundly influential Black lesbian feminist writer, poet, theorist, and civil rights activist. Her work powerfully explores the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, and ability. You can read her essays in Sister Outsider and her "biomythography" Zami: A New Spelling of My Name. Federico Garcia Lorca is one of Spain's most important poets and playwrights of the 20th century. His work is celebrated for its intense lyricism, surreal imagery, and passionate exploration of themes like love, death, desire, oppression, and Andalusian culture, particularly in works like Gypsy Ballads and plays such as Blood Wedding and The House of Bernarda Alba. Walt Whitman is a central figure in American poetry, often called the "Bard of Democracy." Whitman revolutionized poetry with his use of free verse and expansive lines. His lifelong work, Leaves of Grass, celebrates the individual, democracy, nature, the body, spirituality, and the interconnectedness of all life, aiming to capture the diverse spirit of America. Mary Oliver is an American poet who focuses on the natural world, particularly the landscapes of New England.  Her work finds wonder, spirituality, and profound insight in quiet observation and moments of attention to nature, inviting readers to connect more deeply with the world around them. Christian Wiman is a contemporary American poet and essayist known for his unflinching honesty and intellectual rigor in exploring themes of faith, doubt, suffering (often drawing on his own experience with chronic illness), mortality, and love.  Joy Harjo is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and served as the first Native American U.S. Poet Laureate. Her work weaves together Indigenous history, spirituality, myth, social justice, resilience, and a deep connection to the land, often infused with the rhythms of music and prayer. Akwake Emezi is a non-binary Nigerian writer and artist known for their powerful, innovative, and often genre-bending work. Their novels (like Freshwater and The Death of Vivek Oji) explore complex themes of identity, spirituality (often drawing on Igbo cosmology), gender, mental health, trauma, and the body, challenging conventional Western frameworks of selfhood. Elaine Pagels is a renowned historian of religion, particularly noted for her scholarship on early Christianity and Gnosticism. Her groundbreaking book, The Gnostic Gospels, brought non-canonical early Christian texts to wider attention, revealing the diversity of early Christian thought and exploring how political and social contexts shaped religious history and scripture. LGBTQ+ film festivals are events dedicated to showcasing films by, for, or about queer individuals and communities. They serve as vital platforms for representation, providing visibility for filmmakers and stories often marginalized in mainstream media. These festivals (like Frameline, Outfest, NewFest, and countless others globally) are also important spaces for community building and celebrating queer culture. Quaker Voluntary Service is a year-long program rooted in Quaker values. It brings young adults together to live in an intentional community, work full-time in social justice-focused non-profit organizations, and engage in spiritual exploration and leadership development, putting faith into action. Listener Responses We hear directly from Roxanne, who unlearned the idea that any single group holds the definitive spiritual answer, instead discovering valuable truths across diverse practices and traditions through their continuous seeking. On Facebook, friends shared their experience wrestling with the traditional ideas about God they grew up with. Many people mentioned letting go of a harsh or judgmental image of God, questioning core doctrines, and letting go of feelings of unworthiness. Thank you to Angela, Rae, Tim, Amy, Iris, Christine, Steve, David, Tyler, Joe, Deepak, and Whittier for sharing so openly with our question of the month. Question for Next Month Beyond a roof and four walls, what does the word 'home' mean to you? Share your response by emailing [email protected] or call/text 317-QUAKERS (317-782-5377). Please include your name and location. Your responses may be featured in our next episode. Quakers Today: A Project of Friends Publishing Corporation Quakers Today is the companion podcast to Friends Journal and Friends Publishing Corporation content. It is written, hosted, and produced by Peterson Toscano and Miche McCall. Season Four of Quakers Today is Sponsored by: Friends Fiduciary Since 1898, Friends Fiduciary has provided values-aligned investment services for Quaker organizations, consistently achieving strong financial returns while upholding Quaker testimonies. They also assist individuals in supporting beloved organizations through donor-advised funds, charitable gift annuities, and stock gifts. Learn more at FriendsFiduciary.org. American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Vulnerable communities and the planet are counting on Quakers to take action for a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world. AFSC works at the forefront of social change movements to meet urgent humanitarian needs, challenge injustice, and build peace. Learn more at AFSC.org. Feel free to email us at [email protected] with​​ comments, questions, and requests for our show. Music from this episode comes from Epidemic Sound.  Follow Quakers Today on TikTok, Instagram, and X. For more episodes and a full transcript of this episode, visit QuakersToday.org.
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  • BONUS Episode: Full Conversation with Philip Gulley
    In this unedited conversation Philip Gulley, Peterson Toscano, and Sweet Miche share their personal journeys of unlearning traditional theological concepts and reflect on what makes Quakerism a meaningful path to a more authentic faith. Quakers Today: A Project of Friends Publishing Corporation Quakers Today is the companion podcast to Friends Journal and Friends Publishing Corporation content. It is written, hosted, and produced by Peterson Toscano and Miche McCall. Season Four of Quakers Today is Sponsored by: Friends Fiduciary Since 1898, Friends Fiduciary has provided values-aligned investment services for Quaker organizations, consistently achieving strong financial returns while upholding Quaker testimonies. They also assist individuals in supporting beloved organizations through donor-advised funds, charitable gift annuities, and stock gifts. Learn more at FriendsFiduciary.org. American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Vulnerable communities and the planet are counting on Quakers to take action for a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world. AFSC works at the forefront of social change movements to meet urgent humanitarian needs, challenge injustice, and build peace. Learn more at AFSC.org. Feel free to email us at [email protected] with​​ comments, questions, and requests for our show. Music from this episode comes from Epidemic Sound.  Follow Quakers Today on TikTok, Instagram, and X. For more episodes and a full transcript of this episode, visit QuakersToday.org.
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  • Quakers and Neurodiversity
    In this episode, co-hosts Peterson Toscano (he/him) and Sweet Miche (they/them) explore best practices for welcoming and supporting neurodivergent individuals in Quaker worship and educational settings. Poet and writer Kate Fox shares insights from her article "A Place of Unmasking," drawing connections between early Quakers' spiritual practices and contemporary understandings of neurodiversity. Kate discusses her experience of Quaker meeting as a space where she can authentically be herself, free from the pressures of masking neurodivergent traits. Kate Fox raises essential questions: How can places of worship and schools better accommodate neurodivergent individuals? How do sensory practices, like stimming, help with spiritual grounding and concentration? We also explore Julia Watts Belser's book, Loving Our Own Bones, Disability Wisdom, and the Spiritual Subversiveness of Knowing Ourselves Whole, which invites readers to reconsider disability—not as something needing fixing, but as an integral part of human diversity, rich with spiritual wisdom and power. You can read Greg Woods' review in Friends Journal.  Listener Responses: Neurodivergent Voices and Best Practices We hear directly from listeners who share their experiences and recommendations: Clayden, a South African teenage artist and TikTok creator emphasizes the value of dedicated spaces in schools and churches designed for people with sensory sensitivities and learning disabilities. You can follow him @claydendesigns  Kody Hersh shares about creating a sensory-friendly space at a Quaker gathering, allowing attendees to adjust lighting, use fidgets, and regulate their environment to feel comfortable in worship. Another listener highlights how simple tools like printed bulletins can support neurodivergent attendees by providing structure and predictability during worship services. Question for Next Month What belief have you had to unlearn in your spiritual or personal journey? Share your response by emailing [email protected] or call/text 317-QUAKERS (317-782-5377). Please include your name and location. Your responses may be featured in our next episode. Resources For neurodiverse individuals, here are some useful apps designed to support communication, sensory regulation, social skills, executive functioning, and emotional well-being: Communication & AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) Apps Proloquo2Go – A symbol-based text-to-speech app for non-speaking individuals. Official Website https://www.assistiveware.com/products/proloquo2go CoughDrop – A cloud-based AAC app for customizable communication. Official Website https://www.coughdrop.com/ Sensory Processing & Regulation Apps Sensory App House – A collection of apps designed to support sensory needs. https://www.sensoryapphouse.com/  Autism 5-Point Scale EP – Helps users understand and regulate sensory and emotional states. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/autism-5-point-scale-ep/id467303313  Social Skills & Interaction Apps Social Story Creator & Library – Allows users to create social stories for different situations. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/social-story-creator-library/id588180598  ABA Flashcards--Offers a customizable library of flashcards to reinforce learning and skill development across various areas, from academics to daily living skills https://chicagoabatherapy.com/aba-services/aba-therapy/  Routine & Executive Function Support Apps Visual Schedule Planner – A visual scheduling tool for structured routines. ​​https://www.goodkarmaapplications.com/visual-schedule-planner1.html  Routinely – Helps track habits and provides gentle reminders. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/routinely-habit-tracker/id6449163027  Emotional Regulation & Anxiety Management Apps MoodMission – Suggests activities for managing anxiety and emotional challenges. https://moodmission.com/  Rootd – A panic attack and anxiety relief app. https://www.rootd.io/  This podcast follows the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is a way of creating content that works well for all audiences. It helps us make clear, easy-to-understand episodes that are welcoming for everyone. We follow UDL principles by carefully choosing audio, using plain language, offering transcripts for each episode, and inviting your feedback in multiple ways.  Quakers Today: A Project of Friends Publishing Corporation Quakers Today is the companion podcast to Friends Journal and other Friends Publishing Corporation content. It is written, hosted, and produced by Peterson Toscano and Miche McCall. Season Four of Quakers Today is Sponsored by: American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Vulnerable communities and the planet are counting on Quakers to take action for a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world. AFSC works at the forefront of social change movements to meet urgent humanitarian needs, challenge injustice, and build peace. Learn more at AFSC.org. Friends Fiduciary Since 1898, Friends Fiduciary has provided values-aligned investment services for Quaker organizations, consistently achieving strong financial returns while upholding Quaker testimonies. They also assist individuals in supporting beloved organizations through donor-advised funds, charitable gift annuities, and stock gifts. Learn more at FriendsFiduciary.org. For a full transcript of this episode, visit QuakersToday.org. For more Quaker content, follow us on TikTok, Instagram, and X (Twitter).
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  • Quakers, Nature, and Indigenous Wisdom
    In this episode, co-hosts Peterson Toscano (he/him) and Miche McCall (they/them) explore the deep connections between Quaker spirituality, nature, and Indigenous wisdom. This episode features Gail Melix, an Indigenous Quaker who shares how walking in the woods transformed her experience of burnout into a practice of prayerful meditation. Paula Palmer examines the legacy of Quaker-run Indigenous boarding schools and the painful losses experienced by Indigenous children. We also hear about Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book The Serviceberry, which invites us to reimagine our relationship with abundance, reciprocity, and the natural world. Healing Through Walking Meditation: Gail Greenwater’s Story Gail Melix (also known as Greenwater,) a member of Sandwich Meeting in Massachusetts and a member of the Herring Pond Wampanoag tribe, shares how she found healing through daily woodland walks. Facing burnout from social justice work, Gail sought guidance from Quaker and Indigenous elders and turned to nature for restoration. Through walking meditation, she discovered deep stillness, a renewed sense of peace, and even moments of profound connection with wildlife. In The Delight of Being a Walking Prayer: Meditation for Healing, published in the February 2025 issue of Friends Journal, Gail reflects on the gifts of nature, the importance of listening to the land, and how slowing down can restore inner balance. Reckoning with the Legacy of Quaker Boarding Schools Paula Palmer, a Quaker researcher and activist, delves into the historical trauma inflicted by Quaker-run Indigenous boarding schools. Through an excerpt from a QuakerSpeak video, Paula describes how Indigenous children were forcibly separated from their families and stripped of their cultural identity. Many Quakers at the time failed to recognize the value of Indigenous cultures, blinded by the assumption that assimilation was an act of benevolence. Paula reminds us that true healing requires listening, truth-telling, and ongoing dialogue with Indigenous communities. You can watch the full QuakerSpeak video, The Lasting Trauma of Quaker Indigenous Boarding Schools, on YouTube or at QuakerSpeak.com. Many thanks to Layla Cuthrell, producer of QuakerSpeak.   The Gift Economy and Abundance: Robin Wall Kimmerer’s The Serviceberry In The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World, Robin Wall Kimmerer explores the idea that wealth is not measured by accumulation but by generosity. She describes harvesting serviceberries alongside birds, witnessing the mutual exchange that defines a healthy ecosystem. Drawing from Indigenous knowledge, Kimmerer challenges the scarcity-driven mindset of capitalism and invites readers to embrace a gift economy—one where all flourishing is mutual. To read Ruah Swennerfelt’s full review of The Serviceberry, visit FriendsJournal.org. Answers for This Month’s Question In our last episode, we asked: "What is your relationship with nature like?" Listeners shared stories of finding peace in the woods, experiencing the divine through the changing seasons, and feeling responsible for the land they live on. Thank you to everyone who called in, emailed, or commented on social media! Question for Next Month: Neurodivergence in Worship and Education For next month's episode, we invite responses from those who identify as neurodivergent or have neurodivergent children or students. What are some best practices you have experienced or would recommend for places of worship or schools supporting neurodivergent people? Leave a voice memo or text with your name and location at +1 317-782-5377. You can also comment on our social media channels or email us at [email protected]. Quakers Today: A Project of Friends Publishing Corporation Quakers Today is the companion podcast to Friends Journal and other Friends Publishing Corporation content. It is written, hosted, and produced by Peterson Toscano and Miche McCall. Season Four of Quakers Today is Sponsored by: Friends Fiduciary Since 1898, Friends Fiduciary has provided values-aligned investment services for Quaker organizations, consistently achieving strong financial returns while upholding Quaker testimonies. They also assist individuals in supporting beloved organizations through donor-advised funds, charitable gift annuities, and stock gifts. Learn more at FriendsFiduciary.org. American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Vulnerable communities and the planet are counting on Quakers to take action for a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world. AFSC works at the forefront of social change movements to meet urgent humanitarian needs, challenge injustice, and build peace. Learn more at AFSC.org. For a full transcript of this episode, visit QuakersToday.org. Follow us on TikTok, Instagram, and X (Twitter) for more Quaker content.
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Quakers Today features writers, musicians, and thinkers seeking wisdom and understanding in a rapidly changing world. We do not pretend to have all the answers. Instead, we have a place where you can hear people speak from the heart, grapple with faith, and share the insights they have found along the way. It is also a place where you can share your insights, reflections, and questions. Hosted by Peterson Toscano, he/him and Miche McCall they/them, Quakers Today is a project of The Friends Publishing Corporation. Season Four of Quakers Today is sponsored by American Friends Service Committee and by Friends Fiduciary.
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