DES MOINES VALLEY FRIENDS
STATE OF THE MEETING 2025
As we look back over the past twelve months, we are struck by intertwining themes of loss and community. We lost the presence of several significant members of our meeting community and many individuals in Meeting experienced losses of family and close friends. Some have struggled with our own health or with caring for that of others. In addition, we have been dismayed by the losses of rights of whole groups of people, disenfranchised through governmental actions, both here in Iowa and across our country.
Through it all, we have found solace, support and common cause, both within our Meeting community and through the wider fellowship of Friends. We have grieved together while celebrating wonderful lives. We have also provided transportation to Meeting, appointments, shopping and myriad other destinations. We have provided casseroles and hugs, sent cards and emails, held each other in the Light and found many other ways to be present for those going through hard times. We have been especially active over the past year in publicly witnessing our faith, through: calls, emails, letters and personal visits with our elected state and federal representatives; writing letters to-the-editor; speaking at gatherings of advocates; participating in protests and celebrating the work of effective advocates for peace, justice and kindness.
In the winter we held a well-attended workshop, “Roots of Injustice, Seeds of Change,” facilitated by Paula Palmer, with Boulder Friends Meeting and Friends Peace Teams. Proceeds from a goodwill offering at the workshop have been given to the Meskwaki Nation. We also had a recent presentation about the AFSC Apartheid Initiative and our meeting continues discernment regarding the possibility of joining the initiative.
The remarkable generosity of one of our members inspired the creation of a “Committee for Migrant & Refugee Concerns,” which has: researched community efforts to help, sustain and advocate for the strangers who have come to us (Iowans) seeking assistance; allocated funds accordingly; and advised our meeting on opportunities to also provide individual support through donations and volunteering.
During our June Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business, we decided to reach out to schools in proximity to our meetinghouse to offer free use of our space for groups that are no longer able to use school facilities because of recent prohibitions against DEI activities and certain issue-centered groups. We hope that this will prove beneficial to beleaguered educators, school administrators and students.
Our relationship with Friends House (the building that housed the AFSC regional office) is the strongest it has been in recent years. We gratefully acknowledge the work of our three representatives to Friends House Board for this.
We are encouraged that new and younger people continue to find us and to join us in worship.
We have been steadily resuming group activities that were on hiatus during COVID, including our Thanksgiving meal and soup lunches. These gatherings are important ways to build community and to nurture our collective spiritual growth.