Announcements and Statements

Registration Closes June 26 for NPYM Annual Session

THEME: Welcoming Soul and Spirit: July 22 to 26, 2006.
We welcome Friends of all ages to North Pacific Yearly Meeting’s Annual Session in Olympia, Washington, on the beautiful campus of Evergreen State College. We are planning a gathering to enliven your spirit and remind you of our bonds of kinship, and our duty to ourselves and the world we inhabit.

REGISTRATION: We recommend that you review this information before beginning your registration, then click here when you are ready to get started. Registration is open through June 26th. As always, Annual Session is entirely “pay-as-lead” and there are no fees for cancellation.

INTEREST GROUP SUBMISSIONS: Interest group submissions must be received at least 2 weeks prior to Annual Session. Late submissions will not be accepted. To make an interest group submission fill this form.

Next Young Adult Friends Gathering, Sunday, June 28

Young Adults, ages 18-35, will meet at Tacoma Friends Meetinghouse on Sunday, June 28th, 5 to 7 pm, for worship sharing on North Pacific Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice.

Memorial for Deceased Homeless – June 28, 6 pm, Shiloh Baptist Church

Join us at Shiloh Baptist Church on Sunday, June 28, at 6pm, for a memorial to honor those who died while homeless in the first quarter of 2026, in Pierce County. The address is 813 S 13th St, Tacoma, WA 98405. For questions, contact chaplainverna@gmail.com.

Love As Action – July 4th, 11 am, Federal Office Building, Seattle

You are invited to join a group of Quakers on Saturday, July 4, 2026 in one-hour of silent worship at the Federal Office Building 909 First Avenue, Seattle Washington at 11 am to bear witness to the disruption and dehumanization that authoritarian actions are inflicting in our communities. This shared witness reflects core Quaker principles: peace, equality, integrity, and community and it is a visible commitment to justice and compassion. This event is sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee and the Peace and Social Concerns Committees of North Pacific Yearly Meeting and University Friends Meeting.

Bring water, wear appropriate clothes, a portable chair (if needed) and signs showing messages of love and support for communities that are suffering. Please let us know that you are coming by registering at: https://www.mobilize.us/afscfriendsengagement/event/969643/ If you have any questions feel free to reach out to your local organizer Jonathan Betz-Zall jbetzzall@gmail.com or LoveasAction@afsc.org. Find updates at https://afsc.org/love-action

Friends at Tacoma Pride 2026 – Saturday July 11, 2026

Join us at Tacoma Pride’s 2026 festival! Tacoma and Olympic View Friends will once again have a booth at this annual event. We will be tabling from 11:45 am to 6 pm. Help out by signing up for 1 or more shifts at this link. Friends at Tacoma Pride 2026 — Signup Sheet | SignUp.com

Inter-Church Lunch n Share, July 12 at Bryant Neighborhood Center

Lunch will be provided at noon on July 12th at Trinity Presbyterian Church in the Bryant Neighborhood Center, located at 6th and Division in Tacoma. People of faith, who are drawn to serve those in need, are invited to explore what is possible if we listen and work together to love our neighbors as God calls us to do. Wrap-up will be around 1:15. If you’d like to attend, email tacomafriendsmeeting@gmail.com so we can register as a faith community.

Guest Speaker at Peace and Social Justice, July 19

Dr. Alexis Berkeley is a Substance Use Disorder Case Manager and Life Coach at The CHANGE Program, operating out of the greater Tacoma, WA area. She is a Ph.D. whose research is centered on trauma-informed care, human development, mental health, and family connectedness, and will discuss the ways in which The CHANGE Program aids justice-involved persons in accessing supportive services which include but are not limited to life coaching, trauma-informed care, substance use disorder and other mental health treatment.

Opportunities

Donations for the unhoused. Now that warmer months are here there is a need for water bottles – both disposable and reusable – and towels. If you bring these to the meetinghouse, just put them in the purple tub at the back of the meeting room. We have volunteers who will deliver them for distribution.

Resources for Immigrant Families

Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families provides resources for immigrant families and those who are helping them navigate these difficult times. Go to DCYF | Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families and learn more by clicking on the Family Separation Rapid Response Team button.

Link to divestment strategies offered by the American Friends Service Committee: How to Divest | AFSC Investigate. Go to Home | American Friends Service Committee for additional information about Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) efforts.

Ongoing Peaceful Demonstrations in Tacoma:

The corner of 38^th and Steel, Saturdays from 2-3pm regarding the conflict in Palestine.
2nd and 4th Mondays of each month from 5 to 6 pm at the corner of Sprague and 6th (at the corner of Hilltop Heritage Middle School). The organizers are an independent Love>Fear Group composed of people from various faith traditions. will be standing on Monday, March 9th from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m, on the corner of 6th and Sprague. People stand in opposition to fascism and war. They use positive messages and strive for non-violence in speech and action.
March 28th – various locations – No Kings Day.

Homeless Outreach – Bring a case of bottled water or other food/supplies to the meetinghouse for distribution to people living homeless.

Contact your State legislator through Welcome to the Washington State Legislature or go to Home — Quaker Voice for more information about legislative issues here in Washington State.

Learn about Federal issues and contact Congress by visiting Home | Friends Committee On National Legislation

Community Statements

Tacoma Friends Minute on Peace “Quakers believe there is that of God in everyone. To harm another person is to harm God’s dwelling place. Peace is more than a sense of calm or a rejection of violence. Peace is a way of life . . .”

Tacoma Friends Minute on Inclusion “Tacoma Friends Meeting (Quakers) is a community of people from a variety of races, colors, ethnicities, national origins, (dis)abilities and attributes, sexual orientations, gender identities, and their expressions. . . .:

Audio of Tacoma Friend Minute on continued suffering and death in Gaza Friend Louisa Beal recorded our Minute as a PSA for KTAH Radio Tacoma 101.9 FM. The QR code below takes you to audio of the PSA.

Tacoma Friends Updated Minute on Conflict in Israel and Gaza, approved by Meeting for Business June, 2025

Tacoma Friends Minute on Conflict in Israel and Gaza, approved by Meeting for Business January 14, 2024

TFM Land Acknowledgement that the meeting house sits on Puyallup Tribe unceded territory, recognition of our responsibility for harm, ongoing commitment to right relationships, and repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery.

2025 State of the Society Report “Mixed joy and grief as we gained new friends and mourned the loss of dear loved ones. . . .”