West Chester Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
We invite you to read this statement, consider it prayerfully among your meeting or congregation, and take a similar stand if you feel led to do so in a manner consistent with your faith tradition.
Minute of Intent to Protect
Approved by the meeting on May 4, 2025
All human beings are children of God. West Chester Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends recognizes that our community includes friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, and others who are marginalized and increasingly vulnerable.
Some people in our community are citizens of the United States of America through birth or naturalization, others are lawful permanent residents (have green cards), are non-immigrants (such as visa holders), are asylees, refugees, have temporary protected status, or have no recognized legal status at all. Many lack official documentation. Within a family, different members may have different legal statuses, and the resulting situation can be complex and difficult. Other vulnerable community members may include LGBTQIA+ persons, particularly transgender and non-binary individuals.
As a faith community, we publicly state our intent peacefully to defend the vulnerable in their need. As Americans we enjoy the preferred liberty of the free exercise of our religion; we recognize our obligations to both secular authority and Divine Authority. When the actions of secular authorities are inconsistent with our understanding of Divine Authority, we will endeavor to act both lawfully and faithfully. This minute explicitly and preemptively affirms our individual and collective commitments to human dignity and human rights for all.
Even as we operate from a general stance of political neutrality, we agree to stand ready together to assist those who may seek our help, and to publicly denounce inhumane government policies that would disparage and deny the human rights of everyone in our community and tear apart families. We hereby state our intent to take peaceful actions as such needs may arise, collectively and as individual members who are each guided by our own conscience and understanding of Divine Authority,
Remembering that we are all flawed and oft-mistaken human beings, we take this stand not motivated by pride or desiring conflict, but in a soul-searching hope for an American future of justice, peace, and harmony.
West Chester Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
West Chester Friends were inspired to develop and share this minute based on what a Raleigh Meeting (NC) was doing, based on Fayetteville Meeting in North Carolina.
