Kendal Monthly Meeting (KMM) held Meeting for Worship every Sunday in the year, nearly always with a Zoom option. A good two dozen residents come in person to the Kendal Library, and another 12 or so join us remotely. The support of Kendal staff, the skills of our tech volunteers, and the smiles of our greeters create welcoming spaces for our worship. KMM members have been making arrangements to bring Health Center residents to worship: lifting one another up with a tender hand. (Isaac Penington)
Our Meetings for Business – still on Zoom – are faithfully attended – with regular reports from standing committees, and information from the wider world of Friends. We exceeded our budget, thanks to many generous gifts – and this makes it possible for us to support the work of a wide range of Quaker projects and witness.
Responding to a yearning for more spiritual connections, we revived our weekly study circle which we call The Margaret Fell Group. This group meets on Sundays for 45 minutes ahead of Meeting for Worship. Attendees take turns selected themes and excerpts for reflection. A highlight was welcoming Bolivian Friend Emma Condori Mamani. She inspired us with stories about her work as Director of the Friends International Center for Bilingual Education.
We organized two programs open to the whole Kendal community. In February, Joyce Ajlouny spoke about the work of the American Friends Service Committee. (Her remarks about the Israel-Gaza conflict brought to the surface experiences of harm and feelings of unease among Kendal residents. Several groups at Kendal then sponsored listening sessions.) In the fall, we held a well-attended Quaker Tea. Francisco Burgos was our special guest, sharing highlights of Pendle Hill’s ninety-five years.
The Kendal Resident Association gave KMM a special assignment; the charge was to prepare an evening* of reflections on how Quaker values permeate the culture of Kendal at Longwood. An ad hoc group of KMM members met over several months. Presentations were well received, covering the Quaker role in Kendal’s founding, examples of Quaker service in the wider world, and the model of Quaker decision-making in a secular setting.
*The event was held on January 29, 2026
