Meeting for Worship with Attention to Music and Song

‘Living Song, Living Music, Living Faith’ SJQ Next Steps PROPOSAL for more ‘triQuarter’ weekends & Spring 2026 Vision

Dear Friends,

As days grow shorter, we find an inner peace, We are reflecting on a Light we carry within. This month, we wanted to feature during joyful and holy days news to brighten even our darkest night. In that spirit, we’re sharing updates on a NEW South Jersey Quakers (SJQ) project and casting a vision for a vibrant, intergenerational Spring.

Living into Our Faith: Themes for Our Time
Recent reflections, including the Pope’s letter on the 100th anniversary of the Pontifical Archaeology Society, have us pondering what it means to have a living faith. How do we engage with present Quaker history and interbeing; not as a relic, but as a “living water” and “living breath” that animates our very present? As we navigate what often feel like biblical times, we are called to take refuge in our practices, stay active in deed & Word? Can we truly live into our beliefs? This is a grounding energy SJQ project now seeks to channel: building a faithful future from a deep wellspring of our history and testimonies.

Project Update & Building Our Structure
We are actively working to establish the SJQ project as a formal non-profit entity, a key step for sustainability and growth in partnership with Haddonfield Quarter. [Draft bylaws being prepared for Steering Committee review.] This structure will help us steward our mission with clarity and care. Maybe you are called to serve (2 hours max) per month to support SJQ. We need help on outreach/inreach.interreach goals & ideas? Let us know

A Spring 2026 Vision: “Meeting for Worship for Music and Song”
With an eye toward Spring 2026, we are dreaming of a special Tri-Quarter gathering—a “Meeting for Worship for Music and Song” that expands the joy we all get from Fall Tri-Quarter into a blending worships weekend of intergenerational community. Imagine: tie-dye, camping, overnight fellowship at a local Meetinghouse, shared meals, and joyful noise. We had a very strong, positive response to this idea at Tri-Quarter! Please help.

We need your YES!
To make this vision a reality, we need to hear from you. We are seeking:

• Meetings and Attenders who are comfortable saying YES to helping host or participate.
• Faithful, energetic sponsors and co-conspirators!
• Intergenerational musicians, singers, artists, food gurus, and tech buddies.

This is about expanding worshipful, experimental community spaces and moving fun, family, food, and festive faith into the Meetinghouses of Burlington, Haddonfield, and Salem Quarters. SJQ cannot do this without full Tri-Quarters loving support. We want to be involved, but we need a critical mass to proceed. Also, where to start and go next?

How You Can Help & Next Steps for the New Year in 2026:

1. Share Your Interest: If your family and F/friends would like to be any part – we welcome you Radically! We love the idea of spending a night (or two) camping and sharing in fun activities, please reply to SJQ directly. We Welcome you!
2. Connect Us: As we are not the keepers of total Meeting lists, we will be reaching out to thorough each Quarter representative to facilitate broader outreach. If you know F/friends who love this idea – SHARE. As for Meetings, please share as led.
3. Content & Calendar: We are drafting a broader call for content and calendar dates for Spring. We hope to send a follow-up to all Meetings over the next Holy Days. This weekend—please share in MfW! Let us know if you have interest in outreach.

We are sorry everytime we miss some upcoming YAF Quakers in the Arts or tween-teen events in South Jersey PYM etc; but there is great demand and commitment for nurturing our young people by the community. We hold all such gatherings in the Light. Let’s build this joyful future together. We look forward to hearing your voices and your enthusiasm.

In faith and fellowship,

SJQ Project Team