A Quaker Walk – Flushing to the U.S. Capitol

A Friends’ Pilgrimage for Tolerance, Inclusion, Understanding, and Justice

As a child Ruth Watson loved Whittier’s poetry. She loved Whittier’s hymn, Dear Lord and Father of Mankind. These lines “take from our souls the strain and stress and let our ordered lives confess the beauty of thy peace;” spoke to her condition about a quest for peacefulness. However, a second hymn, she said – it ‘appealed to me.’ The hymn prays “not forever by still waters would we idly rest and stay, but would strike the living fountain from the rocks along our way.” Like Ezekial 47:1 a promised river’s rising is a. Conflict, in deed, “a healthy diversity of ideas which challenged me to find the balanced path. “ So it is with the Faith of Friends…. Living into this tension. We are called again to see the fountain, for rest, renewal, agitation. In May 2025, a diverse group, an interfaith alliance, embarks NYC. A body who needs support. Quakers plan to make a 19-day pilgrimage from Flushing’s Quaker Meeting House Queens, New York, to the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. This pilgrimage, known as Quaker Walk 2025, is inspired by the 1657 Flushing Remonstrance—a seminal document advocating for religious freedom We aim to reaffirm a commitment to tolerance, justice, and humanity in today’s complex sociopolitical landscape.Wikipedia+1The Free Speech Center+1

Sunday. May 4. First Day of Walk: Queens to Brooklyn – Celebrate Diverse Roots of Religious Freedom

Quaker Walk 2025 commences at Flushing Quaker Meeting the oldest house of worship in continuous use in New York State. Participants reflect on immense courage of those 30 signers of the Flushing Remonstrance, who, at their peril, stood against religious persecution in 1657. As we walk ten miles to Brooklyn Quaker Meeting House, the body seeks to cultivate a spirit of peaceful protest, dissent, and interfaith solidarity.Wikipedia

“We are a people that follow after those things that make for peace, love, and unity.”
— Margaret Fell, 1660dancewater

Second Day. May 5th. Monday Brooklyn to Plainfield – Crossing Riparian Boundaries

Traversing 24 miles through the busy urban core of New York into New Jersey from Brooklyn to Plainfield Friends Meeting, the walkers will cross physical and symbolic boundaries. They will be reminding us of this enduring relevance in the Flushing Remonstrance’s plea for religious tolerance and the welcome of newcomers among us.

“Noncooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as cooperation with good.”
— Martin Luther King Jr.MLK50: Justice Through Journalism

Third Day May 6th, Tuesday Plainfield to Blackwell Mills – Embracing Nature’s Path

This journey will gather us to continue the walk along a 15.5-mile route combining sidewalks and trails to Blackwell Mills Canal House. Walkers may find their communion and solace in nature, reflecting on an interconnectedness of all life.

“Peace is present right here and now, in ourselves… in everything we do and see.”
— Thich Nhat HanhFriends Life Care

Fourth Day, May 7. Wednesday Blackwell Mills to Princeton – Seeking Wisdom

Walking 15.5 miles along D&R Canal Trail to Princeton Meeting, participants engage ever deeper worship, gathering dissension and contemplation. We’ll dialogue and draw inspiration from our Quaker traditions of concern for worshipful silent and present faith.

“I have never lost the enjoyment of sitting in silence at the beginning of meeting, knowing that everything can happen.”
— Quaker Faith and PracticeQuaker Socialist Society

Fifth Day, May 8th. Thursday Princeton to George School – Bridging Founding Communities

The 20 miles to George School in Newtown, PA, bridges histories diverse in community emphasizing importance of educating youth. We can seek engagement in the freedom sought and indulged by social justice movements of all kinds.

“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.”
— Frederick DouglassHuman Rights Careers

Sixth Day, May 9th Friday George School to TBD – Continuing the Human Rights Journey

As walkers proceed from roadside to rail trails, we remain committed to a path of peaceful justice, Finding chant or an uplifting song, drawing strength of shared purpose.

“Peace is not the product of terror or fear. Peace is not the silence of cemeteries. Peace is the generous, tranquil contribution of all to the good of all.”
— Oscar RomeroThe Commons

Seventh Day May 10th. Saturday Philadelphia – Embracing our City of Brotherly Love

Entering Philadelphia, the pilgrimage will reach another place in our origin story – the Germantown Friends Meeting. Site of earliest abolitionism and much brotherly/sisterly love. Here, we can reflect on a rich history of liberty and ongoing struggles for equality.

“Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.”
— Martin Luther King Jr.NPS.gov

Sunday, 2nd First Day. May 11th. To Interbe: Interdependence Haul – Strengthening Bonds

Walking nine miles, a spine of early Quaker business to Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, participants can celebrate interdependence and strength found in unity.

“True peace involves freedom from tyranny and a generous tolerance.”
— London Yearly Meeting, 1943(no title)

May 12th, Monday. Walk Day #9 West Philadelphia – Building Community

Our pilgrimage of delivering the remonstrance continues to Springfield Friends Meeting, emphasizing building nets that work; an importance of engagement in fostering change.

“Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice.”
— William FaulknerGoodreads

May 13th. Tuesday. Walk Day #10 To Westtown – Nurturing the Faith of our Future

Walking 12 miles to Westtown Friends Meeting House, a focus of our walk may rise on nurturing and strengthening future generations in roles of active community education in promoting social justice. This outward journey seeks an inward journey as a community.

“We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
— Martin Luther King Jr.NPS.gov

May 14th Wednesday Walk Day #11 To London Grove – Cultivating Resilience

Covering 17 miles to London Grove Friends Meeting, participants may be led to reflect on a resilience required to sustain movements for change. We conserve our strength as we Listen deeply to receive resolve from ancestors.

“Like a wild animal, the soul is tough, resilient, resourceful, savvy, and self-sufficient.”
— Parker J. PalmerGoodreads

May 15th Thursday Walk Day #12 Penn Hill – Honoring the Lands and Peoples’ Past

Walking 24 miles to Penn Hill Friends Meeting, the walk honors our ancestry and shared wisdom that builds off of the legacy of those who have fought for justice before them. We’re to criss cross a Mason-Dixon Line’s path to freedom underground and before us.

“Although slavery may have been abolished, the crippling poison of racism still persists, and the struggle still continues.”
— Harry BelafonteInnocence Project

May 16th Friday. Walk Day #13: Susquehanna River Crossing – Embracing New Horizons

Crossing the Susquehanna River by canoe to Little Falls Quaker Meeting in Maryland, participants embrace new horizons and the transformative power of collective action.

“A boycott is never an end within itself. It is merely a means to awaken a sense of shame within the oppressor but the end is reconciliation, the end is redemption.”
— Martin Luther King Jr.MLK50: Justice Through Journalism

Saturday May 17th Walk Day #14 Into Baltimore – Advocating for Justice

Walking 18 miles to Stony Run Meeting, the advocation of the body is preparative in the land recognition for justice in Baltimore, a city with a rich history of civil rights activism.

“I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness.”
— Martin Luther King Jr.NPS.gov

May 18th, Third First Day. Walk #15 A Star-Spangled Saunter – Celebrating the Freedom Road

A shorter walk through central Baltimore, participants may celebrate the ideals of freedom and democracy, while acknowledging the immense work still to be done.

“Peace is a gift, but it does not come magically through our passivity.”
— Sandra Cronkquakercenter.org

May 19th. Monday. Walk Day #16: West Baltimore & Ellicott City – Connecting Communities

Covering 18 miles to Patapsco Friends Meeting, we’re connecting diverse community to reinforce reemergence of Truth as the importance of solidarity in the pursuit of justice.

“Seek to know an inward stillness, even amid the activities of daily life.”
— Advices & Queries #3Pinterest

Tuesday. May 20th. Walk Day #17 To Sandy Spring – Embracing Simplicity

Walking 20 miles to Sandy Spring Friends Meeting, participants embrace Quaker testimony of simplicity, focusing on the essence of their stewardship and sustainability interfaith mission.

“After silence, that which comes closest to expressing the inexpressible is music.”
— Aldous HuxleyReddit

Wednesday May 21st Walk Day #18 Rock Creek Park – Reflecting on the Strengthening Journey

On a final long walk of 24 miles to Rock Creek Park to Friends’ Meeting of Washington we are offered time for reflection on this journey’s richness. Its challenges and triumphs.

“The joy of experiencing the Light in a completely different way than one has thought it would come is one of the greatest gifts that Friends’ meeting for worship has brought me.”
— Quaker Faith and PracticeQuaker Socialist Society

Thursday May 22nd Walk Day #19 Truth in our Delivery Day – A Righteous Call to Action

The pilgrimage for righteous tolerance and remonstrance culminates with a four-mile walk from Friends Meeting of Washington to the United States Capitol, where participants will deliver the Flushing Remonstrance and a renewed call for tolerance, justice, and humanity.