July 2024 marks the 400th birthday of Quakerism co-founder George Fox. For more than a year, Friends around the world have been pondering and planning how to celebrate the life and legacy of this 17th century spiritual leader. Fox was a gifted speaker who drew on his Christian faith to challenge societal injustice in his time, but he is not a “famous Friend” without aspects of his life and ministry that we are called to consider in the light of today. Almost four centuries after his public ministry shaped the beginnings of the Religious Society of Friends, across the globe Quakerism continues to evolve and contribute to our wider society. Shared here are available resources for summer celebrations and year-round learning about the legacy of George Fox at 400.
FWCC Resources and Events
Friends World Committee for Consultation has led the planning and communications for Fox 400th Birthday celebrations, much like they support World Quaker Day on the first Sunday in October each year.
The World Office has created a “Birthday Packet” with many ideas for sharing and contemplating Fox’s time and Friends today at meeting, in homes, and hosted events. It is available in both English and Spanish. The packet includes children’s stories, a dramatic monologue, Bible study resources, and prompts for worship sharing. Alongside the packet, FWCC has created a songbook that includes the best known song about George Fox, “There’s a Light That is Shining.” The song is currently under copyright, but to enable Friends to sing it freely at events FWCC has paid the copyright fee. Friends might also enjoy a new song, Hill of Vision, written as for the 400th anniversary, set to the tune ‘Slane’, which forms part of the World Quaker Songbook.
We anticipate that copies of both the Birthday Packet and Songbook will be available at Annual Sessions for meetings to take home, with thanks to the FWCC World Office.
Curious to know more about what Friends are doing across the globe? Explore the full listing at this link.
In relationship with celebrating historical roots with Fox’s birthday, the FWCC World Plenary Meeting, 8-12 August, is a time to worship and connect with Friends from around the world and to help set the direction for where FWCC goes next. The theme for the 2024 World Plenary is, “Living the Spirit of Ubuntu: Responding with hope to God’s call to cherish creation and one another” and Friends from all over the world will gather both in South Africa and online. PYM representatives to FWCC will be attending both in South Africa and online: Amy Duckett-Wagner (Fallsington Meeting) and Peterson Toscano (Millville Meeting).
Online registration closes June 30, but there is still time to register and join online.
Come to Arch Street and Celebrate on June 29!
One of the events FWCC is listing with other global celebrations is George Fox’s Birthday Celebration at Arch Street Meeting House on Saturday, June 29, from 10am to 4:30pm. This event is free and open to the public, and we hope to see many Friends there! The day will be an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the legacy of Quakerism co-founder, George Fox. Event highlights will include historical re-enactors, Faith & Play Stories storytimes, artists creating, outdoor games – including a dunk tank, food trucks, birthday cake and ice-cream.
There day will also include times for learning and reflection. The First Contact Reconciliation Collaborative will have an interactive display, Friends Peace Teams will have a workshop on their Power of Goodness work, and there will be a panel discussion at 1:00pm. The “Fox Forward” panel discussion will feature leaders in Quaker community today speaking to how we can learn from the past as we vision the future of the faith and its witness in the world. Speakers include Robin Mohr, Executive Director of FWCC Section of the Americas, Brian Blackmore, Director of Quaker Engagement for the American Friends Service Committee, Dwight Dunston, host of The Seed podcast from Pendle Hill, and Hazele Goodridge, clerk of the Monthly Meeting of Friends of Philadelphia which runs the Friends Pantry & Community Fridge at Arch Street Meeting House.
Flat Fox and Fell
Calling all meetings and families! This summer, we hope you will take George Fox and Margaret Fell with you on adventures and everyday fun, and document their travels with photos. Share your photos to Communications@pym.org for displays of all of the places Flat Fox and Fell go between now and Fall Continuing Sessions! We hope you’ll be part of sharing with each from across PYM, and our meetings and homes.
Directions for Flat Fox and Fell are available online.
Friends Journal’s June/July Issue Focuses on Fox
For their June/July issue, Friends Journal is exploring the life and legacy of Fox, with articles that explore the radical theology he shared in his time, lift up his partnership of equals with Margaret Fell Fox, and also ask questions about his legacy. Should we base our faith on individual figures? How do we respond to Fox’s visit to Barbados in 1671 and his normalization of slavery in that place and time? The online issue, linked above, is free and thought-provoking for readers!