Adult and Children's Activities
2025 - 2026 Schedule of Special Events
Bible Study 2026 - Quaker Style - 9:45am to 10:45am
We will continue with our Bible Study through the winter and spring but with fewer sessions due to other programming. We are reading the Book of Luke. All are welcome, even if you have not participated before. Bibles are available at the Meetinghouse or you can bring your own. We are using the Quaker Method of Studying the Bible by Joanne and Larry Spears. Dates and passages are listed below. Dates may change if we are able to add more time slots at the 9:45am to 10:45am hour.
Bible Study will start promptly at 9:45am on the following Sundays
2/1/2026 - Luke 6: 1-11
3/22/2026 – Luke 6: 12-26
4/19/2026 - Luke 6: 27-42
5/3/2026 - Luke 6: 43-45–
5/24/2026 - Luke 6: 46-49
6/7/2026 - Luke 7: 1-10
6/28/2026 – Luke 7: 11-17
7/5/2026 – Luke 7: 18-35
Summer dates will be announced later
After we read the passage, we ponder the queries below.
1. What is the author's main point in this passage? (MAIN POINT)
2. What new light do I find in this particular reading of this passage of the text? (NEW LIGHT)
3. Is this passage true to my experience? (TRUTH)
4. What are the implications of this passage for my life? (IMPLICATIONS)
5. What problems do I have with this passage? (PROBLEMS)
February 3 and March 3rd, 2026 - Tuesdays
Book Study - Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
February 3 and March 3, 2026 - 6:30pm at the Harrisburg Quaker Meeting house or online. Join us for a faith-based study of Octavia Butler's 1993 novel Parable of the Sower, which explores how our beliefs are shaped when the world we know collapses. See flyer here.
For more information, contact Nancy Alleman at nalleman1@verizon.net.
Registration for current group is now closed.
In-person and Zoom
Join Zoom Meeting (this is different from the worship link)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84722598849?pwd=dDfEhEdPj6jxebytxrzAgamdeylgfI.1
February 14, 2026 - Saturday, Doors open at noon and entry restricted at 1pm
Palestine Peace Sprint Committee presents a free lunch and movie. Gaza Doctors Under Attack - please RSVP if you would like to attend.
February 15, 2026, 9:30am to 10:45am (Note the slightly earlier start) – Friends House Moscow
Julie Harlow began working toward the fulfillment of the vision of a Quaker presence in Russia immediately after the collapse of the USSR in 1991. Active with the international governing board of Friends House Moscow since its inception, she can share the challenges, disappointments and successes from its beginnings up to the current program. She also speaks knowledgeably about current conditions in Russia based on research, communication with colleagues there, and her personal experience traveling there since 1984. Learn how Friends House Moscow (FHM) provides a Quaker presence and nurtures seekers throughout Russia, Ukraine and beyond; supports programs promoting peace, conflict resolution and justice; helps orphans, refugees, victims of domestic violence, disabled children, COs, teachers of non-violence and AVP; and translates Quaker materials into the Russian language.
Julie is a former teacher, an experienced and entertaining speaker and has been well received at the Summer Gatherings of Friends General Conference and meetings throughout the US since 1992. Going virtual has not diminished the effectiveness of her presentations.
You are invited to send her questions in advance of her presentation to harlow4julie@gmail.com
This promises to be an inspirational and eye-opening presentation, and very timely.
February 22, 2026, 9:45 to 10:45am
4 Doors to Meeting for Worship
We will explore how to deepen our worship by presenting the themes from the Pendle Hill Pamphlet 306, Four Doors to Meeting for Worship, by William Taber
“The heart of worship is communion with the invisible but eternal stream of reality in which is the living and eternal Chrsit. Worship, then, is something which can be entered at any time of day or night when we are ready to step into that stream, either through the grace of God or through our own great desire (which also involves the grace of God).
One way to enter the stream is to imagine passing through a series of four stages or doors…”
From William Taber’s Four Doors to Meeting for Worship
March 1, 2026, 9:45am to 10:45am – Mindful Meditation
Anywhere you see a statue of the Buddha, you find him in deep meditation, with erect and dignified posture, and a subtle (Mona Lisa type) smile.
The Buddha is supposed to be practicing Vipasana, the meditation of Insight. Mindfulness meditation is based on the Vipasana tradition, but has blossomed into various popular forms, both formal and informal.
In our Adult Forum discussion on March 1, 2026, we will try to get a good foundational understanding of Mindfulness. We will allow a few minutes of Q&A if needed. After that, we will delve into a Guided Meditation session. We will explore a Mindfulness technique that is simpler and easier to practice.
All are welcome!
March 2, 2026 - 7:00 to 8:15pm Monday Evening - There will be SINGING!
Join Sue Bakshi and Nancy Alleman for singing favorites for peace, inspiration and Spring!
Please email your song requests to Nancy: nalleman1@verizon.net
March 14, 2026, Saturday, 1pm – Share the Joy of Yerba Mate
Space is limited so please RSVP to Cathy “Caty” Nardo at:
sweetgaucha@gmail.com Donations are welcome.
March 15, 2026, 9:30 to 10:45am - Ben Pink Dandelion, BA, PhD.
NOTE the earlier start time!!!
How can we be transformed, transform our Meetings today, and act as agents of transformation in the world? And is this what it means to be a Quaker today?
Ben Pink Dandelion is a prominent Quaker scholar and Professor at Quaker Studies at the University of Birmingham (UK), known for his extensive research and contributions to the sociology, history, and theology of Quakerism. His approach to Quaker Studies reflects a commitment to understanding the diverse expressions of Quaker faith and practice around the world. Ben explores the theme of transformation and to this spiritual experience. How can we be transformed, transform our Meetings today, and act as agents of transformation in the world, all of which is what it means to be a Quaker in the world today. Online attenders PLEASE USE Zoom link BELOW
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89985597667?pwd=ZbKUOL3KKnURLcnNCk9asvYfKf9L54.1
Meeting ID: 899 8559 7667
Passcode: 064952
March 20, 2026, Friday, 6pm – Cooking with Cat (Alwine)
RSVP to Cat by Wednesday, March 18
Contributions to help with expenses
will be welcome, but not expected.
Welcome Spring and Explore Chinese Cuisine!
Meetinghouse fellowship area (downstairs)
Please rsvp - see below
We will learn to cook:
Vegetable spring rolls,
savory steamed egg,
fried sesame balls... and more!
(gluten free and vegan options available)
Sponsored by Women's Group
All Harrisburg Friends welcome!
March 21, 2026, Saturday 10am to 1pm – Palestine Sprint Committee Letter-Writing Session - at the Harrisburg Tool Library
Harrisburg Tool Library, 1314 N. 3rd Street, Harrisburg, PA. Join us for writing individual letters to our representatives. Bring paper, postcards, stamps, envelopes, and pencils
March 22, 2026, 9:45am to 11:45am – Gardening Fun!
Join the Nurture Committee for family friendly gardening fun.
Seed planting, garden-themed books and games, and a sweet snack,
Starts at 9:45, arrive when you can.
Friends of all ages welcome!
If you can, rsvp to diane.staz@gmail.com, but come either way.
March 29, 2026, 9:45 to 10:45am – The Spiritual Journeys of Cat and
Jake Alwine
April 5, 2026, 9:45 to 10:45am - Easter Program - Intergenerational
- Love Thy Neighbor - No Exceptions
Come one, come all!
Intergenerational Easter/Celebrate Spring First Day Program
this Sunday April 5 from 9:45 AM to 10:45
Our theme is “Love Thy Neighbor, No Exceptions.”
Marci Pickering will lead us in song.
An encouraging story will be read.
Please come prepared to share a story of helping or being helped—
your neighbor, your friend or a stranger.
We look forward to seeing you there!
The Nurture Committee
April 11, 2026, 11am - Memorial Meeting for Worship
Please join Harrisburg Friends for a Memorial Meeting for Worship
as we celebrate the life of Carter Nash
Saturday APRIL 11, 2026 at 11 AM
Harrisburg Friends Meeting
1100 N. 6th St, Harrisburg, PA 17102
or Zoom Link Join from Zoom Workplace app - Zoom
Join us for fellowship and light lunch (~12:30 p.m.)
in the social area on the lower level of the meetinghouse
(gluten-free and vegan options available)
Please pass the word around. All are welcome!!
PARKING
Visitors to Harrisburg Friends Meeting
have permission to park in the Ben Franklin School lot
across 6th street from the Meetinghouse on Saturday.
If you are in good health and able to walk across the street,
please park there so others will find space in the Meetinghouse parking lot.
PLEASE DO NOT park in the Cumberland Court Apartments parking lots.
You will be towed within a very short time
and spend a lot of time and money getting your vehicle back.
April 17, 2026, Friday starting at 6pm – Womens Group Potluck
THIS Friday - April 17 at 6 pm
Gather for a potluck at the home of Nancy Alleman
433 Devon Rd, Camp Hill
Bring a dish to share - beverages provided
~ 7pm Claranna LaCour will guide us as we reflect on the topic Holding on to HOPE
Contact Nancy with questions:
717-623-6864
RSVP appreciated: nalleman1@verizon.net
April 18, 2026, Saturday 12pm to 2:30pm – Caring for Patients in Genocide (pre-registration is required)
April 26, 2026, 9:45 to 10:45am – Quaker Themes in the Gospel of Thomas
Presented by Dan Turner of Abingdon Friends Meeting. Dan will explore the Quaker themes in the Gospel of Thomas.
“In this authentic 1st century Gospel, suppressed by the church, lost for 1600 years, and recently unearthed in Egypt, Jesus comes across as a human being. He has a girlfriend, is witty, charismatic and patient with several disciples who don’t understand him. He inspires their loyalty and is loyal to them, even though he sometimes has to tactfully correct them. His relentless criticism of the Pharisees stems from the community’s belief Joseph was not his father. Accordingly, by tradition he was excluded from the Temple and probably taunted and bullied by other children. The despair of growing up as a social pariah led to a spontaneous religious experience, and his ministry that followed. The basic religious themes of this Gospel align with the modern quantum Field theory of mind, and a universalist understanding of nature.” From The back cover of the Gospel of Thomas, translated by Stephen Patterson and Marvin Meyer.
May 17, 2026, 9:45 to 10:45am – Introduction to Clerking and the Quaker Decision-making Process
Members and Attenders to Friends Meeting should be familiar with Quaker process and Quaker decision-making with respect to clerking. We may each be called to clerk at some point, whether it be for a committee, Business Meeting itself, or perhaps you will be serving on the board of a Quaker-based institution like a Friends School or a Quaker retirement home. This one-hour session will be a brief introduction to some of the basics of clerking and its spiritual underpinnings. Clerking is something we should each take responsibility for, so understanding the process and how it differs from typical secular world decision-making (like Roberts Rules) is crucial to understanding Quakerism and to the smooth functioning of a Friends Meeting.
May 31, 2026, 9:45 to 10:45am – Hinduism
Quakerism is rooted in the Christian faith. However, modern Friends have found wisdom in the exploration of other faith traditions that can serve to deepen our own spiritual seeking. Join us for this presentation and discussion about Hinduism, perhaps the oldest religion in the world.
“Hinduism is also an indigenous religion made up of a diverse family of philosophies and traditions that have been practiced primarily throughout Asia for thousands of years. Today, Hinduism is a global religion with adherents representing virtually every racial, ethnic, and national background and living on every continent, and comprising majorities in three countries: India, Nepal, and Mauritius. All beings, from the smallest organism to man, are considered manifestations of the Divine (existence, pure being, light of consciousness) or reflections of the Divine’s qualities, depending upon the school of thought. Because of this shared divinity, Hinduism views the universe as a family or, in Sanskrit, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.” From www.hinduamerican.org/hinduism-basics
June 6, 2026, 9:00am to 2:30pm - June Retreat with Lotus Light Reiki
Welcome! We look forward to having our Meeting community attend the Lotus Light Reiki (LLR) Retreat.
Theme: Open Our Hearts To Healing Light
Experience and learn about spiritual energy that has potential to transform our heartspace - and benefit relationships and our reach into the world.
Your presence in this LLR retreat is a gift to our Quaker community.
Saturday June 6 — 9-2:30pm
Child Care available (RSVP by 5/1)
Lunch provided (vegan and gluten-free options available)
RSVP - ruthhooverseitz@gmail.com
717-439-7531
Gift to First 20 Registrants
Sponsored by Worship & Spiritual Growth Committee/Harrisburg Quakers
June 19, 2026 - Starting at 5:30pm, Womens Group PICNIC
- Down by the Riverside
Gather from 5:30 on, with meal starting at 6 / 6:15.
WHERE: FORT HUNTER AT THE WEST PAVILLION
5300 N. Front St Harrisburg
Turn in the main entrance (on the river side of the park) and take a left into the parking lot. The West Pavilion sits between the parking lot and the river, with minimal steps involved.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Bring a dish to share.
Set-ups provided- tablecloths, paper plates, plastic silverware, napkins, drink cups and cold water.
Bring a friend! YES - there will be singing!
What more might one ask? ...Food, friends and fellowship “down by the riverside.”
For more information contact Nancy Williams
nanhomesweethome@gmail.com
or
Nancy Alleman
June 21, 2026, 9:45 to 10:45am - Music with Marci!!!
