| Friends General Conference | |
|---|---|
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| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Hicksite (Liberal) |
| Theology | Quaker |
| Polity | Unprogrammed |
| General Secretary | Barry Crossno |
| Distinct fellowships | Philadelphia Yearly Meeting |
| Associations | World Council of Churches, Friends World Committee for Consultation |
| Region | Worldwide |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Origin | 1900 |
| Congregations | 382 in US (2010) |
| Members | 22,192 in US (2010) Approximately 32,000 |
| Official website | www |
Friends General Conference (FGC) is an association of Quakers in the United States and Canada made up of 16 yearly meetings and 12 autonomous monthly meetings.[1] "Monthly meetings" are what Quakers call congregations; "yearly meetings" are organizations of monthly meetings within a geographic region. FGC was founded in 1900.[2]
FGC-affiliated meetings are typically in the "unprogrammed" Quaker tradition, though there are some Friends churches with pastors. "Unprogrammed" means that worship is based on silent waiting for the Spirit's inspiration, without a pastor or a prepared order of worship. As of 2022, there are approximately 32,000 members in over 650 congregations (called meetings or churches).
Friends (Quakers) affiliated with FGC tend to be theologically liberal and more socially progressive than Friends in other branches of Quakerism in North America, though FGC welcomes Friends with diverse experiences and points of view.
FGC's programs include an annual week-long conference called "The Gathering," on-line retreats and worship opportunities, resources for meetings in becoming anti-racist spiritual communities, spiritual mentorship for youth and young adults, book publishing and sales, religious education materials, interfaith relations, and websites for meetings.
Along with the Friends United Meeting, the FGC is a member of the interdenominational World Council of Churches. The Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) is primarily affiliated with the FGC[3] and the main offices are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- ^ "Affiliated Yearly Meetings". Retrieved 2022-05-16.
- ^ "About Friends General Conference". Retrieved 2022-05-16.
- ^ "FGC - Affiliated Yearly and Monthly Meetings".