Wider Witness

Justice League of Greater Lansing

Red Cedar Meeting recognizes the legacy of slavery and its aftermath that has systematically advantaged white people and severely restricted and punished African American and indigenous people throughout the history of the United States. Though some know about and highlight the work of Quakers to acknowledge and redress these inequities, the record of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) has fallen well short of fulfilling our commitment to recognize and respond to that of God in every person.

With this history in mind, Red Center Meeting has committed itself to seeking effective ways to establish meaningful relationships with groups and communities of both heritages in the Lansing area and to make regular reparation payments—not contributions—for the welfare of our neighbors. The Meeting now makes regular annual payments to the Justice League of Greater Lansing (www.justiceleagueglm.org), as its goals and achievements have provided an excellent local mechanism for repair. Some members also work as volunteers for the League. The Meeting continues to search for similar means to make reparation payments to our indigenous neighbors.

Lansing Women’s March

Quaker contingent holding banner at the Lansing Women's March, 2018
Red Cedar Friends attended the Lansing Women’s March in January 2018.

 

Action of Greater Lansing

Red Cedar Friends assisted in serving breakfast for the 2017 Martin Luther King, Jr., breakfast sponsored by ACTION of Greater Lansing
Red Cedar Friends assisted in serving breakfast for the February 2017 Martin Luther King, Jr., breakfast sponsored by ACTION of Greater Lansing

Red Cedar Friends Meeting is among the 16 faith communities that are members of Action of Greater Lansing. Brian Buehler is our representative to Action.

Action is a coalition of 16 diverse congregations from the Greater Lansing area that come together to address gaps within the local social systems. Through a very specific three-step annual process, Action members identify a community concern, research that concern, and use a direct action model to get specific commitments for action from responsible public officials. Utilizing this strategy, Action of Greater Lansing wins 1-3 issues every year in the local community.

Brian Buehler in gray jacket with members of Action of Greater Lansing
RCF representative Brian Buehler in gray jacket with members of Action of Greater Lansing

 

Friends Committee on National Legislation
Advocacy Team

fcnl-advocacy-2017
Our Lansing area advocacy team in action – after we talked with staff at U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow’s East Lansing office in 2017, urging her to rein in Pentagon spending and invest instead in meeting human needs. Quakers in the picture are Linda Chadderdon, Karen Hooker, Pat Grauer, and Margaret Nielsen.

 

fcnl-advocacy-2016
Last year, 2016, our local FCNL advocacy team met with our US Senators’ and Representative’s staffs, urging them to support a bipartisan bill that would have reduced mandatory minimum prison sentences for nonviolent federal drug offenses. Quakers in the photo, taken at Sen. Gary Peters’ Lansing office, are Princewell Onwere and Margaret Nielsen.

 

fcnl-advocacy-2015
And in the summer of 2015, we met with both our US Senators’ staffs, urging them to support diplomacy and the Iran deal to prevent nuclear proliferation. The photo was taken after that visit to Senator Gary Peters’ office. Quakers in photo are Susan Waltz, Erick Williams, and Margaret Nielsen.

To learn more about the work of the Red Cedar Friends FCNL Advocacy Team, see their Facebook group, FCNL Editorial Advocates. This group equips and trains citizens to use letters to the editor, op-eds, blogs, social media and other forms of publication to make their views known. Advocates are strongly committed to human rights, peace and social justice. They work under the auspices of the Friends Committee on National Legislation Advocacy Team of Red Cedar Friends Meeting (Quakers) in Lansing, Michigan. All members of the public are welcome to attend training sessions.

Peace Education Center of Greater Lansing

The Peace Education Center (PEC) is a community with the belief that all life has value. It works to promote compassion and awareness of the potential for interdependence and lasting peace, and nonviolent solutions to world, national, and local conflicts.

The office is located in the lower level of the United Methodist Church on Harrison Road in East Lansing. It includes a peace library, resources for organizing, and “a place to dream big about what a war-less world looks like.” Call  (517)515-5634 for open hours. Peace Education Center general email: peaceedcenter@gmail.com.

Becky Payne (shown below) is co-chair and is Red Cedar Friends Meeting’s representative to the PEC board of directors.

Becky Payne and Terry Link holding Peace Education Center banner at a demonstration.
Becky Payne and Terry Link holding Peace Education Center banner at 2018 Women’s March in Lansing, Michigan.