What does “witness in the world” mean to Quakers (Friends)?
From core beliefs, Quakers have been led to bear witness against war and acts of violence and for stewardship of the earth and fair sharing of world resources. We may be led to actions in favor of social justice, criminal justice reform, or other societal changes.
The Witness in the World Support Committee at Moorestown Friends Meeting helps members of our Quaker community to express their faith by active example.
As told in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting’s Faith and Practice, since the days of George Fox, Friends have looked to “the light within” for spiritual guidance. From this, we are not meant to “conform to the ways of the world.” Instead, we seek to transform the world according to our leadings and a shared set of core values known as the Quaker testimonies.
SEPTEMBER 2026 CALL TO ACTION:
Action Alert: Moorestown Monthly Meetings’ Manumitted and Enslaved Working Group
- The MMM Manumitted and Enslaved Working Group was established in 2025. It seeks to document the lives of the enslaved and their movements before and after manumission.
- It is clerked by Janet Adair, who has been researching slavery in Moorestown and South Jersey for some time. Before becoming an attender at MMM, she met with others in local Quaker Meetings, churches and communities who shared an interest in the legacy of slavery. Her passion seems particularly in concert with the Friends’ testimony of equality.
This new MMM working group partners with the 339 Manumissions Project, Rutgers University, Timbuctoo, the Still Foundation, as well as other Quaker Meetings. It has the potential to add research findings to established databases such as the New Jersey Slavery Records Database and the Northeast Slavery Records Index.
The 339 Manumissions Project serves to document the family histories of the 339 Africans granted freedom by PYM Quakers between 1765 and 1790. In 1776, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting took a major step by disowning Quakers who had not freed their slaves. Before this, resistance was led by PYM Quakers such as Benjamin Lay and John Woolman. The 339 Manumissions and Beyond Project, a diverse and faith-based group, is a historical initiative led by Avis Wanda McClinton.
Medford Meeting also has volunteer researchers. Recently Janet spoke with Dr. Bayker, a history professor at Rutgers-Camden who developed the New Jersey Slavery Records Database. He conducted a training session for them in July, 2025 and July, 2026 and created an online database specifically for Medford Meeting. This way they would consolidate information from multiple sources, cross-reference findings, and add new information as it’s discovered. The new research could then be included in the New Jersey Records Database, the Northeast Slavery Records Index, and the 339 Manumissions project. After that, this database will be rolled out to others in Burlington County.
Take Action
- Connect with and/or donate to the following
https://www.339manumissions.org
https://records.njslavery.org/s/doc/page/home
https://nesri.commons.gc.cuny.edu
Doctor James Still Historic Office
http://www.drjamesstillcenter.org/drstillsite_sign.png
Timbuctoo Historical Society
- Become a volunteer for MMM’s Manumitted and Enslaved Working Group
- Attend Janet Adair’s talk on Slavery at the Moorestown Meetinghouse on October 18.
- Help with the upcoming 2027 Juneteenth celebration.
- Suggested Reading: The Fearless Benjamin Lay by Marcus Rediker and John Woolman’s Journal/writings; https://woolmanmemorial.org/
View our previous 2026 Calls to Action including topics like how we can help prevent Human Trafficking, Wage Nonviolence and Discerning FCNL Legislative Priorities for the 120th Congress.
View our previous 2025 Calls to Action including topics like how we can be good stewards of the Earth, learn about and stay informed about Israel and Gaza, support LGBTQIA+ communities, and help Migrants.
View our previous 2024 Calls to Action including topics like the housing crisis, Black History Month, and Climate Change.
View our previous 2023 Calls to Action including topics like immigration at the border.
View our previous 2021-2022 Calls To Action including War in Ukraine, Gun Violence Prevention, Voter Rights, Native American Heritage, and Equalizing Economic Inequality
Climate Liaison News
Friends can subscribe to the Eco-Justice Newsletter
Contact Patricia Finley or Ruth Darlington, co-clerks of the Eco-Justice Collaborative.
Visit the Eco-Justice Collaborative website to learn more.
Some Good Climate News on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Exports
In December 2022 Moorestown Monthly Meeting approved a resolution opposing a project to transport Liquefied Natural gas (LNG) by truck and rail from the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, to a proposed export terminal in Gibbstown, New Jersey. Our concern was both for the danger of transporting the highly flammable and toxic gas through New Jersey but also because the chosen routes would disproportionately impact minority and low-income communities. The resolution also expressed opposition to a project that would result in supporting reliance on fossil fuels given their profound impact on climate change. We sent copies of our resolution to both state and federal officials in January 2023.
Opposition to the Gibbstown plan has succeeded in delaying (but not yet canceling) this particular project and this year the Biden administration paused new LNG exports to allow the Department of Energy to reevaluate the impact of these projects on the public. You can learn more on the positive significance of this pause from the League of Conservation Voters here.
Who We Support
Moorestown Monthly Meeting provides a variety of support for the following organizations.
Click on each to learn more about their mission and how you may lend additional support.
Friends Enrichment Program (FEP) – scholarships/opportunities for Moorestown children
Alice Paul Institute – equality advocacy, leadership development, historic preservation
Alternatives to Violence – creative, affirming responses to conflict and violence
Camp Dark Waters – Quaker outdoor camp for boys and girls to serve and nurture them.
Center for Environmental Transformation – a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental transformation for the neighborhoods of Camden, New Jersey.
Doctors Without Borders – providing independent, impartial medical humanitarian assistance to the people who need it most.
Friends Journal – connecting and deepening spiritual lives
Good Samaritan Ministry – food pantry and additional support for Moorestown residents
Historical Society of Moorestown – dedicated to preserving the history of Moorestown, and to providing opportunities for the community to learn about the past and further understand and appreciate the history of Moorestown and the surrounding area.
Literacy, NJ – existing so all adults have the opportunity to read, write, and communicate effectively
MEND, Inc – safe, affordable housing for families and seniors in the Moorestown area
Oaks Integrated Care – support for NJ residents living with mental illness or addiction
Pendle Hill – support for Quakers seeking spiritual guidance in contemporary society
Perkins Center for the Arts (Moorestown, NJ) – promoting a full and creative life for all members of our communities
Rancocas Nature Center – environmental education and experience for all
St. Vincent de Paul Society – support for those in spiritual or financial need in Moorestown
Urban Promise – education and programs for children and young adults in Camden, NJ
Woolman Memorial – historical property honoring 18th-century abolitionist, John Woolman
Youth Promise Kenya – digital literacy and other programs for youth around Embu, Kenya
Submit a Request
If your Quaker faith moves you to engage with a cause or organization that might benefit from Meeting support, please contact us here.