(NOTE: New schedule for Hybrid Worship, and the Brown Bag Lunch at the Meeting House.)
Sunday Feb. 1 – In-Person Peace & Social Concerns Discussion Group, in the First Day School, 9-9:45 am (details)
Sunday Feb. 1 – Hybrid Silent Worship (In-Person and on Zoom), 10 am (details)
Monday Feb. 2 – “Peace Presence Vigil for Venezuela,” at the Thompson Federal Building (corner of Liberty & Virginia Sts.), 5:30-6 pm. (details)
Sunday Feb. 8 – Hybrid Silent Worship (In-Person and on Zoom), 10 am (details)
- Bring Your Own Lunch, to follow Silent Worship (details)
Wednesday Feb. 11 – Zoom Embodying the Light, 10-11 am (details)
Thursday Feb. 12 – In-Person Brown Bag Lunch, 12 noon (details)
Thursday Feb. 12 – Zoom Meeting for Business, 7 to 8:30 pm (details)
Sunday Feb. 15 – In-Person Silent Worship, 10 am (details)
Sunday Feb. 15 – In-Person Peace and Social Concerns Discussion Group, in the First Day School, 11:30 am-12:15 pm (details)
Sunday Feb. 22 – In-Person Silent Worship, 10 am (details)
Sunday Feb. 22 – “Love as Action” Public Silent Worship at Idlewild Park, 1-2 pm (details)
Wednesday Feb. 25 – Zoom Embodying the Light, 10-11 am (details)
Other Important Dates
Saturday, March 14 – College Park Quarterly’s “Valley/Foothills Regional Gathering,” Davis, CA, Meetinghouse. (details)
Fri. July 17 to Wed. July 22 – Save the date for Pacific Yearly Meeting’s Annual Session, which will be held at California State University Monterey Bay, in Seaside, CA.
Monthly “Friend-ly News” in English and Spanish from our affiliate Pacific Yearly Meeting: https://www.pacificyearlymeeting.org/wordpress/friendly-news/
You can read about all our Quaker affiliates here.
Announcements
We hold online meetings, spiritual discussions, and yoga on Zoom throughout the year. For details on using Zoom, see our Zoom guidelines.
Reno Friends Meeting Event Details & Other Notices
Join Us for Silent Worship
Every Sunday, 10:00 am in the Meeting House
Reno Friends Meeting holds Silent Worship in the Meeting House every Sunday at 10 am, with fellowship afterwards. See the schedule above for the Sundays on which we hold Hybrid Worship — on those days you may join us either in person or online via Zoom. You can read more about our setup here. In the case of poor weather, road conditions, or air quality, we may move Silent Worship to Zoom only; watch your email for an alert. You may read about our COVID policy here.
Here is the recurring Zoom link for Hybrid Silent Worship:
https://zoom.us/j/98305205938?pwd=cDZseGdLbWMyYWZsZDdiN00rMjRUZz09
If you cannot attend Silent Worship with us, we invite you to send after-thoughts, joys and concerns, and requests to hold people in the Light to ministry(at)renofriends.org. Our worship clerk will read them at the next Silent Worship.
First Day School
SUn. Feb. 22 at 10:00 AM in the First Day School Building
Quaker Sunday School for children is known as First Day School, and at Reno Friends it meets on various Sundays at 10 am. Children attend their class in the First Day School building and then join their parents for the last ten minutes of Silent Worship. Please email firstdayschool(at)renofriends.org if you are interested in more information.
“Love as Action” Public Silent Worship
Sun. Feb. 22 & Sun. Mar. 22, from 1 to 2 pm, in Idlewild Park
The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) has invited Friends across the country to gather in silent worship in public spaces to give witness to the rising authoritarianism and oppression in the United States. Shared witness reflects core Quaker principles: peace, equality, integrity, and community. And taking action publicly is a visible commitment to justice and compassion. By standing together in silence, we affirm that every person has worth, that fear and violence must give way to love and fairness, and that our communities thrive when all are welcomed.
Reno Friends Meeting will join AFSC’s “Love as Action” call for public silent worship on Sun. Feb. 22, and also on Sun. Mar. 22, from 1 to 2 pm at Idlewild Park, rain or shine (or snow!) We invite all to bring water, warm clothes, a portable chair (if needed) and anything else you need to be safe and comfortable. We will gather at the California Building, which is near the Rose Garden. This activity is in addition to our regular events on 4th Sundays (First Day School, 10 am Worship at the Meeting house, potluck).
Please register at the event website here: https://mobilize.us/s/LyGTxj
Peace and Social Concerns Discussion Group Gatherings
Sun. Feb. 1, 9-9:45 am, and Sun. Feb. 15, 11:30 am-12:15 pm. In the First Day School building
Reno Friends have been gathering to discuss current events and what we, as Quakers, might do about the state of the nation. These gatherings — facilitated discussions of questions that help us understand and explore the state of the world — are hosted by the Peace and Social Concerns Committee. The Discussion Group meets twice a month:
- on the first Sunday of the month, they meet before Silent Worship, from 9 am to 9:45 am;
- on the third Sunday of the month, they meet after Worship, from 11:30 am to 12:15 pm.
Both meetings in a given month will discuss the same question, to give people a chance to deepen the conversation. The gatherings will take place in the First Day School. The Peace and Social Concerns Committee (P&SC) will email out a reminder of the gathering and announce the month’s question several days in advance; watch for the update email. Stay tuned, and join us!
CPQM Valley/Foothills Regional Gathering
Sat. Mar. 14, at Davis Friends Meeting House, CA
College Park Quarterly Meeting is encouraging all Reno Friends to consider attending a special Valley/Foothills Regional Gathering on Sat. Mar. 14. The Gathering, which will include other Monthly Meetings from the Sierra region, will be held at the Davis, CA, Meetinghouse and co-hosted by Sacramento Friends Meeting. CPQM is hoping for a warm and spirit-led opportunity to gather and strengthen the Quaker community in the region. It is a good opportunity for Reno Friends to get to know some of the California Quakers, as it is closer to us geographically than most Quarterly meetings and just a single day gathering. The Davis Friends Meetinghouse is at 345 L Street, Davis, CA, United States, 95616. This is an initiative of the CPQM to replace winter quarter gathering but is not an official session of the quarter.
Young Adult Friends & the Red Dress Pow Wow
Sat. Mar. 28, 6:30-8 pm, Reno Red Dress Pow Wow
Reno Meeting’s Young Adult Friends (anyone from age 18-39) will be gathering Saturday evening March 28 to attend the Reno Red Dress Pow Wow. This public event was created to bring awareness to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives in the Great Basin. We will be meeting around 6:30 pm at 1300 Foster Dr., Reno, NV, to watch the grand entrance at 7 pm.
The Ministry committee of Reno Friends Meeting now hosts monthly activities for YAFs. If you are a YAF who would like to be in our group communications, please reach out to clerk(at)renofriends.org.
Peace Presence Vigil
for Venezuela, Mon. Feb. 2, 5:30-6 pm AT Thompson Fed. BlD.
A Peace Presence Vigil for Venezuela will be held Mon. Feb. 2 from 5:30-6:00 pm outside the Thompson Federal Building in downtown Reno on the corner of Liberty and Virginia Street. Reno Friends are encouraged to attend in line with our Quaker Peace Testimony.
The Peace Presence Vigils, organized by Sierra Interfaith Action for Peace, are held on the first Monday of each month, from 5:30-6:00 pm, outside the Thompson Federal Building in downtown Reno. These 30-minute, permitted vigils are on a sidewalk and grassy area. At this time of year, it is mostly dark, other than streetlights. Many folks stand for the vigil, but we recommend you bring a camping chair if you need to sit. Young children are welcome with a guardian.
Embodying the Light
Wed. Feb. 11 & 25, 10:00 am on Zoom
Rhonda Ashurst will lead “Embodying the Light” class this month on Wed. Feb. 11 and Wed. Feb. 25, at 10 am on Zoom. Rhonda offers our “Embodying the Light” class of gentle yoga and Tai Chi/Qigong as a service to Reno Friends and the community.
Embodying the Light is normally held on Zoom from 10-11 am twice a month, on second and fourth Wednesday mornings, but check the schedule at the top of our newsletter, as there are occasional cancellations. The Zoom link will be sent by email. See our website for more about the practice. To be added to Rhonda’s email list for last-minute notifications, email Rhonda at rhonda.ashurst.blog (at) gmail.com.
Brown Bag Lunch
Second Thurday, 12:00 NOON
Join hosts Peg McCall and Melanie Scott for an in-person Brown Bag Lunch at the Meeting House, now on second Thursdays at 12 noon. Anyone who wants to share lunch and fellowship with other Reno Friends is welcome.
Changes to the Hold In the Light List
In order to better manage the Hold in the Light List, Reno Friends Meeting is implementing the following:
Members or attenders who wish to hold the list in the Light during their own practice at home can contact lightlist@renofriends.org and ask for a copy.
The Hold in the Light list is read by the worship clerk after our silent worship. A brief period of silence will be held after the names in the Hold In the Light list are read.
Names on the list will be removed after two months unless Ministry and Oversight learns of a reason to extend listing an individual or group. In order to manage the list, M&O will periodically contact those who refer individuals for the Hold in the Light list.
Donating to Reno Friends
Reno Friends Meeting welcomes financial donations to help support our many projects: renovating our rental cottage, making charitable grants to local and national Quaker organizations, paying our operating expenses, and funding scholarships for young attenders to travel to Quarterly and Annual Meetings. If you would like to support Reno Friends, donations can be deposited in the wooden box on the wall just below the bulletin board in the Meeting House. To arrange to make a zelle payment, or a contribution by check, email the treasurer(at)renofriends.org. Thank you from Reno Friends!
Quaker Mission Stamp Project
Suze Rand is in charge of Reno Friends stamp contributions to the Quaker Stamp Mission Project, which supports the Quaker charity Right Sharing of World Resources. Please save your canceled stamps and give them to her or put them in the drawer of the table under the Meeting House bulletin board. No common flag stamps, please. Thanks for helping women in underdeveloped countries by donating your canceled stamps!
Outside Non-Profits That Meet at the Quaker Meeting House
Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families and Citizens Climate Lobby of Northern Nevada hold meetings at our meeting house. You can learn more here.
Carson City Worship Group
You can read about the independent Carson City Worship Group here. If anyone would like to be connected to the Carson group, just email clerk(at)renofriends.org.
Meal Services and Food Pantries in the Reno Area
Are you facing food insecurity or do you know someone who is? Our Ministry and Oversight committee compiled this list of resources; currently there is additional information posted on the P&SC bulletin board in the kitchen of the Meeting House. This list includes organizations known for their longstanding services and to RFM, excepting the Sparks pantry. Learn more about their services and others in the Reno/Sparks community via phone or websites listed. Services can change – verify by phone or website. (Note: Details compiled 11/2025.)
Places Serving Free Meals
- Reno Sparks Gospel Mission: https://rsgm.org/ (775) 323-0386. Serving breakfast 7:00-7:30am and dinner 5:00-5:30pm – 365 days/year free to all. 355 Record Street. Expect lines.
- St. Vincent’s Dining Room/Catholic Charities: https://ccsnn.org/ (775) 329-5363. Serving a free hot lunch 11:30am – 1:00pm every day, all year. 325 Valley Road, Reno 89512; Expect lines. Please visit Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada website, above, for possible additional meals during government shutdowns.
- Nutrition Programs through Washoe County Senior Services: https://www.washoecounty.gov/seniorsrv/programs_and_services/nutrition/congregate.php For those 60 and over, lunch served M-F at 1155 E Ninth St, Reno, and other sites. (775)328-2575. Suggested voluntary contribution for eligible participants: $2 per meal; for non-eligible individuals under 60: $4 per meal required. Reservations required. Go to the website, above, for details.
Food Pantries
- Catholic Charities: (775) 786-5266. Mon-Wed 8am-10am, Fri 10am-3pm (closed Thursdays) next to the thrift store at 500 E 4th Street. Photo ID and income statement required. Additional services available.
- Reno Sparks Gospel Mission: Pantry provides 3-5 bags groceries, 10am-3pm Tue & Thu only, 2115 Timber Way, 89512. Registration & ID NOT required. Also provides clothing voucher.
- The Community Food Pantry: (775) 742-4856, 1135 12th St., Sparks (in back of Sparks Library.) Wed 10am-noon; Fri 9-10am for Age 60+; Sat 9-11am. Photo ID required.
- Food Bank of Northern Nevada: https://www.fbnn.org/ (775) 331-3663. For a full listing of the Northern Nevada partner food pantries, go to the Food Bank website. Suggested website navigation: 1.: under the horizontal menu, click “GET HELP,” 2. click on the “Food Bank Partner Food Pantries,” 3. Or click on TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) for that list of Northern Nevada 2025 – 2026 locations.