In addition to gathering for Silent Worship, we also gather to socialize, in service, and to learn from each other. See our newsletter for upcoming events.
Potlucks
We hold vegetarian potlucks most months, typically on the fourth Sunday of the month, after Silent Worship. While we aren’t all vegetarians or vegans, some of us are, and so we ask that you bring a vegetarian dish to share. Dishes containing eggs and/or dairy (milk, cheese, butter, etc.) are fine; vegan or plant-based dishes are good too. Please no dishes containing fish, seafood, poultry, or meat. A list of the ingredients in your dish would be appreciated by those who have food allergies or who are vegan. We do have a small microwave, and we have a mini-fridge we use part of the year. We don’t have an oven or stove or large refrigerator for keeping food hot or cold during Silent Worship. You may want to bring something that is safe to keep at room temperature or that you can keep cool in your own cooler while we are in silence.
When the weather is nice, we hold our potlucks in the Meeting House Garden. When we’re planning to eat outside, we will set up the food buffet inside the Meeting House.
We don’t allow alcohol at the Meeting House, so if you want to bring a beverage to share, consider juice, soda, lemonade, or iced tea. We usually have coffee and hot tea available. We have cutlery, serving spoons, and non-breakable plates for everyone to use; we always welcome help with the dishes!
Brown-bag Lunches
We hold occasional brown-bag lunches on a weekday, or after Silent Worship; see our current newsletter for the schedule. Bring your own lunch; tea and coffee will usually be available in the Meeting House. If the weather is nice, we might eat outside. When meeting in person isn’t prudent, we may meet via Zoom. The Zoom link is sent out by email. Brown-bag lunches are usually smaller gatherings than our potlucks, and so can be a good way to get to know people better in a relaxed setting.
Young Adult Friends Group
Our YAF group (members and attenders ages 18-39) gathers in service, for worship, and for fellowship. Activities have included cleanups, attending a powwow, and hiking. Check our newsletter for upcoming gatherings.
Gentle Exercise Classes
Rhonda Ashurst leads a series of gentle exercises from Tai Chi, Chi Qigong, and Yoga; she calls her class Embodying the Light. She’s held the classes in the Meeting House, via Zoom, and in Lake Park (at the intersection of Coleman Dr. and Wesley Dr. in northwest Reno.) If you would like to do the Embodying the Light practice on your own, see the series of videos that Rhonda has made. Check our newsletter for upcoming classes via Zoom or in person.
Spiritual and Topical Discussions
Our Peace and Social Concerns committee facilitates in-person discussions focused on a selected query or topic, at times relating to current events. Topics have included understanding wants and needs, dealing with divergent viewpoints, and how to practice non-violent action. See our current newsletter for details and the current schedule.
In addition to the topical discussions hosted by P&SC, we have enjoyed holding spiritual discussions and classes on Quaker-related topics or books, usually via Zoom. Each gathering has focused on a different topic, sometimes with supplementary brief readings or online videos. A volunteer facilitator summarizes the material and poses queries for discussion. Topics have included “Are Quakers Mystics?”, “Spirituality and Nature”, and “Ways to Connect with the Divine”, plus a very popular Quakerism 101 series. As of August, 2025, we have combined our Spiritual Discussion and Book Club programming; we have an slot reserved each month for a potential book or spiritual discussion. We are always happy to help volunteers coordinate and host a discussion.
Book Club
Our book club held regular book discussions from August of 2022 through August 2025, via Zoom. Reading selections included the books listed below. We have since combined our book club program with our occasional spiritual discussion program.
- The Kendal Sparrow: A Novel of Elizabeth Fletcher, by Barbara Schell Luetke
- The Land Is Not Empty: Following Jesus in Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery, by Sarah Augustine
- Holistic Mysticism: The Integrated Spiritual Path of the Quakers, by Amos Smith
- Solito: A Memoir, by Javier Zamora
- Still Forms on Foxfield by Joan Slonczewski
- Seeking the Light: A Quaker Journey for Quakers and Non-Quakers by Linda Seger
- Sacred Nature: Restoring our Ancient Bond with the Natural World by Karen Armstrong
- The Peaceable Kingdom: The Children of the Light, 1652-1653 by Jan de Hartog
- Busara Road by David Halleck Sanders
- Delivering the Truth: Quaker Midwife Mystery #1 by Edith Maxwell
- The Quakers: A Very Short Introduction by Ben Pink Dandelion
- Sand in a Whirlwind: The Paiute Indian War of 1860 by Ferol Egan
- The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World, by Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Douglas Carlton Abrams
- The Last Runaway, by Tracy Chevalier
- A Door into Ocean by Joan Slonczewski
- Falling to Heaven: A Novel, by Jeanne Peterson
- On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity, & Getting Old, by Parker J. Palmer
- Life Lessons from a Bad Quaker: A Humble Stumble Toward Simplicity and Grace, by J. Brent Bill
- The Invention of Wings, by Sue Monk Kidd
- The Barn at the End of The World: The Apprenticeship of a Quaker Buddhist Shepherd by Mary Rose O’Reilley
- How We Show Up, by Mia Birdsong
- The Dazzle of Day, by Molly Gloss
- The Friendly Persuasion, by Jessamyn West
- Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
See our newsletter for our current programming schedule.