At the Fall Meeting of Green Pastures Quarterly Meeting on Saturday, September 20, 2025, Friends in attendance came to unity that it is time to begin the process of laying GPQM down.  Declining attendance and a lack of people willing to accept service in clerking or on committees were two of the main factors in this decision.  The process is expected to take about a year.

Although many Friends greatly enjoy in-person contact with one another, the large number of Quaker programs and events easily accessible online have made geographical proximity less important in making and maintaining spiritual and social connections or participating in presentations and discussions. 

A “laying down” Committee is charged with following good order in wrapping up the financial affairs and other obligations of the Quarterly Meeting.  Members include Peggy Daub (Ann Arbor, clerk), Geoff Brieger (Birmingham), Ellerie Brownfain (Birmingham), Jeff Cooper (Ann Arbor), Joe Mills (Kalamazoo), and John Williams (Ann Arbor).  They welcome prayers, questions, and suggestions from any Friend.

During the coming months, the three organizations who received support from GPQM will be notified that the contributions will end after 2026.  They are the Michigan AFSC Office, the Michigan Friends Center, and the Michigan Alternatives to Violence Project. 

Friends in Michigan are encouraged to host events with other Friends in the region, whether in person or online.  The responsibility falls to all of us to maintain the broader Quaker community that can nurture us.  We look forward to seeing how Spirit leads us together in new ways.