To Friends of North Pacific Yearly Meeting, and Friends everywhere,

In these days when all the world seems to tremble, we gather as Friends and we tremble too. But we do not tremble in fear or despair. Our trembling is the quaking that comes the moment before we break the silence of worship and speak. Our trembling is the Spirit stirring us to speak and act. 

We are called to let the Inward Voice ring through us with such clear conviction that we rise in courage and sing.

The 2025 Annual Session of North Pacific Yearly Meeting will be held in Missoula, Montana, from July 9 to 13, with an online business-only plenary held beforehand. Our Friends in Residence, Keith Runyan and Nora Lissette and their one-year-old child Juniper, along with your NPYM clerks, invite you to explore what it means to live the theme of this Annual Session: Sing Loud.

In selecting this theme, the Friends in Residence and the clerks were inspired by the words of the Sufi poet Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī:

God picks up the reed-flute world and blows.

Each note is a need coming through one of us

a passion, a longing-pain.

Remember the lips where the wind-breath note originated,

and let your note be clear.

Don’t try to end it.

Be your note.

I’ll show you how it’s enough.

Go up on the roof at night

in this city of the soul.

Let everyone climb on their roofs

and sing their notes!

Sing loud!

—Jalāl al-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī (translated by Coleman Barks)

We are called to live in the brave faith that our prophetic voice is the most powerful force available to us in our times. As Keith wrote in his call to the 2024 Spring Gathering of Quaker Earthcare Witness, 

“It is the voice of King, of Gandhi, of Fox, Fell, and Woolman, of Rumi, of Peace Pilgrim, of Christ, and Dorothy Day. It is this voice that began Quakerism. It is this force that brought Cromwell to the table and the British empire to its knees.” So how can we let our lives speak? How can we let our lives sing? What habits are we being asked to break? What is the song the world is waiting for? Hoping for? Hungry for? 

And the Spirit will say, “The silence of your worship is holy so that breaking it is more holy still. And now is the time. Break the silence. This is a new song, given to you in this moment, for this moment. Lift your voices and Sing Loud.”

Sing the Lord’s song in a strange land. Sing till Earth and Heaven ring. Sing the Spirit’s new song as its words are written in on our hearts. Sing well or sing badly. Sing as you are.

Sing the new song loud enough to cut through the noise of the chaos of the world. Sing the new song loud enough that those suffering can hear us and take heart. Sing loud, even if we do not know what verse comes next. Sing loud, for we have something worth singing about. Sing loud to remind the world what Love has done and what Love will do.

In these days when all the world seems to tremble, we gather as Friends and we tremble too. But we do not tremble in fear or despair. Our trembling is the Spirit stirring us to speak and act. And the Spirit will say, “The silence of your worship is holy so that breaking it is more holy still. And now is the time. Break the silence. This is a new song, given to you in this moment, for this moment. Lift your voices and Sing Loud.”

Our Friends in Residence, Keith Runyan (General Secretary of Quaker Earthcare Witness) and Nora Lissette and their one-year-old child Juniper, along with your NPYM clerks, invite you to the 2025 Annual Session of North Pacific Yearly Meeting, held in Missoula, Montana, from July 9 to 13. Newcomers to Quakerism, young people, and young families are especially welcome. Please remember that we work by abundant financing—pay as you are led. Ask for help if you need it, and offer it as able. Travel assistance is available in the forms of rides or stipends.