A Quaker Fellowship on West 18th Avenue
Eugene Friends Church gathers on the west side of Eugene, Oregon, at 3495 W. 18th Avenue, where it has served the community for many years. The congregation belongs to the Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers, and is affiliated with the Sierra-Cascades Yearly Meeting of Friends, the regional body that covers Oregon, Washington, and northern California. EFC comes out of the evangelical wing of Quakerism, rooted in the conviction that "Christ has come to teach his people himself," and it identifies as decidedly Christian while honoring the wider diversity of Quaker thought.
Its identity is shaped by the Quaker SPICES testimonies: Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship. From a long commitment to peacemaking and racial equality, to a rooftop solar array and a Little Free Pantry on the church grounds, the congregation translates those values into the rhythms of a weekly calendar and an ambitious outreach program.
Sunday Worship and Christian Formation
Sunday worship begins at 11:00 am and runs to about 12:15 pm, held both in person in the sanctuary and on Zoom. A 15-minute fellowship time follows on Zoom for those joining from home.
Worship at Eugene Friends Church blends the historic Quaker tradition with elements that visitors from other Christian traditions would recognize. The service includes open worship, a time of silent and expectant waiting as Friends come into the presence of God, along with singing, prayer, sharing, and a sermon. The Bible has a central place in the congregation's discernment; most Friends, including those at EFC, agree with early Quaker theologian Robert Barclay that the scriptures are "the only fit outward judge of controversies among Christians." A hearing loop system sends a clear audio signal directly to compatible hearing aids, with headset receivers available for those without a T-coil in their devices.
Before worship, Adult Bible Study meets in the Fireside Room from 9:45 to 10:45 am using Illuminate, a Bible study curriculum written by Friends for Friends. The discussion group is open to visitors and to newcomers exploring the Christian tradition.
An Open and Affirming Congregation
Eugene Friends Church calls itself an open and affirming congregation. No one is excluded from full participation in the life or ministry of EFC based on race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or disability. A minute on human sexuality approved in 2016, after a long process of discernment, commits the church to full participation regardless of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or commitment to a lifelong monogamous same-sex relationship. The minute explicitly affirms that biblical texts are not condemning of such relationships, while accepting in love and humility that some individual members do not concur.
The church's public witness continues outward. Recent minutes address US immigration and authoritarianism, a discernment of genocide in Gaza, and apartheid-free investing. These documents are published as part of EFC's effort to live out its Quaker peace testimony beyond the walls of the meetinghouse.
Children at EFC
Children are full members of the community, and EFC makes space for them from the earliest age. Children's Sunday School begins at 11:15 am, immediately after the children's message during the main service. Two approved adults escort the children to their classrooms and remain with them throughout the hour. The program uses the Storyline curriculum, with room for play, adventure, and what the congregation calls "the spontaneous direction of the Spirit."
Outside regular hours, children enjoy a harvest party, hikes, a Christmas Faire, mission trips, and summer camps. Teachers and childcare workers have passed background checks, abuse prevention training, and adhere to the Sierra-Cascades Yearly Meeting of Friends safeguarding policy.
Weekly Rhythms of Quiet, Song, and Conversation
Beyond Sunday morning, the congregation keeps a steady calendar of smaller gatherings.
On Tuesdays from 4:30 to 5:15 pm, the sanctuary opens for a weekly silent prayer gathering, sometimes called "waiting worship." Those who arrive enter through the office doors and sit together in quiet meditation.
On the first and third Sundays of each month, the Fireside Room hosts a four-part hymn singing from 5:15 to 6:30 pm. No musical experience is needed; those present take turns choosing songs from the hymnal and singing them together.
On the second and fourth Sundays, Refiner's Fire meets outdoors under the Shelter at 6:00 pm, with light refreshments at 5:30. The gathering is described as a casual conversation on a wide variety of topics.
An Art Group meets on the second Wednesday of each month from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, a bring-what-you-have gathering for any kind of art activity at any level of expertise. The SCYMF Book Club, the Meeting for Learning, gathers monthly on Zoom around titles chosen by the group.
Get Away, Give Away: 43 Years in Mexico
For 43 years, groups under the umbrella of Eugene Friends Church have made spring trips to Mexico to build houses and friendships. The ministry, called GAGA for "Get Away, Give Away," works with Mexican agencies to identify families in need of secure housing, with a particular focus on single women with children. The hope is that a solid house with sanitation helps children stay in school and enjoy better health and safety.
Most participants have little building experience. All leadership is volunteer, and overhead is kept minimal so dollars stretch as far as possible. The cost per adult covers registration, building materials, insurance, support vehicles, and food in Mexico, with travel expenses split separately. A reduced rate for youth and children encourages family participation. GAGA has no faith affiliation requirement to join, though most participants come from some kind of faith community.
Outreach Across Lane County
The Outreach Ministry, organized by Outreach Clerk Cindy Howland, extends the congregation's reach across Eugene and Lane County.
Volunteers helped build a tiny home at Emerald Village, part of Square One Villages' effort to create urban villages of tiny homes for people who need a step up to affordable housing. Contractor Clyde Parker, with Parker & Lee Inc., and Architect Will Dixon spearheaded the project.
EFC has participated for many years in St. Vincent de Paul's Interfaith Family Shelter program, which feeds and shelters around 20 families per night through more than 30 faith communities in the Eugene-Springfield area. The church typically takes its turn during a week in March or April, preparing and delivering meals to the First Place Family Center on Amazon Parkway.
Other ongoing partnerships include providing sack lunches to those attending Eugene's Community Court, preparing meals for at-risk youth through Hosea House, hosting a Little Free Pantry in partnership with Burrito Brigade, recruiting volunteers for the Egan Warming Centers when temperatures fall below freezing, hosting a camper through St. Vincent de Paul's Overnight Camping Program in the parking lot, and supporting Catholic Community Services through an annual food drive and winter clothing collection.
The Little Free Pantry at the church welcomes nonperishable food, unopened beverages, hygiene products, and fresh produce. Office staff can coordinate storage for perishable donations during office hours, Tuesday through Thursday from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Recovery Groups Meeting Across the Week
Eugene Friends Church hosts a substantial schedule of local recovery meetings, in keeping with its understanding that recovery is about more than abstaining from substance use. It embraces a positive view of wellness and personal growth.
Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Al-Anon meetings gather in the building on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, including women's and men's meetings and a mix of midday and evening times. The building also serves as the Al-Anon Literature Depot for Lane County, with distribution hours on Mondays and Fridays from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm and Wednesdays from 4:30 to 6:30 pm.
The Building, the Garden, and the Solar Array
The church campus includes several spaces open to the wider community. The Shelter in the Grove, a covered outdoor structure, hosts family gatherings, potlucks, weddings, and memorials in any weather. The Friends Community Garden provides an outdoor setting with blooming flowers and climbing plants through spring and summer, ideal for intimate ceremonies and outdoor events.
Inside, the Fellowship Hall, Fireside Room, and Kitchen are available to rent for meetings, anniversaries, receptions, and birthday parties. Several classroom-style rooms accommodate small events, workshops, and classes, and ongoing office space is available as well. Weddings are hosted by the church, with applications available from the office at least three months in advance.
Solar panels on the church rooftop generate renewable energy as part of the congregation's longstanding commitment to stewardship of the earth. A monthly report tracks the array's production.
Decisions by "Sense of the Meeting"
Eugene Friends Church governs itself in a way that may be unfamiliar to visitors from other Christian traditions. The most significant decisions are made by the congregation during Meeting for Business, held on the third Sunday of each month at 12:30 pm, both in person and on Zoom. No votes are taken. Members and attenders speak after a time of prayer and quiet searching, and the clerk summarizes where the meeting senses Christ is leading.
John Donathan serves as Clerk of the Meeting. Together with the pastor, the Elders have a special responsibility for the prayer life and spiritual care of the community. Jan Robbins serves as Clerk of Elders.
Pastor and Listening for the Spirit
Ruba Byrd serves as pastor. She holds a Master of Divinity in Pastoral Care and Counseling and has worked with non-profits such as Habitat for Humanity, in prison ministry, and as a freelance editor. She has served EFC since July 2018, is a musician as well as a pastor, and is known as a loving and attentive presence in the congregation. Her regular office hours are Wednesdays from noon to 3:00 pm, and she is available for appointments in person or on Zoom.
The congregation continues to discern, in Quaker fashion, what it means to follow Jesus in the world: through silence and song, through sack lunches and solar panels, through forty-three years of house-building in Mexico, and through the steady work of welcoming neighbors into the meetinghouse.