There's trusting the process/trusting the system, and then there’s stagnating in the system or process. As the world changes and as we all learn, process, and grow in different ways, it’s good to remember that the process or system only works if it actually works for everyone. For instance, I honestly really like our resident handbook. It’s thorough and it flows in a way that makes sense to me. It does not do this for all housies. It might not even be sufficient for most housies. The system can’t work if the users can’t access what they need in order to do what they need to do, right? If what we keep hearing is “we need this support” and “there should be a policy about…” and “I don’t know who to ask for this” when *I think* all the information is clearly presented in the handbook—then a change is needed. A handbook that was written decades ago when the world was a very different place—and there wasn’t even language yet for neurodivergence, for people having different learning and processing speeds and styles—is just not going to work in this current world. Adaptability as a leader isn’t just about rolling with the unexpected hiccups and finding a way through—although that’s definitely a huge part of it. Leaders also need to look at the folks we’re leading: what do they need to accomplish our goals? Sometimes we need to redesign the starting point. Or if we’re viewing life as a video game (and why not?)—sometimes we just need a better tutorial.
While we host meetings from a variety of organizations, we deeply value our Quaker connections. This past week we hosted the Good Friday Witness for Peace and Justice as we have for many years. Organized by Friends Meeting at Cambridge, Friends from the greater Boston area gather here for opening and closing worship. Vickie provided a simple lunch after a chilly day on Boston Common. This coming weekend we are hosting the House Board retreat where Friends and friends from around New England will meet to do the business of running the House. Also this weekend, I hope to attend the Visioning Day on Vibrant Quarterly Meetings. The House helped hold Salem Quarter during its sabbatical and we would love to be a part of getting it started up again. And in July, Jen will be delivering the Bible Half Hour at Friends General Conference Gathering. Our connections to our Quaker community ground our work, support our mission, and keep us connected.
Some Reflections on Cleaning The first thing I do when I move into a new place is clean. I don’t mean I sweep the floors, I mean I scrub everything. I take a brush to the baseboards, dust the ceiling, clean the grease trap over the stove—things it may take me another 10 years to get around to cleaning again. Over the years, I have come to think of it as claiming a space for my own. It’s kind of like marking my territory, but with the scent of Murphy’s Oil Soap instead of musk. But it is also a way of getting to know my new home. As I clean, I notice the shape of the molding or an odd asymmetry in the layout. I’ve been attending Meeting for Worship at the Friends House for about 35 years. That’s a lot of time spent staring at the elegant inlay of the floor, the intricate design of the carpet, and the view through that gorgeous window. I feel like I know the space well. But since I’ve been working here, I’ve had occasion to notice the Meeting Room in a new way: by really cleaning it. Of course, I’ve swept up after fellowship and attended a few House Workdays. But now that I’m working here full-time, I have had the opportunity to care for the space regularly — and to really clean it like I do my own space. The last few times I’ve been to Meeting for Worship, the room feels different. The carpet is the one I vacuumed the day before and will vacuum again in a few days. The floors reflect back the oil and wax I applied by hand last month. As Quakers, we don’t believe that places are sacred, which is why we call our buildings “meetinghouses” not “churches.” It is us, the people gathered together, who are holy. But our connection to the space where we meet matters, too, even if just through decades of association. We come to know and love the places where we spend time connecting with the divine in each other. We’ll be hosting our Spring work day on May 23rd. Perhaps you can join us to tend to our beloved building and maybe find a new way to connect with it.
Spend a summer living in intentional community in downtown Boston, helping sustain Beacon Hill Friends House during a planned senior staff sabbatical. This role offers a chance to practice steady presence, sound judgment, and clear boundaries while supporting day-to-day operations and community life. It’s an opportunity to contribute meaningfully within a well-defined scope — holding continuity, responding to emerging needs, and supporting a values-driven residential community. Duration: Approximately 8 weeks (mid-June – early August) Hours: ~15–20 hours/week + on-call presence Compensation: Base Stipend $3,200 Housing: Must reside on-site. Room and board included. Primary Responsibilities Community Presence Maintain a consistent, calm, Friendly presence in the building. Hold 2-3 scheduled office hours per week for residents and staff. Provide basic orientation, information, and logistical support to residents when questions arise. Encourage residents to utilize existing house processes and agreements when interpersonal concerns arise. Urgent Situations Triage Serve as the first point of contact for building or operational concerns that arise in the house. Assess the situation and determine whether escalation to the Board Clerk or a designated board contact is necessary. Follow documented emergency protocols and ensure incidents are recorded. Facilities Coordination Coordinate and ensure vendor access for facilities issues as needed. Escalate significant building issues according to the established escalation protocol. Document facilities concerns and actions taken in the incident log. Scope Limits This role is designed to provide stabilization and support while a senior member of staff is on leave, not organizational leadership. The role does not include: Fundraising campaign leadership Strategic planning decisions Staff supervision Policy development or changes Financial decisions beyond a pre-approved emergency spending threshold The role also does not function as a mediator or counselor for resident conflicts, except where safety or house policy requires intervention. What we’re looking for We’re looking for someone grounded, reliable, and clear about boundaries. Holds firm boundaries without overstepping or over-functioning Emotionally steady in stressful or ambiguous situations Uses good judgment about what to handle, document, or escalate Understands community dynamics Communicates clearly and neutrally Follows through consistently Respects the limits of the role Experience in intentional communities or residential settings is helpful but not required. Familiarity with Quaker values or a willingness to work within a values-based community is beneficial. To apply: Fill out our application by Friday, May 8, 2026 . Applications will be reviewed upon receipt, and on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Priority will be given to applications submitted by Friday, May 8. Questions? Reach out to Executive Director Jen Newman at director@bhfh.org .
Community Values and Understandings, Basic Expectations, Queries and Advices)
As we look back on 2025, we are clear that residency at Beacon Hill Friends House leaves a lasting impact. Residency at BHFH is not simply about sharing space; it is about learning how to live into community. As resident and associate director Vickie Wu reflects, “[Living at BHFH] has taught me how much stronger we can be together, when we are walking the path together, as opposed to separately in vaguely the same direction.” This kind of shared commitment (to presence, to accountability, to collective care) shapes how residents show up not only within these walls, but in the wider world. Residents arrive seeking many things: grounding, purpose, spiritual depth, a way to make change that is sustainable. What they often discover is a deeper capacity for leadership rooted in relationship. Current resident Kutub shares, “I came to the Friends House seeking personal growth and a way to impact the world, and I found both.” Through roles like House Meeting Clerk, or serving on the BHFH Board, residents learn to not only consider budgets and participate in Quaker-rooted group meetings, but also to facilitate trust, dialogue, and shared responsibility. These are skills that endure, and skills the world needs desperately. This is how Beacon Hill Friends House nurtures the Light in all of us: through daily practice, shared rhythms, and the quiet, transformative work of living together with intention. As we close out the year, we invite you to help sustain this work. Your gift today will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $15,000 doubling your impact and ensuring that residency at BHFH remains accessible, formative, and alive for the next generation. Join us in walking this path together. In Light and community, Jen Newman Executive Director, Beacon Hill Friends House
Dear friends, As 2025 comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect on a year of meaningful progress at Beacon Hill Friends House, and to share what we’re preparing for next. Together, we: Finished our rear deck renovation, Completed the first phase of critical cellar structural work (including new steel columns and joist reinforcement), and Welcomed hundreds of people through residency, worship, guest rooms, and public programs. At a time when many community spaces are closing or scaling back, Beacon Hill Friends House has remained open, active, and deeply rooted in its mission. Looking ahead to 2026, our focus is on preparing wisely for the future while sustaining our work in the present. Recently, our Board and staff have been working with architects to develop a long-range Vision Plan for our building’s next 70 years. The plan asks three essential questions: How can we increase accessibility to our space? How can resident spaces better support daily life in community? How can our public spaces better serve Beacon Hill Friends Meeting and the many groups who gather here? We are running a matching campaign for our FY26 operating budget , and we are very close to reaching the full match of $15,000. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has already given — your generosity has brought us almost to the finish line. We have just $3,389 left to raise , and every dollar given now will be doubled until we reach our goal. Your gift supports the day-to-day life of the House: resident financial aid, programs rooted in peace and justice, staff capacity, and the ongoing care of this 200-year-old building as a living, active community space. If Beacon Hill Friends House has been meaningful to you, or if you believe places of spiritual depth, hospitality, and public witness matter in this moment, we invite you to help us cross this finish line. Make your Annual Fund gift while it’s matched and help sustain our work as we prepare thoughtfully for what’s ahead. With gratitude, Jen Newman
Suzanna Schell, Beacon Hill Friends House Board of Managers I’ve been a part of the Beacon Hill Friends community for more than 25 years. Most recently I’ve been serving on the Beacon Hill Friends House Board of Managers as one of two Meeting representatives. I felt drawn to the mission of the House as it has lived into the Strategic Plan that was discerned 4+ years ago. I’m excited about the opportunities that the Beacon Hill Friends House has to reach beyond our Quaker Meeting and the House Residential community to connect with others working for a more peaceful and just world while also taking advantage of our close proximity to the Massachusetts State House. Now, as we all struggle with life in the Covid-19 pandemic, I’ve seen how the House staff and residents have quickly stepped up to create new ways of nurturing our extended community, from new virtual programming to repurposing the spaces in the House itself. As I shelter in place, the Beacon Hill Friends House has played a vital role in my spiritual life as well as offering new opportunities for engagement in social justice action. I’ve become a regular at MIDWEEK: Experiments in Faithfulness on Wednesday nights, which I highly recommend to anyone who is interested in different forms of spiritual practice. Until retiring three years ago, I worked as a fundraiser for a number of dynamic organizations that were dedicated to social, racial, and economic justice. Because I live simply and have enough for my own needs, I’ve been able to donate to groups who are helping to create a more just and peaceful world – including the Beacon Hill Friends House. It’s also been my own form of tax resistance. Every dollar I give to social change has been one less dollar to the war machine. And now that I’m retired I’ve been able to use a new method to support my values – a Qualified Charitable Distribution from my IRA. I was able to do this for the first time last year. Under the 2019 Tax Bill, I could no longer itemize my deductions which included my charitable giving. By giving through my IRA, I was actually able to increase my donations and still avoid paying federal income taxes that support our bloated military budget and more. If you are over 70 ½, and are fortunate to have enough, I invite you to join me in making a Qualified Charitable Donation from your IRA.
BHFH Residency Program
I could write so many essays (and have filled many journals) with thoughts about work I want to revisit and musings on what I have learned in my time attending Beyond Diversity 101 Workshops.Today, the word that is coming to me is balance. I'm still learning how to work with polarities/dualities. But I'm realizing that so much of the time, the things people think might be "either/or" are actually "yes/and"—like yin and yang, light and dark, they are two parts of a whole. What's alive right now for me personally, and in our lives here at the house, is that we are all going through so much—the world is scary, our day to day lives are complicated and difficult. It is easy to sink into the anger, the hopelessness, and the feelings of powerlessness that are so prevalent. Those feelings are real and I honor them. But in order to keep myself going, I also need to remember to balance those feelings with the joy, the whimsy, and the sometimes absurd beauty of community. Among the ways we lean into joy range from introducing our international residents to uniquely American foods—fluffernutter sandwiches, s'mores, and tater tot hotdish—to Housies joyously and riotously sledding on the Boston Common during our recent snow days. We seek to balance the hardness of the world with the soft, warm landing place that feels like Home. We're in this together—here's hoping you are also able to create Balance in your system.