West Hills Friends

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West Hills Friends is a Quaker meeting in Portland, Oregon. You can find more about us at www.westhillsfriends.org. Included on this page are words of people in our community, and visitors.

West Hills Friends


    • May 26, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 13m AVG DURATION
    • 357 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from West Hills Friends

    "Openings through which he see God," by Mica Coffin

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2025 11:54


    Mica Coffin shares a message about seeing a little girl reach out to a houseless man on the boardwalk after Mica offered a prayer to him. “Doesn't seeing the God in each other make us angels to one another.”

    "Let's focus on the apples," by Stephen Deatherage

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2025 13:49


    Stephen Deatherage shares a message on how, in the midst of life's hardships and uncertainties, we can choose to find sweetness, meaning, and resilience. He used the symbols of apples to speak about how we turn our experiences into nourishment for ourselves and others.

    "Loving Others Helps Me Too," by Kay Ellison

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2025 11:53


    Kay Ellison shares a message about how small acts of love toward her mother, her neighbor, and strangers brought unexpected joy and connection, showing that loving others also nurtures ourselves.

    Mark's Last Sunday at West Hills Friends

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2025 22:39


    On Mark's final Sunday at West Hills Friends, we took time to reflect on the impact of his ministry among us. Gíl George, Peg Edera, Mike Huber, and Mark Pratt-Russum each prepared messages to share, and many others offered spontaneous ministry throughout the gathering. Below are the prepared messages from that day.

    "Being fully human together," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2025 17:38


    Mark Pratt-Russum shares a message about forming community around being fully human together from March 9, 2025.

    Easter Radio Drama - “The Case of the Missing Miracle Man" by April Vanderwal and Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2025 15:51


    April Vanderwal and Mark Pratt-Russum created a special Easter Radio Drama called “The Case of the Missing Miracle Man.” Voice actors with Mark and April included Jayne Calkins, Craig Strong, Lynsley Rollins, Lucia Pratt-Russum, and Katherine Spinner, and Joel Rubicam as foley artist.

    "You Are Deeply Loved" by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025 18:06


    Mark Pratt-Russum shares his last message at WHF. He recalled his first message in May 2010 when he was interviewing for the position, and he read Mary Oliver's poem, “5 A.M. in the Pine Woods.” Here are the queries Mark offered: You are sitting at the base of a tree early in the morning in a forest. After an hour or so, you notice a wild, yet gentle animal making its way through the trees. In the hopes of catching a glimpse of it, you notice your breathing and movements become slower. - What if this was the posture you carried when entering into time with Spirit, your neighbor, each stranger you meet? You are deeply loved. It is true. - What if you believed it was true?

    "The Fruits of Our Attention," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2025 12:20


    Mark Pratt-Russum shares a message about alternative imagination and attention practiced by communities like ours. Queries: What kind of presence am I bringing to this circle? What are my real hopes for this community? Where might I still be holding back-or holding on to something that keeps me from deeper connection?

    "These Are the Ember Days," by Bethany Lee

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2025 15:27


    Bethany reads poems from her book of poetry, Etude for Belonging, and spoke about learning to live at the end of the world, like so many others before, here at the edge of the shore. Hope reminds us that it matters how we navigate those endings, and make beauty on the way.

    "New Expressions of Community" by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2025 15:13


    Mark Pratt-Russum shares a message about our hearts orientation towards change. How are you trying to form and foster new ways of being in community with people? How does a community like West Hills Friends contribute to that experimentation? What does your internal resistance about new expressions of community reveal about what you care about? Are there ways to transform that resistance by using what you care about in new ways?

    "The Next Chapter" by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2025 15:50


    Mark Pratt-Russum shares a message about looking at your life as if it's a book you couldn't put down. What if we trusted that the next chapter will be as riveting as the last? How does such a perspective shift reorient your thinking about the future? How does nostalgia reveal what you care about? What skills have you learned from these passions? How can those skills be used in crafting the future. Photo by: Matias North

    "Rituals for times of turmoil" by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2025 15:54


    Mark Pratt-Russum shares a message about our disenchantment with religious rituals since the Enlightenment and offered the queries: Considering the growing disconnect of the sacred/spiritual from everyday life, how are you engaging in ritual to keep yourself connected and grounded? In this time of turmoil, what do you need to tend to your heart/mind/body/soul? How might crafting daily rituals assist in that tending?

    "Reclaiming what was lost," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2025 14:27


    Mark Pratt-Russum shared a message about holding hands with a girl in youth group and the prodigal son. Mark offered these queries: How has it been carrying around the narrative that you are lost? How much longer must you carry it? What would happen if you were freed from it? Has anyone ever called you lost for something you knew was guiding you home to yourself? How are you reclaiming what another once thought was lost about you?

    "Painting our peaceable kin-dom," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2025 14:17


    Mark Pratt-Russum shared a message about painter and minister Edward Hicks and the Hicksite/Orthodox split in Quaker history. When asked about your vision for the Kin-dom, what do you say? What do you paint? What do you write? What do you imagine? How do our "Kin-dom" visions sustain us in times when we feel furthest from it's potential? Friends calling us into movements of liberation may be encouraging us to add to, or expand our imaginations of the Kin-dom. if so, what does faithful listening look/feel like for us?

    "Gems in the crown," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2025 15:53


    Mark Pratt-Russum shares a message about speaking truth to power and offered these queries: In what areas of your life could you use more plain, clear, and honest communication? How might God be moving us to speak Truth to power?

    "Surviving the Mesocosm," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2025 15:39


    Mark Pratt-Russum shared about surviving the mesocosm, the chaotic middle of the universe called Earth. How does the microcosm inform your spiritual practice? How about the macrocosm? If we are children of the chaotic middle, what emotional and spiritual strategies are you practicing to survive and thrive in the mesocosm?

    "Spiritual reverence for the forces that surround," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2025 14:31


    Mark Pratt-Russum shared about maintaining holy wonder about your place in the natural world. How does a return of spiritual reverence for the forces that surround us lead us into a more wholesome relationship with them?

    "Being fully present in the in-between times," by Gil George

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2024 12:53


    Gil George shares a message about the time between the departure of the shepherds and the arrival of the wisemen, and being fully present during the in between times. What does it feel like in my body, mind, and spirit when I am fully present to myself, others, and/or the Divine? What tends to get in the way of being fully present to myself, others, or the Divine? What helps me be fully present to myself, others, or the Divine?

    "The importance of our believing," by Kaleen Deatherage

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2024 13:31


    Kaleen Deatherage shares the story of Virginia O'Hanlon and Francis Church. The famous line, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus," comes from an editorial written by Church in response to a letter from eight-year-old Virginia, who asked if Santa Claus was real. This editorial was first published in The Sun, a New York newspaper, on September 21, 1897. How do you reconcile your hopes and your fears in this skeptical age? How might you experience 2025 differently if you can abandon yourself to God, and let Spirit do its work within you? No matter what is happening externally, how can you respond to Merton's challenge to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy?

    "Seeing the Nativity Story As We Are," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2024 12:03


    Mark Pratt-Russum shares a message about the themes of joy, hope, subversion, worry, wondering and prophecy in the story of the birth of Jesus. Where are you in the story? How are those themes merging with your life?

    "Tending to childlike wonder," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2024 11:33


    Mark Pratt-Russum shares a time in his childhood when he felt heart-sick for a magical place. How do you tend to childlike wonder and imagination about the future?

    "Attending to our Sprouts of Change," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2024 13:42


    Mark Pratt-Russum speaks about watching some old home videos and being captivated by a story in the news. How many times have you pulled up the sprouts of change in your life for fear that you wouldn't be welcomed within the group? How much love and beauty are we missing out on when groups we are a part of appear unable to embrace the unfolding narratives of individuals?

    "That Other World Within," by Stephen Deatherage

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2024 13:16


    Stephen Deatherage read the Song Of The Swordsmith by Coleman Barks. How do we tap into that other world within? What is the song that makes you remember essence?

    "When our hearts are ablaze," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2024 13:55


    Mark Pratt-Russum spoke about it being a simultaneously confusing and clarifying time for many of us. How can we have more compassion for ourselves when it feels like time to yell or wail in the direction of God? When our hearts are ablaze, what is it telling us about what we care about?

    "Aroma and Connecting the Spirit of Love," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2024 14:01


    Mark Pratt-Russum speaks about aromas, the limbic system, and how we might find connection with the Spirit of Love, Light, and Creativity this coming week. As you sit in the silence and pay attention to the thoughts and feelings that visit you, what are they revealing about your heart, mind, and spirit? How does reconnecting with God in the silence help you view those visiting thoughts and feelings?

    "God is already present in the future I am fearing" by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2024 15:18


    Mark Pratt-Russum speaks about expressing your fears and longings in prayer. What opportunities do you have for expressing your fears, longings, concerns, gratitudes and complaints ? How does being intentional about expression help clear the way for your heart and mind to be more fully present during times of turmoil? How does trusting that God is already present in the future you are fearing help you navigate the fear now?

    "Ready for compassionate action," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2024 16:34


    Mark Pratt-Russum spoke about who we give our attention too, and the biblical story of the woman who touched the hem of Jesus' garment. How are you paying attention to the cultural pressure for more attention and availability as it relates to your ability to be centered and ready for compassionate action? How have you ordered your social systems so that you can be more loving to yourself and others?

    "Inner guidance during tumultuous times," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2024 13:45


    Mark Pratt-Russum gives a message about climate despair. Queries: When experiencing tumultuous times, what does it sound/feel like inside you? How have you experienced connection with an inner-guide during such times? Do you find yourself preparing your heart, mind, soul, and body for upcoming storms? What does that look like for you?

    "Temple Obsession," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2024 18:39


    Mark Pratt-Russum shares a message about temple obsession and read a passage from a book by James Allison. Do you carry a hope for a more just, liberated, and joyful future that is sustained beyond the soul-sucking influence of institutions of power? How do you do this? How can communities become places of mutual inspiration, rest and joy in the face of political/cultural/social realties that make us uninspired, bred, and hopeless?

    "A More Liberated Future," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2024 11:14


    Mark Pratt-Russum shares about a photo taken in 2006 with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background, recalling the profound sense of liberation he experienced in that moment.

    "Shedding for Transformation," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2024 13:29


    Mark Pratt-Russum reads the story in Exodus about Moses approaching the burning bush. Mark offered a different perspective about Moses removing his sandals. Perhaps it was recognizing the need to shed something for this transformative moment. When you consider the growing moments of your life, how did shedding play a part in becoming who you are now? Do you remember what it was like to be in that process, how did it feel in the moment? How do you look back on those times now? Have you experienced "shedding your sandals" as you approached the Divine, not necessarily as a sign of honor or respect, but as an acknowledgement of stepping into the Holy ground of creativity and change?

    "Grounded in Play," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2024 15:07


    Mark Pratt-Russum offers a message about what areas in your life could benefit from being grounded in play (the playground). A query from one of our youth, "do you just pick one of the voices in your head and call it God?" How do you recognize and interact with the various voices within you? How might they be interplaying with one another to become the voice of your inner guide?

    "Renewing of our mind," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2024 12:28


    Mark Pratt-Russum shares a message about Covid and the Eucharist. Here are the queries Mark offered: - Is assessing who/what has your attention a part of your spiritual practice?  - How is your internal narrative shaped by the things that have your attention? - How has tending a God/Kingdom/Spirit-led perspective of time and energy changed the way you've thought about yourself and others?

    "Hope and Community in Troubling Times," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2024 13:04


    Mark Pratt-Russum makes parallels to Octavia Butler's writing and shares a message about orienting one's self towards loving, compassionate presence in the world.

    "Reclaiming our Imaginations," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2024 10:03


    Mark Pratt-Russum shares a message about reclaiming our imaginations. How is visioning a better future guiding your daily life in relationship with the Divine?

    "Mustard seeds and migrating forests," by Mark Pratt-Russsum

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2024 13:08


    Mark Pratt-Russum reads from Mark 4 and shares a message with about change and the natural world being of equal importance in creation. What is your current relationship with change? What tools are you using to measure it? What do mustard seeds, migrating forests, and relocated mountains tell you about what is possible in your life?

    "Spirit at the Boundaries of your Life" by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2024 15:30


    Mark Pratt-Russum shares a message about Quaker Lewis Fry Richardson and his findings that ever closer observation reveals more and more detail and complexity. This is later described as fractals. In what ways are you embracing or resisting the interplay of Spirit at the boundaries of your life? How are we allowing or resisting the prophetic witness of the LBGTQIA+ community to deepen your capacity to engage with the mystery of God?

    "God is everywhere" by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2024 19:37


    How can we become more attentive to Divine leading, trusting that we may find our way out and forward by a reorientation towards Spirit's presence in the natural structures and systems surrounding us?

    "Communion with God" by Gil George

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2024 13:14


    "Communion with God" by Gil George by West Hills Friends

    "Align Ourselves With the Light," by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2024 13:17


    Mark Pratt-Russum offers a message about paying attention to your heart and preparing for the situations of life. How has heart/mind/spirit attention prepared you to enter into situations differently? What possibilities emerge, in your imagination, if the process of heart/mind/spirit re-orientation were more widely practiced?

    "You Are Beautiful," by Jill Townley

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2024 8:10


    Jill Townley shares a First Word about an encounter with a young woman on a recent bus trip on her morning commute.

    "Disrupting the Narrative" by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2024 15:32


    Mark Pratt-Russum offers a message about feeling comfortable with being completely you. How have you become aware of the "normative" narratives that have influenced the way you interact with others? How does your spirituality challenge you to deepen the grace and understanding you extend to others?

    "Eclipses and Epiphanies" by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2024 16:31


    Mark Pratt-Russum offers a message about eclipses and epiphanies and shares the poem “Spellbound” by Bethany Lee. What are the epiphanies you've had in your life? When have things come together, or connected in such a way to bring you Into a profound sense of a world filled with light? Are you hoping for an epiphany? What remains disconnected, or unsettled in your life? How are you actively inviting wonder into your spiritual life?

    "Resurrection Tones" by Leanne Benner

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2024 7:29


    Leanne Benner shares a First Word about asking the question what difference does Jesus' resurrection mean for us?

    "Metaphors" by Mica Coffin

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2024 14:08


    Mica Coffin shares a message about how metaphors help us understand God. At the end of the message Mica speaks about a song called "God is a River," copyright Peter Mayer, that can be downloaded at petermayer.net.

    "The Tapestry the Holds Us Together," By Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2024 10:00


    Mark Pratt-Russum shares a short story about George Fox. Later we were invited to weave a message on a canvas.

    "Cracks Let the Light In," by Stephen Deatherage

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2024 14:54


    Stephen Deatherage shares an original short story with Latin dialogue about how the cross has given way to life.

    "Hidden Leaven" by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2024 13:03


    Mark Pratt-Russum shared a message about sourdough starters and leavened bread. What metaphors describe what it feels like to be present in the world right now? Whether it be a stone crying out, mustard seeds, or hidden leaven, how does carrying the Light of the Divine disrupt the darkness for you right now?

    "Holding the Unknowns of Another's Story" by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2024 18:44


    Mark Pratt-Russum shares a message about the story behind the song, "We Are The World." Queries were: 1. How does holding the unknowns of another's story and experience give you more capacity for grace in your relationship? 2. When have you experienced another holding the knowledge of your past challenges in a way that created more space for you to be yourself? 3. How do we create a community where we hold the challenge of learning more about one another with grace?

    "Power and Principalities" by Mark Pratt-Russum

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2024 15:14


    Mark Pratt-Russum offered a message about becoming aware of the influence of principalities and powers and the way they shape our thinking and motivations. How does your relationship with the Divine challenge you to act with integrity and conviction in the world?

    Exploration of God by Kevin Melvin

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2024 10:03


    Kevin Melvin offers a message about knowledge of God and the search for meaning. What if knowing the nature of God is not material to the exploration?

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