QEW Fall Gathering 2026 (In Person)

This Fall, our community will gather around the theme "The Fires that Renew." The world we face in 2026 is too often consumed by destructive forces. Both literal and metaphorical, we face renewed firestorms in the natural world from decades of mismanagement to the growing heat waves of climate change. Yet we also face a great firestorm in our global political conflicts and the reckless race for global dominance in technology, economy, and power. Yet this is not the only kind of fire.

The landscape of Iowa and the landscapes of our souls and history are the same. The same fires that move through us and desolate what once was can bare the Earth for the seeds of renewal. The prairie was an ecosystem built not just to survive fire, but built by it. Without fire, the great plains would turn to woodlands – it is only through fire that a prairie can be maintained. We are called to fill the seedbank with hope. Beyond those fires that destroy by consuming their own fuel, there is an inward fire a fire of the Spirit, that burns and creates without consuming. Like Moses recognizing the Sacred Presence in a burning bush, or the autumn trees glowing with light from an October Sun, we will gather to remember that all ground is holy, and that the fires we face are not just an ending but a beginning. Come to tend this inward fire within yourself as we awaken to one another and the calling within.

An Unfogettable Experience - Check out our Advanced Agenda Highlights below!

Whether you are looking to get your hands in the soil, deepen your spiritual practice, or forge lasting connections with fellow Friends, this weekend offers a space for both learning and renewal. Below are the key experiences awaiting you on our In-Person Agenda:

1. A Guided Journey Through Pre-Columbian Iowa (Thursday Evening) Kick off the weekend with a rare opportunity to hear the true, pre-colonial history of the Great Plains. Led by habitat restoration expert Jim Kessler alongside Prairiewoods staff, we will step out of the standard conference mindset to explore native flora, habitat restoration, and contrast Indigenous perspectives of the Earth with colonial narratives. It’s a unique chance to envision a rewilded Iowa with the people who know it best.

2. Hands-On Prairie Restoration with Local Experts (Friday Morning) Instead of just talking about earthcare, we are putting it into practice. Join experts from the Indian Creek Nature Center and Prairiewoods for an exclusive, hands-on practicum in prairie restoration. You will get the unique experience of learning native ecosystem management and invasive species removal directly from local professionals while actively restoring the landscape together.
3. Keynote: Indigenous Leader, Sikowis Nobiss, speaks on Rematriation (Friday Afternoon)
   We are thrilled to welcome Sikowis Nobiss (Plains Cree/Saulteaux), founder of the Great Plains Action Society. Drawing from her frontline experience fighting the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock, her Friday afternoon address will center on radical Truth-Telling, dismantling the colonial myths of westward expansion to face the real history of the land. Ultimately, she will guide us toward ReMatriation: a profound shift in stewardship that treats the Earth not as property to be consumed, but as a living relative to be fiercely protected and restored.
4. Worship for the Land (Each Morning and Evening)
   We will gather together outside each day to engage in Quaker Worship, Holding in the Light the land and all its inhabitants. Friends will be invited on Friday morning, before our service action, to pray outloud for the land and share both our deepest hopes for this land and our accompaniment with the wounds it carries – past and present.
5. Self-Exploration of our Own Part on this Sojourn Together (Home Groups Each Day) All participants will journey through the weekend alongside a small group of Friends known as a "home group." This is a unique opportunity for shared prayer, self-exploration, and deep vulnerability forging unforgettable relationships that can last lifetimes. Each group will take a sojourn from our own stories of trauma and loss (the fires in our own lives) towards the fires within ourselves that can lead us back to our true self and leading in this world.

Gathering Details:

• Arrival: Participants can begin arriving on Thursday, October 15th at 3:00 PM.

• Programming: Begins Thursday at 4:00 PM and concludes after lunch on Saturday, October 17th.

• Who is Invited: All are welcome to this retreat to build community, get to know QEW, deepen our connection with Earth and self, and strengthen our collective witness for the community of Life.

Registration Deadline: Please register by September 30th at the latest.

If you are registering after that date, you will need to receive a double confirmation. The automatic reply email does not guarantee space, but confirms we received your request. You will receive a personal follow-up email if a room is available for you.

If you are in need of transportaton to Prairiewoods for the event, or if you are able to drive others and pick them up from local transportation sites, please take a minute to fill out the Fall Gathering Carpool Survey.

We have a really exciting agenda - click here to check it out! (Check Out Our Agenda Here)

This is the registration form for the in-person meeting. If you plan to attend virtually, please click here.