On Saturday, November 14, Friends of all ages will gather at Arch Street Meeting House and online for Fall Continuing Sessions. The day will begin with worship at 9:00 a.m., followed by meeting for worship with attention to business,Friends are encouraged to review the advance documents before gathering, allowing time to consider the matters coming before the yearly meeting for business. Alongside the business of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM), the day will include afternoon programming, activities for children and youth, and opportunities for fellowship.
Children and teens will begin the day with intergenerational worship before joining activities with Friends their own age. Our youngest Friends will visit Franklin Square Park to enjoy the playground and carousel. Middle school Friends and Young Friends will participate in the Beyond the (Liberty) Bell tour, which explores Philadelphia’s history through the experiences of women, people of color, Indigenous people, and LGBTQ people, including stories often left out of traditional accounts.
Young adult Friends (YAFs), ages 18–35, are invited by their co-clerks to participate in worship, business, and afternoon programming. During lunch, YAFs will have a table where they can gather and spend time together. At 5:00 p.m., the group will head to a nearby restaurant for an evening of fellowship. Friends should bring money for any purchases they wish to make.
At 2:00 p.m., Dennis Gregg will present the 339 Manumissions and Beyond Project, which researches the lives and family histories of people enslaved by Quakers and later manumitted, or legally freed from enslavement, including people connected with Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. The project draws on archival research, family records, and Quaker meeting records to document people and families whose histories have not been fully preserved. The presentation will share findings from the research, questions that remain, and ways meetings can contribute records, research, and support.
