COVID-19 has left many Americans in dire situations. With millions of people filing for unemployment, this pandemic has had a devastating effect on American workers struggling to survive.
Congress passed a $2 trillion stimulus package to help the American economy. It is hoped that stimulus checks recently distributed will help those struggling with sudden painful poverty most; however, for some people this is ‘found’ money – something they do not actually need.
Photo by Miyo Moriuchi
Monthly and quarterly meeting leadership gathered for a third time on Thursday, April 9. We began our meeting at 6:30 PM with online worship. A discussion about pastoral care in our meetings followed.
Jean-Marie Prestwidge Barch, as Clerk of PYM’s Ministry & Care Committee, spoke about the desire to frame the spiritual self-assessment practice and the resulting state of the meeting reports as reflecting upon the story of our meetings. She noted that we profit from each other’s stories. Through storytelling, we deepen a sense of our condition and open ourselves to greater spiritual growth. We celebrate with each other, mourn with each other, and also ask for help.
[Read more…] about Ministry and Care: April 9 Zoom Call with Clerks and Community Leaders
Dear Friends,
This is a check-in to see how you and your meeting are doing in these unique times. The physical distancing required by the Covid-19 pandemic has created unexpected opportunities for discerning how to feel connected when physical contact is not possible. Some meetings are also struggling with how to complete their Spiritual State of the Meeting Report given the challenges of Covid-19. We offer some guidance here. [Read more…] about Ministry & Care Letter to Our Meetings
The Quaker Life Council approved the following minutes of appreciation as a sincere expression of gratitude to the Friends who facilitated the recent January 26 Threshing Session on Membership and to the monthly meeting that hosted. In addition to continuing a process of discernment about membership that has had many years of seasoning in our wider yearly meeting, this was an opportunity for intervisitation during which Friends from across our yearly meeting community could join a meeting for its worship on Sunday and take part in its community life. Intervisitation is an important part of Quaker tradition because it serves to reinforce the bonds we need in spiritual growth.
[Read more…] about Threshing Session on Membership Minutes of Appreciation
Dear Friends,
It is with very mixed emotions that I share the news with you that Chris Lucca has asked to be released from service as Presiding Clerk for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. In recent months, Chris has struggled to balance health concerns, family issues, and his responsibilities to the yearly meeting. It has become clear to him that he needs to prioritize his physical well-being and focus his attention on caring for his family.
[Read more…] about Letter from Melissa Rycroft, Clerk of Nominating
The February 2020 PYM Thread Gathering on Diversity and Equity in Our Meetings and the World was a day-long workshop that explored the spiritual foundation of the work of healing racism. Facilitated by Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting members .O and Dana Reinhold, and Francis Elling, a member of Unity Meeting and attender at Ujima Friends Peace Center and CPMM, the workshop focused in particular on building our personal readiness to transform as we uncover what is needed for our Meetings to become truly equitable and inclusive.
Artwork by Roma Narkhede
Five years ago, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) gathered at Arch Street Meeting House and experienced the deep call to address racism in ourselves, our meetings, and our yearly meeting.
Since that time, monthly and quarterly meetings have engaged in training and held events for themselves and the public. At annual sessions on Saturday, July 27, Friends minuted the following work that has been done: [Read more…] about Creating Inclusive Communities of Friends
View a downloadable/PDF version of the report here.
Introduction
The bulk of this report is made of minutes of exercise taken by PYM Recording Clerk, Jim Herr. The minutes review the proceedings of the day. Following the minutes of exercise, the report contains a transcription of collections of “advice to the yearly meeting” in response to several queries that participants wrote down in small groups. Find in Appendix A the advance documents that were provided ahead of the threshing session.
Friends built contemplative spaces like labyrinths so that others can grow spiritually by interacting with it. Like the stones that shape this path, build a meetinghouse, or form a wall, gifts build our Faith community. Your gifts to PYM and your monthly meeting are necessary to Quakerism’s capacity to grow.
Quaker giving supports the human talent and infrastructure that make us function as a community. Covenant and annual fund giving translates to Quaker space at Friends Center, accounting that ensures fiscal wholeness, grant work, youth programs, Sessions, care and aging work, web management, and communications.
There is no right amount to give; gifts come in all amounts. An average first time gift is $91. The average PYM annual fund gift is $380 per year, (that is $95 per quarter or about $32 per month).
Analysis of monthly on-line giving through the PYM website (for Monthly Meetings) shows that people who make a one-time gift to their meeting will give about $400, but this rises to something like $700 if they make a gift in 12 monthly installments.
56% of the PYM’s annual fund comes from about 50 people; 44% comes from about 850 donors. Both are important.
People give as they are led. And all gifts support vitality in our Faith. Any amount helps.
Of course that is not all we do, just follow Melinda Wenner Bradley and her team for deep dive into Youth Religious Life Programs and see how many young Quaker hearts we touch. Watch this faith and play story from Annual Sessions and feel the power of Quaker story telling.
Supporting PYM’s appeal: Supporting your Meeting
Friends and Attenders can give to PYM’s annual fund through the PYM website at www.pym.org/nurture. Many can also choose to make an additional gift to their own meeting through a second drop down box that lists those meetings who opt in to PYM’s online gift support.
Checks can be mailed to: PYM Annual Fund – 1515 Cherry Street, Philadelphia PA 19102
