Children and youth will have space to be with one another during Annual Sessions. Some moments will be simple, and others will be full of creativity and play. The Youth Programs team is putting care into planning a weekend that feels welcoming and joyful. [Read more…] about A Weekend Together for Youth and Families
Annual Sessions
This Month with Programs and Religious Life and Other Opportunities
July is a big month for the Programs and Religious Life Team! Why you may ask? It’s because we’re gearing up for Annual Sessions, which will be taking place from Wednesday, July 23, through Sunday, July 27, at Cheyney University. Sessions will offer a space for Friends to worship in community and practice our faith. The theme of sessions, Members One of Another, reminds us that our faith is not just about the places we meet, but the relationships we build, nourish, and support. If you haven’t already, be sure to register! [Read more…] about This Month with Programs and Religious Life and Other Opportunities
Dr. Ayesha Imani and Joyce Ajlouny Will Speak at Annual Sessions
Picture left Dr. Ayesha Imani and Pictured Right General Secretary of the American Friends Service Committee Joyce Ajlouny
Dr. Ayesha Imani and Joyce Ajlouny will speak at Annual Sessions. Ayesha’s Quaker faith journey is rooted in being true to her relationship with the Divine, committed to Black liberation, and grounded in a spirituality that affirms her Africanity. She is a founder of the Fellowship of Friends of African Descent, Ujima Friends Peace Center, and Ujima Friends Meeting, and is a member of both Ujima Friends Meeting and Unity Monthly Meeting – a Pan-African Quaker community within Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Joyce is a Quaker leader with 30 years of experience in non-profit management and international work for peace and justice. She served as director of Ramallah Friends School in Palestine for 13 years and is now General Secretary of the American Friends Service Committee.
Register for Sessions [Read more…] about Dr. Ayesha Imani and Joyce Ajlouny Will Speak at Annual Sessions
This Summer with Programs and Religious Life
The Summer is near and you may be wondering about how you can stay involved in the yearly meeting’s activities in the coming weeks. There is a whole roster of programming for you to choose from! [Read more…] about This Summer with Programs and Religious Life
Annual Sessions to Address Deferred Question: How Are We Called at This Moment?
Photograph of a building at Cheyney University.
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting’s Annual Sessions will take place from Wednesday, July 23 – Sunday, July 27 at Cheyney University’s campus, offering a space for Friends to worship in community and practice our faith. The theme of sessions, Members One of Another, reminds us that our faith is not just about the places we meet, but the relationships we build, nourish, and support. [Read more…] about Annual Sessions to Address Deferred Question: How Are We Called at This Moment?
Honoring Cheyney University Legacy and Deepening Quaker Connection
The 188th Founders’ Day celebration at Cheyney University brought together alumni, students, and guests to honor the school’s long history as the first HBCU in the country. Among those attending were Philadelphia Yearly Meeting’s presiding clerk Nikki Mosgrove and general secretary Christie Duncan-Tessmer, who were guests at the event. The celebration included speeches, music, and reflections on Cheyney’s past and future. Throughout the event, speakers mentioned Cheyney’s Quaker roots, recognizing the role Quakers played in helping to establish the school and its focus on education and opportunity.
[Read more…] about Honoring Cheyney University Legacy and Deepening Quaker Connection
January 2025 | Joint Council Update
At January’s council meeting, council members reflected on the “Joint Council Experiment”, the new format in which all three councils meet together with a single agenda. The councils have now met three times in this new format and Friends have begun to elucidate, in various ways, how the new format works & how they feel about it.
Net Zero Consultant | Request for Proposals
For decades, PYM has set benchmarks to guide our shared witness on critical issues. With the Creating a Playbook for Climate Action, this tool provides meetings with practical resources and ideas for planning, taking action, and staying accountable in areas like activism, education, and reducing carbon footprints.
[Read more…] about Net Zero Consultant | Request for Proposals
Program & Religious Life | A Year in Review
Hello Friends,
How has spirit moved among us in 2024? As we, the staff of PYM’s Program and Religious Life Department, reflect on this question, we have many joyful tidings to share.
The Big Picture
This year we saw many examples on how being a part of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting community gives Friends a place to share their gifts and ask for support in times of need. This flow of sharing and receiving is a core part of what it means to be “part of the body.” Our PYM programs create spaces of joy, learning, spiritual nurture, and concrete resources. And none of it would be possible without Friends like you sharing their gifts, showing up, participating, and building community together. Thank you!
Read on to hear more about the programs and events we’re proud of this year.
[Read more…] about Program & Religious Life | A Year in Review
Selden Smith’s Call to Serve as Rising Clerk
Selden Smith has been a part of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting community for his whole life, bringing care, humor, and dedication to his work among Friends. Selden shared his reflections on his journey with Quakerism, his unexpected call to serve as Rising Clerk, and his hopes for the future of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. He highlights the importance of recognizing the gifts and talents within our community—both in ourselves and in others—and how these contributions sustain and strengthen the work we share as Friends.
[Read more…] about Selden Smith’s Call to Serve as Rising Clerk
