At the recent joint council meeting Philadelphia Yearly Meeting staff shared the revised Child and Youth Safety Policy noting the guidance of leadership, reviews by others, and editing by lawyers. The policy is materially the same as before. [Read more…] about New Child and Youth Safety Policy for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
General Secretary
June 2026 | Joint Council Update
On Saturday, June 13, the three councils that support Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM)—Quaker Life Council, Administrative Council, and Nominating Council—held their meeting in the joint format. In this structure, all three councils meet together as one Joint Council to worship, discern, and conduct business collaboratively. Their practice is to share the minutes in a news story with the PYM community in the weeks following the meeting.
May 2026 | Joint Council Update
On Saturday, May 9, the three councils that support Philadelphia Yearly Meeting—Quaker Life Council, Administrative Council, and Nominating Council—held their meeting in the joint format. In this structure, all three councils meet together as one Joint Council to worship, discern, and conduct business collaboratively. Their practice is to share the minutes in a news story with the PYM community in the weeks following the meeting.
Each month, the council selects one item from its agenda or conversation to lift up. This the highlight was provided by Chris Mohr, General Secretary of PYM on how Joint Council affirms relationship of monthly and quarterly meetings with yearly meeting
National Council of Churches Update
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting is a member of the National Council of Churches (NCC), a coalition of faith communities that works together on issues that affect people facing hardship. Through this affiliation, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting stays connected with other churches and shared efforts that reach beyond our region. [Read more…] about National Council of Churches Update
April 2026 | Joint Council Update
On Saturday, April 11, the three councils that support Philadelphia Yearly Meeting—Quaker Life Council, Administrative Council, and Nominating Council—held their meeting in the joint format. In this structure, all three councils meet together as one Joint Council to worship, discern, and conduct business collaboratively. Their practice is to share the minutes in a news story with the PYM community in the weeks following the meeting.
Each month, the council selects one item from its agenda or conversation to lift up. This month, the council is lifting up the new yearly meeting collaborative, the Quakers Ending Mass Incarceration Collaborative.
Mott Memo | Spring Continuing Sessions 2026
The Mott Memo is a message for Friends in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) to know what happened during sessions activities. Some Friends reading this message joined online this past weekend, while others didn’t directly participate but still want to know what had taken place.
However you were able to connect this past weekend, we hope this update provides you with the opportunity to stay close to your community of Friends.
Friends are also encouraged to take the Sessions Survey, even if you did not attend Spring Continuing Sessions. Your feedback will help navigate these gatherings in the future.
[Read more…] about Mott Memo | Spring Continuing Sessions 2026
February 2026 | Joint Council Update
On Saturday, February 14, the three councils that support Philadelphia Yearly Meeting—Quaker Life Council, Administrative Council, and Nominating Council—held their meeting in the joint format. In this structure, all three councils meet together as one Joint Council to worship, discern, and conduct business collaboratively. Their practice is to share the minutes in a news story with the PYM community in the weeks following the meeting.
Each month, the council selects one item from its agenda or conversation to lift up. This month, the council is lifting up the continued discernment of how the these monthly joint meetings are going.
General Secretary Holding Listening Sessions on Yearly Meeting-Wide Witnesses
Chris Mohr, General Secretary of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, led a listening session over Zoom during the Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting (PQM) session this past Sunday, January 25. The day, originally planned to be hybrid, was fully virtual due to snow.
[Read more…] about General Secretary Holding Listening Sessions on Yearly Meeting-Wide Witnesses
January 2026 | Joint Council Update
On Saturday, January 10, the three councils that support Philadelphia Yearly Meeting—Quaker Life Council, Administrative Council, and Nominating Council—held their meeting in the joint format. In this structure, all three councils meet together as one Joint Council to worship, discern, and conduct business collaboratively. Their practice is to share the minutes in a news story with the PYM community in the weeks following the meeting.
December 2025 | Joint Council Update
On Saturday, December 13, the three councils that support Philadelphia Yearly Meeting—Quaker Life Council, Administrative Council, and Nominating Council—held their meeting in the joint format. In this structure, all three councils meet together as one Joint Council to worship, discern, and conduct business collaboratively. Their practice is to share the minutes in a news story with the PYM community in the weeks following the meeting.
