Friends of all ages are encouraged to attend Fall Continuing Sessions on November 11. Throughout the day, the current Sessions theme, “Living with our neighbors, Growing into beloved community,” will be centered in our worship, fellowship, youth programs, and the business of the yearly meeting. We’re also sharing a preview of Sessions in 2024 and how a shift in this summer’s Annual Sessions creates new opportunities in the coming year.
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Governance & Stewardship
Fall Monthly and Quarterly Meeting Leadership Gatherings
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting’s General Secretary, Christie Duncan-Tessmer, invited Friends in monthly and quarterly meeting leadership roles to gatherings on Zoom on September 21 and September 28. Many leaders attended to share, listen, and learn from each other.
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PYM Celebrates World Quaker Day During A Super Quaker Weekend
As Friends around the globe gathered to celebrate World Quaker Day, PYM Friends joined in on the festivities, attending and even volunteering at events throughout the Delaware Valley and Upper Susquehanna regions hosted by monthly and quarterly meetings. There was truly something for everyone! So, how did you celebrate World Quaker Day this year?
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Religious Education Resources & Events Fall 2023
In this year’s Fall issue of the The Tote Bag: PYM Religious Education and Family Resources newsletter you’ll find events and resources to support getting ready for children and youth programs in meetings, including programs on welcome and safety for adults who serve religious education programs. Also shared below are ideas for celebrating our world family of Friends with World Quaker Day on October 1st and the upcoming 400th birthday of George Fox. The Anti-racism Learning & Action section of the newsletter focuses this time on Native Justice and recommended books that center Native American voices.
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Young Adult Friend Alex Emmert Shares Experience With Quakerism and Annual Sessions
We sat down with 19 yr. old Young Adult Friend, Alex Emmert to find out what drew him to Quakerism from his upbringing as Baptist, what he enjoyed most about Annual Sessions and what he is looking forward to seeing from Quakers in the next decade. Alex shares his personal, truthful experiences with Quakerism and insights on outreach to other young adults seeking solid spiritual grounding. [Read more…] about Young Adult Friend Alex Emmert Shares Experience With Quakerism and Annual Sessions
An Invitation from Presiding Clerk, Melissa Rycroft
Dear Friends,
I am so excited to invite you to join me at Philadelphia Yearly Meeting’s 343rd Annual Sessions. We’ll be gathering at The College of New Jersey and on Zoom, hopefully in ways that are accessible to as many Friends as possible across the Yearly Meeting.
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12 Days to Annual Sessions … 12 Reasons to Join!
We’re counting down to Annual Sessions! Here are 12 great reasons to join, July 26-30. [Read more…] about 12 Days to Annual Sessions … 12 Reasons to Join!
PYM Call for Nominations!
Service on the committees and councils, and in clerking and treasurer roles, in the Yearly Meeting is nourishing for both the individual and their meeting. Friends who serve in this way help the yearly meeting both to be productive and communally follow where spirit is guiding us as a faith community.
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What’s After Quaker Cloud?
December 2023 marks the end of the Friends General Conference Quaker Cloud, which many meetings have utilized to host their websites for over a decade. The transition to creating a new website may feel daunting to some meetings, but it doesn’t have to. Creating websites can truly be as simple or as complicated as anyone wants to make it, and there is a tool that will meet everyone’s skill-level and interests. [Read more…] about What’s After Quaker Cloud?
Meet the Father and Daughter Co-clerking Duo of Old Haverford Meeting
When Kristin Simmons’ youngest daughter was born, her husband Tim was working at Delaware Valley Friends School. As lifelong Catholics, they were feeling disillusioned with church, and decided it was time for a change. Together the family turned to Quakerism, looking for a simpler, connected life to the divine Light. It was both faith and community that drew the couple to Old Haverford Monthly Meeting seventeen years ago. When Kristin was young, her mother worked as a librarian at a Quaker school for 20+ years and committed time focusing on social justice issues and sharing key insights among various faith groups. Kristin’s father, George Salloom, and his wife remained practicing Catholics until about seven years ago when George became a member of the Quaker community.
The father and daughter duo, George and Kristin, now serve as co-clerks at Old Haverford Meeting. They both hold master’s degrees in social work; George graduated from Howard University while Kristin graduated from University of Pennsylvania. Kristin also currently serves as PYM’s Youth Engagement Coordinator on the Program and Religious Life team. Their stories of how they became Quakers and co-clerks of Old Haverford Monthly Meeting are heartwarming and engaging.
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