Last month Friends Fiduciary named a new Executive Director: Ethan Birchard. PYM, as well as many meetings, Friends schools, retirement communities, and other Quaker organizations trusts Fiduciary to invest funds and advocate for change in a way that is in alignment with Quaker testimonies. The announcement letter from Bennett Lomax (Doylestown Meeting), board chair for Fiduciary, shares some information about Ethan and welcomes him to the role.
[Read more…] about Friends Fiduciary Welcomes New Executive Director
Ministry & Care
Asma’s First FGC Gathering Story
May 19, 2023
by Joan Botto, (first published on the Friends General Conference website)
Asma arrived at her first Gathering in 2022 after driving 10 hours with Friends from her monthly meeting in Florida to Radford University in Virginia. [Read more…] about Asma’s First FGC Gathering Story
Support & Resources for Caregivers
Following my participation at Haverford Quarterly Meeting in January, I spoke with Friends Winnie Shaw Hope, who spent many years as a Special Education teacher and as a Social Worker, and Meg Lytton, a retired Family Medicine physician. In 2023, Haverford Quarter made a concerted effort to reach out to caregivers. They identified a need that many caregivers have emotional and financial concerns with great differences. Their goal was to “insert into people’s consciousness” the needs of caregivers, themselves. [Read more…] about Support & Resources for Caregivers
PYM’s Joey Leroux Accepts New Role
PYM’s very own Joey Leroux has been working with PYM as the data coordinator for nearly two years. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce Joey accepted the new role of Director of Grantmaking and Data earlier this month. We sat down with Joey to discuss the future of this key position and how it will best serve Friends. [Read more…] about PYM’s Joey Leroux Accepts New Role
Spring Continuing Sessions REWIND
Continuing Sessions Rewind
Last weekend, Friends from across the four states of our PYM footprint came together for Spring Continuing Sessions. We learned, listened and felt the joyous presence of Spirit in community while we explored the 2024 Sessions theme, “Called to Healing.” Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business was held on Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon, and minutes from business sessions will be on the website in coming days. Because the Annual Sessions schedule is shorter this summer (July 6-7), our times for business at Continuing Sessions weekends are being extended. [Read more…] about Spring Continuing Sessions REWIND
PYM Young Friends Launches Brand-New Program for 8th-12th Graders
Why Join Young Friends?
Hey teens! This is Tara and Clare, the co-facilitators for the super awesome, brand-new program for 8th-12th graders. We know spring is a busy season and you might be wondering whether this program is something you really want to make time for. So let us tell you a little bit more about the program and about us! [Read more…] about PYM Young Friends Launches Brand-New Program for 8th-12th Graders
Winter Family Overnight at Camp Onas
On February 10 – 11, twenty Friends gathered at Camp Onas for PYM’s Winter Family Overnight! Crystal Hershey and Abigaile Brace-Higgins, PYM Children & Families CoFacilitators, planned and facilitated the event. As everyone arrived over the course of the afternoon, they opened their arms to one another for big hugs! After hauling luggage into cozy bedrooms, it was time to explore the grounds. The youth went straight to the tire swing and long rope swing hanging from huge old trees. There were trails to hike outdoors, art crafting tables in the common room, and air hockey to play in the game room. Everyone gathered in a circle outside for a game of “The Big Wind Blows.” There was a lot of laughing and chasing one another around! [Read more…] about Winter Family Overnight at Camp Onas
Thread Gathering Rewind: Burial grounds, old meetinghouses, property issues, oh my!
Burial grounds, old meetinghouses, property issues, oh my!
Quakers know a thing or two about the joys and challenges of caring for our sacred spaces. The Governance and Stewardship Thread Gathering this past Saturday gave Friends from local meetings an opportunity to connect, share resources and learn from each other. The morning panel and afternoon workshops offered many resources and tools. [Read more…] about Thread Gathering Rewind: Burial grounds, old meetinghouses, property issues, oh my!
Monthly and Quarterly Meeting Leadership Gatherings
Three times each year, Friends in local and quarterly meeting leadership (clerks, assistant clerks, treasurers, committee clerks) gather online with the presiding clerk and General Secretary. The gatherings include timely announcements and shared conversation, and are one way that we connect across meetings in the yearly meeting. The January 2024 gatherings included several announcements to share back to meetings, and small group discussions around topics of interest. [Read more…] about Monthly and Quarterly Meeting Leadership Gatherings
Spiritual State of the Meeting Report Invitation
NOTE: The deadline to submit reports has been extended to April 29, 2024
Warm greetings from the Ministry and Care Committee of Quaker Life Council. We trust this communication finds you well, grounded in Spirit and in your community of faith. All meetings are invited to submit their Spiritual State of the Meeting Reports for 2023 no later than April 15, 2024. We look forward to learning about your meeting and having the opportunity to share that learning more widely. Reports will be carefully read by members of M&C to guide our work in the next year and inform the Spiritual State of the Meeting Report for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. To learn more about how these reports are used and how they are typically composed, see these advices. If you have further questions, please contact us at ministryandcare@pym.org. [Read more…] about Spiritual State of the Meeting Report Invitation