Eva Paxton is a member of Wicomico River Friends Meeting in Salisbury, Maryland, and is helping host the Learning for Life – A Religious Education Thread Gathering this Saturday on January 24 at her meetinghouse. She began attending Friends meeting about three years ago, and she has been building a First-day school program at Wicomico River Meeting. [Read more…] about A Friend from Wicomico River Friends Meeting Shares on First Day School and Religious Education
Ministry & Care
Quaker Fund for Indigenous Communities Annual Report – October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025
Members of the Granting Group: Tom Armstrong (Clerk), Cherie Cark (Recording Clerk), Terry Cooke, Carol Ann Gray, Tom Grabe, Winnie Hope, Miriam Fisher Schaefer, Lois Kuter, Shay O’Connor, Fran O’Neill. Also attending: Edie Paige(community member), Joey Leroux (PYM Director of Grantmaking) and David Park (PYM Chief Financial Officer)
Grants Awarded
The Granting Group awarded $760 in travel assistance for a young adult to attend the National Congress of American Indians Youth Commission’s 2024 Native Youth Convention October 27 to November 1 in Las Vegas, Nevada. [Read more…] about Quaker Fund for Indigenous Communities Annual Report – October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025
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.
Pan African Sisterhood Health Initiative at Moorestown
The Pan African Sisterhood Health Initiative (P.A.S.H.I.) makes reusable menstrual pads and carry pouches, which are donated to those in need locally, nationally and internationally. We are particularly interested in supporting school aged students who are missing school and other activities because they cannot afford menstrual hygiene products. Education around menstrual hygiene management, reproductive health, and life skills (such as how to make your own reusable menstrual hygiene product) goes hand in hand when we deliver pads and pouches.
[Read more…] about Pan African Sisterhood Health Initiative at Moorestown
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.
At Haverford Meeting, a Friend Shares on Faith & Play and Multigenerational Learning
Erin Lehman serves on the planning committee for the Learning for Life – A Religious Education Thread Gathering. She is a member of Haverford Friends Meeting and is involved in religious education there, including Faith & Play.
“I want people to know the Thread Gathering is not just for families with kids,” Erin said. “It’s about all of us learning more about Quakerism.”
A New Jersey Friend Collaborates with Meeting Members and Neighbors for Food Donations
Jeanne Van Orman of Princeton Monthly Meeting in New Jersey is partnering with her meeting and her retirement community, Princeton Windrows to gather food and deliver it to Mercer Street Friends using the support from the driver at Princeton Windrows.
Food Assistance Within the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Community?
As we move into the holiday season, many in our wider community are seeking ways to support neighbors who are experiencing food insecurity. Philadelphia Yearly Meeting would like to share a list of meetings and affiliated groups that operate food pantries, meal programs, holiday food drives, or other efforts that help feed our communities. A list has already been started; we would need to make it current.
[Read more…] about Food Assistance Within the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Community?
An Invite Before the Next Fundraising Friends Gathering Comes Together
Ensuring monthly meetings have the financial resources they need can be challenging work; PYM formed a new cohort for Friends who hold fundraising or stewardship responsibilities in their meetings, called Fundraising Friends.
[Read more…] about An Invite Before the Next Fundraising Friends Gathering Comes Together
December Brings Together Our Shared Faith in PYM
November opened Philadelphia Yearly Meeting with Friends from across our region gathering for Fall Continuing Sessions activities on Zoom and at Arch Street Meeting House. Friends took part in affinity groups, worship, business sessions, and a multigenerational workshop; Fall Continuing Sessions also welcomed Chris Mohr as General Secretary.
[Read more…] about December Brings Together Our Shared Faith in PYM
