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.
Ministry & Care
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
Quaker Connections Study Tour to Bolivia | Financial Aid for YAFS
Quaker Connections Study Tour to Bolivia: Strengthening Relationships of Solidarity and Mutual Learning, Jan 7-20, 2026
[Read more…] about Quaker Connections Study Tour to Bolivia | Financial Aid for YAFS
Press Release | Democracy Forward Takes Action to Stop Reported Holiday Raids on Houses of Worship
Coalition Files Notice After Reports Emerge of Renewed Threats of Immigration Raids
Boston, MA – A coalition of faith-based organizations and houses of worship filed a notice with the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts in New England Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, et al., v. Department of Homeland Security, et al., after multiple reports indicated that the Trump-Vance administration is preparing immigration enforcement operations inside churches with Spanish-speaking congregations and other houses of worship during the upcoming holiday season. Pastors in New England, Georgia, and North Carolina have described visits from federal agents requesting names and addresses of congregants. U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) attorneys have also reportedly held internal briefings referencing a nationwide holiday plan targeting religious communities.
Fall Continuing Sessions • Mott Memo • 2025
This past weekend, November 7-9, our Fall Continuing Sessions at Arch Street Meeting House, and online, gathered us into a community for worship, fellowship, and discernment as we continued our theme of Members One of Another, which will continue through all of 2026’s sessions. In the spirit of Lucretia Mott, this Mott Memo captures a reflection of our time together. The minutes from these sessions will soon be available on the PYM website under Session Minutes, so Friends can read and reflect on the work and joy we shared. [Read more…] about Fall Continuing Sessions • Mott Memo • 2025
PYM Explained • A Resource on How Meetings, Friends, Ministries, and Structures Link
Each part of PYM Explained provides how the yearly meeting lives as one connected body and leads into what comes next. This virtual version is shared so Friends are able to interact with it for easy research and finding.
