Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

of the Religious Society of Friends

Addressing Racism

Mott Memo | Spring Continuing Sessions 2026

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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

Robert Best and Sharing Messages Through Signs

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Robert Best, an attender of Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting can be found in Center City Philadelphia, near the plaza across from the Clothespin sculpture every Wednesday between 12:00 and 1:30. Robert stands there with a tall pole and a set of signs. [Read more…] about Robert Best and Sharing Messages Through Signs

Addressing Racism Collaborative Meeting Summary | February 2026

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The following summary and cover photo is attributed to the Addressing Racism Collaborative of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.

On February 16, 2026, eight Friends gathered for the Addressing Racism Collaborative meeting. The collaborative sent out an email to all meeting clerks requesting that they set aside time between now and March 31 to answer questions about the state of their meeting’s work on addressing racism. We sincerely thank the PYM staff for formatting and disseminating this email to the PYM body!

[Read more…] about Addressing Racism Collaborative Meeting Summary | February 2026

General Secretary Holding Listening Sessions on Yearly Meeting-Wide Witnesses

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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.

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Commemorating Juneteenth | Our Yearly Meeting Wide-Witness of Addressing Racism

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What is Juneteenth?

June 19 marks the historical milestone of Juneteenth, the oldest known celebration that marks the end of enslavement in U.S. history. Juneteenth is formed from combining the words “June” and “nineteenth,” and pays homage to the date of June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned from Major General Gordon Granger, along with accompanying Union soldiers, that they had a legally recognized free status across the state of Texas and that the Civil War had officially ended. Then, annual Juneteenth celebrations began the following year in 1866. Juneteenth has also been called Black Independence Day, Emancipation Day, Juneteenth National Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, and Juneteenth Independence Day. [Read more…] about Commemorating Juneteenth | Our Yearly Meeting Wide-Witness of Addressing Racism

Providence Friends Meeting Added to the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program

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The Providence Friends Meeting in Media, Pennsylvania, is among 31 new listings added by the National Park Service to the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program. The new listings join more than 800 sites, facilities and programs already in the network that provide insight into the diverse experiences of freedom seekers who bravely escaped slavery and allies who assisted them. [Read more…] about Providence Friends Meeting Added to the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program

Love Thy Neighbor Walk

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Authorship attributed to Christie Duncan-Tessmer

Because of our lawsuit, organizations that support immigrants in Philadelphia have reached out to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting to be in relationship. One of the things I’ve learned is that a result of our government’s current approach to immigration is that immigrant-owned shops are struggling—staff and customers are afraid to go to them. This suggests one faithful response to the question, “What can I do?”: shop at immigrant-owned stores. [Read more…] about Love Thy Neighbor Walk

PYM Young Adult Friends to Commemorate Black History Month

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The Young Adult Friends (YAF) community (ages 18-35) have been exploring ways they can live their testimonies in alignment with their Quaker values. During February, they will gather to visit The Time is Always Now special exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in honor of Black History Month. This exhibition features 28 Black and African diasporic contemporary artists who celebrate the nuance and richness of Black contemporary life. YAFs will commemorate the legacies of Black artists and histories while reflecting on how they can carry their work forward in their daily lives, in community with Friends around them.
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Why DOES Palestine Matter? An Invitation to a 6 Session Course with Members of the Middle East Collaborative

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Authorship of this invitation is attributed to Deb Wood and other resources. 

As I thought about writing an invitation to the Why Palestine Matters course, I came across the following quotation, which fits the Palestine/Israel situation so well:

“The purpose of propaganda is to make one set of people forget that other sets of people are human.”

— Aldous Huxley

The Palestine/Israeli relationship and conflict can often appear so complex and intractable that we don’t know how we can ever understand enough to move forward. News coverage often lacks the entire context, leaving us unable to honor the humanity of all involved. When we stop seeing a person or group as human, we much more easily discount and discredit their experiences and humanity, making it far easier to deny their needs and right to exist.

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Program & Religious Life | A Year in Review

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Hello Friends,

How has spirit moved among us in 2024? As we, the staff of PYM’s Program and Religious Life Department, reflect on this question, we have many joyful tidings to share.

The Big Picture

This year we saw many examples on how being a part of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting community gives Friends a place to share their gifts and ask for support in times of need. This flow of sharing and receiving is a core part of what it means to be “part of the body.” Our PYM programs create spaces of joy, learning, spiritual nurture, and concrete resources. And none of it would be possible without Friends like you sharing their gifts, showing up, participating, and building community together. Thank you!

Read on to hear more about the programs and events we’re proud of this year.

[Read more…] about Program & Religious Life | A Year in Review

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