Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

of the Religious Society of Friends

Religious Education

Earth Day Recommended Reads: Resources for Children, Youth & Families

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Resources To Support Our Witness to Walking Gently on the Earth!

“We recognize that the well-being of the earth is a fundamental spiritual concern. From the beginning, it was through the wonders of nature that people saw God. How we treat the earth, and its creatures is a basic part of our relationship with God. Our planet as a whole, not just the small parts of it in our immediate custody, requires our responsible attention.” — Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice, 1997.

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Youth Visit to FCNL Lobby Weekend

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Westtown School’s ​​Quaker Leadership Program (QLP) plays a significant role in nurturing Quaker identity and providing experience with faith and practice for students and adults in the school community. QLP students were part of the PYM Young Friends group who volunteered at the Bucks Peace Fair in September and a group from the school attended Fall Continuing Sessions. Over their spring break in March, three QLP students and two faculty members participated in the Friends Committee on National Legislation’s 2023 Spring Lobby Weekend.

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Religious Education Resources & Events for Spring 2023

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Spring begins here in the northern hemisphere this week! We often talk about renewal in this time, and there is also a duality about springtime that can feel liminal. In March, the warmer sunlight belies the chill still in the air. Flowers pop up along the edges of lawns still covered in autumn leaves. Easter has the dual, entwined messages of death and loss with resurrection and joy. Resources and ideas are offered below for families and meetings as we move into the spring months! [Read more…] about Religious Education Resources & Events for Spring 2023

An Interview with Naomi Madaras, a Quaker Chaplain

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To attain the highest standard in chaplaincy is no easy feat and Naomi Madaras is taking it in stride, along with her full-time job as chaplain at St Luke’s University Hospital, a volunteer position as clerk of the Young Adult Friends community, a commitment to running a half marathon with her father every year, nurturing new friendships in Bethlehem, and caring for herself, her cat, and her home. [Read more…] about An Interview with Naomi Madaras, a Quaker Chaplain

Winter Youth Programs: City & Camp!

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PYM Youth Programs have been busy connecting in-person! Two recent programs included a trip to Washington DC for older youth and a Family Overnight for children and families.

The weekend of January 27-29, ten Young Friends (high school) and Middle School Friends from three local meetings traveled to Washington DC with Friendly Presences (adult volunteer chaperones) and Youth Program staff to spend the weekend building friendships, learning more about African American history, and reflecting on how to be agents of change in our world.  The group stayed at Friends Place on Capitol Hill, a Quaker learning center and guesthouse.  The trip was conceived by the youth from Lancaster Monthly Meeting, who wanted to visit DC and meet other Quaker youth.  They collaborated with staff from the yearly meeting Youth Program to organize the itinerary, plan programming, and invite other youth from around the Yearly Meeting.
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Black History: Celebrate in February, Include All Year

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This month is about honoring the radical, imaginative, provocative and gorgeous world Black Americans are bringing forth today as much as recognizing their efforts in the past. May we take this month to contemplate and celebrate the spiritual gifts and leadings Black Quakers have followed that continue to shape our community and encourage us all to come alive.
— Kimani Keaton, Community Engagement Associate for Special Projects

The resources below provide an opportunity to lift up Black voices and explore anti-racism with the young people in our care. Much has been written about the inclusion of Black History in mainstream education and how to teach this history both in terms of the Black American experience and children’s developmental levels. Some of the links to articles and resources below reflect these discussions and may be useful to consider in a religious education context. [Read more…] about Black History: Celebrate in February, Include All Year

Hand in Hand: Religious Education & Outreach Thread Gathering

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On Saturday, January 7, almost 30 Friends from 15 local meetings gathered at West Chester Meeting for a Thread Gathering to explore in community the connection between religious education and how a meeting welcomes and includes newcomers. Some came in pairs and groups from their meetings, bringing questions, examples of resources, and stories of experiences in meetings to the conversation together. The afternoon program included a presentation on welcome and belonging, small group conversations with queries, and threshing of the issues raised in the larger group. As we parted into the evening, overheard was the word, “hope.” [Read more…] about Hand in Hand: Religious Education & Outreach Thread Gathering

Young Adult Friends 2023 Winter Retreat Recap

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During the weekend of January 13th-15th, young adult Friends gathered online and in person for the 2023 winter retreat themed Love Thy Neighbor.  In connection to the 2023 PYM theme “living with neighbors, growing into beloved community,” the theme of this retreat is a continuation of the call for us to come together in the joyful work of reweaving our connections after three years of the pandemic. [Read more…] about Young Adult Friends 2023 Winter Retreat Recap

Religious Education Resources & Events for Winter 2023

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Onward into the new year and new opportunities to learn and grow together in our Yearly Meeting in 2023! Two of those opportunities focus on intergenerational worship and Bible study. We have so much to learn from one another in our approaches to these topics, and the PYM “Worship & Care Package” is one way we will explore new possibilities together. Friends who support religious education in our meetings are a community of practice; let’s consider about how we might accompany one another in the next year, sharing the ways that children, young people, and their families are part of our meeting communities. [Read more…] about Religious Education Resources & Events for Winter 2023

New Youth Engagement Coordinator

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It’s a joy to announce that Kristin Simmons has accepted the position of Youth Engagement Coordinator for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. She will begin serving in this full-time position in mid-January. Many Friends will know Kristin in her current position as Middle School Friends Co-Facilitator. This shift in roles allows her to expand opportunities to be in relationship with meetings and support the ministry of children, youth, and family programs alongside colleagues on the Community Engagement staff.

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