Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

of the Religious Society of Friends

Communications & Outreach Resources

Gratitude & Next Steps for Outreach & Communications Resource Friends

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During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Resource Friend program pivoted to accommodate the urgent needs in the yearly meeting about connectedness, technology, and spiritual guidance. John Marquette, a member of Lehigh Valley Meeting, served Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) as an Outreach and Communications Resource Friend in 2021 through December 2022. PYM received a generous grant from the Thomas H. & Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund which supported both the Resource Friend program in this area and grants for local and quarterly meetings in the yearly meeting interested in outreach and the caring work of connecting Friends in online and hybrid spaces.

[Read more…] about Gratitude & Next Steps for Outreach & Communications Resource Friends

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

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

Religious Education Resources & Events for Fall

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When the afternoon sunshine softens and the crickets take over for the cicada chorus, I know it’s back to school time. The former classroom teacher in me feels the tug to get ready for the new year, and of course in meetings we may be getting ready to welcome children and youth back from summer adventures to school-year routines. One of the ideas I’m thinking about a lot is rethinking “First Day School” — both that language and the scholastic model. It’s not “the way we’ve always done things” as Friends, and the interruptions of the pandemic continue to create opportunities for new ways of exploring, listening, and being community in our meetings. Join me for a conversation on this! Below you’ll find resources for Fall and events for conversation, service, and fellowship.
[Read more…] about Religious Education Resources & Events for Fall

Workshop on Gathering Virtually

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A workshop was held on Saturday May 7, and we returned to the questions we’ve held since 2020 about navigating the new normal of life through the ongoing pandemic. We highly recommend to readers the guidance on virtual gathering authored by Emily Provance, a Traveling Minister of New York Yearly Meeting. [Read more…] about Workshop on Gathering Virtually

Resource Friends Offer Tech Support to Meetings

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Resource Friends help our community thrive by providing support in specific areas of concern in our monthly and quarterly meetings. These are Friends who offer a diversity of gifts and extensive “how-to” knowledge. [Read more…] about Resource Friends Offer Tech Support to Meetings

QuakerSpeak Completes 8th Season, Gears up for Season 9

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QuakerSpeak videos are useful tools for researching the faith. You can post links to them on your social media or website, or embed them in newsletters. Friends enjoy sharing them with the community. They are concise lessons in faith and practice delivered in well edited soundbites.

With over 856,000 video views on YouTube, 2021 saw the most viewers yet in the Quaker video project’s eight-year run. Despite the ongoing pandemic, the QuakerSpeak team created and posted 18 all-new videos, while vigorously promoting classic videos to new audiences. [Read more…] about QuakerSpeak Completes 8th Season, Gears up for Season 9

Meetings and Individuals Are Invited to Acquire a New Tool: Trust Circles

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In addition to being co-clerk of the yearly meeting, Jean-Marie Prestwidge Barch is clerk of PYM’s Ministry and Care Committee. She has shared this news story in the hope that meetings and individuals will be inspired to learn about Trust Circles and participate in transforming our yearly meeting. [Read more…] about Meetings and Individuals Are Invited to Acquire a New Tool: Trust Circles

Shoemaker Fund Enables Monthly Meeting Tech Support Grants

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Update: 2/2/2022: There has been a rapid response to the granting program for Monthly Meetings and all seven of the monthly meeting grants are now allocated. However the Membership Development Granting Group is currently accepting outreach project grant requests for up to $1000. To pursue this please complete the Membership Development Grant Application Form (.pdf).

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting is inviting monthly meetings to apply for $1,000 grants for needed technology purchases and implementations to support outreach/in-reach goals, and virtual or hybrid meeting capacity-building.

There is no grant deadline. Eligible projects will be funded on a first-come-first-served basis according to when they are received. The application process for the grants is simple; meeting representatives should fill out the form at the end of this news story. Only one project per meeting will be funded. [Read more…] about Shoemaker Fund Enables Monthly Meeting Tech Support Grants

Grants for Quarterly Meetings – With Thanks to the Shoemaker Fund

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Last fall, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting received a grant from the Thomas H. and Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund to support hybrid meetings and meeting outreach. A portion of the grant provides $13,000 as financial support to PYM’s quarterly meetings. Each of PYM’s 13 quarterly meetings is eligible to apply for a $1000 grant. Quarterly and monthly meetings do excellent work that taps into Friends’ talents and meetings’ needs, so it is a pleasure to be able to support them through this Shoemaker funding. [Read more…] about Grants for Quarterly Meetings – With Thanks to the Shoemaker Fund

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