Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

of the Religious Society of Friends

Current Work

We act as an incubator for projects and faithful efforts to serve our own faith community and the wider world on the intersection of economic, racial, and environmental justice issues. Below you will find a description of our current efforts. Please join us!

Raising Awareness

The Eco-Justice Collaborative hosts and co-sponsors awareness raising events, discussions, conferences, films and publications to support Friends in exploring the many dimensions of the interrelationships between economic, racial and justice.

Discovering the Rewards of a Life of Community Care and Simplicity

Projects and Resources for Friends and Friends Meetings

  • Knowing and Celebrating Our Watershed
  • Sustainable 19144 is a ministry bringing Quaker testimonies to 3 pressures on Germantown: lack of economic opportunity, stress on our water and air quality, and the effects of trauma and racism on children. It focuses on modeling sustainable practices at a local community center and a128-bed SRO for single men; organizing the wider Germantown Sustainability Net work with other faith communities; and building a Resilience Circle in this corner of Germantown.
  • The Mid-Atlantic Regional Transition Hub (MATH)

Just Transition to a Clean Energy Future: Walking the Talk

The Eco-Justice Collaborative is currently working with Monthly Meetings, Quarters and schools on the just transition to renewable energy. We also offer webinars and book groups from time to time. Let us know if you would like to initiate a group.

Public Witness

The Eco-Justice Collaborative works in partnership with Pennsylvania Interfaith Power and Light (PA IPL) in coordinating a monthly Climate Briefing call and regional advocacy teams to bring the faith voice to our elected officials as they deliberate a way forward to  stabilize the climate and protect the most vulnerable. In partnership with PA IPL, we prepare Friends and other people of faith to lift up the moral dimensions of the climate crisis and support effective and rapid transition plans for a just, clean energy future in Pennsylvania and the nation. Friends are urged to join us in this Sustained Advocacy Network. Contact us for information about existing networks in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Stroudsburg, Bucks County  and the Lehigh Valley or to host our training and initiate a network in your area. We also work with the PYM Legislative Policy Collaborative working with FCNL, which has been invaluable in keeping us informed and speaking for us in the national political discourse.

Contact: Paula Kline kline.paula@gmail.com

Building leadership capacity for adults and young adults in the climate justice

  • Using Quaker facilitation practices, negotiation and conflict resolution theory, the Active Neutrals group provides training, facilitation and consultation on issues related to economic and environmental justice. Active Neutrals organizes and coordinates training in moral advocacy for the interfaith community, non-violent strategies for college activists working on fossil fuel divestment and training for Quaker Voluntary Service participants. We are available to work with Friends Meetings to empower effective, timely, and constructive conversation on difficult topics. We also facilitate efforts to develop effective collaboration with partner faith groups and other organizations. If you would like to host a training or sponsor a student to attend a training, contact: Justin Wright at justin.wright@activeneutrals.org
  • The Climate Change Work and Witness group seeks to raise awareness among engaged students of Friends’ activities and efforts relating to climate change at the Friends affiliated colleges of Haverford, Bryn Mawr and Swarthmore. Contact: Terry Cooke at mterrycooke@gmail.com

Investing with Integrity

As Quakers, we believe it is our responsibility to invest in business practices that honor our principles and testimonies.  A number of Meetings have expressed deep concern for the environmental consequences of our current investments.  Many feel strongly that seeking opportunities to halt or reverse global warming through our investment policies should be our practice.  We ask that Friends, our Meetings and institutions seek ways to have our investments avoid adding further to the carbon based industries that contribute to global warming and support ways that provide alternative energy futures for the global community.  Therefore, we ask our Meetings to explore how our testimonies may be advanced through our investment practices and urge a plan of action. Several million dollars of investment have already been moved by PYM Friends’ Meetings. Queries and resources related to Friends’ concerns regarding Investing with Integrity are available here.