Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

of the Religious Society of Friends

Community News

Share Your Meeting’s Spiritual Self-Assessment

Written on:

Dearest Friends in PYM Monthly and Quarterly Meetings and other PYM Quaker Groups,

We trust this finds you seeking to be grounded in Spirit and in your community of faith. 2020 has certainly been a year filled with both opportunities and challenges! The Ministry and Care Committee of Quaker Life Council is once again asking for your help as we look to better understand the spiritual state of our yearly meeting through this past year.

To accomplish this, we are asking meetings to consider responding to the following queries: [Read more…] about Share Your Meeting’s Spiritual Self-Assessment

Buried History: Uncovering the Past at Valley Friends’ Meeting

Written on:

Are we are beholden to our past, or entirely free of it? It turns out that this all depends on whether you are willing to see history as a teacher. History speaks to what happened to those who walked this land before us. There is a lot to uncover, and wonder about; not all of it bears up so well in the world we live in today. But it is important to know the facts.

Valley Meeting is looking to grow a sense of community around its five acres of land. This comprises a burial ground, a meeting house, a parking lot and sheds, a community garden, a labyrinth site, and a hoped for role as part of a network of neighborhood walking trails on the fringes of that urban jungle, King of Prussia. As a way to launch a sense of storytelling around  the meeting, and its history, here follows a brief history of those to whom the meeting has offered a final resting place along with some stories about how they got there. [Read more…] about Buried History: Uncovering the Past at Valley Friends’ Meeting

Quaker Traditions Series: Part I – Spiritual Practice

Written on:

The Quaker Traditions Series is a set of articles on the Quaker faith. In his role as Associate Secretary for Religious Life,  Zachary Dutton has listened deeply to Friends in the community. Working with the PYM staff community engagement team he has provided answers to framing questions for this four-part series. The answers are reflective as opposed to definitive.

The gift of the Quaker faith is that it is one of continuing revelation, so the article speaks to the ‘here and now’ of our faith even as it is tied to, and reflects, our history and tradition. If you have thoughts on these questions, please share them with Zachary – his email is at the end of this article. He is always looking for new ways to be in relationship with our wider Quaker community.

[Read more…] about Quaker Traditions Series: Part I – Spiritual Practice

Moorestown Meeting Support for Computer Literacy Program in Kenya

Written on:

The following thank you letter came our way from Moorestown Meeting and Youth Promise Kenya. It shows that despite the pandemic, friendships across the world have positive impact, and that human-to-human efforts make a difference in the lives of others. Friends Meetings and  Schools in the PYM region engage in many such worthy projects. Please share your stories with us. [Read more…] about Moorestown Meeting Support for Computer Literacy Program in Kenya

Black History: Celebrate in February, Include All Year

Written on:

Let us center the experience and contributions of Black Americans throughout history and today. The resources below provide an opportunity to do so while exploring racism, privilege, and bias with young people in our care. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as a leader in the Civil Rights Movement, was one among many Black Americans who built a community and network of activists to achieve change, and there is more work to do.

[Read more…] about Black History: Celebrate in February, Include All Year

Elizebeth Smith Friedman: A Quaker Poet and First Female Cryptanalyst

Written on:

Not many women are known to have studied codes or the art of writing and solving them. American cryptology saw few women listed in the history books, and cryptanalyst stars like Elizebeth Smith Friedman and Agnes Driscoll were completely overlooked until recently.

The National Cryptologic Museum in Maryland has dedicated a section of the museum to showcase the 20th Century contributions of  Elizebeth, Agnes, and many more gifted cryptanalyst like them.

Elizebeth and her husband, William Friedman, were considered American cryptology pioneers, although Elizebeth’s contributions gained recognition only recently.

[Read more…] about Elizebeth Smith Friedman: A Quaker Poet and First Female Cryptanalyst

Video: Discussion On Small Miracles: A Holocaust Story from France

Written on:

Haddonfield Monthly Meeting recently sponsored a book discussion featuring Dave Austin and Charles Middleberg, co-authors of “Small Miracles: A Holocaust Story from France.” Veronica Salaam acted as host.

This book reveals the many “small” ways that people can assist others at crucial times in their lives and is based on Middleberg’s experiences as a Jewish child during the Nazi period. [Read more…] about Video: Discussion On Small Miracles: A Holocaust Story from France

How Meetings Coped with a (Mostly) Virtual Christmas

Written on:

As the nation welcomes new leadership in Washington, and our state health systems continue to confront Covid 19 with vaccine roll-outs, it’s important to celebrate what we have right at home: faith, connection, and fresh ideas.

This Christmas, PYM worship communities and meetings needed to reconsider exactly how to engage Friends in virtual or distanced Christmas celebrations. With the help of many people, including resources shared by PYM’s Youth Religious Life Coordinator, Melinda Wenner Bradley, Friends came up with the wonderful ideas shared below. [Read more…] about How Meetings Coped with a (Mostly) Virtual Christmas

Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections Fellowships, 2021-2022

Written on:

Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections is now accepting applications for its 2021-2022 fellowship program. Fellowships are available to scholars at any stage of their careers; projects funded by these fellowships should engage with our collections in unique and creative ways.

We are pleased to offer two fellowships this year

  • Gest Fellowship, for research on religion, historical religious practices, history, literature, material culture, Quakerism, or other topics supported by collections material
  • Scattergood Fellowship, for research in the history of mental health

We recognize that there is still great uncertainty about travel and collections accessibility in the coming months due to COVID-19. Quaker & Special Collections offers virtual appointments and extensive reproductions, which will be available to all Fellows.