About PYM
The Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) is the association of Friends meetings and communities across all or part of eastern Maryland, Delaware, central and southern New Jersey, and central and eastern Pennsylvania.
What is Philadelphia Yearly Meeting?
Founded in 1681, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) is the regional body of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) across all or part of eastern Maryland, Delaware, central and southern New Jersey, and central and eastern Pennsylvania. For more than three centuries, Friends in this region have come together to make Spirit-led decisions, support one another’s ministries, and steward resources for the good of the greater Quaker community.
- A faith community of Friends that meets at Annual and Continuing Sessions to worship, discern, and conduct the shared business of the yearly meeting
- An organization with professional staff who carry out the work entrusted to them by the yearly meeting, providing programs, services, and coordination
- A network of affiliated meetings and Friends across eastern Maryland, Delaware, central and southern New Jersey, and central and eastern Pennsylvania
- The steward of financial resources bequeathed by generations of Friends to further Quakers’ legacy of impact, now and into the future
What does Philadelphia Yearly Meeting do?
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting strengthens the spiritual life, shared witness, and sustainability of Friends and Friends meetings through programs, services, and care that no single meeting could carry alone.
Sustains the Life of Friends:
- Publishes PYM’s Book of Faith and Practice to describe for Friends and the world our witness, testimony, and practices.
- Organizes Annual Sessions and Continuing Sessions each year, bringing together hundreds of Friends for discernment, decision-making, and fellowship.
- Stewards endowed and restricted funds left by Quakers across generations to ensure their leadings continue to build on Quakers’ legacy of impact.
Strengthens Meetings:
- Offers resources and convenes programs to support religious education, outreach, and stewardship of resources for monthly and quarterly meetings.
- Cultivates relationships among meetings, PYM staff, and volunteers to share wisdom, leadership practices, approaches to stewardship, and events throughout the region.
- Provides shared infrastructure for meetings, such as their nonprofit status, online donation platforms, and support and care for property, allowing them to focus on their spiritual life and ministry.
Cares for Friends:
- Offers resources that help Friends practice their faith in daily life, from spiritual formation to sustainable living.
- Provides case management, financial assistance, and care for older Friends to help them age with dignity, grace, and love.
- Coordinates counseling services for individuals, couples, and groups, recognizing mental and emotional well-being as part of spiritual health.
Supports Ministry and Witness:
- Sustains collaboratives, where Friends from multiple meetings with similar leadings work together to address critical issues.
- Furthers yearly meeting-wide witnesses and actions on climate change and racial justice by coordinating collective, Spirit-led action.
- Awards grants to seed and sustain Friends’ ministries.
How you can get involved
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting’s impact relies on the participation and contributions of Friends.
FIND
a Quaker meeting
Attend a meeting near you at pym.org/meetings and then learn more about our faith at pym.org/quakerism
SERVE
our community
Volunteer in governance, grantmaking, or program support by contacting info@pym.org
ENGAGE
with the wider body
Attend Annual Sessions, Continuing Sessions, and other events listed at pym.org/sessions and pym.org/calendar
GIVE
your support
Join generations of Friends in stewarding the work of the yearly meeting by supporting PYM or its affiliated meetings at pym.org/donate
Chris Mohr
General Secretary
215-241-7120
CMohr@pym.org
