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Sessions 2024
closed
What is Sessions?
Annual Sessions is one of the oldest Quaker traditions! Today, all over the world, yearly meetings gather once a year to bring together members and attenders from their local meetings. We call them “Sessions” because meeting for worship with attention to the business of the Yearly Meeting is central to these times together. Continuing Sessions are our one-day events on the second Saturday of November and March, where we attend to the continuing business of the Yearly Meeting and enjoy fellowship across generations. During all these times we ask: What is God’s big idea for PYM Friends?
Looking forward:
All Friends everywhere are invited to join Fall Continuing Sessions at Arch Street Meeting House. Our theme “Called to Healing” acknowledges that this is a vulnerable time in our world and as Quakers, we are charged with joining in the work of healing and renewal. Fall Sessions will begin on Friday, November 8th and conclude on Sunday, November 10th.
We encourage Friends to consider making Fall Sessions an overnight weekend experience! Home hospitality worked so well for Annual Sessions that we are planning to do it again for Fall Sessions. Sign-ups coming soon for both hosts and guests. There are also several hotels close to Arch Street; a list of options will be provided. Middle and high school youth programs will have an overnight together onsite.
Schedule
Items with an asterisk (*) are hybrid format
Friday, November 8th
- 3pm registration opens
- 4 – 5:30pm Memorial Meeting for Worship*
- 5:30 – 7:00 dinner hour on your own
- 7:00 – 8:30 Plenary speaker TBD*
Saturday, November 9th
- 8am – 9am breakfast on your own
- 8:30 registration opens
- 9:00am Worship for all ages*
- 9:30 Youth programs begin
- 9:30 Meeting for Business*
- 12:30 Lunch (provided by PYM)
- 1:30 Meeting for healing
- 3:30 afternoon break
- 5:00 Potluck picnic dinner
- 6:30 – 8:30 Evening program: Healing with Joy*
Sunday, November 10th
- 9:30 registration opens
- 10:00 All Together Worship*
- 11:00 break
- 11:30 – 1:00 Meeting for Business*
- 11:30 – 1:00 Youth programs
- 1:00 Lunch
- 2:00 Close and go home!
Memorial Meeting for Worship
Keep your eye on the PYM calendar for Sessions events throughout 2024. We will continue to explore our Sessions theme “Called to Healing” with events for all ages. See below for a message from Jean-Marie Prestwidge Barch, Clerk of the Ministry & Care committee, about when and where you’ll find Memorial Meeting for Worship.
“It has been our custom each year when we gather for annual sessions to set aside time to memorialize those who have shed their earthly form during the year past. We set aside the time needed so that we may celebrate and share our memories of these Friends and the impact their lives have had on our lives. We need ample time to accomplish our Meeting for Memorial with care. The change in our schedule for sessions this year offers the opportunity to hold our meeting for memorial at Fall continuing sessions rather than during our shorter summer session. Ministry and Care Committee also invites Friends to consider if an additional recognition (for example a planting of some sort) for those in the meeting community who have died during the past year speaks to your meeting’s needs. We will gather during fall continuing sessions to share our memories as is our custom.“