Friends from meetings, regions, and communities across Philadelphia Yearly Meeting contribute to the life of our body each day. Meetings and committees record minutes, councils attend to the business of the yearly meeting, organizations throughout our region serve through ministry, and individual Friends respond to their faith through action. Each offers an opportunity to share how Friends are living their faith and serving their communities.
Friends are especially interested in hearing stories about how other Friends and Quaker communities are volunteering and serving others. These may be stories about individual Friends, monthly meetings, or groups working together to support their neighbors and communities.
The PYM News page is a place for Friends to share stories from across Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Sharing these stories helps meetings learn from one another, keeps Friends informed about what is happening throughout our region, and provides a record of how our community is living its Quaker faith today. Meetings, collaboratives, and peer groups are encouraged to share their minutes with the yearly meeting. Sharing stories is another way for Friends to learn how the Spirit is moving throughout our community.
Stories can come from many places across the yearly meeting. They may include updates from collaboratives, sprints, or committees, reflections from monthly or quarterly meetings, or news from organizations. Friends may share epistles, press releases, meeting statements, or messages intended for the wider community. Stories may feature PYM meetings or members mentioned in newspapers, magazines, or online publications. They may also share announcements or information that Friends throughout the yearly meeting would find helpful.
Each story, minute, reflection, and moment adds to the life of our yearly meeting. When Friends share their stories, the way opens for others, who may be led to share their own experiences in turn.
Friends who have a story to share but are unsure how to write it are welcome to contact PYM staff for support. If Friends have been volunteering and would prefer to share their experiences through a conversation, PYM staff can arrange an interview and help turn those experiences into a story for the PYM News page.
Share your stories here. If you have any questions, would like support with writing, or would like to be interviewed, please contact PYM staff at communications@pym.org.
