On Saturday, October 12th, the three councils that support Philadelphia Yearly Meeting—Quaker Life Council, Administrative Council, and Nominating Council—held their first meeting in a new joint format. In this structure, all three councils meet together as one Joint Council to worship, discern, and conduct business collaboratively. A key feature in the joint format is the approval of minutes during the meeting. This allows the Joint Council to share the minutes in a news story with the PYM community in the week following the meeting.
Community
Be the First to Shape A Virtual Platform for PYM Friends | PYM Connect
A ministry of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting is to keep the body interconnected, and the virtual tools available allow Friends to share their messages and connect faster. PYM staff are finding and providing new resources across the yearly meeting community to help keep connected. Friends no longer have to wait for an event or session; they will be able to connect anytime and anywhere, and PYM is looking for participants to provide input on an online platform.
[Read more…] about Be the First to Shape A Virtual Platform for PYM Friends | PYM Connect
Ways to Connect Before Sessions
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting has multiple October events that will provide ways to engage within our community before Fall Continuing Sessions. Three opportunities include fellowship of the thread gathering, a family-centered peace-building event, or the collective discernment over climate during a virtual threshing session. Each of these events offers a unique opportunity to engage with the PYM community and prepare ourselves spiritually for the work ahead. Whether you are seeking fellowship, family engagement, or discernment on critical issues, these events will help ground us as we come together as a faith community:
Talking about the Election with Children and Youth
Authorship is credited to Melinda Wenner Bradley (West Chester Meeting), Quaker Religious Education Collaborative
The intensity of the election cycle is an experience both for adults and for the children and youth in our families and communities. Depending on their age, preschoolers to teens may be aware of the anxiety in the adults around them — and experiencing their own anxiety about the outcome of the election in November.
[Read more…] about Talking about the Election with Children and Youth
Haddonfield Friends Meeting: Open House and Graveyard Tour
Haddonfield Friends Meeting is holding an open house this Saturday. Learn about the birth of Haddonfield and the remarkable story of the borough’s founder, Elizabeth Haddon. Visit the historic graveyard, including her (presumed) resting place. Three hundred years of history await your discovery!
This event is part of the Camden County History Alliance’s annual “History Month,” with more than 30 historical sites hosting activities between October 1-31 across the county. These activities include exhibits, re-enactments, and guided tours; most are free. A complete guide to all the activities can be found at: https://cchsnj.org/history-month/
Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting on “Going Veggie” and Using “Creating a Playbook for Climate Action”
Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting has embraced a new initiative to support climate action by “going veggie” on the third Sunday of each month. This meeting-wide project is the result of collaboration between the Climate Action and Hospitality Committees, reflecting a shared commitment to addressing climate change.
Sarah Whitman, a member of both committees at Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting, shared her perspective and the behind-the-scenes on this new initiative. “Last spring, we started a Climate Action Committee to help the meeting address climate change,” Sarah shared. “There have been individual leadings and practices related to climate change, but not a project that the whole meeting does together. I happen to be a member of both Hospitality and the Climate Action Committee, so I felt like this was an opportunity for synergy between those two committees.”
Update From the Listening and Lobbying Sprint of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
Authorship of this update is attributed to the Jeanne Elberfield and the Listening and Lobbying Sprint of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.
Friends, I am writing this update with much optimism in my heart and mind. The Listening and Lobbying Sprint is working diligently towards a draft policy and guidance addressing political lobbying for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Over the past few months, we have learned from a nonprofit expert and PYM’s lawyer about the IRS definitions and limitations on lobbying for a 501(c)(3). We have had regular conversations about how this information helps us to find a solution that mutually satisfies Friends who are led to political advocacy, the PYM Quaker community with diverse leadings and ministries, and the PYM as a 501(c)(3). We continue to ask Spirit to guide our hearts and minds as we navigate our way forward. [Read more…] about Update From the Listening and Lobbying Sprint of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
PYM Young Friends – December Monthly Gathering!
Youth in grades 8 through 12 are invited to participate in our monthly Young Friends (YF) gathering! Join us as we gather together to build relationships and community, learn about Quaker practice and issues of social justice, and have fun together! The day will include community-building games and activities, a program/discussion, and lunch.
NOTE: All participants must have a copy of the PYM Health/Permission form for 2024-2025 on file with youth staff.
*More details about location and program topic will be available soon!
Questions? Please contact Kristin Simmons, Youth Engagement Coordinator: ksimmons@pym.org
PYM Young Friends – October Monthly Gathering!
Youth in grades 8 through 12 are invited to participate in our monthly Young Friends (YF) gathering! Join us as we gather together to build relationships and community, learn about Quaker practice and issues of social justice, and have fun together! The day will include community-building games and activities, a program/discussion, and lunch.
**Our gathering will take place at Downingtown Monthly Meeting from 11 AM to 3 PM. (Note the change of time!) We will spend the first part of the day participating in an activity/conversation about peace as a practice and managing disagreements, followed by make-your-own-pizza lunch, pumpkin carving, and a costume contest!
All participants must have a copy of the PYM Health/Permission form for 2024-2025 on file with youth staff.
Young Friends Events Registration
Questions? Please contact Kristin Simmons, Youth Engagement Coordinator: ksimmons@pym.org
Young Friends Peace Fair and Overnight!
All Young Friends (grades 8 to 12) are invited to the 24th Annual Peace Fair and Overnight at Buckingham Meeting/Buckingham Friends School in Lahaska, PA!
The Peace Fair features local crafts, artwork, traditional and vegetarian food, kids’ games, a dunk tank, and Bucks County area non-profits that focus on peace, community service, healthy living, and the environment.
Young Friends arrive at 8:00 AM on Saturday morning, September 21st and serve as volunteers for the Peace Fair, helping with tasks such as set-up and clean-up, running kids’ games, and food preparation and service. Young Friends will also have the opportunity to explore Peddler’s Village during their break.
Following the clean-up of the Fair, Young Friends will join together for a pizza party and overnight at Buckingham Meeting. There will be an opportunity for community building, conversation, worship, and fun. The overnight will end on Sunday morning, September 22nd, following Meeting for Worship with Buckingham Friends. Bring a friend!
NOTE: All participants must have a copy of the PYM Health/Permission form for 2024-2025 on file with youth staff.
For more information, please contact Kristin Simmons, PYM Youth Engagement Coordinator: ksimmons@pym.org