Faith D’Urbano on Febuary 4 submitted a letter to the Lancaster Newspaper’s editor addressing Senators Fetterman and McCormick regarding an imminent vote on funding the Department of Homeland Security. While hoping for the letter to be published, she shared it with Lancaster Friends Peace and Social Concerns Committee and with members of Downingtown Friends Peace and Social Concerns Committee. [Read more…] about A Friend from Caln Quarter and her Recent Letter to a Lancaster Newspaper
Quakers
Opportunities for Young Adults with Quaker Organizations
The American Friends Service Committee’s (AFSC) Emerging Leaders for Liberation Program and the Friends Committee on National Legislation’s (FCNL) Advocacy Corps program are taking applications from young adults who are interested in community organizing or federal policy work.
FCNL’s Advocacy Corps pays young adults ages 19 to 30 to organize their communities around federal legislation over ten months; the upcoming cohort will focus on health care access and nutrition assistance. Applications are open until March 2.
Follow this link to learn more about FCNL’s Advocacy Corps: https://www.fcnl.org/act/young-adult-advocates/advocacy-corps
AFSC’s Emerging Leaders for Liberation program accepts applicants ages 18 to 22 who have a connection to an AFSC program, a Quaker meeting, a Quaker organization, or a Quaker college; participants attend two in-person gathering and also join monthly virtual meetings, The application deadline is March 8.
Follow this link to learn more about AFSC’s Emerging Leaders for Liberation Programs: https://afsc.org/programs/emerging-leaders-liberation
[Read more…] about Opportunities for Young Adults with Quaker Organizations
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Minute of Support for the LGBTQIA+ Community | Letter
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) has taken a public stand in support of LGBTQIA+ people. This month, PYM shared a minute approved at Annual Sessions 2025 with monthly meetings, local and regional media, and Quaker and non-Quaker organizations around the world; the minute affirms inclusion and dignity.
[Read more…] about Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Minute of Support for the LGBTQIA+ Community | Letter
The Quaker Connection to a New Shaker Film: The Testament of Ann Lee
The Religious Society of Friends has appeared across popular entertainment, in shows like Six Feet Under, Outlander, and Long Bright River, and on stages as well. Ann Lee (1736–1784) was raised a Quaker in England and later left the society. This month, her life is retold in a new movie-musical, The Testament of Ann Lee, which follows her journey and her escape from religious persecution in eighteenth-century England. The film stars Pennsylvanian actor Amanda Seyfried.
[Read more…] about The Quaker Connection to a New Shaker Film: The Testament of Ann Lee
Community Through PYM This Fall
October began for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting with the announcement that Chris Mohr will serve as the next General Secretary. Friends have come to know his work through the years, and the announcement invites tenderness across community of Friends as PYM continues through a time of transition. Christie Duncan-Tessmer’s final weeks in the role brought thoughtful messages and shared gratitude for her service; the month closed with thanks that her leadership has shaped how Friends move together in faith.
Resources from the Climate Witness: Let Our Actions Speak! Thread Gathering
During the Climate Witness: Let Our Actions Speak! Thread Gathering, Friends and organizations offered resources connected to their work and experience. Those who attended may find this a helpful way to revisit what was shared. Those who could not attend can begin here to access the same materials.
PYM Friends who have materials from the gathering are welcome to share them on PYM Connect so others can find and use them. [Read more…] about Resources from the Climate Witness: Let Our Actions Speak! Thread Gathering
Minute of Support for PYM from the Missoula Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
At our Meeting for Business on April 13, 2025, we recorded the following minute of support:
The Missoula Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends is united in our support for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends et al v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security et al.
[Read more…] about Minute of Support for PYM from the Missoula Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
Minute of Support for PYM from Wilmington Monthly Meeting
Wilmington Monthly Meeting, Delaware, minutes its unity with Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, Baltimore, New England and New York Yearly Meetings, Adelphi and Richmond Monthly Meetings, and other affiliated groups in filing the lawsuit against the federal Department of Homeland Security on January 23, 2025. The suit seeks to deny the ability of federal immigration agents to enter our places of worship in order to take enforcement actions against any part of our community. [Read more…] about Minute of Support for PYM from Wilmington Monthly Meeting
Old Haverford Friends Meeting Reimagining Land to Be a Mini Forest
At Old Haverford Friends Meeting, over April 12 and 13, volunteers planted 20 trees on the meeting’s grounds. The planting is a continuation of an ongoing effort to reimagine the land as a mini forest—one that can offer environmental benefits, habitat for wildlife, and a space for reflection. [Read more…] about Old Haverford Friends Meeting Reimagining Land to Be a Mini Forest
Annual Sessions to Address Deferred Question: How Are We Called at This Moment?
Photograph of a building at Cheyney University.
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting’s Annual Sessions will take place from Wednesday, July 23 – Sunday, July 27 at Cheyney University’s campus, offering a space for Friends to worship in community and practice our faith. The theme of sessions, Members One of Another, reminds us that our faith is not just about the places we meet, but the relationships we build, nourish, and support. [Read more…] about Annual Sessions to Address Deferred Question: How Are We Called at This Moment?
