This past weekend, November 7-9, our Fall Continuing Sessions at Arch Street Meeting House, and online, gathered us into a community for worship, fellowship, and discernment as we continued our theme of Members One of Another, which will continue through all of 2026’s sessions. In the spirit of Lucretia Mott, this Mott Memo captures a reflection of our time together. The minutes from these sessions will soon be available on the PYM website under Session Minutes, so Friends can read and reflect on the work and joy we shared. [Read more…] about Fall Continuing Sessions • Mott Memo • 2025
Worship
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.
West Philadelphia Friends: A Community Is Valued and Valuable
In West Philadelphia, on Baltimore and 48th, there’s a building where Friends gather to meet. It is not a meetinghouse, but inside those walls, a small community keeps a meeting thriving.
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Faith & Play Stories Celebrates 20 Years of Community
“Founded in 2005, the mission of Faith & Play Stories, Inc. is to nurture the spiritual vitality of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) through a storytelling program which enables people of all ages to explore and experience the power of the Divine in their lives. Our work includes creating, testing, and publishing stories; designing storytelling materials; and training that supports the nurture of children’s spirituality in Quaker faith communities. We seek a world in which the spiritual life of children is recognized and respected, and where Quakers of all ages, traditions and cultures deepen their faith through shared stories by listening and wondering together.”
Faith & Play Stories Mission Statement
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Hockessin Friends Support Lawsuit Challenging Dept. of Homeland Security
Hockessin Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, in the State of Delaware, assembled on Third month 2nd day, 2025, in meeting for worship with attention to business, affirms its support for the lawsuit that Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and other yearly and monthly meetings have filed against the Department of Homeland Security. [Read more…] about Hockessin Friends Support Lawsuit Challenging Dept. of Homeland Security
PYM Connect Launches Next Phase in Second Week of January
Next week, PYM Connect reaches a new phase as many Friends will start engaging with this online space for the first time. It is a chance for our community to use the platform to share, collaborate, and celebrate among Friends. [Read more…] about PYM Connect Launches Next Phase in Second Week of January
Mott Memo – Fall Continuing Sessions 2024
This past weekend, November 8-10, our Fall Continuing Sessions at Arch Street Meeting House, and online, gathered us into a shared journey of worship, fellowship, and reflection as we closed our theme of “Called to Healing”. In the spirit of Lucretia Mott, this Mott Memo captures the essence of our time together. The Minutes from these sessions will soon be available on the PYM website under Session Minutes, so Friends can read and reflect on the work and joy we shared.
[Read more…] about Mott Memo – Fall Continuing Sessions 2024
Memorial to the Lost® Installation at Arch Street Meeting House Commemorates Victims of Gun Violence
The Friends Ending Gun Violence Collaborative, in partnership with Heeding God’s Call to End Gun Violence, will host a Memorial to the Lost® installation at Arch Street Meeting House from November 8th to November 14th, 2024. Friends are invited to gather for a dedication event on Friday, November 8th, at 3:00 PM. As well as a silent vigil at 5:30 PM following the Memorial Meeting for Worship.
October 2024 | Joint Council Update
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.
Sessions is Coming! A Look at November 11 & the Future
Friends of all ages are encouraged to attend Fall Continuing Sessions on November 11. Throughout the day, the current Sessions theme, “Living with our neighbors, Growing into beloved community,” will be centered in our worship, fellowship, youth programs, and the business of the yearly meeting. We’re also sharing a preview of Sessions in 2024 and how a shift in this summer’s Annual Sessions creates new opportunities in the coming year.
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