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.
Yearly Meeting News
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
Attending The Gathering From Childhood Reinforced Lifelong Connections with Friends
Attending the Gathering from Childhood Reinforced Lifelong Connections with Friends
When I was nine, my family’s move brought us to a different unprogrammed meeting in a new state. My newly- made friend’s warm, cheerful mother invited me to go to the Cape May, New Jersey, Conference (not called the Gathering yet) with her and my friend, since my family was not able to attend. I eagerly accepted. [Read more…] about Attending The Gathering From Childhood Reinforced Lifelong Connections with Friends
Friends Fiduciary Welcomes New Executive Director
Last month Friends Fiduciary named a new Executive Director: Ethan Birchard. PYM, as well as many meetings, Friends schools, retirement communities, and other Quaker organizations trusts Fiduciary to invest funds and advocate for change in a way that is in alignment with Quaker testimonies. The announcement letter from Bennett Lomax (Doylestown Meeting), board chair for Fiduciary, shares some information about Ethan and welcomes him to the role.
[Read more…] about Friends Fiduciary Welcomes New Executive Director
Spring Brings New Growth and Talent to PRL & Communications
PYM staff is growing!
Welcomes Claire Kinnel and Larry Tiblis to PRL & Communications [Read more…] about Spring Brings New Growth and Talent to PRL & Communications
Asma’s First FGC Gathering Story
May 19, 2023
by Joan Botto, (first published on the Friends General Conference website)
Asma arrived at her first Gathering in 2022 after driving 10 hours with Friends from her monthly meeting in Florida to Radford University in Virginia. [Read more…] about Asma’s First FGC Gathering Story
Support & Resources for Caregivers
Following my participation at Haverford Quarterly Meeting in January, I spoke with Friends Winnie Shaw Hope, who spent many years as a Special Education teacher and as a Social Worker, and Meg Lytton, a retired Family Medicine physician. In 2023, Haverford Quarter made a concerted effort to reach out to caregivers. They identified a need that many caregivers have emotional and financial concerns with great differences. Their goal was to “insert into people’s consciousness” the needs of caregivers, themselves. [Read more…] about Support & Resources for Caregivers
PYM’s Joey Leroux Accepts New Role
PYM’s very own Joey Leroux has been working with PYM as the data coordinator for nearly two years. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce Joey accepted the new role of Director of Grantmaking and Data earlier this month. We sat down with Joey to discuss the future of this key position and how it will best serve Friends. [Read more…] about PYM’s Joey Leroux Accepts New Role
PYM’s “Friends in Business” Group Celebrates the Present, Honors the Past, and Looks Ahead to a Re-imagined Future
This past December 2023, the yearly meeting’s Friends in Business group gathered for the 25th year at Arch Street Meeting House for its annual fall event. Forty-five Friends and staff attended, enjoying fellowship before and during dinner, and then a post-meal program.
The Gathering Changed My Life Too!
“Why do you want to be a doctor?” asked the medical school interviewer. I gave what must be the common answer: “I want to help people. I want to be of service, and I like the intellectual challenge of solving a problem.” [Read more…] about The Gathering Changed My Life Too!