This is the 342nd Annual Sessions of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting! This year, we’re sharing the Mott Memo daily recaps here on the website, a loving tribute to the august Quaker, Lucretia Mott. Each Mott Memo is a brief look-back on the day’s events. We hope you enjoy taking part in Annual Sessions through this tradition.
It’s not too late to join us tomorrow for All Together Worship from 9:45-10:30am. The final session of Meeting for Business is from 10:45am-12:30pm. Register here for the Zoom links to join on Sunday.
Shared below is the news from Saturday, July 30!
What a day together, Friends! Moments of deep sharing and tender friendship happened across the day. At the annual Memorial Meeting for Worship we celebrated not only the names of those who have passed away in the last year but we celebrated lives well lived and legacies we carry now among us — the Friend who knew so well how to welcome, the “Quaker Grandma” who helped a young Friend grow into their understanding of faith and practice, the faithful witness and unfailing hospitality of others. These Friends will be missed, but as someone present remarked during worship, it was like we had welcomed their presence among us with our sharing.
Morning business included reports of the happenings in Abington, Caln, and Chester Quarters and Ujima Friends Meeting. These reports were heard with gratitude and are linked in the advance documents! The afternoon business session included hearing and accepting the epistle of the Young Adult Friends community, and hearing the first reading of the outgoing PYM Epistle. The afternoon session also included a minute of concern brought forward from the First Contact Reconciliation Collaborative, which we will return to on Sunday in meeting for worship with attention to business.
An opportunity to attend worship sharing in the afternoon created a space for small group sharing around a query. “That was amazing!” was overheard afterward. Again and again this week, we have connected with one another and Spirit moving among us.
Our evening keynote was a 2-part address, brought to us by Kelsey Borrowman and Jonathan Lazar, who both shared lively, informative presentations drawing on their research and expertise. “Building a More Inclusive Community: Accessibility and Tech in the Yearly Meeting” explored accessibility and accommodation that we normally reserve for disabled folks, and how we can create a more accessible and compassionate community for everyone. Kelsey Borrowman has multiple graduate degrees from Stony Brook University and Villanova University, she is currently pursuing her PhD at Villanova University and working on her dissertation analyzing the role of health in the philosophies of Rousseau and Nietzsche. Dr. Jonathan Lazar is a professor in the College of Information Studies (iSchool) at the University of Maryland. His research and teaching centers around human-computer interaction, with a focus on ICT accessibility for people with disabilities, user-centered design methods, assistive technologies, and law and public policy related to accessibility and HCI.
Onward to Sunday! See you at All Together Worship!
