Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

of the Religious Society of Friends

Annual Sessions

Friends Then and Now, Connecting to the Source of Spirit

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Photograph – A View of Pendle Hill from the 2012 Quaker Pilgrimage

Following worship, a Land Acknowledgment by S. Boone O’ Scheyichbi, and a brief meeting for business, PYM’s keynote speaker, Marcelle Martin, welcomed 144 Friends of all ages to an evening of  spiritual programming on Wednesday, July 29th.

She began her presentation by inviting the assembled community into a deeper relationship with the Faith. She acknowledged an apprehension in leading a virtual session with so many numbers of PYM Friends. However, by looking at the evening differently—through the perspective that God wants to reach us—this relaxes the heart. She noted that for her and for gathered Friends, Spirit can have a way of opening the self to a keen sense of possibility and connection—all through God’s love and power. [Read more…] about Friends Then and Now, Connecting to the Source of Spirit

Minutes of July 29 – Annual Sessions 2020

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340th Annual Sessions of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
Held by Zoom video conference

Opening Program Wednesday, July 29, 2020 – Jonathan Rhoads, alternate clerk, serving as clerk

Worship: Acting clerk Jonathan Rhoads introduced himself and we settled into worship. Boone acknowledged that the land on which we are meeting is recognized as the homeland of the Lenni Lenape people.

Introductions: When worship ended, Olivia Brangan had us create a word cloud with  our locations and explained all the tech matters. Clerk asked clerks group, elders, pastoral care team members, visitors and first time attenders to introduce themselves. He then called on Melissa Rycroft, clerk of Nominating Council.

Epistle Committee: Melissa presented the following names to make up this year’s epistle committee: Anthony Stover, Germantown Monthly Meeting, Philadelphia Quarter; Yelena Forrester, Chester Monthly Meeting, Chester Quarter; and Joan Broadfield, Chester Monthly Meeting, Chester Quarter. We were in unity with this list.

Minutes to this point were accepted in unity.

Clerk introduced our speaker for this evening, Marcelle Martin

PYM Land Acknowledgment and Why it Matters to Friends

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It has become PYM’s practice to begin Annual and Continuing Sessions—as well as plenary spaces, or sessions/spaces where we gather as a yearly meeting community/body—with a land acknowledgement. During this virtual Annual Sessions, we have extended that commitment over the runway of events to Sessions by offering a different land acknowledgement prayer before each Plenary and meeting for Business. [Read more…] about PYM Land Acknowledgment and Why it Matters to Friends

We Can Do This! Virtual Sessions Begins

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Some drawings from the “Build a Team” activity during the PYM Staff Huddle on Monday, July 27.

Each year as we get close to the end of July, staff makes a pilgrimage to the event site for that year’s Annual Sessions.

This is the moment when everything becomes real. We pace out how our five days together will feel, think about tech support, negotiate better cafeteria food or ice cream parties, and plan the welcome tables and our most essential events. We investigate the places and spaces that hold and gather family and youth, or support the Young Adult Friends (YAFs), and nurture us in plenary. [Read more…] about We Can Do This! Virtual Sessions Begins

Spiritual Formation Retreat Launches our 340th Annual Sessions

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At 6:45 Tuesday evening our 340th Annual Sessions launched with a Spiritual Formation Retreat guided by Marcelle Martin.

There were 76 participants of all ages. Marcelle grounded the retreat by connecting the lived experience of early Friends and their longing for God with our spiritual feelings and practices today. [Read more…] about Spiritual Formation Retreat Launches our 340th Annual Sessions

Plenary Session on Addressing Racism – Minutes

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Friends gathered for the Saturday, July 25, Plenary on Addressing Racism. The last of five Plenary meetings in preparation for Annual Sessions July 28-August 2, the meeting began with worship at 10:00 AM, followed by S. Boone O’Scheyichbi offering a prayerful acknowledgment that we meet on “traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape People, a vast land supporting the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting region.” This was followed by the reading of minutes (noted in full below), a Poor People’s Campaign presentation, a discussion, a group photo for those who wished to participate, and breakout groups. The breakout groups met to discuss queries and gave verbal and emailed reports on their discussions. The meeting ended at 1:00. [Read more…] about Plenary Session on Addressing Racism – Minutes

Report on Budget Plenary – A Steady, Familiar Budget

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At 7:30 PM on July 21, participants gathered for a Plenary Session on PYM’s FY 2021 budget. Alternate Clerk Jonathan Rhoads opened the meeting with worship. S. Boone O’Scheyichbi offered a land acknowledgement that named the four historical Lenape Nations and spoke to “inclusion in a place of truth with diversity and equity.” General Secretary Christie Duncan-Tessmer briefed the 34 participants on technology. [Read more…] about Report on Budget Plenary – A Steady, Familiar Budget

A Report on July 19 Plenary Session on Membership & Belonging

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The third in a series of five plenaries on the “Runway to Sessions” took place on Sunday July 19 from 2:00-5:00 PM. Very brief formal minutes are below, followed by additional notes offered by recording clerk Kri Burkander.  A January 26, 2020 Threshing Session on Membership Report, PYM’s July 2020 panel discussion video and the 2019 Young Adult Friends Epistle on Membership informed the conversation. The plenary opened with worship and a land acknowledgement offered by S. Boone O’Scheyichbi, of PYM’s First Contact Reconciliation Collaborative.

Minutes from PYM’s recording clerk Kri Burkander – Saturday July 19

69 Friends gathered via Zoom this afternoon to discuss issues of membership, belonging, and commitment in our community. We expressed our appreciation for the Friends who gathered for a Threshing Session on Membership held on January 26, 2020 at Haddonfield Friends Meeting and received the report from that Gathering. [Read more…] about A Report on July 19 Plenary Session on Membership & Belonging

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