Philadelphia Yearly Meeting celebrates Simone Gellizeau, who has served as Director of Programs and Religious Life since January (pictured left), and welcomes David Park as the incoming Chief Financial Officer (pictured right). We appreciate the expertise, knowledge, and care they bring to their roles and anticipate their continued contributions within Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.
Staff
Honoring Black Quaker Legacies: A Celebration through Collage & Remembrance
On February 19th, PYM staff gathered in the Rufus Jones Room for a Meeting for Learning, with a focus on Black Quaker contributions. While Black History Month provides a moment to center these contributions, we recognize that the legacies of Black Quakers are essential to the ongoing story of Quakerism and deserve continuous reflection. After an initial discussion, we broke into small groups to create collages that highlighted the lives and impacts of individual Black Quakers, showcasing their enduring influence on both the Society of Friends and society at large.
[Read more…] about Honoring Black Quaker Legacies: A Celebration through Collage & Remembrance
February 2025 | Joint Council Update
On Saturday, February 15, the three councils that support Philadelphia Yearly Meeting—Quaker Life Council, Administrative Council, and Nominating Council—held their 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. This allows the Joint Council to share the minutes in a news story with the PYM community in the week following the meeting.
The Joint Council approved the revision of the job description of the General Secretary. The document was recommended by the Search Committee, which sought input from the Personnel Committee and senior staff. The changes are slight and bring it up to date.
Share the Story of Your Meeting in Response of the DHS Lawsuit
As Friends continue to worship, discern, and discuss PYM’s involvement in the lawsuit with the Department of Homeland Security, we encourage Friends, members, and attenders to connect with Christie Duncan-Tessmer, General Secretary of PYM, or Nikki Mosgrove, Presiding Clerk, with any questions or needs they have.
[Read more…] about Share the Story of Your Meeting in Response of the DHS Lawsuit
Key Points on the Quaker Suit Against the Department of Homeland Security
Below is essential information about the lawsuit. This may be helpful to Friends in PYM for their own understanding and for discussing the case with others, including local media.
[Read more…] about Key Points on the Quaker Suit Against the Department of Homeland Security
January 2025 | Joint Council Update
At January’s council meeting, council members reflected on the “Joint Council Experiment”, the new format in which all three councils meet together with a single agenda. The councils have now met three times in this new format and Friends have begun to elucidate, in various ways, how the new format works & how they feel about it.
What’s your Gift? | Sharing Skills in Our Community of Friends
Quaker communities thrive when members share their unique gifts and skills. The Gifts & Skills Collection is a PYM initiative designed to highlight the range of Friends’ contributions and talents. This initiative invites Friends to share their gifts and connect with others who have similar interests or experiences. The goal is to build community by matching gifts, skills, or area of interest with opportunities to collaborate and support shared work.
[Read more…] about What’s your Gift? | Sharing Skills in Our Community of Friends
Net Zero Consultant | Request for Proposals
For decades, PYM has set benchmarks to guide our shared witness on critical issues. With the Creating a Playbook for Climate Action, this tool provides meetings with practical resources and ideas for planning, taking action, and staying accountable in areas like activism, education, and reducing carbon footprints.
[Read more…] about Net Zero Consultant | Request for Proposals
Quaker Fund for Indigenous Communities | Annual Report – October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024
Members were Tom Armstrong, Cherie Clark, Miriam Fisher Schaefer, Tom Grave, Carol Ann Gray, Winnie Hope, Lois Kuter, and Fran O’Neill. We welcomed attender Edie Paige for her insights at our meetings. New group members: Winnie Hope began attending in February 2024. We welcomed Terry Cooke in August 2024 as an ex-officio member from the Granting Committee.
PYM Welcomes New Director of Development and Middle School Co-Facilitator
We are thrilled to welcome Joe Kirkenir as Director of Development (pictured left) and Daniel Doan as Middle School Co-Facilitator (pictured right). We are excited for the experience and dedication they will bring to their roles within PYM.
[Read more…] about PYM Welcomes New Director of Development and Middle School Co-Facilitator
