Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

of the Religious Society of Friends

Ministry & Care

An Urgent Call to the Religious Society of Friends

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Philadelphia Yearly Meeting has endorsed the following Urgent Call to the Religious Society of Friends.  This call to action was authored by an ad hoc group of nineteen Friends, more than half of whom are from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. In it they share that they see forces at work in our country that undermine some of our basic values: equality of all people, truth-telling, and deep listening.

Christie Duncan-Tessmer, PYM’s General Secretary says, “This call represents our Quaker faith in action: It expresses Truth as discerned in the discipline of relationship and prayer; it calls all to examine how this revelation can lead them to witness and act. It offers us all fellowship on a challenging journey.”

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Celebrating & Nurturing Support for Queer Youth

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Throughout the month of June, Pride celebrations have happened across our PYM region. As the month comes to a close we can carry on that spirit of affirmation and inclusion. In this year when religious groups and government legislation are fighting to repress queer youth and their families, PYM celebrates the importance of our LGBTQ+ community. The Youth Programs Advisory Committee recently approved a minute of support for the LGBTQ+ youth, staff, families, and volunteers in our Youth Programs, which was accepted in June by the Quaker Life Council. There is more work to do! Shared here is the YPAC minute in full, along with resources and reflections on how we can continue to educate and celebrate belonging for all in our local meetings and yearly meeting community. [Read more…] about Celebrating & Nurturing Support for Queer Youth

Friends Village – A Focus on Wellness

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Friends Village in Newtown, PA shared the resident programs accomplished through the 2021 Aging Assistance Granting Group’s Block Grant from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Sheila Sorkin, Aging Support Coordinator, met by Zoom with their with Executive Director, Chiyo Moriuchi, and the Friends Village management team to review their exciting programs. A core component of the Friends Village model is a focus on wellness. As we age, the advantage of gaining insight into relaxation and skills in balance will assist in reducing health risks. [Read more…] about Friends Village – A Focus on Wellness

Yardley Quakers Step Outside for Spiritual Growth and Medicinal Herbal Gardening

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This summer, the Friends at Yardley Meeting (Bucks Quarter) are building a labyrinth and a set of raised bed gardens on the grounds of the meetinghouse. The community is committed to create a space for meditation, and to provide a growing site for medicinal herbs to be shared with the Singularity Botanicals supplying health-related products to the Chester, PA community. [Read more…] about Yardley Quakers Step Outside for Spiritual Growth and Medicinal Herbal Gardening

Birmingham Meeting Has a New Sign

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Birmingham Meeting needed a new sign as the old wooden one was deteriorated and so small as to be difficult to read by the ever faster traffic on Birmingham Rd. We were concerned that the old style sign made us look like museum rather than a living and active faith community. [Read more…] about Birmingham Meeting Has a New Sign

Workshop Saturday: Experiment With Light: A Gift from Early Quakers

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In this series of stories, we’ll highlight the workshops being offered on Workshop Saturday, June 25. Sessions Coordinating Committee and staff experimented this year with offering a one-day online event that includes five workshops on different topics of interest to Friends in our yearly meeting. We will gather and listen deeply together on a day of connection, learning, and meaningful conversations.

Read on to learn more about the facilitators and intentions of this Workshop Spotlight, and register for a workshop by Thursday, June 23.
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Workshop Saturday: Co-Regulating & Building Relationships Toward Equity & Justice

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In this series of stories, we’ll highlight the workshops being offered on Workshop Saturday, June 25. Sessions Coordinating Committee and staff experimented this year with offering a one-day online event that includes five workshops on different topics of interest to Friends in our yearly meeting. We will gather and listen deeply together on a day of connection, learning, and meaningful conversations.

Read on to learn more about the facilitators and intentions of this Workshop Spotlight, and register for a workshop by Thursday, June 23.
[Read more…] about Workshop Saturday: Co-Regulating & Building Relationships Toward Equity & Justice

Religious Education Resources and Events for June & July

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Happy summertime, Friends! In the coming weeks, children and teens will be done with school and families will shift into summer routines. I’ll be back in touch in August with ideas for looking forward to the Fall, and if you’re ready to start thinking in that direction this planning guide is still a good place to begin this summer. The resources and events offered below for June and July include Juneteenth, FGC’s “YAY!” gathering, and what’s for families and youth at our Annual Sessions. I hope you will pass them along to families and youth in your meetings and communities! [Read more…] about Religious Education Resources and Events for June & July

Summer of Freedom: Ujima Friends Peace Center

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Last summer, Ujima Friends Peace Center launched a 100% outdoor freedom school that was designed to allow the neighborhood children to explore “friendly spaces” while engaging in activities that would be good for the mind, body, and spirit.  Our children participated in environmental projects, literacy activities, and self-care/conflict resolution sessions.  The summer was a resounding success!

Freedom Summer 2021 we were hosted by Abington Friends Meeting and the Historic Fairhill Burial Grounds. Our young people enjoyed trips to Snipes Farms, Taylor Wildlife Preserves, the Goat Project, One Art Community Center, Up from Salem and Salem Monthly Meeting.

We are planning for Freedom Summer 2022 and would love for our children to once again experience some of the green spaces in Quaker meeting houses and schools that so many of us take for granted but serve as a balm for the souls of many of our children.

We hope to serve 30 children and engage a team of college students.  We will bring all our own equipment and materials. We simply would like to have our children in spaces that are safe, green, and provide opportunities for bonding with the environment and with one another.

If you are interested in helping us this summer here are things you can do:

  1. Sign up to host our children in your meeting house or school grounds.
  2. Assist us in locating a place for our children to swim.
  3. Donate to assist us in paying for transportation and trips.

Please send donations to:
Ujima Friends Peace Center,
PO Box 50647,
Philadelphia, PA

Supporting Children and Teens After Violent News

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In the last two weeks we have been repeatedly confronted with the legacy of gun violence and ongoing, communal trauma in this country. The three events in recent days have happened in the kinds of everyday places that should be safe — the grocery store, church, and school. How do we talk to children and adolescents about gun violence, racialized violence, and senseless tragedy? Parents and caregivers are helping their children process their feelings alongside their own, and signs of anxiety are different in children and adolescents when compared with adults. Pastoral care for children begins with pastoral care for their caregivers, and the resources below are offered to support parents and families—please share. 

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