Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

of the Religious Society of Friends

Peace & Social Justice

Chester Meeting Minute of Love for the Ugandan LGBTQAI Community

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June 13, 2023,
Chester Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends,
To Friends of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

Friends,

In this time of pandemic, Chester Friends Meeting has held blended worship, and in these years we have been blessed with visitors. One, Karl Malchut from Evanston, IL, has become a regular attender.  He has been zoom visiting with concerns for transgender and gender minority youth and has actively been supporting a faith community, the Talented Youth Community Fellowship of Uganda.

As that community has been facing increasingly punitive threats due to persecution unto death from the highest levels of government, Karl was moved to bring a minute to the meeting.  It was shared by us broadly to our meeting community, and on Sunday, June 11, we heard it and united.  We committed to sharing it widely, not knowing what response would be but knowing that out of love we had to do something. [Read more…] about Chester Meeting Minute of Love for the Ugandan LGBTQAI Community

Birmingham Meeting has a Bee Yard

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In recognition of PYM’s Witness on Climate Change, Birmingham Meeting‘s Peace and Social Concerns Committee has chosen to focus on climate change and the environment this year. In exploring programs we might promote, we wanted to make sure that we chose something that our Children and Youth would have an interest in. After consulting with the Youth Committee and educating ourselves about beekeeping, a proposal was made for our Business Meeting to purchase two beehives to be placed on our Meetinghouse grounds. [Read more…] about Birmingham Meeting has a Bee Yard

FarmerJawn Agriculture to Steward Westtown School Farm

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On Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, 2023, Westtown School officially announced its partnership with Christa Barfield, owner, and operator of FarmerJawn Agriculture. Earlier this year, Barfield joined forces with Westtown School leasing 123 acres to create an organic farm. Westtown families and residents from the surrounding community celebrated the new partnership this past weekend on the school’s campus. Attendees witnessed a special blessing by Lenni Lenape elders and enjoyed tethered balloon rides, hayrides, and a host of family-friendly activities.

[Read more…] about FarmerJawn Agriculture to Steward Westtown School Farm

Eco-Justice Collaborative Spotlight Q&A With Patricia Finley

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“The whole eco system is connected and we are a part of it!”
— Patricia Finley, co-clerk of the Eco-Justice Collaborative

Q: Why was the Eco-Justice Collaborative formed?

The Eco-Justice Collaborative (EJC) has been in many forms since 1988. It began as the Environmental Working Group (EWG); in 1993, there was a renewed desire and commitment to elevate the EWG after a young person, during Annual Sessions, shared their experience of having nightmares about the future of our planet. A husband-and-wife team, Ed Dreby and Margaret Mansfield, foundational in creating EJC, doubled their efforts in visiting 50+ meetings encouraging other Quakers to get involved. Then in 2009, the Environmental Working Group became the Eco-Justice Collaborative which focused on lifting leaders with environmental expertise and interest to support each other’s projects. [Read more…] about Eco-Justice Collaborative Spotlight Q&A With Patricia Finley

Earth Day Recommended Reads: Resources for Children, Youth & Families

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Resources To Support Our Witness to Walking Gently on the Earth!

“We recognize that the well-being of the earth is a fundamental spiritual concern. From the beginning, it was through the wonders of nature that people saw God. How we treat the earth, and its creatures is a basic part of our relationship with God. Our planet as a whole, not just the small parts of it in our immediate custody, requires our responsible attention.” — Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice, 1997.

[Read more…] about Earth Day Recommended Reads: Resources for Children, Youth & Families

Knitting for Peace

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As bombs dropped on towns in Ukraine last February, people all over the world wanted to help in any way they could. Knitting for Peace is Seaville Friends (Quaker) Meeting’s response to the loss currently experienced in Ukraine. We send them our love, our Light, and beautiful handmade gifts to keep them warm in the freezing months. We want them to know that they are not forgotten, and that they are important and supported by gifts of our hearts. [Read more…] about Knitting for Peace

Youth Visit to FCNL Lobby Weekend

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Westtown School’s ​​Quaker Leadership Program (QLP) plays a significant role in nurturing Quaker identity and providing experience with faith and practice for students and adults in the school community. QLP students were part of the PYM Young Friends group who volunteered at the Bucks Peace Fair in September and a group from the school attended Fall Continuing Sessions. Over their spring break in March, three QLP students and two faculty members participated in the Friends Committee on National Legislation’s 2023 Spring Lobby Weekend.

[Read more…] about Youth Visit to FCNL Lobby Weekend

FCNL Policy Committee Request for Discernment Regarding Reproductive Health and Abortion

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Since its inception, the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) has been a voice for Quaker meetings and churches to lobby for the concerns of Friends on Capitol Hill. On abortion and reproductive health care issues, Friends have historically not been in unity, leading FCNL to take no position for or against abortion legislation. However, after the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, overturning Roe v. Wade, the Policy Committee heard concern from Friends around the country about FCNL’s lack of stance on the issue of abortion. [Read more…] about FCNL Policy Committee Request for Discernment Regarding Reproductive Health and Abortion

Lenape Voices: the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania

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On January 15, 2023 Birmingham Meeting hosted a special program with guests Adam Waterbear DePaul and Grandmother Shelley DePaul, members of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania. Adam is a member of the tribal council and is its Chief of Education and Tribal Storykeeper, and Grandmother Shelley is a Clan Mother and has also been a storykeeper and instrumental in preserving the Unami language of the Lenape. Both have worked in the university setting and helped bring the story of their people to the wider world through classes and exhibits in libraries and museums, public presentations like this one, and their involvement with the Lenape Nation Cultural Center in Easton, PA. [Read more…] about Lenape Voices: the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania

Impact Investing by People at Pennswood Village in Kenya

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Some Pennswood Village residents in Newtown have donated $6,500 to fund a Right Sharing of World Resources (RSWR) group in Kenya. Soon they will be getting reports on how and what the members of the group are doing.

The Pennswood Village residents are now engaged in international impact investing — sending money from a country with one of the highest median incomes in the world, $43,585, to one of the lowest, $1,870. Gallup 2021 [Read more…] about Impact Investing by People at Pennswood Village in Kenya

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