Last Sunday, a handful of families in my meeting decided to try online Children’s Meeting (our First Day program for children) and worship together online. It was a last-minute decision to fire up my Zoom account and see how it worked. We posted the information on Facebook and sent out a quick email on the meeting listserv. Two hours later, when we gathered across households, we were joined by a former attender now living in Seattle, and three other PYM families who had seen the Facebook post. We came together across miles and even time zones to share songs, a reading, queries, and waiting worship. [Read more…] about Gathering Together: Support for Families & First Day Programs
Youth Programs
Threshing on Membership Report
View a downloadable/PDF version of the report here.
Introduction
The bulk of this report is made of minutes of exercise taken by PYM Recording Clerk, Jim Herr. The minutes review the proceedings of the day. Following the minutes of exercise, the report contains a transcription of collections of “advice to the yearly meeting” in response to several queries that participants wrote down in small groups. Find in Appendix A the advance documents that were provided ahead of the threshing session.
PYM’s Young Friends Head to NYC for Winter Gathering with YSOP
PYM Youth Programs staff are heading to New York City this weekend with a group of nineteen Young Friends, and Friendly Presences (adult volunteers), for a winter gathering that includes a program with the Youth Services Opportunity Project (YSOP).
Young Friends gatherings explore spirituality, leadership, fun, and the nature of Quaker community. The YSOP-focused program is an experiment, speaking to the interest in service and witness expressed by Young Friends last spring at Continuing Sessions. [Read more…] about PYM’s Young Friends Head to NYC for Winter Gathering with YSOP
Young Friends Christmas Gathering
A lively group of Young Friends gathered at Woodstown Meeting in Woodstown, NJ for their annual Christmas Gathering, December 27th-30th. Two Young Friends led workshops for the community: an interactive performance about bravery and self-expression, and an exploration of gender identity that included decorating “genderbread” cookies. Young Friends participated in productive meetings for worship with a concern for business, shared deeply in worship sharing groups, and played a couple rowdy games of Wink. With an ice skating trip and a dance party celebration of two Young Friends’ birthdays, it was a busy and joyful gathering full of singing, laughter, and kazoos.
– Olivia Chalkley, Young Friends Program Facilitator
Winter Family Overnight Was Wonderful!
This past weekend the Children and Families Program hosted another classic Winter Family Overnight at Camp Onas under the care of program staff Kimani Keaton and Crystal Hershey. Except it didn’t feel like winter at all, it felt like the first days of spring! [Read more…] about Winter Family Overnight Was Wonderful!
Youth Programs Team Updates: New Staff and An Invitation
New staff! The Youth Programs team is delighted to announce that Crystal Hershey has agreed to serve as the Children and Families Program Assistant. While Crystal is a new addition to our team, she is a familiar face in youth programs and the PYM community.
[Read more…] about Youth Programs Team Updates: New Staff and An Invitation
Quakers & the 09/2019 Global Climate Strike
Today I was on campus at the Quaker Senior Community called the Hickman (West Chester, PA). This note is to share how uplifting & motivating it was to see the children from W.C. Friends School (our neighbor), leading our staff and residents into intergenerational Witness for Climate on the street today. I’d love to see photos of other Friends participating in this Global Movement today and in the coming week!
FGC Shares Children’s Resources from PYM Staff
The September issue of “Vital Friends,” the e-newsletter from Friends General Conference (FGC), highlights “Religious Education Programming for Children.” Melinda Wenner Bradley, serving PYM as Youth Religious Life Coordinator, was asked to contribute to the issue.
FGC staff write, “Melinda’s work as a consultant and trainer for religious education programming has produced several worthwhile resources for Quaker parents and teachers. Here, we’ve included highlights of her work, beginning with a beautiful essay about her ministry.”
The essays and articles shared can be found — along with other great resources for children’s religious education programs — at this link. They include pieces on fostering community, exploring vocal ministry, a lesson on being present and worship, and nurturing children’s spiritual lives.
See the PYM website page, “Writings on Religious Education: Practical and Prophetic” for more resources for welcoming and nurturing children, their families, and the people who support programs for youth in meeting communities.
2019 Annual Sessions – Children’s Epistle
To Friends Everywhere,
We need to raise our voices when things are not right.
You have to know when things are not right..
This week Ollie tried to chase a chicken at Snipes Farm.
We watched Mulan for movie night.
We went to game night with Middle School Friends.
We played on a slip and slide, and always have friendship.
We also took pictures of our week, and here they are.
In Peace,
PYM Children
PS – It was also really fun break dancing with pushed learning!
(Thank Edy and Megan!)
2019 Annual Sessions – Young Friends Epistle
Dear Friends, everywhere,
We the Young Friends of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting gathered together at The College of New Jersey located in Ewing, New Jersey from Wednesday, July 24the , through Sunday, July 28the , focusing on this year’s theme; “How do we center ourselves in trust and love?”
Throughout the week, the Young Friends were able to build a more unified and trusting group through a variety of activities. We started our week with a multi-generational gathering where we were able to connect with Friends on a more spiritual level through storytelling. In this activity, we had community members tell a spiritual story, that all Friends present appreciated. Following this, the Young Friends came together to discuss guidelines for this gathering that promoted a safe and loving environment for all Friends.
[Read more…] about 2019 Annual Sessions – Young Friends Epistle