Friends and meetings want to be able to support the lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security. While there is not a direct role, such as joining the suit, there are a number of important things that can be done.
- Prayer. Please hold in the Light the people who are taking steps toward justice every day, including those who are moving this lawsuit forward. Hold the people in our country who are afraid for themselves and their families. Hold the people who are in position to make decisions on behalf of our country and those who have to enact those decisions. We are all walking through the world together and together we need to need to live up to the measure of Light we’ve been given.
- Share a minute of support from the meeting. Minutes will be posted on the website and shared with our attorneys. These are helpful because they demonstrate for the lawsuit and for the public and for ourselves how important this work is to all of us. Additionally this is a way to engage members of the meeting in the ministry. Please send those minutes to Nikki Mosgrove, Presiding Clerk of PYM, at nmosgrove@pym.org, or Christie Duncan-Tessmer, General Secretary of PYM, at cduncan-tessmer@pym.org.
- Monitor meeting attendance. If you know of individuals who are not coming to meeting or attendance dips down OR if more visitors are attending to find out about Quakerism or join you, please let the PYM office know by contacting the General Secretary, Christie Duncan-Tessmer at cduncan-tessmer@pym.org or 215-241-7210.
- Seek how the meeting is called to action in its neighborhood. Consider what the people who are affected by the changes n federal policy, such as immigrants and members of the LGBTQ+ community, are leading toward or asking for and find where the meeting can follow that lead.
- Attend Continuing Sessions on March 8. A primary agenda item will be to consider how we can be a safe spaces for those impacted by recent changes in the United States. Bring your experience from your life, your meeting and your prayers to meeting for worship with attention to business. The business meeting will be held at Arch Street Meeting House and will be on zoom. Friends can attend at Arch Street or at one of five satellite locations at meetings or by Zoom. This invitation is to PYM Friends and meetings.
- Post stories on PYM.org/news about your meeting. Let other Friends and meetings know what you are doing – or struggling with. Go to the news page of the website to post the meeting’s story.
- Learn about and understand immigrants’ rights.
- Financial support. Democracy Forward is representing us pro bono. They are amazing in their both their legal work, and in how quickly they understood our faith and represented it well in the suit. They receive contributions online. Coordinating such an effort requires significant staff time and infrastructure, and donations to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting towards these efforts supports this essential work. Contributions to PYM can be made online. (Friends from outside PYM should also consider supporting the yearly meetings in New England, New York and/or Baltimore)
