Where do I fit in?
There is a place for Friends of all interests within the Yearly Meeting.
Many Friends are currently serving the yearly meeting community, bringing their array of gifts and skills. There are many opportunities for Friends to grow their authentic selves as participants in the governance and direction of the yearly meeting.
Here’s a couple of examples…
Handy with construction? Maybe the Property Committee may be a good fit for you.
Enjoy spending time with children? You might enjoy the Youth Programs Advisory Committee.
If you’re ready to get involved, please take a moment to submit your information through our gifts and skills collection so that we may connect you with the right opportunities for you to get involved and contribute to the impact of the yearly meeting. You can also learn more about the different PYM councils, committees, groups and more by exploring below. If you’re ready to look at which opportunities exist, please click here.
How is governance structured at PYM?
Sessions
Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business
Where every Friend of every age from every meeting comes together!
The direction of the structure, priorities, and witness of the yearly meeting are made by the yearly meeting in annual or continuing sessions. All members of PYM meetings compose the membership of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.
Everyone is encouraged to attend the annual, continuing and other sessions of yearly meeting and participate in worship, fellowship, and decision-making with other members of the yearly meeting. Yearly meeting is enhanced when as many members as possible attend sessions, since this assures a larger pool of wisdom and insight; such participation also feeds Friends and their local meetings.
A description of each part of our governance is provided below. You can see a video of how it all fits together at the bottom of the page (with a hyperlink that takes you there) and you can read the Governance Handbook that provides all the details.
Learn more about how Sessions nurtures Friends.
Officers
At Sessions, PYM Friends approve the four officers who play specific leadership roles in the work and ministry of PYM.
PYM Presiding Clerk
Listen and move in relationship with Friends and Spirit!
The Presiding Clerk’s primary responsibility is to be present, modeling spiritual grounding and discernment, joining with those gathered to remain in worship with an attention to business and clerk accordingly. The presiding clerk is the primary clerk for Annual and Continuing Sessions, preparing the agenda and the people who will be presenting or reporting. The clerk provides support and serves as a strategic thought partner to the General Secretary. They remain informed and knowledgeable about concerns before and the work of the governing councils.
PYM Rising Clerk
Get ready to rise and lead!
The rising clerk serves for two years as an assistant clerk of the yearly meeting while preparing to serve as the presiding clerk. The rising clerk collaborates with the presiding clerk and attends all council and clerks group meetings for the two years prior to stepping into the presiding clerk role.
PYM Recording Clerk
Capture the sense of the meeting with clarity and grace
Recording Clerks articulate the sense of the meeting and document decisions. Multiple people serve in this role and generally two will serve during a business session with one taking the lead and the other supporting and collaborating. Recording Clerks sit with the Presiding Clerk and capture the minutes for Annual, Continuing and Called Sessions.
PYM Treasurer
Foster Friends’ engagement with PYM’s financial health
The Treasurer plays a leadership role in the financial administration of PYM, advising the yearly meeting on financial strategy and reviewing procedures and financial reporting. This role fosters Friends’ engagement with PYM’s financial health and develops a financial literacy among the council members. The treasurer has the right and duty to bring financial issues to the yearly meeting’s attention, as necessary.
Councils
The Councils are responsible for the yearly meeting community and decisions between Sessions. They care for the health and vitality of our extended family of Friends our community. The members of Administrative Council and Quaker Life Council are approved by Friends at Sessions. The members of Nominating Council are approved by the thirteen Quarterly Meetings and Administrative Council.
Administrative Council
Nominating Council
Quaker Life Council
Administrative Council
Ensure a strong foundation to provide a health structure that is grounded in the Spirit!
With divine assistance the Administrative Council maintains the health and integrity of the finances, property, personnel, and long-term vision of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. It ensures that resources are well managed in a sustainable manner The Administrative Council holds full authority and responsibility for managing the affairs of PYM except for the authority and responsibility assigned to the Quaker Life Council or reserved to yearly meeting in session, the yearly meeting officers, or staff.
Admin Council is responsible for the following groups:
Governance Advisory Committee
Support highly functioning and deeply centered governance!
The Governance Committee is a resource and advisor which keeps the three councils aware of good practices and of how they are operating. The Committee offers support when a council or its parts are floundering. Participants might grow individually with sense of satisfaction from helping the PYM governance function and can get a deeper understanding of how a non-profit organization can be set up to thrive.
Development Committee
Build relationship through fundraising and friend-raising!
The Development Committee works closely with staff to foster a healthy philanthropic culture in the yearly meeting and to work with staff to thresh broad development directions, challenges and opportunities. The committee is currently developing more channels for more people to support the yearly meeting.
Personnel Committee
Foster healthy staff and organizational structure!
The Personnel Committee is charged to collaborate with the General Secretary of Philadelphia Meeting to develop and recommend for the Administrative Council policies, procedures, and programs to ensure appropriate, consistent, legal, and fair treatment of all personnel and foster healthy staff / organizational culture.
Property Committee
Steward land and buildings with expertise and care!
The Property Committee advises the Administrative Council on PYM properties. It includes Friends who have expertise in real estate, meeting houses, burial grounds and resources to care for them. The committee holds concern for support meetings in their need to maintain their own properties.
Granting Committee
Steward $1M of grants every year!
With Divine Assistance, the Granting Committee is charged to oversee the granting function of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, to appoint membership of PYM granting groups, to develop and implement procedures to ensure effective process, structure, and the general affairs of the granting function of PYM.
Learn More about the Granting Committee
Learn More about the Granting Groups
Finance Committee
Care for our financial resources!
The Finance Committee monitors PYM’s finances, providing advice, expertise, and recommendations to the Administrative Council. It is responsible for financial policies, financial goals, and all aspects of PYM’s financial resources, including income, expenses, budget preparation, endowment and other funds, investments, financial statements, and insurance.
Climate Witness Stewards
Hold the yearly meeting accountable to its commitment to a yearly meeting-wide witness on climate change and climate justice
The Climate Witness Stewards stay current with all aspects of PYM’s climate change and climate justice related actions, statements, and programs from the Monthly, Quarterly, and Yearly Meetings, and their relevant parts. They draw from their own expertise to synthesize that which they learn from PYM’s constituent parts, so they may provide advice, expertise, and recommendations to the Yearly Meeting, and its entities, as needed. The Stewards report to the Yearly Meeting directly. Between sessions Administrative Council holds care for them and their ministry.
Nominating Council
Name the Friends who have gifts to share!
With divine assistance, the Nominating Council brings Friends with needed gifts and skills into service for the yearly meeting’s primary structures and roles. The council identifies yearly meeting officers, members of the councils, representatives to outside groups and ad hoc structures, and brings their names forward for approval by the yearly meeting in session. Their work increases and broadens the way in which we communicate about how Friends can see themselves as active participants in PYM’s governance.
Quaker Life Council
Nurture the space for our faith community to thrive!
With divine assistance the Quaker Life Council (QLC) maintains and cultivates relationships within Philadelphia Yearly Meeting The council watches over yearly meeting activities, nurtures meetings, supports corporate work for peace and justice, and brings together members across meetings to collaborate on projects of common interest. It supervises the programs and activities that support a vital Friends community of PYM and ensures that they are aligned with the purpose, priorities, and strategic directions of the yearly meeting.
QLC is responsible for the following groups:
Friends Counseling Service Advisory Committee
Nurture an all-Quaker counseling service so it can nurture Friends in need!
The Counseling Service Advisory Committee ensures that the procedures of staff and Friends Counseling Service counselors are aligned with professional standards of care and sustainable business practice. Friends can learn about pastoral care, ethics of providing professional counseling within the framework of one’s own spiritual community, and ways to make a private practice financially sustainable while maintaining a radically inclusive sliding scale.
Ministry and Care Committee
Nurture the nurturers!
Ministry and Care is focused on the spiritual and emotional wellness of monthly and quarterly meeting communities within PYM.
Program Committee
Support the people who make good programs which create deep community!
The Program Committee provides care and accountability for a range of PYM programs and communities from collaboratives and sprints to young adult Friends and relationships with Quaker organizations. Programs are the point where Friends meet each other and learn and grow – serving on this committee allows you to be right where the action is happening.
Sessions Coordinating Committee
Make PYM Sessions awesome!
The Sessions Coordinating Committee sets overall direction of Annual and Continuing Sessions, jointly called “Sessions.” The committee supervises long term planning, implementation of the overall direction, and the collection and review of feedback on Sessions. There is always something to learn about how Philadelphia Yearly Meeting works and committee members get to know and exchange ideas with fellow committee volunteers and staff.
Youth Programs Advisory Committee
Make space for our youth to thrive and their voices to lead
The Youth Programs Advisory Committee sets the overall direction of PYM youth programs under the guidance of their vision and mission. It helps to season issues, respond to concerns, and hold youth programs in loving care. A key operating principle of this committee is to empower youth voice and share power in the context of beloved community. The committee embodies this principle through the way it conducts its affairs and fulfills its charge outlined here.
Yearly Meeting Elders
Hold our Quaker family in love, light and alignment with Spirit
Prayerfully hold yearly meeting and its participants in the Light for preparation of issues to be discussed, and for the integration of continuing revelation into a present sense of alignment with the Spirit. An Elder carries a centeredness that helps individuals and assembled Friends to find and retain their grounding.
Representatives to Sister Organizations
Visit and serve your extended Quaker Family!
Representatives bring the experience and presence of our yearly meeting to our sister organizations and they facilitate PYM’s engagement in the community and ministry of the organization. PYM currently appoints members to serve as board members to Friends General Conference, American Friends Service Committee, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Friends World Committee for Consultation – Section of the Americas, Friends Peace Teams, Quaker Earthcare Witness, Pennsylvania Council of Churches.
Want to learn more about PYM’s structure?
Watch this video to dive deeper!
To read & download the most recent version of the Governance Handbook, click here.
