The yearly meeting-wide witness on climate change began when Friends with care for the environment asked that all of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting be part of this concern. In March 2021, PYM agreed to carry climate change as a shared witness. This past weekend, PYM Connect launched a new channel that helps PYM Friends stay connected, share ideas, and support each other to continue this work in Addressing Climate Change.
This channel helps Friends engage about what matters around this wide witness. Whether you’re sharing a story, offering support, or posting a resource, your presence adds to the community. The Addressing Climate Change channel is a place to take part in this witness and stay grounded in Quaker values.
PYM Connect is a space for Friends to come together. The platform is where meetings may share ideas, support each other, and help ministries grow. PYM Connect is still being improved, but it’s available now because people are ready to connect. If something doesn’t work right, kind feedback helps us make it better.
Everyone in our yearly meeting—individuals, meetings, and households—is encouraged to take part in caring for the Earth. We are led to consider the big systems that affect the climate. These include money, laws, pollution, education, and grief. The five focus areas of the witness are: Activism, Education, Reducing Carbon Footprint, Finances, and Mourning Loss & Instilling Hope.
Friends can learn more ways to address climate change by accessing the PYM booklet Creating a Playbook for Climate Action.This guide is intended to help develop a playbook to support individuals, households and meetings.
