This week has brought many changes our country, including ones that are out of alignment with Friends testimonies and the way we walk in the world. The PYM community and governance are actively listening and responding.
[Read more…] about PYM’s Response to the Political Reality
Anti-Racism
A Conversation on Living the Lenape Way
Celebrating Indigenous Peoples Month
The Rancocas Friends Meeting invites you to join a conversation on, “Living the Lenape Way” with Lenape Tribal Nation Leader, Elder John Thomas.
Elder John Thomas of the federally recognized Lenape nation, the Delaware Tribe of Indians, has been a prominent member of the American Indian Movement, a survivor of Wounded Knee, the establishment of the Interational Indian Treaty Council at the UN and getting the federal Native American Graves Protection Reparation Act signed into law. Thomas inspired Ursinus College and the Perkiomen Valley School District to a Welcome Home Project and obtained a burial ground at the Pennsbury Mansion for reclaimed remains.
A light meal of seasonal favorites will be available at no charge.
The Quakers
Let the light within you guide your way
We meet every Sunday at 11 AM for worship and fellowship in Rancocas Village. All are welcome to join the silent worship service regardless of personal creed. Children are always welcome.
We are on Facebook at Rancocas Friends Meeting.
Friends’ Decision-Making and Clerking: Participating in Meetings for Business with Joy and Confidence
Nov 22-24, 2024:
This is an opportunity for both new and experienced clerks of Friends’ meetings and committees to meet and think together about the role of presiding clerk in the spiritual practice of meeting for business.
The workshop will address racism in the context of Friends’ decision-making and clerking. We need to pay attention to racism because it affects (infects) nearly everything in this society, and we will be lifting up decision-making processes that seek to liberate the Spirit among all participants.
There will be handouts to follow along during the program, exercises, and opportunities to share experiences, with most work being done in a whole group setting. It is expected that each person will leave the weekend with new energy and enthusiasm for being a clerk, feeling well grounded in both the theoretical and the practical.
Leaders
Steve Mohlke is a longtime Friend and former clerk of Ithaca Monthly Meeting. He served as co-clerk for the 2017 Friends General Conference Gathering and currently serves as General Secretary of New York Yearly Meeting. Steve has facilitated Clerking programs many times in person and online. He often experiences working through differences in a meeting for business as spiritual connection.
,O is a Friend and co-clerk of the Racial Healing and Wholeness Committee at Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting. They engage in environmental racial justice work as a community activist in the Philadelphia area. They have served as Elder for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PhYM) and have facilitated programming for Annual Sessions Spiritual Formation Retreat. ,O has also led On Truth & Transformation workshops with PhYM Quaker Life Counsel, exploring the transformative practice of deep listening to increase our capacity for healing through compassionate responses to incidents of racial wounding.
Rise up for Reparations Juneteenth Revival
Rise up for Reparations: a Multi-Faith Revival
Join us in proclaiming the urgent call for reparations in Philadelphia!
On Sunday, June 30th from 2 to 4 p.m. ET
At: Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street, downtown Philadelphia
Hosted by Rev. Jackie Newsome, newly seated to the Philadelphia Reparations Task Force
Speakers will include:
Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart, Rise up for Reparations Campaign steering committee
Rabbi Ari Lev Fornari, Kol Tzedek Synagogue, West Philadelphia
Rev. Michael Nabors from Evanston Illinois 2nd Baptist Church
…and many more.
With song offerings by Pax Ressler, founder of the Rise Choir
Hosted by the Rise up for Reparations Campaign Steering Committee,
reparationWorks, Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, and
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.
Go to this form to register to attend.
Media Meeting’s Courageous Conversation About Restorative Justice.
Media Meeting’s Courageous Conversation About Restorative Justice.
Media Meeting’s Quaker Religious Education Committee is sponsoring a series of ‘Courageous Conversations’ on the topic of Restorative Justice in May.
The Conversation will be held in three, one hour zoom meetings on May 8th, May 15th, and May 22nd from 7:00pm to 8:00pm. Each hour will be a separate conversation. All are welcome to join in any or all conversations. The format is intentional to allow those gathered to reflect on each conversation but not too long to lose anything as our busy lives reclaim us.
- May 8th’s topic will be, Relationships: You and Your Community.
- May 15th’s topic will be, Deep Listening.
- May 22nd’s topic will be, Building a Culture of Reparations.
The Zoom link that will be sent to you after registering will remain the same for all three conversations. The facilitators for these courageous conversations will be Guinevere Janes and Ken Park who are both members of the Rise up for Reparations Campaign Community of Practice, a campaign to bring in 100 white majority congregations to engage meaningfully with reparations. The campaign began at the Philadelphia Mayor’s Commission for Faith-based and Interfaith Affairs conference in January 0f 2023. A number of PYM members were there representing their meetings.
Guinevere Janes is a PYM member at large and a member of Media Meeting. She is also currently serving PYM on the Quaker Life Council and two separate granting groups. Ken Park is a member of Providence Friends Meeting and a member of the meeting’s recently formed Reparations Committee. He has served PYM in the past in various volunteer positions.
Please consider spending time with us for these courageous conversations. The facilitators have arranged at least two Elders per session to be present to hold us in our work. If participants need support, breakout spaces will be provided.
A list of supporting resources will be sent out after you register. You will also receive information at the conclusion of the conversations
Media Meeting’s Courageous Conversation About Restorative Justice.
Media Meeting’s Courageous Conversation About Restorative Justice.
Media Meeting’s Quaker Religious Education Committee is sponsoring a series of ‘Courageous Conversations’ on the topic of Restorative Justice in May.
The Conversation will be held in three, one hour zoom meetings on May 8th, May 15th, and May 22nd from 7:00pm to 8:00pm. Each hour will be a separate conversation. All are welcome to join in any or all conversations. The format is intentional to allow those gathered to reflect on each conversation but not too long to lose anything as our busy lives reclaim us.
- May 8th’s topic will be, Relationships: You and Your Community.
- May 15th’s topic will be, Deep Listening.
- May 22nd’s topic will be, Building a Culture of Reparations.
The Zoom link that will be sent to you after registering will remain the same for all three conversations. The facilitators for these courageous conversations will be Guinevere Janes and Ken Park who are both members of the Rise up for Reparations Campaign Community of Practice, a campaign to bring in 100 white majority congregations to engage meaningfully with reparations. The campaign began at the Philadelphia Mayor’s Commission for Faith-based and Interfaith Affairs conference in January 0f 2023. A number of PYM members were there representing their meetings.
Guinevere Janes is a PYM member at large and a member of Media Meeting. She is also currently serving PYM on the Quaker Life Council and two separate granting groups. Ken Park is a member of Providence Friends Meeting and a member of the meeting’s recently formed Reparations Committee. He has served PYM in the past in various volunteer positions.
Please consider spending time with us for these courageous conversations. The facilitators have arranged at least two Elders per session to be present to hold us in our work. If participants need support, breakout spaces will be provided.
A list of supporting resources will be sent out after you register. You will also receive information at the conclusion of the conversations
Media Meeting’s Courageous Conversation About Restorative Justice.
Media Meeting’s Courageous Conversation About Restorative Justice.
Media Meeting’s Quaker Religious Education Committee is sponsoring a series of ‘Courageous Conversations’ on the topic of Restorative Justice in May.
The Conversation will be held in three, one hour zoom meetings on May 8th, May 15th, and May 22nd from 7:00pm to 8:00pm. Each hour will be a separate conversation. All are welcome to join in any or all conversations. The format is intentional to allow those gathered to reflect on each conversation but not too long to lose anything as our busy lives reclaim us.
- May 8th’s topic will be, Relationships: You and Your Community.
- May 15th’s topic will be, Deep Listening.
- May 22nd’s topic will be, Building a Culture of Reparations.
The Zoom link that will be sent to you after registering will remain the same for all three conversations. The facilitators for these courageous conversations will be Guinevere Janes and Ken Park who are both members of the Rise up for Reparations Campaign Community of Practice, a campaign to bring in 100 white majority congregations to engage meaningfully with reparations. The campaign began at the Philadelphia Mayor’s Commission for Faith-based and Interfaith Affairs conference in January 0f 2023. A number of PYM members were there representing their meetings.
Guinevere Janes is a PYM member at large and a member of Media Meeting. She is also currently serving PYM on the Quaker Life Council and two separate granting groups. Ken Park is a member of Providence Friends Meeting and a member of the meeting’s recently formed Reparations Committee. He has served PYM in the past in various volunteer positions.
Please consider spending time with us for these courageous conversations. The facilitators have arranged at least two Elders per session to be present to hold us in our work. If participants need support, breakout spaces will be provided.
A list of supporting resources will be sent out after you register. You will also receive information at the conclusion of the conversations
Moorestown Monthly Meeting: Movie & Pizza Night
The Anti-Racism Committee at Moorestown Monthly Meeting invites you to join us for Movie and Pizza night on May 18, 2024 at 5 pm for a showing of “Origin”. This movie, rated PG-13, will be shown in the D’Olier room of our Meetinghouse. A separate movie will be playing for younger children in our Library. No RSVP is required. We will order pizza based on attendance at 5 pm.
339 MANUMISSIONS AND BEYOND PROJECT
Avis Wanda McClinton and Kitty Taylor Mizuno will talk about the 339 Project. Pennsylvania was the first colony/state to implement gradual manumission of all enslaved African people. Between 1765-1790, Quakers living in the greater Philadelphia area released – manumitted – 413 enslaved Africans; these manumission documents are preserved by Haverford College. In 2020 a new database – “About Manumitted: the people Enslaved by Quakers” – was placed online, providing detailed information included in 339 manumission documents. The 339 Project wants to know: What happened to these manumitted people? Funds are being raised to support research by Howard University students, to answer these questions. Worship is 10-11 AM, followed by the program starting about 11:15 AM.
John Woolman: An Early Quaker Abolitionist
Charles Bruder, Director of the Woolman Memorial, will share stories from the life of John Woolman, who was an 18th century Quaker, a man of peace and disciple of Christ. He identified slavery as the major issue of his day and provided an example of non-participation: he refused to write wills, bills of sale, or any other document that perpetuated slavery.
Woolman boycotted all products associated with slave labor including tobacco, silver, rum, sugar, and dye. A resident of Mt. Holly, he travelled to speak with Friends, including early members of Haddonfield Friends Meeting, and encouraged them to manumit all Africans they held in bondage.
Meeting for Worship begins at 10 AM, followed by the program about 11:15 AM,
