Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

of the Religious Society of Friends

Intergenerational

PYM Youth at Camp Swatara!

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Young Friends (high school) and Middle School Friends from around PYM are invited to participate in Caln Quarter’s annual gathering of Friends at Camp Swatara on May 3 – 5!

The weekend features both structured programs and free time, with opportunities to worship, play games, and dine together. There are activities for everyone including hiking, yoga, an art exhibit, singing, bird-watching, and of course the renowned Intergenerational Talent Show on Saturday evening.   A plenary presentation on the theme of the weekend and a handful of workshops provide time for learning and sharing experiences.  Youth will have their own program and will have the opportunity to bond with teenagers from other meetings.  It’s a beautiful, low-key setting where we step away from daily demands, have fun, and re-charge.  PYM youth staff will facilitate the programming for YF and MSF.

 

Registration closes on April 15th!
Registration and detailed information can be found here!

When registering, please select “Adult Registration Fee”, cabin lodging, and “pay as led” for meals.

*NOTE – Scholarships are available for high school and middle school youth…please do not let finances keep you away! If you are unable to pay the full cost, please use the “pay as led” option for registration fees. Please contact Kristin Simmons, Youth Engagement Coordinator, ksimmons@pym.org, with any questions about scholarships.

 

Third Haven Helps Members and Attenders Navigate Life Stages as Friends

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A meeting with Lorraine Claggett, member of the Third Haven Friends Meeting Pastoral Care Committee, during fellowship at Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Annual Sessions opened many doors to learning about dedication, creativity, and outreach to the meeting’s aging Friends. Connecting with Dona Sorce, past Clerk of the Pastoral Care Committee was also enlightening. Several years ago, the meeting recognized many members were over the age of 50.  Subsequently, the group invited George Schaefer, a member of Abington Meeting who previously served Philadelphia Yearly Meeting from 2009 to 2022 as Care and Aging Coordinator, to discuss PYM’s resources for aging Friends.  We recently connected with Pastoral Care Committee members Bill Schauer, Terry Thomas-Primer, and Dee Rein to learn more about their efforts. [Read more…] about Third Haven Helps Members and Attenders Navigate Life Stages as Friends

Friends of Barnegat Monthly Meeting Send Holiday Cards and Share Cheer

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It’s a holiday tradition for members and guests of Barnegat Monthly Meeting of Friends  to write messages on greeting cards. [Read more…] about Friends of Barnegat Monthly Meeting Send Holiday Cards and Share Cheer

A Look Back at 2023 Fall Continuing Sessions

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It was a brisk Saturday morning on November 11th as Friends gathered at Arch Street Meeting house in Philadelphia from all over the PYM network of meetinghouses for our 2023 Fall Continuing Sessions. [Read more…] about A Look Back at 2023 Fall Continuing Sessions

Outreach and Communications Thread Gathering Spotlight

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Connection vs Recruitment

This October, monthly meetings are encouraged to send representatives to the upcoming October 21st Outreach and Communications Thread Gathering. Irene Oleksiw, member of Downingtown Quaker Meeting, and Joshua Ponter, member of Haddonfield Meeting, discuss connection versus recruitment in outreach efforts, as well as successes in growing meetings. Our discussion will focus on why outreach is important and what meetings can expect to learn from this upcoming event. [Read more…] about Outreach and Communications Thread Gathering Spotlight

An Invitation from Presiding Clerk, Melissa Rycroft

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Dear Friends,

I am so excited to invite you to join me at Philadelphia Yearly Meeting’s 343rd Annual Sessions. We’ll be gathering at The College of New Jersey and on Zoom, hopefully in ways that are accessible to as many Friends as possible across the Yearly Meeting.

[Read more…] about An Invitation from Presiding Clerk, Melissa Rycroft

12 Days to Annual Sessions … 12 Reasons to Join!

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We’re counting down to Annual Sessions! Here are 12 great reasons to join, July 26-30.  [Read more…] about 12 Days to Annual Sessions … 12 Reasons to Join!

Meet the Father and Daughter Co-clerking Duo of Old Haverford Meeting

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When Kristin Simmons’ youngest daughter was born, her husband Tim was working at Delaware Valley Friends School. As lifelong Catholics, they were feeling disillusioned with church, and decided it was time for a change. Together the family turned to Quakerism, looking for a simpler, connected life to the divine Light. It was both faith and community that drew the couple to Old Haverford Monthly Meeting seventeen years ago. When Kristin was young, her mother worked as a librarian at a Quaker school for 20+ years and committed time focusing on social justice issues and sharing key insights among various faith groups. Kristin’s father, George Salloom, and his wife remained practicing Catholics until about seven years ago when George became a member of the Quaker community.

The father and daughter duo, George and Kristin, now serve as co-clerks at Old Haverford Meeting. They both hold master’s degrees in social work; George graduated from Howard University while Kristin graduated from University of Pennsylvania. Kristin also currently serves as PYM’s Youth Engagement Coordinator on the Program and Religious Life team. Their stories of how they became Quakers and co-clerks of Old Haverford Monthly Meeting are heartwarming and engaging.

[Read more…] about Meet the Father and Daughter Co-clerking Duo of Old Haverford Meeting

What’s Up with Young Adults?

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Presbyterian author and theologian Frederick Buechner writes,

“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep needs meet.”

Greg Woods opened a workshop with this quote when young adults from across the yearly meeting gathered at Haverford Friends Meeting in early May. During our time together, young adults supported each other in deep discernment around who we are called to be in the world. The Spring retreat was the first overnight retreat since the pandemic shutdown in early 2020, and from the strong attendance and thoughtful reviews shared after, it is clear the young adult community hungers to gather, go deeper in Spirit, and learn from each other.

[Read more…] about What’s Up with Young Adults?

Together: Intergenerational Sundays

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On Sunday of Spring 2022 Continuing Sessions weekend, local meetings were encouraged to “create your own” intergenerational gathering of Friends. Shared here are stories from meetings who created time for togetherness. Other meetings are planning future programs, and we would love to keep hearing and sharing those stories! [Read more…] about Together: Intergenerational Sundays

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