About Philadelphia yearly meeting
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting: Uniting Quaker Meetings in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, & Maryland
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) is a religious organization that brings together Quaker meetings from Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland. Founded in 1681 by William Penn as part of his "holy experiment" to create a society based on Quaker principles of peace, equality, and simplicity, PYM has been a vital force for social justice and spiritual renewal for over three centuries.
As one of the oldest yearly meetings in the world and the largest in North America with over 100 constituent meetings and worship groups representing more than 20,000 members and attenders across four states. PYM provides a platform for Friends to come together to worship God in silence; discern how they are called to live out their faith through service; support each other through life's challenges; engage with issues affecting their communities locally and globally; learn from each other's experiences; celebrate diversity; build relationships across differences of race/ethnicity/culture/gender/sexual orientation/class/ability/age/etc.; nurture children/youth/families/singles/elders/newcomers/etc.; deepen their spiritual lives through retreats/workshops/study groups/prayer circles/etc.; share resources/materials/tools/best practices/etc.; collaborate with other organizations/institutions/government agencies/etc. on common goals/projects/initiatives.
PYM is guided by its Faith & Practice which outlines its beliefs/values/practices/policies/procedures/governance structures. It also has various committees/task forces working on specific areas such as peace & social concerns/racial justice/environmental stewardship/spiritual formation/outreach & inclusion/administration/fundraising/etc.
PYM welcomes all who seek to explore Quakerism regardless of their background or beliefs. It offers various programs/events/resources for newcomers such as introductory workshops/meetings with seasoned Friends/booklets/websites/videos/social media channels/newsletters/blogs/podcasts/etc.
PYM also supports its constituent meetings/worship groups/clerks/treasurers/members/attenders/volunteers/staff through training/coaching/advising/grant-making/networking/recognition/appreciation/care/support/conflict resolution/restorative justice/healing circles etc.
PYM is committed to being an anti-racist organization that actively works towards dismantling systemic racism within itself and beyond. It has adopted an Anti-Racism Transformation Team (ARTT) that leads this work by providing education/training/opportunities for dialogue/action/planning/reporting/accountability etc.
PYM values sustainability as an integral part of its witness for peace & justice. It has set goals/targets/actions related to reducing carbon footprint/waste generation/water usage/paper consumption/travel emissions etc., promoting local food systems/ecological restoration/renewable energy sources/public transportation/biking/walking/shared housing/community gardens/composting/recycling/upcycling etc., educating members about eco-spirituality/climate change/mitigation/adaptation/resilience/social ecology/permaculture/regenerative agriculture/circular economy/sustainable development etc., collaborating with environmental organizations/institutions/businesses/government agencies on policy advocacy/research/partnerships/projects/initiatives etc.
In conclusion Philadelphia Yearly Meeting is not just another religious organization but itβs a community where people come together from different backgrounds united by common values like peace equality simplicity among others .Itβs committed towards making the world better place by promoting social justice ,spiritual renewal ,anti-racism transformation ,and sustainability .