The Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) recently shared their presentation to the World Plenary of Friends in South Africa in August 2024.
QUNO-New York is a partnership of the American Friends Service Committee, one of our equity partners, and the Friends World Committee, Section of the Americas.
QUNO-Geneva is a partnership of the Friends World Committee and Britain Yearly Meeting of Friends.
Find the report here: https://quno.org/timeline/2024/9/quno-world-gathering-quakers
Our tenant Singing City’s fall concert will be here at Friends Center on Sun., 10/27, 3 pm.
Titled “Democracy in Song,” it will feature songs that helped shape U.S. democracy, including songs of protest, from the Civil Rights movement & of gathering/meeting.
Singing City promises a stirring choral performance that brings to life the anthems of the abolitionist/anti-slavery movement, the women’s suffrage movement, the Civil Rights movement, and the peace movement. Each piece tells a story of courage, resilience, and hope. Hear evocative works by composers Melissa Dunphy, Bernice Johnson Reagon, and Zanaida Robles. Their compositions, alongside powerful arrangements of iconic songs, will transport you to pivotal moments in history.
The audience will be invited to join in.
Info and registration: Click here.
September 17 is National Voter Registration Day and Constitution Day.
The Committee of 70 has lots of election resources for voters in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania: register, find your polling place, learn your rights, and more.
Learn more at seventy.org/voting-101.
The annual World Quaker Day is the first “Firstday,” or Sunday, of October.
In 2024, World Quaker Day is October 6.
Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC), Section of the Americas, invites Friends to share the epistle, tapestry, & prayer from their World Plenary held in August in South Africa.
Learn more at www.fwccamericas.org/events.
There is also information about how Friends have celebrated World Quaker Day in the past at worldquakerday.org. Schedule an event at your Friends meeting or Friends church, and share photos and stories there!
On 9/14/2024 at Friends Center, the National MS Society holds its next Black MS Community Program. Through a combination of content, presentations, and discussions, it will allow Black individuals living with multiple sclerosis to be seen and understood.
Learn more: https://secure.nationalmssociety.org/site/Calendar?id=368889&view=Detail
WHYY ran a story ahead of the event on 9/12/2024: Philadelphia summit to focus on increasing awareness of multiple sclerosis in Black communities
Friends Center is proud to host this event. Since 1856, we have been a gathering place and event space for Philadelphia community groups and nonprofit organizations. With our LEED Platinum green renovation and modern video and teleconferencing facilities, we are both historic and up to date. Friends Center is easy to reach by public transit, bike, walking, and car. We are two blocks from City Hall, near the hub of public transit and one block from the Broad Street exit of the Vine Street Expressway (Interstate 676).
Register here: https://www.jotform.com/form/242273928903159
Quaker Call to Action invites a national dialogue on the urgent threats to U.S. democracy and what’s at stake. Participants are gravely concerned about the deliberate falsehoods and coordinated efforts currently underway to subvert our democracy. If this politically motivated takeover movement succeeds, any hope of progress on the urgent issues of our time will be lost. They invite Friends and friends of Friends to enter into a national dialogue to discern how best to respond to this urgent challenge.
Read more about Quaker Call: quakercall.net
Friends Center is proud to host this event. Since 1856, we have been a gathering place and event space for Philadelphia community groups and nonprofit organizations, both Quaker and non-Quaker. With our LEED Platinum green renovation and modern video and teleconferencing facilities, we are both historic and up to date. Friends Center is easy to reach by public transit, bike, walking, and car. We are two blocks from City Hall, near the hub of public transit and one block from the Broad Street exit of the Vine Street Expressway (Interstate 676).
Join us for a special screening of the feature-length film about the life and work of George Lakey at Friends Center. Get ready to be inspired by his story and his impact on movements for social justice.
A special treat for those who like to sing Broadway show tunes — come at 7pm for a singalong before the movie begins at 7:30.
Citizen George has been in the works for 3 years and is a feature length film directed by Glenn Holsten. Archival footage, interviews, and animation tell the stories of George’s decades of activism and participation in movements for justice throughout his life. The film shows George’s evolution over time highlighting spiritual inspiration, and the dynamic role of community in enabling activists to face danger and violence, aiding audiences who are highly anxious about today’s crises.
Watch a trailer of the film here.
Friends Center is proud to host this event. Since 1856, we have been a gathering place and event space for Philadelphia community groups and nonprofit organizations, both Quaker and non-Quaker. With our LEED Platinum green renovation and modern video and teleconferencing facilities, we are both historic and up to date. Friends Center is easy to reach by public transit, bike, walking, and car. We are two blocks from City Hall, near the hub of public transit and one block from the Broad Street exit of the Vine Street Expressway (Interstate 676).
Friends Center Tenant Newsletter
Issue 95 —- 6/2024
Happy summer! For many people in the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), summer is a season of gatherings. The big one is the Friends General Conference’s Gathering. For the first time in many years, the FGC Gathering will be held near Philadelphia, on the campus of Haverford College. And Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, one of our three equity partners, will have its Annual Sessions there immediately afterwards. (These Annual Sessions for business and fellowship for Quakers in eastern PA, southern NJ, DE, and the Eastern Shore of MD are what gave Philadelphia Yearly Meeting its name.)
This Saturday, Historic Arch Street Meeting House, our sibling institution, will celebrate the 400th birthday of Quakerism’s co-founder and key organizer, George Fox.
Read on for more details below!
Meanwhile, Friends Center remains open to serve your organization and the wider community. If you know of groups that need space to meet, do let us know!
—Chris Mohr, Executive Director
Friends Center’s newest tenant is Joyful Readers, whose mission is to ensure that all students gain the literacy skills they need to become successful, confident, and yes…joyful readers! Their AmeriCorps tutors are serving full-time, supporting nearly 1,000 students with daily reading tutoring this year. Together with our school partners, they are working to make sure that our students can become successful, confident, and joyful readers.
» Learn more.
AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE (AFSC)
Prioritizing People over War in the US Federal Budget
AFSC recently called for elected officials to invest in health care, education, and public services that build just, sustainable communities. For a long time, the U.S. government has prioritized military spending over people. Since 9/11, there has been a more than 50% increase in military spending. The White House is requesting $895 billion for the Pentagon in FY25. In addition, President Biden approved $95 billion in supplemental funding for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, which could bring us to a total of $1 trillion just on military spending.
AFSC says it is time for a shift: “The 2024 federal budget presents a pivotal opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to human dignity and social justice. By prioritizing human needs over war and militarization, we can build a more equitable and prosperous society for all. Let’s urge our government to heed the voices of the people and invest in a future where compassion triumphs over conflict, and where the well-being of every individual is cherished and safeguarded.”
» Read the full story.
CENTRAL PHILADELPHIA MONTHLY MEETING (CPMM)
Rise Up for Reparations!
A Multi-Faith Revival
6/30/2024, 2-4 pm
Friends Center
Join CPMM in proclaiming the urgent call for reparations in Philadelphia. This festive event will be hosted by Rev. Jackie Newsome, with a welcome from Councilmember Jamie Gauthier. Speakers will include our own .O, as well as Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart, Rabbi Ari Lev Fornari, Rev. Michael Nabors, Aziz Nathoo, and others. Songs will be provided by Pax Ressler, founder of the Rise Choir.
PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING (PYM)
Annual Sessions: Haverford College, 7/6-7/2024
PYM Annual Sessions will take place at Haverford College on Saturday, 7/6 and Sunday, 7/7. We hope all Friends will participate in a day-long program focused on attending to the Yearly Meeting’s business. There will be options to join online with Zoom, commute to Haverford College without staying overnight, or select from a range of overnight options.
Register: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/PYMEvents/event/annualsessions2024/
The “Runway” to annual sessions includes:
On Zoom: Bible Study: June 26, 7:00 – 8:00pm | Meeting for Business: June 25, 7:00 – 8:15pm
In person: 6/29: George Fox’s Birthday Celebration at Arch Street
Bring your friends, your children, and your neighbors for a birthday party at Arch Street Meeting House! On 6/29 Friends in the Philadelphia area will celebrate and reflect on the legacy of Quakerism co-founder, George Fox. Event highlights include:
This event is free and open to the public.
» Details: https://www.pym.org/fox-forward-400-years-and-beyond/
FRIENDS WORLD COMMITTEE FOR CONSULTATION, SECTION OF THE AMERICAS
FWCC RECEIVES $1.125 MILLION GRANT FOR QUAKER CONNECT
“Quaker Connect is responding to the need of local Friends to develop a spirit of experimentation in partnership with God to support the members of their meetings and engage in issues important to their communities,” said Robin Mohr, Executive Secretary for FWCC Americas. “Quaker Connect will equip Quaker churches to be more clearly who they are meant to be: profoundly Quaker, deeply rooted, and highly visible in their local community. We are very pleased that Jade Rockwell has joined us at this pivotal point.”
Friends meetings and churches who wish to be considered for the first cohort of the Quaker Connect program should check the FWCC Americas website, QuakerConnect.org, for updates. The application period is planned to open in September 2024.
FRIENDS COUNCIL ON EDUCATION
FCE Honors Deborra Sines Pancoe upon Retirement
As Associate Director of Friends Council, Deborra Sines Pancoe brought thousands of Friends school educators from numerous Friends Schools together in dynamic, engaging programming that is aligned with their needs as well as developments in the world around us. Deborra led the Spirited Practice and Renewed Courage (SPARC) program, brought SEED as an offering for Friends School educators, developed and led Educators New to Quakerism workshops, and ferried Friends Council programming through the pandemic. FCE was pleased to recognize her at their annual meeting earlier this year.
» Story here.
CAIR
Building an Anti-Racist Future: A Report from CAIR’s Muslim Youth Leadership Summit
For its Muslim Youth Leadership Summit in Spring 2024, CAIR-Philadelphia partnered with MuslimARC for a dynamic one-day workshop designed to empower and equip young leaders with the knowledge, skills, and strategies to dismantle racism and Islamophobia in their communities. Through a comprehensive and interactive approach, participants delved into the complexities of anti-racist work and countering Islamophobia, exploring the systemic roots of these issues and practical ways to enact change.
» Read more.
FRIENDS GENERAL CONFERENCE
Annual Gathering to Take Place at Haverford College
6/30 – 7/6/2024
The Gathering is a week of Quaker worship, workshops, and community for all ages. Friends come together from across the USA and Canada (and sometimes further) to deepen our connection to one another and the Spirit. For the first time in many years, the Gathering will be held in the Philadelphia region, at Haverford College.
» Details: https://www.fgcquaker.org/fgcprograms/the-gathering/
FWCC WORLD PLENARY OF FRIENDS
Johannesburg, South Africa & online
8/5-12/2024
The Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) World Plenary Meeting (WPM) is a meeting for representatives from all four FWCC Sections to undertake FWCC business, surrounded by worship and fellowship with Friends from around the world. The theme is, “Living the Spirit of Ubuntu: Responding with hope to God’s call to cherish creation and one another.”
» Details: https://fwcc.world/wpm/
HISTORIC ARCH STREET MEETING HOUSE
Red, White, & Blue To-Do
July 2
The Meeting House will join Philadelphia’s Historic District to celebrate the first annual Red, White, & Blue To-Do! On Tuesday, July 2nd, America’s most historic square mile will host the Red, White, & Blue To-Do Pomp & Parade, musical performances, special extended hours at neighborhood museums and historic sites, restaurant specials, and so much more.
» Details here.
This week I watched a webinar on “The Workplace of the Future.” It reviewed the changed needs and expectations for post-covid office work. Planned and spontaneous opportunities to collaborate add a lot of value to in-person work. As a result, facilities to support a variety of uses are in demand.
Fortunately, Friends Center was already configured to meet many of these needs pre-covid. Our office suites provide you access to shared, private conference rooms. You also have access to our public meeting and conference rooms in the larger facility.
We’re keeping our eyes and ears open for today’s best practices, to see how we might evolve further. If you have thoughts, please feel free to drop me a line: cmohr@friendscentercorp.org.
If you’re new to Friends Center, or have been less present recently, you may wish to re-familiarize yourself with those shared spaces. Our website has a list of Friends Center meeting rooms with descriptions.
Meanwhile, our event rentals to outside groups are also back in full swing. Please refer your colleagues to Shakirah Holloway, our Events and Administrative Manager, who can help them find the right space for their needs: sholloway@friendscentercorp.org or (215) 241-7098. Thanks!
—Chris Mohr, Executive Director
Friends Center is also a go-to location for Philly nonprofit events, for today and into the future! We can accommodate in-person and hybrid events in many of our large and small conference rooms and meeting rooms. Check out our event venue options here in Center City Philadelphia: https://friendscentercorp.org/event-space/.
May and June are the time for graduations and moving-up celebrations. Here some you’ll see around Friends Center in the coming weeks:
Q&A with Eunice Ndonga, AFSC’s International Migration Director
Q: What must be done to support people displaced by climate change?
“Low-income countries and communities—particularly Indigenous communities—have made the fewest contributions to greenhouse gas emissions, but they bear the brunt of climate injustices. That’s where the conversation must begin….
“Organizations such as AFSC are working on this. We are calling on governments to move money from military spending, national security, and controlling borders. Instead, governments must invest in meeting migrant needs, defending human rights, and preventing climate injustices in the long term to promote peace.”
» Full interview: https://afsc.org/news/qa-impacts-climate-change-migration
Sun., 6/23, 12:45 – 1:45 pm
Quaker Action Mid-Atlantic Region (QAMAR) will facilitate a discussion on its public policy work to address the climate crisis and reduce gun violence. We will also introduce our new intern, Andrew Cadwallader, hired through a grant from the CPMM Friendly Fund. Come learn how YOU can help!
QAMAR is a new 501(c)(4) organization initiated by Quakers, and which welcomes participation by all who share a vision for a peaceful and sustainable world. QAMAR seeks to effect policy change in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. See https://www.quakeract.org/.
This will be a hybrid event in the Rufus Jones Room. Refreshments will be served. (Contact the Meeting office at office@cpmm.org if you’d like the link to attend by Zoom.)
PREVENTING ELECTION VIOLENCE
Workshop with Emily Provance
June 4 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
The danger of election violence in 2024/2025 is real. The United States currently exhibits many of the societal risk factors that make election violence likely. But there’s also hope. There are things we can do about it, and the team for nonviolence is much bigger than we think.
This event will be part lecture and part interactive, with follow-up resources suggested. It’ll draw on best practices for election violence prevention as developed internationally. We’ll focus on how ordinary people can take specific actions to apply these strategies in their own communities. You’ll also hear about some of the underlying mindsets that make this work possible.
Facilitator Emily Provance is a Quaker traveling minister, currently working with groups across the country on election violence prevention.
MORE: https://www.pym.org/event/election-violence-prevention-with-emily-provance/
Spring 2024 Newsletter
At GJF, we are honored and inspired to work with and support organizations who don’t give up. We understand that change doesn’t happen overnight and have seen first-hand that the impact of our actions many not truly be seen until months, years, or even further into the future. We hope you’ll join us in rejecting apathy: join an organization, vote, donate, make your voice heard. Democracy hangs in the balance and our rights are being eroded; now is the time to be a part of the solution. — Farrah Parkes, Executive Director
» Read the full newsletter here.
DEI Book Awards
Wed., 5/29, 5 pm
Historic Arch Street Meeting House, 4th & Arch Streets
Friends Select’s Lower School presents the second-annual Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Book Awards ceremony at the Arch Street Meeting House. There will be book sales and games, and the ceremony begins at 6 pm. Refreshments will be served.
For this year’s DEI Book Awards, Friends Select is proud to partner with Hakim’s Bookstore, which is Philadelphia’s oldest Black-owned bookstore dating back to the late 1950s. Books will be available for purchase through this partnership.
The Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) World Plenary Meeting is a meeting for representatives from all four FWCC Sections to undertake FWCC business, surrounded by worship and fellowship with Friends from around the world. Three interrelated strands will inform the World Plenary Meeting: ubuntu/community, healing historical injustice and care for creation.
Click for the online program.
Onsite registration is full, but online registration is still open.
Bennett Compost, Friends Center’s composting vendor, will be hosting FREE public tours of the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Compost facility that they operate in Lawncrest! Tours are the 4th Thursday of every month starting this month, Thursday May, 23rd.
» For more information or to register, please click here.
Happy Composting!
This week I received an email from a staff person at an organization that had an event here recently. They complimented the Friends Center staff for their care and support over multiple days. I wrote back to thank them for their kind words, and for taking time to give positive feedback. I promptly shared the note with our staff, who deserved the credit for a good experience far more than me.
What’s great is that this is not uncommon! I often get positive feedback for our staff and contractors who work here every day to care for our unique facility. So I want to take this opportunity to give positive feedback:
To Carla, Ed, Erick, Freeman, Ray, Shakirah, Takirah, and Teneshia from the Friends Center staff—
To Aida, Fajon, Kevin, Leilani, and Taleah from Team Clean—
And to John from Emcor Fluidics—
Thank you all so much for everything you do to support the facility, as well as the organizations and individuals who use our space. You enable the Friends Center to live into its mission and values!
—Chris Mohr, Executive Director
New Walkie Talkies to be Deployed throughout the Facility Soon
Friends Center has purchased new walkie talkies to go throughout the facility. We use them to communicate during emergency evacuations, shelter-in-place situations, and other events where timely communication is of the essence.
Erick Emerick is in the process of programming and deploying the new radios. Once they are in place, tested, and fully in operation, we will refresh everyone about our emergency protocols and procedures. We will also return to having periodic trainings for new staff or those who’d like a refresher, which we used to do before the pandemic.
New mural outside Friends Child Care Center!
Created by art students at Friends Select School
In partnership with the children of Friends Child Care Center, high school art students at Friends Select School have created a colorful, vibrant on the wall of the Lower Level. Join FSS and FCCC in the Lower Level hallway for a Community Celebration, April 27, 4:30 – 6:00 pm!
AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE (AFSC)
AFSC Corporation met at Friends Center April 11-13
AFSC was delighted to host Jose Antonio Vargas as their keynote speaker for the 2024 Corporation Program on April 11. Vargas is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, Tony-nominated theatrical producer, and a leading voice for the human rights of immigrants. He is the founder of Define American, an organization that empowers diverse and nuanced storytelling about immigrant experiences across a variety of different media. In 2020, Fortune named him one of its “40 under 40” most influential people in government and politics. After his keynote address, Vargas will be available to sign copies of his bestselling memoir, “Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen.
» Read more: https://afsc.org/events/conversation-jose-antonio-vargas
CENTRAL PHILADELPHIA MONTHLY MEETING (CPMM)
Friends to Share Their Vision for the Meeting
Sunday, 4/21, 1:00 pm
Join us for a time of sharing. Whether it is your 1st day or your 40th year with Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, we would love to hear from you. In small groups we will spend time with following queries (among others):
Each small group will have a facilitator to create a safe space and record responses. You can also join by Zoom using the regular worship link.
PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING (PYM)
New Roadmap for Addressing Climate Change
As a LEED Platinum green building, Friends Center strives to be as sustainable as possible. Now, a tool is available for all Friends and meetings—and everyone—seeking to live out our yearly meeting-wide commitment to address climate change. The booklet Creating a Playbook for Climate Action helps Friends develop personalized plans for how to address climate change—in their meetings and in their homes. Because frankly, great intentions sometimes need a path forward to arrive at the destination.
» Read more: https://www.pym.org/creating-a-roadmap-for-addressing-climate-change/
PHILADELPHIA YOUTH SPORTS COLLABORATIVE (PYSC)
Announcing The Philly Youth Sports Fund
PYSC has launched a new fund to support small, community-based organizations providing sport, play, and movement programs to our city’s youth. The fund aims to increase accessibility to and improve the quality of existing programs, particularly those offering introductory or “entry-level” recreational components. The goal is to ensure that more young people can participate in localized, instructional sports opportunities. The Philly Youth Sports Fund released a call for proposals on April 1, 2024. Eligible organizations may apply for grants of up to $5,000 to support program-related needs. The deadline for applications is May 15, 2024, and grants will be awarded by June 30, 2024.
» More info: https://phillyyouthsportsfund.org
SINGING CITY
Singing for Climate & Social Justice
Sunday, May 5, 3:00 p.m.
Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, 23 S. 38th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Featuring Rollo Dilworth’s Credo and Chickasaw classical composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate’s Oka’ Aya’sha’ (The Water Place). Legendary jazz vocalist and composer Ruth Naomi Floyd and jazz trio will present selections from The Frances Suite, based on the life and poetry of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper. Special guests include singers from Commonwealth Youth Choirs.
HISTORIC ARCH STREET MEETING HOUSE
400th Birthday Party for George Fox, Co-Founder of Quakerism
George Fox was a co-founder of the Quaker faith, and our sibling Quaker Meetinghouse at 4th and Arch Streets is having a birthday party to celebrate!
Come explore Quaker history and who Quakers are today with stories, discussion, games and crafts. Food and fun for all, and a birthday cake.
» Details here.
More about George Fox: