Peak fall colors are coming up in Friends Center’s courtyard in Center City Philly! Our Quaker meetinghouse and nonprofit office building are in the background.
Fall Peak, 2024
Philly premiere of film “Free Exercise”
The Philadelphia premiere of the film “Free Exercise” will be on 10/29, 6:00-8:30 pm, at the Museum of the American Revolution.
According to the filmmakers, it “focuses primarily on 6 American faith communities with deep roots in Philadelphia—Quakers, Baptists, Black churches, Catholics, Mormons and Jews.”
As shown below, the trailer includes footage shot at our sibling site, the Arch Street Meeting House.
The screening is free. Registration is required. See https://freeexercisemovie.com for link to register.
What is Tri-Co Philly?
It’s the Tri-College Philly program of Bryn Mawr College, Haverford College, and Swarthmore College! (They were all founded by Quakers.)
The program’s classes are held here at Friends Center, in the heart of #CenterCity #Philly.
Credit: @tricophilly on Instagram
Red Letter Revival here on October 19, 2024
Just announced: Night 2 of the Red Letter Revival will be here at Friends Center on the evening of October 19, 2024.
Red Letter Christians says the gathering will offer “an alternative vision where Christians creatively dissent to make justice real.”
They describe Red Letter Revival as “a dynamic gathering bringing together hundreds of faith and community leaders, students, and people of faith to celebrate – and cultivate – a new vision of Christianity – one with love at its core.”
We’ll add more details as they become available.
Read the full event overview: Red Letter Revival Philadelphia.
“Too Beautiful To Live” at Friends Center
TBTL podcast recorded an episode in front of a live audience in the Race Street Meetinghouse on 9/25/2024
TBTL describes itself as a daily show hosted by two longtime friends goofing their way through the world the best they can. Join Luke Burbank and Andrew Walsh as they cover the most important topics of the day, from 25 year-old film reviews to whether or not Andrew’s neighbors are secretly using his garbage bins.
TBTL invites listeners to “hang out with your imaginary friendos, in person, live from the Friends Center in Philadelphia for a night of fun with fellow Tens.” (Their “tens of listeners,” that is.)
UPDATE: The episode is now online: https://www.tbtl.net/episodes/4304
Quote: Quakers were “very boisterous when they started out… Then somebody got embarrassed & they entered a period known as Quietism. They would have long silent periods during their meetings. Basically the thing Andrew & I are most scared of during an episode of TBTL is even a moment of silence!”
Community Safety, Emergency Preparedness, and Lots of Tenant News
September 2024 Tenant Newsletter
From the Director
Changing the World Requires Risk—While Staying Safe
The nonprofit organizations with space here at Friends Center are fairly risk-tolerant. You’re working to change the world for the better—and that’s often challenging, to say the least!
For me, one of the best parts about working here is that getting to meet all of you who are doing this work. The Friends Center community is something special.
That said, we do live in the real world, and unfortunate things sometimes happen here, too. We all have a role in stewarding our community.
As part of our commitment to providing a safe environment for all who work, worship, and visit here, I offer these building security tips:
- Do introduce yourself to your neighbors, so you know who belongs on your floor. It builds community as well as safety!
- Don’t leave office suite doors unlocked.
- Don’t open office suite doors for people without a fob if you don’t recognize them.
- Don’t allow people you don’t know to “draft” in to your office suite behind you.
- Do redirect unfamiliar people to the front desk. While it can feel unfriendly at the time, it’s for the well-being of our community.
Thank you for your help!
Around Friends Center
Emergency Preparedness: Be ready!
Friends Center’s Erick Emerick recently circulated guidelines on what to do in case of an emergency in the facility. These guidelines are now posted on our website.
You can find this and other policies in the online Tenant Handbook.
Please refresh yourself and your colleagues on this information from time to time!
You can also attend an emergency preparedness trainings on the following dates, in the Rufus Jones Room by the front door:
- 2025 January 7, 10:30 am
- 2025 March 13, 10:30 am
- 2025 June 12, 10:30 am
- 2025 September 10, 10:30 am
Equity Partner News
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
Fostering a New Generation of Social Justice Leaders
For the past three years, AFSC’s Emerging Leaders for Liberation (ELL) program has helped young people strengthen their social justice and leadership skills. The program brings together Quaker youth alongside other young people involved with AFSC’s programs across the United States. Over eight months, they take part in trainings on organizing, advocacy, and nonviolent direct action, learning directly from AFSC’s experienced organizers and program staff. Each participant applies what they’ve learned by creating an action project in their community.
Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting (CPMM)
Philly Premiere of “Citizen George”
On September 19, CPMM hosted the Philadelphia premiere of “Citizen George,” a documentary about their member George Lakey (third from right in the photo with the film committee). George, now in his 80s, has been a lifelong activist and trainer for civil rights, nonviolent movements, and most recently, the environment, as co-founder of Earth Quaker Action Team. Learn more and watch the trailer: https://www.georgelakeyfilm.com/
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM)
Quaker Call to Action
On September 22, PYM hosted a gathering of the Quaker Call to Action. The group’s call is for a national dialogue on urgent threats to U.S. democracy and what’s at stake. The event was a family-friendly, interfaith service focused on Pennsylvania and be both inspirational as well as practical. It brought together interfaith leaders to inspire and confirm the faith basis for individual actions in the weeks prior to Election Day on November 5, 2024. Learn more.
Tenant News
Gender Justice Fund
GJF receives Robin Hood Was Right Award
Several Gender Justice Fund (GJF) board members joined executive director Farrah Parkes onstage at Bread & Roses Community Fund’s annual Tribute to Change celebration to accept the Robin Hood Was Right award, which is given to an individual or group making an outstanding contribution to social change philanthropy in the Philadelphia region. Congratulations to everyone at GJF!
Singing City
Democracy in Song: A Choral Conversation
Sun., Oct. 27, 2024, 3 pm
Race Street Meetinghouse @ Friends Center
Singing City recently launched its 77th season as an artistically drive, socially conscious, and civically engage choir. Their first full-length concert of the season will be here!
This presentation will generate call and response vocals between the chorus and the audience as we highlight various social movements in American history, including abolitionism/emancipation, women’s suffrage, civil rights, and peace in times of unrest.
Learn more and reserve your tickets.
CAIR Philadelphia
Former executive director Jacob Bender released this letter on his retirement. It’s really worth reading!
CAIR is also offering “Know Your Rights” seminars throughout the region.
Physicians for Social Responsibility PA
PSR-PA released a video featuring four Philadelphia schoolchildren calling on adults to mobilize civic power to transition our municipally-owned gas utility PGW away from gas and toward renewable energy. Watch it on YouTube here!
Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative (PYSC)
PYSC recently released the list of Philadelphia Youth Sport Funds recipients. Congratulations to all the grantees!
On September 28, Philly Girls Got Game is a one-day clinic open to girls in grades 2 – 8, to learn and grow their basketball skills. The clinic will be led by the women of the Big 5 Basketball teams.
Learn more and register.
Outside Friends Center
Opera Philadelphia: Pick your price
All seats for the 2024–2025 season are available for $11, or a higher price of your choosing, as part of a new ticket program called Pick Your Price. Opera Philadelphia is excited to welcome you to the opera with open arms and invite you to bring your friends and family. By choosing a ticket price that fits your budget, you can experience world-class opera and help grow our vibrant arts community in a way that works for you. Any amount over $11 helps support this program and allows more people to attend the opera.
Citizen George premiere a success
The #Philly premiere of “Citizen George” here last Thursday was a success!
The film is a documentary about the life and activism of George Lakey, a member of the Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), here at Friends Center.
Learn more about the film and watch the trailer at georgelakeyfilm.com.
Congratulations to the film committee, shown here. Filmmaker Glenn Holsten is on the left. George is the third from right, wearing his Earth Quaker Action Team’s (EQAT) Vanguard campaign t-shirt.
Quaker United Nations Office Presents at World Plenary of Friends
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
“Democracy in Song”
Singing City Fall Concert, 10/27/2024, 3 pm
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.
National Voter Registration Day is 9/17
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.