Greg Barnes will discuss and read from his newest book, Living into the Faith: A Quaker Diary.
The Diary reveals the broad range of activities in modern unprogrammed Quakerism and the Quaker principles , or “testimonies,” that animate them. The setting is Philadelphia and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, the heart of American Quakerism as brought here from England by William Penn. “This is a diary and not a history. It follows one man through his Quaker and Quaker-related activities for roughly 8 years. The reader should understand it as reflecting my attempt, made out of gratitude to give back to Quakerism and to my Quaker community…” Gregory A. Barnes has also written an award-winning collection of short stories based on his experiences in West Africa with the Peace Corps.
When: Sunday, February 2nd at 12:45 PM. Where: Lucretia Mott Room, Friends Center, 15th and Cherry Streets, Center City.
How
do we know CO2 increases are human-caused? What are climate scientists
highly confident about? What will my children’s generation experience?
Meet a panel of climate scientists and put
your questions to them yourself.
Climate Up Close is a group of climate scientists who believe Americans should reach their own judgments about climate science by seeing the evidence themselves and putting their questions directly to climate scientists. Presenters include scientists from Princeton University, Harvard University and UC Berkeley.
The
early Quakers did not recognize holidays, or “times and seasons” as they called
them. Over time, that stance has softened. Still, I like to keep in mind a
primary reason they had that position: Because every day is, or can be, a holy
day.
One thing I like about working at Friends
Center is every day truly has that potential. Such as when you… train
volunteers to advocate for a child in foster care… convene a meeting of
behavioral health practitioners… train teaching artists in trauma-informed
practice… match a mentor to a middle schooler… make sure children have a chance
to learn and play, and girls have a chance to become leaders… And when you organize
people against fracking, the death
penalty, or war, and organize them for
justice, peace, love, and life.
Whatever it is that you do here—whether organizing
or communications or development or admin—it means something. I’m grateful to
be a part of helping this work happen. May we recognize and live that, this day
and every day!
– Chris Mohr, Executive Director
AROUND FRIENDS CENTER
It has been our pleasure to watch our tenants grow stronger and closer to the communities they serve. We hope that you can also reflect back and smile at the progress you have made.
As we prepare to say good-bye to 2019
and welcome 2020, we began to consider some memorable events that you’ve all
held these past 12 months; and we could think of no better way to commemorate
those fabulous events than by writing you a song! Yup, that’s right, a new
twist on an old classic, Friends Center Style.
And it goes a little something like this! On the 12th day of the holiday season, Friends Center gave to me:
12 tiny bakers, 11 vegans shopping, 10 tenors singing, 99 meetings, 8 am orientation, 70 kids a camping, 6 ceremonies, 5 groups meditating! 4 keystone testings, 3 Quaker Colleges, 2 many trainings And a meeting with Mayor Kenney.
We hope that you have find this tidbit as entertaining as we do! Thanks for being the best tenants ever. Please have a safe and happy holiday and new year!
You are invited to help change the
narrative on youth and our collective power. We are not at risk; we are 3
billion strong.
The Campaign:
AFSC’s “We
Are Not At-Risk” campaign is a youth-led
narrative change movement that is transforming the stories media tell about
young people. Throughout December and January, we will be collecting stories of
youth and their allies, educating our audiences on the impacts of harmful
narratives about youth, and sharing positive youth stories through social
media. We will harness the power of art and collective action to enter into
conversation with media outlets about who we are and the stories that we want
to tell. We are #3BillionStrong, and will we make our truths heard.
The Ask:
We are calling on you, as young people and allies—as people who care about and love young people, and who see them in their full humanity—to join us in the Cherry Street room on Tuesday, December 17th, from 11am-1pm to create art, share stories, and learn more about the campaign. Refreshments will be served.
Philadelphia
Yearly Meeting has much to report on its news page: www.pym.org/news.
One story is even
about one of our tenants, the Tri-College Consortium Philly Program!
Bryn Mawr, Haverford and
Swarthmore Colleges team up for Tri-Co City classes
This fall, about
35 students from Bryn Mawr, Haverford and Swarthmore Colleges took courses at
the Friends Center in Philadelphia as part of a new Tri-College Philly Program.
Students present their projects
to each other and Friends Center guests.
The courses focused on the themes of sustainability and environmental justice, from different disciplines: math, environmental studies, political science, education and anthropology. » Read the full article.
The annual Messiah sing-along hosted by Ingrid & George Lakey will be Friday, Dec. 20th at 7pm, here in the Cherry
Street Room. CPMM encourages all to bring a score, a friend who likes to sing
(this is not a performance, but a sing-along), and also goodies to share during
break.
Coming in January:
Climate
Up Close: Talk with a
climate scientist face-to-face
Saturday, January 4th, 2:30 pm
Hosted by CPMM at
Friends Center
Free and open to
the public.
How do we know CO2 increases are
human-caused? What are climate
scientists highly confident about? What will my children’s generation
experience?
Meet a panel of
climate scientists and put your questions to them yourself.
Climate Up Close
is a group of climate scientists who believe Americans should reach their own
judgments about climate science by seeing the evidence themselves and putting
their questions directly to climate scientists.
Presenters include scientists from Princeton University, Harvard
University and UC Berkeley.
announced in its
November newsletter that it has hired Taylor Pacheco and Sarah Coyle
as staff attorneys:
According to the organization’s
website, Pacheco “is a 2016 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law
School where she was senior editor of the Journal of Law and Social Change, an Edward V. Sparer Public
Interest Summer Fellow, and a volunteer with the UPenn Criminal Records
Expungement Clinic run in partnership with PLSE. She also interned with Community Legal Services in the
Housing Unit and the Montgomery County
Public Defender’s Office. Her career after law school included positions
with the New Jersey Office of the
Public Defender and the Support
Center for Child Advocates.”
Coyle “joined PLSE in September 2019 from Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania (LASP), where she had been a staff attorney for over two years and ran the Media office. After receiving her JD in 2016 from Savannah Law School, she worked in a private firm concentrating in criminal defense before joining LASP, where she developed a program assisting victims of domestic/sexual violence under a program funded by the Victims Of Crime Act (VOCA).”
INTEREST OUTSIDE
FRIENDS CENTER
QuakerBooks Pop-Up Store @ Friends General Conference
1216 Arch St # 2B, Philadelphia
Dec 18 @ 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Pop-up bookstore with a selection of books and pamphlets of
interest to Friends. Many newer publications, some hot off the press! Subjects
include Quaker practice, spiritual deepening, anti-racism, environmentalism,
and many children’s books. If you are looking for a particular book, it is
recommended you call FGC (215) 561-1700 in advance.
On this episode of Friends On 15th we were joined by two staffers of Art-Reach. John Orr who is the executive director and Charlie Miller who is the director of Access Philly.
Rehearsals, concerts, auctions, and more! Listen in on our time spent with the executive director of Singing City, Lauren Anderson, and Cortlandt Matthews, the office administrator.
COMING SOON:
ALL-GENDER, ACCESSIBLE RESTROOM FOR 1501 CHERRY ST. BUILDING
At the request of one of our equity
partners, the American Friends Service Committee, we will be converting the
first floor shower room in the 1501 Cherry Street building into a fully accessible, all-gender restroom.
The Friends Center board of directors enthusiastically
endorsed the idea, as it will increase both our restroom capacity and provide
more equitable access for all people.
Construction starts in mid-October, and
will take a few weeks. The contractor plans to cordon off the work area so
people can still pass by to use the existing women’s room and access the first
floor office suite. Inevitably, there will be noise and disruption. We hope you
can live with it for a short while, knowing that a larger benefit is on the
way.
By the way, the existing shower room on
the second floor of 1501 will remain. It’s part of our green building practice,
for those who walk or bike to work.
Thank you in advance for your patience
with the construction phase of this project. Please let me know if you have any
questions.
– Chris Mohr, Executive Director
AROUND FRIENDS CENTER
World Quaker Day is Sunday, October 6!
Please see the last piece in this
newsletter for more information.
Mighty Writers hosts Anti-Violence Town
Hall here
On Friday, 9/27, in the Rufus Jones Room, Mighty Writers held an Anti-Violence Town Hall for Philadelphia youth impacted by violence, as part of their MightFest. Click here for coverage by NBC10 and WHYY
If you witness public instances of racist, anti-Black, anti-Muslim,
anti-Trans, or any other form of oppressive interpersonal violence and
harassment, use these tips on how to intervene while considering the safety of
everyone involved.
We’re excited to
invite PYM Families to our next Community Playdate for Apple and pumpkin
picking, autumnal FUN at Solebury Orchards in Bucks County.
The Community
Playdate is an opportunity for fellowship and learning with our PYM Family
community.
We’ll meet on Saturday,
October 12 at 9:00am at Solebury
Orchards in New Hope, PA.
Kimani Keaton, Children and Families Program Facilitator, will be there to
greet and gather our group, and then lead families on wagon rides to pick
apples and find the perfect pumpkin in the patch.
In case of inclement weather and cancellation, we’ll email those who have
registered (see below) and post on the PYM Families Facebook page. No
parking, entry or wagon ride fees; apples are $1.50/lb.
Join
us for worship at 11 AM every Sunday at Friends Center
Central
Philadelphia Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends is a large, urban
Quaker meeting, diverse in many ways. We welcome visitors throughout the year.
We worship by
gathering and silently waiting for the Spirit to guide us.
We celebrate
diversity and welcome people from all walks of life. We are a welcoming
and affirming congregation for LGBTQ people.
We are also
involved in various activities to further peace and social justice.
TENANT NEWS
Singing City Fall Concert–The Road Less Traveled Singing City and Lyric Fest together in concert.
Saturday, October 5, 2019, 4 pm: Haddonfield United Methodist Church, 29 Warwick Rd., Haddonfield, NJ 08033
Sunday, October 6, 3 pm: Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, 23 S. 38th St., Phila., PA 19104
Songs of journey and diaspora, welcome and belonging, leaving home and finding home. A timely program exploring world-wide migration and America’s roots as an immigrant nation.
Bartol Foundation (@BartolFdn) Workshop: Introduction to Trauma-Informed Practice for Teaching
Tuesday, October 15, 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM at Friends Center
Recap of Living
Building Challenge
with Community Ventures
Green Building
United recently completed a “Living Building Challenge” for infill affordable
housing with our tenant, Community Ventures. Read about it here.
Across our churches, meetings,
countries and sections, we feel the power of God connecting us in to a faithful
family. We celebrate all expressions of Quaker worship!
Issue 52, September 2019Friends Center Tenant Newsletter
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTE
I hope you had a
good summer! The fall is often a time of renewed vigor and commitment, as well
as cooler temperatures. When it’s nice out, please feel free to crack open the
windows. As a LEED Platinum green building, it’s designed to use natural air
conditioning.
Fall
also comes with an uptick in the use of Friends Center’s event spaces. Please
be sure to book your events well in advance!
Our
staff does their best to balance the needs among our many tenants as well as
the many outside groups that rent our facilities. Thank you for your patience
and flexibility as we do our best to accommodate your requests. I also want to say
how much I appreciate the good work of Shakirah Holloway, Erick Emerick,
Jennifer Williams, Ed Waters, and our evening/weekend staff, who together keep
the event facilities humming; thank you!
– Chris Mohr, Executive Director
AROUND FRIENDS CENTER
CONSTRUCTION ON RACE STREET
If you drive or bike down Race Street, be
aware that there is street construction this week, possibly for as long as a
month. The city is apparently replacing street light wiring on both sides of
the street.
Find Us On…
Are you and your organization following
Friends Center on social media? If not, we encourage and invite you to do so.
We like to feature the posts of our partners and tenants!
Also be sure to check out Friends on 15th , our new podcast. We will soon be getting it listed on many of the podcast directories. Meanwhile, check out the podcast page on our website.
The American Friends Service Committee was one of several groups protesting the conditions and treatment of children at the Homestead facility and organizer Mariana Martinez declared victory.
“Hello, my name is Joshua Ponter. I am a member of Haddonfield Monthly Meeting in South Jersey’s Philadelphia area. I have embarked on a year-long mission to travel around the country collecting stories about the founding of different meetings and looking at the way we practice Quakerism today. I will be blogging about my travels on the PYM website. Find my latest entry here. Please email me at JPonter1@gmail.com if there is anyone from your meeting who would like to sit down with me and speak to some of your history—or if you would like more information on me or my project. Thank you!”
The weekend will
start on Friday, October 11, with a potluck and a dramatic reading of an
original play about Mary Fisher, an early English Friend who undertook a
dangerous journey alone to Turkey to tell the Grand Sultan about Quakerism.
Saturday will feature several workshops, including one on spiritual gifts offered by the Gifts and Leadings committee and a workshop led by Carolyn McCoy entitled “Opening to the Spirit.” After a catered lunch, families will enjoy a midday swim at Friends Select School as well as crafts and games. A highlight of the afternoon will be a tour of the “mysteries” of the building, including the secret safe and the windows and doors to nowhere. A talent show will follow a taco dinner, and will end with a fun overnight sleepover. Sunday morning before worship will feature a pancake breakfast.
TENANT NEWS
Singing City and Lyric Fest together
in concert
Fall Concert–The Road
Less Traveled
Saturday,
October 5, 2019, 4 p.m.
Haddonfield
United Methodist Church, 29 Warwick Road, Haddonfield, NJ 08033
Sunday,
October 6, 3 p.m.
Philadelphia
Episcopal Cathedral, 23 S. 38th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Songs
of journey and diaspora, welcome and belonging, leaving home and finding home.
A timely program exploring world-wide migration and America’s roots as an
immigrant nation.
The Alternative to
Violence Project Presents
AVP: Introductory
Workshops for Radical Peacemaking
Friends
Center
Choose
1 day: Fri. September 6th, or Sat. September 7th
9:30
am – 4:00 pm (Sign in at 9:30, workshop at 10:00 am)
Complimentary
lunch included. This event is free to attend, and registration is required
Peace Day Philly is the
Philadelphia region initiative for the International Day of Peace, September 21. We invite individuals,
communities, organizations and civic leaders to use this powerful global
platform to build peace on personal, local and global levels. Participate in a
way that’s meaningful for you and your organization! Learn more.
Friday, September
13, 2019 –
Monday, September 23, 2019
The
City of Philadelphia Office of Immigrant Affairs partners with more than 30
community organizations for 10 days to honor the city’s multiculturalism. The
week’s aim: Engage immigrant communities like Philly’s Latino neighbors and
neighborhoods, with a variety of to-be-announced events. Learn more.
