Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
December 23, 2013  
Message from the General Secretary
Thoughts on Long Range Planning
Arthur Larrabee
Dear Friends,

I have some thoughts about the work of our Long Range Planning Group of which I am a member.   

My personal preference would be to call this group the "Strategic Planning Group." We Quakers have shied away from using the words "strategy" and "strategic." Some have said these words sound too corporate.  I like them, however, because I think they call us to focus our thinking on the process of getting from where we are to where we want to be.

For our Yearly Meeting to move forward as a faith community, each of us needs to learn strategic thinking: naming our vision and then naming the steps which we believe will lead us into the yearly meeting we envision.

We also need to renew our understanding that our best work will depend on our openness to the Spirit and our willingness to be guided and changed by the motion of the Spirit within us and among us. It is my hope that we will consider our future with the same energy and satisfaction that often accompanies our reflection on the past.  Read more ...
 


Arthur M. Larrabee

General Secretary 

  

Long Range Planning Group
Report to be presented to Interim Meeting
Maze
Friends serving as the Long-Range Planning Group (LRPG) for our yearly meeting will bring some possible ways our structure and process might be simplified over the coming five years to Interim Meeting on January 11, 2014 at the Arch Street Meeting House, Philadelphia, PA.

In October many clerks of PYM standing committees and quarterly meetings offered feedback to LRPG about future scenarios.  We are seeking even more feedback during the upcoming Interim Meeting and encourage everyone to hold this process in the Light and consider the work that is underway by bringing the draft Vision for our our Future and Strategic Directions for getting us there into the life of your monthly and quarterly meeting.

Advance Documents for Interim Meeting will be posted on the PYM website by Friday, January 3.   Find out more ...


General Secretary Search Update
Now is the time to inquire, nominate or apply!
The General Secretary Search Committee has been busy over the past six months and we have progress to report.

We have already received a number of applications from Friends within and outside the PYM community, and we are accepting additional applications through the end of the year.  We welcome and invite additional recommendations and applications!  Download a copy of the General Secretary Job Description.

Interviews will begin in January and our plan is to recommend a candidate for approval at Interim Meeting in April and introduce our new General Secretary at Annual Sessions in July.

We ask everyone to consider deeply your own understanding of the needs of our yearly meeting, take time to learn more about PYM, and help spread the word among Friends about the many valuable opportunities and services our yearly meeting provides.  Find out more ...

Worship & Ministry Thread Gathering
Saturday, January 25, 2014
The Worship & Ministry Thread Gathering is an opportunity for Friends who are called to care for worship, ministry, and adult religious education in our meetings to meet one another and share wisdom, experience and fellowship.

We will meet at Kennett Friends Meeting, Kennett Square, PA.  Thomas Gates, of Lancaster Friends Meeting, will lead one of the featured workshops on The Gathered Meeting. Is the experience of the gathered meeting our ideal?  How do we recognize and promote the experience of the gathered meeting?

Join fellow Quakers for worship, workshops, wisdom sharing and fellowship!

Worship is the Door to Love
Annual Sessions- July 23-27, 2014
Save the date for PYM Annual Sessions 2014!

We will meet once again at Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA.  We encourage you to set aside this time to join many other Friends in worship and love, guided by the divine spirit to conduct our business, listen with one another and enjoy fellowship together.  Information is available now on the PYM Website.

For more information, contact Tricia Coscia, Sessions and Volunteer Coordinator, at [email protected] or call 215/241-7238.  Learn more! 

Upcoming Events
Thank you for reading!

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PYM
Interim Meeting
&
Junior Interim Meeting

January 11, 2014
 
Interim Meeting
and
Junior Interim Meeting

will be held on
Saturday, Jan. 11, 2014
at the
Arch Street Meeting House.

Advance Documents for Interim Meeting
will be available on the PYM website
Friday, Jan. 3, 2014

Find out more about:
 
Interim Meeting
and
Junior Interim Meeting


  


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