Upcoming Events/News/Announcements
-MORE NEWS FROM PYM-
Yearly Meeting Dates For 2008 Announced
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Sessions in 2008 will take place July 30 to August 3 at DeSales University in Center Valley, PA. The schedule was approved at Interim Meeting in November.
The Longest Walk 2
Are you seeking peace, justice, an earth restored? The Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Indian Committee, in partnership with Baltimore Yearly Meeting's Indian Committee, invites Friends to support The Longest Walk 2. It is an extraordinary Native grassroots effort, open to all caring persons, to join in a witness to honor and heal Mother Earth. The walk is for the Seventh Generation, for youth, for peace, for justice, for healing the earth. The message of the walk is that ALL LIFE IS SACRED! This walk began February 11 on Alcatraz Island, California, and is proceeding across the United States on a five-month journey of over 4,500 miles, concluding in July in Washington, D.C. How can you help? When the walk comes near your community join it, donate supplies for the walkers, make a financial contribution, start a clean-up campaign in your neighborhood. For more information: www.longestwalk.org. PYM contacts: Lois Kuter: lkuter@fast.net (215-886-6361) Elizabeth Koopman: jasperbeach@verizon.net (410-771-1243) Baltimore YM contact: Dellie James: dellie@yahoo.com (410-318-8881) The Longest Walk 2 will sustain, enrich, and continue our historic Quaker journey with Native Peoples, witnessing for positive change in the world.
Tri-Quarter Gathering Is October 3-5 2008
Like the fabled village of Brigadoon, the community of Friends that is the Tri-Quarter Gathering will reappear this fall with the theme: "Friendly Connections: Strengthening the Ties to Our Communities and Our Environment." Once again this Quaker village will come alive at Camp Ockanickon, Medford, NJ, with the sounds of discussion, music, laughter, nature ...and the silence of prayer. Once again familiar faces will return our ready smiles while newcomers are welcomed with open arms. Once again we will stroll through the pines, attend the workshops, play intergenerational games, climb the challenge course, play our instruments, break bread together and gaze at the stars. It is hoped that all who have come before will return for this magical weekend, and those who have not will make this year the year you join our village. For information about accommodations and/or to receive a registration form, contact Cindy Cox Crispin at (856) 478-4093 or georgeacrispin@aol.com. Meanwhile, please circle the dates of October 3-5 2008 to make your Friendly Connections this fall.
National Campaign For Peace Tax Fund
The National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund (NCPTF) in Washington organizes sponsorship for the bill (currently H.R. 1921) and needs advocacy work at the grass roots. PYM maintains its commitment by naming a board member and contributing annually to NCPTF. To learn more go to peacetaxfund.org and contact PYM Peace & Justice Coordinator Joan Broadfield/joanb@pym.org/ 215-241-7240
from the Greater PA Region of the PYM Climate Action Network:
Climate Change Marches On: Even though climate change isn't getting much press and isn't high on the list of presidential campaign issues, climate change marches on. Every 24 hours people globally pump 70 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. Over the last 50 years CO2 levels have increased by 2 parts per million (ppm) per year. That rate recently has increased to over 3 ppm and is rapidly increasing. Over the past 650,000 years CO2 levels never exceeded 300 ppm but today they are at 383 ppm. Fifty-five million years ago CO2 went to 450 ppm and the Earth experienced dramatic climate changes and one of the greatest mass extinctions ever. At the rate we are increasing CO2 right now we will again raise CO2 levels to 450 ppm around 30 years from now. We as Quakers must live in a way that reduces our carbon output as much as possible as fast as possible, and we must help our non-Quaker brothers and sisters to do the same. When God created Earth and its contents he "saw that it was good" and commanded us to "serve and keep the garden." We need to fulfill that command.
from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
from Medford Monthly Meeting
6/30/08
- Letter writing campaign to Congressman
Saxton to re-authorize the Indian Healthcare Improvement Act, H.R. 1328. See home page.
-6/1/08
- Sharon is driving to Little Rock, AK
for the trial of Alvin Clay. More info here.
at Medford Meeting
5/18/08
-Congratulations to Mike Weller, winner of the 2008 Teacher of the Year Award from Southampton Township School District
-Congratulations to Stacey Boyle-Weller, winner of the Service Award from the Burlington County School Counselors Assoc.
Stacey has also become the county president, and is serving on the executive board for the NJSCA.
-Congratulations to Jim Barnett who won his
fourth Sports Emmy Award for NFL Films.
- Thank you to the First Day School teachers for all your hard work and dedication.
5/4/08
-Food Crisis
As the price of food escalates across the world, the UN warns of a silent tsunami. Locally, more requests for assistance are being made at shelters and churches. We need to help.
Peace and Social Concerns Committee has decided to continue weekly announcements about sale items at Acme and ShopRite. Other stores could be included if there is interest.
There is a need for just about anything you'd like to donate. Personal care products, bar soap, toilet paper, and laundry detergent are not covered by food stamps. Imagine what your life would be without them!! Consider using coupons to stretch your donation. When Acme had 8 boxes of General Mills cereal on sale for only $8, one of our Super Shoppers was able to purchase the 8 boxes for only $3!!! Recently, a $4 donation was turned into 16 cans of vegetables. Toothpaste can be really cheap using coupons on sale items.
Donations will be divided between the Extended Hand Ministries in Mount Holly and New Visions in Camden.
Friends Employments Opportunities
For Immediate Announcements
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting is searching to fill several new positions as a result of upcoming retirements and planned reorganization:
- Associate Secretary for Advancement and communications to manage a department which includes Development, Grants, Publications, Library, Data Base, and Website activities.
- Associate Secretary for Program and Religious Life to manage a department which includes children and adult religious education, Peace and Justice, PYM sessions, Care and Aging, and Conflict Resolution activities.
- Business Manager. Education Coordinator to provide coordination, support and leadership for the projects and services of PYM in the area of scholastic education.
Please visit our web site (www.pym.org ) to view the full job descriptions and the application process or contact Ginny Connolly, Human Resources Coordinator, humanresources@pym.org or 215-241-7225.
- Meeting Secretary, Chestnut Hill Meeting
Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting (Philadelphia, PA) is accepting applications for its part-time meeting secretary position. Involves office management, bookkeeping, scheduling, mailings, support for newsletter and committees; 10-12 hours/week; flexible scheduling with occasional evening and weekend hours. Requires computer proficiency in Windows applications; strong organizational skills; familiarity with Quaker process. Send resume to: Personnel@Chestnuthillquakers.org. Accepting applications until filled.
- Campaign Manager, Chestnut Hill Meeting
Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting (Philadelphia, PA) has committed to build a new meetinghouse. Internationally acclaimed Quaker artist/architect James Turrell is collaborating on the design. The search has begun for a capital campaign manager to work part-time until July 2010. Please see our complete job description at http://www.quaker.org Accepting applications until filled.
- Data Maintenance Specialist at PYM
Monica Firely will be leaving PYM on April 4, 2008. Please check the bulletin board in our vestibule for a complete description of her position.
