THE FRIDAY BEE                                                           November 21, 2025  

SCHEDULE FOR SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23

10:20am

Greeter

Barbara Wybar

10:30am

Child Care

Starts in kindergarten building across the driveway

10:30am

Meeting for Worship

(Hybrid: In-person & on Zoom)

10:50am

First Day School

Older children attend Meeting for Worship with their families until 10:50 am, when their teachers will lead them to the Committee Room.

Questions? Please contact Carla Childs.

Note: Children of any age are always welcome to join their families in Meeting for Worship.

11:30am

Introductions & Announcements

Barbara Wybar & Ed Stivender

11:40am

Refreshments

Anthony Stover

PROTOCOL FOR MEETING FOR WORSHIP (Zoom, hybrid, in-person)

Please maintain silence as you enter the Zoom meeting or the meetinghouse so Friends can center and settle into worship. Masks are optional in the meetinghouse. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if you’ve forgotten yours. If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.

MEETING NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

GMM FOOD DRIVE – SUPPORTING GERMANTOWN AVE CRISIS MINISTRY

Our Racial & Social Justice Committee approved a Germantown Meeting-wide Food Drive to support the efforts of Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry (GACM). In addition to their annual call for donations for the holiday season, GACM is finding increased demands on their Food Pantry for everyday needs. They have put out a call to everyone in the area to help bolster their diminished supply of food.

Let’s take this opportunity to extend the wonderful nutritional support that Jondhi’s monthly food giveaway already provides, and contribute non-perishable food items for the GACM Food Pantry!

When?   Now through Sunday, December 14

Where?  Contribution boxes in the GMM Committee Room

What?   Please refer to this list of acceptable non-perishable food items, provided by Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry (GACM)

WINTER COAT DRIVE – LAST CHANCE: THIS SUNDAY! 🧥🧥

When & Where? 

  • This Sunday, 11/23, after worship
  • Germantown Meeting Committee Room – Donation box located near the Welcome Table

Donate adult-sized coats, hoodies, and winter gear to Open Hearts Cafe, an organization that provides food, clothing, supplies, and community to those in need.

GMM REPRESENTED AT HOUSING AFFORDABILITY PRESS CONFERENCES

Members Bill Cozzens & Jayson Massey were gathered with faith leaders calling for housing affordability and a repeal of the city’s business tax cuts last week during a series of press conferences in neighborhoods across the city including the Northwest.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS – GMM ANNUAL CHRISTMAS POTLUCK & CAROL SING!

When?  Sunday, December 21, 6:00 - 9:00pm

Where? Germantown Meetinghouse, Committee & Social Rooms

Tis the season! Let’s gather together to celebrate the holiday season with good cheer!

Bring your favorite dish(es) to share as we enjoy a festive potluck meal together by candlelight, and then sing Christmas carols in the meetinghouse. All are welcome!

SAVE THE DATE: KNOWING PEACE: A QUAKER BUDDHIST EXPLORATION – with Deborah Cooper!

GMM member Deborah Cooper will be co-leading an experiential weekend workshop at Pendle Hill, combining early Quaker practices and insight meditation, with George Schaefer (Abington Friends Meeting). Learning from the teachings of early Friends and practices from insight meditation, the weekend will include opportunities for meditation, silent worship, and discussion.

When & Where?  January 15 @ 6:00 pm - January 18 @ 1:00 pm, at Pendle Hill

☕ 🍪 VOLUNTEER TO PROVIDE REFRESHMENTS THIS WINTER! ☕ 🍪

Please volunteer to provide refreshments after worship in the Fall.

  • Make it a family activity   ◆   Partner up with a friend
  • Make it a Committee activity, while promoting your committee's work?

Please look ahead and pick a date:

  • November 30 - January 4 - January 18

Please contact Becky Johnson. THANK YOU!

Thanks to all who provided refreshments over the past year!

Note: Refreshments expenses are reimbursable or can be credited as in-kind donations to GMM.

QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS

BUILDING SKILLS FOR SPIRITUALLY GROUNDED NONVIOLENT ACTION

When? Sunday, November 23, 2:00 - 5:00pm

Where? Friends Center (1501 Cherry Street)

Join Central Philadelphia Friends Meeting & the Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT) for an immersive training designed to equip you with the essential tools and strategies of powerful nonviolent direct action. Whether you consider yourself new to taking action or a seasoned action taker with expertise to share, this interactive workshop will deepen your understanding and sharpen your skills.  More information and registration on the Friends Center website. All F/friends are invited!

Looking ahead – January 18, 2026, 2-5pm: Strategic Creativity for Nonviolent Action

SAVE THE DATE: KNOWING PEACE: A QUAKER BUDDHIST EXPLORATION – with Deborah Cooper!
When? January 15 @ 6:00 pm - January 18 @ 1:00 pm, at Pendle Hill
  • See more information above in the “Meeting News & Events” section.
NEW QUAKER CHECKLIST TIP #37 – READ AND USE WORSHIP IN SONG: A FRIENDS HYMNAL

Following the effort of Friends General Conference (FGC), supporting newcomers as well as offering a refresher for oldtimers, each week there will be a tip from FGC’s New Quaker Checklist – “steps to take to deepen your faith and connect to other Friends in North America.” Try one, or try them all!

  • Tip #37: Read and use Worship In Song: A Friends Hymnal
  • Did you think Quakers don’t sing in worship? Not so! In unprogrammed worship, occasionally a message will be shared in song. And some meetings (e.g. Chestnut Hill) have gatherings for hymn singing, sometimes before or after worship. In programmed worship, hymn singing is a common component of the weekly service.
  • Music & Quakerism in Harmony (Haverford College Libraries)
  • Singing Among FGC Friends (Friends Journal)
PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING (PYM)

GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL (GFS) NEWS & EVENTS

ATTEND GFS MEETING FOR WORSHIP DURING THE WEEK

GFS welcomes GMM to attend Meeting for Worship during the school year. Schedule for upcoming week:        

  • Middle School: Monday, 11/17, 10:20 - 11:00am

Lower & Upper School Worship will not happen this week – Thanksgiving Recess        

GFS FALL CHOIR CONCERT – IN THE MEETINGHOUSE

When?  This Sunday, November 23, 3:00pm

Where? Germantown Meetinghouse

GFS Choir is proud to launch the 2025-2026 concert season with our Fall Concert, “Louder Than Words.” This concert was presented on Thursday evening to residents of Foulkeways at Gwynedd and will be sung this Sunday, November 23rd, at 3 pm in the Germantown Meetinghouse. The program texts and songs explore what gives words meaning. Is it the written words themselves? The context? The feelings behind the words? Who writes or speaks them? The embodiment of words spoken, sung, or acted upon?

The concert is free, family-friendly, and will last approximately one hour. We hope to see GMM’rs there!

SAVE THE DATE & RSVP – FILM SCREENING OF “CITIZEN GEORGE” AT FRIENDS FREE LIBRARY

When?  Tuesday, December 2, 7:00pm

Where? GFS/Friends Free Library (5418 Germantown Ave or across campus from meetinghouse)

Documentary of Quaker activist George Lakey.  Organized by the GFS Environmental Action Club.

Q & A session to follow the screening. Light refreshments will be served.

AUTHOR TALK AT FRIENDS FREE LIBRARY — JOHN FABIAN WITT (GFS ‘90)

When?  Thursday, December 4, 7:00pm

Where? GFS/Friends Free Library (5418 Germantown Ave or across campus from meetinghouse)

Accomplished author and Yale University law professor and historian, John Fabian Witt ’90, will be speaking as part of the Community Writers Series. Witt will discuss his critically acclaimed new book, The Radical Fund and the talk will be followed by a Q & A session with the author. Light refreshments will be served and books will be available for purchase at the event.  

TAKE ACTION!

HELP FIGHT FOOD INSECURITY NOW – DONATE FOOD &/OR FUNDING

You can help your fellow Pennsylvanians battling food insecurity by donating to food banks and community pantries in your area. Advocates encourage making monetary donations, which can have a much greater impact than donating food from your pantry.  

  • Search map of food pantries in Philadelphia – Click here
  • Mamatee Fridges around Philadelphia – Click here for list
  • Search for food banks and community pantries around Pennsylvania – Click here

Local food pantries & fridges include –

Financially support organizations fighting food insecurity –

TCRC Community Healing Center Food Giveaway at GMM (every 3rd Sunday)

  • Venmo: @tcrcphilly
  • Paypal: Paypal.ME/tcrcphilly
  • CashApp: $TCRCHC
  • Check made out to TCRC Community Healing Center and mailed to:

Jondhi Harrell

TCRC-CHC Director

3981 Nice St.

Philadelphia PA 19140

Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry

  • Donate here
  • Food collection boxes in Germantown Meeting Committee Room (see more in “Meeting Events & News” above)
SAVE THE DATE: POWER PHILADELPHIA CITY-WIDE ASSEMBLY ON AFFORDABILITY

When?  February 1, 2026 @ 3:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Join POWER Philadelphia and 40+ congregations for an assembly of people of faith concerned with affordability and cost of living in our city. We will build relationships, meet with elected officials and discuss solutions, and strategize on how we will build people power to make our city work for us. Final location and time to come- register to save the date and confirm your spot.

TRYING TO FIND SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS?

Mobilize is a central posting site that has opportunities concerning local actions for protest and in support of social justice.

ONGOING – MONDAYS @ MCCORMICK’S

When?  Mondays, 12:00noon - 1:00pm, rain or shine

Where?  2000 Market Street, Senator McCormick’s Philadelphia office

Join in weekly to assemble peaceably - as is our constitutional right - outside Senator McCormick's Philadelphia office until he agrees to meet with us and support our demands: (These will change as conditions develop)

ONGOING – WE THE PEOPLE WEDNESDAYS – SINGING FOR SANITY

When?   Every Wednesday at 4:00pm 

Where?  Allens Lane Station in Mt. Airy

Join neighbors at the Allens Lane Station in Mt. Airy every Wednesday afternoon for a new protest group!

There will be protest songs led by local musicians each week, speakers describing the cruelty and madness of our F/Elon leaders, and following up with actions.

  • Watch their website for more information on the music & speakers each week: WeThePeopleWeds.org
ONGOING – JOIN THE VIGIL with FRIDAYS AT FETTERMAN’S

When?   Every Friday from 11:15 – 12:15pm

Where?  In front of Senator Fetterman’s office (230 Chestnut Street)

What?    Join together with people committed to a Middle East peace solution to urge Senator Fetterman to support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

Fridays @ Fetterman’s is supported by the AFSC, Brandywine Peace Community, Granny Peace Brigade, IfNotNowPhilly, Prayers for Peace Alliance, the Simple Way and The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Phila. Branch.

GERMANTOWN & NEARBY

CAMPFIRE, SMORES AND LOTS MORE AT WEAVERS WAY FARM AT AWBURY - A few spots left! RSVP now!

When? Saturday, December 6, 3-5:00pm

Join the Weavers Way Farm Team at our Mort Brooks Memorial Farm site for some fire-side sharing about how we are using our new “caterpillar tunnel” hoop houses to extend our growing season and grow food through the winter.  Camp fire, smores and hot-chocolate will be provided. This event is FREE.  Please consider bringing your own chair and plenty of warm layers.  ALL ARE WELCOME!

WELLNESS WALKS IN AWBURY ARBORETUM

When & Where?  Mondays & Thursdays, 7:00 - 8:00am, The Farm at Awbury (6336 Ardleigh St)

Join in to start your day with a Wellness Walk through Awbury’s 56 acres, led by Wellness Director, Megan Do Nascimento. “Immerse yourself in nature as we take a moderately paced stroll through gardens, woodlands, roam around the farm, and our ponds and meadows.”  Questions? Contact the Wellness Director at wellness@awbury.org 

QUAKER RESOURCES

OTHER (VIRTUAL) WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
  • Pendle Hill – Daily Zoom meeting for worship online from 8:30-9:10 am
  • Friends Council on National Legislation (FCNL) Witness Wednesdays: Weekly worship at 5:15pm (ET)
  • Friends General Conference’s (FGC) has many options for worship & discussion, including Newcomers & Seekers, Friends of Color Monthly worship, BIPOC Womxn’s space, White Friends Confronting Racism, Gen X Friends (new), Neurodivergent Friends (new). The offerings keep growing! Click here for the calendar
  • Quaker Voluntary Service (QVS) Worship with Attention to Gaza/Palestine: Tuesdays at 12:00noon (ET) on Zoom

FOR QUAKER NEWCOMERS: Friends General Conference New Quaker Hub

QUAKER ORGANIZATIONS

Stay connected with news, work and resources of various Friends groups. Bookmark them for easy reference

Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting (PQM)

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM)

Friends General Conference (FGC)

Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)

Friends Council on Education (FCE)

American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)