THE FRIDAY BEE June 12, 2026
SCHEDULE FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 14
9:00am
Meeting for Business
Hybrid –
In Committee Room, and use same Zoom link as for worship.
10:20am
Greeter
TBD
10:30am
Child Care
Starts in kindergarten building across the driveway
10:30am
Meeting for Worship
(Hybrid)
In-person in the meeting house, as well as remote.
10:50am
First Day School
During the summer months, our First Day School class takes a pause. Children of all ages may join together for play in the kindergarten.
Children are always welcome to join their families in Meeting for Worship. For those who want more activity, they may head over to the kindergarten after a period of worship with their families, or go to the kindergarten from the start.
Our standard First Day School will resume in September!
Questions about First Day School at GMM?
Please contact ).
11:30am
Introductions & Announcements
Ed Stivender
11:35am
Zoom Social Time
Zoom attendees, please stay online to join in a Zoom social time after Meeting for Worship!
11:40am
Refreshments
Barbara Wybar, Ed Stivender & Brieaunna Sprague
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 FOR WORSHIP WITH A CONCERN FOR BUSINESS
Germantown Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
Sunday, June 14, 9:00 - 10:15am
Hybrid: On Zoom & in-person. Please use the Meeting for Worship zoom link.
AGENDA
- Query 9 – Faye Steacy
- Opening worship
- Review of agenda – Karen Lightner
- Approval of the Minutes from the May 2026 Business Meetings
- Announcement about worship with Green St. Meeting in July & August -- Karen
- Care and Visiting – Barbara Wybar
- Standing Nominating Committee -- David Mettler
- Racial and Social Justice Committee -- Ed Nakawatase
- Retreat Committee -- David Mettler
- Ad Hoc Committee on Communication within the Meeting and with the School -- Dorothy Cary
- Gardening help for the Cottage -- Rob Smith
- Fundraising report -- Jack Rhoads
- Outreach Committee -- Jonathan Busser
- Closing Worship
(Attenders are welcome at business meeting. Please notify the clerk (Karen Lightner) in advance if you wish to attend.)
MEETING NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
REMEMBERING PHYLLIS TAYLOR
Last Thursday, June 4th at Keystone Care Hospice, our dear F/friend and long-time member of Germantown Meeting, passed away (per her family) “peacefully with a smile on her face, and with as complete a life as anyone we have known.” Phyllis and her husband Richard (Dick) Taylor were active members of GMM for many years. Phyllis served on the Worship and Ministry Committee, the Peace Committee and the Funeral Arrangements Committee for many years and was a source of much inspiring ministry. She and Dick were stalwart and courageous activists for peace and justice in the world. As noted by her family, “she leaves with us a map of how to do justly for all.” Oh how we will miss her.
Save the Date: A celebration of Phyllis’s life – September 20, 2:00 - 4:00pm, at Germantown Meetinghouse.
NO PARKING AGAIN ON COMMONS – SUNDAY, JUNE 14
Alas, the giant tent will still be on the Commons, across from the meeting house, this Sunday 6/14. The tent company had an unexpected scheduling snag. Apologies for the inconvenience.
- No parking on the Common this Sunday, June 14.
- The parking lot across Coulter Street will be open for us to use on Sunday.
- And let’s keep the spots immediately behind and around the meetinghouse available to those of us who need them most.
DRIVING MISS DAISY – DIRECTED BY GMM MEMBER CARLA CHILDS!
When? Opens tonight Friday, June, 12
- Runs for next 3 weekends, through June 28; Friday & Saturday evenings, Sunday matinees
Where? Old Academy Players (3544 Indian Queen Lane, in East Falls)
Our member Carla Childs is directing a production of Driving Miss Daisy at Old Academy Players this month!
- The place is the Deep South, the time 1948, just prior to the civil rights movement. Having recently demolished another car, Daisy Werthan, a rich, sharp-tongued Jewish widow of seventy-two, is informed by her son, Boolie, that henceforth she must rely on the services of a chauffeur. The person he hires for the job is a thoughtful, unemployed black man, Hoke, whom Miss Daisy immediately regards with disdain and who, in turn, is not impressed with his employer’s patronizing tone and, he believes, her latent prejudice.
Run of show: June 12, 13, 14; June 19, 20, 21; and June 26, 27, 28
All are invited and encouraged to attend!
THANKS TO ALL WHO HELPED SHOW GRATITUDE FOR GFS FACULTY & STAFF!
A crew of GMM folks (led by the Outreach Committee) came out this morning (6/12) to provide a breakfast spread on the meetinghouse porch for GFS faculty & staff. They were scheduled for a day of meetings, and we wanted to express our GMM gratitude for their amazing work with GFS children throughout the year!
WE CAN ALL HELP GMM REDUCE OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT!
Our Fundraising Committee recently reminded us that our Meeting has taken on a new campaign – to raise funds to facilitate reducing our carbon footprint… a challenge posed by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM), and heartily embraced by our Environmental Concerns Committee and Monthly Meeting.
- PYM will contribute some funding, thanks to Rob Smith’s efforts on a PYM grant application!
- In addition, donations of any size to this effort help unlock an additional $50,000 matching grant!
Be a part of reducing our carbon footprint. A gift to our meeting, and to our global environment.
HOW TO DONATE?
- Send a check to Germantown Monthly Meeting (47 W. Coulter Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144)
- Give online through Philadelphia Yearly Meeting’s donation portal - Click here
- Put a contribution in the Donation Box on the wall between the Committee & Social Rooms
Gifts of all sizes make an impact. Really. We want everyone to participate!
Many thanks to those who have already contributed, and to all of you who plan to do so.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR REFRESHMENTS IN JUNE & JULY!! ☕🍪
Our weekly coffee, tea & yummy snacks don’t happen by magic.
We still need to recruit volunteers from amongst members/attenders to make them happen!
- June 21 - June 28 - July 5 - July 12 - July 19 - July 26
- Please contact Mike Pechter or click here to sign up
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
LOVE AS ACTION: RESISTING AUTHORITARIANISM
When? Sunday, June 13 at 2:00pm
Where? Philadelphia City Hall (1400 John F Kennedy Blvd)
Please join the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and Philadelphia area Friends to bear witness and show resistance to the authoritarian actions in our country. Friends, members of other faith communities, and people of conscience will gather for one hour of silent public worship at Philadelphia City Hall. Our hope is that our presence will give hope to all who see us – to show that we can choose resistance - and remind everyone of our moral obligations to one another.
- Registration here is encouraged but not required.
PYM CONVERSATION CIRCLES - Virtual
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting is launching a new program called the Friends Experiment. During virtual gatherings spread across June, Friends will come together to discuss topics important to their meetings and share their challenges and successes, with the goal of learning from each other and collectively building a thriving yearly meeting.
Learn and share the best ways Friends are addressing these topics with the wider body and potentially organize more gatherings like these in the future!
Free and open to all PYM Friends. Register for any or all of the dates and topics below.
- Children’s Religious Education – June 14, 2026 @ 7 pm
- Finance & Property – June 15, 2026 @ 5:30 pm
- Pastoral Care – June 17, 2026 @ 1:00 pm
- Spiritual Action – June 22, 2026 @ 5:30 pm
- Adult Religious Education – June 18, 2026 @ 5:30 pm
- Event Planning and Event Promotion – June 25, 2026 @ 5:30 pm
QUAKERS ENDING MASS INCARCERATION COLLABORATIVE (QEMIC) MEETING
When & Where? Wednesday, June 17, 6:30pm, on Zoom (link below)
In this Collaborative, we seek to reduce mass incarceration, reduce its effects on people who are incarcerated and their families, and assist those recently released from incarceration in their transition back into society. We engage in the education of Friends and community members regarding how the current carceral system operates, both systemically and at the individual level.
- Zoom link here; Meeting ID: 847 8697 2371
- Questions? Jeff Powers, Co-Clerk, 804-725-8868; Tom Grabe, Co-Clerk, 267-233-3862
GATHERING OF FRIENDS – FRIENDS GENERAL CONFERENCE: STILL TIME TO REGISTER
When & Where? July 7 – 12, 2026 in Burlington, VT
What is The Gathering? Friends come together from across North America (and sometimes further) to deepen connection to one another and the Spirit. Gathering attenders range from newborns to elders in their nineties and include both long-time Friends (mostly from the unprogrammed, liberal tradition), and those newer to the Quaker faith. In structure, it’s part conference and part family camp. In content, it provides an abundance of opportunities to learn about Quakerism, foster spiritual life, and to have fun.
SAVE THE DATE: PHILADELPHIA QUARTERLY MEETING - Summer Meeting
When? Sunday, July 19, 10:30am - 4:00pm
Where? Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting (20 Mermaid Lane)
Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting invites Friends to a day of worship, fellowship, and reflection on how we are called to accompany our neighbors.
PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING (PYM)
- PYM Weekly Update
- PYM Events Calendar: Check out upcoming and ongoing programs promoted by PYM
GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL (GFS) NEWS & EVENTS
GRADUATING SENIORS LOOK BACK ON THEIR TIME AT GFS
The GFS Class of 2026 is in a reflective state of mind. Hear from some members of the graduating class about the lessons they have learned at GFS, and what they’ll miss most after graduation (including meeting for worship!) as they head into the next chapter.
GFS RELEASES FIVE-YEAR SUSTAINABILITY PLAN
If you missed it … learn more about GFS' Five-Year Sustainability Plan, created by Francine Locke, GFS’ Director of Sustainability, in collaboration with the Stewardship Committee and leadership team, and with the input of student leaders in the Upper School Environmental Action Club. This work builds off generations of sustainability and stewardship work across the school community.
TAKE ACTION!
PRAYER VIGIL FOR IMMIGRATION JUSTICE
When? Wednesday, June 17, 12:00 - 1:00pm
Where? U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Philadelphia Field Office (114 N 8th St.)
Join the New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia for an interfaith prayer vigil in support of immigrant respect and safety. It will include words of inspiration, song, and prayer, and last approximately 45 minutes.
RECLAIM PHILADELPHIA – GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD!
Reclaim Philadelphia builds community power to win change, reclaim government for the people, and advance economic, racial, and gender justice. Neighborhood Chapters are our community hubs, organized by volunteer leader teams. These hyper local organizing groups focus on building community within Reclaim’s base and connecting with community groups and neighbors.
GUIDE TO ICE WATCH HOTLINES AND IMMIGRATION RESOURCES
Provided by GMM member John Colgan Davis; also available at the resource table at GMM on Sundays.
A list of resources and organizations with guidance on immigration support.
Many of these on-the-ground organizations have been working with immigrant communities for years.
TRYING TO FIND SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS?
Mobilize is a central posting site with opportunities for local actions for protest and in support of social justice.
- See more here, and bookmark their site!
➤ LIST OF ONGOING/WEEKLY SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS
CLICK HERE for a list of ongoing, weekly/regularly scheduled vigils & protests supporting immigrants, Palestine, peace, Constitutional rights, etc.
- Includes standing events such as — Fridays @ Fettermans, Mondays @ McCormicks, We the People Wednesdays, etc.
(These used to be listed every week in the Friday Bee, but we are consolidating them into their own linked document.)
Have more ongoing protests and vigils to include?
Send them to the GMM Office (gmm@germantownfriends.org)
GERMANTOWN & NEARBY
SECOND SATURDAYS GERMANTOWN
When? Saturday, June 13
Every second Saturday thru November will have free tours, activities, events happening at various sites throughout Germantown and vicinity. Read more here to see the many options - including yoga, workshops & free tours!
SLOW FLOW YOGA AT FAIR HILL
When? Saturday, June 13, 11:00am
Where? Historic Fair Hill (2901 Germantown Ave)
Fun & gentle, restorative yoga flow with stretching, mindfulness, and Qi Gong.
Accessible to all ages and experience levels. Bilingual (Spanish & English).
FAMILY ARCHIVE WORKSHOP
When? Saturday, June 13, 12:30 - 2:00pm
Where? Stenton Museum (4601 N 18th St)
Join Stenton and the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts at Penn Libraries, for an interactive family archiving workshop! You’ll explore how to preserve fragile old photos, letters, and paper-based memorabilia that hold your family’s unique history.
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, 12:00noon (ET)
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)