Families at Meeting
Families and children are a vital part of the Quaker community. Many Quaker meetings have special Sunday programs designed especially for children. Philadelphia Yearly Meeting or PYM (the umbrella organization for Bucks Quarter Quakers) has ongoing and fun programs for families, young children, teens and young adults.
Programs
The Children’s Program provides opportunities for children in grades K-5 to gather for worship, fun, fellowship, learning, and service. It is an opportunity to form lifelong bonds within the Quaker community and to grow spiritually within that community. There are also twice-yearly family overnight programs and an annual Parent Gathering.
The Middle School Friends program is for youth in grades 5th through 8th. The goal of the program is supporting the spiritual growth of young Quakers who are in that peculiar and wonderful stage of life commonly known as middle school. It is hoped that by participating in the MSF program, they will come away with a better sense of what it means to be a Quaker, establish and maintain meaningful relationships with other Quakers their age, and develop a sense of possibility for what being Quaker could mean for them in their lives today, and in the future.
The Young Friends program is open to any 9th through 12th grader who would like to engage in community, spiritual excavation, and — perhaps most importantly — the fun and joy of being with other young Quaker and Quaker-friendly folks. Young Friends have the opportunity to participate in weekend-long gatherings throughout the year, which provide opportunities to experiment in and learn about leadership in a way that is distinctive to the Quaker community.
Young Adult Friends (YAF) is a community of 18–35ish Quakers who live throughout the Bucks County and Philadelphia area and beyond. They come together for fellowship, rejuvenation, and to deepen connections to one another. They provide resources to young adults and also organize and participate in quarterly retreats.