Our Peace and Social Concerns Committee
Central Philadelphia Meeting organizes its work through committees. Peace and Social Concerns Committee is a very active, socially-engaged group of people who work together to address some of the most pressing issues of our time, particularly those of interest to committee members.
Current areas of concern include:
Recent Activities:
-
Hosted the opening and exhibition of the Philadelphia region’s first “Imagine a Clean Energy Future” Student Contest among 5th – 12th grade students. The Friends Center exhibited over 100 of the students’ entries for more than a month in April and May 2023.
-
Sponsored a workshop welcoming the “Golden Rule”, a modest sailboat on a major mission to prevent nuclear conflict. The Golden Rule played a critical role in stopping nuclear testing in the Pacific Ocean in the 1970’s and is now supported by Veterans for Peace. George Lakey, one of our members with a direct connection to the Golden Rule published an article recently describing its work in the larger context of successful social change activism and protest.
- Conducted a discernment process to develop policy guidance for the Friends Committee on National Legislation on the issue of Female Reproductive Rights.
- Awarded several small grants to local nonprofit corporations
-
Provided a donation to Ukrainian community development and war relief efforts
Upcoming Events
Relationships to other organizations
We work closely with a number of other Friends organizations, including the Eco Justice Collaborative and the Middle East Collaborative, FCNL, AFSC and EQAT as well as with non-Quaker organizations involved in similar issues. These collaborations are always developing and strengthening to increase our effectiveness.
Grant Funding
Peace and Social Concerns Committee is the steward of two small funds of the Meeting that support community organizations whose work benefits our neighbors in Philadelphia. We announce the availability of these funds through this website and other channels and solicit applications. As a committee we then make funding decisions. Occasionally we have sponsored events to supplement these funds.
At Christmas we choose a specific organization that we feel deserves our support, decorate a holiday tree with envelopes of donations and announce the total raised to the meeting during our Twelfth Month Dinner in December.
Relationship to the Monthly Meeting for Business
Whenever an issue should be brought to the attention of the Meeting as a whole, we ask to be put on the agenda of the monthly meeting and one or more members of our committee reports to the meeting.
Join us in letting our lives speak
We feel that as members of the Religious Society of Friends we are called to “Let our Lives Speak” as an act of putting our faith into practice. Should you feel drawn to be in community with others of like mind we welcome you.
Though some committees are limited to members of the meeting, the Peace and Social Concerns Committee welcomes both members and attenders at our meetings. You are welcome to attend one of our meetings to get a feel for our work. If you are interested in getting more involved, you might express your interest to the Nominating Committee of the monthly meeting. Members of the Peace and Social Concerns Committee are appointed for a 3-year term which can be extended to a second 3-year term. We meet once a month on third Mondays at 6:45 pm. Currently because of Covid we are meeting virtually on Zoom. If you are not a member and wish to attend you should contact Liz Robinson or Tom Jenik, co-clerks of the committee. Other members of the committee are George Lakey and Sandy Rea.
Please contact either of the co-clerks for more information.
Tom Jenik:Mobile Phone: 610-212-2981
Email: tomjenik@hotmail.com
Liz Robinson Mobile Phone:
Mobile Phone: 215-285-2710
Email lizhrob2@gmail.com