Pacific Yearly Meeting is …
People …
- We are the more than 1,100 members plus many more attenders of Quaker meetings and worship groups in our region.
- We have programs and activities for youth, families, and a vibrant intergenerational community.
A Regional Community Made up of Local Groups …
- We are the 50 or so local meetings and worship groups: one in Mexico City and the rest in three states of the USA: California, Hawai’i, and Nevada… (Guatemala Meeting having been laid down in 2018)
- List of Meetings and Worship Groups under the care of PYM
- QuakerFinder.org has a searchable database and map by zip code (some results are for PYM Meetings, some are for the other three Yearly Meetings that overlap our geographic region)
- … and the Friends among us who are geographically isolated or in transition and not currently affiliated with a local meeting, such as some Young Adult Friends.
- Western Friend is the official publication of Quakers in Pacific, North Pacific, and Intermountain Yearly Meetings.
A Gathering …
- We are our Annual Session. We are called a “yearly” meeting because we hold an annual gathering where all interested Friends from throughout the region gather to worship, connect, and conduct business together.
A Participatory Community …
- We are the volunteers and staff doing work as committees, officers, boards, and working groups on behalf of the whole community.
- Representative Committee (“RepCom”) plans for the Annual Session and considers business that needs attention between Annual Sessions.
- Coordinating Teams are a link between the various committees and individuals hard at work organizing the Annual Session or the RepCom meeting.
- Link to list of committee members and officeholders
- Calendar of Events
- We have an active youth community with opportunities to worship, socialize, and participate in service and action. Check out our Youth Programs Section. If you would like to contact the PYM Youth Programs Coordinator, please email youthprogramscoordinator@pacificyearlymeeting.org.
A Structure for Service and Action …
- Since Friends believe that peace can come through social and environmental justice, we have a strong emphasis on carrying our faith into action.
PYM has a booklet “Faithfulness in Action: Supporting Leadings in Pacific Yearly Meeting” to help Friends understand how to discern when they are experiencing a leading and get support in fulfilling the leading.
We have committees such as Unity with Nature, Peace & Social Order, and Latin American Concerns at the Yearly Meeting level, as do our local Meetings. If you are interested in serving on one of these committees or know someone who has gifts in one of these areas, visit our Get Involved web page or contact the Nominating Committee of a local meeting.
Part of the Religious Society of Friends …
The Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers, is one of the traditional peace churches. Pacific Yearly Meeting is a regional organization consisting of local Friends Meetings in 3 US states (California, Hawaii, Nevada), and Mexico City. The California and Nevada Meetings are divided into College Park Quarterly Meeting (Northern California plus Reno, NV) and Southern California Quarterly Meeting (includes Las Vegas, NV).
- Wikipedia has a decent evolving article about the diversity of Friends worldwide.
- Friends General Conference (to which PacYM became affiliated in 2019) has an FAQ page.
- Friends World Committee for Consultation has a description about the various “Kinds of Friends“
- Social Media links can be found on our Links page
We invite you to read our book of Faith and Practice to learn more about our community.
Contact Us
Photo Galleries of Pacific YM Friends
A little of what we do to shine our Light in the world: PYM Photo and Video Gallery
Salt and Light: Documentary of the Sixth World Conference of Friends
The documentary “Salt and Light,” a vivid video story of the Sixth World Conference of Friends, comes thanks to four Friends from Pacific Yearly Meeting.