June 2026 Newsletter

Kennett Friends Meeting – Monthly Newsletter

125 W Sickle St, Kennett Square, PA 19348

KennettFriends.org – 610-444-1012 – coordinator@kennettfriends.org

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✦ Please enter the Worship room quietly. Conversations are welcome downstairs or in the  library. Thank you in advance. ✦ 

Thursday, June 4	7:00 PM – Meeting for Worship for Peace
Saturday, June 6	8:00 AM – Men’s Breakfast at the Market at Liberty Place 9:30 AM – Women’s breakfast, in the home of Barb McIlvaine Smith –  see details below
Sunday, June 7	Family Sunday Marykate will be providing childcare 9:30 AM –  Adult Discussion facilitated by Eliot Dalton, Query 6: Nurturing Our Community:  Stewardship of Resources 10:45 AM – Gathering 11:00 AM – Meeting for Worship  12:00 PM – Light Refreshments provided by the Hospitality Committee and others who feel led to share
Thursday, June 11	7:00 PM – Meeting for Worship for Peace – see details below
Sunday, June 14	Marykate will be providing childcare 9:00 AM – Meeting for Business 10:45 AM – Gathering 11:00 AM – Meeting for Worship
Thursday, June 18	7:00 PM – Meeting for Worship for Peace – see details below
Saturday, June 20	1:00 PM – Quaker Silent Witness – see details below
Sunday, June 21	Samantha will be providing childcare 9:30 AM – Adult Class Discussion on the Addressing Racism Collaborative (ARC) Queries – see Queries below 10:45 AM – Gathering 11:00 AM – Meeting for Worship
Thursday, June 25	7:00 PM – Meeting for Worship for Peace – see details below
Sunday, June 28	Marykate will be providing childcare 9:00 AM – Meeting for Worship at Old Kennett Meeting 10:00 AM – Refreshments provided by OK Committee 10:30 AM – Quaker Makers Knit-Along at OKM

✦ Through June, Andrea Puskar and Sheila Tekavec will be on the facing bench

✦ Our June greeters are Laura MacKelcan and Carol Lorah Bland.

Sixth Query

Nurturing Our Community: Stewardship of Resources

• How does our meeting accommodate ecological, economic and social justice in its uses of property and money?
• Does our meeting engage its members in supporting the meeting’s work, its ministry and the upkeep of its property?
• Does our meeting encourage its members to support with their time, energy and finances the quarterly and yearly meetings and other Quaker organizations?
• To what extent does our meeting rely on current members and attenders for financial support and to what extent on other sources?

• How do I demonstrate in my own decision making a concern for ecological, economic and social justice?
• How do I simplify my needs, making choices that balance self-sufficiency and fair sharing of resources?
• Do I balance my work-life and other activities with the time and energy needed for my spiritual growth and service?
• Do I contribute to the work of Friends in my meeting, in the quarterly and yearly meetings and in the wider world of Friends?

Thursday, June 4th, and every Thursday:  Meeting for Worship for Peace

The Worship Room at Kennett Friends Meeting will be open from 7-8 pm every Thursday evening for Meeting for Worship for Peace.  Come join us in shared time together reflecting on peace for the world, aligning with a higher consciousness for the greater good.

Image shared by permission of local artist, Suzaane Gaadt

Saturday, June 6th:

Men’s Breakfast at 8am in the Market at Liberty Place

Women’s Breakfast at 9:30am in the home of Barb McIlvaine Smith – Barb has graciously offered to host a potluck Women’s Breakfast on June 6th in her home, which is within walking distance of the Meetinghouse. She will provide quiche, coffee & juice, and she’s kindly asked that f/Friends bring a favorite breakfast dish to share. Your RSVP is also requested. Please note her new phone number and send a text message to Barb:  (484) 753-4258.

Sunday, June 7th:

A graduation celebration for Payton Myers will take place on the Meetinghouse lawn at 1pm; all Kennett Meeting f/Friends are welcome to attend. For more information and to RSVP, please use this link: https://evite.me/gDtukbqavu.

Wednesday, June 17th:

Barbara Clarke will lead the Spirituality Book Discussion as the group reads and reflects upon the Gospel of Luke and ponders the sayings in the Gospel of Thomas. Join the discussion in the library of the Meetinghouse, or virtually on Zoom:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86739314909?pwd=QnJmUWxWQ2ZPVzRkQ3M2YklDRWp2QT09

Meeting ID: 867 3931 4909 – Passcode: 391875

Saturday, June 20th:

AFSC Silent Witness

The AFSC invites Friends and people of all faiths to gather in Quaker-led silent worship all across the country to share witness to the rising authoritarianism and oppression in the United States. Please join us at Kennett Friends Meeting every third Saturday at 1pm for an hour of silent witness as part of the AFSC “Love as Action” effort. We’ll stand in front of our Meeting’s sign on North Union Street, holding our new banner: Quakers’ Silent Witness for Peace. Please wear comfortable shoes, hats, sunscreen, and plain, light colored clothing appropriate for the weather.  Bring a chair and water to be comfortable. For more details, please email or text Barb McIlvaine Smith.

2026 Juneteenth Jubilee – Celebrate freedom and unity at Kennett Library on Saturday, June 20th from 10am to 3pm, co-sponsored by Hadley. Enjoy an inspiring day of family-friendly activities in the children’s village, delicious food, music, cultural performances, storytelling, and more. Tickets are free, but registration is encouraged.  For more information visit Kennett Square Juneteenth or see the flyer attached.

Seeds of Peace Committee Hosts the Monthly Community Rising Workshop will return in September after a summer break in June, July, and August.

Saturday, June 27th:  People’s Hall “What to the Slave is the 4th of July?”

The weather forecast says it will rain on Saturday, but it will be SUNSHINE in People’s Hall. Like the United States Postal Service (USPS), rain or shine, they are delivering this SATURDAY, June 27th, from 2-3:15 PM. Working collaboratively with East Fallowfield’s America250 events, People’s Hall is presenting their Frederick Douglass, “What to the Slave is the 4th of July?” program.  Unquestionably and undeniably,  Douglass’ speech is a defining one in all of American History.  

Please check out our People’s Hall website (check out the photos and videos of May program). On Facebook, please make sure you follow their page. 

For more information, please see the flyer attached, email or call:

PEOPLESHALL1845@GMAIL.COM  OR (484) 247-4279

Sunday, June 28th:  Marlborough Meeting Community Picnic

On Sunday, 6/28 Marlborough Meeting will be having a community picnic at the Rise of Meeting, around 12:15pm.  All are welcome.  The Meetinghouse is located at 361 Marlborough Road.

Quaker Women in the News

On Sunday, May 31st, Barbara Clarke presented A Quaker Woman:  Elizabeth Hooten, who served as a mentor to George Fox. For those who missed it or want more information, a PDF is attached to this email.

Hospitality & Refreshments

Although the Hospitality Committee is on break for the summer, they will host fellowship with refreshments on Sunday, 6/21 because there is an adult discussion before Worship. All are welcome to bring something to share if called to do so. 

• June 28th refreshments provided by :  Old Kennett Committee
• July 26th refreshments provided by :  Care & Counsel
• August 30th refreshments provided by:  Worship & Ministry

Building Usage

At the April Meeting for Business, we decided to share out approved requests for building usage to keep members and attenders up to date:

• Saturdays beginning on June 13th until the end of July, Lars will be downstairs using the area around the piano from 1-4pm unless another building use request is received and approved by the House & Property committee.
• LaToya Myers will be hosting a graduation celebration on June 7th
• Jenna Breault will be hosting her wedding ceremony on November 14th

News from Old Kennett Meeting

Old Kennett Meetinghouse & Cemetery will be open for Meeting for Worship at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 28, followed by a special 10:30 a.m. guided tour for Kennett Friends.

• The June tour is free and no registration is needed. It will also serve as a training walk-through for several prospective volunteer tour guides.
• There is a new Old Kennett Tour Script & Field Reference Manual to help volunteers lead accurate, welcoming, and engaging 60-minute tours of the meetinghouse and cemetery. The manual includes the route, speaking points, historical background, safety notes, and reference material, so guides do not need to memorize everything. Anyone interested in receiving the training, joining the tour guide team, and getting a copy of the field manual should contact Lars Farmer:  (302) 299-2111
• Public tours in July and August are also scheduled, with registration required:

Sunday, July 26, 2026 — 12:00 noon
Sunday, August 30, 2026 — 10:30 a.m.
Sunday, August 30, 2026 — 12:00 noon

• Register for the public tours here:
  https://sites.google.com/view/old-kennett
• Tours are free, but space is limited. Donations are accepted to help care for Old Kennett Meetinghouse & Cemetery.

Lars encourages anyone with interest in a burial plot in the cemetery at Old Kennett Meeting to call and leave voicemail, (610) 444-1012.  The email for OKM is not working at this time.

News from f/Friends

Friends may remember Rita Funchion and Ray Armat and their sons as frequent attenders of Kennett Friends Meeting in the past.  Rita and Ray have made the trip to Kennett Square recently to attend the Men’s and Women’s breakfasts and Annual Picnic.  Rita sent a message recently to share news about their farm:  “Our farm is offering a discount, use promocode:  LOCALPENN for seasonal orders / gift certificates for chemical-free fruits and vegetables delivered to Kennett Meetinghouse or to your doorstep.  We expect to deliver every 2-3 weeks based upon need.”

PA Farm Fresh

News from WQM

• Summer Worship at Historic Meetinghouses is scheduled twice in June and once in September, flyer attached
• June 14th at 3pm – Support Committee meeting via the WQM Zoom link
• June 15th at 7pm – Discussion of Patterns of Racial Wounding and Racial Justice in Quaker Communities, hosted at London Grove Friends Meeting, in-person and virtually on Zoom, flyer attached
• June 20th at 3pm – Basketweaving Workshop at Centre Friends Meeting, back by popular demand, flyer attached

News from PYM

PYM announces The Friends Experiment – Virtual Conversation Circles around Topics PYM Friends Share – throughout the month of June. For more information, please see the attached flyer, send an email to communications@pym.org, use this link to register.

Don’t forget, Annual Sessions will meet at Cheyney University, July 22-26 – for more information and to register, click here. 

PYM Governance welcomes Friends who feel led—or are simply curious—to serve. Meetings are encouraged to invite members to be aware of opportunities to participate in the governance of the regional Quaker body. These opportunities include a range of roles that support the work of the yearly meeting, including service on councils and committees, as well as quarter representatives who serve in nominating roles for the Joint Council. If you would like to nominate someone to serve, or to express interest in serving in a governance role within Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, please contact Nominating Council clerk George Schaefer at gschaefer@pym.org.

PYM recently streamlined their weekly newsletter to better share timely updates and opportunities across our community. If you are not already subscribed, you may sign up here: https://pym.us16.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=eeb61bfc43b13b95b718e6bb1&id=d5e386e87a

A Special Message from the American Friends Service Committee

Dear Kennett Friends,

I’m writing to share with you some information about an exciting opportunity to stand in public witness with AFSC on July 4th against rising authoritarianism in the United States! We’re calling it the Declaration of Resistance!

Could you please help spread the word amongst Friends in your community?

AFSC warmly invites Kennett Friends to join us on July 4^th, 2026 as part of a coordinated national day of action: a Declaration of Resistance to the rise of authoritarianism.  Together, we will explore ways to protect our communities and imagine the shared future we want to build. 

We will gather at Arch Street Meeting House (320 Arch Street) at 8:30 AM to take part in a People’s March from Washington Square Park to Independence Mall. In coalition with local and national groups marching in the People’s March, we will declare our commitments to: 

• Protect people and communities 
• Resist authoritarian government 
• Build a free, equal and just future  

After the march, we will come together at Friends Center at noon for lunch, fellowship, and light programming focused on the work ahead. We hope you will join us for this meaningful time of connection and collective purpose. 

Please register with this link: National Day of Action: A Declaration of Resistance · American Friends Service Committee

We hope you will bring your spirit, your energy, and your commitment as we gather to protect, resist, and build together in this moment. 

In Peace,

Brian Blackmore

And last, but not least:

Baby Max is here! 

Sarah is our “lead” childcare provider – and a fan favorite.  Max arrived weighing in at 8lbs 5oz, with a full head of hair.  Sarah and Max are both doing well. Please sign-up for the meal train – https://mealtrain.com/2rkg4q – The site accommodates donations and gift cards as well. Sarah requested that you send a text message before arrival – her number is: 215-390-3540, her address is on the site where signup occurs. Text or email Samantha Park with any questions.

✦ Save the date for a joint Western Quarterly Meeting with Concord Quarter Friends on Sunday, July 19th at Wilmington Friends Meeting. ✦ 

✦ If you have content for the July newsletter, please share it by Sunday, June 28th. If you have information to share during June that did not make this newsletter, send it before Thursday to be included in the weekly updates emailed on Friday. ✦ 

Friendly Reminder

While Selina is away on maternity leave, please direct all inquiries to Sheila. Send an email to SheilaRTekavec@gmail.com or call/text (610) 241-4825.

With gratitude,

Sheila Tekavec for

Selina Toedter

Communications Coordinator

Kennett Monthly Meeting – 125 W. Sickle Street Kennett Square PA 19348