Newtown Quakers' Brunch Kicks Off Fall Sunday School Classes

Historic Newtown Friends Meeting at 219 Court Street is beginning its fall season of First Day Classes (Sunday School) for children and adults with an opening brunch at 9:30 a.m. on First Day (Sunday), September 12.    The public is invited.  Parking for Handicapped-Only  is available at the Meetinghouse, and additional parking is available at The Stocking Works, 301 South State Street (two short blocks).

At 9:30 a.m., finger food, juice, and coffee will be served on the Meeting House grounds, after which 75-80 children will meet with their teachers to get to know them and discuss the year’s program schedule.  Many of the volunteer teachers are parents and/or teachers from the Meeting’s school, Newtown Friends School, and George School, the Quaker boarding school in Newtown.

This year, the children will be studying a wide range of subjects including Bible stories and Quaker history and practice.  Teenagers' classes will feature a discussion series as well as a series with individual adult members to discuss the adult's spiritual journey and professional career.  The young people‘s first charitable fund-raising event of  the year is The Simple Supper scheduled for November 6, 5-6 p.m.

The adult class this year will feature a series of discussions on the Core Beliefs of the People Called Quakers, Spiritual Journeys by Meeting members and other prominent Quakers, a series on the meanings of the Murals in the City of Philadelphia, and other topics such as the founder and CEO of Applegate Farms, Stephen McDonnell, on organic foods and sustainability.

The kick-off speaker for the adult class on September 19 at 9:45 a.m. will be Arthur Larrabee, General Secretary of the 11,000  member Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) on “Core Beliefs of Quakers.”   His presentation will be followed by seven weekly programs with individual speakers on the Quaker concepts of  Simplicity, Integrity, Equality, Community, Peace, Stewardship, and  Service,

Newtown Friends Meeting co-founded by "Peaceable Kingdom" painter and Quaker minister, Edward Hicks, in 1815, is open to all who wish to attend.  Regular First Day Education classes (Sunday School) for all ages begin at 9:45 a.m. and Meeting for Worship begins at 11 a.m.  Childcare is provided.