Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting

Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting A Quaker community in NW Philadelphia whose meetinghouse includes a James Turrell Skyspace.

We welcome everyone to join us every Sunday at 10:30 am for meeting for worship. We offer free childcare for youngsters and we have Sunday school for older kids. Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting (CHFM) is a Quaker community in northwest Philadelphia, which has embarked upon an extraordinary outreach project: a new meetinghouse for Friends, the local community, the Philadelphia region, and beyond. Inc

orporating a contemporary art installation -- a Skyspace by James Turrell, this “green” building is home to the growing Friends meeting, facilitating enhanced social justice activities and attracting those who value quiet contemplation, the environment, the arts and a vibrant community. This 21st Century meetinghouse continues a 350-year-old Philadelphia tradition begun by William Penn by offering a safe and welcoming place for people of all faiths to gather for quiet reflection, worship and fellowship. In addition, it is an educational resource for green living, demonstrating up-to-date ways of conserving energy and living in harmony with the natural world. The new meetinghouse is located at 20 East Mermaid Lane in Chestnut Hill. Gifts from meeting members, friends, neighbors, and funders helped make this building a reality. Of course, all are welcome to join us for silent worship during Quaker meetings on Sunday mornings at 10.30 a.m., or to visit when we host among other things: Mount Airy Learning Tree continued education classes; election day polling; or, mindfulness meditation seminars.

From Stony Run Friends Meeting (): Conscientious objection is not passive. It is an active and deliberate engagement wit...
06/01/2026

From Stony Run Friends Meeting (): Conscientious objection is not passive. It is an active and deliberate engagement with one of the most serious questions a person can face: Would I participate in organized killing if my government told me to? If the answer is no, build the evidence for that answer now.

Visit here for a highly actionable, one-page leaflet to help youth - and those who support them - document their beliefs as conscientious objectors to war: https://stonyrunfriends.org/co/ You can also view the companion presentation and learn about a training they held on May 17, 2026 and the topics covered.

“We utterly deny all outward wars and strife and fightings with outward weapons, for any end, or under any pretence whatsoever; and this is our testimony to the whole world. - Declaration of Friends to Charles II, 1660

Our chestnut Hill Friends Meeting Property and Skyspace Committee volunteers recently spent their Saturday morning up on...
05/31/2026

Our chestnut Hill Friends Meeting Property and Skyspace Committee volunteers recently spent their Saturday morning up on a hot meeting house roof to replace its rubber seal. The 110 lb seal inflates to close the gap around the ceiling opening and the retractable Skyspace roof. Because it sprang a leak, the meeting room was very drafty last winter! Huge thanks to the volunteers for making this happen. What a feat!

Our stewardship committee had a “stuffing party” last night—this is how we put our funding appeal letter together. We al...
05/28/2026

Our stewardship committee had a “stuffing party” last night—this is how we put our funding appeal letter together. We also always have pizza :). We’re sending these letters out to close our $34,000 gap ahead of the end of our fiscal year on June 30th. Huge thanks to everyone who has contributed or plans to! And thanks for giving us a good reason to get together.

05/18/2026

Thank you to our hospitality committee for this incredible spread. We are so grateful to the many ways people contribute to our meeting!

This is our Quaker meeting’s Hedie Kelly serving as sign language interpreter for the ’ PHLabilities awards today! The e...
05/15/2026

This is our Quaker meeting’s Hedie Kelly serving as sign language interpreter for the ’ PHLabilities awards today! The event celebrates students with varying abilities, their resilience, and their potential.

It was a beautiful Mother’s Day at Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting this morning! ❤️
05/10/2026

It was a beautiful Mother’s Day at Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting this morning! ❤️

05/07/2026

Does this resonate with you? Does ministry come just in Quaker meeting or other formal religious spaces at a set time or can you see people practicing ministry in other ways and at other times?

An exciting exhibit on Quakerism opening at Philly’s  coming up!
04/09/2026

An exciting exhibit on Quakerism opening at Philly’s coming up!

From the Peace and Social Concerns CommitteeVIGILS IN SUPPORT OF IMMIGRANTS: Interfaith Prayer Vigils are held for an ho...
04/02/2026

From the Peace and Social Concerns Committee
VIGILS IN SUPPORT OF IMMIGRANTS:
Interfaith Prayer Vigils are held for an hour Mondays at 11 AM and Wednesdays at noon at the ICE offices at 8th and Cherry Streets. Join Friends and members of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim congregations to pray for courage for the immigrants arriving for their required check-ins, and for compassion for the ICE officers reviewing their cases.


April 3 Good Friday Prayer Vigil

There will be a special interfaith Good Friday prayer vigil outside the Philadelphia ICE Field Office – 114 N. 8th Street at 10:00 AM. Join us for prayer, reflection, and public witness as we stand for dignity and justice.

Our Meeting runs smoothly because of volunteers--volunteers to greet you at the door, volunteers to run and host the Zoo...
12/29/2025

Our Meeting runs smoothly because of volunteers--volunteers to greet you at the door, volunteers to run and host the Zoom during meeting for worship, volunteers to prepare the snacks after meeting, volunteers who take care of the property and landscape, volunteers who ensure our children are learning and well-cared for, volunteers who host the Skyspace, and the list goes on and on. All of those volunteers are organized by committees and we have 19 of them! This spring our committees will have some turnover in membership, as they do every year, and it's the job of the Nominating Committee to put new community members on each committee.

Whether you're new to our Quaker Meeting or you've been a member your whole life, your service is warmly welcomed and valued. We are asking that you fill out this short survey so that we can understand what committee would be the best fit for you. We will be in touch whether you fill out the survey or not. We ask that you fill out the survey by Wednesday, January 7th. It should take just a few minutes! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the Nominating Committee at [email protected].

Thank you for helping strengthen the life of our Meeting. Whether you are new to the community or a long-time member, please take a few minutes to share how you feel led to participate. Your responses will help Nominating and committee clerks understand where gifts and interests may lie. The Meeting...

Address

20 E Mermaid Lane
Philadelphia, PA
19118

Opening Hours

10:30am - 11:30am

Telephone

+12152473553

Alerts

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