05/21/2026
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting is a member of the National Council of Churches (NCC), a coalition of faith communities that works together on issues that affect people facing hardship. Through this affiliation, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting stays connected with other churches and shared efforts that reach beyond our region.
The NCC began in the 1950s and represents a wide network in the United States, often described as serving about 45 million people across more than 100,000 congregations. This shared fellowship gives Philadelphia Yearly Meeting another way to engage alongside other faith communities on matters of national concern.
Gathering May 11–14 at the Lutheran Center in Chicago, the National Council of Churches (NCC) Spring Governing Board convened under a timely theme: “Peacemaking as Ecumenical Witness in a Divided Age.” Grounded in Scripture, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God,” (Matthew 5:9, NRSVue), the meeting called leaders to embody understanding, justice, and unity as a shared expression of faith.
Participants were invited to reflect on the NCC’s calling to “live as a community of communions” committed to advancing God’s peace and healing in the world. In a time marked by division and fracture, the gathering emphasized that peacemaking is not passive, but rather, a courageous and disciplined act, one that requires humility and a willingness to build bridges across difference.
