by Lee H. | Apr 21, 2026 | Upcoming Events
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The Quaker community is excited to announce screenings of Becoming Benjamin Lay, a documentary, in the Philly suburbs. Benjamin Lay was the Quaker “prophet against slavery” who, in the 1700s, pressed Quakers to the forefront of the anti-slavery movement.
Screenings are free and open to everyone of all ages:
Mark Povinelli plays the role of Benjamin Lay
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- Abington Meetinghouse, 520 Meetinghouse Rd, Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, at 7pm on Friday 29 May, followed by talkback and reception with historian/playwright Marcus Rediker and filmmaker Tony Buba.
- Radnor Friends Meetinghouse, 610 Conestoga Rd, Villanova, Pennsylvania, on Saturday 30 May at 2-3pm, followed by talkback and reception at 3-4pm with Marcus Rediker and Tony Buba.
- Newtown Friends Meetinghouse, 219 Court St, Newtown, at 9.45-11am on Sunday 31 May.
- Middletown Friends Meetinghouse, 453 W Maple Ave, Langhorne, on Monday 1 June at 7pm. In collaboration with the African American Museum of Bucks County, First Baptist Church of Langhorne, and Bethlehem A.M.E. Church, as part of Langhorne’s America250/Langhorne150 celebration.
These screenings follow the film’s debut in Pittsburgh, as well as showings in London, Bristol, and Cambridge, England.
Take a peek into this thought-provoking documentary that pays tribute to the Quaker sailor who confronted even Benjamin Franklin’s slaveholder status.
Becoming Benjamin Lay explores the making of the stage play about Benjamin’s life, written by Marcus Rediker and Naomi Wallace–and the way actor Mark Povinelli brought Benjamin, a little person, to life on stage.
“Little Benjamin,” as he called himself, was a revolutionary who brought activism into houses of worship, to challenge the Quaker and other enslavers. Ejected from membership at four Quaker congregations, Benjamin suffered for his truth-telling. His radically simple, eco-aware, anti-racist life, fully devoted to the cause of human transformation on the planet, has aged beautifully, we find, as the actor invites us into it.
For this is more than a true-to-life story. Mark Povinelli takes us on a journey into the life of one of the earliest Quaker abolitionists on either side of the Atlantic, and asks us to commit to continuing this journey.
Tony Buba is a Pittsburgh-based filmmaker dedicated to the art of reflecting the spirit of grassroots, worker-led action. Marcus Rediker, professor at University of Pittsburgh’s Department of History, focuses on “history from below” to revive the real movers and shakers behind our human story.
“Benjamin’s values live on,” says Marcus Rediker.
“They live on when we reject the use of race or migration to oppress. They live on in the groundswell of community-led resistance and the mutual-support work that’s countering the violence, social control, and systematic oppression we witness today.”
Benjamin’s story was nearly unknown just a decade ago. The work celebrated in this documentary changes that. Join us in experiencing this film, in the ongoing pursuit of restorative justice.
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by davidmichaelcastro | Feb 9, 2026 | Upcoming Events
Radnor Meeting’s annual retreat will be Saturday March 21, from 8:30 to 2PM in our meeting house. It will be led by Anne Pomeroy, a Quaker teacher and a spiritual director.
Anne Pomeroy will lead us in a retreat about the power of Love and Spirit to transform us as individuals and as a community. Through transformation and connection, we can live in the chaos of our times in a different way. In this retreat we will explore how the Spirit moves in our community. Using reflections, discussion and small group work, we will explore the following questions:
- How does the Meeting nurture us and how do we nurture our Meeting?
- Letting go and holding on – when and what and how?
- How do we open to spiritual transformation?
Anne has a rich background in Quaker spirituality, philosophy, and community. Along with Janet Hough, she is co-clerk of the FGC annual 2026 gathering. She is the clerk of FGC’s Development Committee. In her involvement with NY Yearly Meeting, she serves on the Spiritual Nurture Working Group and as the recording clerk for the Ministry Coordinating Committee. She is a member of NYYM Conflict Transformation Committee. New Paltz Monthly Meeting is her home meeting and a regular attender of Brooklyn Meeting 9 am Worship Group.
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by Lee H. | Nov 9, 2024 | Past Events, Upcoming Events
Radnor’s Climate Action Committee and Outreach Committee have joined forces to invite our community and friends to attend the opening performance of The Return of Benjamin Lay, a play by Marcus Rediker and Naomi Wallace. The production features the Quintessence Theatre Group in residence at the Sedgwick Theatre in Mount Airy, Philadelphia.
An update on transportation for the evening of Thursday, May 1, 2025: The first bus we have dibs on holds eight people. We’ll continue planning transit as we receive commitments. Reserve a seat on a first come, first served basis.
Please let us know if you plan to go and if you hope we can reserve a bus seat for you.
Mail Lee Hall of our Climate Action Committee at climatelaw[AT]me.com to say
“I am committed to going with the group on May 1, 2025. I do not need / do hope to go in group transit.”
or
“I already bought my ticket! I do not need / do hope to go in group transit.”
Please sign up even if you’re taking your own transportation. We are looking for a number to give Quintessence management so we can participate in a talkback session following the performance.
Here’s more about the production from the Quintessence website:
A 4ft tall “Little David” confronts the “Goliath” of slavery once again as he pleads to be readmitted into the Quaker community that has disowned him and who still believe him to be dangerous. Now, “trembling at the edge of playing God himself”, how far will Benjamin go as he stares down his accusers? Continuing a unique decade-long collaboration between multi-award-winning playwright Naomi Wallace and multi-award-winning historian Marcus Rediker, featuring acclaimed American actor Mark Povinelli and directed by RSC Honorary Associate Director Ron Daniels, The Return of Benjamin Lay sweeps across the centuries in a bold exploration of an utterly impossible man.
Text and graphic featuring Mark Povinelli as Benjamin
from the play. Artwork depicting Benjamin Lay on our home page is by Vance Lehmkuhl.
by steve.olshevski | May 4, 2024 | Upcoming Events
Please join us at the rise of meeting on May 19, 2024 (Approximately 11:15 AM) for a forum led by our Benjamin Lay Fellow Nasir Young, a student at the University of Pennsylvania, on strategies to support participation of deaf friends in worship and meeting activities.
by steve.olshevski | May 4, 2024 | Upcoming Events
Please join us at the rise of meeting on May 12, 2024 (approximately 11:15 AM) for a forum led by our Benjamin Lay Fellow Sylvia Myers, a student at Swarthmore College regarding regarding the Reality of the US-Mexico Border.
by steve.olshevski | May 4, 2024 | Upcoming Events
Between the rise of worship and our business meeting (approximately 11:15 AM) on Sunday, May 5th, we will plant a tree on Radnor Meeting’s beautiful property, beginning a new tradition of adding a young tree to our already beautiful, but aging, tree population.
