Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. Audit and Budget Committee.

A general meeting for Friends in the Delaware Valley area was first convened at Burlington in 1681. The first general meeting held in Philadelphia was in 1683. Since 1760, all Yearly Meetings have been held in Philadelphia. The area of the Yearly Meeting has diminished over time. Generally, its territory now embraces eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, Delaware, and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. A great schism among Philadelphia Friends occurred at the Yearly Meeting of 1827. From that year until the reunification of 1955 there were two Philadelphia Yearly Meetings, one of the Hicksite, the other of the Orthodox branch. Both were located in Philadelphia. Orthodox Friends retained possession of the meeting house on Arch Street, and so are often referred to as Arch Street Friends. The Hicksites are referred to as Race Street Friends since their Yearly Meeting was held at a meeting house, built in 1857, on Race Street. Through the course of the 20th century the Philadelphia Yearly Meetings began to draw back together. Organic union was finally approved in 1955. The work of the Yearly Meeting between its annual sessions is carried out by Representative or Interim Meeting. Most of its business or concerns are conducted by standing or temporary committees.