A “general” meeting for Friends in the Delaware Valley area was first convened at Burlington, New Jersey, in 1681. The first assembly held in Philadelphia was in 1683, and, in 1685, it was agreed that the meetings in New Jersey and Pennsylvania should be combined into one yearly meeting with alternate sessions at Philadelphia and at Burlington. Since 1760, all Philadelphia Yearly Meetings have been held at Philadelphia. At its greatest extent, membership included Friends in eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, Delaware, and part of Maryland. These annual gatherings continue to offer Quakers an opportunity come together to worship and to seek God's guidance on decisions and on issues facing Friends in the region.
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