Educator and Innovator Alisa Myles to Speak at Newtown Quaker Meetinghouse

Norval ReeceCommunity Contributor

Posted Fri, Jan 31, 2025 at 2:20 pm ET|Updated Fri, Jan 31, 2025 at 2:29 pm ET

Alisa Myles, a former member of Newtown Quaker Meeting and professional educator, will speak about historic Bristol Friends Meeting at the Newtown Meetinghouse on February 9 at 9:45 a.m. Following the presentation, there will be worship in the manner of Friends at 11:00 a.m., with people speaking out of the silence as they are moved to do so. The public is welcome at all events.

Alisa Myles lived in Newtown for many years and was active with Center for Literacy, Arbor Day, and Honey Hollow Nature Center. As Co-Chairperson of the Newtown Board of Recreation, she helped create the Brian Gregg Memorial Park, the Peaceable Kingdom Playground, and introduce such annual community events as Music in the Park and Movies in the Park. 

Alisa’s talk about Bristol Friends Meeting will describe it as a vibrant Quaker community with a deep-rooted history and a spirit of renewal. Established in 1701, the Meeting has long served as a place of worship, activism, and community engagement. In recent years an archaeological dig on the Meeting’s grounds uncovered historical artifacts that provide insight into the early Quaker presence in the area. A spiritual labyrinth now graces the side yard.

Alisa Myles, the Meeting’s new clerk (head), has brought a fresh energy and series of outreach events through various community-driven initiatives including, a summer art camp, Peaceful Painting, to provide local children with a creative space to explore self-expression while building friendships, and hosting a tree celebration in April, honoring their 300 year-old Penn Sycamore Tree and recognizing the importance of environmental stewardship and intergenerational learning.

Bristol Meeting actively supports Bucks County Interfaith Coalition for Refugee Resettlement (BCICRR), provides space for a Recovery Dharma group, supporting individuals on their journey of healing and self-discovery through Buddhist-inspired recovery principles, and supports several food banks and agencies that help the homeless.

Bristol Friends Meeting meets for worship on the second and fourth Sundays of the month at eleven a.m. Upcoming events include a talk by historian Doug Miller about William Penn and the Quaker role in the Founding of Pennsylvania on Sunday, February 16th at 11 a.m. and there’s a screening of David Attenborough’s documentary, “A Life on this Planet”, on Friday, March 14th at 7 p.m. Bristol Friends Meeting is located at 235 Market St., Bristol, PA. 

Alisa Myles attended the University of San Francisco, and has a Masters of Arts in history from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and a Masters in Education from Holy Family University. She met her British husband, Stuart, while they were both at University in Scotland. They have two daughters, Sophie and Violet, both graduates of George School.

Newtown Friends Meeting co-founded by “Peaceable Kingdom” painter and Quaker minister, Edward Hicks, in 1815, is open to all who wish to attend. Regular First Day Education classes (Sunday School) for all ages begin at 9:45 a.m. and Meeting for Worship begins at11 a.m. Childcare is provided.

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