Who We Are

Santa Monica Friends Meeting is part of the Religious Society of Friends (also known as Quakers). Our meetings for worship are held in expectant silence, with no formal program or clergy. Each worshiper seeks to listen to the Spirit of God within.  By listening to God’s guidance in the moment, an individual may experience a leading of the Spirit and be strongly moved to rise and speak.  Such vocal ministry is generally brief, plainly spoken so all may hear and grounded in the speaker’s spiritual life. A period of silence follows to allow time for all to reflect upon it.

We bring to our worship a wide variety of religious experience. We believe that all people are equal and have equal access to the inner Light. When we gather in silence to worship, we are collectively seeking the presence  of the Divine. Community helps us discern and be faithful to our collective spiritual experience.

While we have no creed or dogma, we do have advices and queries that help us to reflect on the fundamental nature of our lives and beliefs. We seek to live by principles of faith and practice that afford us an essential basis for unity: a belief in “that of God” in every person and a commitment to the deep and penetrating reality of worship that opens us to the Light in our lives, both inward and outward. Our collective experience of the Spirit is reflected in our Testimonies: these include integrity, unity, equality, simplicity, peace and community.   

Our meeting welcomes and supports children. Younger children (up to ~5-6) may join us either in Meeting for Worship or in the downstairs children’s room.  Childcare starts at 9:55 AM and the room is open at 9:45 for parents to help their kids transition. Older children join the adults in Meeting for Worship from 10-10:15, and then go with their teacher to the classroom upstairs for First Day School from 10:15-11:00 am.