Friends General Conference

Together we nurture the spiritual vitality of Friends

Who We Are

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We are a Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quaker).

We welcome people from all faiths and those of no particular faith. We are all seeking the Divine together.
Our meeting practices “unprogrammed” worship. This means that we gather to wait for God’s ministry to
come to us out of the silence without appointed clergy as a guide. We have no creed or dogma, but we do
have testimonies which guide our actions. Those testimonies include simplicity, peace, integrity, community,
and equality. Friends believe that putting our faith into action in the world is important.

What to Expect

When you come into the meetinghouse before worship you may find some Friends
already sitting in silence. There is generally a “centering” that occurs at the beginning of
Meetings when Friends seek to clear their minds of distractions and come to a receptive
state. We listen and wait for a direct experience of the Divine. Some may be moved
to share their experience by standing and speaking. About 15 minutes before the end
of worship, the children enter the room to join us in worship. The meeting ends when
friends shake hands and greet each other. Following worship, Friends share joys and
sorrows, welcome new people, share announcements and enjoy a time of fellowship.

When We Speak

Out of the silence, some will feel their thoughts and feelings gathering around a specific
idea, thought, or experience. Sometimes these thoughts and feelings coalesce into a
message. That message is most often meant only for the individual worshipper. But
sometimes that message is meant to be shared. It is up to the individual to discern the
difference. Friends describe being “pushed” or “nudged” from their seat when they need
to share a message. Individuals who are moved to share a message will stand and
speak from their own experience. Messages do not need to be poetic or eloquent or
long, and are often powerful in their simplicity. A period of silence between speakers is
customary, and helps all to reflect on the message that was given.

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