What's Meeting for Worship Like?
What is a Quaker meeting for worship like? What happens there, and why? And what should I wear?
- Beliefs
- What's Meeting for Worship Like?
What's Meeting for Worship Like?
A meeting for worship usually lasts for an hour. We sit together in silence so we can quiet our minds and connect to something greater than ourselves. There are no ministers or creeds, no set hymns or sermons. In the quiet we open our hearts and lives to new insights and guidance. Sometimes we are moved to speak, to share what we have discovered.
Where do I sit?
You can sit anywhere you want. Benches or chairs are arranged to help us see and connect with each other and remind us that we are worshiping as equals.
Is coming in late OK?
Coming into the meetinghouse after the start of worship is OK. If someone is speaking when you arrive, please wait until they're done speaking before you enter the room. Then you can enter and quietly take a seat.
What do people wear?
People wear whatever they feel comfortable wearing. You can wear what you like!
Who runs the meeting for worship?
There is no leader of a meeting for worship. There is a person who will start and end worship and give general announcements. At older meetinghouses this person usually sits on the facing bench, which is the bench in the center of the room facing the doors.
What do I do when sitting in silence?
In the quiet we look for a sense of connection. This might be a connection with those around us, with our deepest selves, or perhaps with God. As we feel this sense of encounter grow stronger, we may begin to see the world and our relationships in a new way. Our worship may take us beyond our own thoughts and ideas to help us respond to the world around us with more grace, creativity, and generosity of spirit.
How does a meeting end?
Meeting for worship ends when a designated person shakes hands with the person next to them. After that, everyone present greets the people sitting near to them. Different meetings have slightly different routines they follow at the end of worship, but generally, greetings are followed by introductions, announcements and an invitation to go to another room for coffee, tea, and snacks.