Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
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Silent Worship
Your first time in a Quaker meeting?In contrast to the musical style of worship, one group of worshippers has worshipped largely in silence for the last three centuries. This article is taken from a leaflet given to visitors to Quaker meetings in the UK. “We hope these notes will help you worship with us. ... ”
A Quaker meeting is based on silence, but it is a silence of waiting in expectancy. For many minutes, perhaps for half an hour, there may be silence. But that doesn’t mean that nothing is happening. All of us are trying to come nearer to each other and to God as we are caught up in the still spirit of the meeting.
We come to meeting because we want to, and because we find it worth while. We do not recite creeds, sing hymns or repeat set prayers. We want to worship simply. There is no ceremony, no priest, no pre-arranged service at all.
Go in as soon as you are ready. It is a good thing if a meeting can settle down a few minutes before the appointed time. Sit anywhere you like, but it is helpful to leave seats near the back and at the end of rows for latecomers.
You may find it easy to relax in the silence and thus to enter into the life of the meeting, or you may be disturbed by the strangeness of the silence, by distractions outside or by your own roving thoughts. Do not worry about this but return again and again to the still centre of your being where you can know the presence of God. Try, if only for an instant, to be quiet in body, mind and spirit.
Nearly everyone at some time in their lives seems to want to find God for themselves — even those who find it difficult or impossible to believe that God exists. This may be because of some moving experience, or because of some particular problem. No matter what is pressing on your mind at the moment, bring it with you into the silent room.
The silence may be broken if someone present feels called to say something which will deepen and enrich the worship. Anyone is free to speak, pray or read, provided that it is done in response to a prompting of the spirit which comes in the course of the meeting. The silence is broken for the moment but it is not interrupted.
Receive what is said in an accepting, charitable spirit. Each contribution rightly given may help somebody, but our needs are different and can be met only in differing ways. If something is said that does not speak to your condition, try nevertheless to reach the spirit behind the words. The speaker wants to help the meeting; take care not to reject the offering by negative criticism.
One of the unique features of a Quaker meeting is the variety of experience it can embrace. Some people will have a progound sense of awe and wonder because they know that God is present. Others will be far less certain, and may only be able to hold onto a dim awareness that the values they experience in life point beyond themselves to a greater whole.
Some will thankfully accept God’s inexhaustible love shown in Jesus, the promise of forgiveness and the wiping out of past failure. Others will know that to seek to be open to people in a spirit of love and trust is the direction in which they want to move.
In the quietness of a Quaker meeting those present can become aware of a deep and powerful spirit of love and truth that transcends their ordinary experience. United in love, and strengthened by truth, the worshippers enter upon a new level of living, despite the different ways in which they account for this life-expanding experience.
The meeting will close after the Elders have shaken hands. Afterwards, feel free to speak to anyone. If you wish to know more about Quakers, please introduce yourself to any member. ... Whilst sitting in meeting for the first time, you may find it helpful to re-read this leaflet.
Further copies of this leaflet are information about the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) may be obtained from Quaker Home Service, Friends House, Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ, United Kingdom.
Copyright © 1987 Quaker Home Service
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