MEETING FOR WORSHIP

“…I found myself one of a small company of silent worshipers, who were content to sit down together without words, that each one might feel after and draw near to the divine Presence, unhindered at least, if not helped, by any human utterance. Utterance I knew was free, should the words be given; and before the meeting was over, a sentence or two were uttered in great simplicity…

“My whole soul was filled with the unutterable peace of the undisturbed opportunity for communion with God, with the sense that at least I had found a place where I might, without the faintest suspicion of insincerity, join with others in simply seeking [the divine] Presence… Friends meetings have indeed been to me the greatest of outward help to a fuller and fuller entrance into the spirit from which they have sprung…”

-Caroline Stephen, 1890.

Centrality of Meeting for Worship

Worship is the central, unifying practice of our Quaker faith. Worship is an unmediated relationship of the divine presence with individuals and with the community. We wait together in silence to know this presence and respond to God’s leadings and guidance for our individual lives and our life together. Listening for divine guidance is the core of Quaker worship. Through the direct experience of the sacred – whether we name it or leave it unnamed, we come to know the source of our being. We are linked to one another when we are brought together in the light of the Spirit and are inspired to be creative in our own spiritual lives. Thomas Kelly wrote: “in a gathered meeting, the sense is present that a new Life and Power has entered our midst… We are in communication with one another because we are being communicated to, and through, by the Divine Presence…” As individuals we are unified in a body that worships God, sharing the gathered power of God’s living presence.

Worship in Daily Life

God is present in all of life. We may become aware of the Presence and hear God’s voice at any time and in any place. Meeting for Worship happens at the specific time and place we set aside when we are prepared to come together, as a community of faith, in an atmosphere of expectant listening to hear the prompting of God. It is important that as individuals we prepare to hear and follow the guidance of the spirit through personal worship, worship sharing in small groups, meditation, prayer, study, and/or reading, as well as practicing other spiritual disciplines throughout the week, especially before Meeting for Worship. Participation in the Meeting’s work, study, singing, playing, and eating together also prepares us to worship as a body. The action and work which we are moved to take, grow out of worship which further prepares us for worship.

Meeting for Worship

In Northern Yearly Meeting, most Meetings for Worship are unprogrammed. Some Meetings have regular semi-programmed Meetings for Worship, which include planned music, scriptural and other readings, prayers, and spoken messages to support and surround the silence. A semi-programmed format is often used for celebrations and special events in the life of the community such as weddings and memorial services.

To set the proper tone, and out of consideration for all who enter, each of us is responsible for preparing ourselves for worship and taking our place in the meeting room before the stated time. If there has been a study group or singing before worship, the Clerk or other designated person will acknowledge the beginning of Worship. Children often join us for short periods at the beginning and/or end of Meeting for Worship.

Unprogrammed worship begins in expectant, silent waiting and listening. A sense of quiet and care of the whole community is observed, so that we may be unified in the Light.

As silence settles on the meeting, there comes a sense of our spiritual community and a vivid awareness of the ministry of silence. This is a ministry of being present to and for one another in the presence of God. It is a ministry of community and openness to the movements of the Divine Spirit in our lives. We seek and treasure the experience of a “gathered meeting” – one in which we are brought together in quiet communion and bonded in an awareness of God.

Meeting for Worship usually lasts approximately one hour, but may be shorter or longer as determined by the leading of the Spirit. The Clerk, or other designated person, closes the Meeting for Worship with a clasping of hands that is passed around the room. Some meetings hold hands in a circle. Additional reflections, introduction and announcements may follow.

Spoken Ministry during Meeting for Worship

A Quaker Meeting for Worship is more than the silence and waiting in the rich ministry of the Spirit. Promptings of God flowing through the silence lead to tender sharing of messages. This vocal ministry and careful listening are equally treasured elements of our worship. We willingly share “promptings of the spirit” out of the stillness. We wrap spoken ministry in a silence of its own, seeking a depth of understanding beyond the words and listening for the guidance of the Spirit in responding to the message. Our Meetings for Worship go beyond private reverie. It is our experience that wherever two or more of us are gathered in expectant listening, the Spirit is in our midst. The quest for Truth among us is shared in community. We seek to be open to the call to provide vocal ministry. As individuals we do not initiate messages without clear prompting from the Spirit. When giving vocal ministry, we are asked to mind the Spirit, to keep close to the root of the message, to avoid unnecessary words, to speak clearly and distinctly so all can hear, and to allow time between messages for each message to be weighed carefully. Vocal ministry does not take the form of dialogue.

The meeting is gathered when messages come from the Divine so that when someone speaks it is what many others are experiencing. It is important for us to respect both the silence and the shared messages of our worshiping community.

Going Forth from Meeting for Worship

The practice of attending worship regularly leads us to a deeper relationship with the Divine and to a stronger Meeting community. It nurtures us in our spiritual journey whether as mature travelers or novices. Through worship, we can be transformed by the Spirit to be patterns and examples, wherever we are, so our lives speak to all people and they may be empowered to live their daily lives responding to that of God in all creation. Our worship leads to action. To paraphrase William Penn, experiencing Truth does not turn us out of the world, but enables us to live better in it and excites our endeavors to mend it.

“For when I came into the silent assemblies of God’s people, I felt a secret power among them, which touched my heart; and as I gave way unto it I found the evil weakening in me and the good raised up…” -Robert Barclay.

Queries to the Meeting

1. How do we keep our Meetings for Worship centered with expectant waiting on the Divine?
2. How are Friends encouraged in their vocal ministry, through example and discussion, so that spiritual insights are shared and nurtured?
3. How do we teach our children the meaning and practice of worship?
4. Are Meeting members attentive to the needs of others during worship?
5. How does our Meeting assist Friends in preparing for worship?
6. How does our Meeting help our members and attenders remove barriers to their attendance?

Queries to Individual Friends and Attenders

1. How do you center on the Divine Presence?
2. How do you enhance the gathered community?
3. Do you make Meeting for Worship a regular part of your spiritual practice?
4. Are you attentive to promptness?
5. Do you open yourself to hearing the Divine in all messages?
6. Do you have a daily practice that assists you to be open to the Spirit?

REFERENCES TO QUOTATIONS

Caroline Stephen, Quaker Strongholds (1890), pp. 11-13.

Thomas Kelly, The Gathered Meeting (1944 ed.), pp. 11-12. This paper was written in 1940 and printed in “The Friend” (Philadelphia), vol. 114 (1940-41), pp. 201-205.

William Penn, No Cross, No Crown (1682), part 1, ch. 5, no. 12

Robert Barclay, Apology for the True Christian Divinity, (1678), prop 11, sect. 7, p. 240.