FAQs
What should I wear?
Whatever you feel comfortable in. Friends generally dress casually for Meeting.
Where do I park?
You may park in the paved lot at 1103 New Garden Road, or the upper, unpaved lot with an entrance off of Arcadia Drive.
Is your Meetinghouse wheelchair accessible?
Yes, there are a few accessible parking spaces in the front of the Meetinghouse (enter off of New Garden Road), and a ramp up to the main door. All rooms commonly used by the Meeting are accessible on the main level, including rest rooms.
Where should I sit?
You may sit in any open seats in the room.
How long is your Quaker Meeting?
We sit in worship for an hour, then we have sharing, announcements, and coffee and snacks. Plan on an hour and a half if you’d like to join us for refreshments.
What happens during your Meeting for Worship?
Friends sit in silence (expectant waiting) and speak out of the silence if they feel they have a message to share with the Meeting. Messages are generally brief and may be prayer, a thoughtful comment, or even singing.
Will I be expected to speak during Meeting?
No.
Can a new attender speak during Meeting?
Yes!
How do children participate?
Children begin by sitting in Meeting for the first 15 minutes. Then, the leader of the children’s activities (First Day School) will stand and lead the children to the classrooms, where they will participate in a prepared lesson and discussion. Generally there are games and arts and crafts as well, and plenty of toys and books for the youngest children. Children will rejoin the adults at the end of Meeting for Worship. ANY child is also welcome to sit with adults in worship for the entire time. We try to do what is best for the child and families.
I have some more questions; whom do I ask?
Contact the Clerk of the Meeting, who can direct you to the person best suited to answer your question.
Questions about Quakers and Quakerism.
These questions/answers and more can be found on the Friends General Conference website.
Why do you call this “meeting” and not “church”?
Quakers call the “Church” the body of worshippers. The actual time of worship (not always on Sundays) is called a “Meeting for Worship”.
Why are you called “Quakers”?
The term “Quaker” arose as a popular nickname used to ridicule this new religious group when it emerged in seventeenth century England. Since the term was so widely recognized, members began using it informally, so people would know what they were talking about. Formally, we call ourselves the Religious Society of Friends. Today, we use “Friend” and “Quaker” interchangeably.
Are Quakers the same as the Amish? As Shakers?
Quaker and Amish are both "peace churches,” but otherwise they are distinct and trace themselves to separate roots in England (Quakers) and Switzerland (Amish). Today, the majority of Quakers no longer practice “plain dress,” as do the Amish. The primary overlap between Quakers and Shakers is that they have rhyming names, but the Shaker religion is no longer practiced. The Shaker hymn “Simple Gifts” is a Quaker favorite.
What are Quaker testimonies?
Quakers find that attending to the Light Within influences the ways we act in our personal lives, as well as the changes we work for in the wider world. We have noticed that certain values seem to arise more or less consistently when we try to stay close to the guidance of the Inward Teacher, and we call these principles our “testimonies.” They are not so much rules that we try to obey as the outcomes of our efforts to live in harmony with the Holy Spirit. Some commonly recognized testimonies include peace, integrity, equality, simplicity, community, and care for the earth.
Do I have to be a pacifist to be a Quaker?
Active promotion of a more peaceful world has always been a very important expression of how Friends are guided by the Spirit. We wrestle with our understanding of what God requires of us and what being nonviolent means in our own lives. We are asked to consider if we are called to be pacifists, but this determination is left to the individual as conscience dictates. For many, it has meant a commitment to nonviolence and conscientious objection to participating in war. Some Quakers, however, have served in the military. Quaker institutions, such as meetings, generally hold to a pacifist position. For more on Quaker pacifism, see the QuakerSpeak video The End of Violence?
How do Quakers live today?
There are Quakers of all ages, religious backgrounds, races and ethnicities, education, sexual orientations, gender identities, abilities, and classes. Modern Friends generally “blend in” with the larger culture, rather than adopting the distinctive dress and patterns of speech associated with Friends of earlier centuries. We try to live and act in ways that are consistent with the divine harmony that we seek in worship. Through this effort come our testimonies of peace, integrity, equality, community, simplicity, and care for the environment.