Attending a Meeting
A Quaker "service" is called a Meeting. Our Meeting begins at 10.30am every Sunday. To be more accurate, Quaker Meetings begin when the first person enters the main Meeting room.
When you arrive, you will probably be met by someone at the door, from 10.15am. You're welcome to visit our toilet (on the left when you go in), or spend some time looking at our notice boards or in our garden before you go into the main Meeting room.
There is an inner lobby, and both doors go into the main room.
When you come through the main door you will see our noticeboard.
There are two doors into our main room to the left and right of this board.
There are other quaker and community notices to the left and right.
Go in and sit where you like. The room will be silent. Take time to settle. We have cushions and foot stools that you can help yourself to, as well as glasses of water, to help you stay comfortable.
On the table in the middle you'll see Quaker books, a bible and sometimes Quaker magazines. It's OK to pick these up and look through them during the meeting.
Stay in a quiet space if you can, but expect the unexpected. Don't worry if you fidget. You can close your eyes, or not.
Someone may read one of our 'Advices and Queries' and others may speak (minister) briefly. Ministry comes from the heart and it can be quite subtle to understand when to speak and what to say. Quakers usually let silences grow when someone speaks, which can feel odd at first. We do not reply to ministry, and often people won't look at the person speaking.
At about 11.30am and someone announces Afterword. Not all Meetings have Afterword. It is a time to speak something that may not have felt quite right for the first hour, and could be a comment or a question. Afterword could turn into a discussion or could lead to more silence. (Normally about 10 minutes). Normally we shake hands to end the Meeting for Worship.
There are then notices and then we have a chance to chat to other Friends over tea and coffee. Sometimes we have bring and share lunch, craft events or a Business Meeting.
"Coming along on a Sunday is so important to me because prior to coming through the doors I feel wound tightly, tired, fatigued, exhausted. Too many demands and pressures. My mind doesn't stop talking, being busy and my body is constantly busy, but knowing as I walk through the door I can completely leave all of that behind, there's no expectation of me from anyone else or myself. I can completely just be in the moment for the hour.
In fact on Sunday I closed my eyes. I wasn't asleep. I allowed my thoughts to move around my mind and they passed through very quickly. As I noticed my breathing calming down I was very aware of the room, the peace and quiet, the noise outside, but it didn't disturb, in fact I feel very privileged to be in this beautiful calming space which is facilitated by the friends around me, for which I am extremely grateful and I really hope to keep maintaining the feeling I get on Sunday throughout the week." S.J
our garden
Our small room