QUAKER WORSHIP AT LOUISVILLE FRIENDS MEETING
All are welcome.
3050 Bon Air Avenue Sundays at 10 AM
You do not have to be a Quaker to attend a Quaker Meeting for worship. Meetings are open to all, and you may come as you are. The heart of the Quaker way is the silent Meeting for Worship, which generally lasts for one hour. Children are welcome and may join us in worship or attend our First Day School (Sunday School) program during waiting worship.
WHAT TO EXPECT AT OUR MEETING
Friends gather in silence to seek divine guidance and listen to the Inner Light. During worship, one may be inspired to speak. This is our ministry. There is a living stillness that has great power. Anyone may minister. Spoken ministry comes from the spiritual depths of the collective worship, and a humbling sense that it must be shared.
We start each Meeting for Worship service around 10am each Sunday with a “settling message” from a Friend that grounds us into our reflection for the hour. We then sit in Waiting Worship, speaking when the Spirit moves us to do so. Toward the end of the hour we share prayers, and coNcernsfor others. We break meeting with handshakes and greeting. Finally we introduce ourselves to the meeting.
After Meeting, we will hold community potlucks or “Second Hours” where we discuss issues relating to or of interest to Friends in the Meeting. Click below to read more about our religious practices.
Meeting for Worship is a time for communal, gathered stillness, where we can be open to inspiration from the Spirit of God or the Light Within, heard within us as we sit together in common purpose. As we sit together in silent worship we find peace of mind and challenging insights; we develop deep community and a renewed sense of individual purpose; and we discover joy to wonder at God’s creation.
During our worship some are moved to share their thoughts and inspirations that rise from God or the Light Within. Space is created through silent contemplation of the words spoken and often these inspirational messages resonate deeply with others who may also share their thoughts, or simply continue to contemplate the message shared by another.
“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, Apology, XI, Section 7
The shared silence in Meeting for Worship is different from the silence of solitary meditation. The silence in Meeting for Worship involves deep listening and patient waiting as we seek to experience the Divine and to hear the messages that God chooses for us on a given day. The seating is usually arranged in a circle or a square to help people be aware of one another and remain conscious of the fact that they are worshipping together as equals.
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 aloud if they feel strongly led to do so.
In the quietness of the Meeting, we can become aware of a deep and powerful spirit of love and truth, transcending our ordinary, day-to-day experiences. This sense of direct contact with the divine is at the heart of the Quaker way of worship and nourishes Quakers in the rest of their daily lives.
What can I expect during a Quaker Meeting for Worship?
Explore answers to frequent inquiries about our worship practices, event schedules, and how to participate.
Who is welcome to attend a Quaker Meeting for Worship?
Anyone seeking spiritual connection is warmly invited to join us.
How is silence used in Quaker worship?
Shared silence creates space for communal spiritual experience.
Are there any spoken messages during worship?
Members may share messages when moved to do so,
Do I need to bring anything to participate?
No special items are needed; just bring an open heart and mind to the meeting.
