Understanding Quakers

The Religious Society of Friends or Quakers

The basic belief of Friends

The basic belief of Friends is that everyone may have a direct experience of God in their lives.

They try to follow Jesus in a loving response to God and to those around them.

Emphasis is placed on daily life and experience rather

than on particular occasions and festivals.

Friends do not have a church calendar and while they meet on Sunday it is for convenience rather than because they consider Sunday holier than any other day.

Meeting for Worship

Meeting for Worship begins when the first person enters the room.

You may sit anywhere you wish.

The basis of worship is silence out of which may arise spoken ministry. Anyone may speak.

The Meeting is closed by the Elders shaking hands after which the Clerk gives out notices.

All are welcome at Meeting for Worship and may also come to business meetings on request.

Organisation

Each individual Meeting, known as Preparative Meeting, is one of a group of Meetings, known as Monthly Meeting.

This in turn is responsible to Yearly Meeting which covers the whole of England, Scotland and Wales.

The executive committee of the Religious Society of Friends is called Meeting for Sufferings.

General Meeting, covering all Yorkshire, meets quarterly and is used for the discussion of issues.