This Week's Reflection

Sunday, December 28th, 2025

10:45 AM

Reverend Erin Splaine

Quaker Meeting

This Sunday our worship service will be in the style of a Quaker Meeting. If you are not familiar with Quaker services, here are a few pointers.

After the Chalice Lighting is said, the service will last for 30 minutes. There will be no music. Neither will there be a sermon or an offering. Each of us will meditate quietly upon our own concerns during this time.

Quakers, who are known to each other as “Friends,” greatly respect each other’s right to silence in aid of their meditations. Quakers believe that God is found in silence, and that the truths that are deepest in our own hearts can surface into our consciousness if we become still and allow this to happen. Quakers also know the richness of worshipping together with others. There is a unique power and energy to meditating together. It is understood that children are not so able to be silent.

Still, we welcome their presence among us, and know that they are learning to be silent and worship with us.

All Friends are ministers to each other and may rise and speak during the meeting. However, no one should speak until the meeting is “gathered.” This means that everyone has settled, and all have had the opportunity to enter into their own still and quiet space. This often takes about 10 minutes. It is important to allow this group consciousness to enfold the meeting before speaking.

If you do feel the urge to speak during the meeting, you should strongly resist it. Remember that you are interrupting others who may be in deep meditation. Please do not intrude casually on that space. People who are talkative should reject the impulse to speak once, twice, and only rise to share their message the third time it insists upon being spoken. If you are shy and might never speak if you waited for three calls to give voice to your message, do not wait so long. A strong urge to speak is a sign that your words may need to be spoken. You may pray, share a spiritual reflection, ask a question burning in your heart, or request all to hold in their thoughts someone in particular. It is best to wait for the Meeting to incorporate these words into our group meditation before a new message is shared.

Friends know that the layering of messages and prayers spoken at Meeting creates a very rich, personal, and beautiful service of worship. This can also occur when no words are spoken at all. Every meeting is different. You will know the meeting has ended when the person in care of the Meeting says: “Good morning, Friends!”