Meeting in person
Most Meetings for Worship in our area start at 10.30 am on a Sunday, although there are some meetings at other times during the week. If you come just before there should be someone at the door to welcome you. You will not be pressurized to do anything apart from sit down.
For Quakers, worship simply means sitting quietly and leaving your mind as open as you can to the promptings of your deepest self. It is an opportunity to try to put aside current cares and contemplate what is really important to you. And if you find an hour too long, feel free to leave when you have had enough.
We sit in a circle and settle into silence. At times someone may feel moved to give ministry, that is to say to speak, pray or find inspiration from a religious text or poem. Quakers do not have clergy, we are all equals, and anyone may speak if they feel their contribution will deepen and enrich the worship for everyone.
After the meeting, there is time for coffee and a chat, and there is usually an opportunity to ask questions if you wish. Newcomers are very welcome, and are encouraged to find their own path and pace.
Meeting by Zoom
Meetings by Zoom try to follow the pattern of a Quaker meeting in person as far as possible. Links are available for the Area Meeting for Worship and separate links for Local Meetings. Everyone is welcomed by a ‘host’ and then we settle into silence. Because of the difficulties of extraneous sounds, participants are often ‘muted’ and have to ‘unmute’ to give ministry. Some people stay on afterwards for a chat, others slip away.