Meeting for Worship usually lasts for an hour. First, we gather in Silence to quieten our minds. Sometimes someone will be moved to share what they have discovered in that Silence and they will stand and speak, we call this “Ministry”. Anyone can give Ministry, including visitors. Read more about Meeting for Worship
In the quiet we look for a sense of connection. This might be a connection with those around us, with our deepest selves, or perhaps with what we identify as God. Our Worship may take us beyond our own thoughts and ideas to help us respond more creatively to the world around us. Read more about Meeting for Worship
Usually but it depends on the individual meeting so check before turning up with your child! Some Quaker Meetings have specific weeks where there is support for children to attend, some have no facilities for children at all, others may have children in every week. Young children are not usually expected to sit in silence for the whole meeting. There may be activities in a separate room where children will spend most of the time, joining the adults for 10 to 15 minutes at the start or end of the meeting.
Quakerism is unique in its individuality so that it offers something specific and special to each of us. Quaker faith is a search for our truth, not the arrival at it. It is sometimes called “a way of living”, that goes beyond our weekly Meeting and reaches into the daily lives. Quakers do not offer neat creeds or doctrine. Instead, we work together to seek a place where we can live as we want and feel we should. We learn together, share knowledge and understandings, and question what we think we know. Read more here New to Quakers
Quakerism has its roots in Christianity, but many people who come to Meeting would not regard themselves as Christians. In any Meeting you will find people who might regard themselves as atheist, agnostic, or of another faith, such as a Buddhist, Jew, Muslim, Sikh, as well as people who feel they are very definitely Christian. Read more here New to Quakers