Welcome, friend.

Please join us each Sunday at 10:00 am for Meeting for Worship. 

Our service consists of silent, “expectant waiting” for spiritual guidance in our lives. Divine “leadings” may come to anyone at any time, and by sharing these messages we may help to guide one another. 

Quakers (we also call ourselves “Friends”) remain open to new revelations of truth through “that of God in everyone”. Though we have no set doctrine or creed, instead we have queries (probing questions) that help guide our thoughts and actions. In addition, there are testimonies of our witness to common values acted out in the world. Each Quaker searches for how these guides can be best expressed in his or her own life.

Testimonies

Quakers believe in living life in the spirit of love and truth and peace, reaching for the best in oneself and answering “that of God” in everyone. Quaker testimonies are expressions of the commitment to put those beliefs into practice.

e testimonies bear witness to the truth, as Friends in community perceive it—truth known through relationship with God. ey do not exist in any rigid, written form; nor are they imposed in any way. each Quaker searches for how the testimonies can best be expressed in his or her own life.

while attempting to live in concert with these teachings, Quakers are tender with themselves and with each other when they fall short, ready to recommit and try again. 

As a group, we discover that listening to and seeking God’s will leads to our most celebrated testimonies, remembered with the acronym SPICES:

Simplicity:  Choosing a well-balanced and unhurried lifestyle with priorities based on our values, and letting unnecessary clutter fall away.

Peace – Seeking justice and healing for all people; taking away the causes of war in the way we live.

Integrity – Acting on what we believe, speaking the truth, and doing what we say we will do.

Community – Supporting one another in our faith journeys, and also in times of joy and sorrow; sharing with and caring for each other.

Equality – Treating everyone as equally precious to God, recognizing that all of us have gifts to share.

Stewardship – Valuing and respecting all creation; using only our fair share of the earth’s resources, and working for policies that protect our planet.

While attempting to live these testimonies, we sometimes don’t hear or follow them with Divine Guidance. When we fall short, Quakers are supportive with themselves and ready to recommit and to continue to endeavor. Being in community with other Friends, helps us all to be faithful.

An Introduction to The Religious Society of Friends

The Religious Society of Friends (known as Quakers) was formed in England in the 1600's by a man named George Fox and a group of like-minded seekers. They believed that everyone could have a direct relationship with God. They rejected the idea that someone must swear an oath, or recite a creed, to prove they were in good order with God. They also rejected the idea that only people with an advanced education could hear and share God's messages. Because ministry was given by untrained speakers filled with spiritual inspiration, they sometimes trembled, leading to the early nickname of "Quakers". (Quakers are also often referred to as "Friends".) The Religious Society of Friends was born out of a Christian tradition, so the teachings of Jesus Christ remain central to the ministry of many Quaker meetings. But, each person has the opportunity to come to know God in their own way, so Quaker meetings enjoy a wide variety of messages reflecting many different inspirational sources.

Quakers generally believe, that there is that of God in every person and therefore God continues to reveal truth in some way to everyone. They also believe that God calls everyone to be compassionate and caring toward others and to do their best to bring their faith into action. Many people have come to Quakerism looking for a way of life that would support their calling to do good works. 

Wrightstown Quakers do not have a paid clergy; rather, we practice an unprogrammed form of worship. Friends gather in silent prayer and meditation to wait on the word of the Divine spirit. Anyone in that gathering, who feels they are lead by the spirit to share a message, can speak that message. Speakers are encouraged to speak just once and to allow time for reflection between speakers. Seekers from any faith tradition, as well as those seeking a faith community for the first time, are welcome to come and worship any time.

Arthur Larrabee was frustrated that he couldn’t answer the question, “What do Quakers believe?” So he set out to do just that.

  1. There is a living, dynamic, spiritual presence at work in the world which is both within us and outside of us. (Could be referred to as God, Spirit, Light Inner Light, Christ, Truth, Love.)
  2. There is that of God in everyone.
  3. Each person is capable of the direct and unmediated experience of God.
  4. Our understanding and experience of God is nurtured and enlarged in community.
  5. The Bible is an important spiritual resource, and the life and teachings of Jesus are relevant for us today.
  6. The revelation of God’s truth is continuing and ongoing.
  7. Quakers welcome spiritual truth from whatever source it may come.
  8. Our inward experience of God transforms us and leads us into outward expressions of faithful living, witness, and action. (A consequence is exemplified by the Quaker Testimonies of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship.)
  9. Modeling God’s presence in our lives is more important than espousing beliefs. (The way we live our lives is much more important than what we say--Let your Life Speak.)