Quaker Meeting for Worship is different from individual prayer or meditation because it is done in community. Stilling their minds and entering into communion with each other, Friends await the presence of the Divine Spirit. In order to worship in this way, Friends have adopted several disciplines that guide their participation:
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- Silence - Friends respect and value the silence. It is in silence that one can truly listen. Friends first allow ample time for the Meeting to settle. If there are spoken messages, they let the silence return and fill the Meeting after each message.
- Vocal ministry- When Friends believe that the Divine Spirit is speaking through them, they are encouraged to share the message.They first weigh whether the message comes from the Spirit rather than the intellect, and whether the insight is intended for the group, not just the individual. Friends try also to be sensitive to the direction of the worship and the depth of the silence.
- Simplicity - Friends practice their testimony of simplicity by limiting themselves to as few words as necessary to communicate their message.
- Frequency of speaking - Very rarely does a Friend speak a second time during the Meeting for Worship, nor does the same Friend speak in every Meeting.
- Listening - Friends listen to each other with faith and love, respecting the word as it comes through the speaker and seeking personal insight from each message.
- Ending the worship - The Meeting clerk ends the Meeting for Worship by shaking hands with those sitting nearby. At Saratoga Meeting, we then join hands in a circle and share afterthoughts, introductions, and announcements.
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