Sitting with the Quakers

The Religious Society of Friends, otherwise known as Quakers, are a Protestant Christian Denomination that grew from the Enlightenment era in England and today has it's largest population of followers in Africa. 

They are historically significant in the U.S. for their large part in the Abolitionist Movement. From 1755 to 1776, the Quaker Society became the first organization in history to ban slaveholding and openly promoted emancipation.

Quakers profess a dual commitment to spiritual awareness and social activism. They believe that the, "responsibility for ministry rests on each of us in the community," therefore the services are facilitated by congregants and all church business is conducted through committees. 

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

                                                              ~ 1 Peter 2:9

Although there are many Quakers in the eastern part of the United States, I found out there is only one Quaker Church in Albuquerque. The Albuquerque Friends Meeting is every Sunday at 10:30 am.

They instruct people to arrive promptly and to gather in silence. They state, "the object of our style of worship is not silence, but the quiet waiting for an opening to the divine within ourselves. As we settle into worship, the quiet becomes vital and alive. Vocal messages come out of this animated stillness to enrich the group worship." 

I arrived early and people were congregating, catching up with each. I noticed a large library available for individual use. There were announcement boards for the ministerial and various committees.  

A "friend" greeted me, seeing that I was new and offered me this pamphlet explaining the Worship Meeting. In the meeting hall, all the chairs were arranged in a circle. Friends filtered in throughout the service and filled in the circle. No one spoke we just sat with God. 

The room soon transformed into a powerful sanctuary, a place to leave all of the chaos and the weight of the World at the doorstep.

It is difficult, in this World filled with constant visual and mind stimulation, to sit quietly and calm the whirlwind of thoughts. 

Often even in prayer and meditation, we talk to ourselves internally; but if we never learn to listen how will we ever know what God is trying to say to us. 

Every little movement or noise seemed like a ripple in the serenity that was settling in, but It came to me that part of the practice was to not allow those little noises to become distractions or irritants, just let them wash over you. 

This is what came to me during my silence: 

In a world swimming in chaos, we [the believers] are the anchor that ties this World to God. 

After some time a few of the congregants, stood and said some things that surfaced or were imprinted on their heart during their sit with God. A scribe wrote down the words the people shared. After about an hour, the children and Sunday school teachers came into the meeting hall. We sat in silence with the children for a few minutes as well. 

We all joined hands to conclude the time of worship, they went around the circle and every person introduced themselves to the group, announcements were made, and then fellowship in the hall. 

✝♥✝ They were very lovely people ~ It was really quite an extraordinary experience ✝♥✝

Taking time to be one with God is difficult in this fast paced world, but it is something that we all should aspire to make more time to do. 

Thank You Albuquerque Friends for sharing with me how you sit with God.