Who We Are
The Religious Society of Friends holds as the basis of its
faith the belief that God endows each human being with a measure of the
Divine Spirit. The gift of God's presence and the light of God's
truth have been available to all people in all ages.
Friends find this manifestation of God exemplified in
Jesus of Nazareth. The Divine Spirit became so wholly Jesus' own that his teaching,
example and sacrificial life reveal the will of God to humanity.
As within ourselves we become conscious of the same Spirit
(the "Inward Light" or the "Christ
Within"), and as we submit ourselves to its leadings, we also are enabled to live in conformity to the will
of God.
Love, the outworking of the Divine Spirit, is the most potent
influence that can be applied in human affairs, and this application of love to
the whole of life is seen by the Society of
Friends as the core of the Christian gospel.
The immanence of God implies that all persons are
children of the Divine and brothers and sisters one of another. All have the capacity
to discern spiritual truth, and to hold direct communion with
God. No mediator, rite, or outward sacrament is a necessary condition of
worship. Inspiration and guidance may be realized through
meeting with others in group worship where vision is made clearer by the shared
experience of those present.
The Society of Friends has no formal creed. Over the years
Friends have made many attempts to set down the nature of their
faith. Some of these statements, like the letter of George
Fox to the Governor of Barbados in the 17th century or the
Richmond Declaration drawn up by one group of Friends in the late 19th, have been grounded in
Christian orthodoxy. Others, like the writings of Isaac
Penington in the 17th century or of Thomas Kelly in the 20th, have a close kinship with
the insights of mystics of many ages and many religious traditions.
None speaks for all Friends or for all times. We are a religious
fellowship based on common religious ideals and experiences rather than on
creed or liturgy.
Each person must prayerfully seek individual guidance and must
follow the Light found within. Each will be helped by studying the
developing interpretations of God in the Bible and the ideas of the great
spiritual leaders of all faiths. Especially will help be found as one ponders
the life and the teaching of Jesus.
All seekers who in spirit and in truth try to find and follow the will
of God and who are in sympathy with the principles and practices
of Friends, we welcome to our fellowship.
Our Faith Community is comprised of over forty local Meeting communities
in Maryland, Virginia, Central Pennsylvania, and the District of
Columbia. We practice "unprogrammed" Quaker worship. That is we
gather together in silent worship to wait on the word of God. We
do not make use of a paid clergy or sacramental rituals. Rather
we meet each other in a friendly atmosphere where anyone who feels
strongly led to speak can do so. Many Friends give their time and
resources to promote peace, understanding, justice and integrity.
Through out these pages you will read of the faith work of each
of the groups mentioned below.
- Monthly Meetings - Weekly worship at local congregations.
These are referred to as "Monthly Meetings" because they usually
meet at least once a month to make decisions about issues and
concerns that affect the local group. There are usually committees
in these groups that bring forward recommendations and take care
of work that the Meeting is undertaking.
- Quarterly Meetings - Gatherings several times a year
(most four times thus the name "Quarter") of members and attenders
of local Meetings in a designated region. Some Quarters are more
organized than others, having committees like local Meetings.
Others gather simply for fellowship. Some have paid staff, some
do not.
- Yearly Meeting - Annual gathering of people from all
the Quarters with in its region as well as visitors from other
Yearly Meetings. This is includes a year round organization of
volunteers and paid staff. Standing Committees and working groups
of volunteers work with the staff to implement programs through
out the year.
We joyfully invite and welcome all seekers to join us in worship.
Find out more about our faith and our Yearly Meeting at these links:
Some well known Friends organizations include:
...Or for more information on Quakersim in general try this link:
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