You are invited to join the Pendle Hill community for worship. Meeting for Worship takes place in the Barn from 8:30am to 9:00am every day, Monday through Sunday.
Meeting for Worship at Pendle Hill
Our daily Meeting for Worship, a gathering based in silence, is central to life at Pendle Hill. We invite you to join us, whatever your beliefs, convictions, and experiences.
Our form of worship reflects the Quaker belief that direct experience of God is possible for everyone, without any ritual or intermediary. It reflects the trust that all who take part will strive sincerely, both in their silent worship and in their spoken ministry, to seek that inward communion.
Quaker Meeting for Worship is a corporate practice. We gather in the expectation that as we quiet our minds, and open our hearts to the Divine Presence, we will be gathered together in the Spirit. The worshipful condition of others in the room is an aid to everyone else. In Meeting for Worship, we seek to allow the busy activity of our minds to become still. By grace, we may open to the spacious reality of the Eternal Being, to the Light of Christ, to the Love of God. Perhaps the Inward Light will illuminate something we need to see more clearly, within ourselves or in the world. We may receive spiritual nourishment, or healing. Eternal truths might gain fresh relevance, or we may be led into prayer for ourselves or others. Guidance may come about how God is leading us to act in relation to a particular issue or heart-felt concern.
Discerning About Vocal Ministry
In the silence, each person may be ministered to according to their innermost needs. Often specific guidance or messages are received inwardly. When we feel an urge or prompting to stand and share a message with the whole meeting, this is an opportunity to practice discernment: to sort out whether the message comes only from our own thoughts and enthusiasms, or whether it is divinely inspired. If we have a clear sense that it is inspired, we ask: is this message meant only for me, or am I being prompted by the Spirit to speak it to others aloud—right now, in this place? If the latter, we stand, speak in a clear, loud voice, and share faithfully what has been given, without addition or explanation. If we offer vocal ministry, it is our practice to do so only once.
Vocal ministry is not meant to be a conversation with one another, but a form of communion with God through the Spirit-led words of those present. This might include an inspired, heart-felt prayer spoken aloud, or a part of a song that is given as ministry to the gathered group on a particular day. A theme or connection may be apparent between the messages. However, we refrain from our own impulses to respond to a particular message or to add our own thoughts. We leave it to the Spirit to shape whatever larger pattern or meaning may unfold in the ministry.
Closing Meeting
As Meeting for Worship comes to a close (about half an hour after the starting time), one of the people sitting on the bench that faces the entrance (“the facing bench”) will ask if there are prayers, joys, or concerns to hold in the Light with the community. Meeting closes when this person shakes hands with another. Then everyone shakes hands and greets others near them. Afterwards visitors are invited to stand and introduce themselves. At the end there is time for brief announcements relevant to community life and events at Pendle Hill.
Silence and Vocal Ministry
We do not know in advance whether or not there will be spoken messages during a particular Meeting for Worship. It is not unusual for there to be no messages on any given day; the silence itself contains the message and the ministry. On other days, there may be one, two or several messages, either related to one another or not. Friends rise to speak, so that all may hear, and speak briefly and clearly the message given to them by the Spirit. A worshipful silence follows each message, and respect is given, both during and after the meeting, to any ministry given.
Meeting begins whenever the first person enters the room and turns to God in worship. This may be long before the appointed time to begin.
We enter the worship room in silence, and wait in the doorway if someone is giving vocal ministry.
Friends Meetings vary in their style of worship; this section describes how worship is conducted at Pendle Hill.
More Information
For additional information, see Pendle Hill Pamphlet #306, Four Doors to Meeting for Worship, by William Taber. Other resources are available through our bookstore and online store.
Pendle Hill offers courses and workshops on many aspects of Quakerism. We look forward to welcoming you here.
