All are welcome at Quaker Meetings. When you arrive at the Meeting House for a Meeting for Worship, you will find a welcomer at the door. If you let the welcomer know that this is your first time at a Quaker Meeting, they will be able to show you through to the Meeting Room and give you some leaflets that you might find helpful.
When you enter the Meeting Room, you can sit anywhere you want – our chairs are arranged in a circle around the room and no seats are special or reserved. This helps us to connect with each other and reminds us that we are worshipping together as equals. The Meeting starts when the first person enters the room and ends when two Elders shake hands at the end. If you are joining us on Zoom, please simply mute your microphone and sit in the stillness with the other people present.
In a Quaker Meeting, we gather together in silent worship; there are no set hymns, prayers or sermons. At some point during the Meeting, one or more people may offer ‘ministry’, sharing a helpful thought that has arisen within them during the collective stillness. There are copies of the Bible and a book called Quaker Faith & Practice available on the table in the Meeting Room – people might choose to look at these quietly or to read aloud from them as ministry.
After the Meeting, the Clerk reads the notices and then we move into the lobby for tea, coffee, and biscuits/cake. Please do stay for this and take the opportunity to let us know about yourself and ask any questions you may have.
The ground floor of the Meeting House, which is where our Meeting Room is located, is accessible to wheelchair users. We have toilet facilities available, including an accessible toilet and baby-change facilities.