There are found in not a few places, groups of sincere disciples of the Lord Jesus who meet together without prearrangement or human leadership, but in silence, unless moved otherwise, in subjection to the headship of Christ, whom they recognize as “in the midst.”

There is no Meeting so open, so tender, so free, so stable, as the Meeting that is united in faith in the prophetic ministry, in the belief that God speaks to man, calls him to action and leads him through it. While this belief is characteristic of certain “unprogrammed” portions of the Society, whose worship is rooted in it, it is known to Friends with programmed meetings as well, for the faith that God reveals Himself to man in time is a basic tenet of Friends in general, and is found throughout Christendom, though its practice differs from group to group.

In the Quaker practice of group worship on the basis of silence come special times when an electric hush and solemnity and depth of power steals over the worshippers. A blanket of divine covering comes over the room, and a quickening Presence pervades us, breaking down some part of the special privacy and isolation of our individual lives and bonding our spirits within a super-individual Life and Power—an objective, dynamic Presence which enfolds us all, nourishes our souls, speaks glad, unutterable comfort within us, and quickens in us depths that had before been slumbering. The Burning Bush has been kindled in our midst, and we stand together on holy ground.

Dwell in the power of life and wisdom, and dread of the Lord of life, and of heaven and earth, that you may be preserved in the wisdom of God over all, and be a terror and a dread to all the adversaries of God, answering that of God in them all, spreading the truth abroad, awakening the witness, confounding the deceit, gathering up out of transgression into the life, into the covenant of light and peace with God. Let all nations hear the sound by word or by writing. Spare no place, spare no tongue, nor pen; but be obedient to the Lord God. Go through the work, and be valiant for the truth upon earth; tread and trample down all that is contrary. You have the power, do not abuse it. you have the strength, presence, and wisdom of the Lord. Eye it, that with it you may all be ordered to the glory of the Lord God. Keep in the dominion, keep in the power over deceit. Tread over deceit in that which lets you see to the world’s end and to the utmost parts of the earth. Reign and rule with Christ, whose scepter and throne is now set up, whose dominion is over all to the ends of the earth. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, his throne an everlasting throne, his kingdom an everlasting kingdom, his power above all powers. Therefore this is the word of the Lord God to you all: Keep in the wisdom of God, which spreads over all the earth and is pure from above, the wisdom of the creation, which is not destructive. For now shall salvation go out of Zion to judge the Mount of Esau. Now shall the Law go forth from Jerusalem to answer the principle of God in all, to hew down all inventors and inventions. For all the princes of the earth are but as air to the power of the Lord God, which you are in, and have tasted of. Therefore live in it and do not abuse it. That is the word of the Lord God to you all. Keep down the low and take heed of false joys that will change.

We extend a cordial welcome to all present at our Meeting for Worship. We invite you to participate in our worship of God together. There is no outward signal to begin the meeting. It begins as we assemble together silently, to prayerfully wait upon the Lord. “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). With the help of the Holy Spirit, who directs the worship, our minds are withdrawn from all outward and distracting things, and we are enabled to maintain a solemn, waiting attitude of spirit.