A Friends Meeting for Worship is a special place—a place of quiet meditation and occasionally a place of profound messages brought about through constantly seeking the Truth. And while there are no rules for speaking in Meeting, we ask Friends and visitors to follow some simple guidelines.

If you’ve never spoken at Meeting, we welcome your up-welling of Spirit, for you are but a mouthpiece of a collected group consciousness. The simplest message, based on deep personal experience, often helps all those gathered the most. But speaking in Meeting for Worship is something you shouldn’t take lightly. For most of us, it’s the culmination of experience and/or reading that leads to a deeper vision of God and His ways of dealing with us.

And just where does prayer fit into our Meeting for Worship? Prayer, both silent and vocal, encourages us into a deeper Meeting for Worship. Sometimes, a single prayer of thanksgiving, intercession, petition, or dedication, spoken from the heart may uplift the spiritual feeling of everyone at Meeting. Vocal prayer may provide many with a focal point which witnesses to the spirit at work in the Meeting. At other times a prayer, spoken with sincerity may bring unity to a Meeting for Worship in which the ministry seems scattered or out of beat. And it may bring focus to a number of messages on different topics.

There are those who seem to be called to speak a lot. While, at the same time, there are those who never speak. Speaking at Meeting isn’t a requirement but a gift of insight into the wider realm of understanding of Truth and God.

We prefer that after someone speaks that those at Meeting once again gather in silence. If you feel called upon to speak, you should wait a short period so that everyone can absorb the previous message. And if a message is too long, many won’t be able to absorb its full concept.

Read more on effective prayer.

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