Old Haverford Monthly Meeting

And thou, Philadelphia, the virgin settlement of this Province, named before thou wert born. What love, What care, What service, and What travail have there been to bring thee forth and preserve thee from such as would abuse and defile thee.
0 that thou mayest be kept from the evil that would overwhelm thee; that, faithful to the God of thy Mercies, in the life of righteousness thou mayest be preserved to the end.

My soul prays to God for thee that thou mayest stand in the day of trial that thy children may be blest of the Lord and thy people, saved by His power.

-- William Penn's prayer for Philadelphia 1684

Worship

Worship at Old Haverford is unprogrammed, silent Meeting for Worship. We sit in expectant silence and listen for that of God within. Quakers have no creed, and so there is no prescribed form for worship, no ceremony or ritual. Meeting for Worship is central to the life of the Meeting Community. Of course silent Meeting for Worship isn't entirely silent -- now and then someone may feel moved to speak. The sharing of vocal ministry is a valued part of Meeting for Worship. Meeting for Worship begins at 11:00 AM each Sunday.

Friends prepare for Meeting in many ways, some by reading, and some by thoughtful reflection on events. However, the messages spoken in Meeting should not, in general, be predetermined, but should be an expression of the direct experience of the Light that arises during the period of Worship. Vocal ministry can help to deepen the spiritual experience, and gather the Meeting together. In many cases, there will be no spoken words at all during Meeting for Worship, but these are often even more moving and powerful.

Meeting for Worship is not the only form of religious expression, as the understanding that comes from a direct experience of the Inward Light will often lead to a concern for outward action. Bringing beliefs into action is an essential part of the Quaker experience. A visitor, unfamiliar with Quaker Worship is said to have whispered to Rufus Jones "When does the service begin?" to which Rufus replied: "When you leave the meetinghouse!"

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Last modified: Sunday, November 3, 2002