Live Oak Friends Meeting is an un-programmed Friends (Quaker) Meeting.

LOFM is affiliated with South Central Yearly Meeting, Bayou Quarterly Meeting and Friends General Conference.

To find Quaker meetings in other cities, consult Quakerfinder.org.

To schedule an event or meeting at the Meeting House or Little House, e-mail the Scheduler.

To receive information about the username/password for the Members/Attenders area,email attenders@friendshouston.org.

Meeting for Worship

References

Howard Brinton, Guide to Quaker Practice, Pendle Hill, 1955

Faith and Practice, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, revised 1990

Larry Miller, The Practice of Quaker Worship

What It Is

Worship, according to the ancient practice of the Religious Society of Friends, is entirely without any human direction or supervision. A group of devout persons come together and sit down quietly with no prearrangement, each seeking to have an immediate sense of divine leading and to know at first hand the presence of the Living Christ. It is not wholly inaccurate to say that such a Meeting is held on the basis of silence; it is more accurate to say that it is held on the basis of Holy Obedience. Those who enter such a Meeting can harm it in two specific ways: first, by an advance determination to speak; and second, by advance determination to keep silent. The only way in which a worshipper can help such a Meeting is by an advance determination to try to be responsive in listening to the still, small voice and doing whatever may be commanded. Such a Meeting is always a high venture of faith and it is to this venture we invite you…

(Prepared by Friends attending the WCC 1948, as quoted in Faith and Practice, p. 14.)

Preparation

A daily period of prayer, worship and meditation furnishes food for the nourishment of spiritual life. So does regular reading of devotional literature. Sometimes a meeting is helped if a small group gathers occasionally for preparation for worship together.

Brinton, p. 21-22

Settling

Assuming some degree of preparation in heart and mind, an initial requirement in a Quaker meeting for worship is to help the meeting to settle by settling oneself…

Miller, p. 7

Silence

In the silence of the meeting, thought becomes the servant of the searching spirit.

Faith and Practice, p. 15

Vocal Ministry

Out of direct communion of man with God can come a sense of guidance and a message from the Inward Christ. Sometimes this message seems purely personal; at other times, it seems meant for the meeting. The worshiper is then under a divine requirement to share, and his fellow w worshipers to listen. This responsibility of every member may lead to ministry that will answer unknown or unvoiced needs of other seekers. A sensitive spirit often shares a vital "opening" which brings worshipers to God and leaves them there.

Friends who speak frequently or out of a long development of thought and experience should learn to wait for the guidance of the Spirit to show them when and how their message should be uttered. Sensitivity to the needs of others, under a feeling of divine guidance, enables Friends to know when to share their insights with their fellow seekers. Periods of silence between vocal expressions offer opportunities for reflection and are usually helpful.

Faith and Practice, p. 15

It is no light matter to break the living silence. This should be done only with a sense of humility. Spoken words should not come as an interruption of the silence but rather as a component part of it. The tone of voice and manner of the speaker must harmonize with the character of the meeting.

Brinton, p. 22

In such matters as these, no rules can or ought to be given. The following characteristics of an acceptable spoken message are suggested as possibly valid in most cases. Seldom does a speaker achieve them all, but fortunately, God is willing to use very imperfect instruments to accomplish divine ends. The sermon should be:

Brinton, p. 23 ff.

Queries from Faith and Practice