About Live Oak Friends Meeting

Welcome to Live Oak Friends Meeting! Formed in 1954, LOFM is a community of friends with a spiritual basis. We’re glad you’re here, and we welcome you to our meeting.

Brochure

Download printable PDF files of the front and back of our printed brochure:

Some Background on Friends

As seekers of Truth, and in an attempt to recover the spirit of early Christians, George Fox, with Margaret Fell, led a movement in 17^th century England that became known as the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers. They believed there is an inner Light in each person that provides direct access to God without need for intermediaries or literal readings of Scripture. Waiting in silence, early Friends were inspired by that "still, small voice of God" to work for justice, for equality, for peace. The movement spread through many countries, including the United States, where William Penn, a Quaker, founded Pennsylvania. LOFM is in the tradition of the meetings that these Friends began. The term Quaker is used interchangeably with Friend.

Quakers are diverse, with three main branches today:

the unprogrammed branch, represented by Friends General Conference;
a semi-programmed branch with clergy, represented by Friends United Meeting;
and an evangelical branch, represented by Evangelical Friends International.

Several Friends churches in the Houston area are affiliated with Evangelical Friends International, of which Friendswood Friends Church is the largest. Live Oak Friends Meeting is the only unprogrammed Quaker meeting in the Houston area, although there are unprogrammed meetings in many other Texas cities.

LOFM is a member of South Central Yearly Meeting, a regional association, which is in turn affiliated with Friends General Conference, an association of Friends in the United States and Canada.

Quaker Distinctives

In the unprogrammed Quaker meeting, we are all ministers. We have no paid clergy, and no pre-arrangement for the meeting; hence, the meeting is "unprogrammed." Quakers consider outward rites and symbols unnecessary and even a hindrance to spiritual experience, and therefore do not celebrate sacraments. "Friends affirm the sacramental nature of the whole of life when it is under the leading of the Spirit" (Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice).

Working through committees, volunteers from both members and attenders carry out the bulk of responsibilities of the meeting. Service to others is also an integral aspect of Quaker practice.

Quakers value certain principles, called "testimonies". Some of these are simplicity, integrity, peace and equality. We have no dogma or officially mandated doctrine.

Meeting for Worship

LOFM holds meetings for worship every Sunday. These meetings for worship generally last an hour, and are "broken" by clasping hands around the room, usually initiated by the clerk. The meeting for worship is based on silence, in which each attender "centers down" and enters into communion with God. The fellowship of the group intensifies this experience.

In the silence we seek to become aware of the presence of God and wait expectantly for guidance from the Inward Christ or the Inner Light. This guidance may be purely personal. At other times, it will seem to be meant for the meeting, and the worshiper then has a responsibility to share that message. This is called "vocal ministry". Silence is also a ministry.

During the last five minutes of meeting, the clerk will invite those present to share their blessings and concerns. The clerk will usually "break the silence" by clasping hands. After meeting for worship (the "rise of meeting") newcomers are introduced and announcements made.

Meeting for Worship Guidelines

Please arrive promptly for meeting to give yourself time to settle down before the start of worship and to avoid disturbing others. Latecomers wait in an adjoining room and enter the meeting when the children leave.
Allow at least a few minutes between vocal ministries to allow the meeting time for reflection.
Brevity is appreciated during vocal ministry. Allow your listeners to interpret the message for themselves.
Ministry should be a spontaneous leading of the Spirit, so try to avoid preparing in advance or speaking from a text. Speaking from your own insights is encouraged.
While ministry during a given meeting may follow a theme, meeting for worship is not a discussion group.
Meeting for worship is different from a support or therapy group. It may be a healing experience, but "sharing" of our difficulties is not its purpose. LOFM provides other opportunities for sharing, support and discussion.
Similarly, while Quakers often have strong political and social views, meeting for worship is not intended to be a forum for political advocacy.

Children

The children are encouraged to attend meeting for worship for the first 20 minutes of the hour (from 10:30-10:50 a.m. on Sunday). Childcare is provided for children under the age of 3 in the Little House from 10:00 a.m to noon. Children's First Day School is from 10:50-11:30 a.m. in the Little House for ages 3 through high school.

Meeting for Worship for Business

Meeting for business is the third Sunday of most months at 11:45 a.m. The meeting for business is a meeting for worship with attention to business. Business is conducted prayerfully, seeking guidance from the Spirit. The "sense of the meeting" is sought for decision-making. No votes are taken; the majority does not decide. "Action is taken only when the group can proceed in substantial unity" (Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice).

Administrative matters and social concerns are generally handled by committees first, with recommendations being brought to the meeting for business for discussion and appropriate action.

The Clerk of the meeting presides over business meetings. He or she is assisted by the Recording Clerk, who records the minutes of the meeting.

Religious Education

From September through May, children’s First Day (Sunday) School is offered from 10:50 -11:30 am. Adult First Day School is from 11:45 - 12:45. All are welcome.

Quaker Literature

Some pamphlets are available at each week’s meeting. You can also buy books from the Friends General Conference bookstore (1 (800) 966-4556 or quakerbooks.org).

Friends for 350 Years, Howard Brinton. Classic review of the history, organization and testimony of Friends.
Portrait in Grey, John Punshon. Traces the beginnings of Quakerism, its way of life, and its explosive expansion.
Quaker Meeting: A Risky Business, Eric Johnson. Personal observations and humorous anecdotes.
Encounter with Silence, John Punshon.
Quakerism: A Study Guide of the Religious Society of Friends, Leonard Kenworthy.
The Amazing Fact of Quaker Worship, George Gorman.

North Pacific and London Yearly Meetings’ Faith and Practices are also often consulted by LOFM.

LOFM Events and Groups

The Acorn, our monthly newsletter, is distributed at the meeting and mailed to those on our mailing list. In includes our monthly calendar with dates and places for scheduled events.
Quaker dialogues and discussion groups.
Wednesday evening meeting for worship at 8:00 p.m. Call for information.
Friends for Lesbian and Gay Concerns.
Alternative to Violence Project (AVP): Many LOFM members have participated in these experiential workshops to learn community building and non-violent methods for resolving conflicts.
Friendly Eights are groups of eight or so people who meet for dinner and fellowship at each other’s houses over a period of months.
Potluck meals are usually enjoyed on the second Sunday of each month after meeting for worship.

Additional Information

Here is some information about LOFM for those more interested in our history or capabilities: