"All of us need to find a way into silence which allows us to deepen our awareness of the Divine . . ."
— Jo Vellacott
"In order to fully understand the Quaker way we need to have knowledge — and preferably experience — of the Quaker Meeting for Worship. It is probably the silent worship that has attracted most of the Quakers who have come from other traditions. We may not fully understand it at the beginning, as I did not, but if it is right for us, something draws us back until we experience what it has to give us. From the seventeenth century until the present day, it remains the source from which everything else springs.
"Put in the simplest possible way, a meeting for worship occurs when two or more people come together to sit in silence, and wait to experience the presence of God. The term is most often used to describe what occurs in a Quaker meeting house, usually on a Sunday morning. But it can happen anywhere or at any time. Although silence is the basis of a meeting for worship, anyone present is permitted to speak if they feel moved to do so. Such speaking is called 'ministry'. We will return to this later.
"The Meeting for Worship is full of paradox. Outwardly simple, the more we participate in it the more we become aware of a great deal happening inwardly, both to the individual and to the group. Silent, yet the deepest insights may come when a member of the meeting is moved to speak, even though the words may not be very profound in themselves. The idea of God that is worshipped may be different to each person present, yet in the silence there is a Unity that is beyond words and thoughts. It is our greatest source of strength, yet one which we find difficult to speak about or describe. The experience of this new kind of silence has been a turning point for many of us, yet we may find it impossible to explain why to our friends and relatives. It is the great unifying factor among Friends, but can be the cause of division within households, if it becomes very important for one member, while others find nothing they can share."
