Advices on Meeting for Worship

Meeting for Worship is grounded in silent waiting on the Spirit. From the silence, someone may be led to offer a message.

• Taking time for spiritual nourishment during the week helps open our hearts to meeting for worship with others.
• Worship begins when the first person sits down. 
• We enter quietly and settle into waiting worship.
• We minimize distractions and interruptions; for example, we silence electronics and avoid entering or leaving while someone is speaking. 
• We are open to Spirit’s guidance during worship, neither delivering a pre-planned message nor rejecting one entrusted to us. 
• We weigh messages before we stand to speak: Is this Spirit-led? Is this message meant just for me or for everyone? Is it harmonious with our values?
• We speak once. We allow space for reflection between messages. We avoid dialogue or direct response to another’s message. 
• We accept messages graciously and tenderly. 
• Because messages arise from Spirit, we do not state our names before speaking. 
• We welcome people of all ages in Meeting for Worship. The movements and sounds of babies and children are welcome and appreciated. 
• Each of us is growing into the experience of worship, children and adults alike, as we are all deepening our spiritual practice.