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Welcome to Crossroads Friends (Quaker) Worship Group
If thee is new to unprogrammed Friends worship,
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Please plan to arrive early enough that the group may settle and be ready to gather in silence at the appointed time. Friends unprogrammed worship is based on silent, expectant waiting, in which we may receive messages from the Holy Spirit. Spend some time letting the silence deepen. If thee finds thyself distracted, try not to resist or struggle with the distractions, but move through them toward the quiet openness that is ready to receive. Out of the silence of worship may come vocal ministry - spoken messages. Anyone present is free to speak if moved to do so by the Holy Spirit. Patient, discerning reflection is necessary to distinguish between genuine messages from the Holy Spirit or Inner Guide, and thoughts or opinions arising from our own intellect and emotions. If thee offers vocal ministry or prayer, please stand. Friends’ traditional practice regarding head coverings requires that a man offering vocal ministry uncover his head. When a Friend offers vocal prayer, all men present uncover their heads. Women wearing head coverings do not uncover their heads. If thee feels led to speak at nearly every meeting, or more than once during a single meeting, please renew thy efforts to discern whether all of these are genuine messages from the Holy Spirit. Open thyself to each message, even to those which do not seem to speak to thy condition, or to those with which thee might otherwise disagree. Such a message may represent a truth which will prove of importance to thee at another time. Friends observe framing silence surrounding each vocal ministry. This permits others to consider and absorb the ministry. Resist any temptation to react or respond to another’s vocal ministry; worship is not a debate or discussion. If thee feels led to support a particular message, a traditional phrase such as “That Friend speaks my mind” is permissible and sufficient. If thee must enter or leave the meetingroom during worship, please do so only when no one is standing or speaking. Worship typically lasts one hour or more. Worship concludes when the appointed meeting closer senses that the time is right and begins shaking hands. Introductions and announcements may follow rise of meeting.
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