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Ditchling Quaker MeetingEast Gardens, Ditchling, Sussex BN6 8STE-mail: ditchlingquakers |
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Quakerism has only one fundamental belief:
"that there is that of God* in every person."
This is the foundation for all Quaker
Testimonies (the ways we try to live our lives). The
testimonies that Quakers (Friends) are best known for are:
Peace, Social Justice, Penal Reform.The other testimonies are
Equality, Simplicity, Truth, and the Integrity of Creation.
Quakerism offers a spiritual context and some guiding
principles, which often lead to robust, imaginative approaches.
The response to evil and injustice is to continue searching for
"that of God" in the people and in the situation, so that the
potential for good becomes possible. Whatever the particular
response, it comes (hopefully) from a sound spiritual base.
Quakerism is a way of "seeking the Truth" and early Quakers were
known as "Seekers". More Quaker Values.
The name "Quaker" was first used in 1650, when George Fox was brought before Justice Bennet of Derby on a charge of blasphemy. According to Fox's journal, Bennet "called us Quakers because we bid them tremble at the word of God", a scriptural reference (e.g., Isaiah 66:2, Ezra 9:4). Therefore, what began apparently as a way to make fun of Fox's admonition by those outside the Society of Friends became a nickname that even Friends use for themselves.
There are many websites about Quakerism
and you can explore them at your leisure but in the end
Quakerism comes down to the experience of what has sometimes
been called "the simple fact of Quaker worship" and this may be
easier to experience than to describe.
We worship in silence, this is not a passive silence, it is a
"waiting on the 'Spirit'", however each of us may define that
Spirit. Sometimes a Meeting for Worship will pass in complete
silence but often someone will feel 'moved' to share something
briefly with the Meeting. And yes it isn't easy to sit for a
whole hour if you haven't done it before. It is sometimes hard
for those of us who have done it many times! There are always
books you can read on the table in the centre of the Meeting for
Worship, usually a Bible and “Quaker Faith & Practice",a
Quaker book which contains Advices
& Queries and many Quaker sayings and stories.
(If you don't feel you can manage the whole hour just go outside
quietly - no-one will mind... but do stay around so we can meet
you afterwards.)
It isn't for everyone but if you would like to share in this
experience you will be most welcome to join us for Meeting for
Worship on a Sunday morning. You may like to have a chat with
one of us first, in which case drop us an Email
with your name and phone number and times it would be convenient
for someone to 'phone. Or it may be that another
Meeting
House is more convenient for you.
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Ditchling Quaker Meeting © 2007
(Updated 7/9/8)