Welcome to Quaker Worship

Calgary’s Monthly Meeting, our local group of Quakers, is part of the broader group of unprogrammed Quakers in Canada called Canadian Yearly Meeting.  (As a way to learn more about the “testimonies” or guiding ideals that Canadian Friends affirm, here is a description from Canadian Yearly Meeting’s Faith and Practice. These testimonies include integrity, peace, equality, simplicity, justice, and unity with creation). 

You’re welcome to join our weekly Meeting for Worship. 

During the pandemic, we gather for worship on Zoom on Sunday mornings.  Here’s what to expect: we’re a small group, usually between ten and fifteen participants, and we begin our silent worship around 10:30AM on Sundays.  Most members keep their video on, with their mics muted; you are welcome to keep your video on or off, whichever feels most comfortable to you.  (Our tech host might mute you if your mic is disruptive).  It might seem like an unfamiliar thing, to worship in silence on Zoom; here’s a lovely New York Times article about Quaker worship in the Zoom context.  Our worship meeting lasts for an hour, followed by sharing and introductions; you’re welcome to leave early if you’d like.

Our Quaker Meeting is based on silent worship. You may find it easy to relax in the silence and enter into the spirit of the Meeting, or you may be disturbed by the strangeness of the silence, by external distractions, or by your own roving thoughts. Do not worry about this: we all find it difficult to settle at times, but we return again and again to the still centre of our being, where the presence of God or the Light can be known. Nearly everyone, at some time in their lives, seeks a connection with something greater than themselves. For some of us, God describes the connection; for others the terms Spirit, Love, Light, Presence, and Truth resonate.  During the Meeting, try, if only for brief periods, to be quiet in body, mind, and spirit: this is a way to practice what Friends describe as “expectant listening.” In the quietness of Meeting, we are open to the movement of the spirit of love and truth within ourselves and within the group. Instead of worshiping alone, we meet together and hold an awareness of all those gathered with us, united in a common purpose: in this way, the act of waiting and listening becomes an act of sharing.

We are generally a quiet Meeting, so it's not uncommon for a full hour of silence to go by in our worship. We do welcome sharing, which is what Quakers call “ministry,” into our silence, so it's also not uncommon for people to unmute their mics and speak into the silence of the space.  This means that someone from the Meeting has felt called to briefly say something which might deepen and enrich the worship. When someone speaks during worship, a period of silence follows. As another way to practice expectant listening, try to listen to what is said with an open mind and heart. If something is said that does not speak to your condition or need, try nevertheless to reach the spirit behind the words. Our needs are different and can be met in differing ways, and so we welcome and encourage you to find your own way into the silence.  (This time of worship is not a time for dialogue, discussion or summary but rather a time for a sharing of truth in its silent or vocal form).

At the end of the hour, at 11:30 AM, one of our members will break the silence and open up space for people to bring up things on their mind that they may not have wanted to insert into the silence. This is the time when introductions are made; if you are willing to share, we would love to hear who you are, where you live, and what led you to attend our Meeting for Worship. It’s always wonderful to meet visitors and newcomers. 

The Zoom link remains the same from week to week, and if you’d like to join our mailing list, you’re welcome to email us at yycquakers@gmail.com. 

Our local Quaker Meeting, which is called Calgary Monthly Meeting, is part of the Religious Society of Friends.  While we’re meeting virtually these days, our regular meeting place is Community Wise in Calgary, which is on the traditional territories of the peoples of Treaty 7 and Metis Region 3.  Our Monthly Meeting (calgaryquakers.org) is part of Canadian Yearly Meeting (quakers.ca).  If you’d like to read more about Quaker traditions and silent worship, Pendle Hill provides useful information for new attenders.