WILLISTOWN FRIENDS MEETING

7069 Goshen Rd Newtown Square, PA, 19073 United States

Welcome to Willistown Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. We are known as “Quakers” or “Friends.”  Quakers believe that there is that of God in every person.  When Friends worship, we seek to experience God within ourselves, in our relationships with each other, and in our every day lives.

We invite you to attend worship in our tradition of silence, where Friends settle peacefully together to attend to “the light of God within.”  Children join us for the first 15 minutes of meeting for worship, then the littlest children are cared for in our Nursery while the older children participate in our vibrant Sunday school program.

Meeting for worship begins at 10am and ends at 11am each Sunday.  Hospitality, when we gather together for refreshments and conversation, follows meeting for worship.

All are welcome.

QUAKER BELIEFS

While there is much diversity of belief among Quakers, Friends generally agree that there is “that of God” in every person.  This is sometimes spoken of as the “inner light,” a guiding spirit that emanates from the Divine and resides in every person. 

Quakers also generally believe that revelation of Divine truth is continuous.  Friends hold themselves open to the possibility of learning new truths as they are revealed and are called to accept those new truths.

Because Friends believe that revelation is ongoing, Quakers have no set creed or dogmas.  Friends believe that new truth is revealed to us as we continue our spiritual journeys individually and with one another.

Source: pym.org:  to learn more, see:

http://www.pym.org/introducing-pym-quakers/quaker-faith/the-light-within/

http://www.pym.org/introducing-pym-quakers/quaker-faith/continuing-revelation/,   

Quakers value certain principles, which have been expressed as “testimonies.” These include Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality and Stewardship. Many Friends refer to these testimonies with the acronym SPICES. Friends try to embody and live these testimonies in all aspects of their lives.

Quakers ponder the questions that most deeply concern us through the use of Queries.  Written as a series of questions to be explored personally and as a meeting for worship, theQueries are found in Faith and Practice of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, a book written for Quakers “intended to be a guide for our members and all those who seek to understand in greater detail the way we endeavor to apply our fundamental affirmations.” (Forward, Faith and Practice 1997 edition.)

 

ORGANIZATION OF QUAKER MEETINGS

Willistown Friends Meeting is referred to as a “monthly meeting.”  Our Meeting belongs to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.   Made up of over 100 local monthly meetings in eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, all of Delaware and Eastern Maryland, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting is both a faith community and a formal organization. More about Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and Quaker thought and practice can be found at pym.org.