Quaker Meeting for Worship

Hartford Monthly Meeting is what is called an “unprogrammed” meeting. We practice silent worship, which begins in silence, and after about an hour, the silence is broken and everyone exchanges greetings with those seated around them. There is no fixed structure to this period of worship. There are no creeds, hymns or set prayers. There is no minister in charge and no formal service.

The Meeting House is open for Sunday worship. Everyone is asked to wear a mask while inside the building. The Meeting will provide masks for anyone who does not have one. Hand sanitizer is also available. Please arrive by 9:45 AM. Click here to contact the Clerk of the Meeting for details.

How it works

Worship begins when the first person enters quietly, sits down and turns his or her mind toward God. When you are settled comfortably, start to "center" yourself by tuning out the sounds of the world around you and the lively thoughts in your mind. This is not so much a matter of being silent, as of being still.

This is often called “waiting worship.”  Soon you might feel a sense of "gatheredness," an awareness that you're in the midst of a prayerful community. Quakers have always believed that the key to worship is quiet listening and waiting. We try to still the voices of our own minds and thoughts and listen instead to the Spirit, remembering that many messages don't come to us in words. The deepest meetings might be mostly or entirely silent.

Spoken Ministry

In unprogrammed Quaker worship, we seek to put aside the thoughts and cares of everyday life and listen instead for what God might be saying to us, both individually and as a worshipping community. Individuals in worship sometimes feel moved by Spirit to speak out of the silence with a message that is meant for the community.  The spoken ministry that arises out of the silence can come from anyone. No one can tell in advance whether he or she will be moved to speak, but all should be open to the possibility.

Should I speak? How will I know?

If you feel the urge to speak, then a process of discernment or "testing" is necessary.    

·       Wait for a time in silence to see how the insight changes.

·       Ask whether the insight is for the whole meeting or is meant for you alone.

·       Vocal ministry should be motivated by your own religious experience, rather than by a desire to respond to someone else’s message.

·       Be certain that your ministry is spiritual and intended for worship. Personal or social concerns can be shared in other ways.

If, after waiting, you do feel called to minister aloud, remember these guidelines:

·       Please stand if you're able and speak in a clear voice that will carry to the person sitting farthest away from you across the room.

·       Speak briefly and only once. A few heartfelt words are better than a long explanation.

·       Do not speak immediately after someone else. Friends need a chance to absorb the previous message. You might be surprised to find that your message changes during this waiting period – what you eventually say might be quite different from what you expected to say. You might also find that the prompting to speak fades away entirely.

Those who don't participate in vocal ministry serve the meeting through silent prayer and attentive listening. If your reason rejects the words of someone’s message, let your heart find the spirit behind the words. Keep in mind that the message might speak deeply to someone else in the group even though it doesn't speak directly to you.