Welcome!
Warmest greetings from Chester Quarterly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends!
We are the Quakers of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. This website is intended to help you get to know us and to invite you to come and worship with us, if the Spirit leads you!
What is a Quarterly Meeting?
The Religious Society of Friends is organized into Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly Meetings. The basic unit is the Monthly Meeting, the equivalent to the local congregation in most other churches. It is customary for Friends to worship every Sunday at a designated time. It is also the practice to hold business meetings once each month. Members of a Monthly Meeting are also members of a Quarterly Meeting which meets for worship and business every three months at the meetinghouse of one of the Monthly Meetings. Similarly, all members within a certain geographic region belong to a Yearly Meeting which meets for several days once or twice per year. Chester Quarterly Meeting is a constituant member of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Chester Quarterly Meeting is composed of eight Monthly Meetings: Chester, Darby, Lansdowne, Media, Middletown Preparative, Providence, Springfield and Swarthmore.
Contact Persons:
Tina Stanton, Co-Clerk E-mail (click here)
Glen Wilson, Web Manager E-mail (click here) 666610-410-8161
E-mail: chesterquarter@chesterquarter.org
What to Expect at a Quaker Meeting for Worship...
Meeting for Worship begins as Friends gather together in a silence that grows deeper as it progresses. Here we open ourselves to the love of God and to that of God in each other. Quakers do not have priests or other ordained clergy as we believe every person can have a direct relationship with God. During our meetings for worship some individuals may feel moved to speak. Anyone may speak when he or she feels inspired to do so; this is known as vocal ministry.
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Visitors are always welcome. You will be greeted at the door and made to feel welcome. There are always Friends available to answer any questions you might have.
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There is no dress code or formal seating arrangement.
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If it is your first time at Meeting for Worship, you may be given a pamphlet which you can read during the meeting. There are also Bibles and copies of Quaker Faith & Practice available for your use. You are welcome to read these.
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Meeting begins at different times at different meetings. If you're late, you may be asked to wait for a moment or two before entering the meeting room.
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Meeting for Worship begins as soon as the first person enters the room.
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There will normally be a period of silence out of which someone may speak. This is known as vocal ministry. Several individuals may offer messages, and there is usually a period of silence between messages wherein worshippers may reflect upon what has been said.
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It is not a problem if your mind starts drifting during the meeting. The silence can be quite strange if you're new to Friends worship, and it is not uncommon for one's mind to wander. Simply try to let distracting thoughts pass on through your mind and return to the spirit of the meeting.
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Meeting for Worship ends when two members sitting on the facing benches shake hands. Then you may feel free to shake hands with the people sitting near you.
Next page: PYM Calendar