Contact Nancy Filson, at 726-6160 for meeting time and location.
http://friendsofspring.blogspot.com/
What are Quakers?
You may be confused (or amused) by the term “QUAKER.” If the only Quakers you know are Quaker Oats and Quaker Oil, you are not alone. Given that, of the roughly 300,000 Quakers in the world today, only 100,000 live in the US, you may not have had much exposure to this group.
Where did Quakerism come from?
Quakerism started in England in the 1650s during a time of civil war and religious turmoil. It grew out of the preaching of George Fox, who rejected the hierarchy and rituals of existing churches, especially the Church of England which was the state religion at that time.
Fox challenged all people to encounter God directly and to experience the Kingdom of Heaven as a present, living reality. Quakerism is concerned with life in this world rather than the next, and has no theology of heaven and hell. This perspective is still held today and Quakers believe that everyone is capable of being led by her or his own deep, divine inspiration without being told how to do it.
As this perspective began to gain acceptance, people started calling themselves by different names such as the Friends of Truth, Friends of Jesus, Children of Light, and eventually settled on the Religious Society of Friends. The Quaker nickname came from their intensity: they were known to tremble or quake with religious zeal. Most refer to themselves as Friends.
Are Quakers Christians?
Many are. Quakers have always held that Christ as Spirit is universally available and has been at work since the beginning of creation. This "universalist" perspective is especially strong in the unprogrammed branch of Quakerism. Unprogrammed meetings are often characterized by great theological diversity, while still experiencing profound spiritual community. The Springfield and Decatur Quaker groups are unprogrammed meaning we have no official “pastor” or preaching at our weekly meetings. We sit in silence for an hour and listen for the “still, small voice” to lead us individually.
Quakerism does not have a specific creed; however, we do have several common testimonies that provide opportunities to take action:
Peace Testimony – Quakers are strongly opposed to war and to conscription (the draft). We try to find alternatives to war to solve problems and attempt to reconcile opposing sides when violence does occur. You may be familiar with the Quaker practice of finding consensus when making important decisions within their community. This gives Quakers plenty of practice for bringing various viewpoints to a common solution that is acceptable to everyone.
Quakers are also well known for their work in rebuilding at the end of wars, especially in Europe at the end of WWII.
Social Justice Testimonies – include such efforts as
One of the most appealing characteristics of Quakerism is the sincere effort to see “that of God” in each person, regardless of his/her behavior. Quakers strive hold each person in the Light.
Find more information at www.quaker.org, www.fcnl.org, www.quakerfinder.org.