Understanding Quaker Worship

Friends typically call a church service “meeting for worship,” and worship can happen in any place—a church building (which we call the “meetinghouse”), outside, or anywhere. Early Friends often met for worship on hillsides or in local public buildings.

Like other denominations, Friends have branched into different forms of worship. The original Friends worshipped in what we call “unprogrammed” style, with silent worship times punctuated by Friends “speaking into the silence” if they felt inspired by spirit. Programmed Friends follow a Protestant format, with a call to worship, hymns, prayer, and a vocal message, which may or may not be followed or preceded by a time of silent worship.

Sunday worship

Here at Noblesville Friends, we follow this programmed (also called “semi-programmed”) style, with a traditional format, hymns, prayer, scripture, and vocal ministry, followed by about 15 minutes of silence for prayer, listening, and reflection.

Here's the general outline we follow each Sunday morning:

Worship begins at 10:30 am.

  • Welcome and announcements
  • Prelude
  • Call to worship
  • Hymn
  • Offertory
  • Pastoral prayer
  • Choir special music or second hymn
  • Communion in the manner of Friends (open worship)
  • Scripture reading
  • Message
  • Moment for reflection
  • Hymn
  • Benediction and postlude
Each Sunday both before and after meeting for worship, we share coffee, snacks, and fellowship, and quarterly, on the last Sunday of the month, we enjoy a shared pitch-in meal, followed by our monthly meeting for business (which is what Quakers call the meeting where church business is attended to and nurtured).

Bible study

Another way we deepen our faith and fellowship is through Bible study. We tend to organize our times of bible study around a particular text we are studying, and right now we are on hiatus after studying the book of John. Watch this space for the next bible study we plan. All are welcome!



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