The Religious Society of Friends is a group that practices a form of spirituality which emphasizes the personal experience of God in one’s life over any specific doctrine or belief. While it has its roots in Christianity, it is open to the Light where it may be found. Known also as "Quakers,", Friends understand the necessity of first listening to God before working in the world. They believe "there is that of God in every one" and they therefore affirm the equality of all people before God, regardless of race, station in life, or gender, and this belief leads them into a range of social concerns.

Friends believe that if they wait silently upon God there will be times when God will speak to them in the heart. The silent Meeting of Friends is therefore the communion with God during which Friends lay themselves open to the leading of the Spirit. Sometimes Friends feel led to share a message with fellow worshippers, speaking out of the silence; but for an unprogrammed meeting like ours, there is no pastor or sermon. Indeed, Friends feel that it is the responsibility of every person to listen for that "still, small voice" of Truth within.

George Fox, the founder of the Friends, said in 1661 to King Charles II:

We utterly deny all outward wars and strife and fightings with outward weapons, for any end or under any pretence whatsoever. And this is our testimony to the whole world. The Spirit of Christ, which leads us into all Truth, will never move us to fight and war against any man with outward weapons, neither for the kingdom of Christ, nor for the kingdoms of this world.

The simplicity of this statement becomes less clear in practice, such as during World War II, where some Quakers felt led to fight. But by holding fast to the Peace Testimony, a discerning person conscientiously seeking the Light hopes to be shown nonviolent alternatives.

There is a common misconception, too, that Quakers and other pacifists are passive or nonresistant. In fact, Quaker resistance to war is strongly activist and leads to responses and programs designed to prevent or ameliorate the suffering caused by war. The American Friends Service Committee is one highly respected example of this activism, which seeks alternatives to war along with advancing social justice to prevent war.

Some Quaker worship sessions are organized around a theme, in many cases a "query", an open-ended question designed to soften opinions and open the soul to the eternal answers. The typical Quaker Meeting for Worship lasts about an hour. At the very least, an hour of peaceful reflection is a unique haven in our busy world. Friends report that the period of "settling in" takes five to twenty minutes, after which the Spirit is more likely to be sensed. In our abbreviated period of worship this evening, try to clear your mind and wait patiently. You may be given a new insight into our troubled times. If you feel compelled to speak an insight, you may do so, but we anticipate this will be an experience of shared silent worship. As you settle into the silence, please consider with a sincere heart the following Queries:

Can violence make a peaceful world?

How does the Spirit lead us to wage peace?