About Us
Our Ministry
The Religious Society of Friends is historically a Christian denomination that began in England in the 17th century. Now there are Quakers all over the world, with varying beliefs and practices.
The name of the Religious Society of Friends comes from a Bible passage that expresses our most fundamental tenet. In John 15:15, Jesus says to his disciples: “I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.” We believe that every individual has the potential for direct access to God.
Our Beliefs
Our form of worship arises from this basic belief, as does our embrace of diversity of all kinds and our commitment to social justice. We value the promptings of individual conscience, tempered by the corporate discernment of our community and by the guidance of wisdom from sacred and revered texts. In a world in which God is speaking always and everywhere, we’re open to inspiration from many and sometimes unexpected places.
Friends have found that, while specific beliefs may vary, our dedication to living close to God brings us to live in certain ways. These are some of the practices we strive to follow, sometimes referred to as “testimonies”:
- Simplicity
- Peace
- Integrity
- Community
- Equality
- Stewardship
- How We Worship
How We Worship
DeLand Worship Group is part of the unprogrammed tradition among Quakers, which means we practice waiting worship rather than pre-planning our services. In waiting worship, we listen in silence, waiting for God. Sometimes an entire hour goes by in silence. Sometimes someone is moved to voice an insight they are receiving, after which we return to silence.
This form of worship is based on the belief that everyone has direct access to God. It may look like meditation, but instead it’s a way to clear away distraction so we may experience God directly. When we do this together, we find the effect is amplified.
If we feel a message forming in us during worship, we ask inside if it’s just for us or if it’s to be shared. Most messages we receive are for us alone. If we feel a prompting to share it, we must discern where the prompting is coming from and whether the message is to be shared during worship. This can be a difficult discernment to make; it takes practice. After worship is over, we often share insights that didn’t demand to be spoken during worship.
Having practiced waiting worship for centuries, Quakers have found that silence is often richer than any words that could be spoken. In the silence, we connect with God, each other, and ourselves.
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Make your check payable to Orlando Friends Meeting with notation for DeLand Worship Group and mail to Orlando Friends Meeting at 316 East Marks Street, Orlando, FL 32803.