Videos About Quakerism

While there is much to read on this website, if you are new to Quakerism, or have questions about deepening your faith, this list of videos may prove helpful.

QuakerSpeak issues new videos each week, so check back with this page frequently to learn more (or better yet, subscribe directly to QuakerSpeak and you will receive notification as each new video is released.

(Click ► to open table of videos)

New to Meeting for Worship

New to Meeting for Worship in the Manner of Friends

	Quaker Worship Part 1: The Challenge of Sitting in Silence What happens when you try to sit in silence for an hour? These seven Quakers discuss the challenge of being alone with one’s thoughts in Quaker worship, and the opportunity for grace and true communion on the other side.
	Quaker Worship Pt 2: Giving Vocal Ministry In the Quaker religion, adherents believe that a higher power can speak through them. We asked Quakers what it’s actually like to experience this.
	Quaker Worship Pt 3: The Gathered Meeting The potential for this worshiping experience that you’re going to be walking into, it’s one of the most inspiring things that I’ve ever witnessed and been part of, which I think is the reason I’m still Quaker with all the things that I struggle with. It’s that potential that keeps us there. But the potential is this thing that we call a “gathered” meeting or a “covered” meeting.
	Why Quakers Worship In Silence On the surface, it can seem like Quaker worship is just sitting in silence. But as Lloyd Lee Wilson explains, something much more profound is happening.
	My First Time at Quaker Meeting “My 1st impression of Quaker meeting was confusion. I really couldn't believe that people were uniting together in practice, not in dogma. This was literally incomprehensible to me. The fact that people believed different things and used different language and yet could come together to be a great community because they shared the same set of practices...” What's it like to attend Quaker meeting for worship for the first time? We asked 6 Friends what they remember about their first experience.
	Quaker Silence "Silence is the ground out of which worship comes. The silence leaves the space for the sound, the whisper, even the noise of the spirit." We asked a diverse group of Friends what they find most valuable about silence in Meeting for Worship. This is what they said.
	The Difference Between Quaker Meeting and Other Services "We are a seeking faith community. We experience the space in which we can explore our spiritual journey. We are not offering answers, but trying to ask the right questions." How does Quaker Meeting compare to other Christian services? Quaker author Ben Pink Dandelion explores this question.

Quakerism in the 21st Century

	Quaker Glossary “Monthly Meeting”, “Clerk”, “Convincement”, “Clearness”, “Minutes” – What do all these words have in common? They all mean something specific to Quakers! In this video we teamed up with Philadelphia Yearly Meeting to define 12 common Quaker terms.
	9 Core Quaker Beliefs As a lifelong Quaker, Arthur Larrabee was frustrated that he couldn’t answer the question, “What do Quakers believe?” So he set out to do just that.
	The Experience of Newcomers What draws seekers to Quakerism, and what keeps them coming back? Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and QuakerSpeak asked seven people who have been attending Meeting for 2 years or less.
	What Do Quakers Believe? What do Quakers believe? As an experiential religion with no creed, there isn’t always an easy answer. We asked 26 Quakers about belief, and the resulting conversations were powerful.
	Leaving Quakerism Better Norval Reece was giving a tour of his Quaker meetinghouse when someone asked, “What is this space used for now?” That’s when he realized we’ve got to do a better job of telling our story.
	How Quaker Meeting Changed My Life Lidney Molnari was “church shopping” when he had an experience that spoke to his condition at Live Oak Friends Meeting in Houston, TX.

Some History of Quakerism

Some History of Quakerism

	The Start of Quakerism (Part 1 of 4) Ben Pink Dandelion (of the Woodbrooke Center (Professor of Quaker Studies)) discusses the origins of Quakers.
	The Start of Quakerism (Part 2 of 4) (Part 2 of a 4 part series) Ben Pink Dandelion (of the Woodbrooke Center (Professor of Quaker Studies)) discusses the origins of Quakers.
	The Start of Quakerism (Part 3 of 4) (Part 3 of a 4 part series) Ben Pink Dandelion (of the Woodbrooke Center (Professor of Quaker Studies)) discusses the origins of Quakers.
	The Start of Quakerism (Part 3 of 4) (Part 3 of a 4 part series) Ben Pink Dandelion (of the Woodbrooke Center (Professor of Quaker Studies)) discusses the origins of Quakers.

Hello and welcome to our meeting. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

Visiting Unami for the First Time?

If you've never attended a Meeting for Worship, we hope you will come worship with us -- give it a try.

Many have found help in viewing the "introductory" videos (below) to answer questions that might arise in expectation of a Quaker Meeting for Worship.

Here's what to expect

What do we do in silent worship?

We come together in silence:
To listen to the Spirit
To grow in our faith
To support each other
To help one another follow the Light within.

Our time together looks like:

Sitting quietly together, adults and children
Speaking as moved by the Spirit
Listening
Shaking hands when worship ends and greeting those around us

Quaker worship is based on silent waiting, where we expect to come into the presence of the Divine. In this living silence, we listen for the still, small voice that comes from the Divine through the Inward Light.

The essential experience of Friends is that of a direct, unmediated relationship with the Divine. Friends have used many terms or phrases to refer to the inner certainty of our faith: the Light Within, the Inner Light, and that of God in every person.

On Speaking in Friends Meeting for Worship:

Allow yourself time to settle into silence.
Refrain from preparing messages in advance. A message should come from the Spirit.
If a message comes to you, consider whether it is for you alone or to be shared with others.
Before you offer vocal ministry, allow time to elapse for a previous message to speak to the Light in others.
Speak briefly and from your personal spiritual experience.
Speak only once.
When you speak, speak so that all can hear you.
Be careful about speaking in reply to another's message. Forums and discussions can happen elsewhere. However, themes sometimes do emerge in Meeting for Worship.

Most Quaker meetings, at least in this part of country, are so-called "unprogrammed" meetings.
This means that our meetings for worship are not led by a minister, but are largely conducted in silence. Typically, a Clerk or other Member of the Meeting will close worship with a simple "Good morning friends" but otherwise the meeting may be completely silent.

My First Time at a Quaker Meeting
Quaker Silence
What Attracts Newcomers to a Quaker Meeting
What Do Quakers Believe
Glossary of Common Quaker Terms
How Quaker Meeting Changed My Life