The name "Quakers" was given to our 'Society of Friends' over 350 years ago. George Fox, a well-known minister of that day, urged a prosecuting judge at Darby, England, to "tremble at the word of the Lord." The name "Quakers" was first used in ridicule. Sometimes, though, Friends have felt an inner, or demonstrated an outer, trembling response to the Lord's powerful presence in worship meetings.

The Society of Friends began when George Fox (1623-1691), a seeker of religious truth, became disillusioned with the formal religious organizations and leaders of his day. While meditating one day, near the point of despair, he experienced a voice saying, "There is one, even Christ Jesus, that can speak to thy condition." In response Fox declared, "My heart did leap for joy."

Shortly thereafter he began to proclaim that Christ had come to teach His people Himself. The message that George Fox and the first friends preached was that the power of God was available to all without need of ritual or clergy. This was a revolutionary return to the faith of the first Christians.

The experience of receiving and believing in Christ's Light or Spirit empowered the early Friends to become obedient children of God. This led to much persecution, which helped to spread their radical understanding and experience of the gospel throughout the world, especially Europe and America.

The Light Within

The early Friends first experienced and then preached the good news that Christ gives power to become children of God to all who will receive Him and walk in His light. As each is obedient to what is shown, more light is given to see and do God's will. This inward Light, Jesus Christ "that of God" in everyone, is available to each one who seeks to know it.

Obedience to God's leading is the way to grow in knowledge of Him. As we follow him more closely, He gives us inner peace and joy.

Our Invitation to Worship

As Quakers, we gather to wait upon the Lord in silence. We wait for his power and life to fill us. We wait until the Lord's spirit moves us and gives us the words to speak. We do not speak or sing or pray in our own will and words, our own earthly wisdom, or at the time we have picked. We speak as God opens within our hearts what He would have us speak to His assembled people. If any of us, man or woman, speaks: it is a vessel through which God speaks.

Our worship is worship in which our Lord is an active participant, choosing who will minister, choosing what will be sung and what will be prayed. Our worship is for the edification of God's church, which is a gathering of His people in His spirit.

We hope you will join us.

For more information check out the following links to the left.