At 10 am, we begin by sitting in silence quietly listening for the voice of the Spirit. The silence is broken occasionally when a worshipper feels led by the Spirit to share a vocal ministry. Then we return to the silence. A period of worship may include several messages or none.
All ages worship together for the first 10 to 15 minutes of the Meeting for Worship hour. Then the religious education teacher and assistant will stand and lead the children to the school room in our annex. After an hour, someone ends worship with a greeting.
The young people return and join the group for the closing circle. Following announcements, all are welcome to share in light refreshments in the annex. On the first Sunday of the month, we hold our monthly business meeting which we refer to as Meeting for Worship with a concern for business.
Friends believe there is that of God in each individual and that we can directly experience that of God within ourselves and each other. All Friends’ practices, witness, and testimonies – simplicity, integrity, equality, community, and peace - stem from this basic belief.
Our form of worship reflects our belief that the Divine Spirit speaks directly to each individual soul. We are all responsible for ministry; we have no paid clergy. While we have advices and queries to guide us, we have neither dogma nor creed. People who worship with us start from where they are, building on their experience.
We have a program for children twice a month. The variety of ages and backgrounds enriches our community.
You will find much silence in our Meeting for Worship – a silence of expectant waiting, and an opportunity for experiencing the presence of God. The silence is broken occasionally when a worshipper feels led by the Spirit to share a message. Every individual present enriches the fellowship, whether speaking or remaining silent.
For more information, go to www.Facebook.com/SaratogaFriendsMeetingQuaker
Saratoga Friends Meeting is part of the Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as “Quakers”. Quakers practice a religion of experience: a contemporary, simple, and radical faith. Quakers believe that every person is known by God and can know God in a direct relationship. Quakers strive to live lives that are guided by a direct encounter with the Divine, more than by teachings about the Divine. Quaker terms for the Divine include God, the Light Within, and the Spirit, among others.
Testimonies are one of the ways that Quakers have found to express our experience of the Divine in our lives. Some of the best recognized testimonies include simplicity, integrity, equality, community, and peace.
Many Quakers consider themselves Christians, and some do not. Many Quakers find meaning and value in the teachings of many faiths. There are Quakers of all ages, religious backgrounds, races and ethnicities, education, sexual orientations, gender identities, abilities, and classes. You can find Quakers on all of the world’s continents. Approximately one-third live in the United States and Canada. Saratoga Friends Meeting is part of New York Yearly Meeting and is affiliated with Friends General Conference.
We invite all to come and sit with us in worship as we listen quietly together for the guiding voice of the Spirit.