Welcome to Worship

South Mountain Friends Meeting began in the mid–1960’s when a small number of families seeking a deeper understanding of the world and themselves began to meet in each other’s homes. We grew in number and in 1983 settled into the Newman Center in Ashland. Five years later we became a Monthly Meeting within the North Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. In July 2000, we moved to our present home at 543 South Mountain Avenue. Later, in August 2001, we changed our name from Rogue Valley Friends Meeting to our present name, South Mountain Friends Meeting.

Amongst Friends, faith and practice are inseparable. Drawing on the Quaker testimonies of equality, peace, simplicity and stewardship we seek unity and integrity in both our inner and outer life. "For Friends," stated Howard Brinton in 1943, "the most important consideration is not the right action in itself but a right inward state out of which right action will arise."

Meeting for Worship, or silent worship, is the central practice of unprogrammed Friends. We gather in silence to "wait upon" the eternal Spirit within and seek to put to rest the workings of the mind. Sometimes, out of silent worship, a person may be "moved by the Spirit" to share with the Meeting a vocal ministry as part of their worship. Friends value spoken ministry that comes from the heart and we value the silence that we share together. The spoken message is typically followed by a period of silent worship that allows each of us to experience ourselves within the Light of the message. Our message, out of Divine Coincidence, may be similar to that of a message that came earlier in the Meeting, but we don’t attempt to engage in discussion or argument, nor do we usually speak more than once.

The Meeting ends when a designated person turns to their neighbor and they shake hands. In like manner, all those present greet each other. We then introduce ourselves and share joys, concerns, and announcements.

If Quaker meeting is new to you, begin where you are and know that you are joining a great company of seekers of the past, present, and future, whose contributions to the world's good are rooted in silent worship.