SUMMER BREAK 5/22 - 8/21 NO SCHEDULED MEETINGS FOR WORSHIP

Monday, August 17, 2009

Quaker Glossary

Over the past 350 years, Quakers have developed a set of terms that are often confusing to visitors. The following may be helpful.

Glossary:

ADVICES. The collected wisdom and experience of Friends written and used as reminder of the faith and practices held to be essential to the life and witness of Friends.

AFFIRMATION. A legal declaration made by one who refuses to swear an oath.

BIRTHRIGHT MEMBER. One who was born of Quaker parents and recorded at birth on a monthly meeting's membership rolls.

BREAKING MEETING. Term used for the closing of meeting for worship when a designated Friend discerns the conclusion of worship and signals other Friends, usually by shaking hands with the person next to him or her.

CENTERED. Being consciously directed towards the Presence of Christ, often used to describe an experience during meeting for worship.

CLEARNESS. A condition in which there are no perceived obstacles to a proposed course of action by an individual or meeting.

CLEARNESS COMMITTEE. A group of Friends appointed or selected to assist a person or the meeting to clarify a decision or concern.

CLERK. A member who presides at meetings of Friends and records the sense of the meeting with respect to decisions made or actions taken.

CONCERN. A deep and spiritual interest held by either an individual or a meeting.

CONTINUING REVELATION. The belief that Christ continues to speak directly to us, revealing to us His Will in specific matters.

CONVINCED FRIEND. A person who becomes a Friend as a result of being “convicted” by the Light as to his or her spiritual state and unity with Friends’ principles and witness. (“Convinced” is an archaic form of “convicted.”)

CORPORATE. A body of Friends. For example, the corporate witness of a meeting.

CONSERVATIVE FRIENDS. Those Friends who seek to conserve what they believe is essential in Friends’ traditions. At the very least, this is usually considered to be unprogrammed worship and a Christian faith (which may be understood in traditional, liberal, or evangelical terms). In some cases, it may also include certain aspects of traditional Friends’ lifestyles, such as plainness.

COVERED MEETING. A meeting during which Friends share an exceptional sense of the Lord’s Presence, often through a deep and shared stillness.

ELDERING. A respected Friend’s encouraging or admonishing another Friend as to some specific matter of concern to the respected Friend.

ELDERS. Those with a special gift and burden for encouraging and admonishing other Friends, especially as to vocal ministry during worship and spiritual development. Elders may be recognized and recorded by their meeting.

EVANGELICAL FRIENDS. Those Friends whose Christian understanding has been substantially influenced by evangelical faith and practice outside of the Society of Friends. Some evangelical Friends emphasize a single-conversion experience. Some emphasize holiness. Some are more liberal. Some also emphasize Quaker distinctives such as the peace testimony. Evangelical Friends meetings tend to employ professional pastors and use programmed worship.

EXERCISE. The exploration of a deep concern that has been brought to a meeting.

FACING BENCHES. The benches or seats in the front of the meeting room, facing the body of the meeting, on which recorded ministers and recorded elders, or, in their absence, those charged with breaking meeting usually sit.

GATHERED MEETING. A meeting during which Friends share an exceptional sense of the Lord’s activity gathering Friends into a deep sense of unity, often through united themes of vocal ministry.

GOOD ORDER. The procedures traditionally used by Friends to facilitate meetings.

GOSPEL ORDER. The order brought by obedience to Christ.

HOLD IN THE LIGHT. To pray that Christ’s Light be known to certain persons in an exceptional way, especially a comforting way.

INWARD LIGHT. This refers to the power and inspiration of Christ coming inwardly to us to show us our motivations and true selves, correct us, guide us, and lead us, and give us strength to act on this guidance. It thus brings us into unity with the spirit of God. The "Inward Light" is also called the "Light Within," the "Christ Within," the "Light of Christ," the "Holy Spirit," and "The Seed."

LEADING. An inward conviction that Christ is leading one to take a specific action.

LIBERAL FRIENDS. Those Friends who insist on the spiritual freedom of individual Friends and who seek to articulate their religious understandings in a manner consistent with the most contemporary movements in the natural and social sciences, the arts, and other aspects of secular culture. Liberal Friends are historically connected to both the 19th century Hicksites and 20th century “modernist” Gurneyite evangelicals.

MEETING. In contemporary usage, this usually refers to the local congregation that meets weekly for worship and monthly for business. A “quarterly meeting” is comprised of representatives of related monthly meetings meeting quarterly for business, while the “yearly meeting” is the annual meeting of members and representatives from related monthly and quarterly meetings.

MINDING THE LIGHT. An exhortation to be consciously centered on the Light of Christ, especially during a trying time.

MINISTERS. Those with a special gift and burden for vocal ministry during worship. Ministers may be recognized and recorded by their meeting.

MINUTE. A statement of the sense of the meeting with respect to a specific item considered in a meeting for business.

MOVED TO SPEAK. Being moved by the Holy Spirit to speak during a meeting for worship.

OPENING. Moment of enlightenment or inspiration from Christ, often unexpected.

OVERSEERS. Those Friends with a special charge by the meeting to exercise pastoral care in the meeting, especially with respect to practical needs. (Overseers would be called “deacons” in some other denominations.)

PLAIN DRESS. Simple but distinctive dress intended to witness Friends’ convictions to others and to remind the wearer of the same.

PLAIN SPEECH. The "thee," "thy," and "thine" used by Friends, especially up to the early twentieth century. In the 1600s, a wealthy person or member of the nobility was addressed by the plural pronoun "you" while inferiors or children were addressed by the singular pronoun "thou." Friends and many others refused to recognize such distinctions. Because the days and months were named for non-Christian gods, goddesses, and emperors, Friends preferred to use "first-day," "second-day," "First Month," "Second Month," etc. Also refers to forthright and divinely-led speech.

PROGRAMMED MEETING. A meeting for worship with a pre-determined formatting of speaking, silence, singing, or other activities. Programmed meetings with substantial periods of silent waiting are often called “semi-programmed.”

PROCEED AS WAY OPENS. To await further Divine Guidance with respect to a specific issue, especially as the circumstances surrounding the issue continue to develop.

QUERIES. Specific written questions used as an opportunity for individuals and meetings to examine themselves (and be examined) with respect to the faith and practices held to be essential to the life and witness of Friends.

SEASONING. A process to ensure that decisions are truly grounded in God's will.

SENSE OF THE MEETING. A perception of Truth that emerges from the corporate business process as Friends seek Christ's will with respect to a specific decision. If the clerk feels that a decision has been reached, he or she states the sense of the meeting as a minute for the meeting's approval. No vote is taken. The clerk must discern the degree of unity required.

SPEAK TO ONE'S CONDITION. The experience of receiving a message directly from God, or through another person, that touches one at the deepest level or helps one solve a problem or make a right decision.

STANDING ASIDE. The withdrawal of opposition by a member not able to unite with a proposed minute, thus freeing the meeting to proceed.

STANDING IN THE WAY. The declaration of a member unable to unite with a proposed minute.

STOP IN THE MIND. An expression used by Friends to indicate a deeply-felt opposition to a course of action, even though the Friend may not be able to articulate fully what is specifically objectionable about the action.

UNIVERSALIST FRIENDS. Those Friends who consider the essence of Quakerism to transcend Christianity and be consistent with spiritual seekers of any or no religious orientation. Universalist Friends embrace “hyphenated Quakerism,” such as Buddhist-Quakerism, Christocentric Quakerism, Non-Theistic Quakerism, and Jewish Quakerism.

UNITY. A shared perception in a business meeting that a conclusion represents the Friends' best understanding of God's will on a specific issue.

UNPROGRAMMED MEETING. A meeting for worship sometimes erroneously referred to as a "silent meeting.” The essence is that Friends await the immediate guidance of Christ as to when and what ought be spoken. More traditional terms are “waiting worship,” “expectant worship” or “silence before the Lord.”

VISITATION. Intentional visiting among Friends for any specific purposes.

WAIT UPON THE LORD. Actively to seek and attend to God's will in expectant, quiet worship.

WEIGHTY FRIEND. A Friend whom others informally recognize as having special experience and wisdom.

WITNESS. Used as a noun or a verb; one who testifies to or shows evidence of religious beliefs and convictions, or the act of doing so.

WORLDLY. Manifesting the non-Christian spirit and values of the mainstream culture.








Caprock Friends Christian Fellowship
Conservative Quakers in Lubbock, Texas