Chapter 16: every tradition · Christianity

Friends United Meeting

A pastoral (programmed) Friends meeting in a yearly meeting of Friends United Meeting, the association of Christ-centred Quakers whose historic statement of faith is the Richmond Declaration of 1887; most of its members today are in East Africa. Sunday's worship, prepared by the pastor, resembles a Protestant service, with hymns at the piano, prayer concerns, Scripture, and a prepared message, then settles into open worship, a long silence in which anyone may rise and speak as led. Friends keep no outward baptism or communion, holding that the baptism that matters is the Spirit's and that communion with Christ is inward. The pastor, often a recorded minister and often part-time, is called by the meeting and serves it without governing it: business is decided in the monthly meeting for business by the sense of the meeting, without a vote, under its clerk. Friends affirm rather than swear, hold that war is incompatible with Christ's teaching, and support those who refuse to fight. The yearly meetings set their own standards, and several have left Friends United Meeting or divided over theology and sexuality.

All 80 traditions · its profile in Faiths and traditions, with how to play it; How people feel, what every factor is.

At a glance

FaithChristianity
Its wordsmeeting, meetinghouse, sanctuary; the pastor leads the meeting for worship; the message; Sunday; the Bible
Worshipword focus, reserved, low formality (0.33 of 1); seated on pews
Musicgospel organ discouraged; piano expected; chant discouraged
The room's soundno strong preference
Its yearwestern; minimal observance; fasts none
Leansneutral on moral questions, neutral on economic ones
Politycongregational; leaders come by call; property local
Leadersone leader, bivocational, trained by course of study; marriage any
Belongingmoderate commitment, pastoral discipline, admitted by vote
Givingtithing taught; collected by plate, online
Way of lifealcohol moderation, dress casual, sabbath relaxed

Back to top ↑

The week's services

DayTimeServiceLed byPeople look for it
Sunday10:30 amPastoral meeting for worshipthe pastorexpected
Wednesday7:00 pmPrayer meeting and Bible studythe pastoroptional

Back to top ↑

Rites

Back to top ↑

Joining

Back to top ↑

Giving, and what goes up

How its people give and what else comes in, as Money explains it for every faith.

Back to top ↑

The pastor, the staff, and who decides

Back to top ↑

Life together

What its Community screen offers it, with the dilemmas only its own faith or family meets; see The congregation in its community.

Back to top ↑

What the building needs

Back to top ↑

What people here feel

How each message lands

The topics its leader can choose from (some are only for one faith or family), and what each is worth.

Back to top ↑

Every item, for this tradition

Fit runs from −1 (jars) to +1 (just right); the building fit is the average over the characterful items in the worship rooms. An item with no character (a table, a toilet) has no fit. A rule applies wherever the item is.

ItemFitRule
Seating
Box pew-0.333
Choir stalls-0.167
Meeting benchno fit
Oak pewno fit
Row of chairs+0.333
Liturgical furniture
Altar-0.333
Baptismal font-0.333
Baptistryno fit
Bishop's chair-0.333
Brass eagle lectern-0.333
Columbarium niches-0.333
Communion rail-0.333
Communion stationno fit
Communion tableno fit
Communion traysno fit
Confessional screenno fit
Coptic cross0
Epitaphios-1
Flaming chalice-1discouraged The flaming chalice is another tradition's symbol.
Foot-washing basinsno fit
Haikal screen-1
Iconostasis-1
Immersion font-0.333
Lecternno fit
Litany desk-0.333
Mercy seatno fit
Octagonal stone font-0.333
Paramentsno fit
Pulpitno fitrequired Preaching is the center of worship, so the pulpit stands at the center of the platform.
Readers' desksno fit
Rood screen-1
Sanctuary lamp-0.333
Tabernacle-0.333
Three-bar cross0
Thurible and standno fit
Music
Brass band stands0
Chanter's stand-0.667
Drum kit+0.167
Electronic organ0
Grand piano+1
Hammond organ-1discouraged A gospel organ doesn't suit this tradition's worship.
Handbell table0
Pipe organ-0.167
Sound system+0.167
Upright piano+1expected The meeting expects singing led from a piano.
Decor
Advent wreathno fit
Banner0
Christmas Eve candlesno fit
Cross0
Crucifix-1discouraged This tradition uses an empty cross, proclaiming the risen Christ, rather than a crucifix.
Easter liliesno fit
Eternal flameno fit
Flag of the church-1discouraged This tradition doesn't fly a flag in worship.
Great dome-0.333
Icon-1discouraged Icons are not part of this tradition's worship.
Memorial plaqueno fit
National flag-1discouraged This tradition keeps the nation's symbols out of worship.
Painting of Christ-1discouraged Pictures of Christ are not part of this tradition's worship space.
Paschal candleno fit
Plain spireno fit
Small domeno fit
Stained glass window-1
Statue-1discouraged Statues are not part of this tradition's worship space.
Steeple and bells-0.333
Votive candle standno fit
Furnishings
Alms boxno fit
Coffee potno fit
Commercial coffee potno fit
Computerno fit
Cribno fit
Deskno fit
Desk chairno fit
Folding tableno fit
Full-length mirrorno fit
Pillar-0.333
Prie-dieu-0.333
Projection screen+0.333
Vestment cabinet-0.333
Wooden tableno fit
Utility
A/V rackno fit
Camerano fit
Cast-iron boilerno fit
Central air conditionerno fit
Commercial HVAC plantno fit
Commercial stoveno fit
Congregation vanno fit
Ductless heat pumpno fit
Electric wall heaterno fit
Gas furnaceno fit
Hearing loopno fit
Liftno fit
Packaged heat pumpno fit
Plumbing stackno fit
Rampno fit
Shuttle busno fit
Sinkno fit
Solar panelsno fit
Stairsno fit
Toiletno fit
Used school busno fit
Wall camerano fit
Window air conditionerno fit
Grounds
Evergreen treeno fit
Flower bedno fit
Fountainno fit
Garden benchno fit
Hedgeno fit
Lychgate-0.333
Playgroundno fit
Shade treeno fit
Standing crossno fit

Back to top ↑

Sources

Back to top ↑