Over time, Friends have developed a set of practices that affirm the Inward Light in each person as we worship and conduct the business of our meetings.
Quakers do not use voting to make decisions. Instead, meetings seek the “sense of the meeting” about what should be done. Business meetings are regarded as a continuation of worship. The process is similar in some ways to the secular process of seeking consensus, but Quakers seek unity in their understanding of the will of God for the group rather than simply the agreement of those gathered. Much of the ongoing work of a Quaker meeting is done by committees, which in turn seek approval for major decisions from the meeting as a whole. Information about Committees and Meeting for Worship for Business at London Grove Meeting
When individual seekers feel themselves to be in unity with Quaker spirituality and testimonies, and wish to make a mutual commitment with a Friends meeting, they may request membership. Members are expected to participate regularly in the life of the meeting, including worship and committee work. Attenders who are not members are also encouraged and welcome to participate as they feel led. Information about Committees and Meeting for Worship for Business at London Grove
Quakers examine the state of their meetings and their individual lives using queries. Answers to queries may be written or used for self-reflection. When these queries are considered with openness to the Spirit, they enrich the lives of meetings as well as individual Friends. You can read the Queries from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting that are used by London Grove Meeting in our Faith and Practice document.
For more information about Quaker practices, follow the links below.
Friends General Conference: FAQs about Quakers
QuakerSpeak Video: How Quakers Make Decisions
Excerpt from Beyond Consensus, by Barry Morley [Pendle Hill Pamphlet #307]