Welcome to Wilmington Monthly Meeting and the Society of Friends
Wilmington Friends Meeting welcomes visitors,
regular attenders, and visitors. We are pleased that many
attenders become involved in the life and business of Wilmington
Meeting.
Meeting for Worship at WMM begins at 10:00 a.m. every First
Day (Sunday). Children are welcome to join the regular meeting
for the first fifteen minutes or so, when they then gather
for First Day School while worship continues until approximately
11:00 a.m. Meeting for worship is usually followed by a social
coffee.
This section seeks to provide answers to some frequently asked
questions about Friends Meeting and Friends, who are also known
as Quakers.
Meeting for Worship 
Friends’ “unprogrammed” worship is based upon
living silence. Friends Meetings do not make use of paid clergy
or sacramental rituals, but rather meet in a friendly atmosphere
where anyone who feels strongly led to speak may do so. Members,
attenders and visitors gather together in silence to wait on
the word of God. It is an individual search for truth in a gathered
community of worshippers, the search involving prayer, meditation
or inspiration. From the living silence may come a message that
someone feels strongly must be shared through vocal ministry.
Such ministry may aid the worship of others in the group and
serve to encourage additional ministry.
Although each Meeting for Worship is based on silence, without
dogma, creed or ritual, each is unique. More than one worship
experience may be necessary before a visitor appreciates and
benefits from such worship.
Many Friends are dedicated to community service and give their
time and resources to promote peace, understanding, justice,
and integrity.
Becoming Involved With Quakerism
Visitors and attenders may learn about Quakerism and the way
of Friends by attending Meeting for Worship and Meeting for Business,
through discussion with members, through publications, and the
links provided elsewhere on this web site. Although Friends are
reluctant to proselytize, they want others to feel welcome in
Meeting activities and are pleased to discuss all aspects of
Quakerism. Quakerism has been characterized as a do-it-yourself
religion, and this may cause visitors and attenders to find it
difficult to comprehend.
Several publications can serve as guides for those who are
interested. Faith and Practice is
the most important source. Faith and Practice
is published by the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and describes
Quaker beliefs, the organization of the Society of Friends,
and the activities of the Monthly Meeting. Other books and
a variety of pamphlets are available on the tables and shelves
outside the meeting room and in the Meeting
Library.
When attenders feel comfortable with Quakerism and the Meeting
from experience and reading and feel drawn to joint the Society
of Friends, they write to the Monthly Meeting, stating why
they feel unity with the Friends’ principles and testimonies.
The Committee on Care of Members then communicate with the applicants and report
to the Meeting for Business. Full guidelines for membership
may be found in Faith and Practice.
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